Stable carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation of volatile organic compounds caused by vapor-liquid equilibrium.

Several types of laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate isotope fractionation caused by phase transfer process for a selection of common environmental contaminants. Carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation caused by vaporization of non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), by volatilization from water and by dissolution into an organic solvent (tetraethylene glycol dimethylether or TGDE) under equilibrium conditions was investigated with closed system experimental setups to isolate the air-liquid partitioning process. A selection of aromatic, aliphatic and chlorinated compounds along with one fuel oxygenate (methyl tert-butyl ether or MTBE) were evaluated to determine isotope enrichment factor related to respective phase transfer process. During NAPL vaporization, the residual mass of aromatic compounds, aliphatic compounds and MTBE became progressively depleted in heavy carbon and hydrogen isotopes. In contrast, during volatilization from water, the residual mass of aromatic compounds and MTBE dissolved in the water became progressively enriched in heavy hydrogen isotopes, whereas no significant change in carbon isotope was observed, except for MTBE showing a significant depletion. For the air-TGDE partitioning process, most of the aromatic compounds tested led to no significant carbon (except ethylbenzene) or hydrogen (except toluene and o-xylene) isotope fractionation. In contrast, significant carbon isotope fractionation was observed for aliphatic and chlorinated compounds and hydrogen isotope fractionation for aliphatic compounds, and are comparable to progressive NAPL vaporization in direction and magnitude. The isotope fractionation factors determined in this study are key for interpreting the change in isotope ratios when assessing the fate of gas-phase VOCs present in the soil air or when gas-phase VOCs are sampled using TGDE as the sink matrix. The results of this study contribute to expand the list of common environmental contaminants that can be assessed by the compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) method deployed in the frame of gas-phase studies.

Assessment of the contamination by 2,4,6-tribromophenol of marine waters and organisms exposed to chlorination discharges.

2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) is implied in the production of brominated flame retardants but is also a major chlorination by-product in seawater. A growing number of studies indicate that TBP is highly toxic to the marine biota, but the contribution of anthropogenic sources among natural production is still under question concerning its bioaccumulation in marine organisms. Here, several water sampling campaigns were carried out in the industrialized Gulf of Fos (northwestern Mediterranean Sea, France) and clearly showed the predominant incidence of industrial chlorination discharges on the TBP levels in water, at the 1-10 ng L-1 level in average and reaching up to 580 ng L-1 near the outlets. The bioaccumulation of TBP was measured in 90 biota samples from the Gulf of Fos. The concentrations found in European conger muscle tissues (140-1000 ng g-1 lipid weight, in average), purple sea urchin gonads (830-880 ng g-1 lipid weight, in average), and Mediterranean mussel body (1500-2000 ng g-1 lipid weight, in average) were above all published references. Significant correlations with fish length (European conger) and gonad somatic index (purple sea urchin) were also identified. Comparatively, fish, urchins and mussels from other Mediterranean sites analyzed within this study showed a lower bioaccumulation level of TBP, consistently with what found elsewhere. Industrial outflows were thus identified as hotspots for TBP in seawater and marine organisms. The environmental risk assessment indicated a high potential toxicity in the industrial Gulf of Fos, in particular near the outlets, and a limited threat to human but toxicological references are lacking.

Dehalogenation of α-hexachlorocyclohexane by iron sulfide nanoparticles: Study of reaction mechanism with stable carbon isotopes and pH variations.

