Biosynthesis of flavocoenzymes

The biosynthesis of one riboflavin molecule requires one molecule of GTP and two molecules of ribulose 5-phosphate. The imidazole ring of GTP is hydrolytically opened, yielding a 2,5-diaminopyrimidine that is converted to 5-amino-6-ribitylamino-2,4(1H,3H)-pyrimidinedione by a sequence of deamination, side chain reduction, and dephosphorylation. Condensation of 5-amino-6-ribitylamino-2,4(1H,3H)-pyrimidinedione with 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate obtained from ribulose 5-phosphate affords 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine. Dismutation of the lumazine derivative yields riboflavin and 5-amino-6-ribitylamino-2,4(1H,3H)-pyrimidinedione, which is recycled in the biosynthetic pathway. The enzymes of the riboflavin pathway are potential targets for antibacterial agents.     

In situ soft X-ray studies of ethylene oxidation mechanisms and intermediates on the Pt(111) surface

In situ studies of ethylene oxidation on Pt(111) have been performed using a powerful combination of fluorescence yield soft X-ray methods for temperatures up to 600 K and oxygen pressures up to 0.01 Torr. Absolute carbon coverages have been determined both in steady-state and dynamic catalytic conditions on the Pt(111) surface. Fluorescence yield near-edge spectroscopy (FYNES) and temperature-programmed fluorescence yield near-edge spectroscopy (TP-FYNES) experiments above the carbon K edge were used to identify the structure and bonding of the dominant surface species during oxidation. TP-FYNES experiments of preadsorbed ethylene coverages in oxygen pressures up to 0.01 Torr indicate a stable intermediate is formed over the 215-300 K temperature range. By comparing the intensity of the C-H sigma resonance at the magic angle with the intensity in the carbon continuum, the stoichiometry of this intermediate has been determined explicitly. Based on calibration with known C-H stoichiometries, the intermediate has a C(2)H(3) stoichiometry for oxygen pressures up to 0.01 Torr, indicating oxydehydrogenation occurs before skeletal oxidation. FYNES spectra at normal and glancing incidences were performed to characterize the structure and bonding of this intermediate. Using FYNES spectra of ethylene, ethylidyne, and acetylene as reference standard, this procedure indicates the oxidation intermediate is tri-sigma vinyl. Thus, oxidation of ethylene proceeds through a vinyl intermediate, with oxydehydrogenation preceding skeletal oxidation.     

Probing the surface polarity of native celluloses using genuine solvatochromic dyes

The surface polarity of native celluloses has been investigated by the following solvatochromic dyes: dicyano-bis (1,10)-phenanthroline iron (II) Fe(phen)2 (CN)2 (1), bis(4-N,N-dimethylamino)-benzophenone (2), and cou-marine 153 (3). Linear Solvation Energy (LSE) relationships and the UV/Vis data have been used to characterize the surface polarity of different native cellulose batches in terms of the empirical Kamlet–Taft polarity parameters (hydrogen bond acidity), (hydrogen bond basicity), and * (dipolarity/polarizability). , , *and calculated Reichardt's E T (30) values are reported for various native and regenerated cellulose samples with different degrees of crystallinity. The degree of crystallinity of the cellulose samples has been determined by X-ray. The microcrystalline environment of cellulose can be exactly parameterized in terms of the , and *values. It shows a fairly strong acidity and a low dipolarity/polarizability. For the amorphous sections smaller and larger * values are observed. The correspondence of the empirical polarity parameters determined has been discussed in relation to results from pyrene fluorescence and zetapotential measurements.     

Tritium in Lebensmitteln

To investigate the natural tritium content of foods a combustion apparatus was developed, in which nearly 100 ml of water are obtained in one operation from foods of any composition. To measure the tritium activity of this combustion water in the liquid scintillation spectrometer, the interfering combustion products are removed by distillation. The construction and operation of the combustion apparatus and of the water purification system are described.     

Micelle studies using a metal ion/murexide indicator system

Summary Complex formation between divalent metal ions and the hydrophilic murexide anion in the presence of anionic micelles has been employed to study aspects of micelle formation, the binding of divalent metal ions to micelles, and the kinetics of metal-complex formation in the presence of micelles.

