Computational study of the proton affinity and basicity of structurally diverse α1‐adrenoceptor ligands

The α₁‐adrenoceptor is a target for the treatment of several conditions from hypertension to benign prostatic hyperplasia. In this paper, we describe a new analysis approach to explore the conformational space of several ligands of the α₁‐adrenoceptor and we also present the calculation of their proton affinity and basicity. For each compound a conformational search followed by a semi‐empirical optimisation was performed and a selection of conformations for each ligand was subjected to further optimisation using density functional theory methods. Different positions were explored to determine the favoured site of protonation, and then, the proton affinity (in the gas phase) and basicity (using the polarisable continuum model for the aqueous solution) were calculated for each of them. In addition, an alternative method using one explicit water molecule in combination with the polarisable continuum model for aqueous solvent was explored. Moreover, the acid dissociation constant (pK_a) in water of these 26 compounds was calculated because this is an important parameter for a ligand when binding to its receptor. The experimental pK_a values of six of these ligands and those of two compounds with a very low and a very large pK_a were used to validate the theoretical methodology. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the reactions of aryl chlorodithioformates with pyridines and secondary alicyclic amines

The reactions of pyridines and secondary alicyclic (SA) amines with phenyl and 4‐nitrophenyl chlorodithioformates (PClDTF and NPClDTF, respectively) are subjected to a kinetic study in aqueous ethanol (44 wt% ethanol) solution, at 25.0 °C, and an ionic strength of 0.2 M (KCl). The reactions are studied spectrophotometrically. Under amine excess, pseudo‐first‐order rate coefficients (k_obs) are found. Plots of k_obs versus [amine] are linear and pH independent, with slope k_N. The Brønsted‐type plots (log k_N vs. pK_a of aminium ions) are linear for the reactions of PClDTF with SA amines (slope β of 0.3) and pyridines (β = 0.26) and those of NPClDTF with pyridines (β = 0.30). For the reaction of NPClDTF with SA amines the Brønsted‐type plot is biphasic, with slopes β₁ = 0.2 (at high pKa) and β₂ = 1.1 (at low pKa). The pK_a value at the center of curvature (pK) is 7.7. The magnitude of the slopes indicates that the mechanisms of these reactions are stepwise, with the formation of a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate as the rate‐determining step, except for the reaction of NPClDTF with SA amines where there is a change in the rate‐determining step, from formation to breakdown of the tetrahedral intermediate, as the amine basicity decreases. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the anilinolysis of aryl 4‐nitrophenyl thionocarbonates in aqueous ethanol

The reactions of bis(4‐nitrophenyl), 3‐chlorophenyl 4‐nitrophenyl, and 3‐methoxyphenyl 4‐nitrophenyl thionocarbonates ( 1 , 2 , and 3 , respectively) with a series of anilines are subjected to a kinetic investigation in 44 wt.% ethanol–water, at 25.0 °C and an ionic strength of 0.2 M. Under aniline excess, pseudo‐first‐order rate coefficients (k_obs) are found. Plots of k_obs versus aniline concentration are linear, with the slopes (k_N) pH independent, k_N being the rate coefficient for the anilinolysis of the thionocarbonates. The Brønsted plot (log k_N vs. pK_a of anilinium ions) for thionocarbonate 1 is linear, with slope (β) 0.62, which is consistent with a concerted mechanism. The Brønsted plots for thionocarbonates 2 and 3 are curved, with slopes 0.1 at high pK_a for both reaction series and slopes 0.84 and 0.79 at low pK_a for the reactions of 2 and 3 , respectively. The latter plots are in accordance to stepwise mechanisms, through a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate (T^±) and its anionic analogue (T^?), the latter being formed by deprotonation of T^± by the basic form of the buffer (HPO). The Brønsted curves are explained by a change in the rate‐limiting step, from deprotonation of T^± at low pK_a, to its formation at high pK_a. The influence of the amine nature and the non‐leaving and electrophilic groups of the substrate on the kinetics and mechanism is also discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the pyridinolysis of diaryl carbonates

