Novel routes to 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazines and 5,6,9,10,11,11a-hexahydro-8H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrrolo[2,1-c]pyrazines

Condensation reactions of benzotriazole and 2-(pyrrol-1-yl)-1-ethylamine (1) with formaldehyde and glutaric dialdehyde, respectively, afforded intermediates 2 and 6. Subsequent nucleophilic substitutions of the benzotriazole group in 2 and 6 with Grignard reagents, sodium cyanide, and sodium borohydride gave 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazines 3a-e, 4, 5 and 5,6,9,10,11,11a-hexahydro-8H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrrolo[2,1-c]pyrazines 7a-c, 8, 9, respectively, in good yields.     

Aza-2-dienes-1,3. Partie 5. Préparation de N-aminoimidazoles, 3H-pyrroles,triazolo[1,2,4][1,5-a]pyrazines et imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines

2-Aza-1,3-dienes. Access to N-Aminoimidazoles, 3H-Pyrroles, [1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyrazines, or Imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines Nucleophilic attack of 5-(dialkylamino)-2-aza-1,3-diene-1,1-dicarbonitriles (or their 1-methoxycarbonyl analogous) by hydrazines or hydrazdes gives substituted N-aminoimidazoles, [1,2,4]triazolo-[1,5-a]pyrazines, or α-dihydrazino derivatives. With α-amino esters (or analogous), imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines are produced. Addtion of cyanide anions occurs also with formation of substituted 3H-pyrroles. Structures and rationalisation of this nucleophilic attack are discussed.     

FTIR detection of protonation/deprotonation of key carboxyl side chains caused by redox change of the Cu(A)-heme a moiety and ligand dissociation from the heme a3-Cu(B) center of bovine heart cytochrome c oxidase

FTIR spectral changes of bovine cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) upon ligand dissociation from heme a(3)() and redox change of the Cu(A)-heme a moiety (Cu(A)Fe(a)()) were investigated. In a photosteady state under CW laser illumination at 590 nm to carbonmonoxy CcO (CcO-CO), the C-O stretching bands due to Fe(a3)()(2+)CO and Cu(B)(1+)CO were identified at 1963 and 2063 cm(-)(1), respectively, for the fully reduced (FR) state [(Cu(A)Fe(a)())(3+)Fe(a3)()(2+)Cu(B)(1+)] and at 1965 and 2061 cm(-)(1) for the mixed valence (MV) state [(Cu(A)Fe(a)())(5+)Fe(a3)()(2+)Cu(B)(1+)] in H(2)O as well as in D(2)O. For the MV state, however, another band due to Cu(B)(1+)CO was found at 2040 cm(-)(1), which was distinct from the alpha/beta conformers in the spectral behaviors, and therefore was assigned to the (Cu(A)Fe(a)())(4+)Fe(a3)()(3+)Cu(B)(1+)CO generated by back electron transfer. The FR-minus-oxidized difference spectrum in the carboxyl stretching region provided two negative bands at 1749 and 1737 cm(-)(1) in H(2)O, which were apparently merged into a single band with a band center at 1741 cm(-)(1) in D(2)O. Comparison of these spectra with those of bacterial enzymes suggests that the 1749 and 1737 cm(-)(1) bands are due to COOH groups of Glu242 and Asp51, respectively. A similar difference spectrum of the carboxyl stretching region was also obtained between (Cu(A)Fe(a)())(3+)Fe(a3)()(2+)Cu(B)(1+)CO and (Cu(A)Fe(a)())(5+)Fe(a3)()(2+)Cu(B)(1+)CO. The results indicate that an oxidation state of the (Cu(A)Fe(a)()) moiety determines the carboxyl stretching spectra. On the other hand, CO-dissociated minus CO-bound difference spectra in the FR state gave rise to a positive and a negative peaks at 1749 and 1741 cm(-)(1), respectively, in H(2)O, but mainly a negative peak at 1735 cm(-)(1) in D(2)O. It was confirmed that the absence of a positive peak is not caused by slow deuteration of protein. The corresponding difference spectrum in the MV state showed a significantly weaker positive peak at 1749 cm(-)(1) and an intense negative peak at 1741 cm(-)(1) (1737 cm(-)(1) in D(2)O). The spectral difference between the FR and MV states is explained satisfactorily by the spectral change induced by the electron back flow upon CO dissociation as described above. Thus, the changes of carboxyl stretching bands induced both by oxidation of (Cu(A)Fe(a)()) and dissociation of CO appear at similar frequencies ( approximately 1749 cm(-)(1)) but are ascribed to different carboxyl side chains.     

