title: Photolytic dehalogenation of the marine halogenated natural product Q1.
abstract: The marine halogenated natural product 2,3,3',4,4',5,5'-heptachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (Q1) has been detected in high-trophic level biota throughout the world. In this study we UV-irradiated Q1 in order to produce hexahalogenated 1'-methylbipyrroles (Cl(6)-MBPs). Q1 was transformed with half-lives of <5 min. Already after 5 min, all of the five existing Cl(6)-MBPs (H1-H5) were detected in the irradiated sample. Only one Cl(6)-MBP (2,3,3',4',5,5'-hexachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (MBP-77, H2) has been previously described in the literature. H5 was identified as 2,3,3',4,4',5'-hexachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (MBP-75) by a specific fragment ion detected by GC/ECNI-MS. Fractionations of the irradiation mixture by reversed-phase HPLC followed by (1)H NMR analysis led to the structure of H4, i.e. 2,3,3',4,4',5-hexachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (MBP-74). H1 and H3 showed virtually identical (1)H NMR data. Therefore, it could not determined which of either isomers is 2,3,3',4,5,5'-hexachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (MBP-76) and which is 2,3,4,4',5,5'-hexachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (MBP-78). In addition, two pentachloro-MBPs (P1 and P3) could be traced back to MBP-62 and MBP-69. Cl(6)-MBPs were analyzed in whale blubber from Australia and skua adipose tissue from Antarctica. The marine mammals contained all Cl(6)-MBPs except for the most abundant in the irradiation experiment. The concentrations of the Cl(6)-MBPs amounted to 0.04-1.76% of the concentration of Q1. The highest concentrations of Cl(6)-MBP isomers in the biota samples were found for MBP-76, MBP-77, and MBP-78. These congeners appeared to be the most lipophilic ones owing to the highest retention time in RP-HPLC. Nevertheless, it remained unclear whether the Cl(6)-MBPs were actual halogenated natural products or environmental metabolites of Q1.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr. 28, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaul
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vetter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D054879:Halogenation / Q000528:radiation effects; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010782:Photolysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012623:Seawater / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*