Relaxation response of polymers containing highly flexible side groups monitored by broadband dielectric spectroscopy

The relaxation behavior of poly(5-acryloxymethyl-5-methyl-1,3-dioxacyclohexane), a polymer containing highly flexible side groups, is studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency and temperature ranges 10(-1)-10(9) Hz and 123-473 K, respectively. Above the glass transition temperature T(g) the dielectric loss in the frequency domain exhibits a prominent alpha absorption, followed in increasing order of frequencies by two secondary absorptions called beta and gamma. At temperatures slightly higher than T(g), the a relaxation is well separated from the beta, but as temperature increases overlapping between both relaxations augments forming an alphabeta absorption in the vicinity of 420 K. This latter absorption displays a shoulder on its high-frequency side corresponding to the y relaxation. The strength of the a relaxation decreases with increasing temperature, eventually vanishing at the temperature at which the alphabeta absorption is formed. The time retardation spectra of the isotherms are calculated and further used to facilitate the deconvolution of the overlapping relaxations. The fact that the temperature dependence of the beta relaxation also describes that of the alphabeta absorption suggests that both relaxations have the same nature. It seems that as temperature increases, the a relaxation feeds on the beta absorption until its complete disappearance. The gamma relaxation, in turn, seems to increase at the expense of the alphabeta process at high temperature.     

Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) as a Useful Tool for Fast Evaluation of Anion and Cation Complexation Abilities of a Cyclam Derivative

Electrospray ionization mass espectrometry (ESI-MS) has been used for the study of a cyclam derivative noncovalent interactions. At acidic pH, diprotonated macrocycle bound to different anionic species were observed. The selectivity shown by competitive experiments is rationalized with the help of semiempirical theoretical calculations. At basic pH, the base peak corresponded to the macrocycle-alkaline metal complexes, and again competition experiments showed different binding strength. Finally, experiments carried out in the presence of transition metal salts allowed the detection of the complexes present in the mixture and revealed their different kinetic behavior.     

Biocatalytic approaches toward the synthesis of both enantiomers of trans-cyclopentane-1,2-diamine

[reaction: see text] A lipase-catalyzed double monoaminolysis of dimethyl malonate by (+/-)-trans-cyclopentane-1,2-diamine allows the sequential resolution of the latter compound, affording an enantiopure bis(amidoester), which is subsequently transformed into an optically active polyamine. As an alternative, both enantiomers of the diamine can be obtained from enantiopure (+)- or (-)-2-aminocyclopentanol, prepared by enzymatic resolution.     

On Transition Structures for Hydride Transfer Step in Enzyme Catalysis. A Comparative Study on Models of Glutathione Reductase Derived from Semiempirical, HF, and DFT Methods

As a model of the chemical reactions that take place in the active site of gluthatione reductase, the nature of the molecular mechanism for the hydride transfer step has been characterized by means of accurate quantum chemical characterizations of transition structures. The calculations have been carried out with analytical gradients at AM1 and PM3 semiempirical procedures, ab initio at HF level with 3-21G, 4-31G, 6-31G, and 6-31G basis sets and BP86 and BLYP as density functional methods. The results of this study suggest that the endo relative orientation on the substrate imposed by the active site is optimal in polarizing the C4-Ht bond and situating the system in the neighborhood of the quadratic region of the transition structure associated to the hydride transfer step on potential energy surface. The endo arrangement of the transition structure results in optimal frontier HOMO orbital interaction between NADH and FAD partners. The geometries of the transition structures and the corresponding transition vectors, that contain the fundamental information relating reactive fluctuation patterns, are model independent and weakly dependent on the level of theory used to determine them. A comparison between simple and complex molecular models shows that there is a minimal set of coordinates describing the essentials of hydride transfer step. The analysis of transition vector components suggests that the primary and secondary kinetic isotope effects can be strongly coupled, and this prompted the calculation of deuterium and tritium primary, secondary, and primary and secondary kinetic isotope effects. The results obtained agree well with experimental data and demonstrate this coupling.     

The reaction of β-aminoenones with substituted acetonitriles. Regiospecific synthesis of 2(1H)-pyridones

Unsymmetrically substituted β-aminoenones react with malononitrile, cyanomethylphenylsulfone, benzoyl-acetonitrile and ethyl cyanoacetate, in very mild conditions, to yield regiospecifically 3-functionalized 2(1H)-pyridones in high yields.     

