Semi-automated determination of aluminium with Xylenol Orange

The photometric determination of aluminium by automated colour development with Xylenol Orange is described. The reagent has been found to act faster if used in alcohol solution.     

Elution order in gas chromatography

The retention behavior of a heterogeneous group of solutes has been examined on seven different stationary phases under isothermal and temperature-programmed conditions. Both ΔH_v (enthalpy of solute vaporization from the stationary phase) and ΔS_v (entropy of solute vaporization from the stationary phase) values were determined for each solute – stationary phase combination under isothermal conditions. Both program rate and carrier gas velocity were shown to affect solute elution order. Unless these and other experimental factors discussed are controlled, column equivalency studies based on solute elution order have dubious value.     

Bis(m-phenylene)-32-crown-10-based cryptands, powerful hosts for paraquat derivatives

Four new bis(m-phenylene)-32-crown-10-based cryptands with different third bridges were prepared. Their complexes with paraquat derivatives were studied by proton NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and X-ray analysis. It was found that these cryptands bind paraquat derivatives very strongly. Specifically, a diester cryptand with a pyridyl nitrogen atom located at a site occupied by either water or a PF(6) anion in analogous complexes exhibited the highest association constant K(a) = 5.0 x 10(6) M(-1) in acetone with paraquat, 9000 times greater than the crown ether system. X-ray structures of this and analogous complexes demonstrate that improved complexation with this host is a consequence of preorganization, adequate ring size for occupation by the guest, and the proper location of the pyridyl N-atom for binding to the beta-pyridinium hydrogens of the paraquat guests. This readily accessible cryptand is one of the most powerful hosts reported for paraquats.     

Simultaneously quantifying parent drugs and screening for metabolites in plasma pharmacokinetic samples using selected reaction monitoring information-dependent acquisition on a QTrap instrument

Bioanalytical support of plasma pharmacokinetic (PK) studies for drug discovery programs primarily involves the quantitative analysis of dosed compounds using liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) operated in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. However, there is a growing need for information on the metabolism of new chemical entities (NCEs), in addition to the time-concentration profiles from these studies. In this paper, we present a novel approach to not only quantify parent drugs with SRM, but also simultaneously screen for metabolites using a hybrid triple quadrupole/linear ion trap (QqQ(LIT)) instrument. This was achieved by incorporating both the conventional SRM-only acquisition of parent compounds and the SRM-triggered information-dependent acquisition (IDA) of potential metabolites within the same scan cycle during the same LC/MS/MS run. Two test compounds were used to demonstrate the applicability of this approach. Plasma samples from PK studies were processed by simple protein precipitation and the supernatant was diluted with water before injection. The fast scanning capability of the linear ion trap allowed for the information-dependent acquisition of metabolite MS/MS spectra (<1 s/scan), in addition to the collection of adequate data points for SRM-only channels. The MS/MS spectra obtained from potential metabolites in post-dose samples correlated well with the spectra of the parent compounds studied, therefore providing additional confirmatory structure information without the need for repetitive analyses. Relative quantitative time-concentration profiles of identified metabolites were also obtained. Furthermore, this articulated SRM+SRM-IDA approach generated equivalent quantitative results for parent compounds to those obtained by conventional SRM-only analysis. This approach has been successfully used to support discovery PK screening programs.     

Self-assembly of rings, catenanes, and a doubly braided catenane containing gold(I): the hinge-group effect in diacetylide ligands

Reaction of the flexible dialkynyldigold(I) precursors X(4-C6H4OCH2C-CAu)2 with 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane gave complexes of formula [[[mu-X(4-C6H4OCH2CCAu)2[mu-(Ph2PCH2CH2CH2CH2PPh2)]]n]. The complexes exist as 25-membered ring compounds with n = 1 when X = O or S, as [2]catenanes with n = 2 when X = CH2 or CMe2, and as a unique doubly braided [2]catenane, containing interlocked 50-membered rings with n = 4 when X = cyclohexylidene. These compounds form easily and selectively by self-assembly; reasons for the selectivity are also discussed.     

Self-assembly in palladium(II) and platinum(II) chemistry: the biomimetic approach

The self-assembly of complex cationic structures by combination of cis-blocked square planar palladium(II) or platinum(II) units with bis(pyridyl) ligands having bridging amide units has been investigated. The reactions have yielded dimers, molecular triangles, and polymers depending primarily on the geometry of the bis(pyridyl) ligand. In many cases, the molecular units are further organized in the solid state through hydrogen bonding between amide units or between amide units and anions. The molecular triangle [Pt(3)(bu(2)bipy)(3)(mu-1)(3)](6+), M = Pd or Pt, bu(2)bipy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine, and 1 = N-(4-pyridinyl)isonicotinamide, stacks to give dimers by intertriangle NH.OC hydrogen bonding. The binuclear ring complexes [[Pd(LL)(mu-2)](2)](CF(3)SO(3))(4), LL = dppm = Ph(2)PCH(2)PPh(2) or dppp = Ph(2)P(CH(2))(3)PPh(2) and 2 = NC(5)H(4)-3-CH(2)NHCOCONHCH(2)-3-C(5)H(4)N, form transannular hydrogen bonds between the bridging ligands. The complexes [[Pd(LL)(mu-3)](2)](CF(3)SO(3))(4), LL = dppm or dppp, L = PPh(3), and 3 = N,N'-bis(pyridin-3-yl)-pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide, and [[Pd(LL)(mu-4)](2)](CF(3)SO(3))(4), LL = dppm, dppp, or bu(2)bipy, L = PPh(3), and 4 = N,N'-bis(pyridin-4-yl)-pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide, are suggested to exist as U-shaped or square dimers, respectively. The ligands N,N'-bis(pyridin-3-yl)isophthalamide, 5, or N,N'-bis(pyridin-4-yl)isophthalamide, 6, give the complexes [[Pd(LL)(mu-5)](2)](CF(3)SO(3))(4) or [[Pd(LL)(mu-6)](2)](CF(3)SO(3))(4), but when LL = dppm or dppp, the zigzag polymers [[Pd(LL)(mu-6)](x)](CF(3)SO(3))(2)(x) are formed. When LL = dppp, a structure determination shows formation of a laminated sheet structure by hydrogen bonding between amide NH groups and triflate anions of the type NH-OSO-HN.     

