An Unexpected Atropisomerically Stable 1,1‐Biphenyl at Ambient Temperature in Solution,Elucidated by Vibrational Circular Dichroism (VCD)

Biphenyls with only two substituents at the ‘peri'‐position normally show rotation about their chiral axis at room temperature. Using vibrational circular dichroism (VCD), we found no evidence for rotation of (P)‐2′‐[(4S)‐4,5‐dihydro‐4‐(1‐methylethyl)oxazol‐2‐yl][1,1′‐biphenyl]‐2‐methanol ((P,S)‐ 1 ) in CDCl₃ about its chiral axis due to stabilization by intramolecular H‐bonding. All rotamers of 1 were calculated at the DFT level, and, from these optimized structures, the VCD spectra were calculated and compared to the measured VCD spectra. The best agreement between calculated and measured spectra is obtained when two rotamers are present in solution. These rotamers differ primarily in their intramolecular H‐bonding interactions, having either OH???N (the form present in the solid state) or OH???O H‐bonds, i.e., a rotation of the heterocycle in 1 takes place in solution.     

Beta Sheets with a Twist: The Conformation of Helical Polyisocyanopeptides Determined by Using Vibrational Circular Dichroism

Detailed information on the architecture of polyisocyanopeptides based on vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy in combination with DFT calculations is presented. It is demonstrated that the screw sense of the helical polyisocyanides can be determined directly from the C?N‐stretch vibrational region of the VCD spectrum. Analysis of the VCD signals associated with the amide I and amide II modes provides detailed information on the peptide side‐chain arrangement in the polymer and indicates the presence of a helical β‐sheet architecture, in which the dihedral angles are slightly different to those of natural β‐sheet helices.     

Determination of the Absolute Configuration of (−)‐Mirtazapine by Vibrational Circular Dichroism

The absolute configuration of the (−)‐enantiomer of mirtazapine was determined by means of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD). The observed VCD of (−)‐mirtazapine showed excellent correlation with the calculated VCD of the (R)‐enantiomer. This is in agreement with the absolute configuration as determined by independent synthesis starting from (R)‐phenylglycine.     

Determination of the Absolute Configuration of Pentacoordinate Chiral Phosphorus Compounds in Solution by Using Vibrational Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory

Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopic measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been used to obtain the absolute structural information about four sets of diastereomers of pentacoordinate spirophosphoranes derived separately from l‐ (or d‐ ) valine and l‐ (or d‐ ) leucine for the first time. Each compound contains three stereogenic centers: one at the phosphorus center and two at the amino acid ligands. Extensive conformational searches for the compounds have been carried out and their vibrational absorption (VA) and VCD spectra have been simulated at the B3LYP/6‐311++G** level. Although both VA and VCD spectra are highly sensitive to the structural variation of the apical axis, that is, the O? P? O or N? P? O arrangement, the rotamers generated by the aliphatic amino side chains show little effect on both. The dominant experimental VCD features in the 1100–1500 cm^?1 region were found to be controlled by the chirality at the phosphorus center, whereas those at the C?O stretching region are determined by the chirality of the amino acid ligands. The good agreement between the experimental VA and VCD spectra in CDCl₃ solution and the simulated ones allows us to assign the absolute configurations of these pentacoordinate phosphorus compounds with high confidence. This study shows that the VCD spectroscopy complemented with DFT calculations is a powerful and reliable method for determining the absolute configurations and dominating conformers of synthetic phosphorus coordination complexes in solution.     

Conformation Analysis of Ile-Ala-Val-Pro Peptide and Its Derivatives by Circular Dichroism

Ile-Ala-Val-Pro as a hypocholesterolemic peptide was isolated from soybean protein. We have synthesized four peptides, Ile-Ala-Val-Pro-Gly-Glu-Val-Ala, Leu-Ile-Ala-Val-Pro-Gly-Glu-Val-Ala, Ile-Ala-Val-Pro-Thr-Gly-Val-Ala, Leu-Ile-Ala-Val-Pro-Thr-Gly-Val-Ala, with a conserved Ile-Ala-Val-Pro amino acid sequence, for circular dichroism investigations. These four peptide sequences were also found in the amino acid sequence in soybean protein, which was defined from the genomic sequence. Additionally for a detailed analysis of conformation features of these peptides, the Ile-Ala-Val-Pro and Leu-Ile-Ala-Val-Pro were also synthesized. All peptides were prepared using standard fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl methodology and the peptide yields ranged from 90 to 95% of the theoretical yields with purity after purification above 99%.     

