Gravimetric determination of zirconium with a new azopyrazolone derivative

3-Methyl-5-oxo-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-4-ylazo-2'-(6',8'-naphthalenedisulfonic acid) (disodium salt) is proposed as a new reagent for the gravimetric determination of zirconium. The precipitate formed at pH 1–1.5 can be weighed directly and there are few interferences.     

Partial Least-Squares Study of the Effects of Organic Modifier and Physicochemical Properties on the Retention of Some Thiazoles

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Reversed-phase (RP) HPTLC with aqueous ammonia-organic modifier (acetonitrile, dioxane, acetone) mobile phases has been used to...     

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of carbonyl compounds in cigarette mainstream smoke after derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine

An improved gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was described for the analysis of carbonyl compounds in cigarette mainstream smoke (CMS) after 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) derivatization. Besides formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, acrolein, propionaldehyde, methyl ethyl ketone, butyraldehyde, and crotonaldehyde that are routinely analyzed in cigarette smoke, this technique separates and allows the analysis of several C4, C5 and C6 isomeric carbonyl compounds. Differentiation could be made between the linear and branched carbon chain components. In cigarette smoke, the branched chain carbonyls are found at higher level than the linear chain carbonyls. Also, several trace carbonyl compounds such as methoxyacetaldehyde were found for the first time in cigarette smoke. For the analysis, cigarette smoke was collected using DNPH-treated pads, which is a simpler procedure compared to conventional impinger collection. Thermal decomposition of DNPH-carbonyl compounds was minimized by the optimization of the GC conditions. The linear range of the method was significantly improved by using a standard mixture of DNPH-carbonyl compounds instead of individual compounds for calibration. The minimum detectable quantity for the carbonyls ranged from 1.4 to 5.6 microg/cigarette.     

Structure–electrochemical properties correlations of some phenol derivatives investigated by electrochemical techniques

A series of 25 phenol derivative compounds having potential antioxidant capacity were studied by cyclic voltammetry and square-wave voltammetry, in order to estimate the electrochemical parameters of the redox process occurring at the graphite electrode. A correlation between the structure of phenol derivatives, the peak potential, the HOMO–LUMO gap and their antioxidant activity lead to a qualitative classification of the studied compounds as a function of the increase of their antioxidant capacity.     

Results from solvophobic theory applied to methylene selectivity in reversed-phase HPLC

A significant amount of work has been previously dedicated to the understanding of methylene selectivity parameter. The conventional theory applied for this understanding was mostly based on the assumption that the difference in the Gibbs free energy of transfer from the mobile phase to the stationary phase is a constant for any two compounds in a homologous series that differ by a CH₂ group. In the present study, it is shown based on solvophobic theory that this assumption is indeed correct, but it provides a theoretical justification for it. Exemplification of the results of theory was obtained using the values for methylene selectivity (α(CH₂)) measured experimentally for seven different C18 chromatographic columns including two core–shell columns and using water and either methanol or acetonitrile as an organic component. Four different homologous series of compounds were used for evaluation. The study proved the theoretical prediction that the values for α(CH₂) obtained using different homologous series of compounds are only slightly different from those obtained using the toluene–butylbenzene series. Even using different homologous series, the same type of information regarding the columns comparison, and the changes in log α(CH₂) with the solvent composition was obtained.     

Comparative Study of the Chemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activities of Fresh Juices from Romanian Cucurbitaceae Varieties

Cucurbitaceae is a family of health-promoting plants due to their compounds with beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to analyze, for the first time, the chemical composition, the antioxidant activity and the metal chelating properties of fruit juices obtained from four different species of the Cucurbitaceae family cultivated in Romania, namely Momordica charantia, Cucumis metuliferus, Benincasa hispida and Trichosanthes cucumerina. The samples of juice were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and all the four species displayed high levels of the two triterpenes, oleanolic and ursolic acids, and also in phenolic compounds, including catechin, (−)-epicatechin and gallic acid. The juices demonstrated significant antioxidant activity against the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (ranging from 20 to 95%,), a good iron binding ability (ranging from 7.45 ± 0.28% to 86.95 ± 0.97%) and also promising antioxidant potential against the ABTS radical (ranging from 4.97 to 32.60 μETx/mL juice). Our findings raise interesting questions for further research on Cucurbitaceae fruit juices and, consequently, their very good antioxidant potential suggests these fruits should be further explored for their protective effect against oxidative damage. This is the first time the chemical composition and antioxidant activities of fruit juices from these four Romanian Cucurbitaceae varieties have been investigated.     

