Reactivities of carboxyalkyl-substituted 1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimides in aqueous solution

A series of water-soluble 1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimide derivatives has been prepared and their redox and photophysical properties characterized. From laser flash photolysis studies, the triplet excited state of N,N'-bis[2-(N-pyridinium)ethyl]-1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimide (NDI-pyr) was found to undergo oxidative quenching with the electron donors DABCO, tyrosine, and tryptophan as expected from thermodynamics. Interestingly, the reactivities of naphthalene diimides (NDI) possessing alpha- and beta-carboxylic acid substituents (R = -CH2COO-, -C(CH3)2COO-, and -CH2CH2COO-) were strikingly different. In these compounds, the transient produced upon 355 nm excitation did not react with the electron donors. Instead, this transient reacted rapidly (k > 10(8)-10(9) M-1 s-1) with known electron acceptors, benzyl viologen and ferricyanide. The transient spectrum of the carboxyalkyl-substituted naphthalimides observed immediately after the laser pulse was nearly identical to the one-electron-reduced form of 1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimide (produced independently using the bis-pyridinium-substituted naphthaldiimide). From our studies, we conclude that the transient produced upon nanosecond laser flash photolysis of NDI-(CH2)nCOO- is the species produced upon intramolecular electron transfer from the carboxylate moiety to the singlet excited state of NDI. In separate experiments, we verified that the singlet excited state of NDI-pyr does, indeed, react intermolecularly with acetate, alanine, and glycine. The process is further substantiated using thermodynamic driving force calculations. The results offer new prospects of the efficient photochemical production of reactive carbon-centered radicals.     

Mechanism for basic hydrolysis of N-nitrosoguanidines in aqueous solution

A kinetic study was carried out on the hydrolysis of two N-nitrosoguanidines, 1-nitroso-1-methyl-3-tolylsulfonylguanidine (TSGNO) and 1-nitroso-1-methyl-3-benzoylguanidine (BCGNO). We observed an absence of buffer catalysis using H(2)PO(4)(-)/HPO(4)(2)(-), H(3)BO(3)/H(2)BO(3)(-), and HCO(3)(-)/CO(3)(2)(-) regulators and a complex dependency of the rate constant on the pH. We discovered the existence of three simultaneous reaction paths: spontaneous decomposition of the neutral form of the N-nitrosoguanidine, decomposition of the monoanion, and decomposition through the form of the dianion. The analysis of the kinetic data has allowed us to obtain the acidity constant for the formation of the monoanion of the N-nitrosoguanidine, with values of p = 11.5. The reaction rate for the process through the monoanion, k(2), decreases as the acidity increases. The application of the principle of nonperfect synchronization shows that the basicity and reactivity do not correlate when there exists a possibility of stabilization of the negative charge by resonance. This behavior is consistent with the mechanism E1cB whereby the stabler the negative charge, the slower the elimination reaction. When dealing with the case of the elimination through the neutral form we observe that the reaction rate increases together with the capacity of stabilization of the positive charge on the nitrogen atom adjacent to the imino group. For the reaction through the dianion we used a maximum value of k(3) = 10(10) s(-)(1) to estimate the value of p for the formation of the dianion of the N-nitrosoguanidine, obtaining values of p < 24.     

An effective and regioselective bromination of 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride using tribromoisocyanuric acid

A highly efficient and cost-effective reagent for the bromination of 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride under mild reaction conditions is reported. Bromination of 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride using tribromoisocyanuric acid (TBCA) in concentrated H₂SO₄ is very effective and regioselective. 1,4,5,8-Naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride was brominated smoothly under optimized reaction conditions to give mono-, di- and tetra-brominated products in good to excellent yields using TBCA. As a proof of principle, the potential of this bromination methodology is demonstrated by converting brominated naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydrides into N-imide and core functionalized 1,4,5,8-napthalenetetracarboxylic diimides by treating with n-butylamine to yield corresponding mono-, di- and tetra-(n-butylamino)-naphthalene diimides in good yields in one-step reactions.     

Femtosecond time-resolved photophysics of 1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimides

The photophysical properties of a tetrahedral molecule with naphthalene diimide (NDI) moieties and of two model compounds were investigated. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of dialkyl-substituted NDI are in agreement with literature. While the absorption spectra of phenyl-substituted molecules are similar to all other NDIs, their fluorescence showed a broad band between 500 and 650 nm. This band is sensitive to the polarity of the solvent and is attributed to a CT state. The absorption spectra and lifetime (10+/-2 ps) of the electronically excited singlet state of a dialkyl-substituted NDI was determined by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, and the latter was confirmed by picosecond fluorescence spectroscopy. Nanosecond flash photolysis showed the subsequent formation of the triplet state. The presence of a phenyl substituent on the imide nitrogen of NDI resulted in faster deactivation of the singlet state (lifetime 0.5-1 ps). This is attributed to the formation of a short-lived CT state, which decays to the local triplet state. The faster deactivation was confirmed by fluorescence lifetime measurements in solution and in a low-temperature methyl-tetrahydrofuran glass.     

