NMR investigation on the conformational properties of N-[2-pyridyl-N-oxide]-amino derivatives

The proton NMR spectra of N-[2-pyridyl-N-oxide]-derivatives of primary and secondary ethylamines, containing a substituent R on the C atom bearing the amino function, have been completely analysed in terms of the fundamental NMR parameters. The preferred conformations of the compounds investigated were established by the indications from NOE experiments as well as: (1) the long range coupling across the five bond between the aminic hydrogen and the proton in 4-position of the pyridine-N-oxide ring (⁵J_m^H,NH ～ 0·5 c/s), (2) the value of the vicinal coupling constant in the fragment CHNH (³J_NHCH ～ 7–9 c/s), (3) the large deshielding (Δτ ～ 1–1·5 ppm) observed for the resonance position of the proton on the asymmetric C atom in secondary amine derivatives with respect to the corresponding primary ones, and (4) the diamagnetic shielding produced on protons in position 3 and 4 of the pyridine-N-oxide ring by different aromatic groups introduced in the R substituent.The NMR data confirmed the preferred rotamers previously suggested on the basis of ORD and CD measurements.     

Mechanisms of peroxidic oxygen transfer to organic substrates : Oxidation of organic sulphides by chromium(vi)oxide diperoxide

The oxidation of organic sulphides (n-Bu₂S, PhSCH₃, Tolyl-SCH₃, p-Cl-C₆H₄SCH₃, and Ph₂S by (HMPT)CrO(O₂)₂1′ in CHCl₃ has been studied. The reaction produces the corresponding sulphoxides in nearly quantitative yields according to a 2:1 stoichiometry of sulphide to metaldiperoxide. A second-order-overall (order one in each of the reagents) kinetic law is obeyed. In parallel, the oxidation of organic sulphides by (HMPT)MoO(O₂)₂1' has been studied. Kinetic data, the observed rate laws, and the effect of inhibitors (HMPT, DABCO) have pointed out that-although 1' is significantly more reactive than 1′—considerable similarity exists between the two metaldiperoxides, in that both appear to act as electrophilic oxidizers. Also, through ¹H, ³¹P and ¹³C NMR investigations have permitted to assess the relevance of equilibria (HMPT)MO(O₂₂ MO(O₂)₂ + HMPT [with M = Mo(VI) or Cr(VI)]in solution, whereas no NMR evidence could be found for significant substrate coordination under the given conditions.     

Rational Design of Practically Important Enzymes

Majority of native enzymes are poorly applicable for practical usage: that is why different methods of enzyme modification are used to obtain the biocatalysts with appropriate characteristics. Development of genome sequencing and various modern approaches in protein engineering allow one to identify protein of interest and to improve the enzyme properties for a particular process. This review describes the results on development of novel biocatalysts based on bioinformatics and rational design. New genes encoding formate dehydrogenase (FDH) from bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, yeasts Ogataea parapolymorpha and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and moss Physcomitrella patens (SauFDH, OpaFDH, SceFDH and PpaFDH, respectively), have been cloned. New FDHs were produced in the active form and characterized. SauFDH was shown to have at least 2-fold higher catalytic constant than other known FDHs. OpaFDH has catalytic parameters as good as those for soy FDH mutant forms, and in addition, is more thermostable. Apo- and holo-forms of SauFDH have been crystallized. Mutation of two Cys residues in Pseudomonas sp.101 enzyme (PseFDH) yields enzyme preparations with improved kinetic parameters and enhanced thermal and chemical stability. New generation of PseFDH preparations with the coenzyme specificity changed from NAD⁺ to NADP⁺ have been obtained. The effect of ionic liquids on the catalytic properties and thermal stability of six wild-type recombinant FDHs, and a number of their mutants, have been studied. In case of D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO), single-point mutations have been combined to create multi-point mutants. The introduced amino acid replacements have been shown to exert an additive effect, improving both kinetic parameters and increasing thermal and chemical stability. DAAO genes from Hansenula polymorpha yeast have been cloned. α-Amino acid ester hydrolase (AEH) gene has been cloned and expressed in the active form in E. coli. Structural modeling has been performed and the effectiveness in amino beta-lactams synthesis studied. The structure of a single-chain penicillin acylase from Alcaligenes faecalis (scAfPA) has been modeled and two variants of scAfPA gene was generated by PCR. Both variants have been expressed in E. coli, isolated and characterized. Catalytic properties of scAfPA were slightly better than those of its natural heterodimer.     

