Characterization of ethyl chloroformate derivative of <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-methylamino-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-alanine

Beta-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) is a neurotoxic amino acid that can be produced by cyanobacteria in aqueous environments. To analyze this compound by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), BMAA must be derivatized to a nonpolar, volatile compound. This can be accomplished by reacting BMAA with ethyl chloroformate. While carrying out electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometric analysis on the (13)C-labeled derivative, it was discovered that the formation of an ion with a peak at m/z 245.12 is the result of [CH(3)CH(2)O.] loss from the amino groups resulting from alpha-cleavage. This differs from previous reports that attributed this peak to alpha-cleavage of the carboxylic ester portion of the BMAA derivative. This finding is important for understanding BMAA derivative mass spectrometric fragmentation patterns and ultimately to properly identifying and quantifying BMAA. Fragmentation pathways for the formation of other major peaks observed in the EI mass spectra are also proposed.     

Preparation of optical active aliphatic <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>-amino acid from fatty acid: synthesis of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-norvaline and <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-norvaline

A new synthesis of l-norvaline is described. Using valeric acid as the raw material, α-brominevaleryl chloride was achieved by acyl chlorination and α-position bromination in one-pot with the yield of 84.7%. The yields of the following ammoniation of α-brominevaleryl chloride and resolution of dl-norvaline were 88.7% and 26.7%, respectively. d-Norvaline was also obtained in a similar method from the waste resolution solution. Other optical active amino acids, valine, α-aminobutyric acid and alanine were also synthesized in similar ways.     

Thermal properties and interpartical interactions of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-proline,glycine, and <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-alanine in aqueous urea solutions at 288–318 K

The enthalpies of solution of l-proline have been measured in aqueous urea solutions at 0–6 mol urea kg⁻¹ water at 288.15, 298.15, 308.15, and 318.15 K by the calorimetric method. The two-parameter relation connecting the values of solution enthalpies of proline with urea concentration and temperature has been obtained. The enthalpy and heat capacity parameters of pair interaction of l-proline with urea in water have been computed. Using the thermodynamic relations, the temperature changes of reduced enthalpy, and also the change of entropy and reduced Gibbs energy of solution of l-proline in aqueous solutions of urea at the temperature rise from 288 to 318 K have been determined. Their comparison with the data for glycine and l-alanine has been carried out. It has been shown that the entropy–enthalpy compensation (Barclay–Butler rule) takes place for dissolution and transfer processes.     

Metal-Chelate Affinity Precipitation with Thermo-Responsive Polymer for Purification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">ε</Emphasis>-Poly-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Lysine

ε-Poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) is a natural preservative for food processing industry. A thermo-responsive polymer, attached with Cu²⁺ or Ni²⁺, was prepared for metal-chelate affinity precipitation for purification of ε-PL. The low critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) of these polymers were close to the room temperature (31.0–35.0 °C). The optimal adsorption conditions were as follows: pH 4.0, 0 mol/L NaCl, ligand density 75.00 μmol/g, and 120 min. The ligand Cu²⁺ showed a stronger affinity interaction with ε-PL and the highest adsorption amount reached 251.93 mg/g polymer. The elution recovery of ε-PL could be 98.42% with 0.50 mol/L imidazole (pH = 8.0) as the eluent. The method could purify ε-PL from fermentation broth and the final product was proved as electrophoretic pure by SDS-PAGE. Moreover, these affinity polymers could be recycled after the purification of ε-PL and the recoveries were above 95.00%.

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Graphical Abstract Scheme for affinity precipitation of ε-PL

     

Properties of poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis>-benzyl <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-glutamate) membrane modified by polyurethane containing carboxyl group

A series of poly(γ-benzyl l-glutamate) (PBLG)/polyurethane (PU) containing carboxyl group blend membranes was prepared by casting the polymer blend solution in dimethylformamide (DMF). The surface morphology of the PBLG/PU blend membranes was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal, mechanical, and chemical properties of PBLG/PU blend membranes were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile tests and other physical methods. It was revealed that the introduction of PU could exert outstanding effects on the morphology and the properties of PBLG membrane.     