Synthesis, X-ray crystallographic characterization, and electronic structure studies of a di-azide iron(III) complex: implications for the azide adducts of iron(III) superoxide dismutase

We have synthesized and characterized, using X-ray crystallographic, spectroscopic, and computational techniques, a six-coordinate diazide Fe (3+) complex, LFe(N 3) 2 (where L is the tetradentate ligand 7-diisopropyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1-acetic acid), that serves as a model of the azide adducts of Fe (3+) superoxide dismutase (Fe (3+)SOD). While previous spectroscopic studies revealed that two distinct azide-bound Fe (3+)SOD species can be obtained at cryogenic temperatures depending on protein and azide concentrations, the number of azide ligands coordinated to the Fe (3+) ion in each species has been the subject of some controversy. In the case of LFe(N 3) 2, the electronic absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectra are dominated by two broad features centered at 21 500 cm (-1) (approximately 4000 M (-1) cm (-1)) and approximately 30 300 cm (-1) (approximately 7400 M (-1) cm (-1)) attributed to N3 (-) --> Fe (3+) charge transfer (CT) transitions. A normal coordinate analysis of resonance Raman (RR) data obtained for LFe(N 3) 2 indicates that the vibrational features at 363 and 403 cm (-1) correspond to the Fe-N 3 stretching modes (nu Fe-N3) associated with the two different azide ligands and yields Fe-N 3 force constants of 1.170 and 1.275 mdyne/A, respectively. RR excitation profile data obtained with laser excitation between 16,000 and 22,000 cm (-1) reveal that the nu Fe-N3 modes at 363 and 403 cm (-1) are preferentially enhanced upon excitation in resonance with the N 3 (-) --> Fe (3+) CT transitions at lower and higher energies, respectively. Consistent with this result, density functional theory electronic structure calculations predict a larger stabilization of the molecular orbitals of the more strongly bound azide due to increased sigma-symmetry orbital overlap with the Fe 3d orbitals, thus yielding higher N 3 (-) --> Fe (3+) CT transition energies. Comparison of our data obtained for LFe(N 3) 2 with those reported previously for the two azide adducts of Fe (3+)SOD provides compelling evidence that a single azide is coordinated to the Fe (3+) center in each protein species.     

A ratiometric fluorescent chemosensor for iron: discrimination of Fe2+ and Fe3+ and living cell application

A newly designed probe, 6-thiophen-2-yl-5,6-dihydrobenzo[4,5]imidazo-[1,2-c] quinazoline (HL(1)) behaves as a highly selective ratiometric fluorescent sensor for Fe(2+) at pH 4.0-5.0 and Fe(3+) at pH 6.5-8.0 in acetonitrile-HEPES buffer (1/4) (v/v) medium. A decrease in fluorescence at 412 nm and increase in fluorescence at 472 nm with an isoemissive point at 436 nm with the addition of Fe(2+) salt solution is due to the formation of mononuclear Fe(2+) complex [Fe(II)(HL)(ClO(4))(2)(CH(3)CN)(2)] (1) in acetonitrile-HEPES buffer (100 mM, 1/4, v/v) at pH 4.5 and a decrease in fluorescence at 412 nm and increase in fluorescence at 482 nm with an isoemissive point at 445 nm during titration by Fe(3+) salt due to the formation of binary Fe(3+) complex, [Fe(III)(L)(2)(ClO(4))(H(2)O)] (2) with co-solvent at biological pH 7.4 have been established. Binding constants (K(a)) in the solution state were calculated to be 3.88 × 10(5) M(-1) for Fe(2+) and 0.21 × 10(3) M(-1/2) for Fe(3+) and ratiometric detection limits for Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) were found to be 2.0 μM and 3.5 μM, respectively. The probe is a "naked eye" chemosensor for two states of iron. Theoretical calculations were studied to establish the configurations of probe-iron complexes. The sensor is efficient for detecting Fe(3+)in vitro by developing a good image of the biological organelles.     

