Practical asymmetric enzymatic reduction through discovery of a dehydrogenase-compatible biphasic reaction media

[reaction: see text] An enzyme-compatible biphasic reaction media for the asymmetric biocatalytic reduction of ketones with in situ cofactor regeneration has been developed. In this biphasic reaction media, which is advantageous for reactions at higher substrate concentrations, both enzymes (alcohol dehydrogenase and FDH from Candida boidinii) remain stable. The reductions with poorly water-soluble ketones were carried out at substrate concentrations of 10-200 mM, and the optically active (S)-alcohols were formed with moderate to good conversions and with up to >99% ee.     

New aspects of the protonation of biliverdins

Biliverdins undergo appreciable self association in acidic solutions especially if solvents like benzene or chloroform are employed. The population of aggregates further depends on the concentration of both the acid and the solute. In chloroform and benzene solutions at high acidity a doubly protonated species is formed. This is concluded from a combinatory evaluation of the CD and electronic absorption spectra of chiral optically active biliverdins (1–6) in benzene, chloroform, and ethanol solutions containing trifluoroacetic acid or hydrochloric acid. The aggregates formed at medium acid concentrations exhibit largeCotton effects in the long-wavelength absorption bands and thus dominate the CD spectra. Similarly, agrregates are the main contributors to theCotton effects of achiral, protonated biliverdins in (S)-(–)-ethyl lactate (SICD) at usual concentrations. The consequence and relevance of these findings with regard to the recent literature is briefly discussed.Dedicated to Prof. Dr.Karl Schlögl on occasion of his 60^th birthday.     

Volume and compressibility changes of complex formation between 18-Crown-6 and NaCl,KCl, and CsCl in water

The apparent molal volumes and compressibilities of NaCl, KCl, and CsCl in mixtures of 18-Crown-6 and water have been calculated from density and speed-of-sound measurements at 25°C. The partial molal volumes and compressibilities of the salts when all cations have formed complexes with 18-Crown-6 molecules have been evaluated. The sign and magnitude of the volume and compressibility changes of complex formation strongly suggest that the charge of the cation becomes very effectively screened by the crown ether.     

Prerequisites for peptidomic analysis of blood samples: II. Analysis of human plasma after oral glucose challenge -- a proof of concept

Mass spectrometric plasma analysis for biomarker discovery has become an exploratory focus in proteomic research: the challenges of analyzing plasma samples by mass spectrometry have become apparent not only since the human proteome organization (HUPO) has put much emphasis on the human plasma proteome. This work demonstrates fundamental proteomic research to reveal sensitivity and quantification capabilities of our Peptidomics technologies by detecting distinct changes in plasma peptide composition in samples after challenging healthy volunteers with orally administered glucose. Differential Peptide Display (DPD) is a technique for peptidomics studies to compare peptides from distinct biological samples. Mass spectrometry (MS) is used as a qualitative and quantitative analysis tool without previous trypsin digestion or labeling of the samples. Circulating peptides (< 15 kDa) were extracted from 1.3 mL plasma samples and the extracts separated by liquid chromatography into 96 fractions. Each fraction was subjected to MALDI MS, and mass spectra of all fractions were combined resulting in a 2D-display of > 2,000 peptides from each sample. Endogenous peptides that responded to oral glucose challenge were detected by DPD of pre-and post-challenge plasma samples from 16 healthy volunteers and subsequently identified by nESI-qTOF MS. Two of the 15 MS peaks that were significantly modulated by glucose challenge were subsequently identified as insulin and C-peptide. These results were validated by using immunoassays for insulin and C-peptide. This paper serves as a proof of principle for proteomic biomarker discovery down to the pM concentration range by using small amounts of human plasma.     

Synthesis and optical properties of (a)chiral terpyridine-ruthenium complexes

Chiral terpyridine ligands have been synthesized and characterized. By applying Ru(III)/Ru(II) chemistry, symmetrical as well as asymmetrical bis-terpyridine ruthenium(II) complexes were obtained. These materials were fully characterized and their optical properties investigated. While the chiral metal complexes revealed no Cotton effect in good solvents such as chloroform, CD-measurements in dodecane showed an effect in both ligand and MLCT regions, suggesting chirality transfer from the lateral alkyl chains to the complex core. This behavior points to the formation of supramolecular aggregates in dodecane. Furthermore, the analogous achiral ligand and its corresponding ruthenium(II) complexes were prepared.     

Kinetik und mechanismus der elektrochemischen reduktion von 2,2′-dipyridyl I. Primärprozesse: Vorgelagerte isomerisierung eines komplexes

Polarography and chronopotentiometry are used to study the primary processes of the reduction of 2,2′-bipyridine at mercury electrodes in aqueous solutions (12 < pH < 14). Bipyridine and its first reduction product are strongly adsorbed. The reduction is preceded by a complex equilibrium between bipyridine and the cation of the supporting electrolyte (Li, Na, K, Ba). Due to the great excess of the cations, the equilibrium is shifted completely to the side of the complex, which exists as cis- and trans-isomer. The cis-form is more stable, forming a chelate, the trans-form however is more easily reducible. The kinetic and thermodynamic data of the isomerization are determined. The first reduction product reacts irreversibly giving a substance which can be reoxidized to bipyridine via a radical intermediate.     

Circular dichroism of sesquiterpene-umbelliferone ethers and structure elucidation of a new derivative isolated from the gum resin “Asa Foetida”

The CD spectra of 16 naturally occurring sesquiterpene-umbelliferone ethers, including the complete set of farnesiferol A isomers with all acetates and 6-oxoderivatives, are reported over the significant wavelength range of 350–200 nm. 11 compounds were isolated from an Asa Foetida sample and 5 further derivatives, already known as natural products, were obtained by acetylation orJones oxidation. In addition, a new compound — kamolonol (14) — was isolated. Its structure is characterized by twofold methyl migration in the drimenol derived sesquiterpene moiety.¹H-NMR, MS, IR, UV, and CD data of the new compound are discussed.Herrn Prof. Dr.K. Schlögl mit den besten Wünschen zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

A contribution to the trace analysis of high-purity iron by atomic spectrometry (flame-AAS, furnace-AAS, ICP-OES)

Summary Various possibilities for the determination of trace impurities in high-purity iron by atomic spectrometry were investigated in detail. For Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Ti and V, flame AAS, furnace AAS and ICP-OES were firstly evaluated in terms of their power of detection. Detection limits in the g/g-range could be achieved by direct determination. For determination in the ng/g-range a removal of iron by a solvent extraction technique prior to the instrumental measurement was required. The power of detection of direct determination, and of combined procedures were compared with regard to routine applicability and a minimization of systematic errors.     

Die gasförmigen Komplexe NiAl2Cl8 und NiAl3Cl11

Gaseous Complexes NiAl₂Cl₈ and NiAl₃Cl₁₁ Spectral photometric measurements of equilibria which are established by reaction of solid NiCl₂ with gaseous Al₂Cl₆ have been made. Results see ?Inhaltsübersicht”?.