Calculation of the water-cyclohexane transfer free energies of neutral amino acid side-chain analogs using the OPLS all-atom force field

We calculated the free energy of solvation of the neutral analogs of 18 amino acid side-chains (not including glycine and proline) using the OPLS all-atom force field in TIP4P water, SPC water, and cyclohexane by molecular dynamics simulation and thermodynamic integration. The average unsigned errors in the free energies of solvation in TIP4P, SPC, and cyclohexane are 4.4, 4.9, and 2.1 kJ/mol respectively. Most of the calculated hydration free energies are not favorable enough compared to experiment. The largest errors are found for tryptophan, histidine, glutamic acid, and glutamine. The average unsigned errors in the free energy of transfer from TIP4P to cyclohexane and from SPC to cyclohexane are 4.0 and 4.1 kJ/mol, respectively. The largest errors, of more than 7.5 kJ/mol, are found for histidine, glutamine, and glutamatic acid.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 3-substituted proline chimeras bearing polar side chains of proteinogenic amino acids

The amino-zinc-ene-enolate cyclization reaction is a straightforward route to the synthesis of 3-substituted prolines. Herein we report the application of this reaction to the syntheses of proline chimeras of lysine, glutamic acid, glutamine, arginine, and serine. All these compounds were obtained in enantiomerically pure form and suitably protected for peptide synthesis.     

Probing the active catalyst in product-accelerated proline-mediated reactions

A new catalytic cycle involving only soluble proline complexes or adducts is proposed for the reactions in eq 1 based on kinetic observations and molecular modeling studies. This reaction pathway circumventing free proline and incorporating hydrogen-bonded reaction product helps to rationalize the observations of accelerating reaction rate in both the alpha-aminooxylation and alpha-amination reactions.     

Carbon Quantum Dots Based Chemosensor Array for Monitoring Multiple Metal Ions

The simultaneous identification of multiple metal ions in water has attracted enormous research interest in the past few decades. We herein describe a novel method for multiple metal ion detection using a carbon quantum dots (CQDs)-based chemosensor array and the CQDs are functionalized with different amino acids (glutamine, histidine, arginine, lysine and proline), which act as sensing elements in the sensor array. Eleven metal ions are successfully identified by the designed chemosensor array, with 100% classification accuracy. Importantly, the proposed method allowed the quantitative prediction of the concentration of individual metal ions in the mixture with the aid of a support vector machine (SVM). The sensor array also enables the qualitative detection of unknown metal ions under the interference of tap water and local river water. Thus, the strategy provides a novel high-throughput approach for the identification of various analytes in complex systems.     

Determination of amino acids in urine by cyclodextrin-modified capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence detection

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) combined with laser-induced fluorescence detection is applied to the determination of amino acids in urine samples. The urine samples are first ultrafiltered, to remove proteins and large peptides, and the filtrates are then directly labeled by reaction with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). Cyclodextrin-modified CE using alpha-cyclodextrin is employed for the separation of the FITC-labeled amino acids. Seven amino acids are clearly separated from side reaction products produced during the labeling reaction, when an 80mM borate buffer containing 45mM alpha-cyclodextrin is used as the running buffer. For quantitative analysis, rhodamine B is added to the labeled urine samples as an internal standard. The calibration curves for phenylalanine, glutamine, proline, glycine, serine, alanine, and valine are linear in the range of 10microM to 100microM. The concentration limits of detection for all of the amino acids are estimated to be 160~330nM. Conversely, the limit of quantitation (LOQ) was ~10microM and the limitations are due to the labeling efficiency rather than the sensitivity of the detector. Three amino acids in urine samples, glutamine, glycine, and alanine, are readily quantitated, while the concentrations of the others are below the LOQ. The present method would permit the determination of seven amino acids in urine successfully.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of prolyl peptides in urine

A rapid and accurate method is described for the determination of prolyl peptides in urine, with specific reference to the dipeptide prolylhydroxyproline, and free hydroxyproline and proline. Free amino acids and peptides were isolated from urine on cation-exchange minicolumns, and free imino acids and prolyl-N-terminal peptides were selectively derivatized with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan, after reaction of amino acids and N-terminal aminoacyl peptides with o-phthalaldehyde. The highly fluorescent adducts of imino acids and prolyl peptides were separated on a Spherisorb ODS 2 column by isocratic elution for 12 min using as mobile phase 17.5 mM aqueous trifluoracetic acid solution containing 12.5% acetonitrile (eluent A), followed by gradient elution from eluent A to 40% of 17.5 mM aqueous trifluoroacetic acid solution containing 80% acetonitrile in 20 min. Analytes of interest, in particular the dipeptide prolylhydroxyproline, can be easily quantified by fluorimetric detection (epsilon ex = 470 nm, epsilon em = 530 nm) without interference from primary amino-containing compounds.     

