Probing the transition states of four glucoside hydrolyses with 13C kinetic isotope effects measured at natural abundance by NMR spectroscopy

Kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) were measured for methyl glucoside (4) hydrolysis on unlabeled material by NMR. Twenty-eight (13)C KIEs were measured on the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of alpha-4 and beta-4, as well as enzymatic hydrolyses with yeast alpha-glucosidase and almond beta-glucosidase. The 1-(13)C KIEs on the acid-catalyzed reactions of alpha-4 and beta-4, 1.007(2) and 1.010(6), respectively, were in excellent agreement with the previously reported values (1.007(1), 1.011(2): Bennet and Sinnott, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1986, 108, 7287). Transition state analysis of the acid-catalyzed reactions using the (13)C KIEs, along with the previously reported (2)H KIEs, confirmed that both reactions proceed with a stepwise D(N)A(N) mechanism and showed that the glucosyl oxocarbenium ion intermediate exists in an E(3) sofa or (4)H(3) half-chair conformation. (13)C KIEs showed that the alpha-glucosidase reaction also proceeded through a D(N)*A(N) mechanism, with a 1-(13)C KIE of 1.010(4). The secondary (13)C KIEs showed evidence of distortions in the glucosyl ring at the transition state. For the beta-glucosidase-catalyzed reaction, the 1-(13)C KIE of 1.032(1) demonstrated a concerted A(N)D(N) mechanism. The pattern of secondary (13)C KIEs was similar to the acid-catalyzed reaction, showing no signs of distortion. KIE measurement at natural abundance makes it possible to determine KIEs much more quickly than previously, both by increasing the speed of KIE measurement and by obviating the need for synthesis of isotopically labeled compounds.     

A selective unsaturated hydrocarbon subtraction technique for stable carbon isotopic analysis of atmospheric methyl chloride, methyl bromide, and C2-C5 saturated hydrocarbons using continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry

Using continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry, we have developed a new analytical system which enables us to determine the stable carbon isotopic composition of CH3Cl, CH3Br, and C2-C5 saturated hydrocarbons in gas samples even if they contain substantial amounts of unsaturated hydrocarbons, using an I2O5 reagent for their selective subtraction. The analytical precision of the delta13C determinations is better than 0.5 per thousand for >300 pmolC injections and better than 5 per thousand for 20 pmolC injections. Using the system, delta13C values for CH3Cl and CH3Br were found in burning exhaust that contain a substantial quantity of unsaturated hydrocarbons. CH3Cl and CH3Br measured in exhaust from burning rice plants exhibit highly 13C-depleted values of -56.6 +/- 1.3 per thousand and -48.6 +/- 3.9 per thousand, respectively, while saturated hydrocarbons exhibit delta13C values (-26.4 to -28.9 per thousand) that are comparable with the total delta13C value of the parent material (rice plant; -28.0 per thousand). Using the system, we can determine the delta13C values of methyl halides and hydrocarbons in many kinds of gas samples.     

Ensemble-averaged QM/MM kinetic isotope effects for the S(N)2 reaction of cyanide anions with chloroethane in DMSO solution

The existence of solvent fluctuations leads to populations of reactant-state (RS) and transition-state (TS) configurations and implies that property calculations must include appropriate averaging over distributions of values for individual configurations. Average kinetic isotope effects 〈KIE〉 for NC(-) + EtCl → NCEt + Cl(-) in DMSO solution at 30?°C are best obtained as the ratio 〈f(RS)〉/〈f(TS)〉 of isotopic partition function ratios separately averaged over all RS and TS configurations. In this way the hybrid AM1/OPLS-AA potential yields 〈KIE〉 values for all six isotopic substitutions (2° α-(2)H(2), 2° β-(2)H(3), α-(11)C/(14)C, leaving group (37)Cl, and nucleophile (13)C and (15)N) for this reaction in the correct direction as measured experimentally. These thermally-averaged calculated KIEs may be compared meaningfully with experiment, and only one of them differs in magnitude from the experimental value by more than one standard deviation from the mean. This success contrasts with previous KIE calculations based upon traditional methods without averaging. The isotopic partition function ratios are best evaluated using all (internal) vibrational and (external) librational frequencies obtained from Hessians determined for subsets of atoms, relaxed to local minima or saddle points, within frozen solvent environments of structures sampled along molecular dynamics trajectories for RS and TS. The current method may perfectly well be implemented with other QM or QM/MM methods, and thus provides a useful tool for investigating KIEs in relation to studies of chemical reaction mechanisms in solution or catalyzed by enzymes.     