Accelerating and decelerating effects of metal ions on electron-transfer reduction of quinones as a function of temperature and binding modes of metal ions to semiquinone radical anions

The accelerating effect of Sc(3+) on the electron-transfer (ET) reduction of the p-benzoquinone derivative 1-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-2,5-benzoquinone (TolSQ) by 10,10'-dimethyl-9,9'-biacridine ((AcrH)(2)) at 233 K changes to a decelerating effect with increasing reaction temperature; the observed second-order rate constant k(et) decreases with increasing Sc(3+) concentration at high concentrations of Sc(3+) at 298 K. At 263 K the k(et) value remains constant with increasing Sc(3+) concentration. Such a remarkable difference with regard to dependence of k(et) on [Sc(3+)] between low and high temperatures results from the difference in relative activity of two ET pathways that depend on temperature, one of which affords 1:1 complex TolSQ*(-)-Sc(3+), and the other 1:2 complex TolSQ*(-)-(Sc(3+))(2) with additional binding of Sc(3+) to TolSQ*(-)-Sc(3+). The formation of TolSQ*(-)-Sc(3+) and TolSQ*(-)-(Sc(3+))(2) complexes was confirmed by EPR spectroscopy in the ET reduction of TolSQ in the presence of low and high concentrations of Sc(3+), respectively. The effects of metal ions on other ET reactions of quinones to afford 1:1 and 1:2 complexes between semiquinone radical anions and metal ions are also reported. The ET pathway affording the 1:2 complexes has smaller activation enthalpies DeltaH( not equal) and more negative activation entropies DeltaS( not equal) because of stronger binding of metal ions and more restricted geometries of the ET transition states as compared with the ET pathway to afford the 1:1 complexes.     

1-(Trifluoromethyl)-3,4-dihydropyrrolo-[1,2-<Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis>] pyrazines: synthesis and reactions with O- and N-nucleophiles

The method of synthesis has been developed and reactions of 1-(trifluoromethyl)-3,4-dihydro-pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazines with O- and N-nucleophiles have been studied. It was found that reactions of nucleophiles with 1-(trifluoro-methyl)pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazines transforms the trifluoromethyl group to amide and amidine groups together with aromatization of the pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine system as a result of the formal elimination of a molecule of hydrogen fluoride.     

Identification and synthesis of volatiles released by the myxobacterium Chondromyces crocatus

Cultures of the myxobacterium Chondromyces crocatus on agar plates were analysed by closed-loop-stripping analysis or solid phase micro extraction. The odour profiles consist mainly of pyrazines, sesquiterpenoids and some aromatic compounds, summing up to more than 50 components. Several new pyrazines as 2-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-3-methoxypyrazine (9), 2-(1-hydroxy-1-methylpropyl)-3-methoxypyrazine (10), and 2-(1-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)-3-methoxypyrazine (11) were identified besides several known pyrazines. A major pyrazine occurring in most samples was 2,5-bis-(1-methylethyl)pyrazine (3). While the well known sesquiterpenoid geosmin (1) was present in low amounts, the related compound (1(10)E,5E)-germacradien-11-ol (21) was identified in most samples in larger quantities. Other prominent sesquiterpenoids not reported before from microorganisms were (6S,10S)-6,10-dimethylbicyclo[4.4.0]dec-1-en-3-one (16), which was accompanied by smaller amounts of several derivatives. The biosynthesis of these compounds is discussed in relation to the recently proposed biosynthetic pathways to 1 and 21.     

Preparation of visible-light-excited luminescence enhancement solutions for time-resolved luminescence detection of europium biolabel

