Wurtzitan (Tetracyclo[5.3.1.12,6.04,9]dodecan)

A new synthesis of wurtzitane (13) is described starting from 2-oxo-protoadamant-4-ene (2). The key intermediate ketone 7 was obtained by regiospecific ring expansion of the β-amino alcohol 6. Entry to the wurtzitane system involved solvolysis of the tricyclic unsaturated mesylate 10 (→11).     

Twista-4,9-diene. Preliminary communication

A synthesis of twista-4,9-diene ( 17 ) from tricyclo[4.3.1.0^3,8]dec-4-en-10-one ( 2 ) is described.     

1,2endo-Trimethylenenorbornane. A novel isomer of adamantane

An easy approach to the novel adamantane isomer 1,2endo-trimethylenenorbornane (2) is described. Starting from a mixture of pent-4-ynylcyclopentadienes 3 the tricyclic monosaturated key intermediate 5 was prepared by intramolecular cycloaddition (→ 4 ) and subsequent regioselective reduction of the C(5), C(6) double bond. The title hydrocarbon 2 was obtained from 5 upon stereoselective hydrogenation by diimide. In addition specifically deuteriated analogues of 2 were prepared applying dideuteriodiimide. Compound 2 rearranged to 2endo, 6endo-trimethylenenorbornane (4-homobrendane, 10 ) in sulfuric acid as well as with aluminium bromide in carbon disulfide.     

A Further Synthetic Approach to the Adamantane Isomer 2, 5-Trimethylenenorbornane (Tricyclo [5.3.0.03,9]decane, 4-Homotwistbrendane)

A further synthetic approach to 2, 5-trimethylenenorbornane ( 1 ; tricycle [5.3.0.0^3,9]decane, 4-homotwistbrendane), a member of the «adamantaneland», is described starting from methyl 5-oxo-2endo-norbornanecarboxylate ( 5 ). The required C2-chain was introduced by a Wittig-Horner reaction and the ring closure of the trimethylene bridge achieved by an acyloin condensation.     

Universal algebra of a Hom-Lie algebra and group-like elements

We construct the universal enveloping algebra of a Hom-Lie algebra and endow it with a Hom-Hopf algebra structure. We discuss group-like elements that we see as a Hom-group integrating the initial Hom-Lie algebra.     

Mechanically controlled DNA extrusion from a palindromic sequence by single molecule micromanipulation

A magnetic tweezers setup is used to control both the stretching force and the relative linking number DeltaLk of a palindromic DNA molecule. We show here, in absence of divalent ions, that twisting negatively the molecule while stretching it at approximately 1 pN induces the formation of a cruciform DNA structure. Furthermore, once the cruciform DNA structure is formed, the extrusion of several kilo-base pairs of palindromic DNA sequence is directly and reversibly controlled by varying DeltaLk. Indeed the branch point behaves as a nanomechanical gear that links rotation with translation, a feature related to the helicity of DNA. We obtain experimentally a very good linear relationship between the extension of the molecule and DeltaLk. We use then this experiment to obtain a precise measurement of the pitch of B-DNA in solution: 3.61 +/- 0.03 nm/turn.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Evaluation of Peptide Nanostructures for Biomedical Applications

There is a challenging need for the development of new alternative nanostructures that can allow the coupling and/or encapsulation of therapeutic/diagnostic molecules while reducing their toxicity and improving their circulation and in-vivo targeting. Among the new materials using natural building blocks, peptides have attracted significant interest because of their simple structure, relative chemical and physical stability, diversity of sequences and forms, their easy functionalization with (bio)molecules and the possibility of synthesizing them in large quantities. A number of them have the ability to self-assemble into nanotubes, -spheres, -vesicles or -rods under mild conditions, which opens up new applications in biology and nanomedicine due to their intrinsic biocompatibility and biodegradability as well as their surface chemical reactivity via amino- and carboxyl groups. In order to obtain nanostructures suitable for biomedical applications, the structure, size, shape and surface chemistry of these nanoplatforms must be optimized. These properties depend directly on the nature and sequence of the amino acids that constitute them. It is therefore essential to control the order in which the amino acids are introduced during the synthesis of short peptide chains and to evaluate their in-vitro and in-vivo physico-chemical properties before testing them for biomedical applications. This review therefore focuses on the synthesis, functionalization and characterization of peptide sequences that can self-assemble to form nanostructures. The synthesis in batch or with new continuous flow and microflow techniques will be described and compared in terms of amino acids sequence, purification processes, functionalization or encapsulation of targeting ligands, imaging probes as well as therapeutic molecules. Their chemical and biological characterization will be presented to evaluate their purity, toxicity, biocompatibility and biodistribution, and some therapeutic properties in vitro and in vivo. Finally, their main applications in the biomedical field will be presented so as to highlight their importance and advantages over classical nanostructures.     

Stereocontrolled access to isoprostanes via a bicyclo[3.3.0]octene framework

We report a simple and highly stereocontrolled strategy toward the total synthesis of isoprostanes based on a bicyclic alpha,beta-epoxy ketone intermediate 6. Bicyclo[3.3.0]octene scaffold permitted stereodirection of reagents allowing stereoselective epoxidation, diastereoselective ketone reduction, and regioselective epoxide opening otherwise not accessible with a simple cyclopentene framework.     

Isotope effects in liquid water by infrared spectroscopy. II. Factor analysis of the temperature effect on H2O and D2O

Some 500 infrared (IR) spectra of light and heavy waters were obtained between 29 and 93 degrees C in order to identify the species present in liquid water. Factor analysis of these gives two species for each type of water with their IR spectra and abundance curves. Using an orthogonalization procedure, we obtained the temperature factor limits of -22 and +118 degrees C (+/-5 degrees C) that we coined cold and hot factors, respectively. Within experimental error, these limits are the same for light and heavy waters. The spectra of the orthogonalized factors presented show a decrease of the OH (OD) stretch band integrated intensities of almost 36% from the cold to the hot factors. No "free" OH (OD) group is present or formed in the temperature ramp. This indicates that all water molecules in the bulk are made of an oxygen atom surrounded with four hydrogen atoms, two covalently bonded, and two hydrogen bonded. This is consistent with the previous study of mixtures of H(2)O and D(2)O [part I: J.-J. Max and C. Chapados, J. Chem. Phys. 116, 4626 (2002)]. To maintain the ordinary liquid within the limits of 0 and 100 degrees C at atmospheric pressure, a fraction of the cold and hot factors are necessary. With the spectra of the cold and hot factors and the abundance curves, one can generate the spectrum at any temperature between -22 and +118 degrees C of light and heavy liquid waters.