(Z)-3-p-tolylsulfinylacrylonitrile as a chiral dienophile: diels-alder reactions with furan and acyclic dienes

The behavior of (Z)-3-p-tolylsulfinylacrylonitrile (1) as a chiral dienophile has been evaluated from its reactions with furan and acyclic dienes. Electrostatic interactions of the cyano group with the sulfinyl one restrict the conformational mobility around the C-S bond, thus controlling the pi-facial selectivity, which is almost complete in all cases, the approach of the diene from the less-hindered face of the dienophile (that bearing the lone electron pair) in the predominant rotamer being the favored one. The regioselectivity is also completely controlled by the cyano group. Additionally, the reactivity of compound 1 as well as its endo-selectivity are both higher than those observed for the corresponding (Z)-3-sulfinylacrylates, thus proving the potential of sulfinylnitriles as chiral dienophiles.     

Additions of enantiopure alpha-sulfinyl carbanions to (S)-N-sulfinimines: asymmetric synthesis of beta-amino sulfoxides and beta-alphamino alcohols

The addition of the lithium anions derived from (R)- and (S)-methyl and -ethyl p-tolyl sulfoxides to (S)-N-benzylidene-p-toluenesulfinamide provides an easy access route to enantiomerically pure beta-(N-sulfinyl)amino sulfoxides. Stereoselectivity can be achieved when the configurations at the sulfur atoms of the two reagents are opposite (matched pair), thus resulting in only one diastereoisomer, even for the case in which two new chiral centers are created. The N-sulfinyl group primarily controls the configuration of the carbon bonded to the nitrogen, whereas the configuration of the alpha-sulfinyl carbanion seems to be responsible for the level of asymmetric induction, as well as for the configuration of the new stereogenic C-SO carbon in the reactions with ethyl p-tolyl sulfoxides. An efficient method for transforming the obtained beta-(N-sulfinyl)amino sulfoxides into optically pure beta-amino alcohols, based on the stereoselective non-oxidative Pummerer reaction, is also reported.     

Theoretical study of the spin trapping of hydroxyl radical by cyclic nitrones: a density functional theory approach

The hydroxyl radical (*OH) is an important mediator of biological oxidative stress, and this has stimulated interest in its detection. 5,5-Dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) and its alkoxycarbonyl and alkoxyphosphoryl analogues have been employed as spin traps for electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic radical detection. Energies of optimized geometries of nitrones and their corresponding *OH adducts were calculated using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31+G//B3LYP/6-31G level. Calculations predict that the trans adduct formation is favored in alkoxycarbonyl nitrones, while cis adducts with intramolecular H-bonding is favored for alkoxyphosphoryl nitrones. Addition of *OH to a phosphoryl-substituted nitrone is more exoergic than the carbonylated nitrones. Charge and spin densities on the nitrone spin traps were correlated with their rates of addition with *OH, and results show that the charge density on the nitronyl C, the site of *OH addition, is more positive in phosphorylated nitrones compared to DMPO and the alkoxycarbonyl nitrones. The dihedral angle between the beta-H and nitroxyl O bonds is smaller in phosphorylated nitrones, and that aspect appears to account for the longer half-lives of the spin adducts compared to those in DMPO and alkoxycarbonyl nitrones. Structures of nitrones with trifluoromethyl-, trifluoromethylcarbonyl-, methylsulfonyl-, trifluoromethylsulfonyl-, amido-, spiropentyl-, and spiroester substituents were optimized and their energies compared. Amido and spiroester nitrones were predicted to be the most suitable nitrones for spin trapping of *OH due to the similarity of their thermodynamic and electronic properties to those of alkoxyphosphoryl nitrones. Moreover, dimethoxyphosphoryl substitution at C-5 was found to be the most efficient substitution site for spin trapping of *OH, and their spin adducts are predicted to be the most stable of all of the isomeric forms.     

A loop resonator for slice-selective in vivo EPR imaging in rats

A loop resonator was developed for 300 MHz continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW-EPR) spectroscopy and imaging in live rats. A single-turn loop (55 mm in diameter) was used to provide sufficient space for the rat body. Efficiency for generating a radiofrequency magnetic field of 38 microT/W(1/2) was achieved at the center of the loop. For the resonator itself, an unloaded quality factor of 430 was obtained. When a 350 g rat was placed in the resonator at the level of the lower abdomen, the quality factor decreased to 18. The sensitive volume in the loop was visualized with a bottle filled with an aqueous solution of the nitroxide spin probe 3-carbamoyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-3-pyrrolin-1-yloxy (3-CP). The resonator was shown to enable EPR imaging in live rats. Imaging was performed for 3-CP that had been infused intravenously into the rat and its distribution was visualized within the lower abdomen.     

