Synthesis and Conformational Switching of Partially and Differentially Bridged Resorcin[4]arenes Bearing Fluorescent Dye Labels. Preliminary Communication

We report the synthesis of modified Cram‐type cavitands bearing one or two fluorescent labels for single‐molecule spectroscopic studies of vase? kite conformational switching (Scheme 3). Syntheses were performed by stepwise bridging of the four couples of neighboring H‐bonded OH groups of resorcin[4]arene bowls (Schemes 2 and 3). The new substitution patterns enable the construction of a large variety of future functional architectures. ¹H‐NMR Investigations showed that the new partially and differentially bridged cavitands feature temperature‐ and pH‐triggered vase? kite conformational isomerism similar to symmetrical cavitands with four identical quinoxaline bridges (Table). It was discovered that vase? kite switching of cavitands is strongly solvent‐dependent.     

Sensitive stripping voltammetry of heavy metals by using a composite sensor based on a built-in bismuth precursor

A new graphite-epoxy composite electrode (GECE) containing Bi(NO(3))(3) as a built-in bismuth precursor for simultaneous and individual anodic stripping analysis of heavy trace metals like lead and cadmium is reported. The developed Bi(NO(3))(3)-GECE is compatible with bismuth film electrodes reported previously including the composite electrodes (Bi-GECE) recently reported by our group. Bi(NO(3))(3)-GECE displays the ability for the detection of both individual and simultaneous determination of heavy trace metals and exhibits well defined, reproducible and sharp stripping signals. The sensitive response is combined with the minimal toxicity of Bi(NO(3))(3). This novel sensor would be an appropriate alternative tool to sensors using bismuth in solution during their utilization in environmental quality monitoring as well as other applications.     

Macrocyclization on the fullerene core: Direct regio- and diastereoselective multi-functionalization of [60]fullerene,and synthesis of fullerene-dendrimer derivatives

The macrocyclization between buckminsterfullerene, C₆₀, and bis-malonate derivatives in double Bingel reaction provides a versatile and simple method for the preparation of covalent bis-adducts of C₆₀ with high regio- and diastereoselectivity. A combination of spectral analysis, stereochemical considerations, and X-ray crystallography (Fig. 2) revealed that out of the possible in-in, in-out, and out-out stereoisomers, the reaction of bis-malonates linked by o-, m-, or p-xylylene tethers afforded only the out-out ones (Scheme 1). In contrast, the use of larger tethers derived from 1,10-phenanthroline also provided a first example, (±)- 19 (Scheme 2), of an in-out product. Starting from optically pure bis-malonate derivatives, the new bis-functionalization method permitted the diastereoselective preparation of optically active fullerene derivatives (Schemes 4 and 5) and, ultimately, the enantioselective preparation (enantiomeric excess ee > 97%) of optically active cis-3 bis-adducts whose chirality results exclusively from the addition pattern (Fig. 6). The macrocyclic fixation of a bis-malonate with an optically active, 9,9′-spirobi[9H-fluorene]-derived tether to C₆₀ under generation of 24 and ent- 24 with an achiral addition pattern (Scheme 4) was found to induce dramatic changes in the chiroptical properties of the tether chromophore such as strong enhancement and reversal of sign of the Cotton effects in the circular dichroism (CD) spectra (Figs. 4 and 5). By the same method, the functionafized bis-adducts 50 and 51 (Schemes 10 and 11) were prepared as initiator cores for the synthesis of the fullerene dendrimers 62 , 63 , and 66 (Schemes 12 and 13) by convergent growth. Finally, the new methodology was extended, to the regio- and diastereoselective construction of higher cyclopropanated adducts. Starting from mono-adduct 71 , a clipping reaction provided exclusively the all-cis-2 tris-adduct (±)- 72 (Scheme 14), whereas the similar reaction of bis-adduct 76 afforded the all-cis-2 tetrakis-adduct 77 (Scheme 15). Electrochemical investigations by steady-state voltammetry (Table 2) in CH₂Cl₂ (+0.1M Bu₄NPF₆) showed that all macroeyciic bis(methano)fullerenes underwent multiple reduction steps, and that regioisomerism was not much influencing the redox potentials, All cis-2 bis-adducts gave an instable dianion which decomposed during the electrochemical reduction. In CH₂Cl₂, the redox potential of the fullerene core in dendrimers 62, 63 , and 66 is not affected by differences in size and density of the surrounding poly(ether-amide) dendrons. The all-cis-2 tris- and tetrakis(meihano)fullercnes (±) -72 and 77 , respectively, are reduced at more negative potential than previously reported all-e tris- and tetrakis-adducts with methane bridges that are also located along an equatorial belt. This indicates a larger perturbation of the original fullerene π-chromophore and a larger raise in LUMO energy in the former derivatives.     

