Geochemistry and resonance ionization of platinum-group elements

Experimental studies were conducted with the goals of 1) determining the origin of Pt- group element (PGE) alloys and associated mineral assemblages in refractory inclusions from meteorites and 2) developing a new ultrasensitive method for the in situ chemical and isotopic analysis of PGE. A general review of the geochemistry and cosmochemistry of the PGE is given, and specific research contributions are presented within the context of this broad framework.

An important step toward understanding the cosmochemistry of the PGE is the determination of the origin of POE-rich metallic phases (most commonly εRu-Fe) that are found in Ca, AJ-rich refractory inclusions (CAI) in C3V meteorites. These metals occur along with γNi-Fe metals, Ni-Fe sulfides and Fe oxides in multiphase opaque assemblages. Laboratory experiments were used to show that the mineral assemblages and textures observed in opaque assemblages could be produced by sulfidation and oxidation of once homogeneous Ni-Fe-PGE metals. Phase equilibria, partitioning and diffusion kinetics were studied in the Ni-Fe-Ru system in order to quantify the conditions of opaque assemblage formation. Phase boundaries and tie lines in the Ni-Fe-Ru system were determined at 1273, 1073 and 873K using an experimental technique that allowed the investigation of a large portion of the Ni-Fe-Ru system with a single experiment at each temperature by establishing a concentration gradient within which local equilibrium between coexisting phases was maintained. A wide miscibility gap was found to be present at each temperature, separating a hexagonal close-packed εRu-Fe phase from a face-centered cubic γNi-Fe phase. Phase equilibria determined here for the Ni-Fe-Ru system, and phase equilibria from the literature for the Ni-Fe-S and Ni-Fe-O systems, were compared with analyses of minerals from opaque assemblages to estimate the temperature and chemical conditions of opaque assemblage formation. It was determined that opaque assemblages equilibrated at a temperature of ~770K, a sulfur fugacity 10 times higher than an equilibrium solar gas, and an oxygen fugacity 10⁶ times higher than an equilibrium solar gas.

Diffusion rates between -γNi-Fe and εRu-Fe metal play a critical role in determining the time (with respect to CAI petrogenesis) and duration of the opaque assemblage equilibration process. The diffusion coefficient for Ru in Ni (D^Ru_Ni) was determined as an analog for the Ni-Fe-Ru system by the thin-film diffusion method in the temperature range of 1073 to 1673K and is given by the expression:

D^Ru_Ni (cm² sec^-1) = 5.0(±0.7) x 10^-3 exp(-2.3(±0.1) x 10¹² erg mole^-1/RT) where R is the gas constant and T is the temperature in K. Based on the rates of dissolution and exsolution of metallic phases in the Ni-Fe-Ru system it is suggested that opaque assemblages equilibrated after the melting and crystallization of host CAI during a metamorphic event of ≥ 10³ years duration. It is inferred that opaque assemblages originated as immiscible metallic liquid droplets in the CAI silicate liquid. The bulk compositions of PGE in these precursor alloys reflects an early stage of condensation from the solar nebula and the partitioning of V between the precursor alloys and CAI silicate liquid reflects the reducing nebular conditions under which CAI were melted. The individual mineral phases now observed in opaque assemblages do not preserve an independent history prior to CAI melting and crystallization, but instead provide important information on the post-accretionary history of C3V meteorites and allow the quantification of the temperature, sulfur fugacity and oxygen fugacity of cooling planetary environments. This contrasts with previous models that called upon the formation of opaque assemblages by aggregation of phases that formed independently under highly variable conditions in the solar nebula prior to the crystallization of CAI.

