4‐(2‐Hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine and the 2‐(2,3‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐, 2‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐ and 2‐(2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐substituted derivatives

The 1,5‐benzodiazepine ring system exhibits a puckered boat‐like conformation for all four title compounds [4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₁H₁₈N₂O, (I), 2‐(2,3‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₃H₂₂N₂O₃, (II), 2‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₃H₂₂N₂O₃, (III), and 2‐(2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₃H₂₂N₂O₃, (IV)]. The stereochemical correlation of the two C₆ aromatic groups with respect to the benzodiazepine ring system is pseudo‐equatorial–equatorial for compounds (I) (the phenyl group), (II) (the 2,3‐dimethoxyphenyl group) and (III) (the 3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl group), while for (IV) (the 2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl group) the system is pseudo‐axial–equatorial. An intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl OH group and a benzodiazepine N atom is present for all four compounds and defines a six‐membered ring, whose geometry is constant across the series. Although the molecular structures are similar, the supramolecular packing is different; compounds (I) and (IV) form chains, while (II) forms dimeric units and (III) displays a layered structure. The packing seems to depend on at least two factors: (i) the nature of the atoms defining the hydrogen bond and (ii) the number of intermolecular interactions of the types O—H...O, N—H...O, N—H...π(arene) or C—H...π(arene).     

Salt Stress Proteins Identified by a Functional Approach in Yeast

We have performed functional genomics of salt stress by overexpression of gene libraries in yeast and selection for salt tolerance. Thirty halotolerance genes were isolated from yeast, Arabidopsis, and sugar beet. The results indicate that Na⁺ transport (uptake, efflux, and compartmentation), sulfate activation, RNA processing, and protein synthesis are crucial for salt tolerance.     

A pyrazine bis‐adduct of a binuclear rhodium(II) carboxylate containing 3,4,5‐triethoxybenzoate as the ­equatorial ligand

The title compound, tetrakis(μ‐3,4,5‐triethoxy­benzoato‐κ²O:O′)­bis­[(pyrazine‐κN)­rhodium(II)](Rh—Rh), [Rh₂(C₁₃H₁₇O₅)₄(C₄H₄N₂)₂], crystallizes on an inversion centre in the triclinic space group . The equatorial carboxyl­ate ligands bridge the two Rh^II atoms, giving a binuclear lantern‐like structure. The pyrazine mol­ecules occupy the two axial coordination sites. The phenyl rings are tilted by ca 10° with respect to the attached carboxyl­ate groups. The pyrazine planes have a torsion angle of ca 19° around the Rh—N bond with respect to the plane of the nearer carboxyl­ate group and are not coplanar with the Rh—Rh bond.     

Novel titanocene anti-cancer drugs derived from fulvenes and titanium dichloride

Starting from 6-(p−N,N-dimethylanilinyl)fulvene (1a) or 6-(pentamethylphenyl)fulvene (1b) [1,2-di(cyclopentadienyl)-1,2-di(p−N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)ethanediyl] titanium dichloride (2a) and [1,2-di(cyclopentadienyl)-1,2-bis(pentamethylphenyl)ethanediyl] titanium dichloride (2b) and their corresponding dithiocyanato complexes (3a, 3b) were synthesized. Titanocene 2b did not show a cytotoxic effect, but when 2a was tested against pig kidney carcinoma cells (LLC-PK) or human ovarian carcinoma cells (A2780/cp70) inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) of 2.7 × 10⁻⁴ and 1.9 ×  10⁻⁴ M, respectively, were observed.     

Stereocontrolled diels-alder cycloadditions of sugar-derived dihydropyranones with dienes

