Filipin orientation revealed by linear dichroism. Implication for a model of action

The organization of the polyene antibiotic filipin in membranes containing cholesterol is a controversial matter of debate. Two contradictory models exist, one suggesting a parallel and the other perpendicular organization of filipin with respect to the plane of the membrane. UV-vis linear dichroism, ATR-FTIR, and fluorescence anisotropy decay techniques were combined to study the orientation of filipin in model systems of membranes composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) or 1,2-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) with and without cholesterol. Filipin's orientation is determined by the presence/absence of cholesterol when it is inserted in gel crystalline phase model membranes. When cholesterol (33%) is present in DPPC bilayers, filipin stands perpendicular to the membrane surface as expected in "pore-forming" models. At variance, absence of cholesterol leaves filipin in an essentially random organization in the lipidic matrix. In liquid crystalline phase bilayers (POPC) filipin's orientation is perpendicular to the membrane surface even in absence of cholesterol. Thus filipin's activity/organization depends not only on cholesterol presence but also in the lipid phase domain it is inserted in. These findings were combined with spectroscopy and microscopy data in the literature, solving controversial matters of debate.     

Report on three aliphatic dimethylarsinoyl compounds as common minor constituents in marine samples. An investigation using high-performance liquid chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry

Three water-soluble aliphatic arsenicals, dimethylarsinoyl acetate (DMAA), dimethylarsinoyl ethanol (DMAE), and dimethylarsinoyl propionate (DMAP), were identified in marine biological samples. Sample extracts in methanol/water (1 + 1) were analysed by cation-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC/ICPMS). Eluate fractions from the HPLC/ICPMS analyses containing the compounds in question were collected and subjected to analysis by electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS), which provided supportive evidence for the structures of the three compounds. The concentrations of the three arsenicals were determined in 37 marine organisms comprising algae, crustaceans, bivalves, fish and mammals by HPLC/ICPMS. The three arsenicals DMAA, DMAE and DMAP, which occurred at microg kg(-1) concentrations, were detected in 25, 23 and 17 of the 37 samples analysed, respectively. The limits of detection were 2-3 microg kg(-1) dry mass. The data illustrate that the three compounds are common minor constituents in marine samples. This is the first report on DMAE and DMAP as naturally occurring species in marine samples. The presence of DMAA and DMAE supports a proposed biosynthesis of arsenobetaine (AB) from dimethylarsinoylribosides. Alternative proposals, which explain the presence of the compounds in marine samples, are addressed briefly in the paper.     

Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and IR Spectroscopic Characterization of 1,6-Hexanediammonium Dihydrogendecavanadate

Summary.  Anhydrous 1,6-hexanediammonium dihydrogendecavanadate ((HdaH₂)₂H₂V₁₀O₂₈, 1) was prepared by reaction of V₂O₅ with 1,6-hexanediamine in aqueous solution. The crystal structure of 1 was determined, and the proton positions in the H₂V₁₀O₂₈ ⁴⁻ anion were calculated by the bond length/bond number method. The protons are bound to the centrosymmetrically oriented μ–OV₃ groups of the decavanadate anion. Based on the analysis of IR spectra of 1 prepared from H₂O and D₂O, the absorption band at 871 cm⁻¹ can be attributed to δ(V–O_b–H) vibrations. Received August 3, 2001. Accepted (revised) October 8, 2001     

The chemistry of 2'' ,3''-seconucleosides II. Reactions and biological properties of 2'',3''-secopyrimidine ribonucleosides

Reaction of 2',3'-secouridine with acetone gave the 3',5'-$\text{O}$-isopropylidene derivative (1) which upon treatment with mesylchloride gave the 2'-$\text{O}$-mesyl compound (2). Replacement of the mesyl group of 2 with halide could be effected by reaction with a metal halide in DMF. The 3',5'-$\text{O}$-isopropylidene group was removed simultaneously to give a 2'-halogeno-2'-deoxy-2',3'-secouridine. 2',3'-Dichloro-2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-secouridine upon treatment with base gave 6($\text{R}$)-chloromethyl-2($\text{R}$)-(uracil-1-yl)-1,4-dioxane in addition to O²,2'-anhydro-3'-chloro-3'-deoxy-2',3'-secouridine, as previously reported. 2',3'-Dichloro-2',3'-dideoxy-5'-0-trityl-2',3'-secouridine was converted to 2',3'-dichloro-2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-secocytidine (16) $\text{via}$ a triazole derivative. Compound 16 was unstable and appeared to form O²,2'-anhydro-3'-chloro-3'-deoxy-2,3'-secocytidine upon standing at room temperature. 5-Vinyl- and 5-($\text{E}$) (2-bromovinyl) uridine dialdehydes have been made, as well as a number of other 5-substituted 2',3'-secouridine derivatives. None of the compounds obtained showed significant activity against a number of virus strains or tumor cell lines, except for 5-($\text{E}$)(2-bromovinyl) uridine dialdehyde, which was inhibitory to the growth of human lymphoblast (Raji, Namalva) cells at a concentration of 28 μ/ml.     

