Thermal oxidative destruction of isomeric dipyrrolylmethanes

3,3′,4,4′-tetramethyl-5,5′-dicarboethoxydipyrrolylmethane-2,2′ and its α,β and β,β′ isomers were synthesized. The compounds were characterized by recording of their proton NMR spectra. The thermal oxidative destruction of the compounds was studied by thermogravimetry. The thermal stability of dipyrrolylmethanes was found to be primarily characterised by molecular isomerism for symmetrically substituted α,α′-and β,β′-dipyrrolylmethanes compared with α,β isomer.     

Folding Behavior of Polypeptides. A Monte Carlo Study of Simplified Models

Summary. A simple model of polypeptide chains was designed and studied. The chains were constructed on a flexible [310] lattice and consisted of united atoms located at the position of alpha carbons. Each united atom represented amino acid residues of two kinds: hydrophilic and hydrophobic. The sequence of the residues was assumed to be characteristic for α- and β-type of proteins. The force field used consisted of the long-range contact potential between polymer segments, the short range repulsion, and the local potential preferring conformational states characteristic for α-helices and β-strands. The Monte Carlo simulations of this model were carried out using the replica exchange technique coupled with the histogram method. The influence of temperature and the local potential on the size and internal structure of collapsed low temperature chains were studied. Thermodynamics of these systems consisting mainly of α and β secondary structures were determined. The properties of the coil-to-globule transition were presented and compared with other theoretical predictions and simulation results.     

Folding Behavior of Polypeptides. A Monte Carlo Study of Simplified Models

A simple model of polypeptide chains was designed and studied. The chains were constructed on a flexible [310] lattice and consisted of united atoms located at the position of alpha carbons. Each united atom represented amino acid residues of two kinds: hydrophilic and hydrophobic. The sequence of the residues was assumed to be characteristic for α- and β-type of proteins. The force field used consisted of the long-range contact potential between polymer segments, the short range repulsion, and the local potential preferring conformational states characteristic for α-helices and β-strands. The Monte Carlo simulations of this model were carried out using the replica exchange technique coupled with the histogram method. The influence of temperature and the local potential on the size and internal structure of collapsed low temperature chains were studied. Thermodynamics of these systems consisting mainly of α and β secondary structures were determined. The properties of the coil-to-globule transition were presented and compared with other theoretical predictions and simulation results.     

Direct capillary gas chromatographic analysis and thermal stability of bile acid esters of glucose

Summary This paper deals for the first time with a direct method for analysis of the α and β anomers of bile acid esters of glucose by capillary gas chromatography (CGC) without the need for a hydrolytic step. The bile acid esters were derivatized to their trimethylsilyl (TMS) ethers, which in turn were chromatographed on a short (7m) metal capillary column chemically coated with a thin (0.15 μm) film of thermostable, non-polar polydimethylsiloxane. Satisfactory CGC separation of the isomeric bile acid esters was achieved on the column; the β anomers eluted before the corresponding α isomers. Particularly noteworthy is that the α anomers are partially isomerized to the corresponding β anomers, and that both anomers are partially decomposed during CGC analysis, demonstrating the chemical specificity and thermal instability of the bile acid esters.     

Cyclodextrins Binding to Paeonol and Two of Its Isomers in Aqueous Solution. Isothermal Titration Calorimetry and 1H NMR Investigations of Molecular Recognition

Interactions between CDs with three substituted phenols, paeonol (Pae), acetovanillone (Ace) and 2-hydroxyl-5-methoxy-acetophone (Hma), which are isomers, have been determined by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and ¹H NMR in aqueous solution at 298.2 K. Both the binding thermodynamics and ¹H NMR spectra show that the interaction between α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) molecule and each guest molecule is extremely weak. The thermodynamic parameters indicate that the binding processes of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with the isomers are mainly entropy driven and that β-CD binds with Pae or Ace in 1:1 stoichiometry, whereas with Hma binds in 1:1 and 2:1 stoichiometries. The thermodynamic parameters also suggest that γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) binds each isomer in the same 1:1 stoichiometry. The binding processes of Pae and Hma with γ-CD are enthalpy driven whereas Ace with γ-CD is predominantly driven by entropy. The ¹H NMR spectra reveal that the three isomers were trapped into the torus cavity of the β-CD molecule from the narrow side during the binding process. Pae penetrates into the γ-CD cavity from the primary rim of the macrocycle whereas Ace does so from the secondary rim, but Hma appears not interact with the internal cavity of γ-CD at all.     