The biodegradation of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) is known to be accompanied by isotope fractionation of carbon (13C/12C), but no systematic studies were performed on abiotic degradation of HCH isomers by iron (II) minerals. In this study, we explored the carbon isotope fractionation of α-HCH during dechlorination by FeS nanoparticles at different pH values. The results of three different experiments showed that the apparent rate constants during dehalogenation of α-HCH by FeS increased with pH. The lowest apparent rate constant value α-HCH during dehalogenation by FeS was 0.009 d-1 at pH value of 2.4, while the highest was 1.098 d-1 at pH 11.8. α-HCH was completely dechlorinated by FeS only at pH values 9.9 and 11.8, while the corresponding apparent rate constants were 0.253 d-1 and 1.098 d-1, respectively. Regardless of the pH used, the 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB), 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB), and benzene were the dominant degradation products of α-HCH. An enrichment factor (εC) of -4.7 ± 1.3‰ was obtained for α-HCH using Rayleigh model, which is equivalent to an apparent kinetic isotope effect (AKIEC) value of 1.029 ± 0.008 for dehydrohalogenation, and of 1.014 ± 0.004 for dihaloelimination, respectively. The magnitude of isotope fractionation from this study suggests that abiotic isotope fractionation by FeS must be taken into account in anoxic sediments and aquifers contaminated with HCH isomers, when high concentrations of FeS are present in the above-mentioned anoxic environments.

Multistep partitioning causes significant stable carbon and hydrogen isotope effects during volatilization of toluene and propan-2-ol from unsaturated sandy aquifer sediment.

This study aimed at investigating whether stable isotopes can be used to monitor the progress of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) volatilization from contaminated sediment during venting. Batches of a dry aquifer sediment were packed into stainless steel HPLC columns, humidified with distilled water and later contaminated by either liquid toluene or propan-2-ol. The VOCs were then volatilized by a stream of gas at room temperature, and the concentrations and stable isotope ratios of gaseous VOCs were recorded by isotope-ratio mass spectrometry. During early stages of volatilization of toluene, the isotope ratios Δδ13C shifted to more negative values by about -3 to -5‰ and the Δδ2H by more than -40‰, while the concentration remained at or near initial saturated vapor concentration. Depletion of the isotope ratios in the gas was explained by the vapor-liquid fractionation process, which is amplified by successive self-partitioning steps of gaseous VOC into remaining liquid VOC. For propan-2-ol the carbon isotope shift was negative like for toluene, whereas the H shift was positive. Hydrogen bonding in the liquid propan-2-ol phase causes a normal vapor-liquid H isotope effect which was described already in classical literature. The isotope shifts in the present experiments are larger than previously reported shifts due to phase-change processes and reach the magnitude of shifts usually observed in kinetic isotope fractionation.

Intramolecular isotope effects during permanganate oxidation and acid hydrolysis of methyl tert-butyl ether.

Stable isotopes have been widely used to monitor remediation of environmental contaminants over the last decades. This approach gives a good mechanistic description of natural or assisted degradation of organic pollutants, such as methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). Since abiotic degradation seems to be the most promising assisted attenuation method, the isotopic fractionation associated with oxidation and hydrolysis processes need to be further investigated in order to understand better these processes and make their monitoring more efficient. In this study, position-specific isotope effects (PSIEs) associated with permanganate oxidation and acid hydrolysis of MTBE were determined using isotope ratio monitoring by 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometry (irm-13C NMR) combined with isotope ratio monitoring by Mass Spectrometry (irm-MS). The use of this Position-Specific Isotopic Analysis (PSIA) method makes it possible to observe a specific normal isotope effect (IE) associated with each of these two abiotic degradation mechanisms. The present work demonstrates that the 13C isotope pattern of the main degradation product, tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), depends on the chemical reaction by which it is produced. Furthermore, this study also demonstrates that PSIA at natural abundance can give new insights into reaction mechanisms and that this methodology is very promising for the future of modeling the remediation of organic contaminants.

Oxidative coupling of enolates using memory of chirality: an original enantioselective synthesis of quaternary α-amino acid derivatives.

We describe here the first enantioselective oxidative heterocoupling of enolates. Our strategy relies on the memory of chirality concept and allows the stereocontrolled formation of quaternary centres on α-amino acid derivatives with an enantiomeric excess of up to 94%.

ß,γ-diamino acids as building blocks for new analogues of Gramicidin S: Synthesis and biological activity.