Analytical studies were carried out on PGE-rich phases from meteorites and the products of synthetic experiments using traditional electron microprobe x-ray analytical techniques. The concentrations of PGE in common minerals from meteorites and terrestrial rocks are far below the ~100 ppm detection limit of the electron microprobe. This has limited the scope of analytical studies to the very few cases where PGE are unusually enriched. To study the distribution of PGE in common minerals will require an in situ analytical technique with much lower detection limits than any methods currently in use. To overcome this limitation, resonance ionization of sputtered atoms was investigated for use as an ultrasensitive in situ analytical technique for the analysis of PGE. The mass spectrometric analysis of Os and Re was investigated using a pulsed primary Ar⁺ ion beam to provide sputtered atoms for resonance ionization mass spectrometry. An ionization scheme for Os that utilizes three resonant energy levels (including an autoionizing energy level) was investigated and found to have superior sensitivity and selectivity compared to nonresonant and one and two energy level resonant ionization schemes. An elemental selectivity for Os over Re of ≥ 10³ was demonstrated. It was found that detuning the ionizing laser from the autoionizing energy level to an arbitrary region in the ionization continuum resulted in a five-fold decrease in signal intensity and a ten-fold decrease in elemental selectivity. Osmium concentrations in synthetic metals and iron meteorites were measured to demonstrate the analytical capabilities of the technique. A linear correlation between Os⁺ signal intensity and the known Os concentration was observed over a range of nearly 10⁴ in Os concentration with an accuracy of ~ ±10%, a millimum detection limit of 7 parts per billion atomic, and a useful yield of 1%. Resonance ionization of sputtered atoms samples the dominant neutral-fraction of sputtered atoms and utilizes multiphoton resonance ionization to achieve high sensitivity and to eliminate atomic and molecular interferences. Matrix effects should be small compared to secondary ion mass spectrometry because ionization occurs in the gas phase and is largely independent of the physical properties of the matrix material. Resonance ionization of sputtered atoms can be applied to in situ chemical analysis of most high ionization potential elements (including all of the PGE) in a wide range of natural and synthetic materials. The high useful yield and elemental selectivity of this method should eventually allow the in situ measurement of Os isotope ratios in some natural samples and in sample extracts enriched in PGE by fire assay fusion.

Phase equilibria and diffusion experiments have provided the basis for a reinterpretation of the origin of opaque assemblages in CAI and have yielded quantitative information on conditions in the primitive solar nebula and cooling planetary environments. Development of the method of resonance ionization of sputtered atoms for the analysis of Os has shown that this technique has wide applications in geochemistry and will for the first time allow in situ studies of the distribution of PGE at the low concentration levels at which they occur in common minerals.

Simultaneous determination of microcystin-LR and its glutathione conjugate in fish tissues by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantitative determination of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and its glutathione conjugate (MC-LR-GSH) in fish tissues. The analytes were extracted from fish liver and kidney using 0.01 M EDTA-Na-2-5% acetic acid, followed by a solid-phase extraction (SPE) on Oasis HLB and silica cartridges. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, operating in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode, was used to quantify MC-LR and its glutathione conjugate in fish liver and kidney. Recoveries of analytes were assessed at three concentrations (0.2, 1.0, and 5 mu g g(-1) dry weight [DW]) and ranged from 91 to 103% for MC-LR, and from 65.0 to 75.7% for MC-LR-GSH. The assay was linear within the range from 0.02 to 5.0 mu g g(-1) DW, with a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.02 mu g g(-1) DW. The limit of detection (LOD) of the method was 0.007 mu g g(-1) DW in both fish liver and kidney. The overall precision was determined on three different days. The values for within- and between-day precision in liver and kidney were within 15%. This method was applied to the identification and quantification of MC-LR and its glutathione conjugate in liver and kidney of fish with acute exposure of MC-LR. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