(Fluoren-9-ylidene)methanedithiolato complexes of platinum: synthesis, reactivity, and luminescence

Platinum(II) complexes with (fluoren-9-ylidene)methanedithiolato and its 2,7-di-tert-butyl- and 2,7-dimethoxy-substituted analogues were obtained by reacting different chloroplatinum(II) precursors with the piperidinium dithioates (pipH)[(2,7-R2C12H6)CHCS2] [R = H (1a), t-Bu (1b), or OMe (1c)] in the presence of piperidine. The anionic complexes Q2[Pt{S(2)C=C(C12H6R(2)-2,7)}2] [R = H, (Pr(4)N)(2)2a; R = t-Bu, (Pr4N)(2)2b, (Et4N)(2)2b; R = OMe, (Pr4N)(2)2c] were prepared from PtCl(2), piperidine, the corresponding QCl salt, and 1a-c in molar ratio 1:2:2:2. In the absence of QCl, the complexes (pipH)(2)2b and [Pt(pip)(4)]2b were isolated depending on the PtCl(2):pip molar ratio. The neutral complexes [Pt{S2C=C(C12H6R(2)-2,7)L(2)] [L = PPh(3), R = H (3a), t-Bu (3b), OMe (3c); L = PEt(3), R = H (4a), t-Bu (4b), OMe (4c); L(2) = dbbpy, R = H (5a), t-Bu (5b), OMe (5c) (dbbpy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridyl)] were similarly prepared from the corresponding precursors [PtCl2L2] and 1a-c in the presence of piperidine. Oxidation of Q(2)2b with [FeCp2]PF6 afforded the mixed Pt(II)-Pt(IV) complex Q2[Pt2{S2C=C[C12H6(t-Bu)(2)-2,7]}4] (Q(2)6, Q = Et4N+, Pr4N+). The protonation of (Pr4N)(2)2b with 2 equiv of triflic acid gave the neutral dithioato complex [Pt2{S2CCH[C12H6(t-Bu)(2)-2,7]}4] (7). The same reaction in 1:1 molar ratio gave the mixed dithiolato/dithioato complex Pr4N[Pt{S2C=C[C12H6(t-Bu)(2)-2,7]}{S2CCH[C12H6(t-Bu)(2)-2,7]}] (Pr(4)N8) while the corresponding DMANH+ salt was obtained by treating 7 with 2 equiv of 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene (DMAN). The crystal structures of 3b and 5c.CH2Cl2 have been solved by X-ray crystallography. All the platinum complexes are photoluminescent at 77 K in CH2Cl2 or KBr matrix, except for Q(2)6. Compounds 5a-c and Q8 show room-temperature luminescence in fluid solution. The electronic absorption and emission spectra of the dithiolato complexes reveal charge-transfer absorption and emission energies which are significantly lower than those of analogous platinum complexes with previously described 1,1-ethylenedithiolato ligands and in most cases compare well to those of 1,2-dithiolene complexes.     

Synthesis of monoacyl A-ring precursors of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 through selective enzymatic hydrolysis

An efficient synthesis of monoacylated 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 A-ring precursors 15, 16, 18, and 19 has been described through an enzymatic hydrolysis process. Candida antarctica A lipase (CAL-A) hydrolyzes the C-5 acetate ester in trans stereoisomers 9 and 13, with complete and high selectivity, respectively. In the case of cis isomers 11 and 14, Chromobacterium viscosum lipase (CVL) is the enzyme of choice, exhibiting opposite selectivity for these two enantiomers. This lipase selectively catalyzes the hydrolysis at the C-3 acetate in diester 11 and at C-5 position in diester 14. It is noteworthy that through a hydrolysis reaction CAL-A and CVL allow the synthesis of the four A-ring monoacetylated precursors of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, precursors which are complementary to those obtained by the enzymatic acylation process. In addition, with excellent yield CVL selectively hydrolyzes the C-3 chloroacetate ester instead of the C-5 acetate in diester 22, a key intermediate in the synthesis of new A-ring modified 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 analogues.     

Stability of tin etiopurpurin

Formulations of the tin etiopurpurin (SnET2) have been observed to undergo a spectral change on storage in dimethylformamide solution. This results in an alteration in the action spectrum, with enhanced photodynamic activity at lower wavelengths and decreased activity at 660 nm. On the basis of structural considerations, a reduced analog of SnET2 was prepared with an absorbance maximum at 640 nm. Formation of this product, termed SnET2H(2) relieves steric strain inherent in the parent molecule. Nuclear magnetic resonance, spectral and photodynamic data are consistent with the formation of SnET2H(2) during SnET2 storage. Slight modifications in the original synthesis are also reported, resulting in improved yields of intermediate products.     

Copper-catalyzed dimerization of chromium Fischer carbene complexes: synthesis of dialkoxytrienes and their Nazarov-type cyclization to 2-alkoxy-2-cyclopentenones

Fischer carbene complexes 1 underwent a clean ligand dimerization reaction yielding functionalized olefins and trienes 4 in the presence of copper (I) catalysts. If treated with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), trienes 4c, d, f undergo a cyclization process (Nazarov reaction) which furnishes cyclopentenone derivatives 6c, d, 7c, d and 8 in good yields. Finally, the Fischer aminocarbene 9 efficiently cyclodimerizes to the substituted arene 10 in the presence of CuBr.