Dissociation enhanced lanthanide fluoroimmunoassay (DELFIA) technique based on EDTA-Eu(3+) derivative biolabels is the most widely used time-resolved luminescence bioassay technique for clinical diagnosis, but its major drawback is that the conventional luminescence enhancement solution of EDTA-Eu(3+) requires UV excitation (<360 nm). In this work, three new visible-light-excited luminescence enhancement solutions are developed and their luminescence response behaviors to EDTA-Eu(3+) are systematically investigated. The new solutions were prepared by co-dissolving a newly synthesized tetradentate β-diketone, 1,2-bis[8'-(1',1',1',2',2',3',3'-heptafluoro-4',6'-hexanedion-6'-yl)-naphth-2'-yl]-benzene (BHHNB), and one of three derivatives of triazine, 2-(N,N-diethylanilin-4-yl)-4,6-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine (DPBT), 2-(N,N-diethylanilin-4-yl)-4,6-bis(3-methylpyrazol-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine (MPBT) or 2-(N,N-diethylanilin-4-yl)-4,6-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine (BPT), in a weakly acidic aqueous buffer at pH 3.2 containing 0.1% Triton X-100. These solutions showed sensitive and rapid luminescence responses to non-luminescent EDTA-Eu(3+) by the formation of the ternary Eu(3+) complexes, BHHNB-Eu(3+)-DPBT, BHHNB-Eu(3+)-MPBT and BHHNB-Eu(3+)-BPT. These complexes have long luminescence lifetimes (>500 μs) and a wide excitation wavelength range from UV to visible light with the excitation peaks at 390, 400 and 420 nm, respectively, which enabled the solutions to be used as visible-light-excited luminescence enhancement solutions for the highly sensitive time-resolved luminescence detection of EDTA-Eu(3+).     

A double-functionalized cyclen with carbamoyl and dansyl groups (cyclen = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane): a selective fluorescent probe for Y(3+) and La(3+).

A cyclen (=1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) doubly functionalized with three carbamoylmethyl groups and one dansylaminoethyl (dansyl = 2-(5-(dimethylamino)-1-naphthalenesulfonyl) group (L(2) = 1-(2-(5-(dimethylamino)-1-naphthalenesulfonylamido)ethyl)-4,7,10-tris(carbamoylmethyl)-cyclen) was synthesized and characterized. Potentiometrtic pH titration and UV spectrophotometric titration of L(2) served to determine deprotonation of the pendant dansylamide (L(2) --> H(-1)L(2)) with a pK(a) value of 10.6, while the fluorometric titration disclosed a pK(a) value of 8.8 +/- 0.2, which was assigned to the dansyl deprotonation in the excited state. The 1:1 M(3+)-H(-1)L(2) complexation constants (log K(app) = 6.0 for Y(3+) and 5.2 for La(3+), where K(app)(M-H(-1)L(2)) = [M(3+)-H(-1)L(2)]/[M(3+)](free)[L(2)](free) (M(-1)) at pH 7.4) were determined by potentiometric pH titration and UV and fluorescence spectrophotometric titrations (excitation at 335 nm and emission at 520 nm) in aqueous solution (with I = 0.1 (NaNO(3))) and 25 degrees C. The X-ray structure analysis of the Y(3+)-H(-1)L complex showed nine-coordinated Y(3+) with four nitrogens of cyclen, three carbamoyl oxygens, and the deprotonated nitrogen and a sulfonyl oxygen of the dansylamide. The crystal data are as follow: formula C(28)H(49)N(11)O(13.5)SY (Y(3+)-H(-1)L(2) x 2(NO(3)(-)) x 2.5H(2)O), M(r) = 876.73, monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n (No. 14), a = 18.912(3) A, b = 17.042(3) A, c = 24.318(4) A, beta = 95.99(1) degrees, V = 7794(2) A(3), Z = 8, R1 = 0.099. Upon M(3+)-H(-1)L(2) complexation, the dansyl fluorescence greatly increased (8.6 and 3.8 times for Y(3+) and La(3+), respectively) in aqueous solution at pH 7.4. Other lanthanide ions also yielded Ln(3+)-H(-1)L(2) complexes with similar K(app) values, although all the dansyl fluorescences were weakly quenched. On the other hand, zinc(II) formed only a 1:1 Zn(2+)-L(2) complex at neutral pH with negligible fluorescence change. The X-ray crystal structure of the Zn(2+)-L(2) complex confirmed the pendant dansylamide being noncoordinating. The crystal data are as follow: formula C(28)H(51)N(11)O(14)SZn (Zn(2+)-L(2) x 2(NO(3)(-)) x 3H(2)O), M(r) = 863.22, monoclinic, space group C2/n (No. 15), a = 35.361(1) A, b = 13.7298(5) A, c = 18.5998(6) A, beta = 119.073(2) degrees, V = 7892.3(5) A(3), Z = 8, R1 = 0.084. Other divalent metal ions did not interact with L(2) at all (e.g., Mg(2+) and Ca(2+)) or interacted with L(2) with the dansyl fluorescence quenched (e.g., Cu(2+)).     

