Anionic copper complex fragmentations from enkephalins under low-energy collision-induced dissociation in an ion trap mass spectrometer

Peptide metallation with Cu2+ was explored in the negative ESI mode using an ion trap mass spectrometer. Under these conditions, the [(M-3H) + CuII]- species formed were investigated under low-energy collision-induced dissociation conditions. MS2 experiments indicate a very different behavior of CuII metallated complexes compared with [M-H]- species. CuII induces an easy loss of CO2 and specific side-chain cleavages (by radical losses) at the C-terminal residue, as observed previously by prompt 'in source' dissociation experiments. The loss of CO2 yields an unstable carbylide that leads to further dissociations involving the migration of a proton or a hydrogen radical (through the reduction of CuII). Multistage MS3 experiments were carried out to rationalize this behavior. Fragmentation pathways are proposed in order to explain the product ions observed. The side-chain radical loss at the C-terminus was demonstrated to be a consecutive process. Finally, evidence is provided that the specific side-chain cleavages can be used for the differentiation of Leu/Ile and Gln/Lys residues when they are located at the C-terminus. The existence of a zwitterionic form in the case of the anionic YGGFK-CuII complex is proposed.     

A study of the mechanism of response of liquid ion exchanger calcium selective electrodes: Part III. Membrane behaviour under non-zero current conditions

The I-E response of the liquid membrane of the calcium selective electrode is studied under constant or linearly varying current and voltage. An increase in the membrane resistance, recorded when an electrical current crosses the membrane, is due to the outflow of Cl^? ions initially present in the membrane. When calcium ions are replaced by alkaline ions inside the membrane at constant current, the decrease of the membrane resistance due to an ion exchange is in agreement with the conductivity measurements (Part II). When the applied voltage is imposed besides the ion exchange one must take into account the interfacial overpotential to explain the important rectification effect observed. The interfacial transfer constant rate of alkaline ions seems greater than that of Ca²⁺ ion.     

Specific influence of univalent cations on the ionization of alumina-coated TiO2 particles and on the adsorption of poly(acrylic)acid

A surface counterion titration method was used to monitor the interaction of monovalents cations (Li(+), Na(+), TMA(+)) with the surface of alumina-coated TiO(2) particles in concentrated media at different pH and electrolyte concentrations. This method allows measuring separately the negative and positive contribution to the surface charge. It showed that Cl(-) and TMA(+) are indifferent ions, but Li(+) and Na(+) specifically adsorb on the non-ionized alumina surface sites. The binding sequence of cations is Li(+)>Na(+)>TMA(+) at all ionic strengths investigated and is consistent with the structure-making and structure-breaking model developed a few decades ago. Polyacrylic acid (PAA) previously neutralized with the corresponding hydroxide (LiOH, NaOH, TMAOH) has been adsorbed on the alumina surface at different pH. The polymer counterion has a significant influence on the polymer adsorption. The sequence of the surface coverage as a function of the polymer counterion follows the order Li-PAA > Na-PAA > TMA-PAA. The much higher surface coverage with Li-PAA and Na-PAA compared to TMA-PAA is explained by the specific adsorption of Li-PAA and Na-PAA on the nonionized alumina surface sites, the same way LiCl and NaCl do.     

Synthesis,vibrational, and conformational properties of novel polyazadioxime chain molecules

Novel large polyazadioxime molecules 4,5,8,9-tetraaza-3,6,7,10-tetramethyl -3,5,7,9-dodecatetraene-2, 11-dione-2, 11-dioxime (H₂doxN₄) and 4,5,8,9,12, 13-hexaaza-3,6,7,10,11,14-hexamethyl-3, 5,7,9,11,13-hexadecahexane-2,15-dione-2, 15-dioxime (H₂doxN₆) were synthesized. The molecular geometries of these molecules as well as smaller dioxime molecules, H₂dox and H₂doxN₂ were optimized by using modified intermediate neglect of differential overlap (MNDO) calculations. The optimized conformations for all the molecules under study are close to the all-E, all-s trans conformation of C_2h symmetry group. However, the energy barriers of internal rotation around the N-N single bonds were found to be low. Therefore some distortions of the polyazabackbone through internal rotation the N-N bonds have been evidenced. By infrared and Raman spectroscopies in the solid state as well as in solution. From the MNDO calculations and vibrational spectroscopy, the polyaza chain molecules under study appear as a poorly conjugated system and can be represented as a sequence of single and double bond alternation.     