The reactions of 4‐methylphenyl and 4‐chlorophenyl 4‐nitrophenyl carbonates ( 1 and 2 , respectively), phenyl, 4‐methylphenyl, 4‐chlorophenyl, and 4‐nitrophenyl 2,4‐dinitrophenyl carbonates ( 3 , 4 , 5 , and 6 , respectively), and bis(2,4‐dinitrophenyl) carbonate ( 7 ) with a series of pyridines are studied kinetically at 25.0 °C in 44 wt% ethanol–water and an ionic strength of 0.2 M (KCl). The reactions are followed spectrophotometrically and under excess amine pseudo‐first‐order rate coefficients (k_obs) are found. For all these reactions, plots of k_obs versus free amine concentration at constant pH are linear, the slope (k_N) being independent of pH. The Brønsted‐type plots (log k_N vs. pK_a of the conjugate acids of the pyridines) are all biphasic (linear portions at high and low pK_a and a curvature in between). These plots are in accordance with a stepwise mechanism, through a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate (T^±), and a change in the rate‐determining step from formation of T^± to its breakdown to products, as the pyridine basicity decreases. Also studied are the effects of the leaving, non‐leaving, and electrophilic groups of the substrate, and of the amine nature, on the value (value at the center of curvature of the Brønsted‐type plots). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Higher reactivity of 3‐pyridinium boronic acid compared with 3‐pyridinium boronate ion toward 4‐isopropyltropolone in acidic aqueous solution: fundamental reaction analyses for an effective organoboron‐based chemosensor

The pK_as of 3‐pyridylboronic acid and its derivatives were determined spectrophotometrically. Most of them had two pK_as assignable to the boron center and pyridine moiety. The pK_a assignment performed by ¹¹B nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that both boron centers in 3‐pyridylboronic acid [3‐PyB(OH)₂] and the N‐methylated derivative [3‐(N‐Me)Py⁺B(OH)₂] have strong acidities (pK_a = 4.4 for both). It was found that introduction of a substituent to pyridine‐C atom in 3‐pyridylboronic acid drastically increased the acidity of the pyridinium moiety, but decreased the acidity of the boron center, whereas the introduction to pyridine‐N atom had no influence on the acidity of the boron center. Kinetic studies on the complexation reactions of 3‐pyridinium boronic acid [3‐HPy⁺B(OH)₂] with 4‐isopropyltropolone (Hipt) carried out in strongly acidic aqueous solution indicated that the positive charge on the boronic acid influenced little on its reactivity; 3‐HPy⁺B(OH)₂ reacts with Hipt and protonated H₂ipt⁺, and its reactivity was in line with those of a series of boronic acids. Kinetics in weakly acidic aqueous solution revealed that 3‐HPy⁺B(OH)₂ reacts with Hipt faster than its conjugate boronate [3‐HPy⁺B(OH)₃^–], which is consistent with our recent results. The reactivity of 3‐(N‐Me)Py⁺B(OH)₂ towards Hipt was also examined kinetically; the reactivities of 3‐(N‐Me)Py⁺B(OH)₂ and 3‐(N‐Me)Py⁺B(OH)₃^– are almost the same as those of their original 3‐HPy⁺B(OH)₂ and 3‐HPy⁺B(OH)₃^–, respectively. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stability of benzoporphyrin photosensitizers in water/ethanol mixtures: pKa determination and self‐aggregation processes

