Search

The study concerns identification of photodegradation products of indigotin, indirubin and isoindigo. Experimental methodology consists of degradation of standard solutions of indigoids in a solar box and analysis of samples taken at different aging time by using capillary high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric and spectrophotometric detectors. Identification of the formed compounds was based on careful interpretation of the electrospray ionization MS/MS spectra. Apart from the well-known degradation products of indigoids: isatin, isatoic anhydride and anthranilic acid, another seven species were also identified, and their proposed structures were confirmed by high-resolution molecular masses measurements; according to the best knowledge of authors, they have not been reported so far. The obtained results formed the basis for postulating mechanism of the process. Moreover, the MRM (Multiple Reaction Monitoring) method was developed for the identification of natural dyes and their degradation products in textiles of historical value. Apart from such colorants as indigotin and flavonoids, also presence of degradation products of indigoids was confirmed., (Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The present study concerns identification of early yellow synthetic dyes from silk fibers taken from the 1930 spring color palette of the Lyon Dyers' Guild (La Chambre Syndicale des Teinturiers). The identification was based mainly on the electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry spectra obtained in the positive and negative ion modes. This technique was combined with high-performance liquid chromatography, which enabled separation of the analyzed compounds. Spectra registered for each of the examined synthetic dye allowed identification of their lost fragments. Moreover, isotopic profiles and exact measurements of m/z by using time of flight analyzer made possible to evaluate their elemental composition. In consequence, all obtained data, including UV-vis spectra, allowed to reconstruct molecular structures of examined colorants. Due to the lack of standards, the identification of the dyes was based only on the registration of fragment and quasi-molecular ions, what is rather uncommon in such analysis and means groping for the correct structure rather than proving signal identity by comparison with standards. Depending on substituents present in dye molecules, the lost fragments of the examined compounds involved SO(2), NO(•), NO(2)(•), CH(4), C(2)H(4), C(2)H(5)(•), C(2)H(6), CH(2)=N-CH(3), (CH(3))(2)NH, CH(2)= NH, CH(3)-NH(2), as well as CO and CO(2). The performed study led to identification of various colorants: rhodamine 6 G, rhodamine B, malachite green, quinoline yellow, picric acid and acetoquinone yellow 5JZ., (Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Saffron is one of the oldest natural dyestuffs and is obtained from the dried stigmata of Crocus sativus L. Nowadays, saffron is considered as an invaluable spice of golden-yellow hue, a precious ingredient in the Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. It is characterized by a bitter taste that is caused by the chemical properties of its constituents. The yellowness of saffron results from the presence of crocins (glycosyl esters of crocetin), its main color compounds, which are examined in the present study in the crude methanol extracts by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with spectrophotometric and electrospray mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-UV-Vis-ESI MS). This technique allowed the separation and identification of trans- and cis-isomers of crocins. Their mass spectra registered in the negative ion mode comprised the quasi-molecular and fragment ions, as well as a range of other ions. Doubly charged ions were found for trans-isomers only, due to the high symmetry of their molecules. Modification of the eluent allowed the identification of several signals corresponding to adduct ions of crocins with the used additives., (Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Natural dyestuffs used for painting or dyeing of textiles are complex mixtures of compounds of various chemical properties. Proper identification of the dye used by a painter and, even better, its origin is possible only when its compositional 'fingerprint' can be evaluated. For this reason gradient program for liquid chromatographic separation of 16 color compounds--components of natural blue dyes: elderberry, logwood and indigo--has been developed. Two detector systems were used simultaneously: UV-Vis spectrophotometry (at 280, 445, 520 and 600 nm) and ESI mass spectrometry (positive and negative SIM mode). It was found that fragmentation observed in ESI-MS is affected not only by ion source parameters, but also by chromatographic conditions, especially in case of the less stable substances: cyanidin glucosides, tannic acid, rutin and hematoxylin. Examination of characteristic dissociation pathways of the compounds under investigation after direct admission into ion source or after chromatographic separation allowed to select proper ions for SIM detection and to develop novel and efficient reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC)-UV-Vis/ESI-MS method for the analysis of natural blue dyes. The procedure was successfully applied for identification of indigotin and carminic acid-main colorants extracted from a fiber taken from the blue-red 'Italian' tapestry (the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, Poland).

