Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Methods Research Articles

NMR spectroscopic investigations of transition metal complexes in organometallic and bioinorganic chemistry

AbstractThe field of coordination chemistry has evolved to intersect with organic chemistry and biochemistry, giving rise to the disciplines of organometallic and bioinorganic chemistry. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can be applied for characterizing transition metal complexes, spanning both diamagnetic and paramagnetic complexes prevalent in organometallic compounds and metalloproteins. This review offers a comprehensive overview of a wide variety of characterization techniques, ranging from basic 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy to advanced methods such as heteronuclear experiments, polarization transfer techniques, relaxometry, and multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. The diverse array of NMR spectroscopic methods outlined here promises to enhance our comprehension of transition metal complexes, facilitating the development of innovative catalysts and therapeutics.

Position-specific carbon stable isotope analysis of glyphosate: isotope fingerprinting of molecules within a mixture.

Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine] is a widely used herbicide and a molecule of interest in the environmental sciences, due to its global use in agriculture and its potential impact on ecosystems. This study presents the first position-specific carbon isotope (13C/12C) analyses of glyphosates from multiple sources. In contrast to traditional isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), position-specific analysis provides 13C/12C ratios at individual carbon atom positions within a molecule, rather than an average carbon isotope ratio across a mixture or a specific compound. In this work, glyphosate in commercial herbicides was analyzed with only minimal purification, using a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy method that detects 1H nuclei with bonds to either 13C or 12C, and isolates the signals of interest from other signals in the mixture. Results demonstrate that glyphosate from different sources can have significantly different intramolecular 13C/12C distributions, which were found to be spread over a wide range, with δ13C Vienna Peedee Belemnite (VPDB) values of -28.7 to -57.9‰. In each glyphosate, the carbon with a bond to the phosphorus atom was found to be depleted in 13C compared to the carbon at the C2 position, by 4 to 10‰. Aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) was analyzed for method validation; AMPA contains only a single carbon position, so the 13C/12C results provided by the NMR method could be directly compared with traditional isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The glyphosate mixtures were also analyzed by IRMS to obtain their average 13C/12C ratios, for comparison with our position-specific results. This comparison revealed that the IRMS results significantly disguise the intramolecular isotope distribution. Finally, we introduce a 31P NMR method that can provide a position-specific 13C/12C ratio for carbon positions with a C-P chemical bond, and the results obtained by 1H and 31P for C3 carbon agree with one another within their analytical uncertainty. These analytical tools for position-specific carbon isotope analysis permit the isotopic fingerprinting of target molecules within a mixture, with potential applications in a range of fields, including the environmental sciences and chemical forensics.

Update on chiral recognition mechanisms in separation science.

The stereospecific analysis of chiral molecules is an important issue in many scientific fields. In separation sciences, this is achieved via the formation of transient diastereomeric complexes between a chiral selector and the selectand enantiomers driven by molecular interactions including electrostatic, ion-dipole, dipole-dipole, van der Waals or π-π interactions as well as hydrogen or halogen bonds depending on the nature of selector and selectand. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular modeling methods are currently the most frequently applied techniques to understand the selector-selectand interactions at a molecular level and to draw conclusions on the chiral separation mechanism. The present short review summarizes some of the recent achievements for the understanding of the chiral recognition of the most important chiral selectors combining separation techniques with molecular modeling and/or spectroscopic techniques dating between 2020 and early 2024. The selectors include polysaccharide derivatives, cyclodextrins, macrocyclic glycopeptides, proteins, donor-acceptor type selectors, ion-exchangers, crown ethers, and molecular micelles. The application of chiral ionic liquids and chiral deep eutectic solvents, as well as further selectors, are also briefly addressed. A compilation of all published literature on chiral selectors has not been attempted.

