Relative susceptibility of the Iα and Iβ phases of cellulose towards acetylation

The relative reactivity of the I and I phases of Valonia cellulose toward partial homogeneous acetylation was investigated by FT-IR and CP/MAS ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. At the beginning of the acetylation and when only partial reaction was achieved, it was found that the reactivity of the I phase was substantially higher than that of the corresponding I component. At a later stage of acetylation, the difference in reactivity between the two phases was less pronounced. In correlation with previous ultrastructural observations (Sassi and Chanzy, 1995), it can be concluded that at equivalent accessibility, the I phase of cellulose is indeed more reactive toward acetylation than the I phase. The homogeneous acetylation of cellulose is essentially a surface reaction that affects only the accessible parts located at the surface of the microfibrils. The decrease in the rate of I phase disappearance with acetylation time confirms therefore that the microstructure of Valonia is made of domains that are distributed throughout the thickness of its microfibrils.     

Interactions of the complete cellobiohydrolase I from Trichodera reesei with microcrystalline cellulose Iβ

We describe the construction of a model complex of the cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I) cellulase from Trichoderma reesei bound to a cellulose microfibril in an aqueous environment for use in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Preliminary characterization from the initial phases of an MD simulation of this complex is also described. The linker sequence between the two globular domains was found to be quite flexible, and the oligosaccharides bound to this linker were found to prefer to be splayed like the spokes in a wheel due to their hydration requirements. The overall conformations of the two globular domains remained stable in the simulations, although both underwent changes in their orientations.     

Simulation analysis of the cellulase Cel7A carbohydrate binding module on the surface of the cellulose Iβ

The Family 7 cellobiohydrolase (Cel7A) from Trichoderma reesei consists of a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) joined by a linker to a catalytic domain. Cellulose hydrolysis is limited by the accessibility of Cel7A to crystalline substrates, which is perceived to be primarily mediated by the CBM. Here, the binding of CBM to the cellulose Iβ fiber is characterized by combined Brownian dynamics (BD) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results confirm that CBM prefers to dock to the hydrophobic than to the hydrophilic fiber faces. Both electrostatic (ES) and van der Waals (VDW) interactions are required for achieving the observed binding preference. The VDW interactions play a more important role in stabilizing the CBM-fiber binding, whereas the ES interactions contribute through the formation of a number of hydrogen bonds between the CBM and the fiber. At long distances, an ES steering effect is also observed that tends to align the CBM in an antiparallel manner relative to the fiber axis. Furthermore, the MD results reveal hindered diffusion of the CBM on all fiber surfaces. The binding of the CBM to the hydrophobic surfaces is found to involve partial dewetting at the CBM-fiber interface coupled with local structural arrangements of the protein. The present simulation results complement and rationalize a large body of previous work and provide detailed insights into the mechanism of the CBM-cellulose fiber interactions.     

Symmetry-itemized enumeration of quadruplets of RS-stereoisomers: I—the fixed-point matrix method of the USCI approach combined with the stereoisogram approach

The RS-stereoisomeric group $\mathbf{T}_{d\widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}}$ is examined to characterize quadruplets of RS-stereoisomers based on a tetrahedral skeleton and found to be isomorphic to the point group $\mathbf{O}_{h}$ of order 48. The non-redundant set of subgroups (SSG) of $\mathbf{T}_{d\widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}}$ is obtained by referring to the non-redundant SSG of $\mathbf{O}_{h}$ . The coset representation for characterizing the orbit of the four positions of the tetrahedral skeleton is clarified to be $\mathbf{T}_{d\widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}}(/\mathbf{C}_{3v\widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}})$ , which is closely related to the $\mathbf{O}_{h}(/\mathbf{D}_{3d})$ . According to the unit-subduced-cycle-index (USCI) approach (Fujita in Symmetry and combinatorial enumeration in chemistry. Springer, Berlin, 1991), the subdution of $\mathbf{T}_{d\widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}}(/\mathbf{C}_{3v\widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}})$ is examined so as to generate unit subduced cycle indices with chirality fittingness (USCI-CFs). The fixed-point matrix method of the USCI approach is applied to the USCI-CFs. Thereby, the numbers of quadruplets are calculated in an itemized fashion with respect to the subgroups of $\mathbf{T}_{d\widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}}$ . After the subgroups of $\mathbf{T}_{d\widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}}$ are categorized into types I–V, type-itemized enumeration of quadruplets is conducted to illustrate the versatility of the stereoisogram approach.     

A molecular dynamics study of the thermal response of crystalline cellulose Iβ

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to better understand the atomic details of thermal induced transitions in cellulose Iβ. The latest version of the GLYCAM force field series (GLYCAM06) was used for the simulations. The unit cell parameters, density, torsion angles and hydrogen-bonding network of the crystalline polymer were carefully analyzed. The simulated data were validated against the experimental results obtained by X-ray diffraction for the crystal structure of cellulose Iβ at room and high temperatures, as well as against the temperature-dependent IR measurements describing the variation of hydrogen bonding patterns. Distinct low and high temperature structures were identified, with a phase transition temperature of 475–500 K. In the high-temperature structure, all the origin chains rotated around the helix axis by about 30° and the conformation of all hydroxymethyl groups changed from tg to either gt on origin chains or gg on center chains. The hydrogen-bonding network was reorganized along with the phase transition. Compared to the previously employed GROMOS 45a4 force field, GLYCAM06 yields data in much better agreement with experimental observations, which reflects that a cautious parameterization of the nonbonded interaction terms in a force field is critical for the correct prediction of the thermal response in cellulose crystals.     