Alkyl <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-cellulosides: non-reducing cellulose mimics

Non-reducing cellulose mimics, termed alkyl β-d-cellulosides, were successfully prepared by two efficient multi-step syntheses starting from commercially available microcrystalline cellulose or cellulose triacetate. Introduction of the alkoxy moiety and degradation of the cellulose backbone was carried out in the presence of a Lewis acid, on one hand. On the other hand, cellulose hydrolysis mediated by mineral acids was combined with β-glycosidation performed in the presence of silver salts. The samples obtained possess a number-average degree of polymerization from 5 to 25, determined by size-exclusion chromatography, elemental analyses, NMR spectroscopy, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Samples in multi-gram quantities were available. Selective formation of a β-glycosidic bond between the C-1 atom of the reducing end group and alkoxy moieties was confirmed by a combination of 2D NMR spectroscopic and MALDI-TOF MS techniques. Due to the blocking of the aldehyde function, the cellulosides described are very useful mimics for the investigation of polysaccharide interactions with other complex molecules such as proteins or to determine polymer properties in solution or in solid state.     

Factors influencing aggregation behavior of poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis>-benzyl <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-glutamate)-<Emphasis Type="Italic">graft</Emphasis>-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer in mixed solvents

Poly(γ-benzyl l-glutamate)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) (PBLG-graft-PEG) copolymer was synthesized by the ester exchange reaction of PBLG homopolymer with mPEG. Aggregation behavior of the PBLG-graft-PEG copolymer in mixtures of ethanol and chloroform was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and viscometry. Effects of the polymer solution concentration, grafting degree, test temperature, and chloroform content on the morphology, average particle diameter, and critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the micelles formed by the PBLG-graft-PEG copolymer in the mixed solvents were mainly studied. It was revealed that the PBLG-graft-PEG copolymer can self-assemble into polymeric micelles with a core-shell structure in various shapes depending on the preparation conditions.     

Deactivation Kinetics and Response Surface Analysis of the Stability of α-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Rhamnosidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium decumbens</Emphasis>

The stability of the mixed enzyme preparation Naringinase from Penicillium decumbens was studied in dependence of the temperature, the pH value, and the enzyme concentration by means of response surface methodology. Deactivation kinetics by formation of an intermediate state was proposed for fitting deactivation data. Empirical models could then be constructed for prediction of deactivation rate constants, specific activity of intermediate state, and half-life values under different incubation conditions. From this study, it can be concluded that (1) Naringinase is most stable in the pH range of 4.5–5.0, being quite sensitive to lower pHs (<3.5) and (2) the glyco-enzyme is a rather thermo-stable enzyme preserving its initial activity for long times when incubated at its optimal pH up to temperatures of 65 °C. Enriched α-l-rhamnosidase after column treatment and ultrafiltration presented similar deactivation kinetics pattern and half-life values as the unpurified enzyme. Thus, any influence of low molecular weight substances on its deactivation is most probably negligible. The intermediate state of the enzyme may correspond to unfolding and self-digestion of its carbohydrate portion, lowering its activity relative to the initial state. The digestion- and unfolding-grade of this intermediate state may also be controlled by the pH and temperature of incubation.     

Directed Aminomethylation of Pyrrole,Indole, and Carbazole with <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N′</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N′</Emphasis>-Tetramethylmethanediamine

Catalytic aminomethylation of pyrrole and indole with N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylmethanediamine in the presence of 5 mol % of ZrOCl₂·8H₂O proceeds selectively at the positions 2, 5 of pyrrole and 1, 3 of indole. Carbazole under the same conditions affords 3-formyl-9-aminomethyl derivative. The reaction in the presence of 5 mol % of K₂CO₃ occurs as monoaminomethylation: for pyrrole at the position 2, for indole at the position 3, and for carbazole at the nitrogen atom of the substrate. Water-soluble 1,1′-(1H-pyrrole-2,5-diyl)bis(N,N-dimethylmethanamine) exhibits a fungistatic activity with respect to phytopathogenic fungi Rhizoctonia solani.     

