Marcelo G. Montes D'Oca

Pesticide residue determination in groundwater using solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Residues of four pesticides in groundwaters were surveyed during one year in an agricultural area in southern Brazil. The methods for separation, identification and quantification of the compounds included high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and liquid chromatography with electrospray interface tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). A pre-concentration step based on solid-phase extraction with 200 mg C18 cartridges was applied. All the analytical parameters were within the limits suggested for the validation of chromatographic methods. The LOQs for the methods, considering the 250-fold pre-concentration step, were 0.2 μg L-1 for all pesticides by HPLC-DAD, 4.0 ng L-1 for clomazone, carbofuran and tebuconazole and 40.0 ng L-1 for 2,4-D by LC-ESI-MS/MS. In groundwater samples, 2,4-D was not detected, and carbofuran, clomazone and tebuconazole were detected in concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 10.40 μg L-1, from 0.20 to 0.82 μg L-1 and from 0.20 to 4.16 μg L-1, respectively. The methods proved to be adequate for the analysis of pesticides in groundwaters.

Síntese do monastrol e novos compostos de Biginelli promovida por In(OTf)3

In this paper, we describe a practical route for the synthesis of Biginelli compounds using In(OTf)3. To study the generality of this catalyst, several examples using aromatic aldehydes, 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, urea, and thiourea were investigated. The present procedure provides an efficient modification of the classical Biginelli reaction, namely short reaction times and simple work-up, that not only preserves the simplicity of the original protocol but also produces excellent yields of 3,4-dihydropyridin-2(1H)-ones. Thiourea was used with similar success to provide the corresponding 3,4-dihydropyridin-2(1H)-thiones. In this case, the (+/-)-monastrol, antimitotic agent, was obtained in 92% yield and new thio analogues were synthesized.

Fatty acids composition in seeds of the South American glasswort Sarcocornia ambigua

Sarcocornia ambigua (Michx.) M.A. Alonso & M.B. Crespo is the most widely distributed species of the perennial genus of glasswort in South America, and it shows great biotechnological potential as a salt-water irrigated crop. Qualitative and quantitative compositions of fatty acids were determined in the seeds of S. ambigua that were cultivated in southern Brazil. Hexane extraction of the seed oil from S. ambigua yielded 13% of total lipids. The GC-FID (Gas Chromatography Flame Ionization Detector) analysis of the hexane extracts showed five prominent peaks for the seed oil: 42.9 wt.% linoleic-ω6 acid (18:2), 20.4 wt.% palmitic acid (16:0), 18.5 wt.% oleic acid (18:1), 4.5 wt.% stearic acid (18:0) and 4.0 wt.% linolenic-ω3 acid (18:3). The sum of the saturated palmitic and stearic acids (24.8%) in S. ambigua seed oil exceeded values cited for commercial oils use, as well as the seed oil from the cultivated annual glasswort Salicornia bigelovii. No undesirable fatty acid components were found in S. ambigua seed oil, and it could be recommended for animal consumption or biofuel production.

Síntese de novas amidas graxas a partir da aminólise de ésteres metílicos

Recent biochemical and pharmacological studies have led to the characterization of different fatty acid amides as a new family of biologically active lipids. Here, we describe the synthesis of new amides from C16:0, 18:0, 18:1 and 18:1, OH fatty acids (FFA) families with cyclic and acyclic amines and demonstrate for the first time that these compounds produce citotoxic effects. Application of this method to the synthesis of fatty acid amides was performed using the esters aminolysis as a key step and various carboxylic amides were prepared in good yield from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs).

Synthesis of β-ketoesters from renewable resources and Meldrum's acid

β-Ketoesters are valuable building blocks for the synthesis of compounds with different biological activities. In this study, a series of fatty β-ketoesters were obtained from fatty acids and Meldrums acid using N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and dimethylaminopyridine. In addition, we demonstrate for the first time the synthesis of new fatty β-ketoesters from oleic (cis-C18:1), elaidic (trans-C18:1), ricinoleic (cis-C18:1, 12-OH), linoleic (cis,cis-C18:2), and linolenic (cis,cis,cis-C18:3) acids in good yields.

