Core model calculation of the electric field gradient: Projection operator formalism with application to NH3

A core model approach to the calculation of deuteron quadrupole coupling constants is investigated using NH₃ as an example. First the deuteron quadrupole coupling constant is calculated from a CNDO wave function. This result is subsequently improved by recomputing the N—D bond orbital by means of a variational calculation using the CNDO function to construct a core potential for the bond Hamiltonian. In order to simplify integrations a single-center basis is chosen to represent the variational wave function. A projection operator formalism is used as a computational scheme to maintain orthogonality of the bond orbital to core orbitals. Excellent agreement with experiment is obtained. The procedure is applicable to more complicated molecules.     

Determination of selected elements in bone samples by neutron activation and γ-spectrometry

A non-destructive method for the quantification of eleven elements in bone samples is described. The analytical scheme is based on short (30 s) irradiation with thermal neutrons followed immediately (decay time 10 s) by counting fluorine-20 for 30 s and, after a total waiting time of 150 s, by 10-min γ-spectrometry counting, which give data for Ca, Cl, Mg, Mn, Na, and V. Use of a boron carbide shield for a second set of irradiations with epithermal neutrons permits the additional determination of bromine and strontium and calculation of the contribution of aluminium and phosphorus to the total activity of ₂₈Al.     

Azetidinyl ketone chemistry. C-Methylation reactions and stereostructure - spectra relationships

The C-methylation of the potassium salt of 1-t-butyl-2-phenyl-3-(p-phenylbenzoyl)azetidine ( 1a ) with methyl iodide was studied in three solvents, and the stereochemical outcome of the reaction was shown to be dependent upon the solvent used. These results are rationalized in terms of the probable relative rates of the reaction in the various solvents and/or the effect of solvent on the structure of the anionic intermediate. Similar treatment of the potassium salt of 1-t-butyl-2-phenyl-3-benzoylazetidine ( 3a ) in ethyl ether gave a comparable result. The configurations of the epimeric C-methyl products ( 2a and 2b , and 4a ) were assigned on the basis of their spectral properties. With the aid of spectral data for a model compound, l-t-butyl-3-benzoyl-azetidine ( 5 ), several stereostructure-spectra relationships for 3-azetidinyl ketones are presented.     

Maximal estimates on measure spaces for weak-type multipliers

We describe sufficient conditions for transferring from locally compact abelian groups to measure spaces the weak-type bounds of maximal operators defined by multipliers of weak type. This leads to homomorphism theorems for maximal multiplier operators. Communicated by Guido Weiss     

Ionization constants for deuterium oxide in deuterium oxide-organic mixtures

A potentiometric method using a glass electrode has been applied to determination of ionization constants for deuterium oxide (D₂O) in binary mixtures of D₂O with dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, acetone, dimethylsulfoxide, CH₃CH₂OD, and CH₃OD at 25°C. The results are compared with values of ionization constants for H₂O obtained previously in the corresponding H₂O-organic mixtures, and the isotope effect is shown to be small. Further calculations with the D₂O results show that the first five solvents mentioned above are neither appreciably acidic nor basic in D₂O solution, but that CH₃OD shows slightly acidic behavior (pK_a=16.0±0.3).     

Infrared laser induced energy transfer studies in S18O2

Vibrational energy transfer has been studied in S¹⁸O₂, following pumping of the symmetric stretch (ν₁) by a Q-switched CO₂ laser. Fluorescence from the asymmetric stretch (ν₃) is monitored as a function of time following the laser pulse. This fluorescence rises with a rate constant of 74 ± 10 ms^?1 torr^?1, and then decays with a rate constant of 3.6 ± 0.1 ms^?1 torr^?1 for the S¹⁸O₂ itself. The effect of rare gases on the rise and fall rates was also studied. The results agree well with those on S¹⁶O₂ and are consistent with a double V-V picture in which the excitation is distributed rapidly between the stretches, but is shared with the bend much more slowly. This produces molecules in which the stretches are much “hotter” than the bend, giving rise to possibilities of laser action on the stretch-to-bend transitions and mode-selective vibrational enhancement of chemical reactions. Also, new results have been derived on the kinetics of V-V processes in mixtures. V-V transfer in various isotopic mixtures of SO₂ has been studied and the kinetic analysis indicates that S¹⁸O₂ and S¹⁶O₂ exhibit the same V-V rates.     