苯甲酰基修饰环糊精衍生物的圆二色性与分子构象

环糊精(简称ＣＤ)分子的独特结构特点和性能使其成为超分子化学中重要的主体模型之一[1,2].ＣＤ及其衍生物在分子识别,模拟酶等领域的研究和应用受到广泛重视[3].光活性组分的超分子体系可通过光诱导能量传递进行选择性光化学反应[4].我们与日本Ｉｎｏｕｅ等以单(6ｏ苯甲酰基)βＣＤ为光增感剂,研究了顺式环辛烯的光异构化反应[5],但对于反应过程中ＣＤ衍生物构象有何变化,反应发生在ＣＤ空腔内还是空腔外等反应机理尚不清楚.为了研究环辛烯光异构化反应机理并提供新的光增感剂,我们合成并报导了一系列含发色团的ＣＤ衍生物[6,7].通过研究客…     

A Spectroscopic Study of Colchicine in the Solid State and in Solution by Multinuclear Magnetic Resonance and Vibrational Circular Dichroism

Although almost 200‐years‐old, several unknown aspects remain to be explored of colchicine, the unique available drug for acute flares of gout. In this article, we report density‐functional theory (DFT) studies of geometry, energy, and NMR; ¹H‐, ¹³C‐, and ¹⁵N‐NMR chemical shifts and some spin‐spin coupling constants, including the complete analysis of the saturated part (ring B); the assignment of both enantiomers by NMR using a chiral solvating agent; solid‐state NMR experiments of the different forms of natural and racemic colchicine, and IR and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) studies of these same forms.     

Conformations of Serine in Aqueous Solutions as Revealed by Vibrational Circular Dichroism

Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy is utilized to reveal the detailed conformational distributions of the dominant serine species in aqueous solutions under three representative pH conditions of 1.0, 5.7, and 13.0, together with vibrational absorption (VA) spectroscopy, density functional theory (DFT), and molecular dynamics simulation. The experimental VA and VCD spectra of serine in H₂O and D₂O in the fingerprint region under three pH values are obtained. DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) level are carried out for the protonated, zwitterionic, and deprotonated serine species. The lowest‐energy conformers of all three species are identified and their corresponding VA and VCD spectra simulated. A comparison between the gas‐phase simulations and the experimental VA and VCD spectra suggests that one or two of the most stable conformers of each species contribute predominantly to the observed data, although some discrepancies are noted. To account for the solvent effects, both the polarizable continuum model and the explicit solvation model are considered. Hydrogen‐bonded protonated, zwitterionic, and deprotonated serine–(water)₆ clusters are constructed based on radial distribution function analyses and molecular dynamics snapshots. Geometry optimization and VA and VCD simulations are performed for these clusters at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) level. Inclusion of the explicit water molecules is found to improve the agreement between theory and experiment noticeably in all three cases, thus enabling conclusive conformational distribution analyses of serine in aqueous solutions directly.     

振动圆二色谱: 一种确定手性分子绝对构型的新方法

手性分子绝对构型的确定是一个极其重要且长期存在的问题. 振动圆二色谱是在红外波长区域测定分子圆二色性的一种新方法, 极大地扩展了圆二色谱的应用范围. 振动圆二色谱法通过构象搜索、量子化学计算等手段准确预测手性分子的振动圆二色谱图, 进而与实测谱图进行比较确定其绝对构型. 该方法已经得到了越来越广泛的应用, 必将成为一种有效测定手性分子绝对构型的常规方法.     

Vibrational Circular Dichroism Unravels Supramolecular Chirality and Hydration Polymorphism of Nucleoside Crystals

Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy has been widely used to study (bio)molecules in solution. However, its solid-state applications have been restricted due to experimental limitations and artifacts. Having overcome some of them, the first VCD study of nucleoside crystals is now presented. A two-orders-of-magnitude enhancement of VCD signal was observed due to high molecular order in the crystals and resulting supramolecular chirality. This allowed to obtain high-quality VCD spectra within minutes using minute amounts of samples. The VCD technique is extremely sensitive in detecting changes in a crystal order and is able to distinguish different hydration states of crystals. This elevates it to a new level, as a fast and efficient tool to study chiral crystalline samples. This study demonstrates that VCD is capable of near-instantaneous detection of hydration polymorphs and crystal degradation, which is of substantial interest in pharmaceutical industry (quality and stability control).     

Polymorphism of Amyloid Fibrils Induced by Catalytic Seeding: A Vibrational Circular Dichroism Study

Amyloidal protein fibrils occur in many biological events, but their formation and structural variability are understood rather poorly. We systematically explore fibril polymorphism for polyglutamic acid (PGA), insulin and hen egg white lysozyme. The fibrils were grown in the presence of “seeds”, that is fibrils of the same or different protein. The seeds in concentrations higher than about 5 % of the total protein amount fully determined the structure of the final fibrils. Fibril structure was monitored by vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy and other techniques. The VCD shapes significantly differ for different fibril samples. Infrared (IR) and VCD spectra of PGA were also simulated using density functional theory (DFT) and a periodic model. The simulation provides excellent basis for data interpretation and reveals that the spectral shapes and signs depend both on fibril length and twist. The understanding of fibril formation and interactions may facilitate medical treatment of protein misfolding diseases in the future.     