A Priori Tests of RANS Models for Turbulent Channel Flows of a Dense Gas

Dense gas effects, encountered in many engineering applications, lead to unconventional variations of the thermodynamic and transport properties in the supersonic flow regime, which in turn are responsible for considerable modifications of turbulent flow behavior with respect to perfect gases. The most striking differences for wall-bounded turbulence are the decoupling of dynamic and thermal effects for gases with high specific heats, the liquid-like behavior of the viscosity and thermal conductivity, which tend to decrease away from the wall, and the increase of density fluctuations in the near wall region. The present work represents a first attempt of quantifying the influence of such dense gas effects on modeling assumptions employed for the closure of the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, with focus on the eddy viscosity and turbulent Prandtl number models. For that purpose, we use recent direct numerical simulation results for supersonic turbulent channel flows of PP11 (a heavy fluorocarbon representative of dense gases) at various bulk Mach and Reynolds numbers to carry out a priori tests of the validity of some currently-used models for the turbulent stresses and heat flux. More specifically, we examine the behavior of the modeled eddy viscosity for some low-Reynolds variants of the \(k-\varepsilon \) model and compare the results with those found for a perfect gas at similar conditions. We also investigate the behavior of the turbulent Prandtl number in dense gas flow and compare the results with the predictions of two well-established turbulent Prandtl number models.     

Polyurethane foam chips combined with liquid chromatography in the determination of unmetabolized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons excreted in human urine

A method suitable for the determination of unmetabolized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) excreted at trace levels (ng/L) in human urine for the monitoring of exposure of the general population to PAH contamination was developed. PAHs were determined, after enrichment by solid-phase extraction on polyurethane foam (PUF) chips, by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Different parameters affecting analyte extraction to the PUF, including urine salting-out and organic additives, and optimization of conditions for clean-up and desorption have been investigated. Optimized conditions were 40 mL acidified urine sample, added with magnesium sulfate, tetrahydrofuran and a 2 cm3 PUF chip, and extracted by shaking at 30 rpm for 1 h at ambient temperature. Desorption was performed, after a clean-up step with diluted sodium hydroxide, using a small amount of diethyl ether. The recovery of PAH congeners from spiked urines was >90% in the 2-100 ng/L range; the detection limit was 0.1-0.5 ng/L, depending on the considered PAH congener; day-to-day precision, at 50 ng/L native PAH content, was CV = 10-20%. The proposed technique provides a simple, economical and effective procedure for the determination of trace amounts of unmetabolized PAHs excreted in human urine spot samples.     

Detection of Taurine in Biological Tissues by S NMR Spectroscopy

The potential of ³³S NMR spectroscopy for biochemical investigations on taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is explored. It is demonstrated that ³³S NMR spectroscopy allows the selective and unequivocal identification of taurine in biological samples. ³³S NMR spectra of homogenated and intact tissues are reported for the first time, together with the spectrum of a living mollusc. Emphasis is placed on the importance of choosing appropriate signal processing methods to improve the quality of the ³³S NMR spectra of biological tissues.     