Enhancement of cyclosporine aqueous solubility using α- and hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin mixtures

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides that form inclusion complexes with lipophilic molecules through their hydrophobic central cavity. In this study, the effect of α-CD, hydroxylpropyl-β-CD (HP-β-CD) and mixtures of these two CDs on the aqueous solubility of cyclosporine A (CyA) was investigated. Infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis were used to confirm CyA-CD complex formation. CyA aqueous solubility was increased by 10 and 80 fold in the presence of α-CD and HP β-CD, respectively. The phase-solubility profile for HP-β-CD was linear while that for α-CD had positive deviation from linearity. In the presence of constant concentration of α-CD (15% w/v), aqueous solubility of CyA was further increased upon addition of HP-β-CD up to a concentration of 20% w/v. At higher HP-β-CD concentrations, aqueous solubility of CyA was observed to decrease. Addition of sodium acetate (up to 5% w/v) to aqueous solutions containing 20% w/v HP-β-CD and increasing concentrations of α-CD resulted in a significant reduction in CyA solubility. Complex formation between CyA and both α-CD and HP-β-CD was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). No significant changes were observed in the IR spectra of either CyA or CD following complex formation suggesting chemical interaction between CyA and the CD was unlikely. Phase-solubility studies showed that α-CD had a much greater effect on the solubility of CyA than HP-β-CD. Addition of HP-β-CD to aqueous solutions of α-CD affected the solubility of CyA in these systems. A mixture of 15% w/v α-CD and 20% w/v HP-β-CD was optimal for increasing aqueous solubility of CyA.     

Separation of α-tocotrienol oxidation products and eight tocochromanols by HPLC with DAD and fluorescence detection and identification of unknown peaks by DAD,PBI-EIMS,FTIR, and NMR

Tocotrienols, like tocopherols, are members of the vitamin E family. While tocopherols (T) have been studied intensively, only recently have tocotrienols (T3) received increased attention due to their special health benefits. However, these positive attributes of T3 are probably lost as a result of degradation during food storage and processing, and there is little information about their oxidation products. Of particular interest are the oxidation products of α-tocotrienol (α-T3) as this is the least thermostable T3 isomer with the highest rate of degradation. The objective of this study was therefore to develop a reliable method for the determination of the most important oxidation products of α-T3 along with other tocochromanol isomers. We developed a high-performance liquid chromatography method with diode array detection, fluorescence detection, and a particle beam interface electron impact mass spectroscopy in order to separate the most important oxidation products of α-T3 (α-T3 spirodimers/spirotrimers, α-tocotrienoldihydroxy dimer, 7-formyl-β-tocotrienol (7-FβT3), 5-formyl-γ-tocotrienol (5-FγT3), α-tocotrienolquinone (α-T3Q), and α-T3Q dimers and α-tocotrienolquinone epoxides (α-T3QE)) from eight tocochromanol isomers. Furthermore, we sought to identify the as yet unknown oxidation products 5-FγT3, 7-FβT3, α-T3Q-dimer, and α-T3QE. Of these, 5-FγT3 was fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.     

Regioselective phosphorylation of α-N-alkylamino ketones

General preparative methods for regioselective functionalization of α-amino ketones with organophosphorus reagents were developed. Stable phosphorylated derivatives of all their prototropic forms (α-amino ketones, α-hydroxy imines, and β-hydroxy enamines) were obtained for the first time. The relative thermodynamic stability sequence of α-amino ketones was found to be reversed upon their phosphorylation: O-substituted forms were more stable than N-substituted ones, in contrast to the equilibrium between the prototropic isomers. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 288—293, February, 2006.     

