Study of the ESI-mass spectrometry ionization mechanism of Fischer carbene complexes

By means of deuterium-labeling experiments, we have carried out a systematic ESI-MS study to determine the mechanism of ESI ionization of alkenyl and alkynyl group 6 Fischer carbene complexes. These compounds can be ionized under ESI conditions only in the presence of additives such as hydroquinone (HQ) or tetrathiafulvalene (TTF). Our results demonstrate that in the ESI source an anion-radical is formed after the initial HQ- or TTF-mediated electron transfer to the metallic carbene complex. For alkenyl carbene complexes, this species evolves by extrusion of a hydrogen radical to form an allenylchromium anion that is detected as the [M - H](-) ion in the mass spectrum. The preference for this mechanistic pathway could be rationalized by DFT calculations. In the case of alkynyl carbene complexes, experiments combining deuterated substrate, additive, and solvent demonstrate that the previously proposed allene-anion carbene complex is not formed. Instead, the H transfer from the ethoxy group in the anion radical, followed by extrusion of a hydrogen radical, leads to an allenyl anion that is detected in the ESI-MS as [M - H - CO](-).     

Simultaneous determination of the major acidic metabolites of catecholamines and serotonin in urine by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection after a one-step sample clean-up on Sephadex G-10; influence of vanilla and banana ingestion

A simple method is described for the simultaneous determination of vanilmandelic acid (VMA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in urine. The compounds are isolated by a one-step sample clean-up on Sephadex G-10, separated by ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography and detected electrochemically. A single analysis is completed within 65 min. Sample clean-up did not cause losses of the compounds of interest. The detection limits in urine were 0.4, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.6 mumol/l for VMA, DOPAC, 5-HIAA and HVA, respectively. 3,4-Dihydroxymandelic acid and vanillic acid (VA) were also detectable, but, under the chromatographic conditions used, they were not resolved from interfering components. VA and 5-HIAA could be analysed separately in the Sephadex G-10 eluate if more restrictive sampling conditions were used. Ingestion of bananas caused an increase of VMA, DOPAC, 5-HIAA and HVA in 24-h urine. After ingestion of vanilla an increased excretion of VA was observed, while the excretion of VMA, DOPAC and HVA was unaffected.     

DETECTION OF DNA-PSORALEN PHOTOADDUCTS in situ

Abstract— An immunological method, with the use of specific immune serum, has been developed for detection of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) photoadducts to DNA, formed in situ in cell nuclei, after combined treatment with 8MOP and UV-A irradiation (Zarçbska et al. , 1978). Lymphocytes fixed on slides or in suspension, and cryostat sections of different mammalian tissues, served as antigenic substrate, after treatment with 8-MOP and UV-A in vitro. Specific fluorescence in these substrates was detected in the nuclei after treatment with 30 ˜ 140 kJ/m² UV-A in the presence of 0.1-0.3 μg/cm² 8-MOP. PHA-stimulated-lymphocytes appeared to be the most sensitive substrate.
However, hairless mice treated with high doses of UV-A in vivo , 70 ˜ 360 kJ/m² did not reveal a specific fluorescence of epidermal nuclei, unless a high local concentration of 8-MOP was attained.
The apparent discrepancy in the level of photoadduct detection between the in vitro and in vivo treated specimens was explained by the low number of DNA-8-MOP-photoadducts formed in vivo under these experimental conditions. The relevance of these findings to the role of DNA-8-MOP-photoadducts formed during PUVA photochemotherapy is discussed.     

Zero-momentum contribution to wilson loops in periodic boxes

We compute the zero-momentum finite-size effects in non-abelian gauge theories. In some cases, these effects are to lowest-order identical for lattice and continuum theories and are of the order of a few percent for an SU(3) gauge theory in four dimensions.     

ON QUOTIENTS OF BRAID GROUPS

ABSTRACT.

Let G be the group ?[t, t ^?1] x ?. By studying the action of the braid group B_n on the set Gⁿ , we obtain representations of B_n into a wreath product of the symmetric group and the general linear group over ?[t, t ^?1]. This in particular recovers the Burau representation of the braid group. Furthermore, some quotients of the braid group are obtained by using the representations found.     

Water-soluble salicylaldiminato Ni(II)-methyl complexes: enhanced dissociative activation for ethylene polymerization with unprecedented nanoparticle formation

Water-soluble single-component (kappa2-N,O)-salicylaldiminato nickel-methyl complexes 1-4-L (L = TPPTS, TPPDS, H2N-PEG-OMe) allow for the catalytic polymerization of ethylene under organic solvent-free aqueous conditions producing high molecular weight polyethylene with particle sizes below 10 nm. Amphiphilic TPPDS- and H2N-PEG-OMe complexes exhibit a polymerization activity in water higher than that in toluene. A solvation-favored activation of precatalysts 1-4-L by equilibrium dissociation of L in aqueous solution likely accounts for this enhanced polymerization activity. The observed generation of a given particle by a single active site is an unprecedented mechanism for formation of aqueous particle dispersions.     

Characterization of partially transesterified poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoate)s using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) was used for the characterization of a partially transesterified poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoate), PHA, polymer produced by the bacterial strain Alcaligenes eutrophus using saponified vegetable oils as the sole carbon sources. The transesterification was carried out separately under acidic and basic conditions to obtain PHA oligomers weighing less than 10 kDa. The intact oligomers were detected in their cationized [M + Na](+) and [M + K](+) forms by MALDI-TOFMS. A composition analysis, using the MALDI-TOF spectra, indicate that the oligomers obtained via acid catalysis were terminated with a methyl 3-hydroxybutyrate end group, and those obtained by base catalysis had a methyl crotonate (olefinic) termination. In addition to HB (hydroxy butyrate), the oligomers were found to contain a small percentage of HV (hydroxy valerate). This was independently confirmed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In comparison, the analysis of a commercial PHA polymer, transesterified under identical conditions, only showed the presence of HB, i.e. a pure PHB homopolymer. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.