Enantioselective synthesis of 1-deoxy-d-gulonojirimycin from a phenylglycinol-derived lactam

Cyclocondensation of (R)-phenylglycinol with appropriately γ-substituted δ-oxo acid derivatives provides bicyclic lactams from which the enantioselective synthesis of 1-deoxy-d-gulonojirimycin has been reported.     

Na-montmorillonite hydrates under ethane rich reservoirs: NPzzT and muPzzT simulations

Na-montmorillonite hydrates in presence of ethane molecules are studied by means of hybrid Monte Carlo simulations in the NP(zz)T and muP(zz)T ensembles. The NP(zz)T ensemble allows us to study the interlaminar distance as a function of water and ethane content. These data show clear plateaus for lower ethane contents and mainly for water contents consistent with the formation of a single water layer. In addition, from this ensemble the structure for some of these interlaminar compositions were analyzed. For systems containing few ethane molecules and water enough to complete a single layer, it was observed that ethane mainly situates close to the interlayer midplane and adopts a nearly parallel arrangement to the clay surface. On the other hand, the muP(zz)T ensemble allows us to determine the interlaminar distance and water-ethane content for any specific reservoir. Here, some important findings are the following: the partial exchange of water by ethane molecules that enhances for decreasing the water vapor pressure; the obtention of a practically constant interlaminar space distance as a function of the water vapor pressure; the conservation of ion solvation shells; the enhancement of the water-ethane exchange for burial conditions; and finally, the incapability for a dehydrated clay mineral to swell in a dry and rich ethane atmosphere.     

Propane/propylene separation by selective olefin adsorption on Cu/SBA-15 mesoporous silica

Samples of mesoporous silica, SBA-15, were prepared under hydrothermal conditions and Cu cations were incorporated into the framework by two different impregnation techniques. The corresponding adsorption/desorption isotherms of propylene, propane, and N₂ were measured to evaluate the material's effectiveness in the separation of propane/propylene mixtures. Adsorption uptake of propylene increased and that of propane decreased in Cu containing samples as compared to the uptakes observed in undoped SBA-15 samples. It was demonstrated that the presence of Cu atoms in the adsorbent lattice led to a greater selectivity towards propylene. Furthermore, the highest level of Cu(I) were obtained in samples prepared by equilibrium impregnation, which in turn improved the olefin/paraffin uptake ratio. Under some working conditions, the amount of propylene adsorbed in selected samples is totally reversible while propane uptake was negligible.     

Binuclear Cu2+ complex mediated discrimination between L-glutamate and L-aspartate in water

L-glutamate and L-aspartate selectivity is achieved by the action of two Cu2+ metal ions rightly disposed in a cyclophane-type macrocyclic framework; electrochemical sensing of glutamate has been achieved by adsorption of the copper complexes on graphite electrodes.     

Dynamic contact angle and spreading rate measurements for the characterization of the effect of dentin surface treatments

A new methodology capable of providing reliable and reproducible contact angle (theta) data has been employed to study the effect of clinical treatments grinding, acid etching, and deproteinization on medial dentin tissue. It is based on the application of the ADSA-CD algorithm to the determination of low-rate dynamic contact angles, obtained from slowly growing drops, and on contact angle measurement, as well as spreading behavior analysis, during the relaxation of the system (water on treated dentin) after initial drop growth. The theta data obtained were substantially more reproducible than those obtained with classical methods. A net effect of the treatment on theta was found, increasing dentin wettability: theta (polished) >theta (etched) >theta (deproteinized). The spreading rates correlate with the angles and are adequate for the dentin surface characterization. ANOVA and SNK tests show that for advancing contact angles the means corresponding to all treatments are significantly different. In the relaxing phase, mean angle and spreading rates on polished dentin differ significantly from those on etched and deproteinized dentin, but the latter do not differ significantly from each other.     

Synthesis of new fluorinated 1,5-benzoxazepine derivatives

A simple approach to the fluorinated 1,5-benzoxazepine ring system is described. By reacting commercially accessible aminophenols 1 and the trifluoroacetylvinyl ether 2, high yields of enaminones 3 were obtained. Functionalization of methyl group of compounds 3 gave rise to dieneamines 4 that were cyclized in acidic environment to benzoxazepine derivatives 5.     

Nonequilibrium charge recombination from the excited adiabatic state of donor-acceptor complexes

A model of nonequilibrium charge recombination from an excited adiabatic state of a donor-acceptor complex induced by the nonadiabatic interaction operator is considered. The decay of the excited state population prepared by a short laser pulse is shown to be highly nonexponential. The influence of the excitation pulse carrier frequency on the ultrafast charge recombination dynamics of excited donor-acceptor complexes is explored. The charge recombination rate constant is found to decrease with increasing excitation frequency. The variation of the excitation pulse carrier frequency within the charge transfer absorption band of the complex can alter the effective charge recombination rate by up to a factor 2. The magnitude of this spectral effect decreases strongly with increasing electronic coupling.     

Synthesis of donor-acceptor alkynylcyclopropanes by diastereoselective cyclopropanation of electron-deficient alkenes with alkoxyalkynyl Fischer carbene complexes

The reaction of electron-deficient alkenes with alkoxyalkynyl Fischer carbene complexes (FCCs) represents a straightforward route to a new type of captodative (donor-acceptor) alkynylcyclopropanes, which have been prepared in moderate to high yields and in a diastereoselective manner. Some studies regarding the employment of additives to facilitate the recovery of the metal moiety after the reaction are also described. Finally, the first example of a cyclopropanation reaction through employing Fischer carbene complexes under microwave irradiation is presented; this method proved to be an advantageous alternative to the thermal reaction.     

High-performance liquid chromatography of amino acids, peptides and proteins. CXV. Thermodynamic behaviour of peptides in reversed-phase chromatography.

The thermodynamic behaviour of three peptides, bombesin, beta-endorphin and glucagon, was studied under reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic conditions. Experimental data related to the interactive surface contact area (S values) and solute affinity (log k0) were derived over a range of temperatures between 5 and 85 degrees C. These experimental conditions allowed changes in the secondary structure of the solute to be monitored. The influence of the nature of the stationary phase ligand on the relative conformational stability of the three peptides was analysed by acquiring data with n-octadecyl silica (C18) and n-butyl silica (C4) sorbents. Values for the relative changes in entropy and enthalpy associated with the interactive process were also determined. The results provide further insight into the factors involved with the stabilization of secondary structure and the mechanism of the interaction of peptides with hydrophobic surfaces.     

Nucleocyclitols. Synthesis of substituted purinyl-muco-inositol derivatives

Several carbocyclic nucleoside analogs possessing a 6-substituted purine linked to a mesylated muco-inositol were synthesized. The coupling of triethylamine-activated 6-chloropurine with 2,3-anhydro-l,5,6-tri-O-(methanesulfonyl)-epi-inositol gave a 6-chloro purinyl muco-inositol amenable to further synthetic transformations in the heterocyclic moiety by substitution of the chlorine atom by nitrogen nucleophiles such as methylamino, diethylamino, benzylamino, hydrazino, morpholino, hydroxylamino, piperidino, and glycyl groups.