Moderate generation of sulfenylnitrenes from novel N-sulfenylsulfodiimides

N-Sulfenylated sulfodiimides were first prepared by the reaction of S,S-diphenyl-N-tosylsulfodiimide with arenesulfenyl chlorides under the basic conditions. Thermolysis of S,S-diphenyl-N-(2-nitrophenylsulfenyl)- and S,S-diphenyl-N-(2,4-dinitrophenylsulfenyl)sulfodiimides in the presence of olefins proceeded at 50-80 °C to give the corresponding deiminated S,S-diphenyl-N-tosylsulfimide and N-sulfenylaziridines in very good yields. 2,4-Dinitrophenyl-sulfenylnitrene was trapped by trans- and cis-1-phenylpropenes stereospecifically. The thermolysis temperature of the N-sulfenylsulfodiimides was found to be lower than N-sulfenylsulfoximide and higher than N-sulfenyliminosulfonium salt and very effective to trap the sulfenylnitrene to give the N-sulfenylaziridines in very good yields.     

Enhanced Oxytetracycline Production by Streptomyces rimosus in Submerged Co-Cultures with Streptomyces noursei

In the present study, Streptomyces rimosus was confronted with Streptomyces noursei, Penicillium rubens, Aspergillus niger, Chaetomium globosum, or Mucor racemosus in two-species submerged co-cultures in shake flasks with the goal of evaluating the oxytetracycline production and morphological development. The co-culture of S. rimosus with S. noursei exhibited stimulation in oxytetracycline biosynthesis compared with the S. rimosus monoculture, whereas the presence of M. racemosus resulted in a delay in antibiotic production. Different strategies of initiating the “S. rimosus + S. noursei” co-cultures were tested. The improvement in terms of oxytetracycline titers was recorded in the cases where S. noursei was co-inoculated with S. rimosus in the form of spores. As the observed morphological changes were not unique to the co-culture involving S. noursei, there was no evidence that the improvement of oxytetracycline levels could be attributed mainly to morphology-related characteristics.     

Synthesis of enantiomeric pure lithium and potassium benzamidinate complexes

A new synthesis leading to the chiral amidines (S,S)- and (R,R)-N,N-bis-(1-phenylethyl)benzamidine ((S)- and (R)-HPEBA) in good yields is presented. Further reaction of (S)-HPEBA with n-BuLi gave the chiral lithium salt (S)-LiPEBA. Treatment of KH with (S)-HPEBA in boiling THF afforded the corresponding potassium salt (S)-KPEBA. In contrast by performing the reaction in boiling toluene a fast racemization was observed. In the solid state racemic KPEBA formed a dimer, in which all four nitrogen atoms are in a plane. To each potassium atom a toluene molecule is η⁶-coordinated.     

On the line intensity ratios of prominent Si II,Si III,and Si IV multiplets

Line intensities of singly, doubly and triply ionized silicon (Si II, Si III, and Si IV, respectively) belonging to the prominent higher multiplets, are of interest in laboratory and astrophysical plasma diagnostics. We measured these line intensities in the emission spectra of pulsed helium discharge. The Si II line intensity ratios in the 3s3p²²D–3s²4p²P^o, 3s²3d²D–3s²4f²F^o, and 3s²4p²P^o–3s²4d²D transitions, the Si III line intensity ratios in the 3s3d³D–3s4p³P^o, 3s4p³P^o–3s4d³D, 3s4p³P^o–3s5s³S, 3s4s³S–3s4p³P^o, and 3s4f³F^o–3s5g³G transitions, and the Si IV line intensity ratios in the 4p²P^o–4d²D and 4p²P^o–5s²S transitions were obtained in a helium plasma at an electron temperature of about 17,000 ± 2000 K. Line shapes were recorded using a spectrograph and an ICCD camera as a highly-sensitive detection system. The silicon atoms were evaporated from a Pyrex discharge tube designed for the purpose. They represent impurities in the optically thin helium plasma at the silicon ionic wavelengths investigated. The line intensity ratios obtained were compared with those available in the literature, and with values calculated on the basis of available transition probabilities. The experimental data corresponded well with line intensity ratios calculated using the transition probabilities obtained from a Multi Configuration Hartree–Fock approximation for Si III and Si IV spectra. We recommend corrections of some Si II transition probabilities.     

