Solid sampling technique for direct detection of condensed tannins in bark by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

A novel method for the direct analysis of condensed tannin components in bark was developed on the basis of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) combined with a simple solid sampling technique. The MALDI mass spectra obtained from the wood (bark) powder sample clearly showed a series of peaks corresponding to the sodium ion adducts of condensed tannin oligomers up to around m/z 3000. The results indicate that the condensed tannins in the bark sample used in this work mostly consist of combinations of flavan-3-ol units such as profisetinidin (PF), prorobinetinidin (PR) and prodelphinidin (PD), at least up to 10-mers (m/z approximately 3000).     

Stabilization of the spark-discharge point on a sample surface by laser irradiation for steel analysis.

A combined technique with laser irradiation is suggested to control spark discharge for analytical use, having a unique feature that firing points of the spark discharge can be fixed by laser irradiation. Because the spark discharge easily initiates at particular surface sites, such as non-metallic inclusions, called selective discharge, the concentration of some elements sometimes deviates from their average one in spark discharge optical emission spectrometry. Therefore, stabilization of firing points on a sample surface could improve the analytical precision.     

Spectroscopic study of atomization processes and inter-element effects on the flame emission of chromium and iron in an air—acetylene flame

Emission spectroscopy is applied for characterization of reactions occurring in air—acetylene flames normally used for atomic absorption spectrometry. Inter-element effects on the emissions of chromium and iron are discussed. Two atomic emission lines with different upper energies and a molecular emission line of the diatomic oxide MO are compared for determination of the excitation temperature and the degree of atomization in fuel-rich and lean flames. The reductive power of the fuel-rich flame is essential for atomization of chromium salts. Inter-element effects by iron can be attributed to the formation of refractory oxides, and to mutual catalytic oxidation.     

Determination of bisphenol A in human breast milk by HPLC with column-switching and fluorescence detection

A highly sensitive HPLC method was developed for the determination of xenoestrogenic compound, bisphenol A (BPA) in human breast milk samples. After a two-step liquid-liquid extraction, BPA was derivatized with fluorescent labeling reagent, 4-(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzoyl chloride (DIB-Cl). The excess fluorescent reagent could be removed effectively using a column-switching system. The separation of DIB-BPA from endogenous materials in milk was carried out on two C(18) columns and fluorescence intensity was monitored at 475 nm with the excitation of 350 nm. A good linearity (r = 0.994) was observed of BPA in the concentration range of 0.2-5.0 ng mL(-1) in breast milk, and the detection limit was 0.11 ng mL(-1) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Intra- and inter-day precision (RSD, %) were less than 8.7 and 10.4, respectively. Twenty-three breast milk samples of healthy lactating women were analyzed for the BPA concentration; the mean value was 0.61 +/- 0.20 ng mL(-1), with no correlation to the lipid content of milk samples.     

The Effect of β-Nitro Group on the Reactivity and the Stereoselectivity of Amidation of Bicyclic Acids by Dehydration with DCC

Amidation of exo/endo mixture of β-nitro bicyclic acids by dehydration with DCC, gives only the corresponding exo-amides.     

Tailoring of ionic supramolecular assemblies based on ammonium carboxylates toward liquid‐crystalline micellar cubic mesophases

Ionic liquid crystals based on ionic complexation of tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine (1) with 3,4,5‐tris(7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,11,11,12,12,12‐tridecafluorododecyloxy)benzoic acid (2) and with 3,4,5‐tris(2‐octyldodecyloxy)benzoic acid (3) were investigated. The ionic complex with the partially fluorinated alkyl chains (1·2) exhibited a morphological transition from a hexagonal columnar mesophase to a Pm3n micellar cubic phase upon increasing the molar ratio of 2 to 1. For the complex with the branched alkyl chains (1·3) a micellar cubic mesophase was exclusively generated at appropriate composite ratios. The generation of the micellar cubic mesophases is attributed to the introduction of the laterally expanded volume of the alkyl chains compared with the corresponding normal dodecyl chains. Their thermal stabilities were most enhanced at a specific molar ratio of 1:5 for 1·2 and 1:4 for 1·3. This result corresponds to the most suitable chain volume for the stable micellar cubic mesophase.     