Robust fuzzy principal component analysis (FPCA). A comparative study concerning interaction of carbon-hydrogen bonds with molybdenum-oxo bonds

Principal component analysis (PCA) is a favorite tool in chemometrics for data compression and information extraction. PCA finds linear combinations of the original measurement variables that describe the significant variations in the data. However, it is well-known that PCA, as with any other multivariate statistical method, is sensitive to outliers, missing data, and poor linear correlation between variables due to poorly distributed variables. As a result data transformations have a large impact upon PCA. In this regard one of the most powerful approaches to improve PCA appears to be the fuzzification of the matrix data, thus diminishing the influence of outliers. In this paper we discuss a robust fuzzy PCA algorithm (FPCA). The new algorithm is illustrated on a data set concerning interaction of carbon-hydrogen bonds with transition metal-oxo bonds in molybdenum complexes. Considering, for example, a two component model, FPCA accounts for 97.20% of the total variance and PCA accounts only for 69.75%.     

Scanning tunneling microscopy and surface simulation of zinc-blende GaN(001) intrinsic 4x reconstruction: linear gallium tetramers?

Scanning tunneling microscopy images confirm electron diffraction studies that the zinc-blende GaN(001)-4x reconstruction consists of rows aligned along [110] with a spacing along [110] of 4a. Dual-bias imaging shows a 180 degree shift of the corrugation maximum position between the profiles of empty and occupied states, in agreement with surface simulations based on the 4 x 1 linear tetramer model of Neugebauer et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 3097 (1998)]. Electronic structure calculations predict a surface band gap of 1.1 eV, close to the measured value of 1.14 eV and the previously predicted value (1.2 eV). Despite the successes of this model, high-resolution images reveal an unexpected 3x periodicity (not seen in diffraction) along the [110] row direction, indicating the need for a 4 x 3 model, and putting into question the existence of linear Ga tetramers.     

4‐Methyl‐ and 4‐(Halophenyl)pyrimidinium (4‐Halobenzoyl)methylides. Correlation of Structure,Stability, Reactivity,and Biological Activity

For the first time in the cycloimminium ylide series, we present a theoretical and experimental study concerning the correlation between structure, stability, reactivity, and biological activity of 4‐(R)‐pyrimidinium (4‐halobenzoyl)methylides (R = Me and 4‐chlorophenyl; hal = X = F, Cl, Br, I; see 5 and 6 in Scheme 1). The 4‐methylpyrimidinium (4‐halobenzoyl)methylides 5 are relatively stable compounds, while the (4‐chlorophenyl)pyrimidinium (4‐halobenzoyl)methylides 6 are more unstable. Their stability varies with the nature of the substituents at the ylide carbanion and pyrimidinium cation moieties as confirmed by quantum‐chemical calculations. The latter also disclose the possibility to use pyrimidinium ylides as nucleophilic reagents as well as 1,3‐dipoles in reactions with appropriate reagents. The experimental data obtained confirm the calculations concerning the nucleophilicity and reactivity of the ylides 5 and 6 . Moreover, the influence of microwave irradiation on the synthesis of the pyrimidinium salts 3 and 4 from pyrimidine and an organic halide is studied and reveals a remarkable reaction‐rate increase under microwave irradiation as compared to classical conditions; this allows the general and facile synthesis of the salts 3 and 4 (Scheme 1, Table 1). The in vitro biological activity of the newly obtained 4‐methylpyrimidine compounds is also tested. Some of them exhibit a remarkable activity against different microorganisms (germs and fungi) which allows to establish structure–activity correlations.     

Spiroheterocyclic compounds: old stories with new outcomes

An efficient and straightforward method for the preparation of spirodiazine derivatives is reported which involves mild reaction conditions and easily accessible reactants. A new class of spiroazaheterocycles, spiro[pyrrolidine-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrroles], is obtained. A feasible explanation is given for the unexpected results obtained at high energy (high temperatures, MW and ultrasound irradiation).