Mass spectrometric analysis of low molecular mass polyesters by laser desorption/ionization on porous silicon

A low molecular mass polyester was analyzed by desorption/ionization on porous silicon (DIOS) mass spectrometry. The results were compared with those of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry using matrixes of alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) and 10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (F20TPP). The CHCA matrix was not suitable for characterization of low molecular mass components of the polyester because the matrix-related ions interfered with the component ions. On the other hand, the F20TPP matrix showed no interference because no matrix-related ions appeared below m/z 822. However, the solvent selection for determining optimal conditions of sample preparation was limited, because F20TPP does not dissolve readily in any of the available organic solvents. In the DIOS spectra, the polymer ions were observed at high sensitivity without a contaminating ion. No matrix is needed for DIOS spectra of low molecular mass polyesters, facilitating sample preparation and selectivity of a precursor ion in post-source decay measurements.     

Reaction of indium ate complexes with allylic compounds. Controlling SN2/SN2′ selectivity by solvents

Vinyl and methylindium ate complexes (indates) were prepared and both the tendency of immigration and regioselectivity toward cinnamyl bromide were investigated. The vinyl group was more preferably transferred than the Me group, giving a regioisomeric mixture of S_N2 and S_N2′ products. The ratio of S_N2/S_N2′ selectivity can be controlled by solvents; in the presence of polar solvents, such as N-butylpyrrolidone (NBP) and THF, the S_N2′ product was mainly obtained, whereas the S_N2 product was selectively prepared in solutions containing hexane. The vinylindium compound, generated by the reaction of allylic-type diindium reagents with imine, was also converted to the corresponding vinyl indate, which was allowed to react with allyl chloride to give a three-component coupling product.     

Surprising 1,7-cyclization of vinyl carbonyl ylides generated from reaction of indanetrione with vinyl diazo compounds

Reactions of tricarbonyl compounds with vinyl diazo compounds 2 were carried out. Reaction of 1,2,3-indanetrione with 2a,b,c gave the spiroindan-1,3-dione-2,2′-benzodihydrooxepin 7a,b,c, but not normal products oxirane and dihydrofuran derivatives expected from intermediate vinyl carbonyl ylides 4. Formation of 7 requires isomerization of vinyl carbonyl ylides 4 bearing a (Z)-cyanostyryl group to unstable (E)-form 5 and subsequent cyclization to oxepin 6 followed by a 1,5-hydrogen shift. However, reaction of 2 with six-membered cyclic tricarbonyl compounds 1,2,3-trioxo-2,3-dihydrophenalene 11 and dimethylalloxane 13 gave the dioxole 12 and the dihydrofuran 14, respectively, typical products expected from vinyl carbonyl ylides.     

Formation and stabilization model of the 42-mer Abeta radical: implications for the long-lasting oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease

Amyloid fibrils mainly consist of 40-mer and 42-mer peptides (Abeta40, Abeta42). Abeta42 is believed to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease because its aggregative ability and neurotoxicity are considerably greater than those of Abeta40. The neurotoxicity of Abeta peptides involving the generation of free radicals is closely related to the S-oxidized radical cation of Met-35. However, the cation's origin and mechanism of stabilization remain unclear. Recently, structural models of fibrillar Abeta42 and Abeta40 based on systematic proline replacement have been proposed by our group [Morimoto, A.; et al. J. Biol. Chem. 2004, 279, 52781] and Wetzel's group [Williams, A. D.; et al. J. Mol. Biol. 2004, 335, 833], respectively. A major difference between these models is that our model of Abeta42 has a C-terminal beta-sheet region. Our biophysical study on Abeta42 using electron spin resonance (ESR) suggests that the S-oxidized radical cation of Met-35 could be generated by the reduction of the tyrosyl radical at Tyr-10 through a turn structure at positions 22 and 23, and stabilized by a C-terminal carboxylate anion through an intramolecular beta-sheet at positions 35-37 and 40-42 to form a C-terminal core that would lead to aggregation. A time-course analysis of the generation of radicals using ESR suggests that stabilization of the radicals by aggregation might be a main reason for the long-lasting oxidative stress of Abeta42. In contrast, the S-oxidized radical cation of Abeta40 is too short-lived to induce potent neurotoxicity because no such stabilization of radicals occurs in Abeta40.     

Oscillating frequency of piezoelectric quartz crystal in solutions

Oscillating frequencies of a piezoelectric crystal were measured in various solutions. One side of the crystal surface was coated with a silicon sealant. This coating was useful for measuring the oscillation of crystals in solutions for a wide range of products of density (?) and viscosity (η) and in electrolyte solutions. For measurement in solutions, the frequency change depended on the circuit used, whereas for measurements in air the circuit did not influence the frequency change. All experimental data showed that the frequency change from pure water, ΔF_w, followed ΔF_w = ? K(√?η ? √?_wη_w) except for electrolyte and polymer solutions, where K is a proportionality constant, η_w the density of pure water and η_w the viscosity of water.     