Design, synthesis, and investigation of biological activities of new triazole derivatives with antifungal effect

Fungal infections pose a significant threat to both morbidity and mortality, especially in immunocompromised patients, notably those with conditions such as AIDS. In the last two decades, the incidence of such fungal infections has increased significantly, especially due to Candida species. The increasing incidence of life-threatening fungal infections has increased the need for new drugs to treat these infections. In this study, 10 novel oxadiazole-triazole hybrid compounds were synthesized. Analysis of the obtained compounds provided by 1H NMR (proton nuclear magnetic resonance), 13C NMR (carbon nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopic methods and HRMS (high resolution mass spectrometry) spectrometric method. The inhibition effects of the obtained compounds on the 14α-demethylase enzyme were investigated. Among the synthesized compounds, 4a (contains 4-methyl substituent), 4c (contains 4-cyano substituent), 4d (contains 4-nitro substituent), 4e (contains 4-fluoro substituent), 4 g (contains 4‑bromo substituent) and 4j (contains 3,4-dichloro substituent) coded compounds were useful against C. parapsilosis strain; Compounds 4c, 4f and 4 g also showed significant inhibitory effect against C. albicans strain. Within the scope of the study, the interactions of 14α-demethylase enzyme active site and our compound were elucidated by molecular modeling and molecular dynamics studies. Binding points were determined by docking studies for the selected compounds in enzyme active site. The strongest interaction with 14α-demethylase enzyme active sites was observed in 4c and 4 g coded compounds.

Abstract 5775: Structure and dynamics of the major PDGFR-β oncogene promoter G-quadruplex and insights into its cellular regulation

Abstract Overexpression of the receptor tyrosine kinase PDGFR-β promotes cancer growth and metastasis. PDGFR-β is a validated cancer target but PDGFR-β kinase inhibitors suffer from lack of selectivity and side effects. G-quadruplexes are an exciting class of non-B DNA secondary structures with functional importance. The G-quadruplex formed in the PDGFR-β promoter is a transcription repressor and targetable by small molecules. Therefore, the PDGFR-β promoter G-quadruplex is an attractive molecular target for anticancer drugs. Structural information of the PDGFR-β promoter G-quadruplex is crucial for understanding its cellular function and rational drug design. Herein, we used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and biophysical methods to determine the structure and dynamics of the major G-quadruplex formed in the human PDGFR-β promoter. Unlike canonical G-quadruplexes formed by four runs of three continuous guanines (G), the major PDGFR-β G-quadruplex adopts a novel broken-strand structure where a two-G segment is continued by a non-adjacent guanine. The broken-strand G-quadruplex has a vacancy-G-tetrad (vG4) which is filled-in intramolecularly by a distal guanine. Interestingly, we discovered that the major PDGFR-β G-quadruplex is a novel mixture of two equilibrating broken-strand G-quadruplexes. Both structures adopt overall parallel-stranded folding with all 1-nt chain-reversal loops. However, a different 3’-filled-in guanine is delivered by a lateral loop, which forms structurally similar hairpin with a unique capping G-G base-pair. The formation of the equilibrating broken-strand G-quadruplexes and unique capping structures are both specific to the PDGFR-β promoter sequence. Intriguingly, the observed dynamic equilibrium between the two co-existing structures with different intramolecular fill-in guanines indicates a novel vG4 intermediate, which could be filled-in by cellular guanine metabolites such as cGMP. Therefore, our study provides critical insights into how the dynamics of the major PDGFR-β G-quadruplex lead to vG4 formation and potential regulation of gene transcription by cellular guanine metabolites. The determined molecular structures of the novel broken-strand G-quadruplexes provide a structural basis for rational design of small molecules to specifically target the major PDGFR-β promoter G-quadruplex for cancer therapeutics. Citation Format: Yichen Han, Jonathan Dickerhoff, Danzhou Yang. Structure and dynamics of the major PDGFR-β oncogene promoter G-quadruplex and insights into its cellular regulation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 5775.

New Strategy for the Synthesis of Some Valuable Chiral 1,3-Diols with High Enantiomeric Purity: New Organocatalyst, Asymmetric Aldol Reaction, and Reduction.

