The synthesis of “stretched-out” analogs of lumazine, 6,7-dimethyllumazine and 2-amino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-6,7-dimethyl-4-pteridinone

The synthesis of pyrazino[2,3-g]quinazolin-2,4-(1H,3H)dione ( 4 ) and its 7,8-dimethyl derivative ( 5 ), as linear benzo-separated lumazines, is reported. Also described is the preparation of 2-amino-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-7,8-dimethylpyrazino[2,3-g]quinazolin-4-one ( 6 ), as a linear benzo-separated analog of a synthetic cofactor for phenylalanine hydroxylase. All of the syntheses began with ethyl 2,4,5-triaminobenzoate ( 8 ) and proceeded through the appropriate derivatives of ethyl 6-aminoquinoxaline-7-carboxylate ( 9, 10 , and 11 ) which were subsequently ring closed to 4, 5 , and 6 .     

The thermal decomposition of ammonium metavanadate,I

The stoichiometry of the various stages involved in the thermal decomposition of ammonium metavanadate has been shown to correspond to a stepwise decrease in the ratio of ammonia and water to V₂O₅, with V₂O₅ being the final product in vacuum, in air and in argon. In ammonia, VO₂ is formed. The actual stages and intermediates are dependent upon the prevailing atmosphere. Chemical analyses, together with infrared absorption spectra and X-ray powder data, have enabled the intermediates and products to be characterized and the structural changes involved in the decomposition to be discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Es wurde gezeigt, daß die verschiedenen Stufen in der thermischen Zersetzung von Ammoniummetavanadat dem stufenweisen stöchiometrischen Verlust von Ammonia und Wasser entsprechen. In Vakuum, Sauerstoff und Argon ist V₂O₅, in Ammoniak VO₂ das Endprodukt. Die Zwischenprodukte der einzelnen Stufen sind von der umgebenden Gasatmosphäre abhängig. Durch chemische, infrarot- und röntgenspektroskopische Analyse gelang es, diese zu charakterisieren und so die durch die Zersetzung hervorgerufenen strukturellen Umlagerungen zu deuten.

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Résumé On montre que les différentes étapes de la décomposition thermique du métavanadate d'ammonium correspondent à la diminution progressive de l'eau et de l'ammoniac par rapport à V₂O₅; cet oxyde constitue le produit final dans le vide, dans l'air et dans l'argon. Dans l'ammoniac, c'est VO₂ qui se forme. Les étapes respectives et les intermédiaires dépendent de l'atmosphère qui prévaut. A l'aide de l'analyse chimique, des spectres d'absorption infrarouge et des données de rayons X sur poudre, on a pu caractériser les intermédiaires et les produits formés, ainsi que les changements structuraux provoqués par la décomposition.

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, V₂O₅. , V₂O₅. . , , .

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We wish to acknowledge helpful comments from Prof. L. Glasser and Dr. N. H. Agnew and financial support from the National Institute for Metallurgy, Johannesburg, South Africa.     

Syntheses and degradations of fluorinated heterocyclics III. Perfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkylether-1,3,4-oxadiazoles

2,5-Bis(perfluoro-n-heptyl)-, 2-perfluoroalkylether-5-perfluoro-n-heptyl-, and 2,5-bisperfluoroalkylether-1,3,4-oxadiazoles were synthesized and characterized. 2,5-Bis(perfluoro-n-heptyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole was thermally and hydrolytically stable at 325°C; however, in the presence of air, degradation took place at 235°C. The perfluoroalkylether analogue exhibited thermal and hydrolytic stability at 325°C; it was found to be unaffected by Jet-A fuel and air at 235°C. At 325°C in air some degradation occured as evidenced by volatiles production, oxygen consumption, and 96% starting material recovery.     

Identification of 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate synthase as the molecular target for the antimicrobial action of (6s)-6-fluoroshikimate

(6S)-6-Fluoroshikimate has antimicrobial activity. The molecular basis of this effect had not been identified, but there was speculation that (6S)-6-fluoroshikimate is first converted in vivo into 2-fluorochorismate, which then could inhibit 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate synthase (ADCS). 2-Fluorochorismate was prepared from E-fluorophosphoenolpyruvate and erythose-4-phosphate by the sequential reactions of DAHP synthase, dehydroquinate synthase, dehydroquinase, shikimate dehydrogenase, EPSP synthase, and chorismate synthase. Inhibition studies on ADCS showed that it was inhibited rapidly and irreversibly by 2-fluorochorismate. Electrospray mass spectrometry of the inactivated enzyme showed an additional mass of 198 +/- 10 Da. A novel peptide of 1087.6 Da was identified in the HPLC trace for the tryptic digest of 2-fluorochorismate-inactivated ADCS. Sequencing of this peptide by MS/MS showed that the peptide corresponded to residues 272-279 with a modification of 206.1 Da on Lys-274. This observation is particularly exciting in the context of a recent proposal for the catalytic mechanism of ADCS.     

