Bioluminescent detection of insect pheromones using an enzyme-based flow injection analysis system

The combination of flow injection analysis with chemiluminescent detection is shown to provide extremely selective and sensitive detection of insect pheromones which possess an aldehyde moiety. The flow injection analysis system provides reproducible control of both the reaction chemistry and the sample introduction process. Microliter volume samples can be precisely handled and analyzed with this experimental configuration. The detection system is based on the luciferase-catalyzed oxidation of reduced flavin mononucleotide which occurs in the presence of aldehydes with carbon backbones of between 14 and 16 carbons. A limit of detection of 3 fmol of tetradecyl aldehyde is demonstrated and the system is shown to be insensitive to the presence of various organic solvents up to concentrations of approximately 10%. The key experimental variables which control sensitive detection of pheromone at the femtomole level with be investigated and discussed.     

An evaluation of the performance of porous polymer monolith assisted electrospray

A novel electrospray interface, which has distinct advantages over conventional pulled silica emitters, has been developed. This novel interface can be easily fabricated by forming a porous polymer monolith (PPM) at the end of a fused-silica capillary that facilitates a stable electrospray over a wide range of flow rates with only a modest increase in back-pressure. A comparison was made between the PPM-assisted electrospray and a commercial nanosprayer in terms of sensitivity, stability and robustness. A PPM-filled electrospray tip produced a day-to-day signal variation of 23% relative standard deviation (RSD) over a 3-day period when spraying a 1.0 microM test peptide solution. Furthermore, three different capillaries fabricated by the same process produced a signal variation of 17% RSD, indicating that the fabrication process shows good reproducibility. The multiple flow paths of the PPM function to split the flow and reduce clogging. Even following the accumulation of debris after prolonged use, a stable spray could still be generated with the PPM-filled capillary while the commercial nanosprayer ceased to function properly. In terms of sensitivity, PPM-assisted electrospray showed an enhancement in sensitivity at infusion flow rates between 100 to 1000 nL/min while commercial nanosprayers performed slightly better at flow rates below 100 nL/min. A sample purification step can be combined with the PPM-assisted sprayer, using the PPM as a stationary phase to desalt and preconcentrate samples prior to mass spectrometric detection.     

The asymmetric synthesis of trans-substituted cyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives

The asymmetric synthesis of trans-substituted cyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives is achieved via stereoselective nucleophilic methylene transfer to E-,β-unsaturated acyl ligands bound to the iron chiral auxiliary [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)(PPh₃)].     

Maleation of poly(3,4‐epoxy‐1‐butene) for accelerated crosslinking in the presence of a redox catalyst

Accelerated crosslinking of novel poly(3,4‐epoxy‐1‐butene) (3,4‐PEPB) oligomers in the presence of a cobalt‐based redox catalyst was investigated. Previous studies using model compounds, 3,4‐dimethoxy‐1‐butene and 1,4‐dimethoxy‐2‐butene, suggested that maleation of hydroxyl‐terminated 3,4‐PEPB oligomers would result in more rapid crosslinking in thin films. Novel maleated oligomers offered a unique combination of both electron‐rich and electron‐poor olefinic sites, and quantitative maleation significantly increased the crosslinking rate of 3,4‐PEPB. Efficient copolymerization between terminal maleate groups and olefinic groups in the repeating unit was proposed to account for accelerated crosslinking rates. Furthermore, the addition of novel reactive diluents, such as maleic acid mono‐ethyl ester, also effectively improved the 3,4‐PEPB crosslinking rate. Sol fraction measurements as a function of coating thickness revealed that the crosslinking rate versus oxygen diffusion was less significant for the maleated oligomers because of the presence of reactive electron‐poor olefins. Sol fractions were constant for catalyst concentrations greater than 0.25–0.50 wt % (as compared with oligomer feed). This observation suggested that a redox process was not a dominant factor in determining crosslinking rates at various experimental conditions. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2789–2798, 2002     

Metabolic profiling of normal and hypertensive rat kidney tissues by hrMAS-NMR spectroscopy