Studies on pyrazine. 23 . Homolytic acylation of 2-amino-3-cyanopyrazine and the related compounds with α-keto acids: A synthesis of 5-acyl-3-aminopyrazinecarboxylic acid derivatives

Homolytic acylation of 2-amino-3-cyanopyrazine (1) with α-keto acids led to the formation of 6-acylated compounds in 74-85% yields. Methyl 3-aminopyrazinecarboxylate (2) and 3-aminopyrazinecarboxamide (3) were also acylated under the same conditions although in lower yields. The observed reactivity of acylation is explained by comparison with the homolytic reactions of related pyrazines.     

(1)H relaxivity of water in aqueous suspensions of Gd(3+)-loaded NaY nanozeolites and AlTUD-1 mesoporous material: the influence of Si/Al ratio and pore size

The results of a (1)H nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion (NMRD) and EPR study on aqueous suspensions of Gd(3+)-loaded NaY nanozeolites and AlTUD-1 mesoporous material are described. Upon increase of the Si/Al ratio from 1.7 to 4.0 in the Gd(3+)-loaded zeolites, the relaxation rate per mM Gd(3+) (r1) at 40 MHz and 25 degrees C increases from 14 to 27 s(-)1 mM(-1). The NMRD and EPR data were fitted with a previously developed two-step model that considers the system as a concentrated aqueous solution of Gd(3+) in the interior of the zeolite that is in exchange with the bulk water outside the zeolite. The results show that the observed increase in relaxivity can mainly be attributed to the residence lifetime of the water protons in the interior of the material, which decreased from 0.3 to 0.2 micros, upon the increase of the Si/Al ratio. This can be explained by the decreased interaction of water with the zeolite walls as a result of the increased hydrophobicity. The importance of the exchange rate of water between the inside and the outside of the material was further demonstrated by the relatively high relaxivity (33 s(-1) mM(-1) at 40 MHz, 25 degrees C) observed for a suspension of the Gd(3+)-loaded mesoporous material AlTUD-1. Unfortunately, Gd(3+) leaches rather easily from that material, but not from the Gd(3+)-loaded NaY zeolites, which may have potential as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging.     

Physicochemical characterization and compatibility study of roflumilast with various pharmaceutical excipients

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - To rich flavor additive species of pyrazines, two new compounds of 3,6-dimethyl-2,5-pyrazinedicarboxylic acid 1-octen-3-yl ester (DMPOE) and...     

Green and red light emission by upconversion from the near-IR in Yb(3+) doped CsMnBr3

Direct near-IR excitation of Yb(3+) 2F(7/2)-->(2)F(5/2) levels at 10126, 10138, and 10596 cm(-1) in CsMnBr3:0.5%Yb(3+) leads to three types of luminescence at cryogenic temperatures: near-IR Yb(3+) emission and green and red upconverted luminescence. The green luminescence around 20 000 cm(-1) is identified as cooperative Yb(3+) pair upconversion. The broad red upconversion luminescence band centered at 14 700 cm(-1) is ascribed to the 4T(1g)-->6A(1g) transition of Mn(2+). Pulsed measurements indicate a sequence of ground-state absorption and excited-state absorption steps for the red upconversion process. One- and two-color excitation experiments support this, and we conclude that the red upconversion occurs by an exchange mechanism involving Yb(3+) and Mn(2+). The Yb(3+) 2F(5/2)-->(2)F(7/2) near-IR emission around 10 000 cm(-1) is also observed after Mn(2+) excitation at 21 838 cm(-1). This is indicative of a Mn(2+) 4T(1g)--> Yb(3+) 2F(5/2) relaxation process, which is a potential loss process for upconversion efficiency.     