Multinuclear and dynamic NMR study of trans-[Pt(Cl)(PHCy2)2(PCy2)], [Pt(Cl)(PHCy2)3][BF4], [Pt(Cl)(PHCy2)3][Cl], trans-[Pt(Cl)(PHCy2)2[P(S)Cy(2)]], and trans-[Pt(Cl)(PHCy2)2[P(O)Cy2]]. Influence of intramolecular P=O...H-P and Cl...H-P interactions on restricted rotation about Pt-P bond. X-ray structure of trans-[Pt(Cl)(PHCy2)2[P(O)Cy2]

Dynamic NMR experiments on trans-[Pt(Cl)(PHCy2)2[P(X)Cy2]]z where X is a lone pair (1, z = 0), H (2, z = +1), S (3, z = 0), or O (4, z = 0) show that the rotation around the P(X)-Pt bond is hindered for all molecules studied, with deltaG++ ranging from 8.2 to 11.0 kcal/mol. The highest value of the series was calculated for trans-[Pt(Cl)(PHCy2)2[P(O)Cy2]] (4) where intramolecular P=O...H-P interactions act as a molecular brake at room temperature. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction confirms the presence of both intra and intermolecular P=O...H interactions in solid 4. In the case of [Pt(Cl)(PHCy2)3]Cl, multinuclear NMR analysis indicates the presence of a P-H...Cl- interaction in aromatic or halogenated solvents which could have also a minor effect on the rotational barrier around the P(X)-Pt bond.     

Relationship Between 1H-1H and 19F-19F Inter-Ring Coupling Constants in Fused Aza-Aromatic Systems

A complete analysis of the proton magnetic resonance spectra of quinoline¹ and isoquinoline^2,3 allowed to obtain signs and accurate magnitudes of the ¹H-¹H inter-ring coupling constants (HIRC). Since corresponding ¹⁹F-¹⁹F inter-ring coupling constants (FIRC) in perfluoro-quinoline⁴ and -isoquinoline⁵ are available it was worthwhile to consider whether a correlation could be established between HIRC and FIRC. A correlation of this kind would be of obvious interest to a better understanding of the transmission mechanism of long-range ¹⁹F-¹⁹F couplings.     

33S NMR spectroscopy 3. Substituent effects on 33S NMR parameters in 2-substituted ethanesulfonates

33S NMR parameters (chemical shifts and linewidths) in 2-substituted sodium ethanesulfonates, XCH2CH2SO3Na (X = H, CH3, OH, SH, NH2, Cl, Br, NH3+) depend upon the electronic properties of substituents. To explain experimental results and obtain additional information on the origin of the observed substituent effect (SE), sulfur isotropic absolute shielding constants have been calculated at DFT level of theory (B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p)) by gauge-including atomic orbitals (GIAO) method. Data have been interpreted with the aid of natural bond orbital (NBO) method and natural chemical shielding (NCS) analysis. It has been demonstrated that in the class of compounds considered the diamagnetic contribution to sulfur-shielding constant is constant and the observed upfield shift of 33S resonance induced by electron-withdrawing substituents (reverse chemical shift effect) can be related to variations of the paramagnetic contribution. Substituents with different electronic properties cause variations in the polarization of S-C and S-O bonds of the -C-SO3- moiety thus determining changes of the electron density at sulfur nucleus and consequently the expansion or contraction of 3p sulfur orbitals. Also oxygen lone-pairs and sulfur core 2p electrons can play an active role in determining the paramagnetic contribution to sulfur shielding. With regard to linewidth variations, they can be ascribed primarily to changes in the nuclear quadrupole coupling constant values. B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p) method allows obtaining a good reproducibility of SE on the electric field gradient (EFG) at sulfur, although its values tend to be underestimated significantly. Moreover, 17O shielding constants have been calculated.     

INDOR study of 1H?1H inter-ring couplings in naphthalene derivatives

The ¹H n.m.r. spectra of two naphthalene derivatives have been completely analysed. The advantages of the INDOR technique have been illustrated in the determination, magnitudes and signs, of small couplings in complex spin systems. A splitting of 0.07 Hz has been resolved in the 100 MHz spectrum of 1,2-dichloro-3 nitronaphthalene. The signs of the inter-ring coupling constants alternate with the number of intervening bonds.