Synthesis of fragments of the glycocalyx glycan of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni

The chemical synthesis of alpha-L-Fucp-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1 --> 4)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1 --> 3)-alpha-D-GalpO(CH2)5NH2, beta-D-GalpNAc-(1 --> 4)-[alpha-L-Fucp-(1 --> 3)-]beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1 --> 3)-alpha-D-GalpO(CH2)5NH2, and alpha-L-Fucp-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1 --> 4)-[alpha-L-Fucp-(1 --> 3)-]beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1 --> 3)-alpha-D-GalpO(CH2)5NH2 is described. These structures represent fucosylated oligosaccharide fragments of the glycocalyx glycan of the cercarial stage of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni, and in protein-conjugated form they are potential diagnostics in the search for antibodies raised against the glycan in the serum of infected humans.     

On the volume-dependence of the index of refraction from the viewpoint of the complex dielectric function and the Kramers-Kronig relation

How indices of refraction n(omega) of insulating solids are affected by the volume dilution of an optical entity and the mixing of different, noninteracting simple solid components was examined on the basis of the dielectric function epsilon(1)(omega) + iepsilon(2)(omega). For closely related insulating solids with an identical composition and the formula unit volume V, the relation [epsilon(1)(omega) - 1]V = constant was found by combining the relation epsilon(2)(omega)V = constant with the Kramers-Kronig relation. This relation becomes [n(2)(omega) - 1]V = constant for the index of refraction n(omega) determined for the incident light with energy less than the band gap (i.e., h omega < E(g)). For a narrow range of change in the formula unit volume, the latter relation is well approximated by a linear relation between n and 1/V.     

Influence of the pH on the Formation of the Catanionic n-Tetradecylammonium Cholate Surfactant Salt

The catanionic n-tetradecylammonium cholates, with the 1:1 and 1:2 cationic:anionic surfactant molar ratio, have been synthesized by reaction of tetradecylammonium chloride and sodium cholate. The stoichiometry of the compounds formed is strongly dependent on pH of the aqueous reaction solution. In the neutral and slightly acidic medium the isolated surfactant was detected as 1:1, at acidic medium (pH ≈ 3) as 1:2, while the cholic acid alone precipitated from the strong acidic solution (pH ≈ 2). The catanionic surfactants have been characterized by elemental and spectroscopic (IR, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR) analyses, and microscopic observations. The mole fractions of individual components in precipitate present in the heterogeneous aqueous system have been determined as a function of pH. The data interpretation in the pH regions where two different kinds of precipitates coexist pointed to the complex equilibrium in the examined systems. The evaluation of the relevant equilibrium constants was solved by the nonlinear regression analysis. In the acidic region where cholic acid and 1:2 precipitate coexisted the equilibrium constants of dissolution were K ₁ = 8.4 × 10^?10 and K ₄ = 3.7 × 10^?27, respectively. In the region where 1:2 and 1:1 precipitate coexisted the equilibrium constant of dissolution of 1:1 tetradecylammonium cholate was K ₂ = 4.2 × 10^?20.     

Synthesis of the enantiomer of the antidepressant tranylcypromine

Both enantiomers of the antidepressant tranylcypromine, trans 2-phenyl-cyclopropy-lamine 1, were prepared in enantiomerically pure form by a chemoenzymatic approach starting from racemic (±)-(1RS, 2RS)-trans ethyl 2-phenyl-cyclopropane carboxylate (±)-3.     

