Crystal Structures of trans-Tetrahydrotetrols of Benzo[a]pyrene and Chrysene: A Possible Structure-Activity Relationship in Quasi-Planar Bay-Region Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

The molecular structures of two racemic trans-tetrahydrotetrols formed by hydrolysis of the (±)anti-7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro derivatives of the strong carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene and the weak carcinogen chrysene have been determined by X-ray crystallographic methods.³ Focusing on the (+)isomers, the stereochemical features of the two tetrols are discussed in detail to determine structural differences, which can be related to the different biological activity of their parent hydrocarbons, since they provide a model for the hydrocarbon moiety in the major PAH-DNA adduct. As a result of this study, a tentative correlation can be stated between biological activity of quasi-planar bay-region PAHs and the presence of structural features, which can decrease the steric hindrance of the aromatic skeleton and the other hydroxy groups on the pseudo-axial O4, which mimics the position of the covalent bond to DNA. The significant structural features seem to be an out-of-plane distortion with a negative torsion angle at the bay region and a half chair conformation of the saturated ring distorted toward the envelope with C8 at the tip as in BPT, in addition to the axial and pseudo-axial conformations of the hydroxy groups at C9 and C10 due to the near bay region. They may be considered generated by trans-opening of the oxirane ring in an anti-diol epoxide biologically active because it is highly strained. The strains, derived from the activation of bay-region PAHs with a negative torsion angle, seem greater in an anti-diol epoxide relative to the syn-isomer. Thus, when the strains are released, the derived trans-tetrol occurs with structural features, which seem to better fit the target. As a consequence, the presence of a methyl group at a bay region should increase the biological activity of a PAH, imposing greater strains to the structure of the anti-diol epoxide.     

Electrophilic superdelocalizability and carcinogenesis by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons—Pullman theory

A correlation is shown between carcinogenic potency and K-region electrophilic superdelocalizability for a variety of aromatic compounds.     

Calculations Related to the Reactivity of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Episulfides

The opening reaction of S‐protonated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon episulfides has been evaluated by means of ab initio, density‐functional, and semiempirical calculations. Episulfides are predicted to open more easily than the corresponding O‐protonated derivatives, epoxides, and diol epoxides. On the other hand, diol episulfides would present the slowest rate for opening, the syn isomers being expected to be more reactive than the anti isomers. Bay‐region and methyl‐substituted bay‐region compounds were found to open more readily among the sulfur derivatives, following the same reactivity pattern as the oxygen analogs. The exothermicity of the opening process correlated with the charge delocalization in the resulting carbocation. This reaction step is very important in the carcinogenic pathway of the epoxide analogs. Thus, according to the present calculations, episulfides could possibly exert carcinogenic activity.     

Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Substituent-induced chemical shift effects on cyclopropyl carbons of 4-substituted cyclopropylbenzenes

Carbon-13 chemical shifts of the cyclopropyl carbons of eleven 4-substituted cyclopropylbenzenes have been measured under conditions effectively corresponding to infinite dilution in DCCI₃. The substituent-induced chemical shifts (SCS) of both the α and β carbons of the cyclopropane ring were found to be downfield with electron-attracting groups and upfield for electron-donating groups. The trends for the β carbons correspond to those observed for the β carbons of 4-substituted phenylethenes, while the trends of the α carbons are similar to those found for the α carbons of 4-substituted isopropyl benzenes. The results for the β carbons can be rationalized by postulating a substantial contribution from a hyperconjugative resonance effect involving the σ system of the benzene ring (and its 4-substituent) and the C-α—C? β bonds of the cyclopropane ring. The effects on the α carbons are in accord with a very reasonable smaller inductive polarization of the C-α? C-β bonds than encountered for the carbons of corresponding ethenyl- or ethynylbenzenes.     

Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy IX—monosubstituted ethylenes

Carbon-13 chemical shifts of sixteen monosubstituted ethylenes were obtained. In order to explain the chemical shifts, σ and π electron densities of these compounds are calculated by the σ-included ω-HMO method.

1 See Ref. 8.

A linear relationship exists between carbon-13 chemical shifts and the calculated electron densities, and also between substituent constants and electron densities. A slope of unity is obtained between the chemical shifts of α carbons of monosubstituted ethylenes and those of carbons adjacent to the substituents in monosubstituted benzenes. On the other hand, a plot of chemical shifts of C_ortho of benzene derivatives against that of the β carbon in ethylene derivatives gives a slope of 3. These slopes can be explained by the calculated electron densities. A slope of 4/3 is obtained between the direct coupling constant ¹J(C? H) of the α carbon in monosubstituted ethylenes and that in the corresponding substituted methanes.     