Properties of a poly(ethylene glycol)-<Emphasis Type="Italic">block</Emphasis>-poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis>-benzyl <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-glutamate)-<Emphasis Type="Italic">graft</Emphasis>-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer membrane

Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(γ-benzyl l-glutamate)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-block-PBLG-graft-PEG) copolymer was synthesized by the ester exchange reaction of PBLG-block-PEG copolymer with a PEG chain. Surface morphology of the PEG-block-PBLG-graft-PEG copolymer membrane was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Mechanical and chemical properties of the PEG-block-PBLG-graft-PEG copolymer membrane were investigated by tensile testing and contact angle testing. The effects of grafting ratio on the properties of PEG-block-PBLG-graft-PEG copolymer membrane were primarilly studied.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>′-tetrazolylmethoxyl derivatives of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-methyldiazene <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-oxides

A preparation method was developed for previously unknown tetrazole derivatives containing in the 1, 2, and/or 5 positions of the tetrazole ring N-methyldiazene-N-oxide-N′-oxymethyl groups.     

Synthesis of a Fucosylated Trisaccharide Via Transglycosylation by α-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Fucosidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thermotoga maritima</Emphasis>

Fucosylated oligosaccharides, such as 2′-fucosyllactose in human milk, have important biological functions such as prebiotics and preventing infection. In this work, the effect of an acceptor substrate (lactose) and the donor substrate 4-nitrophenyl-α-l-fucopyranoside (pNP-Fuc) on the synthesis of a fucosylated trisaccharide was studied in a transglycosylation reaction using α-l-fucosidase from Thermotoga maritima. Conducting a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), it was demonstrated that synthesized oligosaccharide corresponded to a fucosylated trisaccharide, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the hydrolyzed compound confirmed it was fucosyllactose. As the concentration of the acceptor substrate increased, the concentration and synthesis rate of the fucosylated trisaccharide also increased, and the highest concentration obtained was 0.883 mM (25.2% yield) when using the higher initial lactose concentration (584 mM). Furthermore, the lower donor/acceptor ratio had the highest synthesis, so at the molar ratio of 0.001, a concentration of 0.286 mM was obtained (32.5% yield).     

Genome Shuffling Enhanced ε-Poly-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Lysine Production by Improving Glucose Tolerance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces graminearus</Emphasis>

The productivity of ε-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) in currently reported wild-type strains is low. Here we improved glucose tolerance of a Streptomyces graminearus strain LS-B1 by genome shuffling while simultaneously enhancing the ε-PL productivity. The starting population was generated by ultraviolet irradiation and nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis and then subjected for recursive protoplast fusion. The positive colonies from library, created by fusing the inactivated protoplasts were screened on agar plates containing different concentrations of glucose. Characterization of all recombinants and wild-type strain in shake-flask fermentation indicated the compatibility of two phenotypes of glucose tolerance and ε-PL yield enhancement. The best performing recombinant, F3-4, was isolated after three rounds of genome shuffling, whose ε-PL production was about 88% higher than that of the parent strain. In batch fermentation test, the ε-PL concentration was obtained as 2.4 g/L by F3-4 compared with 1.6 g/L of wild type. Fed-batch fermentation by F3-4 was carried out and the ε-PL production accumulated to 13.5 g/L when initial glucose concentration was improved from 50 to 85 g/L. Enzyme activities of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, and citrate synthase revealed that the glycolytic pathway and tricarboxylic acid circle way in F3-4 were more active than those in wild type, which was a possible reason for enhanced ε-PL production.     

1,3-Diamino-2-Hydroxypropane-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>′,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>′-Tetraacetic Acid: Crystal and Molecular Structures

The synthesis, IR spectroscopic study, and X-ray diffraction analysis (CIF file CCDC no. 1574078) are carried out for 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (I). The structural units of a crystal of compound I are (H_4.5HPdta)^0.5– anions, (H_5.5HPdta)^0.5+ cations, and molecules of water of crystallization joined by a branched network of hydrogen bonds: strong intermolecular O–H…O and intramolecular N–H…O bonds.     