Assembly of a tetrathiafulvalene-anthracene dyad on the surfaces of gold nanoparticles: tuning the excited-state properties of the anthracene unit in the dyad

Due to the unique features of the tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) unit, such as the electron-donating ability and presence of methylthio groups, dyad 1 can be assembled on the surfaces of gold nanoparticles, as indicated by absorption, electrochemical, and fluorescent-spectral studies. Dyad 1 can also be disassembled by the addition of thiols. Assembly of dyad 1 on the surfaces of gold nanoparticles leads to the formation of a triad (A1-D-A2), which in turn modulates the photoinduced electron-transfer process within dyad 1. Accordingly, the fluorescence intensity of dyad 1, after assembly with gold nanoparticles, increases, and the fluorescence lifetime is prolonged. Furthermore, the assembly of dyad 1 on gold nanoparticles facilitates photodimerization of the anthracene units of dyad 1. Both fluorescence and photodimerization are associated with the excited-state behavior of the anthracene unit, thus it may be concluded that the excited-state properties of the anthracene unit can be tuned upon complexation with gold nanoparticles.     

Distribution of the cationic state over the chlorophyll pair of the photosystem II reaction center

The reaction center chlorophylls a (Chla) of photosystem II (PSII) are composed of six Chla molecules including the special pair Chla P(D1)/P(D2) harbored by the D1/D2 heterodimer. They serve as the ultimate electron abstractors for water oxidation in the oxygen-evolving Mn(4)CaO(5) cluster. Using the PSII crystal structure analyzed at 1.9 ? resolution, the redox potentials of P(D1)/P(D2) for one-electron oxidation (E(m)) were calculated by considering all PSII subunits and the protonation pattern of all titratable residues. The E(m)(Chla) values were calculated to be 1015-1132 mV for P(D1) and 1141-1201 mV for P(D2), depending on the protonation state of the Mn(4)CaO(5) cluster. The results showed that E(m)(P(D1)) was lower than E(m)(P(D2)), favoring localization of the charge of the cationic state more on P(D1). The P(D1)(?+)/P(D2)(?+) charge ratio determined by the large-scale QM/MM calculations with the explicit PSII protein environment yielded a P(D1)(?+)/P(D2)(?+) ratio of ~80/~20, which was found to be due to the asymmetry in electrostatic characters of several conserved D1/D2 residue pairs that cause the E(m)(P(D1))/E(m)(P(D2)) difference, e.g., D1-Asn181/D2-Arg180, D1-Asn298/D2-Arg294, D1-Asp61/D2-His61, D1-Glu189/D2-Phe188, and D1-Asp170/D2-Phe169. The larger P(D1)(?+) population than P(D2)(?+) appears to be an inevitable fate of the intact PSII that possesses water oxidation activity.     

Synthesis and conjugation of oligosaccharide analogues of fragments of the immunoreactive glycan part of the circulating anodic antigen of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni

The gut-associated circulating anodic antigen (CAA) is one of the major excretory antigens produced by the parasite Schistosoma mansoni. The immunoreactive part of CAA is a threonine-linked polysaccharide composed of long stretches of the unique repeating disaccharide-->6)-[beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->3)]-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1-->. Previously, using surface plasmon resonance and ELISA techniques, it has been shown that some anti-CAA IgM monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) also recognize members of a series of bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coupled synthetic di- to penta-saccharide fragments of the CAA glycan. To generate information on the molecular level about the glycan specificity of the relevant IgM MAbs, two series of oligosaccharides related to the CAA disaccharide epitope were synthesized, and coupled to BSA. The first three analogues, beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->3)-[small beta]-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->O), beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->6)-[beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->3)]-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->O), and beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->6)-[beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->3)]-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->O), wherein the native beta-D-GalpNAc moiety was replaced by beta-D-GlcpNAc, were synthesized to investigate the specificity of the selected MAbs to the carbohydrate backbone of CAA. The second series of analogues, beta-D-Glcp6S-(1-->3)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1-->O), beta-D-GalpNAc-(1-->6)-[beta-D-Glcp6S-(1-->3)]-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1-->O), and beta-D-Glcp6S-(1-->3)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1-->6)-[beta-D-Glcp6S-(1-->3)]-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1-->O), wherein the native beta-D-GlcpA moiety was replaced by beta-D-Glcp6S, was synthesized to evaluate the importance of the type/nature of the charge of CAA for the MAb recognition.     

