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.     

Comments concerning the HPLC separation of acrolein from other C3 carbonyl compounds as 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones: A proposal for improvement

The separation of the toxicologically important aldehyde acrolein from other carbonyl compounds by high performance liquid chromatography after derivatization to 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones is critically discussed on the basis of a selection of published methods. A method is proposed whereby the compounds acrolein, acetone, and propanal may be reproducibly separated to baseline by a reversed phase HPLC procedure employing a ternary mixture of methanol, water, and acetonitrile as mobile phase.     

Crystallization of Arthrobacter sp. strain 1C N-(1-D-carboxyethyl)-L-norvaline dehydrogenase and its complex with NAD+

The novel NAD+-linked opine dehydrogenase from a soil isolate Arthrobacter sp. strain 1C belongs to an enzyme superfamily whose members exhibit quite diverse substrate specificites. Crystals of this opine dehydrogenase, obtained in the presence or absence of co-factor and substrates, have been shown to diffract to beyond 1.8 ? resolution. X-ray precession photographs have established that the crystals belong to space group P21212, with cell parameters a = 104.9, b = 80.0, c = 45.5 ? and a single subunit in the asymmetric unit. The elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of this enzyme will provide a structural framework for this novel class of dehydrogenases to enable a comparison to be made with other enzyme families and also as the basis for mutagenesis experiments directed towards the production of natural and synthetic opine-type compounds containing two chiral centres.     

Novel optically active 1,3-aminoalcohols derived from D-glucal

A series of ethyl(phenyl) 6-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy--D-glucopyranosides (amino=piperidino (Pip), pyrrolidino (Pyr), azetidino (Az), Bu₂N) have been prepared from tri-O-acetyl-D-glucal to obtain catalysts for asymmetric synthesis and the starting compounds for the syntheses of other bidentate ligands.Published in Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 45–52, January, 2000.     

Microelectrode for potassium ions based on a neutral carrier and comparison of its characteristics with a cation exchanger sensor

A potassium-selective liquid-membrane microelectrode based on valinomycin is described. Tip diameters of about 2 μm as well as high discrimination against Na⁺, H₃O⁺, acetylcholine and some other quaternary ammonium ions, allow the intracellular measurement of potassium ion activity changes. The inherently high membrane resistance of the neutral carrier-based microelectrodes is reduced by adding a lipophilic charge carrier to the valinomycin. Results are compared with those of classical microelectrodes.     

Quantification of fg-pg amounts by electron capture negative ion mass spectrometry — Parameter optimisation and practical advices

Electron capture negative ion mass spectrometry (ECNI-MS) is a very suitable and popular technique for the identification and quantification of fg-pg amounts of compounds with a sufficiently high electron affinity. Many users of the ECNI mode have faced a lot of frustrating problems due to instrument contamination and wrong recommendations concerning instrument optimisation. This article summarises 14 years of experience with ECNI-MS using a large number of different instruments. Recommendations are given concerning optimisation procedures of important parameters such as ion source pressure and temperature as well as electron energy. An ion pressure optimisation method is proposed using a gas chromatograph. ECNI-MS is very sensitive against trace amounts of contaminants in the mass spectrometer and requires very clean components in the reagent gas line. Recommendations are given concerning suitable parts. Different other contamination sources are also discussed. The construction of a simple and clean gas inlet system is presented. Furthermore, contamination-free cleaning methods for the ion source are suggested. A test method based on the detection of hexachlorobenzene in the full scan mode (m/z 34–300) is proposed. It allows to evaluate both the background level in the mass spectrometer and the overall system performance. Clean instruments should show a signal-to-noise ratio of the total ion current GC signal of at least 20:1 without applying any mass signal area reject threshold. A linearity test procedure is also suggested. It shows that the linear range of a clean and optimised instrument is at least 3 orders of magnitude in the ECNI mode.     

Origin and elimination of interferences from siliconization procedures in anodic stripping voltammetry

Interferences caused by organic impurities can be a serious problem in trace analysis for heavy metals by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. Organic impurities, which originate from siliconization treatment of the capillary of the hanging mercury drop electrode, can cause high background currents, interfering signals and peak broadening, especially in the concentration range below 5 ppb. A new method of siliconization for glass capillaries which avoids these problems is reported. A reference electrode with a poly-acrylamide gel-stiffened internal electrolyte is recommended, to avoid difficulties such as adsorption of organic material on low-leakage diaphragms of the Vycor type, which are often used in trace analysis.     

Optical sensors for determination of heavy metal ions

A review is given on optical means for single shot testing (probing) as well as continuous monitoring (sensing) of heavy metal ions (HMs). Following an introduction into indicator based approaches, we discuss the types of indicator dyes and polymeric supports used, as well as existing sensing schemes for HMs. The wealth of information is compiled in the form of tables and critically reviewed. Notwithstanding the tremendous work performed so far, it is obvious that still severe limitations do exist in terms of selectivity, limits of detection, dynamic ranges, applicability to specific problems, and reversibility. On the other hand, such sensors have found — and will find — their application whenever rapid and cost-effective testing is required, where personnel is scarce or unskilled, and in field tests. Despite their limitations, the number of such sensors (and of irreversible probes) for HMs is likely to increase in future.     

Das Verhalten des 2,4,6-Tri-tert.butylphenyllithiums gegenüber Halogensilanen. Bildung und Umwandlung des Trichlorsilyllithiums,LiSiCl3

The Behaviour of 2,4,6-Tri-tert.butylphenyllithium towards Halosilanes. Formation and Conversion of Trichlorosilyllithium, LiSiCl₃ Trichlorosilyllithium, LiSiCl₃ 2 , is formed as the result of a fast metal halogen exchange reaction at ?78°C in THF between 2,4,6-tri-tert.butylphenyllithium 1 or mesityllithium and bromotrichlorosilane. Also the interaction of 1 with trichlorosilane gives 2 after partial deprotonation of HSiCl₃. 2 is not isolated; it's existence in the THF solution is proved by protonation or deuteration, resp., and by identification of the HSiCl₃ or DSiCl₃ formed that way by means of ¹H-NMR or infrared spectroscopy. Attempts to react 2 with various electrophiles failed; also efforts to trapp dichlorosilylene, the expected decomposition product of 2 , by isoprene, were unsuccessful. Studies of the thermal decomposition of LiSiCl₃–THF solutions led to the identification of polychloropolysilanes and of insertion products of SiCl₂ in tetrahydrofuran.     

Photocatalyzed [2 + 2 + 2]-cycloaddition of nitriles with acetylene: an effective method for the synthesis of 2-pyridines under mild conditions

The photocatalyzed [2 + 2 + 2]-cycloaddition of nitriles with 2 equiv of acetylene to 2-pyridines can be carried out under mild conditions and represents a valuable extension to common synthetical methods. For the ideal wavelength range (350-500 nm), lamps as well as sunlight can be used. Working at room temperature and in organic solvents such as toluene or hexane as well as in water gives satisfying results in many cases. However, it is also possible to vary the solvent and the reaction temperature of the photocatalyzed synthesis and to choose, with respect to the specific substrate, specific requirements for this particular reaction and general requirements of the method. This simple and selective method derives its potential mainly from the large variety of applicable nitriles. Suitable substrates include (functionalized) aliphatic and aromatic nitriles as well as cyanamides derived from secondary amines.