Benzoporphyrin monoacid derivatives, here named B3A and B3B, are promising new drugs for photodynamic therapy. Although both isomers show interesting characteristics as photosensitizing compounds, they have some distinct physicochemical properties such as the tendency to self‐aggregate in water‐rich media. Because pH drives the presence of each species, the pK_a of these compounds assumes strategic importance. However, traditional micro‐titration methods and UV–Vis absorption techniques fail to give reliable pK_a values due to the characteristics of this highly complex system, such as the precipitation of hydrophobic species, close pK_a values, and high absorption band superposition. In the present work, chemometric tools are employed to evaluate pK_a, and the kinetic tendency of monomers to undergo self‐aggregation is investigated. In solvent mixtures at low water percentage in ethanol, both B3A and B3B are stabilized in a monomeric state. However, in mixtures with a high water content, self‐aggregation takes place, mainly under a mild pH acid condition (3 < pH < 6), in which the prevalent protolytic species of both isomers is the neutral charged form, compounds with carboxylic and porphyrin free‐base groups. It is demonstrated that both isomers can undergo aggregation following a self‐catalytic mechanism, which is 2000 times slower to B3A than B3B. For B3A, the aggregation is manifested by a decrease in the monomer band with the aggregation band probably superposed to that of the monomer. For B3B, together with the decrease in the monomer band, a new band related to self‐aggregates is observed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetic investigation on carbamate formation from the reaction of carbon dioxide with amino acids in homogeneous aqueous solution

The kinetics of carbamate formation from the reaction of carbon dioxide with α‐amino acids in D₂O was first investigated by means of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Potassium carbonate was used as the CO₂ source. For each amino acid, the maximum carbamate yield, the apparent rate constant for the carbamate formation k_app, and the rate constants for the formation k₁ and the breakdown k_?1 of the carbamate were estimated. Plots of log k₁ or log k_?1 versus pK_a of amino acids indicated that the formation rate k₁ increased with the basicity (pK_a) of amino acid, while the decomposition rate k_?1 decreased. A Br?nsted β value of 0.39 was obtained from the former plot, being in good agreement with the previously reported ones (0.26–0.43). The observed negative pK_a dependence of log k_?1 (Br?nsted α = 0.34) is reasonable, because the carbamate decomposition is acid‐catalyzed and the steady‐state concentration of H⁺ should be higher for weaker basic amines. The charge (σ) and the lone‐pair energy (E_N) at the nitrogen atom of the amino group were calculated. Although log k₁ correlated with σ and E_N, log k_?1 was unrelated with both of these parameters. Considering that the carbamate formation (k₁) is not only base‐catalyzed but should also be promoted by the nucleophilicity of the amino nitrogen, its correlation with σ and E_N in addition to pK_a is rational. The irrelevance of log k_?1 to σ and E_N is not surprising, because σ and E_N are not a direct measure of [H⁺] of the solution. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reactions of O‐aryl S‐aryl dithiocarbonates with pyridines in aqueous ethanol: kinetics and mechanism

The reactions of O‐(4‐methylphenyl) S‐(4‐nitrophenyl) dithiocarbonate ( 1 ), O‐(4‐chlorophenyl) S‐(4‐nitrophenyl) dithiocarbonate ( 2 ), and O‐(4‐chlorophenyl) S‐phenyl) dithiocarbonate ( 3 ) with a series of pyridines were subjected to a kinetic investigation in 44 wt% ethanol–water, at 25.0 °C and an ionic strength of 0.2 M. The reactions were followed spectrophotometrically. Under amine excess, pseudo‐first‐order rate coefficients (k_obs) were determined. For the studied reactions, plots of k_obs versus free pyridine concentration at constant pH were linear, with the slope (k_N) independent of pH. The Brønsted‐type plots for ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) were biphasic, suggesting a stepwise mechanism with a change in the rate‐determining step, from breakdown to the formation of a tetrahedral intermediate (T^±), as the basicity of the pyridines increases. For the reactions of ( 3 ), at the pK_a range of the pyridines studied, only the breakdown to products of T^± was observed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The pKa theoretical estimation of C―H,N―H,O―H and S―H acids in dimethylsulfoxide solution