Chiral 1,3-diols are highly valuable molecules used in industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and agriculture. Therefore, in this study, a new strategy was developed to synthesize enantiomerically pure (>99% ee) 1,3-diols. New chiral 1,3-diols (5a-5q) with high enantiomeric purity were synthesized from aldol products chiral 1,3-keto alcohols (4a-4q), which are aldol products with different structures. Chiral 1,3-keto alcohols (4a-4q) were synthesized by a new asymmetric aldol method in the first step. This method was developed using a new proline-derived organocatalyst (3g) and Cu(OTf)2 as an additive in DMSO-H2O for the first time. Almost >99% ee was obtained using our developed aldol procedure. In the second step, original chiral diols (5a-5q) of high enantiomeric purity were obtained by asymmetric reduction of chiral keto alcohols with chiral oxazaborolidine reagents. In this way, a two-step asymmetric reaction was developed for chiral 1,3-diol enantiomers with high enantiomeric purity. The structures of all the original chiral compounds obtained were elucidated by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis methods. Their enantiomeric excesses were determined by the chiral high-performance liquid chromatography method. Both keto alcohols and their corresponding chiral diols synthesized can be used as chiral starting materials and chiral source materials or intermediates in the synthesis of many biologically active molecules, or they can be used as chiral ligands in asymmetric synthesis, serving as organocatalysts.

Novel biologically active paddlewheel-like palladium thiocyanate complex catalyzed cyanation of alkyl bromide utilizing Q-tube system: A green perspective

A novel paddlewheel-like complex of [Pd(SCN)2(3-Acpy)2], (1) was produced at ambient temperature by adding an aqueous solution of palladium chloride to an aqueous acetonitrile solution of 3-acetylpyridine (3-Acpy) and potassium thiocyanate. Elemental analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic methods were used to characterize complex 1 comprehensively. Single crystal X-ray diffraction was used to analyze the crystal structure of complex 1. The palladium atom is bonded to two 3-Acpy ligands and two thiocyanates groups in trans mode giving square planer geometry in complex 1. The discrete units of paddlewheel-like complex 1 through hydrogen bonding extend to form a 3D supramolecular network structure. The synthesized and characterized new palladium complex 1 was utilized as a precatalyst for the cyanation of alkyl bromide using potassium ferrocyanide as a benign cyanide source reagent. The suggested catalytic test reaction under high-pressure conditions via a Q-tube system in green solvent cyclopentyl methyl ether introduced high yields and a short reaction time. Moreover, the cytotoxic activity of complex 1 was assessed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay against HePG-2 of liver cancer and MCF7 of breast cancer cell lines. According to the findings, complex 1 has significant strong activity against the cancer cell lines HePG-2 and MCF-7. Additionally, the luminescence spectra of complex 1 were investigated.

Structure, Physicochemical Properties and Biological Activity of Lipopolysaccharide from the Rhizospheric Bacterium Ochrobactrum quorumnocens T1Kr02, Containing d-Fucose Residues.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) are major components of the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. In this work, the structure of the O-polysaccharide of Ochrobactrum quorumnocens T1Kr02 was identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and the physical-chemical properties and biological activity of LPS were also investigated. The NMR analysis showed that the O-polysaccharide has the following structure: →2)-β-d-Fucf-(1→3)-β-d-Fucp-(1→. The structure of the periplasmic glucan coextracted with LPS was established by NMR spectroscopy and chemical methods: →2)-β-d-Glcp-(1→. Non-stoichiometric modifications were identified in both polysaccharides: 50% of d-fucofuranose residues at position 3 were O-acetylated, and 15% of d-Glcp residues at position 6 were linked with succinate. This is the first report of a polysaccharide containing both d-fucopyranose and d-fucofuranose residues. The fatty acid analysis of the LPS showed the prevalence of 3-hydroxytetradecanoic, hexadecenoic, octadecenoic, lactobacillic, and 27-hydroxyoctacosanoic acids. The dynamic light scattering demonstrated that LPS (in an aqueous solution) formed supramolecular particles with a size of 72.2 nm and a zeta-potential of -21.5 mV. The LPS solution (10 mkg/mL) promoted the growth of potato microplants under in vitro conditions. Thus, LPS of O. quorumnocens T1Kr02 can be recommended as a promoter for plants and as a source of biotechnological production of d-fucose.

