A bidirectional approach to the synthesis of a complete library of adjacent-bis-THF annonaceous acetogenins

Thirty-six stereoisomers of bifunctional adjacent bis-THF (tetrahydrofuran) lactones have been synthesized, which can afford a complete library of the adjacent bis-THF Annonaceous acetogenins. The bis-THF lactones were synthesized, starting from the enantioselectively pure 8,9:12,13-(E,E and Z,E)-16-benzyloxy-5-hydroxy-hexadeca-1,4-olide, in a highly distereoselective manner using oxidative reactions, including rhenium(VII) oxides-mediated oxidative cyclization, Shi's asymmetric epoxidation, and Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation reactions. Using the nonsymmetrical bis-THF lactones, syntheses of two nonnatural acetogenins were achieved.     

Chemical biology: the promise, and confusion, of adolescence.

It takes time for any new scientific discipline to gain momentum, and chemical biology is no exception. But with the formation of new training programs and interdisciplinary departments, the changes are coming.     

A complete thermo-mechanical study of a NiTiCu shape memory alloy wire

Shape memory alloy mechanical performance and phase transformation temperatures depend on the composition of the alloy, on the thermo-mechanical history, and on the applied load. For this reason is important to execute a deep investigation of the SMA material before its final use. In this study we investigate the thermo-mechanical behavior of a NiTiCu wire under stress-free condition through the differential scanning calorimetry and the electrical resistance measurements and under load through tensile and hysteresis tests. The phase transformation temperature dependence on the applied load, by means of the Clausius–Clapeyron equation, as well as on the thermal treatment temperature are also studied.     

The application of functional silica nanoparticles to fulfill the rapid and improved enantioselective capillary electrophoresis separation of amino acid derivatives

In this study, diamino moiety functionalized silica nanoparticles with the size of 118 ± 12 nm were successfully synthesized and directly introduced into a chiral capillary electrophoresis system to improve the enantioseparation of 9‐fluorenyl methoxycarbonyl derivatized amino acids using norvancomycin as chiral selector. Under acidic background electrolyte conditions, functional silica nanoparticles can be readily adsorbed onto the inner surface of bare silica capillary column through electrostatic interaction to form a dynamic coating, resulting in a reversed anodic electro‐osmotic flow (i.e. from cathode to anode). As expected, chiral amino acid derivatives (usually negatively charged) can be rapidly separated under co‐electro‐osmotic flow conditions in the current separation system. Furthermore, the column performance and detection sensitivity for the enantioseparation were also obviously improved because the adsorption of chiral selector of norvancomycin to the capillary wall was greatly suppressed. Some important factors influencing the separation, such as the coating thickness, background electrolyte concentration, functional silica nanoparticles concentration, and the organic modifier were also investigated and the optimized separation conditions were obtained.     

Total synthesis and complete stereostructure of gambieric acid A

Total synthesis of gambieric acid A, a potent antifungal polycyclic ether metabolite, has been accomplished for the first time, which firmly established the complete stereostructure of this natural product.     

A complete fluorine-19 NMR characterization of a commercial grade sample of perfluorohexanes

The complete qualitative and quantitative chemical characterization of a complex, commercial grade sample of ‘perfluorohexanes’ has been accomplished with the use of a single instrumental analytical method: fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance (F-nmr) spectroscopy. With the combination of routine one dimensional (ID) and two dimensional (2D) F-nmr data acquisition techniques, the commercial grade sample was found to be composed of all five acyclic perfluorohexane isomers and two cyclic perfluorinated alkanes. The F-nmr spectra yielded information about chemical shifts, spin-spin fluorine-fluorine (F-F) coupling constants, and relative intensities for fluorine nuclei in all components. The qualitative and quantitative specificity of the F-nmr analysis method circumvented the need to use other instrumental analytical methods for composition evaluations.     

Improvement of EPA method 8330: complete separation using a two-phase approach.