A scheme for the pK_a estimation of organic acids in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solution based on quantum chemical calculations is proposed. The procedure of pK_a calculation requires several steps. The first is the calculation of the gas phase acidity of the compound. The G3MP2B3, G4MP2 as well as CBS‐QB3 composite methods made it possible to estimate values of gas phase acidities of an extensive set of structures with a high confidence level (standard deviations equal to 1.15, 1.13 and 1.29 kcal mol^?1, respectively; the test set included 91 compounds). The second step is the computation of the solvation correction with the integral equation formalism version of polarizable continuum model (IEF‐PCM)–B3LYP/6‐311+G(d,p) approximation. Within the bounds of our approach, the medium properties were covered only by the PCM model, i.e. the proposed procedure neglects specific interactions between DMSO and the solute. It was determined that the approach to pK_a estimation mentioned above is the most balanced in terms of accuracy, resource intensity and computation time cost. In the third step, the error of the pK_a calculation was decreased by correlation allowances. Correlation allowances were determined for each acid class (62 С―Н, 55 N―Н, 24 O―Н and 5 S―Н acids) in the range of 50 units in terms of logarithmic scale using the test set including 146 compounds. Seven O―H acids showing the ability to form cyclic dimers were separated into a discrete group. The proposed methodology was applied to the estimation of pK_a for trans‐ and cis‐dimethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐3H‐pyrazol‐3,5‐dicarboxylates as well as for 5‐fluorouracil subject to competitive dissociation, the latter by N1―H or N3―H bonds. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reactions of aryl chlorothionoformates with quinuclidines. A kinetic study

The reactions of quinuclidines with phenyl, 4‐chlorophenyl, 4‐cyanophenyl, and 4‐nitrophenyl chlorothionoformates ( 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 , respectively) are subjected to a kinetic study in aqueous solution, at 25.0°C, and an ionic strength of 0.2 M (KCl). The reactions are studied by following spectrophotometrically the release of the corresponding phenoxide anion/phenol generated in the parallel hydrolysis of the substrates. Under amine excess, pseudo‐first‐order rate coefficients (k_obs) are found. Plots of k_obs versus [amine] are linear, with slope k_N. The Brønsted‐type plots (log k_N vs. pK_a of aminium ions) are linear, with slopes β = 0.26, 0.22, 0.19, and 0.28 for the reactions with 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 , respectively. The magnitudes of the slopes indicate that these mechanisms are stepwise, with rate‐determining formation of a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate (T^±). A dual parametric equation with the pK_a of the nucleophiles and non‐leaving groups show β_N = 0.26 and β _nlg = ?0.16, also in accordance with the proposed mechanism. On the other hand, the reactivity of these thiocarbonyl substrates and their carbonyl derivatives was studied using their hardness index and compared with their experimental parameters, confirming the proposed mechanisms. By comparison of the title reactions with similar aminolyses, the following conclusions arise: (i) The mechanism of the reactions under investigation is stepwise with rate‐determining formation of T^±. (ii) The reactivity of the substrates toward quinuclidines follows the order 4 > 3 > 2 > 1 . (iii) Quinuclidines are more reactive than isobasic pyridines toward chlorothionoformates. (iv) Chlorothionoformates are less reactive than chloroformates towards quinuclidines in accordance with the HSAB principle. (v) The k_N values for phenyl chloroformate and 4 can be correlated with the pK_a of quinuclidines and also with the hardness values calculated by the HF/3‐21G level of theory. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A novel computational strategy for the pKa estimation of drugs by non‐linear regression of multiwavelength spectrophotometric pH‐titration data exhibiting small spectral changes