Synthesis and reactions of optically pure cyclohexyl(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphine-borane and t-butyl-(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphine-borane

Cyclohexyl(o-methoxyphenyl)menthyloxyphosphineborane and t-butyl(o-methoxyphenyl)menthyloxyphosphine-borane were prepared from dichlorocyclohexylphosphine and t-butyldichlorophosphine by successive treatments with (−)-menthol, o-methoxyphenylmagnesium bromide, and borane-THF complex. The separated pure diastereomers of each of the compounds underwent reaction with lithium naphthalenide to afford optically pure cyclohexyl(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphine-borane and t-butyl(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphine-borane, respectively. These secondary phosphine-boranes reacted readily with various electrophiles in the presence of bases with virtually net retention of configuration. A new chiral phosphine ligand, (S,S)-1,2-bis[cyclohexyl(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphino]ethane was synthesized via the optically pure phosphine-boranes.     

Electric conductivity of TCNQ salts of ionene polymers containing triethylenediammonium or 4,4′-bipyridilium ring

The ionene polymers were prepared by the Menshutkin reaction of α,ω-dibromoalkane (n) with triethylenediamine (TDA) or 4,4′-bipyridil (BP). Resistivities (p) and activation energies of conduction (E_a) were measured for the polymeric 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethan (TCNQ) salts with these ionenes. The correlation between the chemical structure of the ionenes and the conductivity was discussed. In the TDA,n-TCNQ complex salts and the BP,n-TCNQ simple salts the salts of the ionenes containing even numbers of CH₂ groups showed higher conductivities than those of the ionenes containing odd numbers of CH₂ groups. The conductivities determined by the narrower interval between the N⁺ cations of the main chains were measured in the simple salts. In the complex salts the conductivities determined by the larger interval were measured. The conformational change of the matrix ionenes affected the arrangement of the TCNQ molecules. The values of p were 79.7 and 12.5 Ω cm, and the values of E_a were 0.122 and 0.063 eV for TDA,4-TCNQ complex salt and BP,5-TCNQ complex salt, respectively.     

Quantification of ATRP initiator density on polymer latex particles by fluorescence labeling technique using copper‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition

We developed a novel fluorescence labeling technique for quantification of surface densities of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiators on polymer particles. The cationic P(St‐CPEM‐C₄DMAEMA) and anionic P(St‐CPEM) polymer latex particles carrying ATRP‐initiating chlorine groups were prepared by emulsifier‐free emulsion polymerization of styrene (St), 2‐(2‐chloropropionyloxy)ethyl methacrylate (CPEM), and N‐n‐butyl‐N,N‐dimethyl‐N‐(2‐methacryloyloxy)ethylammonium bromide (C₄DMAEMA). ATRP initiators on the surface of polymer particles were converted into azide groups by sodium azide, followed by fluorescent labeling with 5‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)‐N′‐(prop‐2‐yn‐1‐yl)naphthalene‐1‐sulfonamide (Dansyl‐alkyne) by copper‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The reaction time required for both azidation of ATRP‐initiating groups and successive fluorescence labeling of azide groups with Dansyl‐alkyne by CuAAC were investigated in detail by FTIR and fluorescence spectral measurement, respectively. The ATRP initiator densities on the cationic P(St‐CPEM‐C₄DMAEMA) and anionic P(St‐CPEM) particle surfaces were estimated to be 0.21 and 0.15 molecules nm^?2, respectively, which gave close agreement with values previously determined by a conductometric titration method. The fluorescence labeling through click chemistry proposed herein is a versatile technique to quantify the surface ATRP initiator density both on anionic and cationic polymer particles. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 4042–4051