Pigments are among the most important components of historical paintings and textiles and their nature provides the unique character of color. They can be divided into two main groups: inorganic and organic, extracted from plants or animals. Their identification is a necessary stage in the conservation of art objects. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and UV/visible spectrophotometric methods were elaborated for the identification of indigoid (indigo, indirubin, isoindigo, isoindirubin) color components of natural dyestuffs and their natural or synthetic precursors (indican, isatin, indoxyl, 2-indolinone). ES-MS offers detection limits in the range 0.03-5.00 microg ml(-1) for the color compounds examined. The method developed made it possible to identify indigo and its isomers in genuine Indian indigo, indigo from woad and Tyrian Purple. It was applied to the identification of natural dyes on fiber from a 19th century Japanese tapestry, 'Cranes in the landscape'. A procedure based on freezing and grinding of a sample before the extraction of dyes from the textile was developed. The components of the extract obtained were identified after acidic hydrolysis as indigotin and methylene blue.

Capillary electrophoresis with UV/visible diode-array detection (DAD) and electrospray mass spectrometric (ESI-MS) detection were used for the identification of anthraquinone color components of cochineal, lac-dye and madder, natural red dyestuffs often used by ancient painters. For the purpose of such analysis, ESI-MS was found to be a much more appropriate detection technique than DAD one owing to its higher sensitivity (detection limits in the range 0.1-0.5 micro g ml(-1)) and selectivity. The method developed made it possible to identify unequivocally carminic acid and laccaic acids A, B and E as coloring matters in the examined preparations of cochineal and lac-dye, respectively. In madder, European Rubia tinctorum, alizarin and purpurin were found. The method allows the rapid, direct and straightforward identification and quantification of components of natural products used in art and could be very helpful in restoration and conservation procedures., (Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Gallium and zirconium octaethylporphyrin (OEP) and tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) were examined by electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. All systems were prepared in dichloromethane with addition of a stabilizing lipophilic anionic agent, sodium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate (NaTFPB). In the solutions examined both monomeric and dimeric metalloporphyrins were observed. In the gallium-OEP mass spectrum the ion registered at m/z 601 was attributed to monomeric [Ga(OEP)](+) and that at m/z 1219 to the dimeric form, [[Ga(OEP)](2)OH](+). Peaks appearing in the ESI mass spectra of zirconium systems were substantially less intense, probably owing to the relatively low stability of complexes of this metal caused by its different geometry preferences. The most abundant monomeric zirconium-OEP complexes were [[Zr(OEP)OH]](+) (m/z 639) and [Zr(OEP)Cl](+) (m/z 657), and dimeric [[Zr(OEP)OH](2)](2+) (m/z 639). Analogous species were observed in the Zr(TPP) system: monomeric [[Zr(OEP)OH]](+) (m/z 719) and [Zr(TPP)Cl](+) (m/z 737) and dimeric [[Zr(TPP)OH](2)](2+) (m/z 719). In both cases series of other dimers, e.g. [[Zr(OEP)](2)O(2)H](+) (m/z 1277), [[Zr(OEP)OH](2)Cl](+) (m/z 1313), [Zr(TPP)(2)O(2)H](+), (m/z 1437), [[Zr(TPP)OH](2)OH](+) (m/z 1455) and [[Zr(TPP)OH](2)Cl](+) (m/z 1473), appeared. The results obtained confirmed the hypothesis concerning the formation of dimeric metalloporphyrins in solutions containing stabilizing lipophilic anions. It also allowed us to explain the super-Nernstian slopes of the calibration curves towards primary anions of ion-selective electrodes with membranes containing the examined metalloporphyrins., (Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Complexes of copper(II) with 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol (5-Br-PADAP) formed in aqueous methanol in a wide range of pH (from acidic to alkaline) as well as copper(I)-5-Br-PADAP species formed in methanolic solutions were investigated by spectrophotometry and mass spectrometry. Pseudomolecular and fragment ions created in the atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source confirmed the molecular masses of the complexes existing in the solvents and their structures. The structure of the Cu(II) complex with 5-Br-PADAP formed in acidic medium was proposed as CuR(R - H) (where R is the undissociated molecule of the reagent). The binding sites of the two bound reagent molecules were different: in one of them the oxygen atom of the dissociated phenolic group and the nitrogen atom from the azo (-N=N-) group took part in complex formation, whereas in the other only nitrogen atoms from the pyridyl ring and azo group were involved. The complex was stable and could not be reduced to Cu(I) species by use of standard reducing agents (ascorbic acid, hydroxylamine). In alkaline solutions the complex tended to polymerize and precipitated in media containing less than 80% of methanol. The copper(I)-5-Br-PADAP complex was extremely unstable and could be obtained (as a mixture with Cu(II) species) in media free of water or oxygen. For this complex, CuR(2) was proposed as the most probable structure. According to this proposal copper(I) reacted exclusively with nitrogen-containing binding sites and the undissociated phenolic group was not engaged in complex formation. In this system Cu(I)/Cu(II) electron transfer is very rapid, accelerated by a polar environment, e.g. in the presence of water molecules or dissolved oxygen., (Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)