Synthesis of the core structure of the lipoteichoic acid of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae LTA is a highly complex glycophospholipid that consists of nine carbohydrate residues: three glucose, two galactosamine and two 2‐acetamino‐4‐amino‐2,4,6‐trideoxygalactose (AATDgal) residues that are each differently linked, one ribitol and one diacylated glycerol (DAG) residue. Suitable building blocks for the glucose and the AATDgal residues were designed and their synthesis is described in this paper. These building blocks permitted the successful synthesis of the core structure Glcβ(1‐3)AATDgalβ(1‐3)Glcα(1‐O)DAG in a suitably protected form for further chain extension ( 1 b , 1 c ) and as unprotected glycolipid ( 1 a ) that was employed in biological studies. These studies revealed that 1 a as well as 1 lead to interleukin‐8 release, however not via TLR2 or TLR4 as receptor.     

液晶HpBAB的相变和熔化熵的同系规律性的热力学研究

在260～380 K范围内, 用DSC法研究液晶HpBAB的相变。实验查明HpBAB在室温还以玻璃性晶体状态存在。它的玻璃转变、熔化和清亮过程的热力学参数准确地被测到。提出对-正烷氧基亚苄基-对-氨基苯腈同系列中熔化熵和烷基碳原子数的线性关系; 改进Aranow统计模型并估算直线斜率为Rln(3/g)(1相似文献   

Cheletropic decomposition of cyclic nitrosoamines revisited: the nature of the transition states and a critical role of the ring strain

The cheletropic decompositions of 1-nitrosoaziridine (1), 1-nitroso-Delta(3)-pyrroline (2), 7-nitroso-7-azabicyclo[2.2. 1]hepta-2,5-diene (3), and 6-nitroso-6-azabicyclo[2.1.1]hexa-4-ene (4) have been studied theoretically using high level ab initio computations. Activation parameters of the decomposition of nitrosoaziridine 1 were obtained experimentally in heptane (DeltaH()(298) = 18.6 kcal mol(-)(1), DeltaS()(298) = -7.6 cal mol(-)(1) K(-)(1)) and methanol (20.3 kcal mol(-)(1), 0.3 cal mol(-)(1) K(-)(1)). Among employed theoretical methods (B3LYP, MP2, CCD, CCSD(T)//CCD), the B3LYP method in conjunction with 6-31+G, 6-311+G, and 6-311++G(3df,2pd) basis sets gives the best agreement with experimental data. It was found that typical N-nitrosoheterocycles 2-4 which have high N-N bond rotation barriers (>16 kcal mol(-)(1)) extrude nitrous oxide via a highly asynchronous transition state with a planar ring nitrogen atom. Nitrosoaziridine 1, with a low rotation barrier (<9 kcal mol(-)(1)) represents a special case. This compound can eliminate N(2)O via a low energy linear synperiplanar transition state (DeltaH()(298) = 20.6 kcal mol(-)(1), DeltaS()(298) = 2.5 cal mol(-)(1) K(-)(1)). Two higher energy transition states are also available. The B3LYP activation barriers of the cheletropic fragmentation of nitrosoheterocycles 2-4 decrease in the series: 2 (58 kcal mol(-)(1)) > 3 (18 kcal mol(-)(1)) > 4 (12) kcal mol(-)(1). The relative strain energies increase in the same order: 2 (0 kcal mol(-)(1)) < 3 (39 kcal mol(-)(1)) < 4 (52 kcal mol(-)(1)). Comparison of the relative energies of 2-4 and their transition states on a common scale where the energy of nitrosopyrroline 2 is assumed as reference indicates that the thermal stability of the cyclic nitrosoamines toward cheletropic decomposition is almost entirely determined by the ring strain.     