2-Acetoxy-3,4-di-O-acetyl-D-arabinal (6), similar to its D-xylo analogue 4, reacted with benzyl alcohol by the tin(IV) chloride-promoted glycosylation to produce optically active (S)-2-benzyloxy-2H-pyran-3(6H)-one (8a). The L-arabinal derivative (5) gave 9a, the dihydropyranone enantiomer of 8a. These results indicated that the configuration of the C-4 stereocenter in the starting glycal defines the configuration of the new chiral center in the resulting dihydropyranone. The influence of other catalysts (BF(3) or iodine) employed for the glycosylation on the optical purity of the dihydropyranone was studied. Enantiomerically pure dihydropyranones 8b and 9c were obtained using chiral alcohols ((R)- and (S)-2-octanol, respectively) as glycosylating agents. Compounds 8a,b and 9a,c proved to be reactive dienophiles in thermal and Lewis acid-promoted Diels-Alder reactions. The addition of 2,3-dimethylbutadiene, cyclopentadiene, and 1,3-cyclohexadiene to the beta-pyranones 8a,b led to the corresponding adducts 10a,b, 12a,b, and 16a,b as major products. Enantiomeric cycloadducts were synthesized from the alpha-pyranones 9a,c. The main products were formed by highly facial-diastereoselective addition of dienes to the pyranone ring, guided by the sterical hindrance of the alkoxy substituent of the C-2 stereocenter. As cycloadditions with cycloalkadienes were also highly endo diastereoselective, these reactions gave access to pure tetrahydrobenzopyranones that carry a multitude of stereogenic centers installed in a predictable way.     

Deuterium spin probes of side-chain dynamics in proteins. 1. Measurement of five relaxation rates per deuteron in (13)C-labeled and fractionally (2)H-enriched proteins in solution

New pulse sequences are presented for the measurement of the relaxation of deuterium double quantum, quadrupolar order, and transverse antiphase magnetization in (13)CH(2)D methyl groups of (15)N-, (13)C-labeled, fractionally deuterated proteins. Together with previously developed experiments for measuring deuterium longitudinal and transverse decay rates [Muhandiram, D. R.; Yamazaki, T.; Sykes, B. D.; Kay, L. E. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 11536], these schemes allow measurement of the five unique decay constants of a single deuteron, providing an unprecedented opportunity to investigate side-chain dynamics in proteins. All five deuterium relaxation rates have been measured for deuterons in the methyl groups of the B1 immunoglobulin binding domain of peptostreptococcal protein L and the N-terminal SH3 domain from the protein drk. Since values of the spectral density function at only three different frequencies contribute to the five relaxation rates, the self-consistency of the relaxation data is readily established. Very good agreement is obtained between calculated parameters describing the amplitudes and time scales of motion when different subsets of the relaxation data are employed.     

A liquid crystal derived from ­ruthenium(II,III) and a long‐chain carboxylate

The title compound, catena‐poly[[tetrakis(μ‐decanoato‐κ²O:O′)diruthenium(II,III)(Ru—Ru)]‐μ‐octanesulfonato‐κ²O:O′], [Ru₂(C₁₀H₁₉O₂)₄(C₈H₁₇O₃S)], is an octane­sulfonate derivative of the mixed‐valence complex diruthenium tetradecanoate. The equatorial carboxyl­ate ligands are bidentate, bridging two Ru atoms to form a dinuclear structure. Each of the two independent dinuclear metal complexes in the asymmetric unit is located at an inversion centre. The octane­sulfonate anion bridges the two dinuclear units through axial coordination. The alkyl chains of the carboxyl­ate and sulfonate ligands are arranged in a parallel manner. The global structure can be seen as infinite chains of polar moieties separated by a double layer of non‐polar alkyl groups, without interdigitation of the alkyl chains.     

Esters flash point prediction using artificial neural networks

In this article, an artificial neural network to predict the flash point of 95 esters was implemented. Four variables were used for its development. A neural network with 4‐5‐8‐5‐1 topology was encountered to gain the best agreement of the experimental results with those predicted (square correlation coefficient (R²) and root mean square error were 0.99 and 5.46 K for the training phase and 0.96 and 13.02 K for the testing set). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Microwave spectrum and Structure of Benzenesulphonyl chloride

The microwave spectrum has been investigated for the molecule of Benzenesulphonyl chloride within the 8–18 Ghz frequency region. Several a and b type bands corresponding to the Cl³⁵ and Cl³⁷ Isotopes were observed and assigned.

We have also used the CNDO/2 method in order to estimate some molecular parameters and the dipole moment. The theoretical calculation and the experimental data have been joined to derive a reliable structure of the molecule concluding that the Cl is located on the plane of the benzene ring.