Preparation and characterization of the aflatoxin B1 purity certified reference material (GBW (E) 100599)

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), the most harmful mycotoxin, is widely distributed in many important foodstuffs, especially in peanuts, maize, and oil products. AFB1 certified reference material (CRM), essential for an accurate and reliable detection, is not easily obtained due to the difficulty of preparing high purity candidate. In this study, the high-purity AFB1 candidate was prepared by the preparative high performance liquid chromatography (Pre-HPLC) after high-yields of AFB1 on the maize medium by Aspergillus flavus. The structure of AFB1 was successively characterized by UV, IR, LC-TOF-MS/MS, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR. According to the principle of ISO 17034: 2016 and ISO guide 35: 2017, the purity of the candidate was accurately determined by the mass balance method (MB) and the quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy method (qNMR), while the homogeneity, long-term stability, short-term stability, and uncertainty were systematically studied by the MB method. Under the optimum conditions, the certified purity value for the AFB1 CRM was 99.53 % with an extended uncertainty of 0.56 % (k = 2, 95 % confidence interval), which was also sufficiently homogeneous and stable for 6 months at 4 °C and −20 °C. After approval by State Administration for Market Regulation, a new AFB1 purity CRM (GBW (E) 100599) was finally prepared. This is the first report for the preparation of a reliable AFB1 purity CRM, benefit for enhancing the accuracy, traceability, and comparability of measurements of AFB1 in various foodstuffs, and finally ensure the food quality and safety.

Study on the affinity sites of cadmium's binding to ligands by thermodynamics and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The affinity sites of cadmium (Cd(II)) when binding to cysteine (Cys) and glutathione (GSH) were studied via thermodynamics and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy methods. The results showed that the Cd(II) binding sites of Cys and GSH were -SH (exothermic), -NH2 (endothermic) and -COOH (endothermic). The thermodynamic behaviour of Cd(II) binding to Cys/GSH in boric acid and HEPES buffers differed, with the former being mainly endothermic and the latter mainly exothermic. It could be inferred that, in the boric acid system, the main binding site of Cd(II) with Cys and GSH is changed from -SH in HEPES to -COOH and -NH2 in boric acid. This was confirmed by the results of NMR experiments of Cd(II) with Cys/GSH. 1D 1H-NMR experiments showed that, after the combination of Cd(II) and Cys, the changes in the chemical shifts and peak strengths of protons near the -SH group for the reaction in HEPES were greater than when boric acid buffer was used. Changes in the chemical shift and peak strength of the -NH2 protons due to the binding of Cd(II) to GSH were evident in the boric acid buffer but not in HEPES. The screening of functional monomers is very important in the process of preparation of cadmium ion-imprinted materials. This research provides important theoretical and experimental guidance for the screening of functional monomers.

New 5-Substituted SN38 Derivatives: A Stability Study and Interaction with Model Nicked DNA by NMR and Molecular Modeling Methods.

The new 5-substituted SN-38 derivatives, 5(R)-(N-pyrrolidinyl)methyl-7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (1) and its diastereomer 5(S) (2), were investigated using a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and molecular modeling methods. The chemical stability, configuration stability, and propensity to aggregate as a function of concentration were determined using 1H NMR. The calculated self-association constants (Ka) were found to be 6.4 mM-1 and 2.9 mM-1 for 1 and 2, respectively. The NMR experiments were performed to elucidate the interaction of each diastereomer with a nicked decamer duplex, referred to as 3. The calculated binding constants were determined to be 76 mM-1 and 150 mM-1 for the 1-3 and 2-3 complexes, respectively. NMR studies revealed that the interaction between 1 or 2 and the nicked decamer duplex occurred at the site of the DNA strand break. To complement these findings, molecular modeling methods and calculation protocols were employed to establish the interaction mode and binding constants and to generate molecular models of the DNA/ligand complexes.

