Modular Synthetic Approach to Carboranyl‒Biomolecules Conjugates

The development of novel, tumor-selective and boron-rich compounds as potential agents for use in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) represents a very important field in cancer treatment by radiation therapy. Here, we report the design and synthesis of two promising compounds that combine meta-carborane, a water-soluble monosaccharide and a linking unit, namely glycine or ethylenediamine, for facile coupling with various tumor-selective biomolecules bearing a free amino or carboxylic acid group. In this work, coupling experiments with two selected biomolecules, a coumarin derivative and folic acid, were included. The task of every component in this approach was carefully chosen: the carborane moiety supplies ten boron atoms, which is a tenfold increase in boron content compared to the l-boronophenylalanine (l-BPA) presently used in BNCT; the sugar moiety compensates for the hydrophobic character of the carborane; the linking unit, depending on the chosen biomolecule, acts as the connection between the tumor-selective component and the boron-rich moiety; and the respective tumor-selective biomolecule provides the necessary selectivity. This approach makes it possible to develop a modular and feasible strategy for the synthesis of readily obtainable boron-rich agents with optimized properties for potential applications in BNCT.     

Thermodynamic study of transthyretin association (wild‐type and senile forms) with heparan sulfate proteoglycan: pH effect and implication of the reactive histidine residue

The tetramer destabilization of transthyretin into monomers and its fibrillation are phenomena leading to amyloid deposition. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) has been found in all amyloid deposits. A chromatographic approach was developed to compare binding parameters between wild‐type transthyretin (wtTTR) and an amyloidogenic transthyretin (sTTR). Results showed a greater affinity of sTTR for HSPG at pH 7.4 compared with wtTTR owing to the monomeric form of sTTR. Analysis of the thermodynamic parameters showed that van der Waals interactions were involved at the complex interface for both transthyretin forms. For sTTR, results from the plot representing the number of protons exchanged vs pH showed that the binding mechanism was pH‐dependent with a critical value at a pH 6.5. This observation was due to the protonation of a histidine residue as an imidazolium cation, which was not accessible when TTR was in its tetrameric structure. At pH >6.5, dehydration at the binding interface and several contacts between nonpolar groups of sTTR and HSPG were also coupled to binding for an optimal hydrogen‐bond network. At pH <6.5, the protonation of the His residue from sTTR monomer when pH decreased broke the hydrogen‐bond network, leading to its destabilization and thus producing slight conformational changes in the sTTR monomer structure. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A historical note on the entropy principle of Müller and Liu

Received July 12, 2001 / Published online February 28, 2002     

Synthesis and 1H, 19F NMR spectroscopic characterization of (pentafluorophenyl)3-n (pyrazol-1-yl-tetrafluorophenyl)n=1,2 porphyrins

Three new porphyrins bearing in the meso positions 4-(pyrazol-1-yl)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl substituents have been prepared and characterized by nmr spectroscopy.     

Acoustic wavefront imaging

We introduce a new class of experiments which provide graphic insights into the propagation of acoustic waves in anisotropic media. Simply stated, we have devised a means of observing the expanding acoustic wavefront from a point disturbance in a solid. The data may be viewed as a movie or a series of snapshots. The observed wavefronts represent the group-velocity surfaces of acoustic waves, which reflect the basic elastic anisotropy of the solid. The technique has been applied to coherent acoustic waves with frequencies in the megahertz range (at ambient temperatures) and to incoherent heat pulses in the hundred-gigahertz range (at liquid-helium temperatures). In this article, we first provide a pedagogical introduction to wave propagation in elastically anisotropic media, reviewing some early methods for visualizing acoustic waves. Next, we describe the “acoustic wavefront imaging” method and give representative results in crystals and composite materials. Finally, we show how this method relates to recent advances in phonon imaging and internal diffraction of ultrasound.     

Stationary axisymmetric solutions in the vacuum Jordan-Brans-Dicke theory

It is shown that any stationary axisymmetric solution to the vacuum field equations of the Jordan-Brans-Dicke (JBD) theory may be obtained from a composition of any stationary axisymmetric vacuum Einstein spacetime with the Weyl class of metrics. Thus, generating solution techniques can be used to obtain any stationary axisymmetric JBD vacuum solution. In this manner, C. B. G. McIntosh's results concerning this topic are improved upon.     