Continuous flow stable isotope methods for study of delta(13)C fractionation during halomethane production and degradation

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/MS/IRMS) methods for delta(13)C measurement of the halomethanes CH(3)Cl, CH(3)Br, CH(3)I and methanethiol (CH(3)SH) during studies of their biological production, biological degradation, and abiotic reactions are presented. Optimisation of gas chromatographic parameters allowed the identification and quantification of CO(2), O(2), CH(3)Cl, CH(3)Br, CH(3)I and CH(3)SH from a single sample, and also the concurrent measurement of delta(13)C for each of the halomethanes and methanethiol. Precision of delta(13)C measurements for halomethane standards decreased (+/-0.3, +/-0.5 and +/-1.3 per thousand) with increasing mass (CH(3)Cl, CH(3)Br, CH(3)I, respectively). Given that carbon isotope effects during biological production, biological degradation and some chemical (abiotic) reactions can be as much as 100 per thousand, stable isotope analysis offers a precise method to study the global sources and sinks of these halogenated compounds that are of considerable importance to our understanding of stratospheric ozone destruction.     

Heavy-atom kinetic isotope effects,cocatalysts, and the propagation transition state for polymerization of 1-hexene using the rac-(C(2)H(4)(1-indenyl)(2))ZrMe(2) catalyst precursor

Using 13C NMR techniques, the 12C/13C kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) for the polymerization of 1-hexene catalyzed by rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)ZrMe2 in the presence of four different cocatalysts (tris(pentfluorophenyl)borane, tris(pentafluorophenyl)alane, anilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, and methylalumoxane) have been determined. All cocatalysts yield similar KIEs within experimental uncertainty, with values of 1.009(1) and 1.017(2) at C1 and C2, respectively. Ab initio DFT computational modeling of the polymerization KIE indicates that alkene binding to the catalyst must be reversible, with the majority of the KIE developing in the subsequent migratory insertion reaction.     

13C kinetic isotope effects in the copper(I)-mediated living radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate

Carbon-13 kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) have been determined for free-radical and copper-mediated living radical polymerizations of methyl methacrylate at 60 degrees C. While free-radical polymerization shows only one primary 13C KIE, on the least-substituted double bond carbon (k12/k13 = 1.045), two significant KIEs are observed, one on each double bond carbon, for copper-mediated polymerization (k12/k13(H2C=) = 1.050, k12/k13(=C <) = 1.010), showing that copper-mediated living radical polymerization does not propagate via a simple free radical process.     

NMR study of C-kinetic isotope effects at C natural abundance to characterize oxidations and an enzyme-catalyzed reduction

¹³C-kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) of four cinnamyl alcohol oxidations and a xylose reductase-catalyzed cinnamyl aldehyde reduction have been determined by ¹³C NMR using competition reactions with reactants at natural ¹³C-abundance. Differences in KIEs among oxidations indicate dissimilarities between the respective hydrogen transfers. Their mechanistic implications are discussed. A low primary KIE of the enzymatic reduction is consistent with a kinetically complex mechanism in which steps other than the chemical step of hydride transfer from NADH are slow.     