Development and validation of a method for the simultaneous quantitative analysis of the active forms of vitamins B1, B2, and B6 using 31P qNMR

With increasing demand for active vitamins in functional foods and supplements, accurate quantification is crucial to ensure that quality and safety standards are met. This study presents the development of a phosphorous-31 quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (31P qNMR) spectroscopy method for the simultaneous analysis of the active forms of vitamins B1, B2, and B6 in multivitamin supplements. The 31P NMR signals of the analytes and internal standard were effectively resolved and easily distinguishable. The method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, accuracy, and stability. The curves for all three vitamins exhibited a high degree of linearity, with correlation coefficients (R2) exceeding 0.999. The LOD (0.04–0.07 mg mL−1) and the LOQ (0.14–0.24 mg mL−1) were adequate for analysis of multivitamin supplements, and the accuracy (99.2–102.0%) was excellent. The relative standard deviations for repeatability (1.06–1.89%) and intermediate precision (2.51–3.25%) were considered acceptable. The developed 31P qNMR method was successfully applied to commercial multivitamin supplements, demonstrating its practicality. Therefore, the 31P qNMR method is expected to be suitable for the simultaneous quantification of active vitamins B1, B2, and B6 and an effective analysis method for multivitamin preparations.

Structural Characterization and Cytotoxic Activity Evaluation of Ulvan Polysaccharides Extracted from the Green Algae Ulva papenfussii.

Ulvan, a sulfated heteropolysaccharide with structural and functional properties of interest for various uses, was extracted from the green seaweed Ulva papenfussii. U. papenfussii is an unexplored Ulva species found in the South China Sea along the central coast of Vietnam. Based on dry weight, the ulvan yield was ~15% (w/w) and the ulvan had a sulfate content of 13.4 wt%. The compositional constitution encompassed L-Rhamnose (Rhap), D-Xylose (Xylp), D-Glucuronic acid (GlcAp), L-Iduronic acid (IdoAp), D-Galactose (Galp), and D-Glucose (Glcp) with a molar ratio of 1:0.19:0.35:0.52:0.05:0.11, respectively. The structure of ulvan was determined using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) methods. The results showed that the extracted ulvan comprised a mixture of two different structural forms, namely ("A3s") with the repeating disaccharide [→4)-β-D-GlcAp-(1→4)-α-L-Rhap 3S-(1→]n, and ("B3s") with the repeating disaccharide [→4)-α-L-IdoAp-(1→4)-α-L-Rhap 3S(1→]n. The relative abundance of A3s, and B3s was 1:1.5, respectively. The potential anticarcinogenic attributes of ulvan were evaluated against a trilogy of human cancer cell lineages. Concomitantly, Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) modeling was also conducted to predict potential adverse reactions stemming from pharmacological interactions. The ulvan showed significant antitumor growth activity against hepatocellular carcinoma (IC50 ≈ 90 µg/mL), human breast cancer cells (IC50 ≈ 85 µg/mL), and cervical cancer cells (IC50 ≈ 67 µg/mL). The QSAR models demonstrated acceptable predictive power, and seven toxicity indications confirmed the safety of ulvan, warranting its candidacy for further in vivo testing and applications as a biologically active pharmaceutical source for human disease treatment.

Alginate supramolecular hydrogels based on viologen and cucurbit[8]uril: Host‐induced caveolae‐mediated endocytosis to white blood cancer cells

AbstractThe cellular uptake of drug carriers to the cytosol of a specific cell remains challenging, and a non‐classical supramolecular strategy is motivated. Here, we select a model host–guest complex in which a diamino‐viologen (1,1′‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)‐[4,4′‐bipyridine]−1,1′‐diium dichloride [VG]) fluorescent tag was engulfed by cucurbit[8]uril (CB8) and covalently linked to alginate polysaccharides (alginic acid [ALG]) as the modified drug vehicle. When adsorbed on the ALG surface, the encapsulation of VG was first confirmed utilizing Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic methods. Solid optical measurements (diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and time‐resolved photoluminescence) revealed emissive materials at around 650 nm and that CB8 enhanced the rigidity of the modified hydrogel. The molar composition of 2:1 for the complexation of VG to CB8 on the alginate surface and the thermal stabilities were also confirmed using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry techniques. CB8 induced a dramatic decrease in the average size of the VGALG polysaccharides from 485 to 165 nm and a turnover in their charge from –19.8 to +14.4 mV. Flow cytometry with inhibitors of various endocytosis pathways was employed to track the cellular uptake across different blood cell types: human T‐cell leukemia 1301 and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Noticeably, complexation of VG with the CB8 host on top of the sugar platform dramatically enhanced the internalization into 1301 cells (viz. from 1% to 99%) at a concentration of 1.8 mg/mL via caveolae‐mediated endocytosis because of the size reduction, turnover in the charge from negative to positive, and rigidity induction. These observations reveal a more profound understanding of the macrocyclic effects on drug delivery.

