Dynamic Interactions in Synthetic Receptors: A Guest Exchange Saturation Transfer Study

The accumulated knowledge regarding molecular architectures is based on established, reliable, and accessible analytical tools that provide robust structural and functional information on assemblies. However, both the dynamicity and low population of noncovalently interacting moieties within studied molecular systems limit the efficiency and accuracy of traditional methods. Herein, the use of a saturation transfer-based NMR approach to study the dynamic binding characteristics of an anion to a series of synthetic receptors derived from bambusuril macrocycles is demonstrated. The exchange rates of BF₄⁻ are mediated by the side chains on the receptor (100 s⁻¹<k_ex<5000 s⁻¹), which play a critical role in receptor-anion binding dynamics. The signal amplification obtained with this approach allows for the identification of different types of intermolecular interactions between the receptor and the anion, something that could not have been detected by techniques hitherto used to study molecular assemblies. These findings, which are supported by a computational molecular dynamic study, demonstrate the uniqueness and added value of this NMR method.     

Noncommutative localisation in algebraic K-theory II

In [Amnon Neeman, Andrew Ranicki, Noncommutative localisation in algebraic K-theory I, Geom. Topol. 8 (2004) 1385-1425] we proved a localisation theorem in the algebraic K-theory of noncommutative rings. The main purpose of the current article is to express the general theorem of the previous paper in a more user-friendly fashion, in a way more suitable for applications. In the process we compare our result to the existing theorems in the literature, showing how the previous paper improves all the existing results.It should be pointed out that there have been two very interesting recent preprints on related topics. The reader is referred to the beautiful papers of Krause [Henning Krause, Cohomological quotients and smashing localizations, http://wwwmath.upb.de/~hkrause/publications.html. [8]] and Dwyer [William G. Dwyer, Noncommutative localization in homotopy theory, preprint, http://www.nd.edu/~wgd/. [4]]. Krause studies the lifting of chain complexes and the relation with the telescope conjecture, and Dwyer generalises to the homotopy theoretic framework.     

Propellanes. Part LXXXI. Why are tetrakis[organoboranediylbis(oxy)]cyclobutanes formed without a trace of the isomeric tetrakis-dioxabora[3.3.2]propellanes?

MNDO and STO-3G calculations rationalize the relative instability of the title propellanes vis-à-vis the title products that are formed exclusively.     

Effect of Substituents and of Wavelength of Irradiation on the Photo-Fries-Rearrangement of Enol-Esters Preliminary Communication

Enol-esters 1a-1e undergo clean Photo-Fries-rearrangements without side reactions. With anthroyl derivatives the reaction is observed only at 254 nm, not at 366 nm.     

Self-avoiding walks on random fractal environments

Self-avoiding random walks (SAWs) are studied on several hierarchical lattices in a randomly disordered environment. An analytical method to determine whether their fractal dimensionD _saw is affected by disorder is introduced. Using this method, it is found that for some lattices,D _saw is unaffected by weak disorder; while for othersD _saw changes even for infinitestimal disorder. A weak disorder exponent is defined and calculated analytically [ measures the dependence of the variance in the partition function (or in the effective fugacity per step)vL on the end-to-end distance of the SAW,L]. For lattices which are stable against weak disorder (<0) a phase transition exists at a critical valuev=v ^* which separates weak- and strong-disorder phases. The geometrical properties which contribute to the value of are discussed.     

Interpretation of Polarized Absorption and Emission Spectra of Molecules Incorporated in Stretched Polymer Films

Different methods for the interpretation of linear dichroic spectra of molecules incorporated in uniaxial matrices are discussed. A method based on the combination of both polarized absorption and emission measurements is described for the resolution of absorption and emission spectra into their different polarized components, and for the investigation of molecular distributions in the oriented matrix. The distributions of some planar molecules of different shapes incorporated in stretched polyethylene films are presented.     

Simulations of remote mutants of dihydrofolate reductase reveal the nature of a network of residues coupled to hydride transfer

Recent experimental and theoretical studies have proposed that enzymes involve networks of coupled residues throughout the protein that participate in motions accompanying chemical barrier crossing. Here, we have examined portions of a proposed network in dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) using quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics simulations. The simulations use a hybrid quantum mechanics‐molecular mechanics approach with a recently developed semiempirical AM1‐SRP Hamiltonian that provides accurate results for this reaction. The simulations reproduce experimentally determined catalytic rates for the wild type and distant mutants of E. coli DHFR, underscoring the accuracy of the simulation protocol. Additionally, the simulations provide detailed insight into how residues remote from the active site affect the catalyzed chemistry, through changes in the thermally averaged properties along the reaction coordinate. The mutations do not greatly affect the structure of the transition state near the bond activation, but we observe differences somewhat removed from the point of C? H cleavage that affect the rate. The mutations have global effects on the thermally averaged structure that propagate throughout the enzyme and the current simulations highlight several interactions that appear to be particularly important. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.