We describe here the synthesis and biological activity study of a pair of diastereomeric analogues of Gramicidin S using ß,γ-diamino acids as ß-turn mimic. The synthesis of the orthogonally protected ß,γ-diamino acids was achieved in 6 steps starting from d-alanine. The analogues were then synthesized in solution phase and on solid phase. Biological activity tests showed that, compared with Gramicidin S, both analogues exerted diminished hemolytic activity while they retained interesting antibacterial activity.

Revealing the electrophilicity of N-Ac indoles with FeCl3: a mechanistic study.

Herein, we report a mechanistic exploration of the unusual FeCl3-mediated hydroarylation of N-Ac indoles. Electron density topology analysis of a crystal, in situ IR monitoring, Hammett and Taft studies as well as DFT computations allowed us to determine that activation of acetyl with FeCl3 and of the C2[double bond, length as m-dash]C3 bond with a proton is involved.

Frozen Chirality of Tertiary Aromatic Amides: Access to Enantioenriched Tertiary α-Amino Acid or Amino Alcohol without Chiral Reagent.

One of the fundamental and intriguing aspects of life is the homochirality of the essential molecules. In this field, the absolute asymmetric synthesis of α-amino acids is a major challenge. Herein, we report access, by chemical means, to tertiary α-amino acid derivatives in up to 96 % ee without using any chiral reagent. In our strategy, the dynamic axial chirality of tertiary aromatic amides is frozen in a crystal and is responsible for the stereoselectivity of the subsequent steps. Furthermore, we could control the configuration of the final product by manually sorting and selecting the initial crystals. Based on vibrational circular dichroism studies, we could rationalize the observed stereoselectivity.

Substrate control in enantioselective and diastereoselective aldol reaction by memory of chirality: a rapid access to enantiopure ß-hydroxy quaternary α-amino acids.

An asymmetric aldol reaction by memory of chirality is reported with a substrate control of stereoselectivity by aldehyde and rationalized. Starting from l-alanine, several diastereopure and enantioenriched ß-hydroxy quaternary α-amino acids have been obtained in three steps. The initial chirality of l-alanine is memorized through the dynamic axial chirality of tertiary aromatic amide.

Stereodivergent synthesis of piperidine alkaloids by ring-rearrangement metathesis/reductive lactam alkylation of nitroso Diels-Alder cycloadducts.

A general methodology for the stereoselective synthesis of 2-(2-hydroxyalkyl)piperidine alkaloids by ring-rearrangement metathesis of nitroso Diels-Alder cycloadducts is reported. The approach is illustrated by the formal synthesis of porantheridine and the total synthesis of andrachcinidine through a diastereodivergent allylation of an N-alkoxy bicyclic lactam. The asymmetric synthesis of the latter alkaloid provides new insights into the configurational stability of cycloadducts between chloronitroso reagents and cyclopentadiene.

Synthesis of oxaspirannic building blocks by regioselective nitroso-Diels-Alder reactions.

Spirocyclic structures: Nitroso-Diels-Alder reactions of 1,3-disubstituted cyclohexadienes were found to be regiodivergent, depending on the nitroso derivative used. Cycloaddition with Wightman's chloronitroso derivative was totally regio- and stereoselective. This methodology was applied to the synthesis of heterospiranic frameworks after N-O bond cleavage and cyclization (see scheme; Boc=tert-butoxycarbonyl, Tf=trifluoromethanesulfonyl).

Memory of chirality of tertiary aromatic amide: application to the asymmetric synthesis of (S)-α-methylDOPA.

We describe an original asymmetric synthesis of (S)-α-methylDOPA proceeding by the concept of memory of chirality, the only source of chirality being the starting D-alanine. The initial chirality of the amino acid is temporarily transferred to a dynamic axial chirality of a tertiary aromatic amide. The (S)-α-methylDOPA hydrochloride is obtained after four steps with 98% ee.

