Gas chromatographic mass spectrometric indication of double bond position in monounsaturated primary acetates and alcohols without derivatization

Electron impact mass spectra of straight chain, monounsaturated C₁₂ to C₁₈ acetates and alcohols have been shown to be useful in the indication of the double bond position on an empirical basis. The ratio of intensities of the m/z 55 and m/z 54 ions increases proportionately as the double bond is moved away from the acetate or alcohol functional group. The intensity of the m/z 61 ion also can be correlated with the double bond position. Results are generally accurate to ±1 carbon atom.     

Capillary electrochromatography with monolithic silica columns III. Preparation of hydrophilic silica monoliths having surface-bound cyano groups: chromatographic characterization and application to the separation of carbohydrates, nucleosides, nucleic acid bases and other neutral polar species

Two synthetic routes have been introduced and evaluated for the preparation of hydrophilic silica-based monoliths possessing surface-bound cyano functions. In one synthetic scheme, the silica monolith was reacted in a single step with 3-cyanopropyldimethylchlorosilane to yield a cyano phase referred to as CN-monolith. In a second synthetic route, the silica monolith was first reacted with gamma-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (gamma-GPTS), followed by a reaction with 3-hydroxypropionitrile (3-HPN) to give a stationary phase denoted CN-OH-monolith. Although the gamma-GPTS was intended to play the role of a spacer arm to link the 3-HPN to the silica surface, this spacer arm became an integral part of the hydrophilic stationary phase. Thus, the CN-OH-monolith can be viewed as a double-layered stationary phase (i.e., stratified phase) with a hydroxy sub-layer and a cyano top layer. Due to its stronger hydrophilic character, the CN-OH-monolith yielded higher retention and better selectivity than the CN-monolith. The CN-OH-monolith was demonstrated in the normal-phase capillary electrochromatography (CEC) of various polar compounds including phenols and chloro-substituted phenols, nucleic acid bases, nucleosides, and nitrophenyl derivatives of mono- and oligosaccharides. The CN-OH-monolith yielded a relatively strong electroosmotic flow over a wide range of mobile phase composition, thus allowing rapid separation of the polar compounds studied.     

Analysis of Plant–Plant Interactions Reveals the Presence of Potent Antileukemic Compounds

A method to identify anticancer compounds in plants was proposed based on the hypothesis that these compounds are primarily present in plants to provide them with an ecological advantage over neighboring plants and other competitors. According to this view, identifying plants that contain compounds that inhibit or interfere with the development of other plant species may facilitate the discovery of novel anticancer agents. The method was developed and tested using Magnolia grandiflora, Gynoxys verrucosa, Picradeniopsis oppositifolia, and Hedyosmum racemosum, which are plant species known to possess compounds with cytotoxic activities. Plant extracts were screened for growth inhibitory activity, and then a thin-layer chromatography bioautography assay was conducted. This located the major antileukemic compounds 1, 2, 4, and 5 in the extracts. Once the active compounds were located, they were extracted and purified, and their structures were determined. The growth inhibitory activity of the purified compounds showed a significant correlation with their antileukemic activity. The proposed approach is rapid, inexpensive, and can easily be implemented in areas of the world with high biodiversity but with less access to advanced facilities and biological assays.     

Contributions to the Optimization of a Caprolactam Production Plant by Radiotracer Techniques

Residence time spectra and material distributions in an operating caprolactam production plant were measured by means of sodium 24, bromine 82 and technetium 99m. The results of the tracerexperiments contributed to an optimization of the plant.     

Strong signal suppression in single-pump optical parametric amplifiers

We show that the combined action of parametric gain and Raman scattering can lead to the complete suppression of an input optical signal in a single-pump parametric amplifier. This suppression is due to an interference between the two parametric gain modes. The interference occurs only at a set of discrete combinations of pump power, phase mismatch, and frequency detuning. Experimentally we are able to demonstrate over 95% (13 dB) suppression of an input signal in an amplifier with a peak parametric gain of only 6 dB.