Transition state structure of E. coli tRNA-specific adenosine deaminase

Bacterial tRNA-specific adenosine deaminase (TadA) catalyzes the essential deamination of adenosine to inosine at the wobble position of tRNAs and is necessary to permit a single tRNA species to recognize multiple codons. The transition state structure of Escherichia coli TadA was characterized by kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) and quantum chemical calculations. A stem loop of E. coli tRNA(Arg2) was used as a minimized TadA substrate, and its adenylate editing site was isotopically labeled as [1'-(3)H], [5'-(3)H2], [1'-(14)C], [6-(13)C], [6-(15)N], [6-(13)C, 6-(15)N] and [1-(15)N]. The intrinsic KIEs of 1.014, 1.022, 0.994, 1.014 and 0.963 were obtained for [6-(13)C]-, [6-(15)N]-, [1-(15)N]-, [1'-(3)H]-, [5'-(3)H2]-labeled substrates, respectively. The suite of KIEs are consistent with a late SNAr transition state with a complete, pro-S-face hydroxyl attack and nearly complete N1 protonation. A significant N6-C6 dissociation at the transition state of TadA is indicated by the large [6-(15)N] KIE of 1.022 and corresponds to an N6-C6 distance of 2.0 A in the transition state structure. Another remarkable feature of the E. coli TadA transition state structure is the Glu70-mediated, partial proton transfer from the hydroxyl nucleophile to the N6 leaving group. KIEs correspond to H-O and H-N distances of 2.02 and 1.60 A, respectively. The large inverse [5'-(3)H] KIE of -3.7% and modest normal [1'-(3)H] KIE of 1.4% indicate that significant ribosyl 5'-reconfiguration and purine rotation occur on the path to the transition state. The late SNAr transition-state established here for E. coli TadA is similar to the late transition state reported for cytidine deaminase. It differs from the early SNAr transition states described recently for the adenosine deaminases from human, bovine, and Plasmodium falciparum sources. The ecTadA transition state structure reveals the detailed architecture for enzymatic catalysis. This approach should be readily transferable for transition state characterization of other RNA editing enzymes.     

The mechanism of base-promoted HF elimination from 4-fluoro-4-(4-nitrophenyl)butan-2-one is E1cB. evidence from double isotopic fractionation experiments

Leaving-group fluorine and secondary deuterium multiple kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) have been determined for the base-promoted HF elimination from the 4-fluoro-4-(4'-nitrophenyl)-(1,1,1,3,3-(2)H(5))butan-2-one. The fluorine KIE was determined by using the accelerator-produced short-lived radionuclide (18)F in combination with the naturally abundant (19)F. The (19)F substrate was labeled with (14)C in a remote position to enable radioactivity measurements of both substrates. The size of the determined fluorine KIE is 1.0009 +/- 0.0010 when acetate is used as base. The secondary deuterium KIEs are 1.009 +/- 0.017, 1.000 +/- 0.018, and 1.010 +/- 0.023 for formate, acetate, and imidazole, respectively. The magnitudes of these KIEs are significantly smaller compared to the corresponding KIEs that we recently reported for the protic substrate. This new data clearly demonstrates that the elimination proceeds via an E1cB mechanism.     

Tunneling in C-H oxidation reactions by an oxoiron(IV) porphyrin radical cation: direct measurements of very large H/D kinetic isotope effects

Rate constants for oxidations of benzyl alcohol-d0 and -d7 by oxoiron(IV) tetramesitylporphyrin radical cation perchlorate in acetonitrile were measured in single turnover kinetic studies. The kinetic isotope effect (kH/kD) increased from 28 at 23 degrees C to 360 at -30 degrees C due to extensive hydrogen atom tunneling that was analyzed in terms of a parabolic energy barrier to tunneling. Similarly, large KIE values were found for oxidations of ethylbenzene-d0 and -d10 at room temperature. The large KIE values are a function of the porphyrin identity, and porphyrins containing electron-withdrawing groups display normal KIEs. KIEs found under catalytic turnover conditions are somewhat smaller than those obtained in single turnover reactions. The results should serve as benchmarks for computational studies of C-H oxidations by porphyrin and heme-iron-oxo systems.     

Kinetic isotope effects for Cl + CH4 ⇌ HCl + CH3 calculated using ab initio semiclassical transition state theory

Calculations were carried out for 25 isotopologues of the title reaction for various combinations of (35)Cl, (37)Cl, (12)C, (13)C, (14)C, H, and D. The computed rate constants are based on harmonic vibrational frequencies calculated at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory and X(ij) vibrational anharmonicity coefficients calculated at the CCSD(T) /aug-cc-pVDZ level of theory. For some reactions, anharmonicity coefficients were also computed at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. The classical reaction barrier was taken from Eskola et al. [J. Phys. Chem. A 2008, 112, 7391-7401], who extrapolated CCSD(T) calculations to the complete basis set limit. Rate constants were calculated for temperatures from ～100 to ～2000 K. The computed ab initio rate constant for the normal isotopologue is in good agreement with experiments over the entire temperature range (～10% lower than the recommended experimental value at 298 K). The ab initio H/D kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) for CH(3)D, CH(2)D(2), CHD(3), and CD(4) are in very good agreement with literature experimental data. The ab initio (12)C/(13)C KIE is in error by ～2% at 298 K for calculations using X(ij) coefficients computed with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set, but the error is reduced to ～1% when X(ij) coefficients computed with the larger aug-cc-pVTZ basis set are used. Systematic improvements appear to be possible. The present SCTST results are found to be more accurate than those from other theoretical calculations. Overall, this is a very promising method for computing ab initio kinetic isotope effects.     