Engineering of Yeast Old Yellow Enzyme OYE3 Enables Its Capability Discriminating of (E)-Citral and (Z)-Citral

The importance of yeast old yellow enzymes is increasingly recognized for direct asymmetric reduction of (E/Z)-citral to (R)-citronellal. As one of the most performing old yellow enzymes, the enzyme OYE3 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae S288C exhibited complementary enantioselectivity for the reduction of (E)-citral and (Z)-citral, resulting in lower e.e. value of (R)-citronellal in the reduction of (E/Z)-citral. To develop a novel approach for the direct synthesis of enantio-pure (R)-citronellal from the reduction of (E/Z)-citral, the enzyme OYE3 was firstly modified by semi-rational design to improve its (R)-enantioselectivity. The OYE3 variants W116A and S296F showed strict (R)-enantioselectivity in the reduction of (E)-citral, and significantly reversed the (S)-enantioselectivity in the reduction of (Z)-citral. Next, the double substitution of OYE3 led to the unique variant S296F/W116G, which exhibited strict (R)-enantioselectivity in the reduction of (E)-citral and (E/Z)-citral, but was not active on (Z)-citral. Relying on its capability discriminating (E)-citral and (Z)-citral, a new cascade reaction catalyzed by the OYE3 variant S296F/W116G and glucose dehydrogenase was developed, providing the enantio-pure (R)-citronellal and the retained (Z)-citral after complete reduction of (E)-citral.     

Novel tandem reactions of ethyl acetoacetate with aromatic aldehydes: product- and stereo-selective formation of highly functionalised cyclohexanones

The five-component tandem reaction of ethyl acetoacetate with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of pyrrolidine affords t(3),t(5)-diaryl-t(4)-[(E)-3-aryl-2-propenonyl]-r(2)-ethoxycarbonylcyclohexanones stereoselectively in good yields presumably via a tandem Knoevenagel condensation-Michael addition-condensation via enamine-deethoxycarbonylation-Michael addition sequence. The same reactants in the presence of DBU led to the formation of t(3)-aryl-r(2),c(4)-bisethoxycarbonyl-c(5)-hydroxy-t(5)-methylcyclohexanones in excellent yields via a tandem Knoevenagel condensation-Michael addition-aldol reaction sequence.     

Enantioselective aldol reactions of trichlorosilyl enol ethers catalyzed by chiral N,N-dioxides and monodentate N-oxides

Chiral N,N^′-dioxides and monodentate N-oxides were employed as catalysts in catalytic, enantioselective aldol reactions of trichlorosilyl enol ethers. The reactions of acyclic enol ethers using N,N^′-dioxides resulted in the anti-adducts from (E)-enol ethers and the syn-adducts from (Z)-enol ethers. The reactions of cyclic (E)-enol ethers using N,N^′-dioxides gave the anti-adducts, whereas monodentate N-oxides predominantly gave the syn-adducts.     

A spectroscopic study on medium polarity in fluorous alcohol

The paper describes the polarities of three fluorous (F) aliphatic alcohols: perfluorinated tert-butanol (F-t-BuOH), n-butanol (F-n-BuOH), and n-heptanol (F-n-HepOH). For the purpose, we conducted absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies of coumarin 153 (C153) and 102 (C102) in three F and 13 non-fluorous (non-F) alcohols and determined their maximum energies: ν^a (absorption) and ν^f (fluorescence). We obtained linear relationships between the Stokes shifts of the dyes (i.e., (ν^a − ν^f)) and a medium polarity parameter for 13 non-F alcohols, f(x): f(x) = [(D_s − 1)/(2D_s + 1) − (n² − 1)/(2n² + 1)], where D_s and n were the dielectric constant and refractive index of a solvent, respectively. By comparing the Stokes shifts of the dyes in three F alcohols with those in 13 non-F alcohols (i.e., (ν^a − ν^f) vs. f(x) plot), the D_s values in F-t-BuOH, F-n-BuOH, and F-n-HepOH were evaluated to be 2.7-3.9, 4.3-5.1, and 4.0-5.2, respectively, while those in the relevant non-F alcohols were 12.5, 17.5, and 12.9, respectively. Thus, the present experiments demonstrated that the polarities of these F alcohols were much lower than those of the relevant non-F alcohols.     

