Radical Sequential Processes Promoted by 1,5-Radical Translocation Reaction: Formation and [3 + 2] Anulation of Alkenesulfanyl Radicals

Radical addition of 2-substituted ethanethiols 1-5 to alkyl-, dialkyl-, and phenylacetylenes affords the corresponding beta-sulfanylalkenyl radicals, which can undergo 1,5-radical translocation (RT reaction) in competition with intermolecular hydrogen abstraction (HA reaction). The RT reaction is the first step of a sequential radical process leading to alkenesulfanyl radicals through an "intermolecular sulfanyl radical transaddition" from an alkene to an alkyne molecule. Alkenesulfanyl radicals can undergo a regioselective [3 + 2] anulation reaction with a CC triple bond, eventually leading to thiophene products through 5-endo cyclization of vinyl radicals onto CC double bond. The effect of the nature of ethanethiol and alkyne substituents on the RT/HA ratio has been investigated, and results will be discussed.     

The need for reference materials when monitoring nitrate intake

Whether dietary exposure to nitrate metabolites is detrimental or beneficial to human health has long been a matter of controversy. In spite of no consistent epidemiological evidence, nitrate metabolites are associated with the formation of carcinogenic-nitrosamines and gastric cancer. Furthermore, recent studies demonstrate that ingested nitrate plays a role in host defence against gastrointestinal pathogenic bacteria. Analytical values of nitrate content in foods are essential for estimating nitrate intake. The analytical process is of paramount importance for assessing human nitrate exposure and for establishing a link between these exposures and the current and future observed health effects. Therefore, the quality assurance of the measurement process is crucial to obtaining reliability, comparability and traceability of results. Certified Reference Materials (CRM) should play a role in the consistency of the measurement process. However, the availability of nitrate CRMs is still poor. When food monitoring is demanded, an approach could be to use In House Reference Materials (IHRM), prepared at a high metrological level, and all preparation steps should be quality driven. IHRMs were prepared, and available CRMs were used to provide traceability of the process. The homogeneity of IHRM was evaluated using an appropriate statistical design. The stability was monitored using an isochronous method. The material shelf life and storage conditions are presented.HPLC was optimised for the determination of nitrates in four vegetable categories. When a suite of IHRMs were used, the response of the HPLC system was linear over the range 1 to 8 mg L^–1. The detection limit for these compounds was 0.2 g L^–1 and the determination limit 1.2 g L^–1.The relationship between measurement uncertainty and critical points of the analytical process is presented. The differences in observed relative uncertainty between food categories could reflect current limitations in the food matrix reference materials.     

An unexpected aromatization during the N-alkylation reaction of 3,4-dihydro-1H-pyrazole derivatives: insight into the reaction mechanism

In this letter we describe the unexpected aromatization that takes place during the N-alkylation reaction performed on several 3-(2-nitrobenzoyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxylic acid methyl esters, giving rise to a mixture of 1-alkyl-3-(2-nitrobenzoyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxylic acid methyl esters and 1-alkyl-3-(2-nitrobenzoyl)-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxylic acid methyl esters.     

PCB separation by HRGC-MS. Fourier analysis for characterizing Aroclor chromatograms

Aroclor and Aroclor mixture chromatograms obtained using temperature programmed high resolution capillary GC coupled with mass spectrometric selective detection have been investigated by Fourier analysis developed for the study of multicomponent chromatograms. The experimental autocorrelation function (EACF), i.e. peak shape and position correlation, showed a retention - structure pattern which could be associated with both the type of Aroclor and the ion used for selective ion monitoring (m/z value). In particular, o-m and m-m isomerization effects were singled out by EACF analysis. By fitting EACF with previously developed theoretical models, it was possible to characterize a specific Aroclor in terms of the number of PCB congeners present in it. The results obtained agreed closely with the typical Aroclor content. For the Aroclor mixture, the distribution of inter-distance between successive peaks was derived. The two first distribution moments obtained agreed with those derived from retention data reported in the literature. The consequences on the separation performance, i.e. the number of singlets, doublets, etc. in the chromatogram, are discussed.     

Solvent dependence of charge-transfer transitions in binary aqueous mixtures as an indicator of preferential solvation

Summary Wavelengths of maximum absorptions are reported for the main metal-to-ligand charge transfer-bands (MLCT) of complexes [Fe(CN)₅(4-phpy)]^3– and [Fe(CN)₅(4-t-bupy)]^3– (4-phpy=4-phenylpyridine and 4-t-bupy=4-t-butylpyridine) in several series of mixed solvents. Correlations of the shifts in MLCT energies as a function of dielectric constant and polarizability of the medium have been investigated. The interpretation of the medium effects on E_op (MLCT) takes into account the process of preferential solvation of solutes by solvent molecules.     