Factors driving the protonation of poly(N-vinylimidazole) hydrogels

Poly(N-vinylimidazole) hydrogels immersed in aqueous acid solutions produce an increment in the pH of the bath because of proton uptake by basic imidazole moieties, leading to hydrogel protonation. Both kinetic and equilibrium measurements of the pH of the bath have been performed under a variety of conditions and with different hydrogel samples. The kinetics of the xerogel protonation process (which includes solvent and titrant diffusion, the true protonation reaction or ion–dipole association, and the polymer relaxation to a new conformation) are mostly driven by the size of the hydrogel sample, whereas other magnitudes, such as the initial pH, the effective polymer concentration, and the network structure, governed by the crosslinker ratio and total comonomer concentration in the feeding, have a minor influence. pK_a changes with the degree of protonation (α), delimitating two different regions: (1) a broad α range in which pK_a decreases with increasing α but less pronouncedly with increasing ionic strength and (2) an α range close to α = 1 in which pK_a decreases abruptly, more markedly with sulfate than with chloride counteranions and with larger ionic strengths. In the first region, pK_a is determined by repulsive electrostatic interactions and so is larger for titration with H₂SO₄ than with HCl and increases as the effective polymer concentration and ionic strength increase. Two steps (i.e., two protonation sites) can be observed in the titration curves, the second one corresponding to abrupt changes in the basicity of the second pK_a-versus-α region. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2294–2307, 2004     

The Aluminum-Bromide-Catalyzed Adamantane Rearrangement of syn- and anti-Tricyclo[4.2.1.12,5]decane

In the presence of AlBr₃ in CS₂ at temperatures below 0°, syn-tricyclo[4.2.1.1^2,5]decane ( 1 ) isomerizes exclusively to anti-tricyclo[4.2.1.1^2,5]decane ( 2 ) at a higher rate than the latter rearranges to 2-exo,3-exo-trimethylene-8,9,10-trinorbornane ( 4 ). However, at temperature above 0°, the anti-isomer 2 isomerizes to 4 faster than 1 to 2 and 4 . As a consequence, hydride abstraction occurs at C(3) (→carbocation a , which rearranges to carbocation b (anti-skeleton)) in the syn-isomer 1 , and more readily at C(9) (→carbocation c ) than at C(3) (→carbocation b ) in the anti-isomer 2 .     

Epoxy-nanocomposites containing exfoliated zirconium phosphate: Preparation via cationic photopolymerisation and physicochemical characterisation

Gels of exfoliated α-zirconium phosphate in 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3′,4′-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate (hereafter BCDE) were polymerised by a UV-induced process and the resulting nanocomposites were characterised by TEM, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic-mechanical thermal analysis. Real-time FT-IR spectroscopy was used to investigate the photopolymerisation kinetics. The polymerisation rate of the gels is faster than that of neat BCDE, especially when the filler is functionalised with aminoalcohols (HO(CH₂)_nNH₂, with n = 3, 4, 5). The composites exhibit lower T_g values in comparison with neat polymerised BCDE. Because of the barrier effect towards oxygen diffusion due to the high aspect ratio of the filler particles, all composites also exhibit enhanced thermal stability.     

Description of oxygen permeability in various high polymers using a graph theoretical approach

Graph theory methods are shown to complement group additivity methods of predicting oxygen permeability in certain types of polymers. Graph theory is a topological approach that assigns a set of indices to a molecule to describe its structure. Since many physical properties of molecules depend upon their structure, graph theory indices can be used to describe important properties of molecules. In this work a set of graph theory indices are used to describe the property of a polymer based on a modified representation of the monomer unit. More specifically, Randic indices are used to describe the log of the oxygen permeability with 3.2% average relative error. Polymers comprising the basis set contain backbones of sp², sp³, or aromatic carbons, oxygen, or silicon and have substituents that contain chloride, fluoride, alkyl groups, hydrogen, oxygen, aromatic carbons, or chloro and/or fluoro substituted alkyl groups. The correlation coefficient (R²) (0 ≤ R² ≤ 1) of a nonlinear model is 0.91. The graph theory method for describing the oxygen permeability of these selected groups of polymers is in good agreement with that predicted by the permachor model. The permachor method makes oxygen permeability predictions based upon group additivity and distinguishes the degree of crystallinity of a polymer by empirically assigning different permachor (π) values to identical groups based upon the polymer crystallinity. The inability of graph theory to explain the remaining 9% of the scatter in the data is probably due to failure to incorporate into the graph theory model terms which quantify crystallinity.     