New methodology for checking of absence of the systematic errors in the determination of sulphate ion in MgCl2·6H2O

A new methodology is proposed for obtaining analytical results free from bias errors, it is based on a modification of the standard addition method. Bias or systematic errors are taken as the differences between the amounts of analyte in the test portion and the image of the analytical signal on a calibration relationship where the amounts of added analyte act as the predictors. The constant component of the error, the matrix interactive effect and the direct matrix interference are jointly discussed as the main sources of bias. The latter two are considered to be different forms of interference. As an example, the new methodology was applied to the determination of sulphate ion in a magnesium chloride sample (Merck AR) using a spectrophotometric and an atomic absorption spectrophotometric procedure. No direct matrix interference or interactive matrix effect on the analytical results was found.     

Determination of 27 dansyl amino acid derivatives in biological fluids by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

The concentrations of free amino acids in plasma and in ascitic liquid of mice with Ehrlich ascitic tumours were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using pre-column derivatization with Dns chloride and UV detection at 254 nm. Sample preparation is simple, and the Dns derivatives are stable. Complete separation of 27 amino acids, including proline and cysteine, was achieved in 70 min with detection limits of less than 25 pmol. There was no interference from Dns-Cl, Dns-OH and Dns-NH2. Retention time reproducibility was better than 1%. The described method enables a rapid, economical and reproducible quantification of free amino acids in biological fluids.     

The Free-Amino-Acid Content in Six Potatoes Cultivars through Storage

Potatoes of six cultivars (Solanum tuberosum L.) with red, purple, and yellow flesh were stored at 2 and 5 °C for 3 and 6 months, and the influence of these factors on the content of free amino acids was determined. The potato cultivar and storage time had the greatest impact on the free amino acid content. The tubers of red-fleshed (Rote Emma) and purple-fleshed (Blue Congo) potatoes contained over 28 mg/g DM of free amino acids, and the Blaue Annelise cultivar with purple flesh had over 18 mg/g DM. After 6 months, the highest increase in their content (by 36%) was recorded in tubers of the Fresco cultivar (yellow-fleshed). In the analysed potatoes, the content of alanine, proline, serine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and α-aminoadipic acid increased, while that of asparagine, aspartic acid, and glutamine decreased. Asparagine decreased to the greatest extent in “Blaue Annelise” potatoes (by 24%) and that of glutamine in tubers of Rote Emma and Vineta by 18%.     

脯氨酸催化的不对称Aldol反应的研究进展

不对称合成是手性药物制备的核心环节,A ldol反应是重要的形成C—C键的反应之一,在全合成中有广泛应用.脯氨酸的两个异构体均价廉易得,作为一个非金属不对称催化试剂,它催化的不对称A ldol反应立体选择性高,有很好的应用前景.本文就近二十年来脯氨酸催化A ldol反应的机理,溶剂效应,最新进展三方面进行了介绍.     

Effects of alkaline earth metal ion complexation on amino acid zwitterion stability: results from infrared action spectroscopy

The structures of isolated alkaline earth metal cationized amino acids are investigated using infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and theory. These results indicate that arginine, glutamine, proline, serine, and valine all adopt zwitterionic structures when complexed with divalent barium. The IRMPD spectra for these ions exhibit bands assigned to carboxylate stretching modes, spectral signatures for zwitterionic amino acids, and lack bands attributable to the carbonyl stretch of a carboxylic acid functional group. Structural and spectral assignments are strengthened through comparisons with absorbance spectra calculated for low-energy structures and the IRMPD spectra of analogous ions containing monovalent alkali metals. Many bands are significantly red-shifted from the corresponding bands for amino acids complexed with monovalent metal ions, owing to increased charge transfer to divalent metal ions. The IRMPD spectra of arginine complexed with divalent strontium and barium are very similar and indicate that arginine adopts a zwitterionic form in both ions. Calculations indicate that nonzwitterionic forms of arginine are lowest in free energy in complexes with smaller alkaline earth metal cations and that zwitterionic forms are preferentially stabilized with increasing metal ion size. B3LYP and MP2 calculations indicate that zwitterionic forms of arginine are lowest in free energy for M = Ca, Sr, and Ba.     