Complete separation of the 14 nitroaromatic and nitramine analytes targeted in EPA Method 8330 was achieved using a 30 x 4.6 mm Bondesil CN guard column in series with a 250 x 4.6 mm Bondesil C18 column (5 microns particles). Consistent with Method 8330 specifications, the mobile phase in the separation was 1:1 methanol:water and the flow-rate was 1.5 ml min-1. The success of this two-phase system proved to be largely a consequence of the unique resolution afforded by the Bondesil C18 column: complete separation of the 14 explosives could not be achieved using other CN/C18 column combinations. Additionally, while Method 8330 calls for a 100-microliter injection loop, separation on the Bondesil CN/C18 system was possible only using a 20-microliter injection loop. The loss of resolution with larger injection volume appears to be a result of the injection solvent, methanol, modifying the composition of the mobile phase both in the CN guard column and in the initial portion of the C18 column. The current method nevertheless represents an improvement over Method 8330, which calls for both a screening and confirming analysis. By separating the 14 Method 8330 analytes in a single run, the two-phase approach can increase sample throughput by decreasing analysis times.     

Understanding the complete bioluminescence cycle from a multiscale computational perspective: A review

Bioluminescence (BL) is an amazing natural phenomenon whose visible light is produced by living organisms. BL phenomenon is quite pervasive and has been observed in 17 phyla of 4 kingdoms. This fascinating natural phenomenon has unceasingly attracted people’s curiosity from ancient era to today. For a very long time, we can only receive some sporadic and static information from experimental observations, the mechanism of most BL remains is unclear. How the chemical reaction of BL process is initiated? Where the energy for light emission comes from? How does the light emitter produce? What is the light emitter for a wild bioluminescent organism? How to regain luciferin for next bioluminescence when it is used up? The luciferin is utilized forthwith or stored and release for subsequent light emission? What factors affect the color and strength of a bioluminescence? How to artificially tune the bioluminescence for special application? Computational BL plays unreplaceable role in answering these mechanistic questions. In contrast with experimental BL, computational BL came very late. In the past two decades, computational BL has touched nearly all the bioluminescent systems with chemical bases via the method of multiscale simulation. In this review, the author firstly introduced the history, types and general chemical process of BL. Then, the computational scheme on BL was briefly epitomized. Using firefly BL as a paradigmatic case, the author summarized theoretical investigation on the six stages of general chemical process in a BL cycle: luciferin oxidation, peroxide thermolysis, light emission, luciferin regeneration, luciferin storage and luciferin release. At each stage, the available theoretical studies of other bioluminescent organisms are briefly introduced and compared with the firefly system. Basing on the mechanistic understanding, the author reviewed the up-to-date theoretical design on bioluminescent systems. Again, the firefly was mainly focused on, and the other possible systems were just briefly introduced. This review summarized the theoretical studies to date on BL and addressed the status, critical challenges and future prospects of computational BL.     

Synthesis and complete stereochemical assignment of psymberin/irciniastatin A

We describe a concise and flexible synthetic avenue for the preparation of compounds with structures relevant to those proposed for the novel marine-derived differential cytotoxins psymberin and irciniastatin A. Our efforts led to their complete stereochemical assignment and the notion that psymberin and irciniastatin A are identical compounds. Our total synthesis features an interesting termini-differentiating lactolization of a dialdehyde obtained from a C2-symmetrical bis-olefin precursor, a mild platinum-catalyzed hydrolysis of an epimerizable nitrile, a novel protocol to prepare sensitive methyl imidates, and a one-pot conversion of these imidates to N-acyl aminals. Starting from fragments 5-7 (prepared in 7-8 steps each, 30-49% overall yield) the synthesis of psymberin/irciniastatin A was completed in an additional 9 steps and 30% yield (17 steps longest linear sequence, 8.9% overall).     

A complete picture of protein unfolding and refolding in surfactants

Interactions between proteins and surfactants are of relevance in many applications including food, washing powder formulations, and drug formulation. The anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is known to unfold globular proteins, while the non-ionic surfactant octaethyleneglycol monododecyl ether (C₁₂E₈) can be used to refold proteins from their SDS-denatured state. While unfolding have been studied in detail at the protein level, a complete picture of the interplay between protein and surfactant in these processes is lacking. This gap in our knowledge is addressed in the current work, using the β-sheet-rich globular protein β-lactoglobulin (bLG). We combined stopped-flow time-resolved SAXS, fluorescence, and circular dichroism, respectively, to provide an unprecedented in-depth picture of the different steps involved in both protein unfolding and refolding in the presence of SDS and C₁₂E₈. During unfolding, core–shell bLG-SDS complexes were formed within ∼10 ms. This involved an initial rapid process where protein and SDS formed aggregates, followed by two slower processes, where the complexes first disaggregated into single protein structures situated asymmetrically on the SDS micelles, followed by isotropic redistribution of the protein. Refolding kinetics (>100 s) were slower than unfolding (<30 s), and involved rearrangements within the mixing deadtime (∼5 ms) and transient accumulation of unfolded monomeric protein, differing in structure from the original bLG-SDS structure. Refolding of bLG involved two steps: extraction of most of the SDS from the complexes followed by protein refolding. These results reveal that surfactant-mediated unfolding and refolding of proteins are complex processes with rearrangements occurring on time scales from sub-milliseconds to minutes.