Development of fast atom bombardment mass spectral methods for the identification of carcinogen-nucleoside adducts

An analytical strategy using fast atom bombardment (FAB) ionization and tandem mass spectrometry has been developed to determine the molecular weight and major fragment ions, and to provide limited structural characterization of low picomole levels of carcinogen-nucleoside adducts. This strategy consists of three main components: (1) the sensitivity for analysis by FAB combined with mass spectrometry is increased via chemical derivatization; (2) the nucleoside adducts are selectively detected by using constant neutral loss scans; and (3) structurally characteristic fragments are obtained by using daughter ion scans. Trimethylsilyl derivatized arylamine-nucleoside adducts have been detected at levels as low as a few picomoles by using this approach. After experimental determination of the mass of the BH ₂ ⁺ fragment ion, daughter ion spectra have been used to probe the structure specificity associated with collision-activated decomposition of this fragment. With model C-8 substituted arylamine adducts [N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl, N-(deoxyadenosin--yl)-4-aminobiphenyl, and N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene], nucleoside-specific and carcinogen-specific fragmentation have been observed in daughter ion spectra.     

Chemical ionization mass spectrometry of derivatives of L-dopa and L-tryptophan and their detection in tumour samples

Conditions have been established for the detection by chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) of compounds related to L -dopa (3-hydroxy-L -tyrosine) and L -tryptophan without derivatization. The least fragmentation of the parent ion occurs in positive ion CIMS when methylamine is used as reagent gas. The compounds can also be detected by negative ion CIMS using carbon tetrachloride as reagent gas. While the total ion current in the latter technique is lower than that obtained with positive ion CIMS, the background noise in the mass spectra of samples obtained from natural sources is greatly reduced. CIMS has been used to show the presence of aromatic amino acids in acid extracts of samples of two different classes of tumour without sample derivatization.     

Self-assembly of polymer and sheet structures in palladium(II) complexes containing carboxylic acid substituents

A series of complexes trans-[PdCl(2)L(2)] has been prepared by the reaction of [PdCl(2)(PhCN)(2)] and/or Na(2)[PdCl(4)] with L = pyridine or quinoline ligands having one or two carboxylic acid groups. These complexes can form 1-D polymers through O-H.O hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic acid groups, as demonstrated by structure determinations of [PdCl(2)(NC(5)H(4)-4-COOH)(2)], [PdCl(2)(NC(5)H(4)-3-COOH)(2)], and [PdCl(2)(2-Ph-NC(9)H(5)-4-COOH)(2)]. In some cases, solvation breaks down the O-H.O hydrogen-bonded structures, as in the structures of [PdCl(2)(NC(5)H(4)-3-COOH)(2)].2DMSO and [PdCl(2)(2-Ph-NC(9)H(5)-4-COOH)(2)].4DMF, while pyridine-2-carboxylic acid underwent deprotonation to give the chelate complex [Pd(NC(5)H(4)-2-C(O)O)(2)]. The complexes trans-[PdCl(2)L(2)], L = pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid or 2,6-dimethyl pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid, self-assembled to give 2-D sheet structures, with hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic acid groups mediated by solvate methanol or water molecules. In the cationic complexes [PdL'(2)L(2)](2+) (L'(2) = Ph(2)PCH(2)PPh(2), Ph(2)P(CH(2))(3)PPh(2); L = pyridine carboxylic acid; anions X(-) = CF(3)SO(3)(-)), hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic acid groups and anions or solvate acetone molecules occurred, and only in one case was a polymeric complex formed by self-assembly.     

Highly selective and efficient separations of a wide range of acidic species in capillary electrophoresis employing non-aqueous media

Summary The novel application of CE using non-aqueous media has been studied for the separation of a range of acidic compound types. This enabled the first quantitative assay by CE employing non-aqueous media to be performed. Separation selectivity manipulation for closely related species was achieved through variation of organic solvent types and composition, ionic strength changes, alteration of pH^* values and the addition of cyclodextrin additives soluble in organic solvents. This offers a greater range of possibilities during method development than use of aqueous buffer. The generation of low operating currents permitted rapid, highly efficient and selective separations to be achieved by applying high field strengths across short capillaries. Optimised rinsing and capillary regenerating procedures were devised which allowed highly repeatable separations to be achieved with migration time repeatability below 1% RSD. Use of internal standards also allowed 1% RSD values to be obtained for injection precision. Routine operating effects were assessed and it was observed that stacking effects remain important in non-aqueous CE. Also, optimal separations are obtained when the samples are diluted in the pure solvent used to prepare the electrolyte. The application range of non-aqueous CE was appreciably extended to include acidic drugs, dyes, surfactants and preservatives.