Size complementarity in anion recognition by neutral macrocyclic tetraamides

Comparison of the anion binding properties of a series of uncharged macrocyclic tetraamides reveal significant effects of the receptor's size on the strength of its anion complexes. This study allowed for estimation of the optimal size of a macroring for complexation of common anions.     

Inorganic Sol-Gel Preparation of Medium Sized Microparticles of Li2TiO3 from TiCl4 as Tritium Breeding Material for Fusion Reactors

Microspheres of Li₂TiO₃ were fabricated by a classical, inorganic sol-gel process from commercially available TiCl₄. Elaborated process consists of the following main steps: (1) dissolving of TiCl₄ in concentrated aqueous HCl and addition of LiOH; (2) formation of sol emulsion in 2-ethylhexanol-1 containing the surfactant SPAN-80 (EH); (3) gelation of emulsion drops by extraction of water with partially dehydrated EH; (4) impregnation of gel to Li:Ti molar ratio MR = 2; (5) thermal treatment at 1200°C in order to receive chloride free product. This temperature can be significantly lowered (to 750°C) by dechlorination starting solution TiCl₄ by chemical treatment of the with nitric acid to form of nitrate-stabilized titania sols. Tritium release from sol-gel made Li₂TiO₃ microspheres were found very close to that observed for other traditional materials, however for the first sample process starts slightly earlier.     

The synthesis of 3,6-diamino-2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-dl-threo-hexopyranose derivatives,substrates for the synthesis of negamycin

Three synthetic routes to derivatives of 3,6 - diamino - 2,3,4,6 - tetradeoxy - DL - threo - hexopyranose were investigated. Addition of sodium azide in acetic acid to 6 - phthalimido - 5,6 - dihydro - 2 - pyrone gave 4-azido compound (7) of the erythro configuration. From methyl 2,4 - dideoxy - β -dl- erythro - hexopyranoside threo 4 - phthalimido - 6 - phthalimidomethyl - tetrahydro - 2 - pyrone (17) was obtained in three steps in low overall yield. Addition of sodium azide in acetic acid to butyl 6 - oxo - 2 - hydroxy - hex - 4 - enoate followed by methylation, amonolysis of the ester group, and reduction gave methyl 3,6 - diacetamido - 2,3,4,6 - tetradeoxy - α - DL - threo - hexopyranoside (26).     

Approaching exponential growth with a self-replicating peptide

Self-replicating peptide systems hold great promise for a wide range of technological applications, as well as to address fundamental questions pertaining to the molecular origins of life. The development of self-replicating compounds capable of high efficiency, however, has remained elusive. Here we disclose a successful strategy whereby modulation of coiled-coil stability results in remarkable catalytic efficiency for self-replication. By shortening the peptide to the minimum length necessary for coiled-coil formation a highly efficient self-replicating system was obtained due to very low background reaction rates, bringing the efficiency close to naturally occurring enzymes.     

Reactions of nickel(II) 2,21-dimethyl-2-aza-21-carbaporphyrin with phenyl Grignard reagents, phenyllithium, and n-butyllithium

Addition of a phenyl Grignard reagent to a toluene solution of the nickel(II) chloride complex of a dimethylated inverted porphyrin, (2-NCH3-21-CH3CTPP)NiIICl (1), at 203 K results in the formation of a rare paramagnetic (sigma-phenyl)nickel(II) species, (2-NCH3-21-CH3CTPP)NiIIPh (2). The coordination of the sigma-phenyl in 2 is determined by a unique pattern of three sigma-phenyl resonances (ortho 375.0 ppm; meta 108.94 ppm; para 35.68 ppm (at 283 K)) in the 1H NMR and 2H NMR spectra. The (sigma-phenyl)nickel(II) compound 2 is in the high-spin ground electronic state (dxy)2(dxz)2(dyz)2(dz2)1(dx2-y2)1, as confirmed by similarity of the NMR spectra of the equatorial ligand in 1 and 2. Titration of 1 with phenyllithium produces (2-NCH3-21-CH3CTPP)NiIIPh (2). One-electron reduction with excess PhLi yields [(2-NCH3-21-CH3CTPP)NiIIPh]- (3), which can be also generated by independent routes, e.g., by reduction of (2-NCH3-21-CH3CTPP)NiIIPh using lithium triethylborohydride or tetrabutylammonium borohydride. The spectroscopic data indicate that (2-NCH3-21-CH3CTPP)NiIIPh (2) undergoes one-electron reduction without a substantial disruption of the molecular geometry. The presence of two paramagnetic centers in 3, i.e., the high-spin nickel(II) and the carbaporphyrin anion radical, produces remarkable variations in a spectral patterns, such as the upfield and downfield positions of pyrrole resonances (103.78, 96.66, -25.35, -50.97, -92.15, -114.83 ppm (at 253 K)) and sign alternations of the meso-phenyl resonances (ortho -77.81, -79.34 ppm; meta 48.77, 48.04 ppm; para -85.65, -86.46 ppm (at 253 K)). A single species, 4, is detected in the 1H NMR titration of 1 with n-butyllithium. The formation of one- or two-electron-reduced species, [(2-NCH3-21-CH3CTPP)NiBu]- or [(2-NCH3-21-CH3CTPP)NiBu]2-, respectively, is considered to account for the spectroscopic properties of 4 (pyrrole 17.33, 15.45, -5.79, -7.74, -14.62, -58.14 ppm; 21-CH3 3 ppm (at 203 K)). The temperature dependence of the hyperfine shifts of 4 demonstrates pronounced anti-Curie behavior, interpreted in terms of a temperature-dependent spin equilibrium between diamagnetic and paramagnetic states with diamagnetic properties approached as the temperature is lowered. Warming of 2-4 results in complete decomposition via homolytic/heterolytic cleavage of an axial nickel-apical carbon bond. In the case of 2 or 3, the process yields a mixture of two compounds, 5 and 6, which are detected by EPR spectroscopy, demonstrating the anisotropy of the g tensor (5, g1 = 2.237, g2 = 2.092, g3 = 2.090; 6, g1 = 2.115, g2 = 2.030, g3 = 1.940 (in frozen toluene solution at 77 K)).     

