A Smart Library of Epoxide Hydrolase Variants and the Top Hits for Synthesis of (S)‐β‐Blocker Precursors

Microtuning of the enzyme active pocket has led to a smart library of epoxide hydrolase variants with an expanded substrate spectrum covering a series of typical β‐blocker precursors. Improved activities of 6‐ to 430‐fold were achieved by redesigning the active site at two predicted hot spots. This study represents a breakthrough in protein engineering of epoxide hydrolases and resulted in enhanced activity toward bulky substrates.     

Synthesis,characterization, molecular modelling and biological activity of 2‐(pyridin‐1‐ium‐1‐yl) acetate and its Cu2+, Pt4+, Pd2+, Au3+ and Nd3+ complexes

A new series of Cu²⁺, Pt⁴⁺, Pd²⁺, Au³⁺ and Nd³⁺ complexes derived from 2‐(pyridin‐1‐ium‐1‐yl) acetate have been synthesized and characterized using elemental analyses, spectral (infrared (IR), UV–visible, mass, ¹³C NMR and ¹H NMR), magnetic and thermal measurements. IR results suggest that the ligand acts in a neutral monodentate fashion in all complexes. Octahedral geometry is proposed for Cu²⁺ and Pt⁴⁺ complexes and square‐planar for Pd²⁺ and Au³⁺ complexes. The bond lengths, bond angles, and HOMO and LUMO were calculated. Superoxide dismutase‐like radical scavenger activity and cytotoxic activity of the isolated complexes on HepG2 liver cancer cells have been screened. Ligand and complexes (Pt⁴⁺ and Nd³⁺) exhibit potent antioxidant activity upon coordination while Cu²⁺ and Au³⁺ complexes do not show superoxide dismutase‐like radical scavenger activity. The cytotoxic activity assay against HepG2 cell line proves that the ligand and its Pt⁴⁺ complex have a high cytotoxic activity, while the other complexes showed no cytotoxic activity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New diorganotin(IV) complexes of Schiff base derived from 4‐amino‐3‐hydrazino‐5‐mercapto‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazole: Synthesis,structural characterization,density functional theory studies,atoms‐in‐molecules analysis and antifungal activity

New diorganotin(IV) complexes of a Schiff base (HL) having general formula R₂Sn(L)Cl (where L is the monoanion of HL and R = n‐Bu or Ph) have been synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, infrared, NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn) and UV–visible spectroscopies and mass spectrometry. These investigations suggest that in these 1:1 monomeric derivatives the Schiff base ligand acts in a monoanionic bidentate manner coordinating through the O_phenolic and N_azomethine, with proposed distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry around tin with O_phenolic and two organic groups in the equatorial plane and the N_azomethine and the third organic group in axial positions. The proposed structures have been validated by density functional theory (DFT)‐based quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p)/Def2‐SVP (Sn) level of theory. The simulated UV–visible spectrum was obtained with the time‐dependent DFT method in the gas phase and in the solvent field with the integral equation formalism–polarizable continuum model. A comparative analysis of the experimental vibrational frequencies and simulated harmonic frequencies indicates a good correlation between them. An insight into the intramolecular bonding and interactions among bonds in organotin(IV) complexes of HL was obtained by means of natural bond orbital analysis. The topological and energetic properties of the electron density distribution for the tin–ligand interaction in R₂Sn(L)Cl have been theoretically calculated at the bonds around the central tin atom in terms of atoms‐in‐molecules theory. The R₂Sn(L)Cl complexes were screened for their in vitro antifungal activity against chosen fungal strains.     

Synthesis of 8‐hydroxyquinolium chloroacetate and synthesis of complexes derived from 8‐hydroxyquinoline,and characterization,density functional theory and biological studies

8‐Hydroxyquinolium chloroacetate ( L¹ ) was synthesized and characterized. The results suggest that L¹ loses ethyl chloroacetate ion on coordination at low pH (2–5) and consequently it behaves as 8‐hydoxyquinoline ( L² ). Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Pt⁴⁺, Pd²⁺, Au³⁺, Ag⁺ and Nd³⁺ complexes derived from L² have been synthesized and characterized using spectral, magnetic and thermal measurements. L² acts as a neutral bidentate ligand in the case of Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Pt⁴⁺, Pd²⁺ and Nd³⁺ complexes and as a mononegative bidentate ligand in the case of Au³⁺ and Ag⁺ complexes. Octahedral geometry is proposed for Cu²⁺, Co²⁺ (grey) and Pt⁴⁺ complexes and square‐planar for Co²⁺ (green), Pd²⁺ and Au³⁺ complexes. The bond lengths, bond angles, chemical reactivities, binding energies and dipole moments for all compounds were evaluated using density functional theory and molecular electrostatic potential for L¹ . Superoxide dismutase radical scavenger‐like activity and cytotoxic activity of the complexes towards HepG2 liver cancer cells has been screened. Cytotoxicity measurements show that Ag⁺ and Pd²⁺ complexes have the highest cytotoxic activity while L¹ , Cu²⁺, Co²⁺ (grey), Co²⁺ (green), Pt⁴⁺ and Nd³⁺ complexes have no cytotoxic activity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis,spectral characterization,and biological evaluation of imidazole‐substituted pyridine‐2‐amine and benzo‐substituted imidazole‐2‐amine

A series of new imidazole‐substituted pyridine‐2‐amine and benzo‐substituted imidazol‐2‐amine 3 – 12 were synthesized by treating various amines 1(a – d) with alkyl/aryl isothiocyanate 2(a‐c) at 60–90°C in isopropyl alcohol without using any catalyst with high yields. The structures of all the newly synthesized compounds were characterized using IR, NMR (¹H, ¹³C), mass, and elemental analyses. All the newly synthesized compounds were screened for their in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities to understand their biological potency. All the title compounds exhibited good antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in vitro when compared to the standard drugs.     