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Zusammenfassung Die Komplexbildung zweiwertiger Metallionen mit dem hydrophilen Indikator Murexid wurde in Gegenwart anionischer Mizellen untersucht. Die Indikatorreaktion wurde benutzt, um Aussagen über Mizellbildung, Bindung zweiwertiger Metallionen an Mizellen und die Kinetik der Metallkomplexbildung bei Anwesenheit von Mizellen zu erhalten.

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With 8 figures and 1 table

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Dedicated to Prof.G. Rehage on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

Natriumkomplexe mit Salicylideniminen: Synthesen,Strukturen, CO2‐Aufnahme und Carboxylierung von 2‐Fluorpropiophenon bzw. Estronmethylether

Chiral salicylidenphenethylamines (R)‐HA or (S)‐HA , 2‐salicylidenfurfuryl‐imines HB , and 2‐salicylidenaminoethanol HC react with sodium hydride or sodium hexamethyldisilylamide to form the sodium complexes [Na(R)‐A] ₄ · 0,5 Et ₂ , [Na(S)‐A] ₄ · 0,5 Et ₂ O (1) , [NaB] ₄ · 0,5 Ph‐Me (2) and [(dme)NaC] ₄ (3) . In the presence of 18‐crown‐6 the complex [Na(18‐crown‐6)(thf) ₂ ] ₂ [Na ₂ (C)] ₄ · THF (4) can also be isolated. The crystal structure analyses of both 1 and 2 show that heterocubane structures with a Na₄O₄ frame work are formed. Additionally, the imine nitrogen atom is bonded at the Na atom which has the coordination number 4 in 1 . Additional coordination of the furfuryl oxygen atom results in the coordination number five for the sodium atom in 2 . In 3 which is also a tetramer, two Na₂O₂ units are connected via two imino‐ethanol bridges Na(1)‐N(=CH‐phenolat)‐CH₂CH₂‐OH‐Na(2A). The crystal structure analysis displays that 4 is an ionic compound consisting of two [(thf)₂Na(18‐crown‐6)]⁺ cations and the dinuclear dianion [Na ₂ (C) ₄ ] ^2? . Both 1 and 2 are carboxylation reagents which transfer CO₂ to 2‐fluoropropiophenone. 1 is more active than 2 , but 3 and 4 are inactive.     

The cell-penetrating peptide TAT(48-60) induces a non-lamellar phase in DMPC membranes.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are short polycationic sequences that can translocate into cells without disintegrating the plasma membrane. CPPs are useful tools for delivering cargo, but their molecular mechanism of crossing the lipid bilayer remains unclear. Here we study the interaction of the HIV-derived CPP TAT (48-60) with model membranes by solid-state NMR spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The peptide induces a pronounced isotropic (31)P NMR signal in zwitterionic DMPC, but not in anionic DMPG bilayers. Octaarginine and to a lesser extent octalysine have the same effect, in contrast to other cationic amphiphilic membrane-active peptides. The observed non-lamellar lipid morphology is attributed to specific interactions of polycationic peptides with phosphocholine head groups, rather than to electrostatic interactions. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy indicates that TAT(48-60) induces the formation of rodlike, presumably inverted micelles in DMPC, which may represent intermediates during the translocation across eukaryotic membranes.     

Chemie der Pleuromutiline, 10. Mitt.: 1,2-Transposition der Carbonylfunktion im Cyclopentanonteil des tricyclischen Gerüstes

2-Hydroxy-19,20-dihydropleuromutilin (10) undergoes a stereospecific ketolisomerisation when treated with base under phase/transfer conditions (11, 12). The subsequent reductive elimination of the 3-acetoxygroup afforded mutilin with a 1,2-transposed ketofunction (13).

     

Field-induced structural ordering in electrorheological fluids

Structural relaxations of an electrorheological fluid (ERF) due to changes in the applied electrical field strength or shear rate are observed on time scales 1 s<t<40 000 s. Commercial ERFs consisting of mesoscopic polyurethane particles in a silicone oil matrix were studied by three different experimental techniques in order to obtain and compare the characteristic relaxation times. It is demonstrated that dielectric spectroscopy, viscosimetry and light transmission experiments represent the same results concerning the structural relaxation phenomena of ERFs when electrical fields are applied. The tendency of strong induced dipoles to align the particles in the direction of the field increases the effective dipole moment and therefore , the shear viscosity and the amount of light transmitted along the field direction in an ITO/glass sandwich cell. The optical experiment is capable of resolving fast processes within the first 1 ms if large electrical fields are applied. The effects of electrophoresis and shearing, which both counteract the field induced structures, are also addressed.