The amino terminus of cGMP-dependent protein kinase Iβ increases the dynamics of the protein's cGMP-binding pockets

The type I cGMP-dependent protein kinases play critical roles in regulating vascular tone, platelet activation and synaptic plasticity. PKG I α and PKG Iβ differ in their first ~100 amino acids giving each isoform unique dimerization and autoinhibitory domains with identical cGMP-binding pockets and catalytic domains. The N-terminal leucine zipper and autoinhibitory domains have been shown to mediate isoform specific affinity for cGMP. PKG Iα has a >10 fold higher affinity for cGMP than PKG Iβ, and PKG Iβ that is missing its leucine zipper has a three-fold decreased affinity for cGMP. The exact mechanism through which the N-terminus of PKG alters cGMP-affinity is unknown. In the present study, we have used deuterium exchange mass spectrometry to study how PKG Iβ's N-terminus affects the conformation and dynamics of its cGMP-binding pockets. We found that the N-terminus increases the rate of deuterium exchange throughout the cGMP-binding domain. Our results suggest that the N-terminus shifts the conformational dynamics of the binding pockets, leading to an "open" conformation that has an increased affinity for cGMP.     

Lif study of the I2+F → IF+I reaction: population of the v' = 0 level of IF

We have attempted to detect the v' =0 level in IF molecules produced by the reactive collision I₂+F → IF+I under crossed-beam conditions. The signal that we have observed is shown to be due to a background IF vapour. This is an important result as it settles a controversy concerning the energy disposal in this reaction.     

The Unique Ambiphilicity of Tellurium in the [MesitylTe(I)(I2)(I3)]− Anion

A first example of an aryltellurium(II) compound with three different bonding modes to iodine featuring covalent and non-covalent bonds such as two orthogonal, ambiphilic σ-hole interactions is introduced: [MesTe(I)(I₂)(I₃)]⁻. It is a member of a series of mesityltellurenyl anions, which are formed during reactions of (MesTe)₂ with ZnI₂, phenanthroline (phen) and iodine. [Zn(phen)₃][MesTe(I)₂] ( 1 ), [Zn(phen)₃][{MesTe(I)-(I)…Te(I)Mes}{MesTeI₂}] ( 2 ) and [Zn(phen)₃][MesTe(I)(I₂)(I₃)][MesTeI₂] ( 3 ) are isolated depending on the amount of iodine used. The products contain tellurium atoms bonded to a variety of iodine species (I⁻, μ₂-I⁻, I₂ and I₃⁻) and are, thus, perfectly suitable to explore the amphiphilic behavior of tellurium(II) and its relevance for the formation of non-covalent bonds, where tellurium acts as both donor and acceptor simultaneously. The character of chalcogen and halogen bonds are evaluated by the combination of crystallographic data and computational methods.     

Unraveling the Impact of Gold(I)–Thiolate Motifs on the Aggregation-Induced Emission of Gold Nanoclusters

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) provides an efficient strategy to synthesize highly luminescent metal nanoclusters (NCs), however, rational control of emission energy and intensity of metal NCs is still challenging. This communication reveals the impact of surface Au^I-thiolate motifs on the AIE properties of Au NCs, by employing a series of water-soluble glutathione (GSH)-coordinated Au complexes and NCs as a model ([Au₁₀SR₁₀], [Au₁₅SR₁₃], [Au₁₈SR₁₄], and [Au₂₅SR₁₈]⁻, SR=thiolate ligand). Spectroscopic investigations show that the emission wavelength of Au NCs is adjustable from visible to the near-infrared II (NIR-II) region by controlling the length of the Au^I-SR motifs on the NC surface. Decreasing the length of Au^I-SR motifs also changes the origin of cluster luminescence from AIE-type phosphorescence to Au⁰-core-dictated fluorescence. This effect becomes more prominent when the degree of aggregation of Au NCs increases in solution.     

Facile Method for the Synthesis of Vicinal Azidoiodides by the Reaction of the NaN3–I2 System with Unsaturated Compounds

A facile and efficient method was developed for the synthesis of vicinal azidoiodides in 62–77% yields by the reaction of sodium azide and iodine with unsaturated compounds in methanol, aqueous methanol, or the water–methanol–tetrahydrofuran solvent system. The reaction in Et₂O or CHCl₃ produced only vicinal diiodides.     