A new computational procedure for the protonation model building of a multiwavelength and multivariate spectra treatment is proposed for the special case of small changes in spectra. The absorbance change Δ_i for the ith spectrum divided with the instrumental standard deviation s_inst(A) represents the signal‐to‐error ratio SER of the spectra studied. The determination of the number of chemical components in a mixture is the first important step for further quantitative analysis in all forms of spectral data treatment. Most index‐based methods of the factor analysis can always predict the correct number of components, and even the presence of a minor one, when the SER is higher than 10. The Wernimont–Kankare procedure in the program INDICES performs reliable determinations of the instrumental standard deviation of the spectrophotometer used s_inst(A), correctly predicts the number of light‐absorbing components present, and also solves ill‐defined problems with severe collinearity in spectra or very small changes in spectra. The mixed dissociation constants of three drugs, haemanthamine, lisuride, and losartan, including diprotic molecules at ionic strengths of I = 0.5 and 0.01 and at 25°C were determined using two different multiwavelength and multivariate treatments of the spectral data, SPECFIT32 and SQUAD(84) non‐linear regression analyses and INDICES factor analysis, even in the case of small absorbance changes in spectra. The dissociation constant pK_a was estimated by non‐linear regression of {pK_a, I} data at 25°C: for haemanthamine pK_a = 7.28(1) at I = 0.50, for lisuride pK_a = 7.86(1) and for losartan pK_a,1 = 3.60(1), pK_a,2 = 4.73(1) at I = 0.01. Goodness‐of‐fit tests for the various regression diagnostics enabled the reliability of the parameter estimates found to be proven. PALLAS and MARVIN predict pK_a being based on the structural formulae of the drug compounds in agreement with the experimental value. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

N‐Chlorination rate of five‐membered heterocyclic nitrogen compounds

The kinetics of N‐chlorination reaction of pyrrolidine, pyrrolidone, succinimide, 5,5,‐dimethyloxazolidine‐2,4‐dione, 5,5‐dimethylhydantoin and 1‐hydroximethyl‐5,5‐dimethylhydantoin with HOCl in aqueous solution were studied at 25 °C, constant ionic strength and under isolation conditions in a wide pH range. The set of compounds studied in this paper is characterized by having different functional groups and the same cyclic structure, consisting of a five‐member ring with a nitrogen atom in the ring, which is susceptible to be chlorinated. This series of compounds covers nine pK_a units, and the kinetic studies allow us to know, like, the presence of an amino, amide or imide group modify the reactivity of nitrogenous compound. Experimental data were fitted to the first‐order kinetic equation. All reactions were found to be of first order in both HOCl and nitrogenous compound concentration. Kinetics studies demonstrate that some of these compounds are hydrolyzed in alkaline medium. In each case, reaction mechanism in agreement with the experimental results is proposed. The results were compared with other compounds with similar cyclic structure (2‐oxazolidinone and proline). Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetic study of the formation of N‐chloro compounds using N‐chlorosuccinimide

Second‐order rate constants were determined for the chlorination reaction of 2,2,2‐trifluoethylamine and benzylamine with N‐chlorosuccinimide at 25 °C and an ionic strength of 0.5 M. These reactions were found to be of first order in both reagents. According to the experimental results, a mechanism reaction was proposed in which a chlorine atom is transferred between both nitrogenous compounds. Kinetics studies demonstrate that the hydrolysis process of the chlorinating agent does not interfere in the chlorination process, under the experimental conditions used in the present work. Free‐energy relationships were established using the results obtained in the present work and others available in the literature for chlorination reactions with N‐chlorosuccinimide, being the pK_a range included between 5.7 and 11.22. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

TICT excited states of o‐ and p‐N,N‐dimethylamino analogues of GFP chromophore

Even though all the p‐N,N‐dimethylaminobenzonitrile (p‐DMABN), cis‐o‐DMABDI, and cis‐p‐DMABDI (the N,N‐dimethylamino analogues of green fluorescence protein chromophore) have the same electron‐donating N,N‐dimethylamino group, unlike the dual fluorescence of p‐DMABN, both cis‐o‐DMABDI and cis‐p‐DMABDI display single fluorescence. To figure out the interesting phenomena, the CAM‐TD‐B3LYP method and the cc‐pVDZ basis set were used to explore geometries, molecular orbitals, electronic transition, dipole moment, and potential energy surfaces of the S₁ excited states of cis‐o‐DMABDI and cis‐p‐DMABDI. We found that the S₁ excited states of cis‐o‐DMABDI and cis‐p‐DMABDI are ¹(π, π*) charge transfer excited states with twisted structures, where the N,N‐dimethylaminobenzene moiety functions as an electron donor, the methyleneimidazolone moiety serves as an electron acceptor, and the electron donor is linked with the electron acceptor by the C─C single bond (P‐bond). The fluorescent emissions of cis‐o‐DMABDI and cis‐p‐DMABDI predicted by the CAM‐TD‐B3LYP/cc‐pVDZ level are quite consistent with the experimental results. For the cis‐o‐DMABDI and cis‐p‐DMABDI, the S₁ locally excited state is less stable than the S₁ twisted intramolecular charge transfer state, and the S₁ LE state is not a stationary point (global minimum). That is why both cis‐o‐DMABDI and cis‐p‐DMABDI display single fluorescence.     

