Development of a simplified method for the simultaneous determination of retinol, α-tocopherol,and β-carotene in serum by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

A new and simple method for the determination of fat-soluble vitamins (retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and beta-carotene) in human serum was developed and validated by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LC-APCI-MS-MS). Different solvent mixtures were tested to obtain deproteinization and extraction of the analytes from the matrix. As a result, a volume of 240 microL of a 1:1 (v/v) ethanol/ethyl acetate mixture added to 60 microL of serum was found to be suitable for both protein precipitation and antioxidants solubilization, giving the best recovery for all three analytes. Deproteinized samples (20 microL) were injected after dilution, without the need for concentration or evaporation to dryness and reconstruction of the sample. Vitamins were separated on a C-8 column using a 95:5 (v/v) methanol/dichloromethane mixture and ionized in the positive-ion mode; detection was performed in the selected-reaction monitoring mode. Linearity of the LC-APCI-MS-MS method was established over 5 orders of magnitude for retinol and alpha-tocopherol, whereas in the case of beta-carotene it was limited to 4 orders. Lower limits of quantitation were 1.7, 2.3, and 4.1 nM for retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and beta-carotene, respectively. Serum concentrations of retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and alpha+beta-carotene determined in a group of healthy volunteers were 2.48, 38.07, and 0.50 microM, respectively, in samples collected in winter ( n=122) and 2.69, 45.88, and 0.90 microM during summer ( n=66).     

Effect of Particle Size and Capping on Photoluminescence Quantum Efficiency of 1,3,5-Triphenyl-2-pyrazoline Nanocrystals

Organic nanocrystals of 1,3,5-triphenyl-2-pyrazoline(TPP) with a series of sizes were synthesized by reprecipitation method.The luminescence quantum efficiency of TPP nanocrystals increases from 24.2% for the nanocrystals with an average size of 300nm to 34.6% for those with an average size of 20nm.Surface capping by polyvinyl pyrrolidone(PVP) will improve the quantum efficiency of TPP nanocrystals.The size-dependence and capping-induced variation of the luminescence quantum efficiency was elucidated in viewpoint of aggregation quenching and the equilibrium between the TPP monomers and the aggregates in TPP nanocrystals.     

Formation of (E) 1-alkoxy-1,3-butadienes from corresponding propargyl ethers; vicarious nucleophilic substitution in alkoxyallenes

Propargyl ethers treated with dimsyl anion in DMSO at 80-100°C undergo terminal methylenation to afford corresponding (E) 1-alkoxy-1,3-butadienes. The reaction proceeds via an alkoxy-allene.     

[Mn(H_2P_2O_7)_3]~(3-)引发淀粉与丙烯腈接枝聚合反应的动力学研究

以[Mn(H_2P_2O_7)_3]~(3-)为引发剂,研究了丙烯腈与玉米淀粉的接枝共聚反应。由实验结果求出了反应速率与引发剂浓度、单体浓度、淀粉浓度和反应温度的关系,推导并验证了接枝反应动力学模型,探讨了反应机理,求得了接枝反应活化能。     

Experimental observation of light-induced solitary waves of analyte bands in capillary electrophoresis.

The phenomenon of electrophoresis in free solution has been studied theoretically down to the molecular level for decades. In addition, intermolecular photo-induced proton transfer reactions, which occur in a wide class of molecules (phenols and aminoarenes) as well as proteins (green fluorescent protein), were also studied extensively. However, the study of the effect of light-induced electrophoretic mobility changes of the analytes in electrophoresis was begun only recently. In the present work, capillary zone electrophoresis was chosen as the environment to measure the magnitude of these electrophoretic mobility shifts induced by light. Background electrolytes (running electrolytes) with high refractive indices were developed, allowing the capillary to work like an optical fiber. The experimental conditions for obtaining stable coupling and guided laser light along the liquid core are discussed. Experimental evidence of band compression is observed, leading to a solitary wave behavior of the analyte band (2-naphthol). These solitary waves result from competition between thermal diffusion (dispersion mechanism) and a nonlinear (band compression) effect due to the combined electrophoresis phenomenon and absorption of guided light by the molecules of the band (which are subjected to a "reversible intermolecular proton transfer reaction" as one of their decay routes). The possibilities of applying this effect to different methods and techniques are also discussed.     