Drug efficiency indices for improvement of molecular docking scoring functions

A dataset of protein‐drug complexes with experimental binding energy and crystal structure were analyzed and the performance of different docking engines and scoring functions (as well as components of these) for predicting the free energy of binding and several ligand efficiency indices were compared. The aim was not to evaluate the best docking method, but to determine the effect of different efficiency indices on the experimental and predicted free energy. Some ligand efficiency indices, such as ΔG/W (Wiener index), ΔG/NoC (number of carbons), and ΔG/P (partition coefficient), improve the correlation between experimental and calculated values. This effect was shown to be valid across the different scoring functions and docking programs. It also removes the common bias of scoring functions in favor of larger ligands. For all scoring functions, the efficiency indices effectively normalize the free energy derived indices, to give values closer to experiment. Compound collection filtering can be done prior or after docking, using pharmacokinetic as well as pharmacodynamic profiles. Achieving these better correlations with experiment can improve the ability of docking scoring functions to predict active molecules in virtual screening. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2010     

Kinetics of fluid spreading on viscoelastic substrates

The spontaneous spreading of non‐film‐forming fluids on the surfaces of aqueous solutions of poly(2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐propanesulfonic acid) and its chemically crosslinked gels was studied. The experiments were performed in the same concentration range for the solutions and gels, far above the overlap concentration of the polymer solutions. The leading edge (R) of the spreading liquid showed a power‐law behavior with time t: R = K(t + c)^α, where α is the spreading exponent and K is the spreading prefactor. α and K were significantly different for the polymer solutions and gels. Here c was a constant that depended on the initial conditions of the spreading liquids. Depending on the polymer concentration, α of the polymer solutions varied between the upper (3/4) and lower (1/10) theoretical limits for viscose liquids and solids, respectively. This indicates that no universal scaling law exists for the spreading process on viscoelastic surfaces. On the polymer gels, which were elastic substrates, universal values of α could be observed and could be expressed as R ∝ (t + c)^0.45 and R ∝ (t + c)^0.3 for miscible and nonmiscible spreading liquids, respectively; they showed no dependence on the polymer concentration or network mesh size. This shows that on an elastic gel surface, spreading is more or less similar to that on a solid surface. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 562–572, 2005     

Novel core-expanded rylenebis(dicarboximide) dyes bearing pentacene units: facile synthesis and photophysical properties

Two synthetic routes for the benzannulation in the "bay"-region of rylenebis(dicarboximide)s leading to new pi-system-expanded chromophores are described. The first route follows a two-step approach: Suzuki coupling of bromo-substituted perylenebis(dicarboximide) with 2-bromophenylboronic acid, followed by palladium-catalysed dehydrobromination. The second route is best described as a palladium-assisted cycloaddition of benzyne, formed in situ, to the bay-region of the bromo-substituted rylene core. Two new types of core-expanded rylene dyes were synthesised: yellow dibenzocoronenebis(dicarboximide)s, absorbing at 490 nm, and a green dinaphthoquaterrylenebis(dicarboximide), which absorbs at 700 nm. These new chromophores are characterised by significant hypsochromic shifts of absorption, compared to their parent rylenebis(dicarboximide)s, excellent photostabilities and high fluorescence quantum yields.     

Electrophilic Addition to Alkenes: The Relation between Reactivity and Enthalpy of Hydrogenation: Regioselectivity is Determined by the Stability of the Two Conceivable Products

Although electrophilic addition to alkenes has been well studied, some secrets still remain. Halogenations, hydrohalogenations, halohydrin formations, hydrations, epoxidations, other oxidations, carbene additions, and ozonolyses are investigated to elucidate the relation of alkene reactivities with their enthalpies of hydrogenation (ΔH_hyd). For addition of electrophiles to unconjugated hydrocarbon alkenes, ln(k) is a linear function of ΔH_hyd, where k is the rate constant. Linear correlation coefficients are about 0.98 or greater. None of the many previously proposed correlations of ln(k) with the properties of alkenes or with linear free‐energy relationships match the generality and accuracy of the simple linear relationship found herein. A notable exception is acid‐catalyzed hydration in water or in solvents stabilizing relatively stable carbocation intermediates (e.g., tertiary, benzylic, or allylic). ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of the two alkene carbons also predict regioselectivity. These effects have not been noted previously and are operative in general, including addition to heteroatom‐substituted alkenes.     

Chiral periodic mesoporous organosilica in a smectic-A liquid crystal: source of the electrooptic response

Chiral periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) materials have been shown to deracemise a configurationally achiral, but conformationally racemic liquid crystal in which the PMO is embedded. In particular, application of an electric field E in the liquid crystal’s smectic-A phase results in a rotation of the liquid-crystal director by an angle proportional to E, which is detected optically – this is the so-called ‘electroclinic’ effect. Here we present results from electroclinic measurements as a function of frequency and temperature, which allow us to distinguish the component of optical signal that arises from liquid-crystal chirality induced within the PMO’s chiral pores from that induced just outside the silica colloids. Our central result is that the overwhelming source of our electrooptic signal emanates from outside the PMO, and that the contribution from the liquid crystal embedded in the chiral pores is much smaller and below the noise level.     