Fluorescence properties of the anti-tumour alkaloid luotonin A and new synthetic analogues: pH modulation as an approach to their fluorimetric quantitation in biological samples

Luotonin A is an alkaloid structurally related to the natural anti-tumour agent camptothecin. The fluorescence behaviour of luotonin A and a series of six analogues is described in the present work. The influence of solvent polarity and pH on the native fluorescence properties of these alkaloids was studied, finding that in organic solvents or in aqueous solutions (pH 5.5–7.2) the neutral form of the luotonin derivatives emit in the region of 410–450 nm but, in both media, acidification to pH values below 3.0 causes a new emission band to appear at about 500 nm. An ESPT reaction occurs due to the protonation of the basic nitrogen atoms of the pentacyclic ring. Acid-base titrations of luotonin A and its derivatives in aqueous and acetonitrile media were carried out in order to determine their pK_a^? values which were around 2, showing these compounds to be very weak bases. In aqueous media, the absence of an iso-emissive point in the emission spectra suggests the existence of more than two species in the proton transfer equilibria. The basicity of the luotonin A derivatives is increased in organic media, and a good correlation between the pK_a^? values and the chemical structure was found. The protonation of luotonin A was also studied by ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR experiments, which proved the protonation of the nitrogen atoms at the positions 5 and 6 of the pentacyclic ring. The fluorescence quantum yields were determined in ethanol and in aqueous solutions under neutral and acidic conditions. The fluorescence quantum yields were higher in water for the case of the more polar compounds, and the opposite result was obtained for the more hydrophobic ones. The remarkable and interesting fluorescence properties of luotonin A prompted the development of its fluorimetric analytical quantitation, obtaining very good analytical features.     

Substituent effects on the pH‐dependent multiequilibria of flavylium salt analogs of anthocyanins

Substituent effects on the hydration, tautomerization, and isomerization equilibria of flavylium salts can be described by a series of linear free energy relationships (LSER) based on Hammett correlations. The positions on the flavylium rings were classified as either activated (para‐like) or nonactivated (meta‐like) to decide which σ value to employ (σ_R or σ_m, respectively), while the steric effects of substituents at C‐3 were included via the E_S parameter. Based on these relationships, we then show that it is possible to predict values of the “apparent pK_a” (pK_ap) of flavylium ions that were not included in the original data set, as well as those of several naturally occurring anthocyanins. The value of pK_ap provides a measure of the thermodynamic stability of the flavylium cation as a function of pH and is directly related to the pH range in which the color of the flavylium cation form of anthocyanins persists in aqueous solution. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relationship between experimental pKa values in aqueous solution and a gas phase bond length in bicyclo[2.2.2]octane and cubane carboxylic acids

Linear correlations were established between the calculated bond lengths and the pK_a or σ_I values for a series of 4‐substituted bicyclo[2.2.2]octane‐1‐carboxylic acid and 4‐cubane‐1‐carboxylic acid derivatives. The bond lengths have been calculated at a modest computational level, HF/6‐31G(d), both in the gas phase and with the continuum solvation model, polarisable continuum model (PCM). In general, the best correlations are obtained when the PCM model is taken into account, especially when neutral and charged molecules are considered together. The best models in each case show square correlation coefficients (R²) larger than 0.9 and indicate that they can be used as predictive tools. These results expand previous results that indicate the possibility of a relationship between gas phase bond length and pK_a values in aqueous solution and indicate that such relationships are more general than hitherto expected. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of ionization equilibria of L-aspartic and L-glutamic acids in water at a microscopic level by DFT method