Electron and hydrogen-atom self-exchange reactions of iron and cobalt coordination complexes

Reported here are self-exchange reactions between iron 2,2'-bi(tetrahydro)pyrimidine (H(2)bip) complexes and between cobalt 2,2'-biimidazoline (H(2)bim) complexes. The (1)H NMR resonances of [Fe(II)(H(2)bip)(3)](2+) are broadened upon addition of [Fe(III)(H(2)bip)(3)](3+), indicating that electron self-exchange occurs with k(Fe,e)(-) = (1.1 +/- 0.2) x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1) at 298 K in CD(3)CN. Similar studies of [Fe(II)(H(2)bip)(3)](2+) plus [Fe(III)(Hbip)(H(2)bip)(2)](2+) indicate that hydrogen-atom self-exchange (proton-coupled electron transfer) occurs with k(Fe,H.) = (1.1 +/- 0.2) x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1) under the same conditions. Both self-exchange reactions are faster at lower temperatures, showing small negative enthalpies of activation: DeltaH++(e(-)) = -2.1 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1) (288-320 K) and DeltaH++(H.) = -1.5 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1) (260-300 K). This behavior is concluded to be due to the faster reaction of the low-spin states of the iron complexes, which are depopulated as the temperature is raised. Below about 290 K, rate constants for electron self-exchange show the more normal decrease with temperature. There is a modest kinetic isotope effect on H-atom self-exchange of 1.6 +/- 0.5 at 298 K that is close to that seen previously for the fully high-spin iron biimidazoline complexes.(12) The difference in the measured activation parameters, E(a)(D) - E(a)(H), is -1.2 +/- 0.8 kcal mol(-1), appears to be inconsistent with a semiclassical view of the isotope effect, and suggests extensive tunneling. Reactions of [Co(H(2)bim)(3)](2+)-d(24) with [Co(H(2)bim)(3)](3+) or [Co(Hbim)(H(2)bim)(2)](2+) occur with scrambling of ligands indicating inner-sphere processes. The self-exchange rate constant for outer-sphere electron transfer between [Co(H(2)bim)(3)](2+) and [Co(H(2)bim)(3)](3+) is estimated to be 10(-)(6) M(-1) s(-1) by application of the Marcus cross relation. Similar application of the cross relation to H-atom transfer reactions indicates that self-exchange between [Co(H(2)bim)(3)](2+) and [Co(Hbim)(H(2)bim)(2)](2+) is also slow, < or =10(-3) M(-1) s(-1). The slow self-exchange rates for the cobalt complexes are apparently due to their interconverting high-spin [Co(II)(H(2)bim)(3)](2+) with low-spin Co(III) derivatives.     

Lentzeacins A-E,New Bacterial-Derived 2,5- and 2,6-Disubstituted Pyrazines from a BGC-Rich Soil Bacterium Lentzea sp. GA3-008

Pyrazines (1,4-diazirines) are an important group of natural products that have tremendous monetary value in the food and fragrance industries and can exhibit a wide range of biological effects including antineoplastic, antidiabetic and antibiotic activities. As part of a project investigating the secondary metabolites present in understudied and chemically rich Actinomycetes, we isolated a series of six pyrazines from a soil-derived Lentzea sp. GA3-008, four of which are new. Here we describe the structures of lentzeacins A-E (1, 3, 5 and 6) along with two known analogues (2 and 4) and the porphyrin zincphyrin. The structures were determined by NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI-MS. The suite of compounds present in Lentzea sp. includes 2,5-disubstituted pyrazines (compounds 2, 4, and 6) together with the new 2,6-disubstituted isomers (compounds 1, 3 and 5), a chemical class that is uncommon. We used long-read Nanopore sequencing to assemble a draft genome sequence of Lentzea sp. which revealed the presence of 40 biosynthetic gene clusters. Analysis of classical di-modular and single module non-ribosomal peptide synthase genes, and cyclic dipeptide synthases narrows down the possibilities for the biosynthesis of the pyrazines present in this strain.     

Selective extraction of strontium with supercritical fluid carbon dioxide

Strontium (Sr(2+)) can be selectively extracted from aqueous solutions into supercritical fluid CO(2) at 60 °C and 100 atm with dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DC18C6) using CF(3)(CF(2))(6)CO(2) (-) (PFOA(-)) or CF(3)(CF(2))(6)CF(2)SO(3) (-) (PFOSA(-)) as a counter anion; at a mole ratio of Sr(2+) : DC18C6 : PFOA(-) = 1:10:50, the extraction of Sr (5.6 × 10(-5) M) from water at pH 3 is near quantitative whereas Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) at equal concentration are only extracted to a level of 7 and 1%, respectively; PFOSA(-) is an effective counter anion for selective extraction of Sr(2+) from 1.3 M HNO(3) with DC18C6 in supercritical CO(2).     