Changing DNA grooves--a 1,4,5,8-naphthalene tetracarboxylic diimide bis-intercalator with the linker (beta-Ala)(3)-Lys in the minor groove

We have been investigating a modular, threading DNA polyintercalator design based upon the 1,4,5,8-naphthalene tetracarboxylic diimide (NDI) intercalating unit. Previously, we have reported the NMR analysis of a bis-intercalator-DNA complex in which the peptide linker between NDI units was found to occupy the DNA major groove (Guelev, Lee, Sorey, Hoffman, Iverson, Chem. Biol. 2001, 8, 415-425). Here we describe the NMR analysis of a complex between a related bis-intercalator known to display altered DNA sequence specificity. In this case, the linker resides in the DNA minor groove. We have thus shown that within this set of sequence specific bis-intercalators, both DNA grooves can be accessed, setting the stage for longer threading polyintercalators designed to have linkers occupying both grooves in an alternating fashion.     

Synthesis of benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride and pyromellitic dianhydride incorporated biscitraconimides and their thermal polymerization

Biscitraconimides incorporated with 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) were synthesised. Their curing behavior as well as thermal stabilities were investigated. The intermediate amic acids were prepared by the reaction of 4-amino 4′-citraconamic acid diphenyl sulphone, 4-amino 4′-citraconamic acid diphenyl ether, and 12-amino 1-citraconamic acid dodecane with BTDA and PMDA, respectively. Six amic acids formed were then imidized by cyclocondensation with acetic anhydride. The imide monomers were obtained and these were cured at 225–240°C. The thermal stabilities of the polymers so formed were investigated and compared. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Dianhydride-amine hydrogen bonded perylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride and tetraaminobenzene rows

We have investigated the coadsorption of perylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) and tetraaminobenzene (TAB) on the Ag/Si(111)-square root(3) x square root(3) R30 degree surface using scanning tunneling microscopy. At room temperature, PTCDA islands with square and herringbone ordering are formed which, on exposure to TAB, are converted into an intermixed phase in which PTCDA and TAB form alternating rows. From our images, we determine the relative placement of TAB and PTCDA molecules and conclude that the row structure is stabilized by hydrogen bonding between dianhydride and diamine groups. We confirm that this hydrogen bonding junction is stable using ab initio calculations and show that the proposed geometry is consistent with calculated intermolecular dimensions.     

The formation of inclusion compounds of alginic acid in aqueous solution

From the microscopic visualization of metal alginates, the alginate fine structure was found to be a regularly arranged network having many host spaces in its fiber net. Under acid solution such a fiber net took the rounded, buckled and twisted form as much as possible and finally changed to a porous cluster form. Then the binding properties of sodium alginate, calcium or cadmium alginate and granular alginic acid obtained from the treatment with hydrochloric acid to iodine, cholesterol and dyes were investigated. Sodium alginate and calcium or cadmium alginate formed adducts with iodine, cholesterol and dyes; accordingly the amount of these materials in solution was reduced by the addition of alginates. The high uptake of alginates by these materials were cleary observed under acid solution giving inclusion compounds. Granular alginic acid also showed high uptake of iodine and dyes, but not of cholesterol. The blue stained alginate-iodine compound formed at pH about 1 having maximum absorption at 587nm was found to be an inclusion compound judging from the distance of 3.13 Å for included iodine I-I and the number of uronic residues bound to the iodine molecule in the granular alginic acid-iodine compound. The binding mechanism for the high uptake behavior of alginic acid was clarified with the observation of inclusion compounds by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).     

Mechanism of triphosphate hydrolysis in aqueous solution: QM/MM simulations in water clusters

The mechanism of the hydrolysis reaction of the unprotonated methyl triphosphate (MTP) ester in water clusters has been modeled. The effective fragment potential based quantum mechanical-molecular mechanical (QM/MM) approach has been applied in the simulations. It is shown that the minimum energy reaction path is consistent with an assumption of a two-step dissociative-type process similar to the case of the guanosine triphosphate (GTP) hydrolysis in the Ras-GAP protein complex (Grigorenko, B. L.; Nemukhin, A. V.; Topol, I. A.; Cachau, R. E.; Burt, S. K. Proteins: Struct., Funct., Bioinf. 2005, 60, 495). At the first stage, a unified action of environmental molecular groups and the catalytic water molecule leads to a substantial spatial separation of the gamma-phosphate group from the rest of the molecule. At the second stage, inorganic phosphate H2PO4- is formed from water and the metaphosphate anion PO3- through the chain of proton transfers along hydrogen bonds. The estimated activation barriers for MTP in aqueous solution at both stages (20 and 14 kcal/mol) are substantially higher than the corresponding barriers for the GTP hydrolysis in the protein.     

Ferric borate formation in aqueous solution

Potentiometric analyses indicate that previous investigations have overestimated the stability of ferric borate complexes. The FeB(OH) ₄ ²⁺ formation constant result obtained in the present work is_Bβ ₁ ^* = [FeB(OH) ₄ ²⁺ ][H⁺][Fe³⁺]^-1[B(OH)₃]^-1 = (5.4±0.3) x 10^-3 at 25.0°C and 0.7 molal ionic strength. Our result indicates that solution concentrations of FeOH²⁺ and FeB(OH) ₄ ²⁺ are approximately equal in aqueous solution for boric acid concentrations on the order of 0.3 molal. Fe(B(OH)₄) ₂ ⁺ is a minor species in solution compared to FeB(OH)₄ ²⁺ for conditions such that [B(OH)₃][H⁺]^-1≤ 350, and ferric borate complexation is insignificant in solutions such as seawater where [B(OH)₃] ≤ 4× 10^-4 molal.     