The first experimental test of the hypothesis that enzymes have evolved to enhance hydrogen tunneling

The literature hypothesis that "the optimization of enzyme catalysis may entail the evolutionary implementation of chemical strategies that increase the probability of quantum-mechanical tunneling" is experimentally tested herein for the first time. The system employed is the key to being able to provide this first experimental test of the "enhanced hydrogen tunneling" hypothesis, one that requires a comparison of the three criteria diagnostic of tunneling (vide infra) for the same, or nearly the same, reaction with and without the enzyme. Specifically, studied herein are the adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl, also known as coenzyme B(12))-dependent diol dehydratase model reactions of (i). H(D)(*) atom abstraction from ethylene glycol-d(0) and ethylene glycol-d(4) solvent by 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical (Ado(*)) and (ii.) the same H(*) abstraction reactions by the 8-methoxy-5'-deoxyadenosyl radical (8-MeOAdo(*)). The Ado(*) and 8-MeOAdo(*) radicals are generated by Co-C thermolysis of their respective precursors, AdoCbl and 8-MeOAdoCbl. Deuterium kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) of the H(*)(D(*)) abstraction reactions from ethylene glycol have been measured over a temperature range of 80-120 degrees C: KIE = 12.4 +/- 1.1 at 80 degrees C for Ado(*) and KIE = 12.5 +/- 0.9 at 80 degrees C for 8-MeOAdo(*) (values ca. 2-fold that of the predicted maximum primary times secondary ground-state zero-point energy (GS-ZPE) KIE of 6.4 at 80 degrees C). From the temperature dependence of the KIEs, zero-point activation energy differences ([E(D) - E(H)]) of 3.0 +/- 0.3 kcal mol(-)(1) for Ado(*) and 2.1 +/- 0.6 kcal mol(-)(1) for 8-MeOAdo(*) have been obtained, both of which are significantly larger than the nontunneling, zero-point energy only maximum of 1.2 kcal mol(-)(1). Pre-exponential factor ratios (A(H)/A(D)) of 0.16 +/- 0.07 for Ado(*) and 0.5 +/- 0.4 for 8-MeOAdo(*) are observed, both of which are significantly less than the 0.7 minimum for nontunneling behavior. The data provide strong evidence for the expected quantum mechanical tunneling in the Ado(*) and 8-MeOAdo(*)-mediated H(*) abstraction reactions from ethylene glycol. More importantly, a comparison of these enzyme-free tunneling data to the same KIE, (E(D) - E(H)) and A(H)/A(D) data for a closely related, Ado(*)-mediated H(*) abstraction reaction from a primary CH(3)- group in AdoCbl-dependent methylmalonyl-CoA mutase shows the enzymic and enzyme-free data sets are identical within experimental error. The Occam's Razor conclusion is that at least this adenosylcobalamin-dependent enzyme has not evolved to enhance quantum mechanical tunneling, at least within the present error bars. Instead, this B(12)-dependent enzyme simply exploits the identical level of quantum mechanical tunneling that is available in the enzyme-free, solution-based H(*) abstraction reaction. The results also require a similar, if not identical, barrier width and height within experimental error for the H(*) abstraction both within, and outside of, the enzyme.     

Transition-state variation in human, bovine, and Plasmodium falciparum adenosine deaminases