An evaluation of trapping compounds used for determining14CO2 by liquid scintillation counting

Four commonly used trapping agents for scintillation counting of¹⁴CO₂ (Hyamine, Primene, ethanolamine and β-phenylethylamine) were assessed under identical conditions, the progress of trapping being measured directly by pressure changes and by liquid scintillation counting. It was found that quantitative absorption required considerably longer periods of time than those previously reported and that absorption at low¹⁴CO₂ pressures was very slow. The effects of pressure and stirring rate were also studied.     

Humic substances of surface waters : Litter and soil throughflow relationships in two forested ecosystems

Humic substances were isolated from the vegetation throughfall, soil drainage waters and adjacent stream waters at two forested sites in the Central Region of Scotland. Fractionation on XAD-8 hydrophobic resin gave three humic substance components and one hydrophilic acid fraction. Norway spruce generally gave 2–3 times more dissolved organic carbon in the litter drainage compared with Sitka spruce, although there was little qualitative difference in organic acidity between the two litterflows. The humic substances in the drainage at ca. 1 m depth (BC horizon) showed considerable differences between sites, reflecting the types of soils and sources of soil water. Phenolic acids released on hydrolysis confirm the differences between sites and may indicate the sources of subsoil water and their relationships with the stream outputs.     

Free radical rearrangements of organocobaloximes: alkynyl to cycloalkylidene and hexenyl to cyclopentylmethyl

Under irradiation by tungsten light in pyridine solution, several substituted alkylcobaloximes undergo rearrangement to more stable substituted alkyl- or alkenyl-cobaloximes. When the same reactions are carried out in the presence of carbon tetrachloride or chloroform, no rearranged organocobaloximes are obtained, but a variety of organic products are obtained derived from the interception of transient organic radicals by the halogenated solvent. The rearrangements are rationalised in terms of a reversible homolysis of the carbon-cobalt bond, rearrangement of the organic radical and recapture by the cobalt(II) fragment to give complexes that are more stable to irradiation than their precursors.     

The different steric environments of the 5-exo- and 5-endo- substituent for a pair of isomeric tricarbonyl(methoxycyclohexa-1,-diene)irons

A shift reagent has been employed to demonstrate the sterically-hindered environment of the methoxy group in tricarbonyl(5-endo-methoxycyclohexa-1,-diene)iron relative to that of the methoxy group in the 5-exo analogue.     

Resolution of the non-steady-state kinetics of the two-step mechanism for the Diels-Alder reaction between anthracene and tetracyanoethylene in acetonitrile

The Diels-Alder reaction between anthracene and tetracyanoethylene in acetonitrile does not reach a steady-state during the first half-life. The reaction follows the reversible consecutive second-order mechanism accompanied by the formation of a kinetically significant intermediate. The experimental observations consistent with this mechanism include extent of reaction-time profiles which deviate markedly from those expected for the irreversible second-order mechanism and initial pseudo first-order rate constants which differ significantly from those measured at longer times. It is concluded that the reaction intermediate giving rise to these deviations cannot be the charge-transfer (CT) complex, which is formed during the time of mixing, but rather a more intimate complex with a geometry favorable to the formation of the Diels-Alder adduct. The kinetics of the reaction were resolved into the microscopic rate constants for the individual steps. The rate constants, as shown in equation 1, at 293 K were observed to be 5.46 M(-)(1) s(-)(1) (k(f)), 14.8 s(-)(1) (k(b)), and 12.4 s(-)(1) (k(p)). Concentration profiles calculated under all conditions show that intermediate concentrations increase to maximum values early in the reaction and then continually decay during the first half-life. It is concluded that the charge-transfer complex may be an intermediate preceding the formation of the reactant complex, but due to its rapid formation and dissociation it is not detected by the kinetic measurements.