Potentiation of the cytotoxicity of the anticancer agent tirapazamine by benzotriazine N-oxides: the role of redox equilibria

Tirapazamine (3-amino-1,2,4-benzotriazine 1,4-dioxide), the lead bioreductive drug with selective toxicity for hypoxic cells in tumors, is thought to act by forming an active oxidizing radical of high one-electron reduction potential, E(1), when reduced by reductases. It has a dual mechanism of action, both generating DNA radicals, following its one-electron reduction and subsequently oxidizing these DNA radicals to form labile cations or hydrolyzable lactones through transferring an O atom, resulting in DNA strand breaks. These parallel secondary reactions have been proposed to be also initiated by its two-electron reduced metabolite, the 1-oxide. We have used pulse radiolysis to show that the benzotriazinyl radical of a highly soluble analogue of tirapazamine, the 3-(N,N-dimethyl-1,2-ethanediamine) analogue, is able to oxidize tirapazamine itself. We have found that both tirapazamine and the 1-oxides are in equilibrium with their respective benzotriazinyl radicals, with high concentrations of the more soluble 1-oxide maintaining a high concentration of the more reactive oxidizing radical of tirapazamine. The one-electron reduction potentials, E(1), of the 1-oxides and related compounds have been measured and, together with the E(1) values of tirapazamine and the 2-nitroimidazole radiosensitizer, misonidazole, are shown to predict the published percentages of electron transfer. This radical chemistry study gives an insight into the mechanisms of the potentiation of radical damage, reported for DNA, that underlies the hypoxic cytotoxicity of electron affinic compounds. The E(1) values of the benzotriazinyl radicals of the benzotriazine compounds govern the position of the redox equilibria, which determine the amount of initial radical damage. The E(1) values of the 1,4-dioxides and 1-oxide compounds govern the degree of potentiation of the initial radical damage once formed.     

Impact of variation of the acyl group on the efficiency and selectivity of the lipase-mediated resolution of 2-phenylalkanols

By tuning the steric properties of the acyl group to control the efficiency and selectivity of the resolution, 2-phenyl-1-propanol 1a was prepared by lipase-catalysed hydrolysis using a short-chain acyl group, with E-values of up to 66 (ee up to 95%). 2-Phenylbutan-1-ol 1b was similarly resolved (up to 86% ee) using the optimised conditions, while the ester of the more sterically demanding 3-methyl-2-phenylbutan-1-ol 1c proved resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis under these conditions.     

Studies on the chemical constituents of the fruits of Cordia latifolia

Four new aromatic compounds have been isolated from the fruits of Cordia latifolia (Boreginaceae) bearing a common basic skeleton but differing in the side chain. Their structures were elucidated using spectrometric methods including 1D- (1H and 13C) and 2D-NMR experiments, (1H, 1H-COSY, NOESY, HMQC and HMBC) and chemical transformations.     

Photoinitiated predissociation of the NO dimer in the region of the second and third NO stretch overtones

Photofragment yield spectra and NO(X(2)Pi(1/2,3/2); v = 1, 2, 3) product vibrational, rotational, and spin-orbit state distributions were measured following NO dimer excitation in the 4000-7400 cm(-1) region in a molecular beam. Photofragment yield spectra were obtained by monitoring NO(X(2)Pi; v = 1, 2, 3) dissociation products via resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization. New bands that include the symmetric nu(1) and asymmetric nu(5) NO stretch modes were observed and assigned as 3nu(5), 2nu(1) + nu(5), nu(1) + 3nu(5), and 3nu(1) + nu(5). Dissociation occurs primarily via Deltav = -1 processes with vibrational energy confined preferentially to one of the two NO fragments. The vibrationally excited fragments are born with less rotational energy than predicted statistically, and fragments formed via Deltav = -2 processes have a higher rotational temperature than those produced via Deltav = -1 processes. The rotational excitation likely derives from the transformation of low-lying bending and torsional vibrational levels in the dimer into product rotational states. The NO spin-orbit state distribution reveals a slight preference for the ground (2)Pi(1/2) state, and in analogy with previous results, it is suggested that the predominant channel is X(2)Pi(1/2) + X(2)Pi(3/2). It is suggested that the long-range potential in the N-N coordinate is the locus of nonadiabatic transitions to electronic states correlating with excited product spin-orbit states. No evidence of direct excitation to electronic states whose vertical energies lie in the investigated energy region is obtained.     