Antibacterial activity of N-quaternary chitosan derivatives: Synthesis, characterization and structure activity relationship (SAR) investigations

Quaternary N-(2-(N,N,N-tri-alkyl ammoniumyl and 2-pyridiniumyl) acetyl) derivatives of chitosan polymer, chitooligomer, and glucosamine (monomer) were synthesized for the purpose of investigating the structure activity relationship (SAR) for the antibacterial effect. Novel methods were used in the synthesis. The final chitosan and chitooligomer derivatives could thus be obtained in two steps without prior protection of the hydroxyl groups. However, in order to obtain chitosan derivatives with the bulky N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecyl- and N,N-dimethyl-N-butyl side chains three steps were needed, starting from 3,6-O-di-tert-butyldimethylsilyl chitosan (3,6-O-di-TBDMS chitosan) as the key intermediate. The quaternary ammoniumyl acetyl derivatives of glucosamine were synthesized from glucosamine or tetra-O-acetylglucosamine. N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC) was used as reference compound for investigation of antibacterial activity. Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) protocols were used to determine MIC and MLC for activity against clinically important Gram-positive strains Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), and S. aureus (MRSA) (ATCC 43300), and Gram-negative strains of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), P. aeriginosa (ATCC 27853) and Enterococcus facialis (ATCC 29212). The MIC values for the compounds ranged from 8 to ?8192 mg/L. In general the N-(2-(N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecyl ammoniumyl) acetyl) derivatives of chitooligomer and glucosamine monomer were more active against bacteria than derivatives with shorter alkyl chains. In contrast the N-(2-(N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecyl ammoniumyl) acetyl) derivatives of chitosan were less active than derivatives with N-(2-N,N,N-trimetylammoniumyl) acetyl or N-(2-(N-pyridiniumyl) acetyl) quaternary moiety. N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC) was the most active compound in this study.     

Comparative study of azobenzene and stilbene bridged crown ether p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene

Photo-switchable calixarenes consisting of a stilbene or azobenzene bridge, spanning the narrow rim as a switching unit, were synthesized through reductive coupling of o-, m- and p-bis-benzaldehyde and bis-nitrobenzene-substituted calix[4]arenes. Both cis- and trans-stilbenes were produced from the reductive coupling of the o- and m-bis-benzaldehyde with the cis isomer being predominant for both regioisomers, whilst the coupling of p-bis-benzaldehyde gave only cis product. On the other hand, the only isolable product obtained from the reductive coupling of bis-o- and bis-m-nitrobenzene was the corresponding trans-azobenzene and the coupling product from bis-p-nitrobenzene was not stable. Each of the synthesized compounds showed a photostationary state in their cis-trans isomerization. The complexation of alkali metal ions was observed for only the o-azobenzene derivative suggesting that the lone pair of N-atom in the azo bridge participates in this process.     

New investigation of Vilsmeier-type reaction using pyrazolones with various amides

New investigation of Vilsmeier-type reaction was evaluated to realize the solvent effect by using pyrazolones to react with various of amides, including formamide, N-methylformamide, N-propylformamide, N-tert-butylformamide, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-diethylformamide (DEF), N,N-dipropylformamide (DPF), N,N-diisopropylformamide, N,N-dibutylformamide, piperidine-1-carbaldehyde, and pyrrolidine-1-carbaldehyde, in the presence of phosphorous oxychloride POCl₃. The unexpected resulting products were observed in this work according to the difference chemoseletivities of substituted amides. The plausible reactive pathways were proposed to explain the experimental result.     

