Molecular modeling of the inhibitory mechanism of copper(II) on aggregation of amyloid B-peptide

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating form of progressive dementia for which no curative therapies exist. Aggregation of amyloid β-peptide (A?) into fi-brils is a key pathological event and the hallmark of AD. Considerable experimental data imply th…     

Oxamidato complexes. Part 4. Electrochemical study of the copper(III)/copper(II) couple in monomeric N,N′-bis(substituent)oxamidatocopper(II) complexes

Summary The electrochemical behaviour of a series of monomeric N,N-bis(substituent)oxamidato copper(II) complexes of formula Na₂[Cu(3,5,3,5-X₄obbz)]·4H₂O [X = Cl (1), Br (2), I (3) and obbz = oxamidobis(benzoato)], Na₂-[Cu(obbz)]·4H₂O (4), Na₂[Cu(5,5-Me₂obbz)]·4H₂O (5), Na₂[Cu(4,5,4,5-(MeO)₄obbz)]·4H₂O(6),Na₂[Cu(obp)]· 3.5H₂O (7) (obp = oxamidobis(propionato)) and Na₂[Cu(pba)]·6H₂O (8), [pba = propylenebis(oxamate)] has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry, rotating disk electrode and coulometry in water and dimethylsulphoxide (dmso) solutions. NaNO₃ (0.1 M) and n-Bu₄NPF₆ (0.1 M) were used as supporting electrolytes in H₂O and dmso respectively, all solutions being thermostatted at 25 °C. In aqueous solution, the complexes show an oxidation peak ranging from 1.19 to 0.86 V (values referred to the s.c.e.), the corresponding reduction being unobserved, even at high scan rates. In dmso, all the complexes exhibit only one oxidation peak ranging from 0.86 to 0.51 V, the corresponding reduction being observed for all of them except for (3). The oxidation potentials are strongly dependent upon the nature of the N,N-substituent of the oxamide. The copper(III)-assisted hydrolysis of the oxamidate ligand is analysed in terms of the lack of planarity of the oxamidate ligand induced by the steric effect of the halogen substituent in the 3-position on the phenyl rings. The influence of the nature of the solvent was also studied.     

Molecular oxygen oxidation of carbonyl compounds by di-μ-hydroxo homobinuclear copper(II) complexes

Di-μ-hydroxo-bridged di-copper(II) complexes in aprotic media exhibit chemical properties in the oxidation reaction by molecular oxygen. Three oxidation reactions can occur without a base: oxidation of aldehydes into the corresponding acids, oxidative degradation of some carbonyl compounds into their lower homologues, and oxidative dimerisation of phenol. With a base a fourth reaction is observed: the dehydrogenation of alcohols into carbonyl compounds. Ligands, solvent and substrate structure effects are discussed.     

Partial Protection of Carbohydrate Derivatives. Part 21. Lead(II) Nitrate Mediated Triisopropylsilyl Ether Formation; Preparation of 2′-Deoxy-3′-O-triisopropylsilylribonucleosides

Introduction of the triisopropylsilyl protecting group to the 3′-position of 5′-O-aroyl-2′-deoxyribonucleosides wa effectively performed by the use of triisopropylsilyl chlor ide in DMF in the presence of pyridine and lead(II) nitrate the latter was substituted in this reaction for silver nitr ate. Simple treatment of the resulting triisopropylsilyl ethers with sodium methoxide in THF gave 2′-deoxy-3′-O-tri-isopropylsilylribonucleosides in excellent yields.     

Bonding properties of copper(II)—N chromophores: Preparation,structure, and spectroscopic properties of ethylenediaminecopper(II) complexes. Molecular structure of [Cu(ethylenediamine)(pyridine)2(ClO4)2]

Summary Ethylenediaminecopper(II) perchlorate complexes of the [Cu(ethylenediamine)L₂(ClO₄)₂] type, where L = imidazole, N-methylimidazole, 2-methylimidazole, 4-methylimidazole, and pyridine, have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, and electronic, vibrational, and e.p.r. spectroscopic measurements. The molecular structure of [Cu(ethylenediamine)(pyridine)₂(ClO₄)₂] has been determined by three-dimensional X-ray diffraction data. The Cu^II ion is coordinated by one ethylenediamine and two pyridine ligands forming an equatorial plane, and by two perchlorate anions located on the z axis. The pyridine ligands incline at 54.9 ° to the CuN₄ plane suggesting virtually no -interaction in the complex. Similar structures with a CuN₄ coordination plane are proposed for other complexes based on the spectroscopic data. The bonding properties of these complexes are elucidated and discussed with reference to the electronic structures deduced from Gaussian analyses of their LF spectra.     