NMR-restrained docking of a peptidic inhibitor to the N-terminal domain of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase enzyme I

Starting from the NMR structure of the binary complex between the N-terminal domain of the unphosphorylated enzyme I (EIN) of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase (PTS) and the histidine-containing phosphocarrier protein (HPr), a molecular model of the phosphorylated transition state of the related complex was established using constrained simulated annealing. The coordinates of the phosphorylated EIN enzyme were then used in a second step for flexible docking of a decapeptide inhibitor of EIN whose enzyme-bound conformation itself was determined by NMR using transferred nuclear Overhauser effects. Two phosphorylation models of the peptide inhibitor were investigated and shown to be both functional. Interestingly, one model is very similar to that of the complex between EIN and its natural substrate HPr. The present study demonstrates that NMR-guided flexible docking constitutes an interesting tool for docking highly flexible peptide ligands and facilitates the upcoming protein-based design of nonpeptide EIN inhibitors for discovering new antibiotics.     

Effect of the composition of dimethyl sulfoxide–acetonitrile solvent on the stability of silver(I) complexes with 2,2'-bipyridyl

The effect of composition of the dimethyl sulfoxide–acetonitrile solvent on the shift in complexation equilibrium of silver(I) and 2,2'-bipyridyl was studied potentiometrically at 298.15 K. The stability of mono- and bis(bipyridyl) complexes of silver(I) was found to rise with increasing acetonitrile content in the mixed solvent. The difference in changes in the solvation state of the central and complex ions (the solvation effect of ions) was found to make a major contribution to the changes in stability of silver(I) complexes with 2,2'-bipyridyl in dimethyl sulfoxide–acetonitrile binary solvent.     

Quantum algebraic–combinatoric study of the conformational properties of n‐alkanes. I

Based on quantum chemical calculation results, four rules were previously derived for the numbers and the sequences of the conformers of free alkane molecules. This paper builds up first an algebra to handle the conformational problem of alkanes. Partitioning the set of all sequences, the whole problem is then subdivided into three independent subcases. With the help of an equivalence relation, the sequences can be classified. According to the quantum chemical rules, certain equivalence classes do not represent conformers. A welldefined subcase of the whole problem is solved.     

Study on the Total Synthesis of Hainanolide－Construction of Tricyclic Intermediate（I）

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Synthesis of guanidines via the I2 mediated desulfurization of N,N′-di-Boc-thiourea

The I₂ mediated desulfurization of N,N′-di-Boc-thiourea was developed. Various primary amines, including sterically and electronically deactivated primary amines, were transformed into the corresponding bis-Boc protected guanidines under mild conditions.     

Studies on the Chemical Constituents of Oxytropis Glabra DC (I)

Two new triterpenoid sapon.ins 1 and 2 were isolated from the crude saponin extract of Oxytropis glabra DC by Si gel chromato-grapny . Saponins 1 and 2 were determined to be 3-0-1 β-D-glucopyranosy 1 (1-2)- β -D-glucuronopyranosyl azukisapogenol methyl ester and 3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl(1 - 2 ) - β -D-glucuronopyranosyl] azukisapogenol amide, respectively by spectral analysis and chemical methods.     

Photoelectron spectroscopic study of the E⊗e Jahn-Teller effect in the presence of a tunable spin-orbit interaction. I. Photoionization dynamics of methyl iodide and rotational fine structure of CH3I+ and CD3I+

The high-resolution single-photon pulsed-field-ionization zero-kinetic-energy photoelectron spectra of the X?(+) (2)E(3/2)←X?(1)A(1) transition of CH(3)I and CD(3)I have been recorded. The spectral resolution of better than 0.15 cm(-1) enabled the observation of the rotational structure. CH(3)I(+) and CD(3)I(+) are subject to a weak E?e Jahn-Teller effect and strong spin-orbit coupling. The treatment of the rovibronic structure of the photoelectron spectra in the corresponding spin double group, C(3v)(2)(M), including the effects of the spin-orbit interaction and the vibrational angular momentum, allowed the reproduction of the experimentally observed transitions with spectroscopic accuracy. The relevant spin-orbit and linear Jahn-Teller coupling parameters of the X?(+) ground state were derived from the analysis of the spectra of the two isotopomers, and improved values were obtained for the adiabatic ionization energies [E(I)(CH(3)I)/hc=76931.35(20) cm(-1) and E(I)(CD(3)I)/hc=76957.40(20) cm(-1)] and the rotational constants of the cations. Rovibronic photoionization selection rules were derived for transitions connecting neutral states following Hund's-case-(b)-type angular momentum coupling and ionic states following Hund's-case-(a)-type coupling. The selection rules, expressed in terms of the angular momentum projection quantum number P, account for all observed transitions and provide an explanation for the nonobservation of several rotational sub-bands in the mass-analyzed threshold-ionization spectra of CH(3)I and CD(3)I reported recently by Lee et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 128, 044310 (2008)].     

Kinetic hindrance of the electric field-induced blue phase I→cholesteric transition

The electric field effect on the transition of the liquid-crystalline blue phase I(BP I) to the cholesteric phase has been investigated. This field-induced transition can be overvoltaged. This effect is equivalent to the BP I supercooling and is caused by a kinetic hindrance of the molecular rearrangement within the cubic BP I structure.