Fuzzy Symmetry Characteristics of Propadine Molecule

The fuzzy symmetry characteristics for the internal-rotation of propadine were analyzed using the fuzzy symmetry theory for molecule and molecular orbital (MO). In the process of rotation, three different symmetry point groups D_2h, D_2d, and D₂ were considered. Using the D_4h point group, which is the minimal point group including all symmetry elements of D_2h, D_2d, and D₂, we can analyze the fuzzy symmetry for this process. The elements included in D_4h point group can be classified to four subsets: (i) G0—it includes all the elements in D₂ point group, also belongs to all the above three point groups of D_2h, D_2d, and D₂; (ii) G1—it includes the elements in D_2h point group, but not in D_2d point group; (iii) G2—it includes the elements in D_2d point group, but not in D_2h point group; (iv) G3—it includes the elements in D_4h point group, but not in D_2h or D_2d point group. On the basis of the above four subsets, we analyzed the membership functions and the regularity of variation in MOs for the internal-rotation of propadine.     

A combined X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering study of the phase transitions in Sr1−xCaxTiO3 (x=0.04, 0.06, and 0.12)

Results of powder X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering studies on the phase transitions in Sr_1−xCa_xTiO₃ (SCT) are presented for x=0.04, 0.06 and 0.12 in the temperature range 8-473 K. It is proposed that the space group of SCT in the composition range 0.06?x?0.35 is Imma with a⁰b^-b^- tilt system and not I4/mcm with a⁰a⁰c^- tilt system, as assumed by earlier workers. The lowering of the crystal symmetry from I4/mcm to Imma is supported by the observation of additional Raman lines, in agreement with the factor group analysis for the Imma space group. The structural E_g mode, characteristics of the non-cubic phase, is shown to be present even in the cubic phases of x=0.06 and x=0.12 but not of x=0.04 indicating the change in the local structure of the cubic phase of SCT for x?0.06. The presence of symmetry forbidden TO₂ mode in the Raman spectra of the cubic phase of SCT for x<0.06 and its absence for x?0.06 provides yet another characteristic feature distinguishing the I4/mcm and Imma space groups. The implications of the change in the tilt system from a⁰a⁰c^- to a⁰b^-b^- on the development of the polar order is also discussed.     

Analysis and purification of O-decanoyl sucrose regio-isomers by reversed phase high pressure liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection

Purification of seven regio-isomers of O-decanoyl sucrose, 2-O-, 3-O-, 4-O-, 6-O-, 3′-O-, 4′-O- and 6′-O-decanoyl sucrose, were performed by LC followed by preparative RP-HPLC with ELSD. Using an optimized gradient of acetonitrile in water 2-O-, 3-O-, 6-O- and 3′-O-decanoyl sucrose were purified in yields (w/w) of 52.5%, 34.7%, 45.0% and 36.9%, respectively. In the purified preparations of the 2-O- and 3′-O-decanoyl sucrose respectively, acyl migration was observed as a result of the drying process. Lyophilization resulted in the highest purities (w/w) of 96% and 100% for the 2-O- and the 3′-O-decanoyl sucrose, respectively.     

Selective immobilization of Acinetobacter junii on the natural zeolitized tuff in municipal wastewater

The immobilization of desired bacteria onto material was usually performed in synthetic media. The aim of this study was to test the immobilization of phosphate (P)-accumulating bacteria Acinetobacter junii onto natural zeolitized tuff (NZ) in the raw or sterilized municipal wastewater containing the common bacteria Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis and the performance of immobilized A. junii in the same type of wastewater. In the sterilized wastewater which contained the mixture of A. junii, E. coli and E. faecalis, the A. junii was selectively immobilized onto NZ in significantly higher numbers than E. coli and E. faecalis. The A. junii added in the form of bioparticles to the wastewater containing E. coli and E. faecalis, multiplied and removed P from wastewater. The P removal from wastewater was a function of biomass of P-accumulating bacteria and not the amount of NZ or bioparticles used. The performance of A. junii was significantly better in membrane filtered than in autoclaved wastewater. The experiments that were performed in raw non sterilized wastewater showed that A. junii can be successfully immobilized onto NZ in competition with natively present heterotrophic bacteria, retain its metabolic activity and successfully remove P from such water, which makes this technology feasible from biotechnological aspect.     