Synthesis,isolation, and thermal behavior of polybutadiene grafted with poly(2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorostyrene)

2,3,4,5,6‐Pentafluorostyrene (PFS) was copolymerized with polybutadiene (PB) in tetrahydrofuran using benzoyl peroxide as the initiator at 50, 60, and 80 °C. The copolymerizations follow typical radical polymerization kinetics and behavior. The grafting parameters were evaluated as a function of monomer conversion, initiator concentration, and/or temperature by gel permeation chromatography of directly injected copolymerization mixtures. The grafting efficiencies and grafting ratios are most consistent with a system that terminates by combination and whose graft sites are generated by hydrogen abstraction of allylic radicals by primary initiator radicals. Pure graft copolymers were isolated by extracting unreacted PB into hexanes and PPFS homopolymer into acetone. The similarity of the glass transition temperatures of the PPFS grafts and the corresponding extracted PPFS homopolymers confirms that their lengths are approximately equal. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2874–2891, 2005     

Synthesis and characterization of novel poly(vinyl chloride)‐based grafts: Poly(vinyl chloride‐co‐2‐chloropropene) fitted with multiple high‐glass‐transition‐temperature polyolefin branches

The tertiary chlorine (Cl^t) content of vinyl chloride/2‐chloropropene copolymers [P(VC‐co‐2CP)] was determined by NMR spectroscopy. Copolymers containing 6.8–47.0 Cl^t's per P(VC‐co‐2CP) chain were used to initiate the cationic grafting of α‐methylstyrene, norbornadiene, indene, and norbornene with Et₂AlCl under various conditions. Grafting was demonstrated by selective solvent extraction, and the effect of the experimental conditions on the grafting efficiency was examined. Select rheological and thermal characteristics of P(VC‐co‐2CP) grafts, including the glass‐transition temperature, heat deflection temperature, and discoloration upon heating, were studied. P(VC‐co‐2CP) carrying 7–11 poly(α‐methylstyrene) or polynorbornadiene branches per chain raised the glass‐transition temperature to, or above, that of a blend control. P(VC‐co‐2CP)s fitted with polyindene or polynorbornene branches were less effective in raising the mechanical properties. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3644–3651, 2002     

Synthesis,characterization, and evaluation of biological activities of new 4′‐substituted ruthenium (II) terpyridine complexes: Prospective anti‐inflammatory properties

The synthesis and characterization of Ru (II) terpyridine complexes derived from 4′ functionalized 2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine (tpy) ligands are reported. The heteroleptic complexes comprise the synthesized ligands 4′‐(2‐thienyl)‐ 2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine) or (4′‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine and (dimethyl 5‐(pyrimidin‐5‐yl)isophthalate). The new complexes [Ru(4′‐(2‐thienyl)‐2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine)(5‐(pyrimidin‐5‐yl)‐isophthalic acid)Cl₂] ( 9 ), [Ru(4′‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine)(5‐(pyrimidin‐5‐yl)‐isophthalic acid)Cl₂] ( 10 ), and [Ru(4′‐(2‐thienyl)‐2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine)(5‐(pyrimidin‐5‐yl)‐isophthalic acid)(NCS)₂] ( 11 ) were characterized by ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy, C, H, N, and S elemental analysis, UPLC‐ESI‐MS, TGA, FT‐IR, and UV‐Vis spectroscopy. The biological activities of the synthesized ligands and their Ru (II) complexes as anti‐inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer agents were evaluated. Furthermore, the toxicity of the synthesized compounds was studied and compared with the standard drugs, namely, diclofenac potassium and ibuprofen, using hemolysis assay. The results indicated that the ligands and the complex 9 possess superior anti‐inflammatory activities inhibiting albumin denaturation (89.88–100%) compared with the standard drugs (51.5–88.37%) at a concentration of 500 μg g^?1. These activities were related to the presence of the chelating N‐atoms in the ligands and the exchangeable chloro‐ groups in the complex. Moreover, the chloro‐ and thiophene groups in complex 9 produce a higher anticancer activity compared with its isothiocyanate derivative in the complex 11 and the 3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl moiety in complex 10 . Considering the toxicity results, the synthesized ligands are nontoxic or far less toxic compared with the standard drugs and the metal complexes. Therefore, these newly synthesized compounds are promising anti‐inflammatory agents in addition to their moderate unique broad antimicrobial activity.     

Synthesis of polyallene‐based graft copolymer via 6‐methyl‐1,2‐heptadien‐4‐ol and styrene

A series of well‐defined graft copolymers with a polyallene‐based backbone and polystyrene side chains were synthesized by the combination of living coordination polymerization of 6‐methyl‐1,2‐heptadien‐4‐ol and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene. Poly(alcohol) with polyallene repeating units were prepared via 6‐methyl‐1,2‐heptadien‐4‐ol by living coordination polymerization initiated by [(η³‐allyl)NiOCOCF₃]₂ firstly, followed by transforming the pendant hydroxyl groups into halogen‐containing ATRP initiation groups. Grafting‐from route was employed in the following step for the synthesis of the well‐defined graft copolymer: polystyrene was grafted to the backbone via ATRP of styrene. The cleaved polystyrene side chains show a narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n = 1.06). This kind of graft copolymer is the first example of graft copolymer via allene derivative and styrenic monomer. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5509–5517, 2007