Intact kidney tissue samples of normal and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were analyzed by hrMAS-NMR spectroscopy and principal component analysis (PCA). Radial components (cortex, outer stripe of the outer medulla, inner stripe of the outer medulla, and papilla) were sampled from various regions across the kidney from multiple animals in order to establish inter- and intra-animal variability. The effects of temperature were also measured. Papilla was differentiated from the other tissue types, and this variation by tissue type was greater than the effect of temperature on the samples (spectra were compared from samples at 2 and 30 °C). This study also revealed long term stability issues of tissue storage at -80 °C. The PCA showed that the greatest differentiation between normal rats and SHRs was found in the cortex and the regions in the NMR spectra that were correlated with this variation were identified.Abbreviations hrMAS High-resolution magic angle spinning - NMR Nuclear magnetic resonance - PCA Principal component analysis - CSA Chemical shift anisotropy - DD Dipolar coupling - SHR Spontaneously hypertensive rat     

Pentalene complexes of group 7 metal carbonyls: an organometallic mixed-valence system with very large metal-metal electronic coupling

The bimetallic complexes [M(CO)(3)](2)(mu:eta(5):eta(5)-Pn) (Pn = pentalene, C(8)H(6); M = Mn, Re) have been synthesized and characterized crystallographically; the Mn compound was isolated as solely the anti-isomer, while the Re analogue was formed as a mixture of anti- and syn-isomers. [Mn(CO)(3)](2)(mu:eta(5):eta(5)-Pn) may be reduced chemically to its mono- and dianions; the mixed-valence Mn(I)/Mn(0) monoanion is shown by ESR, vibrational, and electronic spectroscopies to be a Robin-Day class III system with an exceptionally large electronic coupling between the metal centers.     

Preparative gas chromatography of volatile metal compounds-I Separation of aluminium, chromium and iron beta-diketonates

The analytical gas chromatography of a range of fluorinated and unfluorinated beta-diketonates of aluminium, chromium and iron has been studied m detail and conditions have been established for their complete separation; the complexes of trifluoroacetylpivaloylmethane show the best characteristics for this purpose. A range of liquid phases and column conditions have been considered and Apiezon substrates have been shown to give optimal resolution. The technique has been extended to a preparative scale with up to 0.1-g chelate samples, and the efficiency of the process demonstrated by the removal of 2% proportions of two metal complexes from a sample of the third. Implications of the technique for the purification of metals are discussed.     

High-resolution 17O NMR spectroscopy of wadsleyite (beta-Mg2SiO4)

The sensitivity of high-resolution 17O (I = 5/2) NMR spectroscopy of solids has advanced significantly in recent years. Here, we show that excellent results are now obtainable from milligram quantities of 17O-enriched materials, thereby allowing the technique to be applied to silicate phases synthesized under very high pressures in a multiple-anvil apparatus. We report the first 17O NMR study of beta-Mg2SiO4 (9.6 mg of 35% 17O-enriched material, synthesized at p = 16 GPa and T = 1873 K), a dense phase believed to have a significant role in the Earth's mantle. Using STMAS at magnetic fields of B0 = 9.4 and 11.7 T and MQMAS at B0 = 18.8 T, we have resolved and assigned all four crystallographically distinct O sites and determined their chemical shift and quadrupolar parameters.     

Intermediates in associative phosphine substitution reactions of (η5-C5H5)W(CO)2(NO)

The reaction of (η⁵-C₅H₅)W(CO)₂(NO), 6W, with P(CH₃)₃ proceeds rapidly at 25°C to give (η⁵-C₅H₅)W(CO)(NO)[P(CH₃)₃], 7W. The rate of formation of 7W was found to be 4.48 × 10^?2M^?1 [6W] [P(CH₃)₃] at 25.0°c in THF. In neat P(CH₃)₃ at ?23°C, 6W is converted to (η¹-C₅H₅)W(CO)₂(NO)[P(CH₃)₃]₂, 8W. In dilute solution, 8W decomposes to initially give a 2:1 mixture of 6W and 7W. The mixture is then converted to 7W. The reaction of (η⁵-C₅H₅)Mo(CO)(NO), 6Mo, with P(CH₃)₃ is 6.1 times faster than that of the tungsten analog.