Reactions of dl-homocystine and 3,3′-dithiodipropionic acid with Pd(II) in aqueous hydrochloric solutions. Part I: coordination model

Stoichiometry of Pd(II) interactions with dl-homocystine and 3,3′-dithiodipropionic acid were investigated spectrophotometrically in strong hydrochloric acidic media. It was established that thiolate and sulfinate complexes are products of a disulfide bond cleavage. It is shown that formation of S,S′-binuclear complexes is necessary for the disproportionation reaction. A multi-spectroscopic (UV-Vis, Raman, NMR, EXAFS) investigation on a disulfide bond state in organic disulfides in complexation processes with Pd(II) was developed. A DFT study on geometry of forming complex species was performed.     

Total synthesis of heptacyclic aspidosperma alkaloids : Part II. synthesis of (±)-obscurinervidine

The first total synthesis of (±)-obscurinervidine, in 16 stages from pyrogallol, is described.     

Affinity Covalent Immobilization of Glucoamylase onto ρ-Benzoquinone Activated Alginate Beads: I. Beads Preparation and Characterization

ρ-Benzoquinone-activated alginate beads were presented as a new carrier for affinity covalent immobilization of glucoamylase enzyme. Evidences of alginate modification were extracted from FT-IR and thermal gravimetric analysis and supported by morphological changes recognized through SEM examination. Factors affecting the modification process such as ρ-benzoquinone (PBQ) concentration, reaction time, reaction temperature, reaction pH and finally alginate concentration, have been studied. Its influence on the amount of coupled PBQ was consequently correlated to the changes of the catalytic activity and the retained activity of immobilized enzyme, the main parameters judging the success of the immobilization process. The immobilized glucoamylase was found kept almost 80% of its native activity giving proof of non-significant substrate, starch, diffusion limitation. The proposed affinity covalent immobilizing technique would rank among the potential strategies for efficient immobilization of glucoamylase enzyme.     

Chromatographic characterisation of ordered mesoporous silicas. Part II: Acceptor–donor properties

The ordered mesoporous siliceous materials: MCM41C16, MCM41C16-SH and MCM41C16-NH₂ (known as MCMs) having different surface functionalities were studied by inverse gas chromatography to characterise their acceptor-donor properties. The DN values denoting the donor number in the Gutmann scale and the AN* values denoting the acceptor number in the Riddle–Fowkes scale have been chosen in the estimation of the electron-acceptor parameter K_A and electron-donor parameter K_D values. The number and kind of the employed adsorbates have an influence on the results obtained. The problem of the number of adsorbates employed has been considered in the light of both results obtained in the present study and the data available in the literature for siliceous adsorbents with randomly ordered structures. Complementary information was obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.     

Affinity Covalent Immobilization of Glucoamylase onto ρ-Benzoquinone-Activated Alginate Beads: II. Enzyme Immobilization and Characterization

A novel affinity covalent immobilization technique of glucoamylase enzyme onto ρ-benzoquinone-activated alginate beads was presented and compared with traditional entrapment one. Factors affecting the immobilization process such as enzyme concentration, alginate concentration, calcium chloride concentration, cross-linking time, and temperature were studied. No shift in the optimum temperature and pH of immobilized enzymes was observed. In addition, K _m values of free and entrapped glucoamylase were found to be almost identical, while the covalently immobilized enzyme shows the lowest affinity for substrate. In accordance, V _m value of covalently immobilized enzyme was found lowest among free and immobilized counter parts. On the other hand, the retained activity of covalently immobilized glucoamylase has been improved and was found higher than that of entrapped one. Finally, the industrial applicability of covalently immobilized glucoamylase has been investigated through monitoring both shelf and operational stability characters. The covalently immobilized enzyme kept its activity over 36 days of shelf storage and after 30 repeated use runs. Drying the catalytic beads greatly reduced its activity in the beginning but recovered its lost part during use. In general, the newly developed affinity covalent immobilization technique of glucoamylase onto ρ-benzoquinone-activated alginate carrier is simple yet effective and could be used for the immobilization of some other enzymes especially amylases.     