几种中药材的化学成分及其定性定量检测方法研究

本论文由四部分组成。第一部分报道了佛手参提取物的化学成分研究，建立了活性成分含量测定的高效液相测定和指纹图谱研究，采用液质联用技术鉴定了主要色谱峰；第二部分报道了丹参及其复方制剂的特征图谱研究；第三部分探讨了两面针生物碱的电喷雾质谱裂解规律，并采用液质联用技术分离鉴定了提取物中的多种生物碱。第四部分概述了液质联用在药物代谢研究中的运用。 第一部分包括第一、第二和第三章。第一章针对佛手参（Gymnadeniaconopsea）块茎的甲醇提取物，采用大孔树脂和反相硅胶柱层析等各种分离方法，共分离鉴定出4 个化合物，通过波谱分析将它们的结构确定为dactylorhin B (1)、loroglossin (2)、dactylorhin A (3)和militarine (4)。这4 个化合物均是首次从佛手参中分离得到的琥珀酸葡萄糖苷类成分。第二章采用高效液相色谱法对西藏、四川、河北、青海和尼泊尔等不同地区产的十个佛手参样品进行腺嘌呤核苷和对羟基苯甲醇的定量分析，结果表明这2 个成份可视为佛手参的特征成分，但也注意到产地不同该2 个特征成分的含量也有所不同。第三章采用标准中药指纹图谱相似度计算软件，以10 个佛手参样品HPLC 图谱的平均值为相似性评价对照模板，对10 个样品进行了相似度评价，并经液质联用分析指认了7 个共有峰，分别为腺嘌呤核苷(1)、对羟基苯甲醇(2)、对羟基苯甲醛(3) 、dactylorhin B(4) 、loroglossin(5)、dactylorhin A(6)和militarine(7)。 第二部分包括第四、第五、第六和第七章。第四章运用电喷雾质谱检测了对照药材和五个不同产地的丹参药材中脂溶性和水溶性成分，系统地探讨了多种成分的电喷雾质谱规律，并以对照药材为标准建立了特征指纹图谱。五个产地的药II材通过与对照药材相对比，采用聚类分析的方法，得到了定性的鉴别与判断。并采用液质联用技术对丹参药材提取液中的化学成份进行分析，推测了九个特征峰，并对六样品的液相色谱图进行了聚类分析。第五章探讨了三七皂苷的电喷雾质谱电离和裂解规律，并采用电喷雾质谱法对三七标准药材，血通片中的皂苷成分进行了分析。第六章运用电喷雾质谱研究复方丹参片提取液的特征图谱，并和单味药材丹参和三七的特征图谱进行了对比研究。并运用HPLC-ESI MSn 分析鉴定了复方丹参片提取液中的化学成分，推测了12 个色谱峰。第七章总结了电喷雾质谱和液质联用技术在丹参药材，三七药材及复方丹参制剂中的运用的优势和局限性。 第三部分（第八章）研究了两面针生物碱中二氢白屈菜红碱(1)、二氢两面针碱(2)、8-酮基二氢白屈菜红碱(3)、8-丙酮基二氢两面针碱(4)、两面针碱(5)、和1,3-二(8-二氢两面针碱)丙酮(6)等六个苯并菲啶型生物碱的电喷雾质谱裂解规律，其中二氢两面针碱和二氢白屈菜红碱，8-丙酮基二氢两面针碱和8-酮基二氢白屈菜红碱是两对二个甲氧基分别在C-9 和C-10，C-10 和C-11 的同分异构体。实验结果表明，在相同的碰撞能下，这类位置异构体的ESI MS2 质谱二级碎片离子的相对峰度存在很大差异，这可以用于区分该类同分异构体，采用液-质联用可以对两面针的总生物碱提取物中的这些同分异构体加于区分。同时在本实验采用的液相色谱条件下，多种生物碱得到较好的分离，通过和对照品的保留时间，紫外吸收光谱及电喷雾质谱图对照，鉴定了11 个主要色谱峰。 第四部分（第九章）对液质联用技术在药物代谢中的运用进行了综述。 This dissertation consisted of four sections. The first two sections elaborated thephytochemical investigation of the rhizomes Gymnadenia conopsea R. Br., methoddevelopment for rapid identifying and qutifying the chemical condtituent of thistibetant medicine, and the chemical fingerprint analysis of rhizomes of G. conopsea,Salviae miltiorrhiza and P. notoginseng. The third section studied the fragmentationmechanism of six alkaloids from Zanthoxylum nitidium and method development forrapid identifying varieties of alkaloids from the extract of this herbal medicine. Thefourth section reviewed HPLC- MS method in drug metabolism studies. The first section consisted of chapters 1, 2, 3. Chapter 1 elaborated the phytochemicalinvestigation of Gymnadenia conopsea R. Br. Four succinate derivative esters wereisolated from the methanol extract of the rhizomes of G. conopsea through repeatedcolumn chromatography on normal and reversed phase silica gel, their structures weredetermined by ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR evidence. They were firstly discoveredfrom this species. In chapter 2, a high-performance liquid chromatography.diodearray detection (HPLC-DAD) method has been firstly developed for quantitation oftwo characteristic constituents, adenosine and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, from theextract of rhizomes of G. conopsea. All 10 samples of G. conopsea contained differentamount of adenosine and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol. Adenosine and the4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol can be applied in identification and quality control for theroots of G. conopsea. In chapter 3, a high-performance liquid chromatography.diodearray