Spectroscopic and electrical characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis>-bisdiphenylene-<Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-phenylallyl radical as an organic semiconductor

The semiconductor properties of the earliest known stable radical, α,γ-bisdiphenylene-β-phenylallyl radical (Koelsch radical, 1^?) were assessed using spectroscopic and electrical techniques. This radical undergoes reversible redox processes, and it has low redox potentials. In addition, 1^? possesses long wavelength absorption bands, owing to the existence of a singly-occupied molecular orbital whose energy level lies between those of the HOMO and LUMO. A spin-coated thin-film of 1^? displays photocurrent and an electron mobility of 6.3 × 10^?7 cm² V^?1 s^?1 on a trially-fabricated organic field effect transistor.     

Isothermal Titration Calorimetry and Theoretical Studies on Host-guest Interaction of Ibuprofen with <Emphasis Type="Bold">α</Emphasis>-, <Emphasis Type="Bold">β</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Bold">γ</Emphasis>-Cyclodextrin

Thermodynamic parameters for formation of the inclusion complexes of α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrin (α-, β- and γ-CD) with ibuprofen (BF) in Tris-HCl buffer solutions (pH=7.0) have been determined by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) with nanowatt sensitivity, and the inclusion structures have been investigated by using ¹H-NMR spectra at 298.15 K. A theoretical study on the inclusion processes between BF and CDs has been performed with the B3LYP/6-31G*//PM3 method in order to investigate the formation mechanism of the inclusion complexes. An analysis of the thermodynamic data indicates that the stoichiometries of α-, β- and γ-CD with BF are all 1:1 and formation of the inclusion complexes α-CD⋅BF and β-CD⋅BF are driven by enthalpy and entropy, whereas formation of γ-CD⋅BF is an entropy driven process. The ¹H-NMR spectra provide clear evidence for the inclusion phenomenon, and show that the isobutyl group and aromatic ring of the guest molecule are trapped inside the cavity of the CDs. Theoretical calculations suggest that the complex formed by the BF molecule entering into the cavity of the CD molecule from the wide side is more stable than that from the narrow side.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-Chloro-<Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-unsaturated carbonyls as convenient precursors of highly substituted benzenes

The Diels–Alder reactions of three β-chloro-α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds 1–3 with different dienes were carried out to afford highly functionalized cyclohexenes 4–9, bearing quaternary centers, in good yields. These cycloadducts (CAs) undergo dehydrochlorination with subsequent aromatization in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene DBU to produce new substituted benzenes 11–14. Compound 10 is the product of lactonization and removal of an HCl molecule from compound 7. All products were characterized by NMR, IR, elementary analysis and some of them by MS. Structure assignments of isomers were carried out on the basis of NMR chemical shifts and coupling constants using 1D, 2D and heteronOe NMR techniques.     

Synthesis of 20<Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>-protopanaxadiol <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-D-galactopyranosides

20S-Protopanaxadiol (3β,12β,20S-trihydroxydammar-24-ene) 3-, 12-, and 20-O-β-D-galactopyranosides were synthesized for the first time. Condensation of 12β-acetoxy-3β,20S-dihydroxydammar-24-ene (1) and 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-galactopyranosylbromide (α-acetobromogalactose) (2) under Koenigs–Knorr conditions with subsequent removal of the protecting groups resulted in regio- and stereoselective formation of 20S-protopanaxadiol 3-O-β-D-galactopyranoside, an analog of the natural ginsenoside Rh₂. Glycosylation of 12β,20S-dihydroxydammar-24-en-3-one (5) by 2 with subsequent treatment of the reaction products with NaBH₄ in isopropanol and deacetylation with NaOMe gave 20S-protopanaxadiol 12- and 20-O-β-Dgalactopyranosides.