Absolute asymmetric synthesis of tertiary α-amino acids.

Frozen: the spontaneous crystallization of an achiral compound in a chiral conformation is used as the unique source of chirality in an absolute asymmetric synthesis of tertiary amino acids. The dynamic axial chirality of tertiary aromatic amides is frozen in a crystal and is responsible for the stereoselectivity of the deprotonation/alkylation. α-Amino acid derivatives are synthesized in up to 96 % ee.

Constrained α/γ-peptides: a new stable extended structure in solution without any hydrogen bond and characterized by a four-fold symmetry.

Small α/γ-peptides alternating α-aminoisobutyric acid and cyclic γ-amino acid residues are described. NMR studies together with restrained simulated annealing revealed that an extended backbone conformation largely dominates in solution for as short as 4-residues long oligomers. This new fold type is devoid of any hydrogen bond and characterized by a four-fold symmetry.

Memory of chirality of tertiary aromatic amides: a simple and efficient method for the enantioselective synthesis of quaternary alpha-amino acids.

A new methodology for the asymmetric synthesis of quaternary alpha-substituted amino acids using memory of chirality has been developed. The strategy utilizes the dynamic axial chirality of tertiary aromatic amides to memorize the initial chirality of an alpha-amino acid during an enolization step. Starting from five different l-amino acids, the corresponding oxazolidin-5-ones containing a tertiary aromatic amide group have been synthesized in one step and then alkylated with various electrophiles, with good yields and enantioselectivities (up to 96% and up to >99% after recrystallization). One-step deprotection affords enantioenriched or enantiopure quaternary alpha-amino acids. We describe here the optimization process, the results obtained in each series and a plausible explanation, based on NMR studies, DFT calculations and crystallographic structures. The methodology presented herein constitutes an efficient synthesis of enantiopure quaternary alpha-amino acids (three steps only) starting from tertiary l-amino acids, without any external source of chirality.

Amino acid homologation by the Blaise reaction: a new entry into nitrogen heterocycles.

A general strategy for the amino acid homologation via Blaise reaction and subsequent reduction is presented. This strategy involves the preparation of protected alpha-amino nitriles from the corresponding amino acids, followed by the zinc-mediated condensation of tert-butyl bromoacetate, to give the imidazolidones after iminozincate cyclization. Reduction gave the saturated imidazolidinones with cis or trans stereochemistry, depending on the reduction conditions. This strategy was applied to nonfunctionalized amino acids and to functionalized amino acids such as serine and aspartic acid. Additionally, acidic hydrolysis of cis or trans imidazolidinones to the corresponding chiral 4-aminopyrrolidones is described.

Tertiary aromatic amide for memory of chirality: access to enantioenriched alpha-substituted valine.

A new methodology for the asymmetric synthesis of quaternary alpha-substituted amino acids using memory of chirality has been developed. This strategy employs dynamic axial chirality of tertiary aromatic amides to memorize the initial chirality of an alpha-amino acid during the enolization step. Starting from L-valine, an oxazolidin-5-one containing a tertiary aromatic amide was synthesized in one step and then alkylated with various electrophiles with good yield and enantioselectivity (up to 96%). Quaternary products can be obtained enantiomerically pure by recrystallization. One-step deprotection affords enantioenriched (S)-alpha-methyl valine (ee = 94%) or enantiopure (S)-alpha-isopropyl aspartic acid (ee >99%) in only three steps starting from L-valine.

Asymmetric aza-Diels-Alder reaction of Danishefsky's diene with imines in a chiral reaction medium.

The asymmetric aza-Diels-Alder reaction of chiral imines with Danishefsky's diene in chiral ionic liquids provides the corresponding cycloadduct with moderate to high diastereoselectivity. The reaction has proved to perform better at room temperature in ionic liquids without either Lewis acid catalyst or organic solvent. Chiral ionic liquids are recycled while their efficiency is preserved.