Variation in the accumulation levels of N,N-dimethyltryptamine in micropropagated trees and in in vitro cultures of Mimosa tenuiflora

The present article reports the accumulation of N,N-dimethyltryptamine and its metabolic precursors (tryptophan, tryptamine) in different organs of micropropagated Mimosa tenuiflora trees (leaves, flowers and bark) subjected to seasonal variations (January and June), as well as in in vitro cultures (plantlets and calluses) of this plant species. The accumulation of all the tested compounds varied according to the organ, the month of collection, and age of the plant material. In all cases, the neurotoxic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) was detected with the lowest concentration 0.01% dry weight (DW) in flowers, and the highest 0.33% DW in bark. For the in vitro cultures, DMT was present in high yields in plantlets (0.1-0.2% DW), while in calluses this compound was initially detected but its concentration decreased significantly in the subsequent subcultures.     

Reaction of 2-dimethylaminomethylene-1,3-diones with dinucleophiles. III. Synthesis of 5-acylpyrimidines and 7,8-dihydroquinazolin-5(6H)-ones

The reaction of open-chain and cyclohexane sym-2-dimethylaminomethylene-1,3-diones with amidines and guanidine in refluxing ethanol gave, generally in good yields, a series of 5-acylpyrimidines and 7,8-dihydroquinazolin-5(6H)-ones, respectively. With formamidine (and in part acetamidine), 2-formylimino-1,3-diones were formed in general, as sole products or mixtures with the corresponding pyrimidines or dihydroquinazolinones.     

Reaction of 2-dimethylaminomethylene-1,3-diones with dinucleophiles. VIII. Synthesis of ethyl and methyl 2,4-disubstituted 5-pyrimidinecarboxylates

Reaction of ethyl or methyl 2-dimethylaminomethylene-3-oxoalkanoates with N-C-N dinucleophiles such as guanidine, acetamidine or benzamidine afforded in high yields the relative esters of 4-substituted 2-amino-, 2-methyl- or 2-phenyl-5-pyrimidinecarboxylic acids, respectively. These esters were hydrolyzed to the corresponding carboxylic acids, which were converted by heating to 4-substituted 2-pyrimidinamines, 2-methyl or 2-phenylpyrimidines, respectively, generally in excellent yields. The 4-unsubstituted ethyl 2-amino-, 2-methyl- and 2-phenyl-5-pyrimidinecarboxylates were obtained in moderate yields by reaction of the above dinucleophiles with ethyl 2,2-diformylacetate. These esters were hydrolyzed and the corresponding acids (with the exception of the 2-methyl derivative) were decarboxylated to give 2-pyrimidinamine and 2-phenylpyrimidine in satisfactory yields.     

8-Methoxypsoralen and long-wave ultraviolet A inhibit the release of proinflammatory mediators and cytokines from human Fc epsilon RI+ cells: an in vitro study

The in vitro effects of 8-MOP (concentrations of 20, 100 and 500 ng/ml) alone or in combination with UVA on mediator release from human basophils and skin mast cells (HSMC), activated with immunological and non-immunological stimuli, were investigated. With respect to basophils activated with anti-IgE serum, the results of this study show that: (i) 8-MOP alone inhibits histamine, LTC(4), IL-4 and IL-13 release concentration dependently with a maximal effect at 500 ng/ml (a concentration not reached in vivo); and (ii) UVA irradiation (5 J/cm(2)), after 8-MOP incubation, enhances this inhibitory effect on all released mediators, but for IL-4 and IL-13 the percentage inhibition is also significant for the 8-MOP concentrations (20-100 ng/ml) employed in vivo during PUVA treatment. Moreover, histamine release from basophils activated with non-immunological stimuli (FMLP and A23187) is inhibited by 8-MOP, alone or in combination with UVA. With respect to the HSMC activated with anti-IgE serum, the results show that: (i) 8-MOP alone reduces histamine release concentration dependently; and (ii) this inhibitory effect is enhanced by UVA irradiation (5 J/cm(2)). Histamine release from HSMC activated with A23187 is not modified either by 8-MOP alone or by 8-MOP plus UVA.     

Evaluation of Platanus occidentalis and Pinus sylvestris as bioindicators for lead and cadmium by slurry sampling-electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Two higher plants (Platanus occidentalis and Pinus sylvestris) were used as bioindicators for assessment of contamination by Pb and Cd in an urban and industrialized area. Both toxic metals in plant tissue were determined by transverse-heated electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry-longitudinal Zeeman background correction combined with automated ultrasonic slurry sampling. Twenty sampling points were established to observe a relationship between metal concentration in plant and traffic density. Screening optimization of variables influencing slurry preparations (sonication time, sonication power, and surfactant concentration) followed a fractional factorial design at 2 levels. No significant effects were observed in the interval of variables studied. Limits of detection of Pb and Cd in the plants were 0.28 and 0.025 microg/g (dry weight), respectively. Metal concentrations in the plants were in the range of 5-51 and 0.05-0.7 microg/g for Pb and Cd, respectively. Factor analysis to data of metal concentration in both plants, extractable metal content in soil, distance to traffic, and traffic density, showed a significant association between features such as concentration of Pb and Cd in leaves of P. occidentalis and traffic density, which accounted for the largest variance. Other features such as extractable metal contents in soil accounted for lesser variance, meaning that soils in the area investigated were less suitable than plants for monitoring metal pollution caused by vehicular traffic.