New Cyclophanes as Initiator Cores for the Construction of Dendritic Receptors: Host-guest complexation in aqueous solutions and structures of solid-state inclusion compounds

Cyclophanes 3 and 4 were prepared as initiator cores for the construction of dendrophanes (dendritic cydophanes) 1 and 2 , respectively, which mimic recognition sites buried in globular proteins. The tetra-oxy[6.1.6.1]paracyclophane 3 was prepared by a short three-step route (Scheme 1) and possesses a cavity binding site shaped by two diphenylmethane units suitable for the inclusion of flat aromatic substrates such as benzene and naphthalene derivatives as was shown by ¹H-NMR binding titrations in basic D₂O phosphate buffer (Table 1). The larger cyclophane 4 , shaped by two wider naphthyl(phenyl)methane spacers, was prepared in a longer, ten-step synthesis (Scheme 2) which included as a key intermediate the tetrabromocyclophane 5 . ¹H-NMR Binding studies in basic borate buffer in D₂O/CD₃OD demonstrated that 4 is an efficient steroid receptor. In a series of steroids (Table 1), complexation strength decreased with increasing substrate polarity and increasing number of polar substituents; in addition, electrostatic repulsion between carboxylate residues of host and guest also affected the binding affinity strongly. The conformationally flexible tetrabromocyclophane 5 displayed a pronounced tendency to form solid-state inclusion compounds of defined stoichiometry, which were analyzed by X-ray crystallography (Fig. 2). 1,2-Dichloroethane formed a cavity inclusion complex 5a with 1:1 stoichiometry, while in the 1:3 inclusion compound 5b with benzene, one guest is fully buried in the macrocyclic cavity and two others are positioned in channels between the Cyclophanes in the crystal lattice. In the 1:2 inclusion compound 5c , two toluene molecules penetrate with their aromatic rings the macrocyclic cavity from opposite sides in an antiparallel fashion. On the other hand, p-xylene (= 1,4-dimethylbenzene) in the 1:1 compound 5d is sandwiched between the cyclophane molecules with its two Me groups penetrating the cavities of the two macrocycles. In the 1:2 inclusion compound 5e with tetralin (= 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene), both host and guest are statically disordered. The shape of the macrocycle in 5a – e depends strongly on the nature of the guest (Fig. 4). Characteristic for these compounds is the pronounced tendency of 5 to undergo regular stacking and to form channels for guest inclusion; these channels can infinitely extend across the macrocyclic cavities (Fig. 6) or in the crystal lattice between neighboring cyclophane stacks (Fig. 5). Also, the crystal lattice of 5c displays a remarkable zig-zag pattern of short Br…?O contacts between neighboring macrocycles (Fig. 7).     

Structural and electronic comparative analysis of aminopyridazines showing anti-GABA activity. Crystal structure of 2-(carboxy-3′-propyl)-3-amino-6-cyclohexylpyridazinium bromide.Ab initio Mulliken population analysis of the 6-phenyl-substituted analog compared to GABA

The crystal structure of 2-(carboxy-3-propyl)-3-amino-6-cyclohexylpyridazinium bromide has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques and refined by full-matrix least squares. The compound crystallized in the tri-clinic space groupP ¯1 witha=10.275(1),b=11.215(1),c=7.082(1) Å,=91.84(1),=102.21(1), =106.77(1)°, andZ=2. FinalR-factor is 0.045. The main structural results are very similar to the ones observed for the 6-phenyl analog. These two compounds are GABA-A antagonists.Ab initio molecular orbital calculations, with STO-3G and 4-31G basis sets, suggest that the exocyclic nitrogen accurately mimics the nitrogen atom of GABA.     

Potentiometric investigation of the stability of silver(I) complexes of some N-methyl substituted 4-H-diethylenetriamines in aqueous solution

By means of potentiometric pH and pAg measurements, the stability constants and the stoichiometric composition of the silver(I) complexes of some N-methyl-substituted 4-H-diethylenetriamines, in aqueous medium of ionic strength 1.3 and at a temperature of 25.00 degrees , have been determined. In addition to mononuclear and polynuclear complexes, together with their protonated forms, some hydroxo complexes are formed. The values of the stability constants are discussed in terms of possible structures.     