Catalysis of the methanolysis of activated amides by divalent and trivalent metal ions. The effect of Zn(2+), Co(2+), and La(3+) on the methanolysis of acetylimidazole and its (NH(3))(5)Co(III) complex.

The metal ions Zn(2+), Co(2+), and La(3+) strongly catalyze the methanolysis of the activated amides acetylimidazole (1) and its ligand-exchange-inert Co(III) complex, (NH(3))(5)Co(III)-AcIm (2). Studies of the kinetics of methanolysis are performed with pH measurement and control, and the metal ions are soluble in the medium throughout the pH regions where ionization of the M(x+)(CH(3)OH)(y) occurs. Zn(2+) and Co(2+) act as Lewis acids toward 1, catalyzing attack of external methoxide on a 1:M(2+) complex at values only 100-fold lower than the diffusion limit, the k(OR) values being 5.6 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) and 2.5 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1), while that for CH(3)O(-) attack on 2 is 4.69 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1). Since neither Zn(2+) nor Co(2+) promotes the methanolysis of 2, these metals appear to be acting through transient binding to the distal N of 1, which activates the C=O of the complex to external CH(3)O(-) attack. La(3+) catalyzes the methanolysis of both 1 and 2, which occurs by a mechanism that is fundamentally different from that exhibited by Zn(2+) and Co(2+) in that the active species appears to be a bis-methoxy-bridged dimer (La(3+))(2)(CH(3)O(-))(2)(CH(3)OH)(x)() that interacts directly with the C=O unit of the substrate.     

The characterization for the binding of calcium and terbium to Euplotes octocarinatus centrin

Centrin is a member of the EF-hand superfamily that plays critical role in the centrosome duplication and separation. In the present paper, we characterized properties of metal ions binding to Euplotes octocarinatus centrin (EoCen) by fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Changes of fluorescence spectra and alpha-helix contents of EoCen proved that Tb(3+) and Ca(2+) induced great conformational changes of EoCen resulting in exposing hydrophobic surfaces. At pH 7.4, Ca(2+) (and Tb(3+)) bond with EoCen at the ratio of 4:1. Equilibrium experiment indicated that Ca(2+) and Tb(3+) exhibited different binding capabilities for C- and N-terminal domains of protein. C-terminal domain bond with Ca(2+) or Tb(3+) approximately 100-fold more strongly than N-terminal. Aromatic residue-sensitized Tb(3+) energy transfer suggested that site IV bond to Tb(3+) or Ca(2+) more strongly than site III. Based on fluorescence titration curves, we reckoned the conditional binding constants of EoCen site IV quantitatively to be K(IV)=(1.23+/-0.51)x10(8)M(-1) and K(IV)=(6.82+/-0.33)x10(5)M(-1) with Tb(3+) and Ca(2+), respectively. Metal ions bond to EoCen in the order of IV>III>II, I.     

Hydrogen chromate PVC matrix membrane sensor for potentiometric determination of chromium(III) and chromium(VI) ions

A novel potentiometric Cr(6+) PVC matrix membrane sensor incorporating nickel tris(1,10-bathophenanthroline) hydrogen chromate as an electroactive material and 2-nitrophenyl phenyl ether as solvent mediator is described. In a phosphate buffer solution of pH 5, the sensor displays a rapid and linear response for Cr(6-) over the concentration range 2 x 10(-2)-8 x 10(-6) M with an anionic slope of 55.5 +/- 0.2 mV decade(-1) and a detection limit of the order of 0.4 microg ml(-1). The sensor is used for sequential determination of Cr(6+) and Cr(3+) by direct monitoring of Cr(6+) followed by oxidation of Cr(3+) and measurement of the total chromium. The average recoveries of Cr(3+) and Cr(6+) at concentration levels of 0.5-50 microg ml(-1) are 98.1 +/- 0.4% and 99.1 +/- 0.4% respectively. Redox and precipitation titrations involving Cr(6+) as a titrant are monitored with the sensor. Cr(3+) and/or Cr(6+) in wastewaters of some industries (e.g., leather tanning, electroplating, aluminum painting) and the chromium contents of some alloys and refractory bricks are assessed. The results agree fairly well with data obtained using the standard diphenylcarbazide spectrophotometric method.