Fe/Zn double metal cyanide catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of propylene oxide: 2. Characterization of active structure of double metal cyanide catalysts

Double metal cyanide (DMC) complexes based on Zn₃[Fe(CN)₆]₂ were synthesized using different molar ratios of ZnCl₂ to K₃[Fe(CN)₆] and special complexing agents. IR spectroscopy, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and other analytical techniques were employed to characterize these catalysts. The morphology and structure of these DMC catalysts were attributed to the different complexing agents as well as to the different molar ratios of ZnCl₂ to K₃[Fe(CN)₆]. In addition, the catalytic activity was strongly correlated with the morphology and noncrystalline content of DMC catalysts. High-activity catalysts could be prepared by controlling the structure of DMC catalysts by incorporating complexing agents. The active species of DMC catalysts for ring-opening polymerization are Zn²⁺, [Fe(CN)₆]^3–, Cl^–, and the compound of their ligands.     

Voltammetric and X-ray diffraction analysis of the early stages of the thermal crystallization of mixed Cu,Mn oxides

Mixed Cu,Mn, Cu,Mn,Al, Cu,Mg,Mn, and Cu,Mg,Mn,Al oxides were obtained by calcination of amorphous basic carbonate (Cu,Mn oxides) or hydrotalcite-like precursors at 300–800 °C. The product composition was characterized by chemical analysis, XRD, and voltammetry of the microparticles. The XRD amorphous portion was detected indirectly by XRD and directly by voltammetry. Tenorite (CuO) and spinels were the main crystalline components of the oxide mixtures. The presence of Al shifted the onset of the crystallization of XRD-detectable tenorite and spinel to temperatures higher by 100–200 °C, and the presence of Mg shifted tenorite crystallization by 100 °C, but voltammetry was able to detect these phases even in XRD-amorphous or nanocrystalline calcines. Voltammetry is hence suitable for analysis of poorly crystalline oxides that can be used in heterogeneous catalysis.     

Morin applied in speciation of aluminium in natural waters and biological samples by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method with fluorescence detection for the determination of labile monomeric aluminium has been developed through pre-column complexation using morin as the analytical reagent. The highly fluorescent aluminium-morin complex (excitation wavelength 418 nm, emission wavelength 490 nm) was separated on a Spherisorb ODS 2 column with an eluent consisting of 30% methanol and 70% water (pH 1.0 with perchloric acid). The most remarkable point of this protocol was that only the most toxic aluminium species, that is, free aqua-aluminium ion and its monomeric hydroxo complex ions, selectively respond among various aluminium complexes. This strategy has been successfully applied to direct fractionation of the toxic aluminium in natural waters and biological samples without any pretreatment.     

Syntheses and crystal structures of [Mg(HF)2](SbF6)2 and [Ca(HF)2](SbF6)2: new examples of HF acting as a ligand to metal centres

[Mg(HF)₂](SbF₆)₂ and [Ca(HF)₂](SbF₆)₂ monocrystals were grown from the corresponding hexafluoroantimonates(V) dissolved in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. [Mg(HF)₂](SbF₆)₂ crystallizes in the space group Pnma (no. 62) with a=1249.1(4) pm, b=1230.2(4) pm, c=699.1(2) pm, V=1.0742(6) nm³, Z=4. Magnesium is octahedrally coordinated by six fluorine atoms from which two belong to two HF molecules. The structure can be represented by alternating rows of magnesium and antimony atoms running parallel to the c-axis. Magnesium atoms are connected by cis bridging Sb(2)F₆ units along the a-axis and by trans bridging Sb(1)F₆ units along the b-axis. In this way a three-dimensional network is formed.[Ca(HF)₂](SbF₆)₂ crystallizes in the space group P2₁/n (no. 14) with a=935.2(3) pm, b=1088.7(3) pm, c=1104.8(3) pm, β=106.697(5)°, V=1.0774(5) nm³, Z=4. The coordination sphere around the calcium atom consists of eight fluorine atoms which define the vertices of an Archimedean antiprism. The two HF molecules directly coordinate the calcium atom and their fluorine atoms are placed in the corners of different square faces of the Archimedean antiprism. The Ca-F(HF) distances are shorter than the Ca-F(Sb) distances. The Sb(1)F₆ and Sb(2)F₆ groups have four equatorial bridging fluorine atoms, while the Sb(3)F₆ groups have only two bridging trans F ligands. The Ca atoms in the [−1,0,1] plane are connected by equatorial F ligands of Sb(1)F₆ and Sb(2)F₆ units, forming a [Ca(SbF₆)⁺]_n layer. These layers are connected by trans bridging Sb(3)F₆ groups. HF molecules occupy the space between these layers and additionally contribute to the connection between the layers by hydrogen bonding.