FR-IR spectroscopic studies of polyurethanes—Part II. Ab initio quantum chemical studies of the relative strengths of “carbonyl” and “ether” hydrogen-bonds in polyurethanes

Ab initio quantum chemical computations were carried out on (a) dimethyl ether, (b) N-methyl formamide, (c) dimethyl ether-N-methyl formamide complex, and (d) N-methyl formamide dimer to compute the strengths of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) between the NH groups and CO and ether COC groups. The basis set used was the 3-21G set of the GAUSSIAN 80 program obtained from QCPE, Bloomington, IN. Variations in the strengths of these two H-bonds with the N . . O distance (where O is either carbonyl or ether group oxygen) were studied and found to be similar in behavior. The strength of the “ether” hydrogen bond is computed to be 10.32 kcal mol⁻¹, which is quite significant compared to the value of 10.11 kcal mol⁻¹ for the more accepted “carbonyl” hydrogen bond. The “ether” hydrogen bond is found to be directional, specific and non-negligible. Work with two more basis sets has indicated that the results so obtained are not dependent on their choice. Possible importance of such a hydrogen bond in polyurethanes, inhalation anesthetics, and depsi-peptides is indicated.     

Improving the adhesion of polymethacrylate thin films onto indium tin oxide electrodes using a silane-based “Molecular Adhesive”

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is the most commonly used transparent conducting substance. It has been used in numerous applications such as light-emitting diodes. In most applications and studies, the ITO surface is further coated with additional layers. The interface between the ITO and the coating is of utmost importance since it affects the physical and chemical properties of the final device. Improving the adhesion between ITO and a coating layer can be achieved by applying a “molecular adhesive” as an inter-phasing molecular layer. In this study, we used 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate as a “molecule adhesive” for better connection between ITO and a polymethacrylate layer. The samples were studied by electrochemistry, contact angle goniometry, atomic force microscopy, and nano scratch microscopy. These studies clearly show that a simple silanization process formed a thin molecular adhesive layer, which did not influence the physical and chemical properties of the final coated electrode and at the same time increased significantly the adhesion between the ITO and the polymethacrylate coating.

     

Liquid-liquid equilibria in binary mixtures of N-methyl-α-pyrrolidone and saturated hydrocarbons. Part II

The liquid-liquid equilibria of N-methyl-α-pyrrolidone (NMP) with decane, undecane, dodecane, tridecane and tetradecane were measured by the synthetic method. The data were evaluated by using the NRTL equation and from the smoothed parameters the excess Gibbs energies and the excess enthalpies were calculated. Including the results of the first paper [1], the influence of the parameter α on the value of the excess enthalpy and on the sign of the excess entropy is considered. Different possible correlations of the energy parameters of the NRTL equation are discussed.     

Iron(II)/copper(I)-mediated stereoselective carbozincation of ynamides. One-pot synthesis of α-allyl-tetrasubstituted-enamides

The iron(II) chloride- and copper(I) iodide-mediated carbozincation of a panel of substituted ynamides is described in this article. The reaction is totally regio- and stereoselective. Experiments showed that the reaction mediated with Fe(II) was more substrate dependent than the reaction performed with Cu(I). Interestingly, in the presence of allylbromide, stereoselective carboallylation can be achieved for the first time in a one-pot procedure, leading to skipped dienamides.     

Syntheses based on α-azidooximes: II. Preparation of 6,7-dihydrotriazolopyrazinones from aliphatic nitro compounds

α-Azidooximes readily obtained from aliphatic nitro compounds were cleanly converted into previously unknown 6,7-dihydro[1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrazin-4(5H)-ones via [3+2]-cycloaddition to dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and reduction of the oximino group in forming intermediates.