The time-resolved study reveals several transition states during SDS-induced unfolding of the protein, as well as under refolding of the protein by the nonionic surfactant C₁₂E₈.     

Eleciroreduction of Oxygen on Pyrolytk Graphite Electrode with Adsorbed Layer of Cobalt Tetra.sulfonaied Phthalocyaninc In Acetonitrile and Dimethylformamide

The catjpdoc polarization characteristics indicate that the presence of a pre-adsorbed surface layer of CoTSPc innibits the reduction of O2 to O2- on an ordinary pyroiytic graphite electrode (OPG) in AN and DMF solution of 0. 1 mol/L, TEAP, The transfer coefficient a and the heterogeneous rate constant k for this reaction or, OPG with and without pre-adsorbed CoTSPc obtained by rotating disk electrode method were found to be fairly close to thar obtained by cyclic voltammetry. The a remains almost the same, bat the k de creases by a factor of 2-5 with CoTSPc as compared with OPG alone. The possible reason is that the adsorbed CoTSPc as an anion renders the effective potential diffaence less negative, which thus lowers the rase of O2 reduction.     

A model for sequential threading of alpha-cyclodextrin onto a guest: a complete thermodynamic and kinetic study in water

The first variable-temperature and variable-pressure stopped-flow spectrophotometric study of the sequential threading of alpha-cyclodextrin (alpha-CD) onto the guest dye Mordant Orange 10, S, is reported. Complementary (1)H one-dimensional (1D) variable-temperature kinetic studies and two-dimensional (2D) rotating-frame nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (ROESY) and EXSY NMR studies are also reported. In aqueous solution at 298.2 K, the first alpha-CD threads onto S to form a 1:1 complex S.alpha-CD with a forward rate constant k(1,f) = 15 200 +/- 200 M(-1) s(-1) and dethreads with a reverse rate constant k(1,r) = 4.4 +/- 0.3 s(-1). Subsequently, S.alpha-CD isomerizes to S.alpha-CD (k(3,f) = 0.158 +/- 0.006 s(-1), k(3,f) = 0.148 +/- 0.006 s(-1)). This process can be viewed as a thermodynamically controlled molecular shuttle. A second alpha-CD threads onto S.alpha-CD to form a 1:2 complex, S.(alpha-CD)(2), with k(2,f) = 98 +/- 2 M(-1) s(-1) and k(2,r) = 0.032 +/- 0.002 s(-1). A second alpha-CD also threads onto S.alpha-CD to form another 1:2 complex, S.(alpha-CD)(2), characterized by k(4,f) = 9640 +/- 1800 M(-1) s(-1) and k(4,r) = 61 +/- 6 s(-1). Direct interconvertion between S.(alpha-CD)(2) and S.(alpha-CD)(2) was not detected; instead, they interconvert by dethreading the second alpha-CD and through the isomerization equilibrium between S.alpha-CD and S.alpha-CD. The reaction volumes, DeltaV(0), were found to be negative for the first three equilibria and positive for the fourth equilibrium. For the first three forward and reverse reactions, the volumes of activation are substantially more negative, indicating a compression of the transition state in comparison with the ground states. These data were used in conjunction with DeltaH, DeltaH degrees, DeltaS, and DeltaS degrees data to deduce the dominant mechanistic threading processes, which appear to be largely controlled by changes in hydration and van der Waals interactions, and possibly by conformational changes in both S and alpha-CD. The structure of the four complexes were deduced from (1)H 2D ROESY NMR studies.     