Consolidation behavior in sedimentation of TiO(2) suspensions in the presence of electrolytes

The consolidation of TiO(2) suspensions (anatase and rutile) due to gravity sedimentation in the presence of electrolytes has been investigated as a function of pH. Sodium and barium nitrate were used as flocculating electrolytes. The particle interaction was related to the zeta potential and the thickness of the electrical double layer, kappa(-1), by utilizing the repulsive barrier in the classical DLVO theory. The stability of the suspensions was represented as the average final solids content of the sediment cake, phi(fin). The batch sedimentation process was followed by scanning the sample cell with X-rays, from which the solids content and the particle size were calculated. Generally, dense sediments, with phi(fin) up to volume fractions of 0.5, were found for stable suspensions. Flocculated suspensions produced sediments with low phi(fin). The phi(fin) was observed to increase linearly with increasing repulsive barrier. However, at pH values only slightly higher than the isoelectric point (pH(iep)) the phi(fin) remained low until it returned to linearity at a pH much higher than pH(iep). This was attributed to the stronger affinity of sodium than of nitrate for the particle surface, which may be explained by the higher negative hydration energy of sodium. The stronger affinity of sodium was also shown as unsymmetrical distribution of phi(fin) around pH(iep), with stronger flocculation at pH>pH(iep). The interpretation of phi(fin) as a function of the repulsive barrier (or kappa(-1)) also made it possible to distinguish between the adsorption mechanisms of ions from solution. Addition of electrolyte at a fixed low and high pH (surface positively and negatively charged, respectively) clearly showed the specificity in adsorption and consequent flocculation of the barium ion from the indifferent nitrate. Sodium was, however, again observed to flocculate the TiO(2) suspensions slightly more strongly than nitrate.     

Bimodal proton transfer in acid-base reactions in water

We investigate one of the fundamental reactions in solutions, the neutralization of an acid by a base. We use a photoacid, 8-hydroxy-1,3,6-trisulfonate-pyrene (HPTS; pyranine), which upon photoexcitation reacts with acetate under transfer of a deuteron (solvent: deuterated water). We analyze in detail the resulting bimodal reaction dynamics between the photoacid and the base, the first report on which was recently published. We have ascribed the bimodal proton-transfer dynamics to contributions from preformed hydrogen bonding complexes and from initially uncomplexed acid and base. We report on the observation of an additional (6 ps)(-1) contribution to the reaction rate constant. As before, we analyze the slower part of the reaction within the framework of the diffusion model and the fastest part by a static, sub-150 fs reaction rate. Adding the second static term considerably improves the overall modeling of the experimental results. It also allows to connect experimentally the diffusion controlled bimolecular reaction models as defined by Eigen-Weller and by Collins-Kimball. Our findings are in agreement with a three-stage mechanism for liquid phase intermolecular proton transfer: mutual diffusion of acid and base to form a "loose" encounter complex, followed by reorganization of the solvent shells and by "tightening" of the acid-base encounter complex. These rearrangements last a few picoseconds and enable a prompt proton transfer along the reaction coordinate, which occurs faster than our time resolution of 150 fs. Alternative models for the explanation of the slower "on-contact" reaction time of the loose encounter complex in terms of proton transmission through a von Grotthuss mechanism are also discussed.     

Synthesis and modification of terrylenediimides as high-performance fluorescent dyes

Two new synthetic approaches to terrylenediimides, highly photostable fluorescent dyes, are described. For the first time terrylenediimide has been synthesised in a straightforward procedure that makes large quantities available. The second route includes an efficient cross-coupling reaction followed by a cyclodehydrogenation. Monofunctionalisation of the imide structure allows terrylenediimides now to be coupled with a variety of compounds, for example, by Suzuki cross-coupling, which can lead to an array of terrylenediimides with new functional groups such as hydroxy, amino, or carboxy groups needed to link up with other molecules. The functionalisation in the bay region is used to tune the properties of terrylenediimides and extend the range of applications, for example, by introducing water solubility. These tetrasubstituted terrylenediimides offer, depending on the substituents used, exciting features such as good solubility in common organic solvents, water solubility, or NIR absorption.     

Asymmetric radical additions of trialkylboranes to 2H-azirine-3-carboxylates

Asymmetric additions of alkyl radicals, generated from R3B, to chiral 2H-azirine-3-carboxylates offer a new entry to enantio-enriched aziridines, and proceed with high diastereoselectivity when using 8-phenylmenthol as chiral auxiliary.     

The synthesis of unsymmetrically N-substituted chiral 1,4,7-triazacyclononanes

A number of chiral unsymmetrically N-substituted 1,4,7-triazacyclononane ligands have been prepared by modular methods. The key step in the synthesis centres on the macrocyclisation of three tertiary amide precursors under standard Richman-Atkins conditions which allows for subsequent N-functionalisation.     

Synthesis of α-2′-deoxynucleosides

α-Thymidine (4) was synthesized from thymidine (1) in 3 steps in 36% overall yield without using chro-matography and with the possibility of increasing the yield to 85% by reusing the remaining α,β-mixture. 1-(2-Deoxy-3,5-di-O-p-toluoyl-α-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)thymine (3) was further converted to 1-(2-deoxy-α-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-5-methylcytosine (5) .