Synthesis of δ-hetaryl-α,α-dicarbonylalkadienes and a study of their isomerization

The reaction of β-hetarylacrolein and β-hetaryl-α-methylacroleins with esters of acetoacetic and malonic acids was studied. The structures of the products obtained were established using¹H and¹³C NMR and UV spectroscopy. (E) and (Z) isomers of α,α-dicarbonylalkadienes, their mixtures with the corresponding 2H-pyrans or exclusively 2H-pyrans are formed depending on the substitution in the starting aldehyde and the ester used. 6-Methyl- and 3,6-dimethyl-5-carbalkoxy-2-(2-pyridyl)pyrans are converted upon heating to substituted 2-(pyrilidene)pyrans. N. D. Zelinskii Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117913 Moscow, Russia. Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 483–496, April, 1997.     

Study on inclusion complexes of meso-tetrakis(2-thienyl)porphyrin and Cu-meso-tetrakis(2-thienyl)porphyrin with cyclodextrins by spectroscopy method

In phosphate buffer solution of pH5.4, the interaction of meso-tetrakis(2-thienyl)porphyrin(H₂TTP) and Cu-meso-tetrakis(2-thienyl)porphyrin(Cu-TTP) with α-cyclodextrin(α-CD), β-CD, γ-CD, heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-β-CD(TM-β-CD) has been studied by means of UV-vis, fluorescence and ¹HNMR spectroscopy, respectively. The H₂TTP and Cu-TTP can form 1:2 inclusion complexes with TM-β-CD and 1:1 inclusion complexes with the other three cyclodextrins. In this paper, the inclusion constants (K) of H₂TTP and Cu-TTP for the formation of the inclusion complexes have been estimated from the changes of absorbance and fluorescence intensity in phosphate buffer solution. The inclusive capabilities of different kinds of cyclodextrins are compared. The result shows that the inclusion ability of α-CD with H₂TTP and Cu-TTP is the strongest among the three native CDs. The inclusion ability of modified β-CD with H₂TTP and Cu-TTP is stronger, compared to the native β-CD, which indicates that the capacity matching plays a crucial role in the inclusion procedure except for the hydrophobic effect. In addition ¹HNMR spectra supports the inclusion conformation of the TM-β-CD-Cu-TTP inclusion complex, indicating the interaction mechanism of inclusion processes.     

Absolute assignment of constitutional isomers via structurally diagnostic fragment ions: The challenging case of α- and β-acyl naphthalenes

A general mass spectrometric method is described for the absolute assignment of α- or β-acyl naphthalenes, via which the gaseous α- and β-naphthoyl cations of m/z 155 are used as structurally diagnostic fragment ions (SDFI). These stable acylium ions are common and normally abundant fragment ions of acylnaphthalenes in general. Using a pentaquadrupole mass spectrometer, CID experiments with argon and ion/molecule reactions with 2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane, isoprene, acetonitrile and propionitrile were performed but failed to distinguish the two SDFI. Reactions with ethyl vinyl ether and several homologues as well as ethyl vinyl thioether were, however, successful. In reactions with ethyl vinyl ether, the α-SDFI form a pair of diagnostic product ions of m/z 165 and m/z 181, which are absent in the corresponding spectrum of the β-SDFI. Methyl 4-(1-naphthyl)-2,4-dioxobutanoate was used as a test molecule for this class of constitutional isomers and absolute structural assignment as an α-acyl naphthalene was correctly performed via the characterization of its β-SDFI.     

Stereoelectronic structure of α-bromoalkenyl trifluoromethyl ketones

The results of quantum-chemical calculations at the B3LYP/6-311G** level of theory showed that (Z)-α-bromo-β-arylalkenyl trifluoromethyl ketones are more stable than the corresponding E isomers by 4–5 kcal/mol. Relatively large positive charge on the olefinic β-carbon atom and strong polarization of the C=C bond in both Z-s-cis and Z-s-trans conformers makes bromoalkenyl trifluoromethyl ketones the most potent Michael acceptors among α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The calculated data are very consistent with the experimental IR spectra.     