CINA — A program for complete instrumental neutron activation analysis with a PC-type minicomputer

A program has been developed to use a PC-type minicomputer for instrumental neutron activation analysis. The program has the capacity for photopeak search, peak area computation, and element concentration determination using the single comparator method. Analysis time for a 4096-channel spectrum containing 20 photopeaks is about 4 minutes.     

Calculation of circular dichroism spectra of michellamines A and C, based on a complete conformational analysis

The first quantum chemical calculation of the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of michellamines has been achieved, based on a complete quantum chemical conformational analysis. Michellamines are dimeric naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids and thus naturally occurring quateraryls, with a large molecular size and flexibility and equipped with stereogenic centers and axes.     

Adsorption from alkane+perfluoroalkane mixtures at fluorophobic and fluorophilic surfaces. II. Crossover from critical adsorption to complete wetting

Using neutron reflectometry, adsorption from an equimolar mixture of hexane + perfluorohexane to a fluorophobic, octadecyl-coated, silicon substrate has been investigated as a function of temperature in the one-phase region upon approach to liquid-liquid coexistence. The composition of the investigated mixture, x(F) = 0.50, is well removed from the critical composition of x(F) = 0.36, where x(F) is the perfluorohexane mole fraction. To aid the modeling, mixtures with three different neutron refractive index contrasts have been used: namely, mixtures of C(6)H(14) + C(6)F(14) (H-F), C(6)D(14) + C(6)F(14) (D-F), and a mixture of C(6)H(14) + C(6)D(14) + C(6)F(14) which has been adjusted to have the same refractive index as silicon (CMSi). For all three contrasts, the principal features of the composition profile normal to the interface follow similar trends as the temperature T is reduced towards T(0), the coexistence temperature. These features consist of: (i) a hexane-rich primary adsorption layer appended to the octadecyl coupled layer. This primary layer is 22 +/- 5 A thick and becomes increasingly enriched in hexane as T(0) is approached. (ii) A tail that decays exponentially towards the bulk composition with a characteristic decay length zeta. As T(0) is approached, zeta increases. The scattering length density profiles have been converted to volume fraction profiles and the surface excess of hexane Gamma has been determined as a function of temperature for all three contrasts. As T(0) is approached Gamma increases, and its behavior can be represented using the scaling law Gamma approximately |T - T(0)|(-m). The resulting values of m are 0.71 +/- 0.09, 0.68 +/- 0.04, and 0.68 +/- 0.06 for the D-F, H-F, and CMSi contrasts, respectively. The behavior of Gamma with temperature does not adhere to the Gamma approximately |T - T(0)|(-1/3) law expected for complete wetting in systems with van der Waals interactions nor does it correspond to Gamma approximately |T - T(c)|(-0.305) expected for critical adsorption. The magnitude of the exponent m indicates that the adsorption resides in the crossover region between critical adsorption and complete wetting.     

Glucose-based amphiphilic telomers designed to keep membrane proteins soluble in aqueous solutions: synthesis and physicochemical characterization

A novel class of nonionic amphipols (NAPols) designed to handle membrane proteins in aqueous solutions has been synthesized, and its solution properties have been examined. These were synthesized through free radical cotelomerization of glucose-based hydrophilic and amphiphilic monomers derived from tris(hydroxymethyl)acrylamidomethane using azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator and thiol as the transfer agent. The molecular weight and the hydrophilic/lipophilic balance of the cotelomers were modulated by varying the thiol/monomers and the hydrophilic monomer/amphiphilic monomer ratios, respectively, and were characterized by 'H NMR, UV, gel permeation chromatography, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Their physicochemical properties in aqueous solution were studied by dynamic light scattering, aqueous size-exclusion chromatography, analytical ultracentrifugation, and surface-tension measurements. NAPols are highly soluble in water and form, within a large concentration range, well-defined supramolecular assemblies with a diameter of approximately 6-7 nm, a narrow particle size distribution, and an average molecular weight close to 50 x 10(3) g x mol(-1). Varying the hydrophilic/amphiphilic monomer ratio of NAPols in the range of 3.0-4.9, the degree of polymerization in the range of 51-78, and the resulting average molar mass in the range of 20-29 x 10(3) g x mol(-1) has little incidence on their solution properties. Glucose-based NAPols efficiently kept soluble in aqueous solutions two test membrane proteins: bacteriorhodopsin and the transmembrane domain of Escherichia coli's outer membrane protein A.