Partial structure elucidation of the most abundant octa and nonachlorotoxaphene congeners in marine mammals by using conventional electron ionization mass spectrometry and mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry

Summary Conventional electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometry (MS) and MS/MS techniques were applied to the analysis of two abundant octa and nonachlorobornanes isolated from seals of the Baltic sea and originating from technical toxaphene. The exact sterical structures of the two compounds were previously determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy by two independent research groups. The MS and MS/MS data generated in this study allowed partial structure elucidation of these polychlorobornanes, in particular revealing the distribution of the Cl substituents between the six-membered carbon ring, the bridge and the bridgehead in the parent bornane structure. Fragmentation of the six-membered carbon ring and the bridge by retro-Diels-Alder (RDA) and related mechanisms was discovered by studying specific parent/daughter ion transitions. The detailed fragmentation pathways formulated may be applicable to the structure elucidation of other toxaphene congeners and the monitoring of strategic transitions is highly selective for the detection of these compounds in technical toxaphene and in environmental samples.     

Synthese von 4-Trichlorsilylmethylbenzonitril und 4-(2-Trichlorsilyläthyl)pyridin zur Oberflächenmodifikation von Zinndioxid

Synthesis of 4-Trichlorosilylmethylbenzonitrile and 4-(2-Trichlorosilylethyl)pyridine for Surface Modification of Tin Dioxide We describe the synthesis of 4-(trichlorosilylmethyl)benzonitrile and 4-(2-trichlorosilylethyl)pyridine, starting from 4-(bromomethyl)benzonitrile and trichlorosilane or vinylpyridine and trichlorosilane. Trimethoxysilanes are obtained by reaction of the trichlorosilyl compounds with methyl orthoformate. 4-(Trichlorosilylmethyl)benzonitrile and 4-(2-trichlorosilylethyl)pyridine are used to modify the surface of tin dioxide.     

Optimization of a wet chemical continuous flow analysis method exemplified by the determinations of kjeldahl nitrogen and total phosphorus

The optimization of a rather complex wet chemical analysis method, such as the measurement of Kjeldahl nitrogen or total phosphorus with the Technicon AutoAnalyzer, is extremely tedious when purely empirical approaches are used. A mathematical model of the different stages of the measuring method (digestion, neutralization and color reaction) is described. The system can then be optimized for maximum measuring sensitivity. Optimization is done by solving numerically the non-linear optimization problem with constraints. The starting values for the optimization algorithm were found by varying these values systematically within the tolerated range, with checks that none of the constraints were violated. The theoretical results predict an increase in sensitivity by a factor of 15 compared to the method used previously. In practice, the sensitivity was increased by a factor of 10 for the total phosphorus method. For the simultaneous low-level determinations of Kjeldahl nitrogen and total phosphorus some problems of stability remain.     

Zur Photochemie von Allylaryläthern. 55. Mitteilung über Photoreaktionen

The photochemical reactions of different allyl aryl ethers (Scheme 3) were investigated in hydrocarbons (Chap. 3.1) and in alcoholic solvents (Chap. 3.2). The composition of the photoproducts depended very much on the nature of the solvent. Irradiation (3–95 h) of different methyl substituted allyl aryl ethers ( 1, 3, 5, 7 and 11 ) with a low pressure mercury lamp (λ_Emiss. = 254 nm; 6 or 15 Watt) under argon (quartz vessel) resulted in the formation of 2-, 3– and 4-substituted phenols, dienones and products of consecutive reactions (Tables 1–4 and 6). The results suggested that all products were formed by homolytic cleavage of the C? O bond in the singlet state of the ethers to intermediate radical-geminates (Scheme 5) followed by radical recombination of the two fragments. No products were formed by concerted processes (Table 5, Schemes 5 and 6). Upon irradiation of allyl aryl ethers lacking alkyl substituents at position 4 ( 1 and 5 ) in protic solvents, mainly 2- and 4-allylated phenols were obtained (Tables 1 and 4); 3-allylated phenols were formed only in small amounts (0.02%). However, in aromatic hydrocarbons or cyclohexane 3-allylated phenols were obtained from 1 , 5 and 11 in significant amounts (3–11%; Tables 1, 4 and 6). E.g., upon irradiation of allyl-2,6-dimethyl-2,4-cyclohexadien-1-one ( 6 ) besides 3- and 4-allyl-2, 6-dimethyl-phenol ( 23 and 24 ). Irradiation of 5 in methanol afforded 23 and 6 only in traces, whereas 24 was the main product.     