The pK_a values of different dissociable groups of L-Aspartic and L-Glutamic acids in vacuo and in aqueous medium over a wide pH range have been estimated by DFT/B3LYP/6-31G(d) and 6-31G++(d,p) methods. For both the amino acids discrete water molecules (n?=?0, 3 and 6) have been used to get the first hydration sphere. Starting from a low pH, all possible tautomers resulting from each dissociation step are assumed to exist in a cyclic equilibrium. The structures of the species involved in the dissociation and tautomerization processes have been optimized in vacuo and also in aqueous medium considering H-bonded water molecules under the PCM formalism. For obtaining pK_a in aqueous medium the difference in Gibbs energy of the clusters H₃O⁺.mH₂O and (H₂O) _m+1 (m?=?an integer) is necessary and has been evaluated from computed literature data. Calculations reveal that in vacuo the neutral or less charged species predominate but in aqueous medium the zwitterionic or more chargeable forms contribute appreciably. The Gibbs energy changes for the microscopic cyclic equilibria have been estimated theoretically. These lead to overall (macroscopic) pK_a values for the ionization steps which are in good agreement with available experimental data for both the amino acids.     

Inclusion complexes of estrone and estradiol with β‐cyclodextrin: Voltammetric and HPLC studies

The interaction of estrone and estradiol with β‐cyclodextrins (βCD) was investigated by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in mixed media. The co‐solvent influence on the tendency of these estrogens to form inclusion complexes with βCD was examined. Thus, acetonitrile (MeCN) and ethanol (EtOH) were used in a mixed aqueous medium containing phosphate buffer. The association constant of the inclusion complexes (K_a) of estrone and estradiol with βCD were determined in two different media by using both voltammetric and chromatographic techniques. Estradiol was found to bind to βCD with higher affinities than estrone, irrespective of the medium. We have also found a clear influence of the co‐solvent on the K_a value, which means a competition of co‐solvent molecules with estrogens for binding to the cavity of βCD. Consequently, interaction between βCD and the steroids is weakened when acetonitrile is used. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A combined experimental and density functional study of 1‐(arylsulfonyl)‐2‐R‐4‐chloro‐2‐butenes reactivity towards the allylic chlorine

Nucleophilic substitution and dehydrochlorination reactions of a number of the ring‐substituted 1‐(arylsulfonyl)‐2‐R‐4‐chloro‐2‐butenes are studied both experimentally and theoretically. The developed synthetic procedures are characterized by a general rapidity, cheapness, and simplicity providing moderate to high yields of 1‐arylsulfonyl 1,3‐butadienes (48–95%), 1‐(arylsulfonyl)‐2‐R‐4‐(N,N‐dialkylamino)‐2‐butenes (31–53%), 1‐(arylsulfonyl)‐2‐R‐2‐buten‐4‐ols (37–61%), and bis[4‐(arylsulfonyl)‐3‐R‐but‐2‐enyl]sulfides (40–70%). The density functional theory B3LYP/6‐311++G(2d,2p) calculations of the intermediate allylic cations in acetone revealed their high stability occurring from a resonance stabilization and hyperconjugation by the SO₂Ar group. The reactivity parameters estimated at the bond critical points of the diene/allylic moiety display a high correlation (R² > 0.97) with the Hammett (σ_p) constants. 1‐Arylsulfonyl 1,3‐butadienes are characterized by a partly broken π conjugated system, which follows from analysis of the two‐centered delocalization (δ) and localization (λ) index values. The highest occupied molecular orbital energies of 1‐arylsulfonyl 1,3‐butadienes are lower than those of 1,3‐butadiene explaining their low reactivity towards the Diels–Alder condensation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.