Adenosine deaminases (ADAs) from human, bovine, and Plasmodium falciparum sources were analyzed by kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) and shown to have distinct but related transition states. Human adenosine deaminase (HsADA) is present in most mammalian cells and is involved in B- and T-cell development. The ADA from Plasmodium falciparum (PfADA) is essential in this purine auxotroph, and its inhibition is expected to have therapeutic effects for malaria. Therefore, ADA is of continuing interest for inhibitor design. Stable structural mimics of ADA transition states are powerful inhibitors. Here we report the transition-state structures of PfADA, HsADA, and bovine ADA (BtADA) solved using competitive kinetic isotope effects (KIE) and density functional calculations. Adenines labeled at [6-13C], [6-15N], [6-13C, 6-15N], and [1-15N] were synthesized and enzymatically coupled with [1'-14C] ribose to give isotopically labeled adenosines as ADA substrates for KIE analysis. [6-13C], [6-15N], and [1-15N]adenosines reported intrinsic KIE values of (1.010, 1.011, 1.009), (1.005, 1.005, 1.002), and (1.004, 1.001, 0.995) for PfADA, HsADA, and BtADA, respectively. The differences in intrinsic KIEs reflect structural alterations in the transition states. The [1-15N] KIEs and computational modeling results indicate that PfADA, HsADA, and BtADA adopt early SNAr transition states, where N1 protonation is partial and the bond order to the attacking hydroxyl nucleophile is nearly complete. The key structural variation among PfADA, HsADA, and BtADA transition states lies in the degree of N1 protonation with the decreased bond lengths of 1.92, 1.55, and 1.28 A, respectively. Thus, PfADA has the earliest and BtADA has the most developed transition state. This conclusion is consistent with the 20-36-fold increase of kcat in comparing PfADA with HsADA and BtADA.     

A new interpretation of chlorine leaving group kinetic isotope effects; a theoretical approach

The chlorine leaving group kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) for the S(N)2 reactions between methyl chloride and a wide range of anionic, neutral, and radical anion nucleophiles were calculated in the gas phase and, in several cases, using a continuum solvent model. In contrast to the expected linear dependence of the chlorine KIEs on the C(alpha)-Cl bond order in the transition state, the KIEs fell in a very small range (1.0056-1.0091), even though the C(alpha)-Cl transition state bond orders varied widely from approximately 0.32 to 0.78, a range from reactant-like to very product-like. This renders chlorine KIEs, and possibly other leaving-group KIEs, less useful for studies of reaction mechanisms than commonly assumed. A partial explanation for this unexpected relationship between the C(alpha)-Cl transition state bond order and the magnitude of the chlorine KIE is presented.     

On the gas-phase reactivity of complexed OH+ with halogenated alkanes

OH(+) is an extraordinarily strong oxidant. Complexed forms (L--OH(+)), such as H(2)OOH(+), H(3)NOH(+), or iron-porphyrin-OH(+) are the anticipated oxidants in many chemical reactions. While these molecules are typically not stable in solution, their isolation can be achieved in the gas phase. We report a systematic survey of the influence on L on the reactivity of L--OH(+) towards alkanes and halogenated alkanes, showing the tremendous influence of L on the reactivity of L--OH(+). With the help of with quantum chemical calculations, detailed mechanistic insights on these very general reactions are gained. The gas-phase pseudo-first-order reaction rates of H(2)OOH(+), H(3)NOH(+), and protonated 4-picoline-N-oxide towards isobutane and different halogenated alkanes C(n)H(2n+1)Cl (n=1-4), HCF(3), CF(4), and CF(2)Cl(2) have been determined by means of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance measurements. Reaction rates for H(2)OOH(+) are generally fast (7.2x10(-10)-3.0x10(-9) cm(3) mol(-1) s(-1)) and only in the cases HCF(3) and CF(4) no reactivity is observed. In contrast to this H(3)NOH(+) only reacts with tC(4)H(9)Cl (k(obs)=9.2x10(-10)), while 4-CH(3)-C(5)H(4)N-OH(+) is completely unreactive. While H(2)OOH(+) oxidizes alkanes by an initial hydride abstraction upon formation of a carbocation, it reacts with halogenated alkanes at the chlorine atom. Two mechanistic scenarios, namely oxidation at the halogen atom or proton transfer are found. Accurate proton affinities for HOOH, NH(2)OH, a series of alkanes C(n)H(2n+2) (n=1-4), and halogenated alkanes C(n)H(2n+1)Cl (n=1-4), HCF(3), CF(4), and CF(2)Cl(2), were calculated by using the G3 method and are in excellent agreement with experimental values, where available. The G3 enthalpies of reaction are also consistent with the observed products. The tendency for oxidation of alkanes by hydride abstraction is expressed in terms of G3 hydride affinities of the corresponding cationic products C(n)H(2n+1) (+) (n=1-4) and C(n)H(2n)Cl(+) (n=1-4). The hypersurface for the reaction of H(2)OOH(+) with CH(3)Cl and C(2)H(5)Cl was calculated at the B3 LYP, MP2, and G3(m*) level, underlining the three mechanistic scenarios in which the reaction is either induced by oxidation at the hydrogen or the halogen atom, or by proton transfer.     

