A new concept for the preparation of beta-L- and beta-D-2',3'-dideoxynucleoside analogues

[reaction: see text] A new method for the synthesis of 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside analogues has been developed. An electrochemical activation of 2-substituted furans is followed by the coupling with a pyrimidine or purine base. This gives planar furyl nucleosides as key intermediates, which are hydrogenated cis-selectively to give the corresponding beta-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides as racemic mixtures. An enzymatic kinetic resolution gives rise to beta-D- and beta-L-configured derivatives in high optical purity. This is exemplified by the synthesis of beta-D- and beta-L-3'-deoxythymidine.     

Controllable 3D atomic Brownian motor in optical lattices

We study a Brownian motor, based on cold atoms in optical lattices, where atomic motion can be induced in a controlled manner in an arbitrary direction, by rectification of isotropic random fluctuations. In contrast with ratchet mechanisms, our Brownian motor operates in a potential that is spatially and temporally symmetric, in apparent contradiction to the Curie principle. Simulations, based on the Fokker-Planck equation, allow us to gain knowledge on the qualitative behaviour of our Brownian motor. Studies of Brownian motors, and in particular ones with unique control properties, are of fundamental interest because of the role they play in protein motors and their potential applications in nanotechnology. In particular, our system opens the way to the study of quantum Brownian motors.     

Influence of metal ions on antioxidant behaviour in polypropylene

The effect of Cr(III), Fe(III) and Cu(II) ions, at trace levels, on the effectiveness of four commercial antioxidant systems, viz. Topanol, Santowhite, Hostanox 03 and Irganox 1425, in polypropylene (PP) films is examined using infra-red and second-order derivative uv spectroscopy. The results show that at these levels the metal ions have a minor effect on the unstabilised polymer. However, the ions can have a beneficial or adverse effect on antioxidant activity, particularly under oven ageing conditions. The observed effect depends on the metal/antioxidant system, and is attributed to an indirect interaction between the components which can delay or accelerate antioxidant decomposition in the polymer. An exception to this behaviour is the metal complex Irganox 1425, which interacts strongly with copper ions in the polymer matrix. The antioxidant is partially transformed by copper ions during the compression moulding stage. The beneficial effect present in some cases is in direct contrast with what has generally been observed in studies using unstabilised polymers.     

Vibrational spectra and force constants of symmetric tops: High resolution spectra of monoisotopic H3SiCl in the 2200-cm−1 region and rovibrational analysis of the ν1 and ν4 fundamentals

The gas phase infrared spectra of monoisotopic H₃Si³⁵Cl and H₃Si³⁷Cl have been studied in the $\text{ν}{}_1\text{ν}{}_4$ region near 2200 cm^?1 with a resolution of 0.012 and 0.04 cm^?1, respectively, and rotational fine structure for ΔJ = ±1 branches has been resolved. In addition, some information on ν₃ + ν₄ of H₃Si³⁵Cl near 2750 cm^?1 has been obtained. ν₁ and ν₄ are weakly coupled by Coriolis x, y resonance, $\text{B}\text{Ω}{}_{14}\text{ζ}{}_{14}\text{～ 2 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}\text{cm}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$, only the upper states K′ = 2, l = 0 and K′ = 1, l = ?1 being substantially affected. Local perturbation due to rotational l(±1, ±1)-type resonance with ν₃ + ν₅⁺¹ + ν₆⁺¹ and ν₃ + ν₅⁺¹ + ν₆^?1 is revealed in the ΔK = +1 and ?1 branches, respectively. From a fit of the experimental line positions, standard deviations of 1.4 and 3.8 × 10^?3 cm^?1, respectively, to a model with five interacting levels conventional excited state parameters and interaction constants have been obtained. In $\text{H}{}_3\text{Si}{}^{35}\text{Cl}\text{H}{}_3\text{Si}{}^{37}\text{Cl}$ the fundamentals are ν₁, $\text{2201.94380(15)}\text{2201.9345(7)}$ and ν₄, $\text{2209.63862(8)}\text{2209.6254(2)}\text{cm}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$, respectively. Q branches of the “hot” band (ν₃ + ν₄) ? ν₃ and of ν₄ of the ²⁹Si and ³⁰Si species have been detected.     

Oligofunctional amphiphiles featuring geometric core group preorganization: synthesis and study of Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films

Based on the principle of supramolecular preorganization, a new type of oligofunctional amphiphile, of which compounds 1-4 are representative structures, has been designed and synthesized. The typical feature of their structure is a highly rigid and geometrically well-defined central unit composed of ethynylene substituted aromatic spacers with different numbers of amphiphilic segment groups (also of a rigid geometric design) attached to it. The molecules form well-defined Langmuir films when spread from a solution at the air/water interface or when a 10(-4) M aqueous CaCl2 solution was used as the subphase. By analysis of the surface pressure-surface area (pi-A) isotherms, information on the packing behavior and orientation of the amphiphilic molecules depending on the molecular structure could be obtained. Morphological characterization of the dynamic process of monolayer compression at the air/water interface was carried out by Brewster angle microscopy, illustrating several phase states visualized as snap shots. Thin monolayer films produced on a 10(-4) M aqueous CaCl2 subphase can be transferred to a mica solid support by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Tapping mode atomic force microscopy reveals a surface topography of the monofilms composed of 1 and 3 that differ in roughness and also in the properties of elasticity, hardness and adhesive strength. X-Ray crystal structure analysis of three relevant intermediate compounds of the synthesis were successfully determined giving an indication of the potential structural features inherent in the new amphiphiles.     

Four-color fluorescence correlation spectroscopy realized in a grating-based detection platform

We have developed a filterless multicolor detection unit for fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). This grating-based setup is continuously tunable for multicolor separation and is thus a powerful alternative to the classical cascade of dichroic mirrors and filters. Our tailored platform allows for accommodation of up to 15 detection channels covering the entire visible spectral range. As a proof of principle, we successfully demonstrate simultaneous FCS of four distinct fluorescent quantum dot species being mixed in aqueous solution. Grating-based detection allows for spectral high-resolution FCS in a stable and compact setup and is a feasible tool for quantitative investigation of complexbiomolecular dynamics on a single molecule level.