Porphyrin N-Pincer Pd(II)-Complexes in Water: A Base-Free and Nature-Inspired Protocol for the Oxidative Self-Coupling of Potassium Aryltrifluoroborates in Open-Air

Metalloporphyrins (and porphyrins) are well known as pigments of life in nature, since representatives of this group include chlorophylls (Mg-porphyrins) and heme (Fe-porphyrins). Hence, the construction of chemistry based on these substances can be based on the imitation of biological systems. Inspired by nature, in this article we present the preparation of five different porphyrin, meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), meso-tetra(p-anisyl)porphyrin (TpAP), tetrasodium meso-tetra(p-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (TSTpSPP), meso-tetra(m-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (TmHPP), and meso-tetra(m-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TmCPP) as well as their N-pincer Pd(II)-complexes such as Pd(II)-meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (PdTPP), Pd(II)-meso-tetra(p-anisyl)porphyrin (PdTpAP), Pd(II)-tetrasodium meso-tetra(p-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (PdTSTpSPP), Pd(II)-meso-tetra(m-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (PdTmHPP), and Pd(II)-meso-tetra(m-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (PdTmCPP). These porphyrin N-pincer Pd(II)-complexes were studied and found to be effective in the base-free self-coupling reactions of potassium aryltrifluoroborates (PATFBs) in water at ambient conditions. The catalysts and the products (symmetrical biaryls) were characterized using their spectral data. The high yields of the biaryls, the bio-mimicking conditions, good substrate feasibility, evading the use of base, easy preparation and handling of catalysts, and the application of aqueous media, all make this protocol very attractive from a sustainability and cost-effective standpoint.     

A comparison of phototautomerism in different sites of free-base porphin (H2P) in n-alkane crystals

Selective laser-induced phototautomerism of free-base porphin in different n-alkanes (n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, nnonane, n-decane, n-undecane and n-dodecane) has been used to identify tautomer splittings in a number of sites in polycrystalline samples at 2 K. Pairs or lines arising from the two molecular orientations in each site can be reversibly transformed into each other. In the odd n-alkanes the occupation of different sites was not dependent on the rate at which the samples were frozen, but in the even n-alkanes metastable sites were only occupied following rapid quenching.     

Coupling and cycloaddition of ynamides: homo- and Negishi coupling of tosylynamides and intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition of N-(o-ethynyl)phenyl ynamides and arylynamides

N,N′-aryl- and N,N′-alkyl-buta-1,3-diyne-1,4-ditosylamides have been synthesized for the first time, in good to excellent yields, by copper-catalyzed dimerization of the corresponding N-aryl or N-alkyl tosylynamides. Negishi coupling of N-ethynylzinc tosylamides derivatives with (hetero)aryl iodides in the presence of Pd₂dba₃ and triphenylphosphine affords N-aryl and N-alkyl arylynamides in yields of up to 90%. Intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition reactions of N-ethynylphenyl ynamides and arylynamides allow the synthesis of carbazoles and benzannulated and heteroannulated carbazoles in moderate-to-good yields.     

Theoretical and experimental analysis of the fine structure and hyperfine structure in the configurations 5p6s and 5p6p of the antimony II spectrum

From 17 transitions in the singly ionized Sb II spectrum the hyperfine structure (A andB splitting constants) of the complete excited configurations 5p6s and 5p6p were determined by means of optical interference spectroscopy. In addition, a theoretical analysis both of the fine structure and also of the hyperfine structure was carried out (in the case of 5p6p of the general typenpn′p for the first time in literature). For the 3 levels 5p6p ³ P ₁, 5p7p ³ D ₂ and 5p6p ¹ P ₁ a different classification was found and consistent values for the fine structure parameters, mixing coefficients and single electron hyperfine structure splitting parametersa _nl ^ik andb _nl ^ik were obtained. The three new determinations in Sb II of the quadrupole moment (in barn) of¹²¹Sb (Q(5p6s)=?0.55(5);Q(5p6p)=?0.57(5) from the 5p-electron andQ(5p6p)=?0.7(2) from the 6p-electron) are well agreeing with each other but differ to former values from SbI. The core polarization and isotope shift of the lines, however, are compatible with our former results in SbI.