圆二色光谱分析蛋白质构象的方法及研究进展

介绍了远紫外圆二色光谱数据计算蛋白质二级结构,辨认蛋白质三级结构类型的原理、拟合方法、实验技术。对近紫外圆二色作为光谱探针,研究蛋白质中芳香氨基酸残基、二硫键微环境的变化作了简单介绍。     

Stereochemistry of the Reaction Intermediates of Prolinol Ether Catalyzed Reactions Characterized by Vibrational Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy

Spectroscopic characterizations of key reaction intermediates are often considered the final confirmation of a reaction mechanism. This proof-of-principle study showcases the application of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy for the characterization of in situ generated reaction intermediates using the key intermediates of enamine catalysis of Jørgensen–Hayashi-type prolinol ether catalysts as model system. By comparison of experimental and computed spectra, the enamines are shown to preferentially adopt an anti-conformation with E-configured C=C bond. For the parent prolinol catalyst, the structure and stereochemistry of the oxazolidine side product is determined as well. This study thus demonstrates that VCD spectra can provide insights into structural preferences of organocatalysts that utilize a covalent activation mechanism. Thereby it outlines new fields of applications for VCD spectroscopy and finally adds the technique to the toolbox of physical organic chemistry for in-depth mechanistic studies.     

Optically Active Oxo(phthalocyaninato)vanadium(IV) with Geometric Asymmetry: Synthesis and Correlation between the Circular Dichroism Sign and Conformation

Oxovanadium(IV) phthalocyanines (VOPcs) with a single‐handed rotation have been prepared, and their right‐ and left‐handed enantiomers resolved on a chiral HPLC column. These enantiomers gave circular dichroism (CD) spectra of opposite signs; the correlation between the CD sign and conformation was obtained by time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations: an enantiomer showing a negative sign in the Q band was suggested to be the right‐handed conformer viewing from the axial oxygen side, whereas that giving a positive CD sign was assigned to the left‐handed conformer. Although silicon phthalocyanines (SiPcs) with two different alkoxy axial ligands have been resolved similarly, the absence of a meaningful CD difference probably reflects the flat character of the SiPc plane compared to the VOPc plane. Changes in the Q‐band CD, depending on the relative orientation of the peripheral substituents, have been worked out theoretically and the origin of the chiroptical properties is discussed.     

用多维NMR谱和圆二色CD光谱研究蛋白质亲环素A的结构稳定性

The structural stability of cyclophilin A （CypA） was investigated using H/D exchange and temperature coefficients of chemical shifts of amide protons, monitored by 213 heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. Amide proton exchange rates were measured by H/D exchange experiments for slow-exchange protons and measured by SEA （Solvent Exposed Amides）-HSQC experiments for fast-exchange protons. Temperature coefficients of chemical shifts and hydrogen exchange rates of amide protons show reasonably good correlation with the protein structure. Totally, 44 out of 153 non-proline assigned residues still exist in 86 d of hydrogen-deuterium exchange at 4 ℃, suggesting that CypA structure should be highly stable. Residues in secondary structures of α2, β1, β2, β5, β6 and β7 might constitute the hydrophobic core of the protein. The change in free energy of unfolding （ △Gu^H2O ） of CypA was estimated to be （21.99± 1.53） kJ·mol^-1 by circular dichroism （CD）. The large free energy change is also an indicator of the high structural stability.     

Circular Dichroism of Polyacetoxyalkylpyrazolo-(3,4-b) Quinoxalines

The circular dichroism spectra of a series of polyacetoxy-alkylpyrozolo(3,4-b) quinoxalines showed multiple Cotton effects with opposite sign to that of the corresponding polyhyroxylalkyl analogs having the same configuration of the side chain. Polyacetoxyalkyl analogs having the S chirality at the C-1′ in the Fischer projection formula showed a positive Cotton effect centered at the long-wavelength absorption and those possessing the R chirality showed a negative Cotton effect at the same region. The sign of the Cotton effect at the long-wavelength absorption is in accord with the rotation at the sodium D line.     

Circular Dichroism and Absolute Conformation: Application of Qualitative MO Theory to Chiroptical Phenomena

Although chiroptical methods have been used in chemistry for some 150 years, and the basic theory was developed by Rosenfeld 50 years ago, their success in determining absolute conformation rests mainly on empirical rules. Some of these can be proved theoretically; however, in the case of more complex molecules this is not yet always possible. In what follows, an attempt is made to bridge the wide gap between theory and empiricism: “qualitative MO-theory”, which has already been successfully used to explain reaction mechanisms, the shape of molecules, or photoelectron spectra, can also be applied to circular dichroism (CD). In general we shall have to be content with a reasonable interpretation of the experimentally determined sign correlation, but even this will be of great value since it can yield general relations between the geometry of molecules and the sign of CD. Such relations become particularly important when only a few examples of a given chromophore are known. If first and second sphere of a molecule are achiral then sector rules can be put forward, and in other cases helicity or chirality rules.