Formation of (E) 1-alkoxy-1,3-butadienes from corresponding propargyl ethers; vicarious nucleophilic substitution in alkoxyallenes

Propargyl ethers treated with dimsyl anion in DMSO at 80-100°C undergo terminal methylenation to afford corresponding (E) 1-alkoxy-1,3-butadienes. The reaction proceeds via an alkoxy-allene.     

Total synthesis of 3-deoxy and 3,6-dideoxy-dl-hexoses

Synthesis of stereoisomeric 3-deoxy-hexoses 24–27 and 3,6-dideoxy-hexoses 28–31 is reported. Butyl (E)-2,6-dihydroxy-hex-4-enoate (2) was used as the starting material for the synthesis of 3-deoxy-hexoses. For the synthesis of 3,6-dideoxy-hexoses, butyl (E)-2-acetoxy-hex-4-enoate (7) was employed. The synthesis involved the following successive steps: cis or trans hydroxylation of the double bond in 2 or 7, lactonisation of the resulting aldonic acid esters followed by acetylation and chromatographical separation of γ-lactones, reduction of lactones 16–23 to lactols with disiamylborane, and acetylation of lactols to free sugars. All compounds were obtained as pure diastereomers in racemic form.     

Diastereoselective assembling of 21-C-alkylated nickel(II) complexes of inverted porphyrin on a platinum(II) template

Reaction of 21-C-methyl and 21-C-benzyl nickel(II) complexes of inverted meso-tetratolylporphyrin with platinum(II) dichloride or its bis(benzonitrile) complex yields a chloroplatinum(II) species containing two nickel(II) carbaporphyrinoids in a cis arrangement. One of the carbaporphyrinoids coordinates to the platinum ion with the external nitrogen while the other is bound with the external nitrogen and one ortho-carbon of the adjacent meso-aryl ring. The reaction is highly chemoselective. (1)H and (13)C NMR experiments in solution show the diastereoselectivity of the reaction. Single-crystal X-ray data confirm the presence of the diastereomer with opposite configurations of the Ni(II)-coordinated carbons in the subunits of the dimer. Cyclovoltammetric measurements reveal an anodic shift of the nickel(II) oxidation potentials of dimers with respect to those of the parent monomers and two different reduction couples. Reaction of unsubstituted inverted porphyrin with Pt(PhCN)(2)Cl(2) in chlorobenzene yields a monomeric platinum(II) complex of inverted porphyrin. This complex displays a markedly upfield (195)Pt NMR shift compared to tetraphenylporphyrinatoplatinum(II). Under strongly basic conditions deprotonation of the external nitrogen of inverted porphyrin and both electrochemical and chemical oxidation of platinum(II) center are observed.     

Thermolytic carbonates for potential 5'-hydroxyl protection of deoxyribonucleosides

Thermolytic groups structurally related to well-studied heat-sensitive phosphate/thiophosphate protecting groups have been evaluated for 5'-hydroxyl protection of deoxyribonucleosides as carbonates and for potential use in solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis. The spatial arrangement of selected functional groups forming an asymmetric nucleosidic 5'-O-carbonic acid ester has been designed to enable heat-induced cyclodecarbonation reactions, which would result in the release of carbon dioxide and the generation of a nucleosidic 5'-hydroxyl group. The nucleosidic 5'-O-carbonates 3-8, 10-15, and 19-21 were prepared and were isolated in yields ranging from 45 to 83%. Thermolytic deprotection of these carbonates is preferably performed in aqueous organic solvent at 90 degrees C under near neutral conditions. The rates of carbonate deprotection are dependent on the nucleophilicity of the functional group involved in the postulated cyclodecarbonation reaction and on solvent polarity. Deprotection kinetics increase according to the following order: 4 < 5 < 10 < 6 < 12 < 7 < 13 < 8 < 14 congruent with 19-21 and CCl4 < dioxane < MeCN < t-BuOH < MeCN:phosphate buffer (3:1 v/v, pH 7.0) < EtOH:phosphate buffer (1:1 v/v, pH 7.0). Complete thermolytic deprotection of carbonates 7, 8, 13, and 14 is achieved within 20 min to 2 h under optimal conditions in phosphate buffer-MeCN. The 2-(2-pyridyl)amino-1-phenylethyl and 2-[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)]aminoethyl groups are particularly promising for 5'-hydroxyl protection of deoxyribonucleosides as thermolytic carbonates.