A correction function to determine the β-fusion heat in a mixture of α- and β-PP

Blends of known amounts of α- and β-PP crystals were prepared from pure α- and pure β-PPsamples. Their fusion behaviours were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).The fusion heats of the α- and β-crystals were approximated from the DSC curves and compared with those calculated on the basis of the compositions of the blends. A correction function was found which improved the accuracy of the respective fusion heats significantly from the DSC analysis. The correction function can be used to determine the respective fusion heats of a PP sample which contains an unknown mixture of the α- and β-crystals. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

New polyhydroxysteroids and steroid glycosides from the far east starfishCeramaster patagonicus

Two new polyhydroxysteroids and five new glycosides were isolated from the starfishCeramaster patagonicus and their structures were elucidated: 5α-cholestane-3β,6α,15β,16β,26-pentol, (22E)-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,6α,8,15α,24-pentol, (22E)-28-O-[O-(2-O-methyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-galactofuranosyl]-24-hydroxymethyl-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,4β, 6α,8,15β,16β,28-heptol (ceramasteroside C₁), (22E)-28-O-[O-(2,4-di-O-methyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-galactofuranosyl]-24-hydroxymethyl-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β, 6α,8,15β,16β,28-hexol (ceramasteroside C₂), (22E)-28-O-[O-methyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-galactofuranosyl]-24-hydroxymethyl-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,6α,8,15β,16β 28-hexol (eramasteroside C₃), (22E)-28-O-[O-(2-O-methyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-galactofuranosyl]-24-methyl-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,4β,6α,8, 15β, 26-hexol (ceramasteroside C₄), and (22E)-28-O-[O-(2-O-methyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,6α,8,15β,24-pentol (ceramasteroside C₅)). Three known polyhydroxysteroids (24-methylene-5α-cholestane-3β,6α,8,15β,16β,26-hexol, 5α-cholestane-3β,6α,8,15β,16β,26-hexol, and 5α-cholestane-3β,6β,15α,16β,26-pentol) were also isolated. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 190–195, January, 1997.     

Effect of Cyclodextrins on the Interaction Between BSA and Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulfonate

Cyclodextrins offer the potential of modulating protein–surfactant interactions. In our work, the effect of cyclodextrin (CD) on the interaction between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) has been studied by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism measurements. The presences of cyclodextrin can slightly hinder the strong interactions between BSA and SDBS by the combination of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between BSA and SDBS. Furthermore, the effectiveness of α-CD is lower than that of β-CD, due to the lower association constant between α-CD and surfactant. The presence of both α- and β-CD totally hinders the nonspecific interactions between BSA and SDBS, because the hydrophobic interaction between cyclodextrin and surfactant is stronger than that between BSA and surfactant.     

Unusual Fragmentation of β-Linked Peptides by ExD Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Ion-electron reaction based fragmentation methods (ExD) in tandem mass spectrometry (MS), such as electron capture dissociation (ECD) and electron transfer dissociation (ETD) represent a powerful tool for biological analysis. ExD methods have been used to differentiate the presence of the isoaspartate (isoAsp) from the aspartate (Asp) in peptides and proteins. IsoAsp is a β₃-type amino acid that has an additional methylene group in the backbone, forming a C_α–C_β bond within the polypeptide chain. Cleavage of this bond provides specific fragments that allow differentiation of the isomers. The presence of a C_α–C_β bond within the backbone is unique to β-amino acids, suggesting a similar application of ExD toward the analysis of peptides containing other β-type amino acids. In the current study, ECD and ETD analysis of several β-amino acid containing peptides was performed. It was found that N–C_β and C_α–C_β bond cleavages were rare, providing few c and z type fragments, which was attributed to the instability of the C_β radical. Instead, the electron capture resulted primarily in the formation of a and y fragments, representing an alternative fragmentation pathway, likely initiated by the electron capture at a backbone amide nitrogen protonation site within the β amino acid residues.     