Zur Synthese sulfonierter Derivate von 2-Amino-p-xylol

Synthese of sulfonated derivatives of 2-amino-p-xylene Sulfonation of 2-amino-p-xylene (2) gave 2-amino-p-xylene-5-sulfonic acid (1) . The 2-amino-p-xylene-6-sulfonic acid (3) was prepared via three routes: (1) sulfonation of 2-amino-5-chloro-p-xylene (19) to 5-amino-2-chloro-p-xylene-3-sulfonic acid (20) followed by hydrogenolysis; (2) sulfur dioxide treatment of the diazonium salt derived from 2-amino-6-nitro-p-xylene (21) to 2-nitro-p-xylene-6-sulfonyl chloride (11) followed by hydrolysis to 2-nitro-p-xylene-6-sulfonic acid (4) and Béchamp reduction; (3) Béchamp reduction of 2-chloro-3-nitro-p-xylene-5-sulfonic acid (13) to 3-amino-2-chloro-p-xylene-5-sulfonic acid (16) and subsequent hydrogenolysis. Catalytic reduction of 13 in aqueous sodium carbonate solution gave mixtures of 3 and 16 . 2-Amino-p-xylene-3-sulfonic acid (27) was synthesized via two routes: (1) reaction of 19 with sulfamic acid to 2-amino-5-chloro-p-xylene-3-sulfonic acid (26) followed by hydrogenolysis; (2) sulfur dioxide treatment of the diazonium salt derived from 2-amino-3-nitro-p-xylene (28) to 2-nitro-p-xylene-3-sulfonyl chloride (12) , hydrolysis to 2-nitro-p-xylene-3-sulfonic acid (7) and Béchamp reduction.     

Zur Synthese sulfonierter Derivate von 2,3-Dimethylanilin und 3,4-Dimethylanilin

On the Synthesis of Sulfonated Derivatives of 2,3-Dimethylaniline and 3,4-Dimethylaniline Baking the hydrogensulfate salt of 2,3-dimethylaniline ( 1 ) or of 3,4-dimethylaniline ( 2 ) led to 4-amino-2,3-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 4 ) and 2-amino-4,5-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 5 ), respectively (Scheme 1). The sulfonic acid 5 was also obtained by treatment of 2 with sulfuric acid or by reaction of 2 with amidosulfuric acid. 3-Amino-4,5-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 3 ) and 5-Amino-2,3-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 6 ) were prepared by sulfonation of 1,2-dimethyl-3-nitrobenzene ( 9 ) to 3,4-dimethyl-5-nitrobenzenesulfonic acid ( 11 ) and of 1,2-dimethyl-4-nitrobenzene ( 10 ) to 2,3-dimethyl-5-nitrobenzenesulfonic acid ( 12 ), respectively, with subsequent Béchamp reduction (Scheme 1). Preparations of 2-amino-3,4-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 7 ) and of 6-amino-2,3-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 8 ) were achieved by the sulfur dioxide treatment of the diazonium chlorides derived from 3,4-dimethyl-2-nitroaniline ( 24 ) and from 2,3-dimethyl-6-nitroaniline ( 31 ) to 3,4-dimethyl-2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride ( 29 ) and 2,3-dimethyl-6-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride ( 32 ), respectively, followed by hydrolysis to 3,4-dimethyl-2-nitrobenzenesulfonic acid ( 30 ) and 2,3-dimethyl-6-nitrobenzenesulfonic acid ( 33 ), and final reduction (Scheme 3). Compound 7 was also synthesized by reaction of 4-chloro-2,3-dimethylaniline ( 23 ) with amidosulfuric acid to 2-amino-5-chloro-3,4-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 20 ) and subsequent hydrogenolysis (Scheme 2). 4′-Bromo-2′, 3′-dimethyl-acetanilide ( 13 ) and 4′-chloro-2′, 3′-dimethyl-acetanilide ( 14 ) on treatment with oleum yielded 5-acetylamino-2-bromo-3,4-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 17 ) and 5-acetylamino-2-chloro-3,4-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 18 ), respectively. Their structures were proven by hydrolysis to 5-amino-2-bromo-3,4-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 21 ) and 5-amino-2-chloro-3,4-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid ( 22 ), followed by reductive dehalogenation to 3 .     

The agglomeration state of nanosecond laser-generated aerosol particles entering the ICP

Fundamental understanding of aerosol formation and particle transport are important aspects of understanding and improving laser-ablation ICP–MS. To obtain more information about particles entering the ICP, laser aerosols generated under different ablation conditions were collected on membrane filters. The particles and agglomerates were then visualised using scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging. To determine variations between different sample matrices, opaque (USGS BCR-2G) and transparent (NIST SRM 610) glass, CaF₂, and brass (MBH B26) samples were ablated using two different laser wavelengths, 193 and 266 nm. This study showed that the condensed nano-particles (∼10 nm in diameter) formed by laser ablation reach the ICP as micron-sized agglomerates; this is apparent from filters which contain only a few well-separated particles and particle agglomerates. Ablation experiments on different metals and non-metals show that the structure of the agglomerates is matrix-dependent. Laser aerosols generated from silicates and metals form linear agglomerates whereas particle-agglomerates of ablated CaF₂ have cotton-like structures. Amongst other conditions, this study shows that the absorption characteristics of the sample and the laser wavelength determine the production of micron-sized spherical particles formed by liquid droplet ejection.     

Polarization control in spun and telecommunication optical fibers

We consider the counterpropagating interaction of a signal and a pump beam in a spun fiber and in a randomly birefringent fiber, the latter being relevant to optical telecommunication systems. On the basis of a geometrical analysis of the Hamiltonian singularities of the system, we provide a complete understanding of the phenomenon of polarization attraction in these two systems, which allows to achieve a control of the polarization state of the signal beam by adjusting the polarization of the pump. In spun fibers, all polarization states of the signal beam are attracted toward a specific line of polarization states on the Poincaré sphere, whose characteristics are determined by the polarization state of the injected backward pump. In randomly birefringent telecommunication fibers, we show that an unpolarized signal beam can be repolarized into any particular polarization state, without loss of energy.