Evaluation of NMR-based strategies to differentiate fresh from frozen-thawed fish supported by multivariate data analysis

The differentiation of fresh and frozen-thawed fish is a relevant authenticity aspect as in the European Union fish holds a high statistical risk of being adulterated. Here, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) in combination with principal components analysis followed by linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA) was used for a non-targeted based differentiation of fresh from frozen-thawed fish. To identify the most promising NMR approach(es), six different approaches were applied to 96 fish samples (mackerel, trout, cod). These approaches included different sample preparation procedures and different NMR methods to investigate both the lipid fraction and the polar fraction of the fish samples. After cross-validation embedded in a Monte Carlo resampling design, six independent classification models were obtained. Evaluation of the multivariate data analysis revealed that the most promising approaches were the 1H NMR analysis of the lipid fraction (correct prediction of about 90.0%) and the 1H NMR based screening of minor components of the lipid fraction with a correct prediction of about 91.9%. 1H NMR analysis of the water extract of the fish samples showed a correct prediction of about 82.6%. Hence, a general differentiation of fresh from frozen-thawed fish via non-targeted NMR is feasible, even though the underlying sample batch contained different fish species. Additional fish samples need to be analyzed with the three most promising NMR approaches to further improve the developed classification models.

Osteogenesis and cytocompatibility compression of cerium and gallium doped mesoporous bioactive glass-ceramics

Bone defects have recently become one of the biggest problems for surgeons. This study aims to compression osteogenic properties of cerium and gallium doping in mesoporous bioactive glass-ceramics (MBGCs). MBGCs are synthesized using sol-gel method through evaporation induced self-assembly technique. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed size of nanoparticle in MBGCs is ∼29 nm. The impact of cerium and gallium ions on ceramics was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 29Si Magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) spectroscopic methods. Images of samples taken with a transmission electron microscope show aggregated particles with irregular forms. MBGCs doped with cerium and gallium in vitro biocompatibility investigations do not show any cytotoxicity towards MG63 cells and also have considerably improved osteogenic properties. Overall, Ga doped MBGCs with desired osteogenesis properties compared to Ce doped MBGCs, and Ga doped MBGCs offers encouraging possibilities for the effective repair of bone fractures with implants.

Using 19F NMR to Investigate Cationic Carbon Dot Association with Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).

There is much concern about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) based on their environmental persistence and toxicity, resulting in an urgent need for remediation technologies. This study focused on determining if nanoscale polymeric carbon dots are a viable sorbent material for PFAS and developing fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (19F NMR) methods to probe interactions between carbon dots and PFAS at the molecular scale. Positively charged carbon dots (PEI-CDs) were synthesized using branched polyethyleneimine to target anionic PFAS by promoting electrostatic interactions. PEI-CDs were exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to assess their potential as a PFAS sorbent material. After exposure to PFOA, the average size of the PEI-CDs increased (1.6 ± 0.5 to 7.8 ± 1.8 nm) and the surface charge decreased (+38.6 ± 1.1 to +26.4 ± 0.8 mV), both of which are consistent with contaminant sorption. 19F NMR methods were developed to gain further insight into PEI-CD affinity toward PFAS without any complex sample preparation. Changes in PFOA peak intensity and chemical shift were monitored at various PEI-CD concentrations to establish binding curves and determine the chemical exchange regime. 19F NMR spectral analysis indicates slow-intermediate chemical exchange between PFOA and CDs, demonstrating a high-affinity interaction. The α-fluorine had the greatest change in chemical shift and highest affinity, suggesting electrostatic interactions are the dominant sorption mechanism. PEI-CDs demonstrated affinity for a wide range of analytes when exposed to a mixture of 24-PFAS, with a slight preference toward perfluoroalkyl sulfonates. Overall, this study shows that PEI-CDs are an effective PFAS sorbent material and establishes 19F NMR as a suitable method to screen for novel sorbent materials and elucidate interaction mechanisms.