Ethanol/water pulp enzymatic pretreatment: Chemical and FTIR-PCA analyses

Pulps obtained from ethanol/water cooking of sugarcane bagasse were treated at different times using xylanase enzyme obtained from Thermomyces lanuginosus IOC-4145 or commercially (Cartazyme HS, Sandoz Products Ltd.). The enzyme dosage was 18 IU per g of dry pulp and the time varied from 4 h to 12 h. When xylanase from T. lanuginosus was used, the kappa number and viscosity improved independently of the processing time used (4 h, 8 h, and 12 h). After chemical evaluation, the obtained pulps were classified using Fourier Transformed Infra-Red Spectroscopy and Principal Component Analysis. The results showed that the first three principal components explained more than 90 % of the total variance of the pulp spectra.     

Cooperative effects in phospholipid monolayers induced by a peptide from HIV-1 capsid protein

The study of interactions between biological molecules and model membranes is essential for the understanding of a number of physiological mechanisms involved in viral infections and dissemination. In this paper, the analysis of the interaction between a peptide from the p24 protein of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) and a phospholipid monolayer has pointed to a cooperative response in which very small amounts of peptide p24-1 (e.g. 0.05 mol%) can lead to measurable effects. Monolayer surface pressure and surface potential isotherms were affected for peptide concentrations as low as 0.05 mol%, with saturation at 0.5 mol%. The expansion effect from p24-1 is confirmed by changes in morphology of the monolayers using Brewster angle microscopy. Even though p24-1 is disordered in aqueous solutions, the interaction with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) causes it to adopt an alpha-helix structure, as shown by circular dichroism (CD) data for multilamellar vesicles (MLV). The expansion of the phospholipid monolayer in a cooperative way may imply that p24-1 has potential antiviral activity, by participating in the cell rupture, with no need of specific receptors in the membrane.     

Decomposition of protonated noradrenaline and normetanephrine assisted by NH2 migration studied by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and molecular orbital calculations

As part of a research program on neurotransmitters in a biological fluid, the fragmentations characterising catecholamines protonated under electrospray ionisation (ESI) conditions, under low collision energy in a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer, were investigated. The decompositions of protonated noradrenaline (VH) and normetanephrine (VIH) were studied. Both precursor ions eliminate first H2O at very low collision energy, and the fragmentations of [MH-H2O]+ occur at higher collision energy. The breakdown graphs of [MH-H2O]+ ions, with collision energy varying from 0-40 eV in the laboratory frame, are presented. [VIH-H2O]+ ions lose competitively NH3 and CH3OH. For [VH-H2O]+ the loss of NH3 is dominant while H2O is eliminated at very low abundance at all collision energies. All of these secondary fragmentations are followed at higher collision energies by elimination of CO. These fragmentations are interpreted by means of ab initio calculations up to the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p) level of theory. The elimination of H2O requires first the isomerisation of N-protonated forms, chosen as energy references, to O-protonated forms. The isomerisation barriers are calculated to be lower than 81 kJ/mol above the N-protonated forms. The elimination of NH3 from [MH-H2O]+ requires first the migration, via a cyclisation, of the amine function from the linear chain to the aromatic ring in order to prevent the formation of unstable disubstituted carbocations in the ring. The barriers associated with the loss of NH3 are located 220 and 233 kJ/mol above VH and 219 kJ/mol above VIH. The energy barrier for the loss of ROH is located 236 and 228 kJ/mol above VH and VIH, respectively. The absence of ions corresponding to [VH-2H2O]+ is due to a parasitic mechanism with an activation barrier lower than 236 kJ/mol that leads to a stable species unable to fragment, thus preventing the second loss of H2O. Losses of CO following the secondary fragmentations involve activation barriers higher than 330 kJ/mol.     

Efficient preparation of (Z)-alkenyl derivatives from (Z)-vinyl (N,N-diisopropyl)carbamate via Ni-catalysed coupling reactions

A (Z)-vinyl (N,N-diisopropyl)carbamate treated with Grignard reagents, under Wenkert Nickel-catalysed conditions, gave access to several substituted (Z)-alkenyl derivatives. These Nickel-catalysed reactions, carried out with vinyl-, phenyl-, p-methoxyphenyl-, trimethylsilylmethylmagnesium bromide and benzylmagnesium chloride, led to the corresponding (Z)-alkenyl derivatives in good yields and high stereoselectivities.