Copper(II) ion hydrolysis in aqueous solution

A copper(II) ion-selective-electrode potentiometric method was used to determine the first and second hydrolysis constants of Cu²⁺. Special techniques prevented copper(II) hydroxide precipitation, and copper(II) carbonate and cipper(II) organic complexation during the titration of the experimental solution over the pH range 6.8–8.4. The large change in the total copper concentration during the titration due to adsorption of copper onto the vessel walls was accounted for by measuring the total copper concentration at each pH by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The two hydrolysis constants were determined at 25°C in 0.7 and 0.05m NaClO₄ media. The measured stability constants are independent of the copper concentration and yield similar zero ionic strength values. Also, the stepwise equilibrium constants decrease as the ligand number increases.     

表面活性剂水溶液中芘的激基缔合物形成

在离子型和非离子型表面活性剂水溶液中观察到了芘的激基缔合物荧光, 其荧光强度与单体荧光强度比值对表面活性剂浓度的关系曲线中有一峰值。指出表面活性剂单体分子在水溶液中呈绕曲状构型, 对应上述峰值的表面活性剂浓度为其临界胶束浓度。     

Mechanism of acid hydrolysis of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine

The hydrolysis kinetics of the chitin monomer, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, in HCl, HClO₄, and H₃PO₄ was studied in relation to the acid concentration. The rate constants of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine deacetylation and D(+)-glucosamine formation in HClO₄ and H₃PO₄ were determined for the first time. The rate of the acetamide bond hydrolysis in N-acetyl-D-glucosamine depends on the concentrations of hydrogen ions and water. The nucleophilicity of the acid residues does not affect the rate of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine hydrolysis.     

Kinetics of hydrolysis of xylometazoline (XYL) in aqueous solution

The effect of pH (over the range of 2.10 - 11.90) and temperature (from 353 K to 363 K) on the stability of xylometazoline (XYL) has been studied by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Using the dependence of log k vs pH, the hydrolysis of both the undissociated and dissociated XYL-molcules has been described by micro rate constants k₁ and k₂. Thermodynamic parameters (activation energy, enthalpy and entropy) of the composition reaction were calculated. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

pH Responsivity and micelle formation of gradient copolymers of methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate in aqueous solution

A series of gradient copolymers of methacrylic acid (MAA)/methyl methacrylate (MMA) with four end-to-end composition profiles (uniform, linear gradient, triblock with linear gradient midblock, and diblock) but all having an average chain composition of ?F(MMA) ≈ 0.5 and an average chain length of 200 were synthesized via model-based, computer-programmed, semibatch atom-transfer radical copolymerization (ATRcoP). These samples allowed us to investigate systematically the effects of the gradient composition profile on the pH responsivity and micelle formation of the copolymers in an aqueous solution. Measurements included light transmittance, TEM, AFM, DLS, (1)H NMR, and pH titration. It was found that linear gradient, triblock, and diblock copolymers formed spherical micelles at high pH. The micelles of the linear gradient copolymer contained MMA units in their hydrophilic shells, and those of the triblock and diblock copolymers had all of their MMA units residing in their cores. The composition profile showed a strong effect on the degree of acid dissociation at a given pH. The conformational transition of the copolymer chains was determined by both the pH value and composition profile. Copolymers having sharper gradients required a lower pH to trigger the conformational transition and a narrower pH range to complete the transition.     

Computational study on hydrolysis of cefotaxime in gas phase and in aqueous solution

We are presenting a theoretical study of the hydrolysis of a β‐lactam antibiotic in gas phase and in aqueous solution by means of hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics potentials. After exploring the potential energy surfaces at semiempirical and density functional theory (DFT) level, potentials of mean force have been computed for the reaction in solution with hybrid PM3/TIP3P calculations and corrections with the B3LYP and M06‐2X functionals. Inclusion of the full molecule of the antibiotic, Cefotaxime, in the gas phase molecular model has been demonstrated to be crucial since its carboxylate group can activate a nucleophilic water molecule. Moreover, the flexibility of the substrate implies the existence of a huge number of possible conformers, some of them implying formation of intramolecular hydrogen bond interaction that can determine the energetics of the conformers defining the different states along the reaction profile. The results show PM3 provides results that are in qualitative agreement with DFT calculations. The free energy profiles show a step‐wise mechanism that is kinetically determined by the nucleophilic attack of a water molecule activated by the proton transfer to the carboxylate group of the substrate (the first step). However, since the main role of the β‐lactamase would be reducing the free energy barrier of the first step, and keeping in mind the barrier obtained from second intermediate to products, population of this second intermediate could be significant and consequently experimentally detected in β‐lactamases, as shown in the literature. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.