Nucleotides. Part XLIV. Synthesis,characterization, and biological activity of monomeric and trimeric cordycepin-cholesterol conjugates and inhibition of HIV-1 replication

The antivirally active 3′-deoxyadenylyl-(2′–5′)-3′-deoxyadenylyl-(2′–5′)-3′-deoxyadenosine (cordycepin trimer core) was modified at the 2′- or 5′-terminus, by attachment of cholesterol via a carbonate bond (→ 15 ) or a succinate linker (→ 16 and 27 ) to improve cell permeability. The corresponding monomeric conjugates 4 , 7 , and 21 of cordycepin were prepared as model substances to study the applicability of the anticipated protecting groups – the monomethoxytrityl (MeOTr), the (tert-butyl)dimethylsilyl (tbds), and the β -eliminating 2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethyl (npe) and 2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethoxycarbonyl (npeoc) groups – for the final deblocking steps without harming the ester bonds of the conjugate trimers. The syntheses were performed in solution using phosphoramidite chemistry. The fully protected trimer conjugates 13 , 14 , and 26 as well as all intermediates were characterized by elemental analyses, UV and ¹H-NMR spectra. The deblocked conjugates 15 , 16 , and 27 were pure according to HPLC and showed the correct compositions by mass spectra. Comparative biological studies indicated that cordycepincholesterol conjugate trimers 16 and 27 were 333- and 1000-fold, respectively, more potent inhibitors of HIV-1-induced syncytia formation than cordycepin trimer core.     

Intermode vibrational crossing in CH3Br*

Subsequent to Q-switch CO₂-laser pumping of the v₆ band of CH₃Br, rate constants for activation and deactivation of other modes have been measured. v₁, v₄ and v₂, v₅ are populated in about 60 gas kinetic collissions, and v₃ in about 170 collissions. All modes decay at the same rate, corresponding to about 335 collissions. Measurements have also been made on deactivation of the various modes by rare gases. The results are discussed in terms of possible mechanisms and in comparison to those on CH₃F and CH₃Cl. Considerations based on available theories of vibrational relaxation seem to give considerable, though quantitatively imperfect, insight into energy transfer in these species.     

Nucleosides. Part LX. Synthesis and Characterization of Monomeric Cordycepin-Vitamin and Cordycepin-Lipid Conjugates Model Substances for Biodegradable Ester and Carbonate Linkages in Conjugates and Potential Inhibitors of HIV-1 Replication

Monomeric 3′-deoxyadenosine (cordycepin) was modified at the 2′-O- ( 13–18 ) and 5′-O-position ( 25–29 ) by the vitamins E, D₂, and A and by the two lipids 1,2-di-O-palmitoylglycerol and 1,2-di-O-hexadecylglycerol via succinate or carbonate linkages. The base-labile conjugates afforded protection groups like the 2-(4-nitro-phenyl)ethoxycarbonyl (npeoc) and monomethoxytrityl group (MeOTr) that are cleavable without harming the ester and carbonate bonds, respectively. Monomeric conjugates of cordycepin and vitamin E, vitamin D₂, 1,2-di-O-palmitoylglycerol, and 1,2-di-O-hexadecylglycerol (see 13, 14, 17, 18, 25, 26, 28 , and 29 ) inhibited HIV-1-induced syncytia formation 1.7 to 6.2 fold compared to 1.5-fold for cordycepin (see Table); IC₅₀ values for 25 and 28 were 257 and 267 m?M , respectively. In addition, the monomeric cordycepin-vitamin and -lipid conjugates inhibited HIV-1 RT activity 28–49% which compares with a 13% inhibition of HIV-1 RT observed for cordycepin. The minimal inhibition of HIV-1-induced syncytia formation and HIV-1 RT activity did not proceed by the activation of RNase L. The monomeric conjugates tested ( 13, 14 ) increased PKR expression.     

Direct determination of the complete set of iron normal modes in a porphyrin-imidazole model for carbonmonoxy-heme proteins: [Fe(TPP)(CO)(1-MeIm)

Detailed Fe vibrational spectra have been obtained for the heme model complex [Fe(TPP)(CO)(1-MeIm)] using a new, highly selective and quantitative technique, Nuclear Resonance Vibrational Spectroscopy (NRVS). This spectroscopy measures the complete vibrational density of states for iron atoms, from which normal modes can be calculated via refinement of the force constants. These data and mode assignments can reveal previously undetected vibrations and are useful for validating predictions based on optical spectroscopies and density functional theory, for example. Vibrational modes of the iron porphyrin-imidazole compound [Fe(TPP)(CO)(1-MeIm)] have been determined by refining normal mode calculations to NRVS data obtained at an X-ray synchrotron source. Iron dynamics of this compound, which serves as a useful model for the active site in the six-coordinate heme protein, carbonmonoxy-myoglobin, are discussed in relation to recently determined dynamics of a five-coordinate deoxy-myoglobin model, [Fe(TPP)(2-MeHIm)]. For the first time in a six-coordinate heme system, the iron-imidazole stretch mode has been observed, at 226 cm(-)(1). The heme in-plane modes with large contributions from the nu(42), nu(49), nu(50), and nu(53) modes of the core porphyrin are identified. In general, the iron modes can be attributed to coupling with the porphyrin core, the CO ligand, the imidazole ring, and/or the phenyl rings. Other significant findings are the observation that the porphyrin ring peripheral substituents are strongly coupled to the iron doming mode and that the Fe-C-O tilting and bending modes are related by a negative interaction force constant.