Gas-phase acidity of D-glucose. A density functional theory study

The gas-phase acidity of D-glucopyranose was studied by means of B3LYP calculations combined with 6-31G(d,p) or 6-31+G(d,p) standard basis sets. For each anomer, deprotonation of the various primary and secondary hydroxyl groups was considered. As in solution, the anomeric hydroxyl is found to be the most acidic for both anomers, but only when the 6-31+G(d,p) basis set is used for geometry optimization. Deprotonation of the anomeric hydroxyl induces an important C(1)--O endocyclic bond elongation and subsequently promotes an energetically favored ring-opening process as attested by the very small calculated activation barriers. The results also suggest that interconversion between the various deprotonated alpha- and beta-anomers may easily occur under slightly energetic conditions. B3LYP/6-311+G(2df,2p) calculations led to the an absolute gas-phase acidity of deltaacidGo(298)(alpha-D-glucose) = 1398 kJ mol(-1). This estimate matches well the only experimental value available to date. Finally, this study again confirms that the use of diffuse functions on heavy atoms is necessary to describe anionic systems properly and to achieve good relative and absolute gas-phase acidities.     

The Structure of 1H-Perimidin-2(3H)-one and Its Derivatives in the solid state (x-ray crystallography and CP/MAS 13C-NMR), in solution (13C-NMR), and in the gas phase (mass spectrometry)

The X-ray crystal and molecular structures of 1-methyl- 1H-perimidin-2(3H)-one ( 5b ) and 1,3-dimethyl-1H-perimidin-2(3H)-one ( 6 ) were determined. The crystals are built of piles of dimers faced head-to-head in 5b and of alternating independent head-to-tail molecules in 6 , both along the b axis. Semiempirical calculations at the AM 1 level revealed that the eclipsed conformation of the Me groups with respect to the C?O group, found in the crystals, is the most stable. The lack of planarity of the whole molecules is a consequence of the packing forces since it is not found in the calculations. A comparative NMR study was carried out in solution (¹H and ¹³C) and in the solid state (CP/MAS ¹³C) for 1H-perimidin-2(3H)-one ( 2 ) and 1H-benzimidazol-2(3H)-one ( 3 ) with the conclusion that in both heterocycles the oxo tautomer is the most abundant. The structure in the gas phase was approached by mass spectrometry. In the case of 3 , the oxo tautomer loses CO after ionization, while the oxo form of 2 tautomerizes to the hydroxy form which loses, H₂O after a [1,3]-H shift. AM 1 calculations were carried out on the ground and ionized states of 2 .     

Influence of remote substituents on the equatorial/axial selectivity in the monooxygenation of methylene C--H bonds of substituted cyclohexanes

The reactivity of individual C--H bonds in the methyl(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane TFDO oxygenation of stereogenic methylene groups in conformationally homogeneous monosubstituted cyclohexanes (2) has been determined. The unexpectedly high occurrence of O-atom insertion into C--H(ax) bonds suggests an in plane trajectory attack in the oxygenation while the diastereoselectivity of the reaction is qualitatively interpreted on the basis of the distinct hyperconjugative stabilization by the substituent of diastereomeric transition states due to long-range through bond interactions.     

Keto-enol tautomerism in the electrochemical reduction of parabanic acid

Convolution potential sweep voltammetry has been applied to the electrochemical reduction of parabanic acid in the 10–100 V/s scan rate range. The overall reduction corresponds to a quasireversible two-electron, two-proton transfer to give an enediol intermediate compound. This compound undergoes an enol-keto transformation in a following homogeneous chemical reaction. This chemical reaction appears to be acid-base catalyzed in the 2 M-4×10⁻³ M H⁺ concentration range. The catalytic and electrochemical constants were determined.     

The preferred conformations of 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4-dichloroanisole and their sulphur analogues

Analysis of the benzene dipole moments of 2-chloroanisole and 2,4-dichloroanisole, 2-chlorothioanisole and 2,4-dichlorothioanisole shows these compounds to exist as trans. 2-Chlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol, and their sulphur analogues, are mixtures of Cis and trans conformers. The populations of the cis conformers are, at 25°C, 86 and 78% for the phenols, and ca. 70 and 50% for the corresponding thiophenols. The influence of various factors, such as the non-additivity of the (2-ClC₆H₄X)-group moment and torsional oscillation of the H-X bond (especially the H-S bond), on the calculated populations has been discussed. Incidentally it has been shown that p-dimethoxybenzene and p-di-(methylthio)benzene, as well as p-phenylenediamine and p-diformylbenzene, are equimolecular mixtures of cis and trans conformers.     

