Crystallization of Arthrobacter sp. strain 1C N-(1-D-carboxyethyl)-L-norvaline dehydrogenase and its complex with NAD+

The novel NAD+-linked opine dehydrogenase from a soil isolate Arthrobacter sp. strain 1C belongs to an enzyme superfamily whose members exhibit quite diverse substrate specificites. Crystals of this opine dehydrogenase, obtained in the presence or absence of co-factor and substrates, have been shown to diffract to beyond 1.8 ? resolution. X-ray precession photographs have established that the crystals belong to space group P21212, with cell parameters a = 104.9, b = 80.0, c = 45.5 ? and a single subunit in the asymmetric unit. The elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of this enzyme will provide a structural framework for this novel class of dehydrogenases to enable a comparison to be made with other enzyme families and also as the basis for mutagenesis experiments directed towards the production of natural and synthetic opine-type compounds containing two chiral centres.     

Synthesis and structure of fluorotricyanomethane

Fluorotricyanomethane is prepared from potassium tricyanomethanide and perchlorylfluoride. The crystal structure of this compound (orthorhombic, space group P2₁2₁2₁, with a=6.270, b=6.734, c=11.776 Å) has been determined by X-ray analysis. The results are discussed in relation to those of (NC)₃C? X (X=? CH₃, ? Cl, ? Br or ? CN).     

Spontaneous adsorption of ferrocenes on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite edges

The spontaneous adsorption of ferrocene and eight derivatives have been examined electrochemically on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite edges. All compounds give surface coverages of ca. 2×10^?8 mol/cm². Three of the adsorbed compounds give oxidation waves significantly more negative than their solution counterparts, in contrast with the other six derivatives.     

Three polymorphs of 4‐4′‐diiodobenzalazine,and 4‐chloro‐4′‐iodobenzalazine

Three polymorphs of 4,4′‐diiodobenzalazine (systematic name: 4‐iodobenzaldehyde azine), C₁₄H₁₀I₂N₂, have crystallographically imposed inversion symmetry. 4‐Chloro‐4′‐iodobenzalazine [systematic name: 1‐(4‐chlorobenzylidene)‐2‐(4‐iodobenzylidene)diazane], C₁₄H₁₀ClIN₂, has a partially disordered pseudocentrosymmetric packing and is not isostructural with any of the polymorphs of 4,4′‐diiodobenzalazine. All structures pack utilizing halogen–halogen interactions; some also have weak π (benzene ring) interactions. A comparison with previously published methylphenylketalazines (which differ by substitution of methyl for H at the azine C atoms) shows a fundamentally different geometry for these two classes, namely planar for the alazines and twisted for the ketalazines. Density functional theory calculations confirm that the difference is fundamental and not an artifact of packing forces.