Effect of TRX-liposomes size on their prolonged circulation in rats

Newly formulated cationic liposomes (TRX-liposomes) with four different mean diameters were injected into twelve male rats via the lateral tail vein in order to evaluate the effect of liposomal size on pharmacokinetic parameters. TRX-liposomes disappeared from the blood according to the one-compartment model and demonstrated maximum and minimum half-lives of ca. 14 h (mean diameter of 114.3 nm) and ca. 5 h (mean diameter of 285.9 nm), respectively. This prolonged half-life tended to decrease at the boundary of 114.3 nm mean diameter. The optimal size (114.3 nm) for prolonged circulation of TRX-liposomes was consistent with that of pegylated liposomes such as Doxil((R)), however, the half-life was different among these liposomes. The electric charge of the TRX-liposomal surface is assumed to be responsible for this difference. The results of the present study will be very useful in the design of long-circulating cationic liposomes.     

Dinitrogen formation by oxidative intramolecular N---N coupling in cis,cis-[(bpy)2(NH3)RuORu(NH3)(bpy)2]4+

The (15)N-labeled diammine(mu-oxo)ruthenium complex cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)(H(3)(15)N)Ru(III)ORu(III)((15)NH(3))(bpy)(2)](4+) ((2-(15)N)(4+)) was synthesized from cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)(H(2)O)Ru(III)ORu(III)(H(2)O)(bpy)(2)](4+) by using ((15)NH(4))(2)SO(4) and isolated as its perchlorate salt in 17% yield. A 1:1 mixture of (2-(15)N)(4+) and nonlabeled cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)(H(3)(14)N)Ru(III)ORu(III)((14)NH(3))(bpy)(2)](4+) were electrochemically oxidized in aqueous solution. The gaseous products (14)N(2) and (15)N(2) were formed in equimolar amounts with only a small amount of (14)N(15)N detected. This demonstrates that dinitrogen formation by oxidation of the diammine complex proceeds by intramolecular N---N coupling.     

Surface graft polymerization of acrylamide onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) film by UV irradiation

To improve the low water wettability of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), graft polymerization of acrylamide (AAm) by UV irradiation was performed onto the surface of a PET film with the simultaneous irradiation method without using a photo sensitizer. The PET film immersed in a 10 wt % deaerated aqueous solution of AAm was found to become highly hydrophilic upon UV irradiation. Optical microscopy on cross sections of grafted films showed that localization of the graft polymerization was restricted to a thin surface region of the film. Both the low concentration of polymer radicals formed by UV irradiation and the monomer penetration limited to the film surface would be responsible for localization of the grafted layer to the film surface region. Pretreatment of the PET film with benzyl alcohol was effective for enhancement of the graft polymerization. Retention of high hydrophilicity of the surface even after rigorous extraction of homopolymer and a comparative study of polymerization without UV irradiation strongly suggested that UV irradiation of the PET film under immersion in the deaerated AAm aqueous solution would lead to formation of the true graft copolymer.     

Ultraviolet derivatization of steroidal saponin in garlic and commercial garlic products as p-nitrobenzoate for liquid chromatographic determination

A method is described for determination of the steroidal saponin, eruboside B, originating in garlic and garlic products as the p-nitrobenzoyl chloride (PNBC) derivative by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (with ultraviolet detection at 260 nm. Proto-eruboside B was extracted from garlic (Allium sativum L.); subjected to solid-phase extraction (SPE) with a C18 cartridge, Florisil column chromatography, and silica gel column chromatography; and then enzymatically converted to eruboside B, which was applied as an external standard. Steroidal saponins in garlic and commercial garlic products were extracted with methanol and purified by SPE cartridges, followed by enzymatic treatment. A frostanol saponin such as proto-eruboside B is enzymatically transformed to a spirostanol saponin, eruboside B. After the derivatization with PNBC, the saponin derivative was chromatographed on a C8 column with a gradient elution of (A) 80% aqueous acetonitrile and (B) 100% acetonitrile. The detection limit of the developed method was 1 microg/g for the samples. The method was applied to the analysis of garlic and garlic health food products available in Japan.     

Ion-pair adsorption film colorimetry — A new simple method for ppb level of aluminum ion in water sample

A new, highly sensitive and simple colorimetric method for trace aluminum(III) with 2,2-dihydroxyazobenzene, H₂L, is described, based on the ion-pair adsorption of the anionic Al chelate, [A1L₂ ^–, with crystal violet cation, CV⁺, on the surface of Polyvinylchloride film plasticized with dioctylphthalate. The blue violet species, CV⁺[A1L₂]^–, is enriched onto the transparent film, leading to a remarkable enhancement of the sensitivity, and the detection limits are 3 ng/ml by spectrophotometry and 5 ng/ml by visual colorimetry, respectively. Using spectrophotometer, a linear calibration curve is obtained over the concentration range of 0 to 50 ng/ml of Al. Further, the color system, consisting of red ([A1L₂]^–), yellow (H₂L), and blue violet (CV⁺), gave clear color changes suitable for visual determination of aluminum with an applicable range of 0 to above 3000 ng/ml. The four different color zones are khaki for 0–5 ng/ml, reddish-brown for 5–200 ng/ml, blue violet for 200 ng/ml-3g/ml, and colorless for more than 3g/ml. The proposed method has been successfully applied for the determination of aluminum in tap waters.