detection.tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MSn) method has been firstly developed for chemical fingerprint analysis of rhizomes of G. conopsea andrapid identification of major compounds in the fingerprints. Comparing the UV andMS spectra with those of authentic compounds, seven main peaks in the fingerprintswere identified as adenosine, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, 4-hydroxybenzyl aldehyde,dactylorhin B, loroglossin, dactylorhin A and militarine. The Computer AidedSimilarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of TraditionalChinese Medicine (CASES) was employed to evaluate the similarities of 10 samplesof the rhizomes of G. conopsea collected from Sichuan, Qinghai and Hebei provincesand Tibet autonomous region of China, and Nepal. These samples from differentsources had similar chemical fingerprints to each other. The second section consisted of chapters 4, 5, 6 and 7. In chapter 4，both thecharacteristic spectra of liposoluble tanshinones and aqueous-soluble salvianolic acidswere established by the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS)technique and the differences between standard and crude rhizomes of Salviaemiltiorrhiza Bge. from 5 sources were analyzed. The law of electrospray ion trap mass(ESI ITMS) of typical tanshinones and salvianolic acids is studied.The analysis of the chemical constituent of rhizomes of Salviae miltiorrhiza Bge. byliquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrum (LC/MS) technique wasestablished，and the distances among standard herb and crude herb from 5 sourceswere calculated by clustering analysis. According the DAD spectra and MS2 data，9tanshinones could be speculated. In chapter 5, the character spectra of total saponinsin P. notoginseng extracts were established by ESI ITMS and selective ion monitoring(SIM) technology. The law of notoginsenosides by ESI MS2 was studied. In chapter 6,the characteristic spectra of Compound Danshen Tablet established and compared byESI-MS and HPLC/DAD/MS, 6 known tanshinones and 3 saponins were speculated.In chapter 7, the advantage and disadvantage of the strategy, using the ESI ITMS andLC/MS techniques for study of characteristic spetra of danshen and Compound Danshen Tablet, were summerized. The third section (chapter 8) studied the fragmentation mechanism of six alkaloids,dihydronitidine, dihydrochelerythrine, 8-acetonyl dihydronitidine,8-acetonyldrochelerythrine, nitidine and 1,3-bis (8-dihydronitidinyl)-acetone, by ESIMSn. Tandem mass spectrometry experiments indicated that different substitutionsites of the methoxyl groups at C-9 and C-10 or at C-10 and C-11 determined thedifferent abundances of the MS2 fragmentation ions using the same collision energy.According to the different abundances of MS2 product ions, positional isomericbenzo[c] phenanthridine alkaloids can be differentiated. Moreover, ten constituents inthe crude alkaloids extract from the roots of Zanthoxylum nitidium were rapidlyidentified by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem massspectrometry (HPLC-MSn), through comparing the retention times and ESI MSn spectra with the authentic standards. The fourth section (chapter 9) is a review on HPLC-MS method development in drug metabolism studies.

Qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of quaternary alkaloids in Coptis-scute herb couple by Electrospray mass Spectrometry

A practical solution of qualitatively analyzing quaternary alkaloids in coptis-scute herb couple by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI-MS) was developed. Without the complicated pretreatment of sample, the active ingredients including berberine, palmatine, coptisine, jatrorrhizine, epiberberine, and columbamine were identified and some relative content changing rules of alkaloids in coptis-scute couple were summarized in this article. The overall profiles of the complex extracts were obtained.

Study on the variation of chemical constituents during combination of ginseng with trogopteroum feces and semen raphani by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A high performance liquid chroatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometric method was developed for analysis and identification of ginsenosides from the decoction of ginseng, ginseng with trogopteroum feces and ginseng with semen raphani. Ten ginsenosides were separated and detected. The content variation of these ginsenosides was researched. The experimental results showed, that ginsenosides were less in compatible decoction than in separate one expect Ro. the stripping of ginsenosides were restrained by semen raphani and during combination of ginseng with trogopteroum feces, the precipitates were produced by ginsenosides.

Preparation and mass spectrometric study of egg yolk antibody (IgY) against rabies virus

Rabies virus was used as the antigen to immunize laying chickens. Anti-rabies virus immunoglobulin Y(IgY) was isolated from yolks of the eggs laid by these chickens using a two-step salt precipitation and one-step gel filtration protocol. The purified IgY was reduced with dithiothreitol, and heavy chains (HC) and light chains (LC) were obtained. In addition, the purified IgY was digested with pepsin and the fragment with specific antigen binding properties (Fab) was produced. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS), the average molecular weights of IgY, HC, LC, and Fab were determined as 167 250, 65 105, 18 660, and 45,359 Da, respectively. IgY has two structural differences compared with mammalian IgGs. First, the molecular weight of the heavy chain of IgY is larger than that of its mammalian counterpart, while the molecular weight of the light chain of IgY is smaller. Second, upon pepsin digestion, anti-rabies virus IgY is degraded into Feb, in contrast to mammalian IgG, which has been reported to be degraded into F(ab')(2) under the same conditions. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

New method of mass spectrometry for distinguishing ephedrine and isoephedrine

Ephedrine and isoephedrine were first distingshed by electrospy ionization mass spectrometry and in-sourice collision-induced dissociation technique. Based on this observation, a unkown sample was identified for ephedrine.

The application of matrix-assisted laser desorption jonization mass spectrometry in enzymes of Agkistrodon blomhoffii Ussurensis venom analysis

The matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) spectra of four enzymes (PLA, AEase, Fibrolase, L-a.a. oxidase) in Agkistrodon blomhoffii Ussurensis venom, were given and interpreted. The experiment data showed that MALDI-TOF-MS can be used directly in enzyme analysis with high sensitivity and rapidity. In addition, the results were better than those from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization of ginsenosides

Molecular weight of 8 ginsenosides and the component of total saponions in American ginseng have been determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The average error of the molecular weight of each ginsenoside was found less than 0.05%. The results demonstrate that MALDI-MS is a very simple and useful method to measure the molecular weight of some high polar, thermal unstable small molecules with high sensitivity and reproducibility.

Structure of [C8H7](+) and intramolecular proton transfer reactions in 3-phenyl-1-butyn-3-ol by MS/MS technique

The electron impact mass spectrum (EIMS) of 3-phenyl-1-butyn-3-ol was reported in this paper. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) was used to study the gas phase ion structure of [C8H7](+) formed by the fragmentation of ionized 3-phenyl-1-butyn-3-ol, and that it has the same structure as m/z 103 ions generated by cinnamic acid and alpha-methylstyrene. Deuterium labelling, metastable ion (MI) and CID experimental results indicate the formation of m/z 103 ion resulting from molecular ion of 3-phenyl-1-butyn-3-ol, which is a stepwise procedure via twice proton transfers, rather than concerted process during the successive elimination of methyl radical and neutral carbon monoxide accompanying hydrogen transfer. Moreover, in order to rationalized these fragmentation processes, the bimolecular proton bound complex between benzyne and acetylene intermediate has been proposed.

GAS-PHASE ION-MOLECULE REACTIONS OF BUCKMINSTERFULLERENE C-60 WITH SOME SMALL ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS IN MASS-SPECTROMETER

In chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) gas phase C-60(+) or C-60 can react with fragment ions from three chloromethane and four multichloroethane molecular ions via ion-molecule reactions. A dozen of gas-phase adduct ions of C-60 are observed, and most of them contain chlorine atoms. The results of the comparison and analysis show that the relative intensities of adductions are not directly proportional to the corresponding fragment ions in the MS of reagents,which implies that some fragment ions containing radicals are more reactive with C-60(+) or C-60. This indicates that the alkene-like C-60(+) or C-60 can act as a radical sponge in addition reactions.

Determination of 30 free fatty acids in two famous Tibetan medicines by HPLC with fluorescence detection and mass spectrometric identification

A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with fluorescence detection and mass spectrometric identification has been developed for analysis of 30 long-chain and short-chain free Fatty acids (FFAs). The fatty acids were derivatized to their esters with 1-[2-(p-toluenesulfonate)ethyl]-2-phenylimidazole-[4,5-f]-9,10-phenanthrene (TSPP) in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) at 90 degrees C with anhydrous K2CO3 as catalyst. A mixture Of C-1-C-30 fatty acids was completely separated within 60 min by gradient elution on a reversed-phase C-8 column. Qualitative identification of the acids was performed by atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI-MS) in positive-ion mode. The fluorescence excitation and emission wavelengths were 260 and 380 nm, respectively. Quantitative determination of the 30 acids in two Tibetan medicines Gentiana straminea and G. dahurica was performed. The results indicated that the medicines contained many FFAs. Linear correlation coefficients for the FFA derivatives were > 0.9991. Relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 6) for the fatty acid derivatives were < 3%. Detection limits (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1) were 3.1-38 fmol. When the fatty acid derivatives were determined in the two real samples results were satisfactory and the sensitivity and reproducibility of the method were good.