Use of 13C isotope shifts to assign carbon atoms α and β (and para) to a hydroxy group in alkyl substituted phenols and alcohols

Doublets can be observed for carbons α and β to the hydroxyl in aliphatic alcohols containing equimolar amounts of OH and OD dissolved in (CH₃)₂SO containing CaSO₄ desiccant. Isotopic doublets are also observed for the ipso and ortho carbons in alkyl substituted phenols. Para isotopic doublets are observable in para-substituted phenols containing a large 2-substituent. The isotope shift is positive (low field) for the para carbon, opposite to the negative shifts usually observed.     

Determination of aromaticity indices of thiophene and furan by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis of their phenyl esters

A series of m‐ and p‐substituted phenyl benzoates, 2‐thienoates, and 2‐furoates were prepared and their ¹H and ¹³C nmr spectroscopic characteristics were examined. In general, good correlations were observed between the chemical shift values of protons and carbons of the acyl aromatic rings and the Hammett σ. Plots of the chemical shift values of the carbonyl carbons of the benzoates against those of the 2‐thienoates and 2‐furoates gave an excellent correlation and the values of the slopes are 0.85 and 0.75, respectively, in dimethyl sulfoxide‐d₆ and 0.90 and 0.78, respectively, in chloroform‐d. The values could be considered as a set of aromaticity indices.     

NMR studies of bond orders in heteroaromatic systems

Fifty-seven values for the ortho-benzylic coupling constant ⁴J_{Me? C?C? H} (henceforth denoted as ⁴J_OB) were obtained for a variety of heteroaromatic systems. It was shown that a good correlation exists between ⁴J_OB when the methyl group is not α to the heteroatom and the SCF-MO bond order. This method can therefore be used as an experimental means of determining bond orders in heteroaromatic systems. An examination of bond alternation in thirteen heteroaromatic systems has given a measure of relative “degree of aromaticity” for a larger number of systems than previously reported by any single method.     

Carbon-13 NMR relaxation and transitions in polymers

High-resolution proton-decoupled carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation parameters have been obtained as a function of temperature for a set of completely amorphous polymers, semicrystalline polymers, and a series of ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymers. With these samples the nature of the glass temperature, other postulated amorphous transitions, and the β transition were investigated. For the completely amorphous polymers, the average correlation times depend on temperature according to the Williams–Landel–Ferry relation. Spectral collapse occurs at temperatures whose ratio to T_g is in the range 1.2–1.4 and corresponds to a correlation time of about 10^?7s. The loss of resolvable spectra is demonstrated to be a consequence of experimental methods and is not due to the occurrence of another amorphous transition. Both the methylene and methine carbons can be resolved for the ethylenevinyl acetate copolymers. Although the correlation time for the methylene carbon is continuous and resolvable through the β transition region, the methine branch-point resonance is lost. The implication of these results to the molecular nature of the β transition is discussed.     

Complete assignment of the carbon-13 NMR spectrum of chlorophyl a

The ¹³C NMR spectrum (at natural abundance) of monomeric chlorophyll α in acetone-d₆ has been recorded to re-examine the assignments of the low field (aromatic-olefinic) region of the spectrum. The assignments, made by the examination of the fully coupled spectrum and by the use of long-range selective ¹H decoupling (LSPD) with low-power irradiation, were compared with those of the previous reports. The results of the present work clarify the ambiguities previously encountered in the assignment of the 10a-ester, 7c-propionyl, P-2-phytyl, 2b-vinyl, γ- and β-methine carbon atoms, as well as the β-pyrrolic carbon-6 and α-pyrrolic carbons ?16 and ?17 of chlorophyll α. Reassignment of the three last carbons was found necessary. Knowledge of the chemical shifts of these carbon atoms was considered to be particularly valuable, as it yields relevant information on the delocalized π electron system which is crucial for the function of chlorophyll in photosynthesis.     

Cover Picture: Methylation of Unactivated Alkenes with Engineered Methyltransferases To Generate Non-natural Terpenoids (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 26/2023)

Terpenoids are built from isoprene building blocks and have numerous biological functions. Selective late-stage modification of their carbon scaffold has the potential to optimize or transform their biological activities. However, the synthesis of terpenoids with a non-natural carbon scaffold is often a challenging endeavor because of the complexity of these molecules. Herein we report the identification and engineering of (S)-adenosyl-l -methionine-dependent sterol methyltransferases for selective C-methylation of linear terpenoids. The engineered enzyme catalyzes selective methylation of unactivated alkenes in mono-, sesqui- and diterpenoids to produce C₁₁, C₁₆ and C₂₁ derivatives. Preparative conversion and product isolation reveals that this biocatalyst performs C−C bond formation with high chemo- and regioselectivity. The alkene methylation most likely proceeds via a carbocation intermediate and regioselective deprotonation. This method opens new avenues for modifying the carbon scaffold of alkenes in general and terpenoids in particular.