Anomalous Dynamics of Labile Metabolites in Cold Human Blood Detected Using 1H NMR Spectroscopy.

Recent efforts in our laboratory have enabled access to an unprecedented number (∼90) of quantifiable metabolites in human blood by a simple nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy method, which includes energy coenzymes, redox coenzymes, and antioxidants that are fundamental to cellular functions [ J. Magn. Reson. Open 2022, 12-13, 100082]. The coenzymes and antioxidants, however, are notoriously labile and are extremely sensitive to specimen harvesting, extraction, and measurement conditions. This problem is largely underappreciated and carries the risk of grossly inaccurate measurements and incorrect study outcomes. As a part of addressing this challenge, in this study, human blood specimens were comprehensively and quantitatively investigated using 1H NMR spectroscopy. Freshly drawn human blood specimens were treated or not treated with methanol, ethanol, or a mixture of methanol and chloroform, and stored on ice or on bench, at room temperature for different time periods from 0 to 24 h, prior to storing at -80 °C. Interestingly, the labile metabolite levels were stable in blood treated with an organic solvent. However, their levels in blood in untreated samples increased or decreased by factors of up to 5 or more within 3 h. Further, surprisingly, and contrary to the current knowledge about metabolite stability, the variation of coenzyme levels was more dramatic in blood stored on ice than on bench, at room temperature. In addition, unlike the generally observed phenomenon of oxidation of redox coenzymes, reduction was observed in untreated blood. Such preanalytical dynamics of the labile metabolites potentially arises from the active cellular metabolism. From the metabolomics perspective, the massive variation of the labile metabolite levels even in blood stored on ice is alarming and stresses the critical need to immediately quench the cellular metabolism for reliable analyses. Overall, the results provide compelling evidence that warrants a paradigm shift in the sample collection protocol for blood metabolomics involving labile metabolites.

Two New Meroterpenoid Derivatives From Sargassum macrocarpum With Their Anti-Oxidant Activities

Objective: The purpose of this study was to search for novel secondary metabolites present in the marine brown alga, Sargassum macrocarpum C. Agardh. Methods: The methanolic extract of S. macrocarpum was partitioned and fractionated using a silica gel column, medium pressure liquid chromatography, and preparative-high performance liquid chromatography to obtain four compounds (1-4). These structures were elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic and high resolution-electrospray ionization-mass spectroscopy methods. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-oxidant activities using 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. Result: Two undescribed meroterpenoid derivatives (1 and 2), together with two known racemic meroterpenoids (3 and 4) were isolated from the methanolic extract of S. macrocarpum. All compounds were confirmed to be meroterpenoid derivatives. All these compounds exhibited ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Conclusions: The four meroterpenoids (1-4) were isolated from S. macrocarpum. Compound 3 showed the most anti-oxidant effect with IC50 values of 9.9 (ABTS radical) and 22.4 μM (DPPH radical), respectively.

Non-peptide compounds from Kronopolites svenhedini (Verhoeff) and their antitumor and iNOS inhibitory activities.

Six new compounds, including a tetralone 1, two xanthones 2 and 3, a flavan derivative 4, and two nor-diterpenoids 7 and 8, accompanied by two known flavan derivatives 5 and 6 and a known olefine acid (9) were isolated from whole bodies of Kronopolites svenhedini (Verhoeff). The structures of the new compounds were determined by 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and other spectroscopic methods, as well as computational methods. Selected compounds were evaluated for their biological properties against a mouse pancreatic cancer cell line and inhibitory effects on iNOS and COX-2 in RAW264.7 cells.