Effect of the alkyl chloride-to-aluminum molar ratio in the catalysts of dec-1-ene oligomerization on the product distribution and the chlorine content in the products

Dec-1-ene oligomerization in the presence of an aluminum—1-dodecyl chloride system was studied. A mixture of low-molecular-weight oligodecenes containing 25–40 wt.% dimers and 30–52 wt.% dec-1-ene trimers is formed at the molar ratios RCl/A1 = 0.5–1.5. The oligomerization was assumed to occur under the action of cationic active sites, which are formed during the reaction of 1-chlorodedecane with aluminum. At temperatures of 120–130°C and molar ratios RCl/A1 = 0.5–1.5 metallic aluminum completely dechlorinates 1-chlorododecane in a dec-1-ene medium. The character of the effect of highly dispersed Al and the RCl/A1 molar rato on the fractional composition and chlorine content in oligodecenes was revealed. The latter are formed by an aluminum—tert-butyl chloride system used in the industrial oligomerization of dec-1-ene. A mechanism of Al dissolution by alkyl chlorides with the simultaneous dechlorination of alkyl chloride and formation of cationic active sites in A1-RCl systems was proposed to explain the results obtained. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 661–665, March, 2008.     

Covalent catalysis by pyridoxal: evaluation of the effect of the cofactor on the carbon acidity of glycine

First-order rate constants for deprotonation of the alpha-imino carbon of the adduct between 5'-deoxypyridoxal (1) and glycine were determined as the rate constants for Claisen-type addition of glycine to 1 where deprotonation is rate determining for product formation. There is no significant deprotonation at pH 7.1 of the form of the 1-glycine iminium ion with the pyridine nitrogen in the basic form. The value of kHO for hydroxide ion-catalyzed deprotonation of the alpha-imino carbon increases from 7.5 x 10(2) to 3.8 x 10(5) to 3.0 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1), respectively, with protonation of the pyridine nitrogen, the phenoxide oxyanion, and the carboxylate anion of the 1-glycine iminium ion. There is a corresponding decrease in the pKas for deprotonation of the alpha-imino carbon from 17 to 11 to 6. It is proposed that enzymes selectively bind and catalyze the reaction of the iminium ion with pKa = 17. A comparison of kB = 1.7 x 10(-3) s(-1) for deprotonation of the alpha-imino carbon of this cofactor-glycine adduct (pKa = 17 by HPO4(2-) with k(cat)/K(m) = 4 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1) for catalysis of amino-acid racemization by alanine racemase shows that the enzyme causes a ca 2 x 10(8)-fold acceleration of the rate of deprotonation the alpha-imino carbon. This corresponds to about one-half of the burden borne by alanine racemase in catalysis of deprotonation of alanine.     

Functionalized enamines—XIV : Reaction of α-tetralone enamines with carbenes influence of the nature of carbene and the base-component of the enamine on the reaction pattern

Enamine Ia, derived from 6-methoxy-1-tetralone and morpholine, reacts with carbenes¹2a and 2b to give (1:1) adducts 3a, and a mixture of 3b and 3c, respectively. The pyrrolidine enamine 1b, on the other hand, reacts with carbene 2b, to give, beside the (1:1) adduct 3e, benzylidene-derivative 4b. Reaction of enamine 1b with carbene 2a does not yield a 1:1 adduct; instead, two products were isolated which have been identified as 4a and 5. Both morpholine and pyrrolidine enamines 1ab, react with carbene 2c to give one and the same product 6. Possible mechanisms for the formation of the reaction products are discussed.     