Synthesis and polymerization of racemic and optically active β-substituted β-propiolactones. II: β-monosubstituted and β-disubstituted monomers and polymers with different optical purities

β-(trichloromethyl)-β-propiolactone (CCl₃-PL), β-(trifluoromethyl,methyl)-β-propiolactone (CF₃, Me-PL) and β-(trifluoromethyl,ethyl)-β-propiolactone (CF₃,Et-PL) have been obtained by the reaction of ketene with chloral, 1,1,1-trifluoroacetone and 1,1,1-trifluorobutanone, respectively. Chiral catalysis lead to optically active monomers. The enantiomeric excess of the lactones has been measured by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, in the presence of 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(9-anthryl)ethanol or an europium chiral shift reagent. Polymerizations have been carried out in bulk or in toluene, at 60°C or 80°C, using mainly organometallic initiators. The Polymers become insoluble and crystalline at enantiomeric excesses over 80% for CCl₃-PL and 70% for CF₃,Me-PL. Melting temperatures were recorded from 238 to 268°C for poly(CCl₃-PL) and from 78 to 100°C for poly(CF₃,Me-PL), depending upon the molecular weight and the enantiomeric excess. The ¹³C-NMR specroscopy of poly(CCL₃-PL) indicates that the polymerization of the corresponding lactone leads to polymers of increasing degrees of isotacticity with the enantiomeric excess of the monomer.     

Differentiation of isomeric 5- and 7-oxo derivatives of tetrahydrothiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine by electron impact mass spectrometry

The electron impact mass spectra of two series of 5-oxo-tetrahydro-5H-thiazolo [3,2-a]pyrimidine-6-ethylcarboxylates and 7-oxo-tetrahydro-7H-thiazolo [3,2-a]pyrimidine-6-ethylcarboxylates were measured and fragmentation patterns examined. Structures were assigned from analysis of oxo molecular ion fragmentations. Compounds of the 5-oxo series gave an [M – CO₂C₂H₅]⁺ fragmentation whereas compounds of the 7-oxo series gave three characteristic cleavages. This decomposition was confirmed for one pair of isomers by high-resolution mass spectrometry and unimolecular mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrometry. Electron impact mass spectrometry is a convenient method for assigning structures of 5- and 7-oxo regioisomers of tetrahydrothiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxylates.     

PHOTOREACTIVATING ENZYME FROM NEUROSPORA CRASSA*

Abstract— Extracts of Neurospora crassa contain photoreactivating enzyme by the criteria of ability to split thymine-containing dimers and to increase the transforming ability of u.v.-irradiated Hemophilus influenzae DNA. The latter activity is heat-labile and is destroyed by trypsin. The action spectrum of such in vitro photoreactivation is a simple one (with a single maximum at 405 nm in the range 313 to 436 nm), differing from the more complicated in vitro spectra for yeast and Escherichia coli. However, the in vitro Neurospora spectrum coincides closely with the in vivo spectrum for this organism, suggesting that there is little or no “indirect” photoreactivation in Neurospora. It is concluded that the Neurospora photoreactivating enzyme is probably of a different type than those of yeast and Escherichia coli.     

Aquachlorobis(4,4′,4′′‐tri‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′;6′,2′′‐terpyridine‐κ3N)terbium(III) diperchlorate ethanol disolvate

In the title compound, [TbCl(C₂₇H₃₅N₃)₂(H₂O)](ClO₄)₂·2C₂H₆O, the Tb^III ion has a coordination number of eight, composed of two tridentate substituted‐ter­pyridine ligands, a water mol­ecule and a bound Cl^? anion. The first coordination shell can be described as a distorted bicapped trigonal prism. The dihedral angles between pyridine rings belonging to the same tpy ligand range from 5.2 (5) to 16.8 (5)°.     

The complex of a bivalent derivative of galanthamine with torpedo acetylcholinesterase displays drastic deformation of the active-site gorge: implications for structure-based drug design

Bifunctional derivatives of the alkaloid galanthamine, designed to interact with both the active site of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and its peripheral cation binding site, have been assayed with Torpedo californica AChE (TcAChE), and the three-dimensional structures of their complexes with the enzyme have been solved by X-ray crystallography. Differences were noted between the IC(50) values obtained for TcAChE and those for Electrophorus electricus AChE. These differences are ascribed to sequence differences in one or two residues lining the active-site gorge of the enzyme. The binding of one of the inhibitors disrupts the native conformation of one wall of the gorge, formed by the loop Trp279-Phe290. It is proposed that flexibility of this loop may permit the binding of inhibitors such as galanthamine, which are too bulky to penetrate the narrow neck of the gorge formed by Tyr121 and Phe330 as seen in the crystal structure.     

Borane-catalyzed hydroboration of substituted alkenes by lithium borohydride or sodium borohydride

In the presence of a catalytic amount of BH₃·Me₂S, TiCl₄ or Me₃SiCl, LiBH₄ or NaBH₄ are capable of hydroborating alkenes by following the unusual order of decreasing reactivity: tetramethylethylene > 1-methylcyclohexene > cyclohexene; the key step of the catalytic cycle is the exchange reaction between LiBH₄ and the mono- or dialkylboranes resulting from hydroboration of the more substituted alkenes with BH₃.