A modulated dsc study on the strain-induced βα-transformation in a β-form isotactic polypropylene

The mechanical strain-induced βα-transition of a β-phase isotactic polypropylene (β-iPP) was studied by modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC). Samples were taken after tensile fracture of a double notched specimen from its process and plastic zones, respectively, and the related calorimetric response was compared to that of the bulk material. In contrast to conventional DSC results, it was found that the βα-transformation was not completed in the process zone. Furthermore, the melting of the α-iPP showed both non-reversing and reversing characteristics, whereas the melting of the β-phase proved to be a reversing process. Therefore, it was recommended to consider the conversion grade of the βα-transformation by the relative change in the melt flux of the reversing β-melting peak. This work was supported by the German Science Foundation (DFG-Ka 1202/4-1).     

Usefulness of cyclodextrin media for the determination of α-cypermethrin by photochemically induced fluorescence: analytical applications to natural waters

The photochemically induced fluorescence (PIF) spectral properties of α-cypermethrin in organic solvents (hexane, dichloromethane, acetonitrile, ethanol) and in cyclodextrin aqueous solutions (β-CD and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-CD, 2-HP-β-CD) were investigated. The photolysis kinetics of α-cypermethrin were evaluated in the various media. The PIF signal was found to be significantly enhanced in the CD media relative to the organic solvents. The stoichiometry and the formation constants of the α-cypermethrin inclusion complexes formed with the CDs were determined. The analytical performances of the PIF method were improved in the presence of HP-β-CD relative to the other media, and a CD-enhanced PIF analytical method was developed. The limits of detection and limits of quantification ranged, respectively, between 6 and 98 ng/mL and between 24 and 343 ng/mL, depending on the medium. Application to the analysis of tap water and Senegal natural water samples collected close to agricultural areas and spiked with α-cypermethrin yielded satisfactory recoveries going from about 77% to 98%. An interference study of foreign species, including pesticides and inorganic ions likely to be present in natural waters, was also carried out. Figure Photolysis reaction of α-cypermethrin in presence of HP-β-CD     

Complete chromatographic separation of steroids, including 17α and 17β-estradiols, using a carbazole-based polymeric organic phase in both reversed and normal-phase HPLC

Poly(2-N-carbazolylethyl acrylate) with terminal trimethoxysilyl groups was prepared as an organic phase and immobilized onto silica. The retention behavior of the column packed with this carbazole-based polymer-immobilized silica (Sil-CEA) was investigated by using various estrogenic steroids and corticoids in both reversed-phase and normal-phase liquid chromatography. As a result, complete separation was confirmed for eight kinds of steroids with Sil-CEA. The most specific separation with Sil-CEA can be emphasized by the high separation factor (e.g., α = 1.39 in methanol–water (7:3, v/v) at 35 °C) for 17α and 17β-estradiols, one of the most difficult pairs of isomers in chromatographic separation, whereas for two kinds of commercially available polymeric ODS columns as references α = 1.01, only, under the same conditions. Because the excellent separation and retention order with Sil-CEA was maintained even in a normal-phase mobile phase such as a hexane–2-propanol, it is estimated that the CEA phase has multiple interaction mechanisms through stronger interactions such as dipole–dipole, carbonyl–π, and hydrogen bonding interactions than the hydrophobic effect expected with ODS.     

Application of combined thermoanalytical techniques in the investigation of cyclodextrin inclusion complexes

Citronellol and citronellyl acetate have been entrapped with α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrin (CD). Evolved gas detection and TG-MS coupling was applied to prove the actual inclusion complex formation between monoterpens and CDs. The terpene content was determined by UV-VIS specrophotometry and RP-HPLC and the effect of storage time on the terpene content was also investigated. The α- and γ-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes showed higher thermal stabilities vs. dynamic heating compared to the β-CD complexes. On the contray, the retention of guest using β-cyclodextrin even after 10 years of storage was much more pronounced. Experimental data other than 1:1 complex compositions are assumed. Molecular modeling experiments also suggested multiple complex compositions.