Spin-singlet clusters in the ladder compound NaV2O5

The space group of alpha(')-NaV2O5 turns below T(c) = 34 K from Pmmn with all V sites equivalent, into Fmm2 with three independent vanadium sites per layer. This is incompatible with models of charge ordering into V4+ and V5+. Our structure determination indicates that the phase transition consists of a charge ordering with three distinct valence states, formally V4+, V4.5+, and V5+. The singlet formation is not associated with dimerization on the spin ladder, but with the formation of spin clusters. Finally, we ascribe the quadrupling of the c axis to the large polarizability of the V2O5 skeleton.     

Dependence of pulser driving responses on electrical and motional characteristics of NDE ultrasonic probes

Acoustic performance in ultrasonic transmitters can be improved by means of a suitable electrical driving response and matching/tuning networks. It is important to predict this electrical response, but doing so is not easy because it departs notably from the nominal pattern with the loading probes. In practice, the analysis of HV pulser spikes in NDE applications requires fairly complex models in the transient regime and, in addition, non-linear problems could arise, especially in the case of tuned transmitters. In this paper, the most relevant influences of loading characteristics of NDT ultrasonic probes on the pulser electrical driving responses are evaluated in time and frequency domains. Conventional pulse generators and typical NDE pulsers are considered. Driving responses are analysed across commercial ultrasonic probes and, alternatively, across similar purely electrical loads. Distinct influences on pulser responses from electrical and motional sections of the probes are identified. All these aspects are studied on the basis of experimental and computer results.     

Quasi Monte Carlo-based isotropic distribution of gradient directions for improved reconstruction quality of 3D EPR imaging

In continuous wave (CW) electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI), high quality of reconstructed image along with fast and reliable data acquisition is highly desirable for many biological applications. An accurate representation of uniform distribution of projection data is necessary to ensure high reconstruction quality. The current techniques for data acquisition suffer from nonuniformities or local anisotropies in the distribution of projection data and present a poor approximation of a true uniform and isotropic distribution. In this work, we have implemented a technique based on Quasi-Monte Carlo method to acquire projections with more uniform and isotropic distribution of data over a 3D acquisition space. The proposed technique exhibits improvements in the reconstruction quality in terms of both mean-square-error and visual judgment. The effectiveness of the suggested technique is demonstrated using computer simulations and 3D EPRI experiments. The technique is robust and exhibits consistent performance for different object configurations and orientations.     

A tunable reentrant resonator with transverse orientation of electric field for in vivo EPR spectroscopy

There has been a need for development of microwave resonator designs optimized to provide high sensitivity and high stability for EPR spectroscopy and imaging measurements of in vivo systems. The design and construction of a novel reentrant resonator with transversely oriented electric field (TERR) and rectangular sample opening cross section for EPR spectroscopy and imaging of in vivo biological samples, such as the whole body of mice and rats, is described. This design with its transversely oriented capacitive element enables wide and simple setting of the center frequency by trimming the dimensions of the capacitive plate over the range 100-900 MHz with unloaded Q values of approximately 1100 at 750 MHz, while the mechanical adjustment mechanism allows smooth continuous frequency tuning in the range +/-50 MHz. This orientation of the capacitive element limits the electric field based loss of resonator Q observed with large lossy samples, and it facilitates the use of capacitive coupling. Both microwave performance data and EPR measurements of aqueous samples demonstrate high sensitivity and stability of the design, which make it well suited for in vivo applications.     

Superoxide radical anion adduct of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO). 2. The thermodynamics of decay and EPR spectral properties

The formation of the superoxide radical anion (O2*-) adduct of the nitrone 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) as detected by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is one of the most common techniques for O2*- detection in chemical and biological systems. However, the nature of DMPO-O2H has confounded spin-trapping investigators over the years, since there has been no independently synthesized DMPO-O2H to date. A density functional theory (DFT) approach was used to predict the isotropic hyperfine coupling constants arising from the N, beta-H, and gamma-H nuclei of DMPO-O2H using explicit interactions with water molecules as well as via a bulk dielectric effect employing the polarizable continuum model (PCM). Theoretical calculation on the thermodynamics of DMPO-O2H decay shows favorable intramolecular rearrangement to form a nitrosoaldehyde and a hydroxyl radical as products, consistent with experimental observations. Some pathways for the bimolecular decomposition of DMPO-O2H and DMPO-OH have also been computed.