Hydroxylation by the hydroperoxy-iron species in cytochrome P450 enzymes

Intramolecular and intermolecular kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) were determined for hydroxylation of the enantiomers of trans-2-(p-trifluoromethylphenyl)cyclopropylmethane (1) by hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes, P450s 2B1, Delta2B4, Delta2B4 T302A, Delta2E1, and Delta2E1 T303A. Two products from oxidation of the methyl group were obtained, unrearranged trans-2-(p-trifluoromethylphenyl)cyclopropylmethanol (2) and rearranged 1-(p-trifluoromethylphenyl)but-3-en-1-ol (3). In intramolecular KIE studies with dideuteriomethyl substrates (1-d(2)) and in intermolecular KIE studies with mixtures of undeuterated (1-d(0)) and trideuteriomethyl (1-d(3)) substrates, the apparent KIE for product 2 was consistently larger than the apparent KIE for product 3 by a factor of ca. 1.2. Large intramolecular KIEs found with 1-d(2) (k(H)/k(D) = 9-11 at 10 degrees C) were shown not to be complicated by tunneling effects by variable temperature studies with two P450 enzymes. The results require two independent isotope-sensitive processes in the overall hydroxylation reactions that are either competitive or sequential. Intermolecular KIEs were partially masked in all cases and largely masked for some P450s. The intra- and intermolecular KIE results were combined to determine the relative rate constants for the unmasking and hydroxylation reactions, and a qualitative correlation was found for the unmasking reaction and release of hydrogen peroxide from four of the P450 enzymes in the absence of substrate. The results are consistent with the two-oxidants model for P450 (Vaz, A. D. N.; McGinnity, D. F.; Coon, M. J. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1998, 95, 3555), which postulates that a hydroperoxy-iron species (or a protonated analogue of this species) is a viable electrophilic oxidant in addition to the consensus oxidant, iron-oxo.     

Turnover is rate-limited by deglycosylation for Micromonospora viridifaciens sialidase-catalyzed hydrolyses: conformational implications for the Michaelis complex

A panel of seven isotopically substituted sialoside natural substrate analogues based on the core structure 7-(5-acetamido-3,5-dideoxy-d-glycero-α-d-galacto-non-2-ulopyranosylonic acid)-(2→6)-β-D-galactopyranosyloxy)-8-fluoro-4-methylcoumarin (1, Neu5Acα2,6GalβFMU) have been synthesized and used to probe the rate-limiting step for turnover by the M. viridifaciens sialidase. The derived kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) on k(cat) for the ring oxygen ((18)V), leaving group oxygen ((18)V), anomeric carbon ((13)V), C3-carbon ((13)V), C3-R deuterium ((D)V(R)), C3-S deuterium ((D)V(S)), and C3-dideuterium ((D)(2)V) are 0.986 ± 0.003, 1.003 ± 0.005, 1.021 ± 0.006, 1.001 ± 0.008, 1.029 ± 0.007, 0.891 ± 0.008, and 0.890 ± 0.006, respectively. The solvent deuterium KIE ((D(2)O)V) for the sialidase-catalyzed hydrolysis of 1 is 1.585 ± 0.004. In addition, a linear proton inventory was measured for the rate of hydrolysis, under saturating condition, as a function of n, the fraction of deuterium in the solvent. These KIEs are compatible with rate-determining cleavage of the enzymatic tyrosinyl β-sialoside intermediate. Moreover, the secondary deuterium KIEs are consistent with the accumulating Michaelis complex in which the sialosyl ring of the carbohydrate substrate is in a (6)S(2) skew boat conformation. These KIE measurements are also consistent with the rate-determining deglycosylation reaction occurring via an exploded transition state in which synchronous charge delocalization is occurring onto the ring oxygen atom. Finally, the proton inventory and the magnitude of the solvent KIE are consistent with deglycosylation involving general acid-catalyzed protonation of the departing tyrosine residue rather than general base-assisted attack of the nucleophilic water.     