Identification of phospholipid structures in human blood by direct-injection quadrupole-linear ion-trap mass spectrometry

Direct-injection electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in combination with information-dependent data acquisition (IDA), using a triple-quadrupole/linear ion trap combination, allows high-throughput qualitative analysis of complex phospholipid species from child whole blood. In the IDA experiments, scans to detect specific head groups (precursor ion or neutral loss scans) were used as survey scans to detect phospholipid classes. An enhanced resolution scan was then used to confirm the mass assignments, and the enhanced product ion scan was implemented as a dependent scan to determine the composition of each phospholipid class. These survey and dependent scans were performed sequentially and repeated for the entire duration of analysis, thus providing the maximum information from a single injection. In this way, 50 different phospholipids belonging to the phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin classes were identified in child whole blood. Copyright (C) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mandelohydroxamic acid as ligand for copper(II) 15-metallacrown-5 lanthanide(III) and copper(II) 15-metallacrown-5 uranyl complexes

The formation of pentanuclear copper(ii) complexes with the mandelohydroxamic ligand was studied in solution by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), absorption spectrophotometry, circular dichroism and H-1 NMR spectroscopy. The presence of lanthanide(iii) or uranyl ions is essential for the self-assembly of the 15-metallacrown-5 compounds. The negative mode ESI-MS spectra of solutions containing copper(II), mandelohydroxamic acid and lanthanide(iii) ions (Ln = La, Ce, Nd, Eu, Gd, Dy, Er, Tm, Lu, Y) or uranyl in the ratio 5:5:1 showed only the peaks that could be unambiguously assigned to the following intact molecular ions: {Ln(NO3)(2)[15-MCuIIN(MHA)-5](2-)}(-) and {Ln(NO3)[15-MCCuIIN(MHA)-5](3-)}(-), where MHA represents doubly deprotonated mandelohydroxamic acid. The NMR spectra of the pentanuclear species revealed only one set of peaks indicating a fivefold symmetry of the complex. The pentanuclear complexes synthesized with the enantiomerically pure R- or S-forms of mandelohydroxamic acid ligand, showed circular dichroism spectra which were mirror images of each other. The pentanuclear complex made from the racemic form of the ligand showed no signals in the CD spectrum. The UV/ Vis titration experiments revealed that the order in which the metal salts are added to the solution of the mandelohydroxamic acid ligand is crucial for the formation of metallacrown complexes. The addition of copper(ii) to the solutions containing mandelohydroxamic acid and neodymium(iii) in a 5:1 ratio lead to the formation of a pentanuclear complex in solution. In contrary, titration of lanthanide(iii) salt to the solution containing copper(ii) and mandelohydroxamic acid did not show any evidence for the formation of pentanuclear species. ((c) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)

Kinetics and mechanism of a macrocyclic chromium(III) complex oxidation to chromium(IV) by hexacyanoferrate(III) in strongly alkaline media

Oxidation of the macrocyclic Cr(III) complex cis-[Cr(cycb)(OH)(2)](+), where cycb = rac-5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane, by an excess of the hexacyanoferrate( III) in basic solution, slowly produces Cr(V) species. These species, detected using e.p.r. spectroscopy, are stable under ambient conditions for many hours, and the hyperfine structure of the e.p.r. spectrum is consistent with the interaction of the d-electron with four equivalent nitrogen nuclei. Electro-spray ionization mass spectrometry suggests a concomitant oxidation of the macrocyclic ligand, in which double bonds and double bonded oxygen atoms have been introduced. By comparison basic chromate(III) solutions are oxidized rapidly to chromate(VI) by hexacyanoferrate(III) without any detectable generation of stable Cr(V) intermediates.