Questioning the photophysical model for the indole chromophore in the light of evidence obtained by controlling the non-specific effect of the medium with 1-chlorobutane as solvent

In this work, we substantiate the change in the emitting state of indole caused by the dipolarity increase in the solvent 1-chlorobutane, observed on lowering the temperature from 293 to 133 K, accompanied by no significant changes in the corresponding excitation and absorption spectra. No similar changes in indole emission were observed over the temperature range 293-133 K for solutions of indole in 2-methylbutane in the presence and absence of 0.5 M 1-chlorobutane. The solvatochromism of indole in 1-chlorobutane at temperatures from 293 to 133 K allowed us to estimate the dipole moment and polarizability of the emission state of the chromophore and to detect two states (S(1) and ): one, the S(1), involving no significant change and the other, the , exhibiting a substantial change in the dipole moment of the chromophore upon electronic excitation (viz. μ(S(1)) = 2.5 and vs. μ(S(0)) = 2.13 D). The former state, S(1), is the major contributor to the structured emission of indole at temperatures from 293 to 193 K, as is the latter, S'(1) , to its structureless, red-shifted emission over the range 193-133 K. Although the emission changes of indole, dissolved in 1-chlorobutane at temperatures from 293 to 133 K, are seemingly consistent with the widely accepted photophysical model for inversion of its (1)L(b) and (1)L(a) states as the polarity of the medium is increased, below 133 K the emission becomes structured and blue-shifted, two typical features of indole above 193 K. Also, below 123 K is not feasible to photo-select the (1)L(a) state in spite of this state being the first excited electronic state of indole under large dipolarity conditions. Therefore, the established photophysical model cannot hold under these conditions and a new one accounting for these experimental facts is proposed instead.     

On the Mechanism of the Reaction of alpha-Substituted Ketones with Allyltributylstannane

The mechanisms for the reaction of allyltributylstannane with a number of fragmentation probes, alpha-substituted acetophenones, were studied. All reactions were shown to proceed through free radical chain sequences since they could be initiated by AIBN and inhibited by m-dinitrobenzene (DNB). alpha-Halo- and alpha-(benzoyloxy)acetophenones (I and II, PhCOCR(1)R(2)X; X = F, Cl, Br, OCOPh; R(1), R(2) = H, Me) yielded the allylation products, PhCOCR(1)R(2)CH(2)CH=CH(2)), through a chain sequence involving as the propagation step: an electron transfer from Bu(3)Sn(*) to I and II, fragmentation of the ketyl anion PhCOCR(1)R(2)X(*)(-), and addition of PhCOCR(1)R(2)(*) to allyltributylstannane. The reactions of alpha-(arylsulfonyl)acetophenones (IIIa-c, PhCOCR(1)R(2)Y, Y = SO(2)Tol-p), however, gave a nearly 1:1 mixture of allyl tosyl sulfone and the corresponding ketone, PhCOCHR(1)R(2). The (1)H and (13)C NMR of the reaction mixture between allyltributylstannane and alpha-(p-methylbenzenesulfonyl)isobutyrophenone substantiated the intermediacy of the tin enolate PhC(OSnBu(3))=CMe(2). These results suggested that a radical addition elimination mechanism was involved in the reactions of IIIa-c with allylstannane. The reaction of alpha-phenylthioacetophenone (IV, PhCOCH(2)SPh) gave both the electron transfer and the addition elimination products (PhCOCH(2)CH(2)CH=CH(2), PhCOCH(3)), indicating that both pathways were involved in the formation of the products.     

Synthesis of the enantiomer of the structure assigned to the natural product nobilisitine A

The synthesis of the enantiomer of the structure, 1, assigned to the natural product nobilisitine A has been accomplished using the enantiomerically pure cis-1,2-dihydrocatechol 4 as starting material. The (1)H and (13)C NMR spectral data derived from compound ent-1 do not match those reported for the natural product, thus suggesting its structure has been incorrectly assigned.