Electronic structures and MCD spectra of trigonal Cr(III)S6 systems

MCD, electronic absorption, external heavy atom, and crystal field data are presented for the low energy region (² E _g, ² T _1g, ⁴ T _2g) and high energy region (² T _2g, ⁴ T _1g) of Cr(dtp)₃, Cr(dtc)₃, and Cr(exan)₃. At low energy, MCD intensities of ² E(² E _g) and ² E(² T _g) are as large or larger than ⁴ T _2g, and the MCD technique is advantageous over electronic absorption in this respect. The MCD positions of ² E _g and ² T _1g are nearly the same for these molecules ( 13 kK and 13.6 kK) · ⁴ T _2g of this region appears trigonally split ( 500 cm^–1) in the MCD of dtp but to a smaller extent than in the electronic crystal spectrum of Lebedda and Palmer ( 600 cm^–1). MCD did not resolve such components for exan and dtc. The higher energy region includes ² T _2g and ⁴ T _1g, and the combined MCD and electronic absorption data of the three compounds taken together lead us to conclude the ordering ² A ₁(² T _2g)<² E(² T _2g)<⁴ E(⁴ T _1g). The potentially useful external heavy atom affect on the solution-observed electronic ² E and ⁴ E bands of Cr(dtp)₃ did not shed additional light on this order of E states. Finally, it is concluded that the order of ⁴ T _1g and ² T _2g cannot be decided from O _h crystal field calculations because of experimental uncertainties about choosing centers of gravity. In addition, ⁴ T _1g and ² T _2g are close together so that ordering ² E<⁴ E does not guarantee ² T _2g<⁴ T _1g. However, it can be concluded that the ratio C/B4 is not correct, whereas the larger 7<(C/B)<8 is consistent with the data of all three molecules because of small B parameters ( 0.4). Locating OO transitions may somewhat decrease C/B and Dq.

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Zusammenfassung In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden folgende Meßergebnisse mitgeteilt; MCD, elektronische Absorption, Einfluß eines äußeren schweren Atoms sowie Kristallfelddaten für den Bereich niedriger Energie (² E _g, ² T _1g, ⁴ T _2g) und den Bereich hoher Energie (² T _2g, ⁴ T _1g) von Cr(dtp)₃, Cr(dtc)₃ und Cr(exan). Bei niedriger Energie sind die MCD-Intensitäten von ² E(² E _g) und ² E(² T _1g) genau so groß, oder größer als ⁴ T _2g, und die MCD-Technik bietet Vorteile gegenüber der elektronischen Absorptionsmethode. Die MCD-Werte von ² E _g und ² T _1g sind für die genannten Moleküle etwa gleich ( 13 kK und 13,6 kK). ⁴ T _2g dieses Gebietes erscheint trigonal aufgespalten ( 500 cm^–1) bei MCD von dtp, aber in einem geringeren Maß als im elektronischen Kristallspektrum von Lebedda und Palmer ( 600 cm^–1) MCD löste solche Komponenten bei exan und dtc nicht auf. Der Bereich höherer Energie enthält ² T _2g und ⁴ T _1g, und aus der Kombination von Daten der MCD-Methode sowie der elektronischen Absorption schlossen wir auf die Anordnung ² A _1g(² T _2g)<² E(² T _2g)<⁴ E(⁴ T _1g). Der möglicherweise nützliche Effekt eines äußeren schweren Atoms auf die in Lösung beobachteten elektronischen ² E- und ⁴E-Banden von Cr(dtp)₃ brachte bezüglich dieser Anordnung der E-Zustände nichts Neues. Weiterhin wird gefolgert, daß die Ordnung von ⁴ T _1g und ² T _2g nicht aus O _h-Kristallfeldberechnungen entschieden werden kann, da experimentelle Unsicherheiten bezüglich der Wahl von Schwerpunkten bestehen. Außerdem liegen ⁴ T _1g und ² T _2g nahe zusammen, sodaß aus der Anordnung ² E<⁴ E nicht notwendig ² T _2g<⁴ T _1g folgt. Es kann jedoch gefolgert werden, daß das Verhältnis C/B4 nicht korrekt ist, während 7<(C/B)<8 konsistent mit den Daten aller drei Moleküle ist, da die B-parameter klein sind (0,4). Die Vokalisierung der OO-Übergänge könnten C/B und Dq etwas erniedrigen.

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Presented in part at the 161st American Chemical Society National Meeting, Los Angeles, California, March–April, 1971.

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NDEA Pre-Doctoral Fellow.     

A new and versatile Ugi/SNAr synthesis of fused 4,5-dihydrotetrazolo[1,5-a]quinoxalines

A combinatorial synthetic route yielding fused tetrazolo[1,5-a]quinoxalines is described. The use of 2-fluorophenylisocyanide in the Ugi-tetrazole reaction (tetrazole-U-4CR) followed by a nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) affords the tricylic tetrazolo[1,5-a]quinoxaline moiety in good yields and with high diversity.