Psoralen derivatives and longwave ultraviolet irradiation are active in vitro against human melanoma cell line

Cutaneous malignant melanoma is a very serious form of skin cancer that arises from melanocytes. Currently there is no effective treatment for metastatic melanoma so intense clinical trials are evaluating new drugs for this human malignancy. Psoralens are a group of compounds that bind to DNA in rapidly dividing cells and with ultraviolet light in the A band (UVA) cause DNA crosslinking, thereby preventing cellular division. They are used in the treatment of psoriasis and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma among other skin and blood diseases. We have investigated the cytotoxic potential of three psoralen derivatives plus UVA exposure (PUVA) on a established cell line of human melanoma. Cells were treated with different concentrations of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), 4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (TMP) and 7-methylpyridopsoralen (MPP), for 1 h and after exposure to UVA light (0.3 J/cm(2)) were allowed to recover over a 24-72 h period. Viability was assessed by the microculture 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay. Cisplatin, one of the most important drugs in the chemotherapy of melanoma, was included for comparative studies. All the psoralen derivatives tested were markedly cytotoxic in a dose and post-exposure-time dependent manner. The IC(50) values for 72 h of post-exposure time were as follows: MPP=0.05+/-0.01, TMP=0.13+/-0.003 and 8-MOP=10.79+/-1.85 micromol/L. Regardless of the limitations of the in vitro model, our results suggested that the lower IC(50) values of TMP and MPP might be of clinical importance.     

Detection of selenocompounds in a tryptic digest of yeast selenoprotein by MALDI time-of-flight MS prior to their structural analysis by electrospray ionization triple quadrupole MS

MALDI-TOFMS was proposed as a key technique to a novel generic approach for the speciation analysis of selenium in yeast supplements. Owing to a lower detection limit and superior matrix tolerance to electrospray MS it allowed a successful detection of selenocompounds in samples for which electrospray MS had failed. The analytical approach developed was applied to the identification of a previously unreported selenopentapeptide (m/z 596) in the tryptic digest of a water-soluble selenoprotein fraction isolated by size-exclusion chromatography. The information on the mass of the protonated molecular ion obtained from MALDI allowed the optimization of the conditions for collision induced dissociation MS using a triple quadrupole spectrometer that enabled the determination of the amino acid sequence SeMet-Asn-Ala-Gly-Arg of the selenopeptide.     

Solvent impregnated hollow fibre for a selective preconcentration of Pb(II) in an on-line determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A solvent impregnated hollow fibre (SIHF) module has been developed for the preconcentration of lead by using bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (DEHPA) dissolved in kerosene as extractant. The module has been designed for an on-line determination of trace amounts of lead(II) at mg l⁻¹ (ppm) level by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS).

The SIHF system is based on the metal liquid–liquid distribution between aqueous solutions of different acidity and the mentioned organic solution. The highest enrichment factor of Pb(II) was determined at pH=4.0 using a formic acid/formiate buffer solution.

Preconcentration experiments were carried out at low lead(II) concentration (mg l⁻¹ level) by using the SIHF module. This study includes the influence of hydrodynamic and chemical conditions on the loading and elution of Pb(II) on the SIHF, i.e., flow rate through the fibres, acidity of the eluent (as nitric acid concentration) and the chemical nature of the acid used in the elution. Breakthrough curves were determined for different sampling flow rates, 0.54 ml min⁻¹ was selected to minimise the loading volume of Pb(II) sample. 0.1 M nitric acid was chosen as eluent solution, and perchloric acid also shows appropriate elution characteristics. The degree of concentration obtained for Pb(II) are of 10 fold the original concentration. The quantification limit for Pb(II) achieved with this preconcentration system is 0.17 mg l⁻¹.

The results obtained indicate that the SIHF system can be applied for on-line determination of trace amounts of lead(II) by FAAS.     

The Dirichlet Problem for the Total Variation Flow

We introduce a new concept of solution for the Dirichlet problem for the total variational flow named entropy solution. Using Kruzhkov's method of doubling variables both in space and in time we prove uniqueness and a comparison principle in L¹ for entropy solutions. To prove the existence we use the nonlinear semigroup theory and we show that when the initial and boundary data are nonnegative the semigroup solutions are strong solutions.     

Affinity capture using chimeric membrane proteins bound to magnetic beads for rapid ligand screening by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

The rapid and specific detection of therapeutically important ligands in complex mixtures, that may bind to membrane proteins, remains challenging for many research laboratories and pharmaceutical industries. Through its use in the development of screening assays, mass spectrometry (MS) is currently experiencing a period of tremendous expansion. In the study presented here, we took advantage of the remarkable stability properties of a bacterial membrane protein, the KcsA K⁺ channel, produced in E. coli and purified as a tetrameric protein in the presence of a detergent. This membrane protein can subserve as a molecular template to display the pore‐forming region of human K⁺ channels, which are considered as targets in the search for inhibitory ligands. The engineered chimeric proteins were linked to metal‐bound magnetic beads, for the screening of complex peptide mixtures, such as that of scorpion venoms. The affinity‐captured scorpion toxins were eluted prior to matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOFMS), and to nano‐electrospray ionization tandem mass QqTOF mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis. The de novo sequence of the toxins was deduced by combining the MS/MS fragmentation of the reduced form (up to the 33 first residues) and the trypsin digest peptides of the native toxins. This affinity‐capture screening assay led to the isolation and characterization of potent and specific ligands of the human K⁺ channel, Kv1.3. The affinity‐capture procedure is fast and reproducible. When linked to magnetic beads, the chimeric membrane protein can be re‐used several times without losing any of its selectivity or specificity. This assay also benefits from the fact that it requires minimal amounts of animal venoms or complex mixtures, which can be expensive or difficult to procure. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.