Extraction and characterization of lipids from Sarcocornia ambigua meal: a halophyte biomass produced with shrimp farm effluent irrigation.

Sarcocornia ambigua is a perennial glasswort, native of South America and a potential new seed-oil crop and forage for direct irrigation with salt water. Small seeds develop inside fertile segments of its cylindrical leafless shoots and, at the harvest, seeds are typically mixed with remnant cellulose material difficult to separate. This work evaluated different extraction methods and the composition of total esterified fatty acids in a meal of ground fertile shoots of S. ambigua, seeking for an alternative primary matter and larger yield of total lipids. The highest lipid yield was obtained with a chloroform:methanol mixture (2:1)(v/v) (5.2% of dry weight). The most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids in the meal were linoleic acid (C18:2; 21.4%) and oleic acid (C18:1; 18.3%). Fifty six percent of the lipids in S. ambigua meal were saturated and palmitic acid (C16:0) was the main fraction (19.8%). Long-chain fatty acids (≥ C20) represented 29.5% of the lipids. Most abundant long-chain fatty acids were behenic acid (C22:0; 7.1%), lignoceric acid (C24:0; 5.3%) and montanic acid (C28:0; 4.0%). The percentage of saturated lipids in S. ambigua meal was higher than that of vegetable oils with a MUFA nutritional profile and some of these lipids have known bioactive properties.

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of novel hybrid 3-substituted polyhydroquinoline-fatty acids

This work describes the synthesis of new long-chain fatty acid polyhydroquinoline derivatives (hybrid PHQ-fatty acids) using a Hantzsch four-component reaction without the use of metals and catalyzed by non-toxic acids. The PHQ-fatty acids were synthesized from fatty β-ketoesters in the presence of sulfamic acid (H2NSO3H) in good yields (70–81%). Following the synthesis, for the first time, the in vitro antiproliferative activity of a series of long-chain PHQ-fatty acids was investigated in a glioma cell line (C6 rat malignant GBM cell line). Notably, all of the tested compounds were active against this cell line. Superior activity was observed for PHQ with a hydroxyl group on the aromatic ring and a stearic fatty acid chain, reducing the cell viability by ca. 40% at 5 μM.

Regiospecific synthesis of new fatty N-acyl trihalomethylated pyrazoline derivatives from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs)

Uma serie de novas pirazolinas N-acil trialometiladas derivadas de esteres metilicos de acidos graxos foi sintetizada por reacao de ciclocondensacao entre hidrazidas graxas e 4-alcoxi-1,1,1-trialometil-3-alquen-2-onas. Ciclizacoes eficientes e regioespecificas catalisadas por BF3·MeOH levaram aos produtos desejados em rendimentos de bons a excelentes e alto grau de pureza.

New Multicomponent Reaction for the Direct Synthesis of β-Aryl-γ-nitroesters Promoted by Hydrotalcite-Derived Mixed Oxides as Heterogeneous Catalyst

A new approach based on multicomponent/domino combined reactions for the synthesis of γ-nitroesters promoted by a mixed aluminium-magnesium oxides derived from hydrotalcite-like material was developed. Different γ-nitroesters were synthesized in 15-95% yield using Meldrum’s acid, aromatic aldehydes, nitromethane and different alcohols as reagents and solvents. The γ-aminobutyric acid derivatives, Phenibut and Baclofen, were prepared in 63 and 61% overall yield, respectively, through a two steps synthetic strategy. A mechanistic pathway was proposed based on the gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) experiments.

Materiais SiO2-TiO2 para a degradação fotocatalítica de diuron

SiO2-TiO2 materials prepared by sol-gel method were evaluated in the photocatalytic degradation of diuron. The materials were prepared with and without surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium chloride at different temperatures (25, 50 and 100 oC). The samples were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption measurements, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The results showed that the materials synthesized with the surfactant had higher surface areas and band-gap values similar to anatase. All materials were more active than the commercial catalyst P-25 and better performance was achieved using the surfactant in the material synthesis.