Sampling, storage, and analysis of C2-C7 non-methane hydrocarbons from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Cooperative Air Sampling Network glass flasks

An analytical technique was developed to analyze light non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), including ethane, propane, iso-butane, n-butane, iso-pentane, n-pentane, n-hexane, isoprene, benzene and toluene from whole air samples collected in 2.5l-glass flasks used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Earth System Research Laboratory, Global Monitoring Division (NOAA ESRL GMD, Boulder, CO, USA) Cooperative Air Sampling Network. This method relies on utilizing the remaining air in these flasks (which is at below-ambient pressure at this stage) after the completion of all routine greenhouse gas measurements from these samples. NMHC in sample aliquots extracted from the flasks were preconcentrated with a custom-made, cryogen-free inlet system and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection (FID). C2-C7 NMHC, depending on their ambient air mixing ratios, could be measured with accuracy and repeatability errors of generally < or =10-20%. Larger deviations were found for ethene and propene. Hexane was systematically overestimated due to a chromatographic co-elution problem. Saturated NMHC showed less than 5% changes in their mixing ratios in glass flask samples that were stored for up to 1 year. In the same experiment ethene and propene increased at approximately 30% yr(-1). A series of blank experiments showed negligible contamination from the sampling process and from storage (<10 pptv yr(-1)) of samples in these glass flasks. Results from flask NMHC analyses were compared to in-situ NMHC measurements at the Global Atmospheric Watch station in Hohenpeissenberg, Germany. This 9-months side-by-side comparison showed good agreement between both methods. More than 94% of all data comparisons for C2-C5 alkanes, isoprene, benzene and toluene fell within the combined accuracy and precision objectives of the World Meteorological Organization Global Atmosphere Watch (WMO-GAW) for NMHC measurements.     

Compound-specific stable carbon isotope ratios (delta13C values) of the halogenated natural product 2,3,3',4,4',5,5'-heptachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (Q1)

Compound-specific isotope analysis using gas chromatography interfaced to isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/IRMS) was applied for the determination of delta13C values of the marine halogenated natural product 2,3,3',4,4',5,5'-heptachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (Q1). The delta13C value of a lab-made Q1 standard (-34.20 +/- 0.27 per thousand) was depleted in 13C by more than 11 per thousand relative to the residues of Q1 in dolphin blubber from Australia and skua liver from Antarctica. This clarified that the synthesized Q1 was not the source for Q1 in the biota samples. However, two Australian marine mammals showed a large variation in the delta13C value, which, in our experience, was implausible. Since the GC/IRMS system was connected to a conventional ion trap mass spectrometer by a post-column splitter, we were able to closely inspect the peak purity of Q1 in the respective samples. While the mass spectra of Q1 did not indicate any impurity, a fronting peak of PCB 101 was identified in one sample. This interference falsified the delta13C value of the respective sample. Once this sample was excluded, we found that the delta13C values of the remaining samples, i.e. liver of Antarctic brown skua (-21.47 +/- 1.47 per thousand) and blubber of Australian melon-headed whale (-22.80 +/- 0.33 per thousand), were in the same order. The standard deviation for Q1 was larger in the skua samples than in the standard and the whale blubber sample. This was due to lower amounts of skua sample available. It remained unclear if the Q1 residues originate from the same producer and location.     

Mechanistic study of the SmI2/H2O/amine-mediated reduction of alkyl halides: amine base strength (pKBH+) dependent rate

The kinetics of the SmI(2)/H(2)O/amine-mediated reduction of 1-chlorodecane has been studied in detail. The rate of reaction is first order in amine and 1-chlorodecane, second order in SmI(2), and zero order in H(2)O. Initial rate studies of more than 20 different amines show a correlation between the base strength (pK(BH+) of the amine and the logarithm of the observed initial rate, in agreement with Bronsted catalysis rate law. To obtain the activation parameters, the rate constant for the reduction was determined at different temperatures (0 to +40 degrees C, DeltaH++ = 32.4 +/- 0.8 kJ mol(-1), DeltaS++ = -148 +/- 1 J K(-1) mol(-1), and DeltaG++(298K) = 76.4 +/- 1.2 kJ mol(-1)). Additionally, the (13)C kinetic isotope effects (KIE) were determined for the reduction of 1-iododecane and 1-bromodecane. Primary (13)C KIEs (k(12)/k(13), 20 degrees C) of 1.037 +/- 0.007 and 1.062 +/- 0.015, respectively, were determined for these reductions. This shows that cleavage of the carbon-halide bond occurs in the rate-determining step. A mechanism of the SmI(2)/H(2)O/amine-mediated reduction of alkyl halides is proposed on the basis of these results.