对甲氧基苯磺酰氯柱前衍生测定尿中游离羟脯氨酸与脯氨酸

以对甲氧基苯磺酰氯为衍生试剂,建立了分离测定人尿中游离羟脯氨酸和脯氨酸的高效液相色谱方法。考察了衍生温度、衍生缓冲液pH值、衍生时间、衍生剂用量对衍生反应的影响以及流动相组成、流动相缓冲液浓度、pH值和柱温对分离的影响。在优化条件下,羟脯氨酸和脯氨酸分别在5～100μmol/L和5～250μmol/L范围内呈良好线性,相关系数分别为0.999 4、0.999 5,检出限(S/N=3)分别为0.50 nmol/L和0.20 nmol/L,回收率(n=5)分别为95%～99%和96%～102%,相对标准偏差分别为2.1%～4.3%和2.0%～4.8%。该方法可用于人尿中游离羟脯氨酸和脯氨酸的定性定量分析。     

Synthesis of hantzsch 1,4‐dihydropyridines under solvent‐free condition using zn[(L)proline]2 as lewis acid catalyst

The present short communication describes a Lewis acid (Zn[(L)proline]₂) catalysed one pot synthesis of Hantzsch 1,4‐dihydropyridine (DHP) derivatives under solvent‐free condition by conventional heating and microwave irradiation. The Lewis acid catalyst Zn[(L)proline]₂ used in this reaction afford moderate to good yield. The catalyst is reusable upto five cycles without appreciable loss of its catalytic activity.     

Optimization of performance and minimization of silicate interference in continuous flow phosphate analysis

Specific reaction conditions for automated continuous flow analysis of phosphate are optimized in regard to minimizing coating and silicate interference, while maintaining high sensitivity. Use of Sb in the reagent increases sensitivity and yields absorbances with little temperature dependence. Coating can be minimized by using a final solution at a pH>0.5. At final pH of 0.78 there is maximum interference from silicate in the sample. We recommend therefore as an optimal reaction condition with minimal silicate interference, the use of Sb, a final solution pH of 1.00, room temperature for the reaction and a [H(+)]/[Mo] ratio of 70. An equation is provided to correct silicate interference in high precision phosphate determination.     

Calculation of solvation free energies of charged solutes using mixed cluster/continuum models

We derive a consistent approach for predicting the solvation free energies of charged solutes in the presence of implicit and explicit solvents. We find that some published methodologies make systematic errors in the computed free energies because of the incorrect accounting of the standard state corrections for water molecules or water clusters present in the thermodynamic cycle. This problem can be avoided by using the same standard state for each species involved in the reaction under consideration. We analyze two different thermodynamic cycles for calculating the solvation free energies of ionic solutes: (1) the cluster cycle with an n water cluster as a reagent and (2) the monomer cycle with n distinct water molecules as reagents. The use of the cluster cycle gives solvation free energies that are in excellent agreement with the experimental values obtained from studies of ion-water clusters. The mean absolute errors are 0.8 kcal/mol for H(+) and 2.0 kcal/mol for Cu(2+). Conversely, calculations using the monomer cycle lead to mean absolute errors that are >10 kcal/mol for H(+) and >30 kcal/mol for Cu(2+). The presence of hydrogen-bonded clusters of similar size on the left- and right-hand sides of the reaction cycle results in the cancellation of the systematic errors in the calculated free energies. Using the cluster cycle with 1 solvation shell leads to errors of 5 kcal/mol for H(+) (6 waters) and 27 kcal/mol for Cu(2+) (6 waters), whereas using 2 solvation shells leads to accuracies of 2 kcal/mol for Cu(2+) (18 waters) and 1 kcal/mol for H(+) (10 waters).     

AZT-prolinamide: the nucleoside derived pyrrolidine catalysts for asymmetric aldol reactions using water as solvent

New pyrrolidine catalysts based on a nucleoside and proline, AZT-prolinamides, were synthesized and successfully employed for the enantioselective direct aldol reaction of aldehydes with ketones. These catalysts proved to be effective in promoting the reaction, in additive free water media with 15 mol % loading. The products, β-hydroxy carbonyl compounds were obtained in high yields and stereoselectivities.     

Synthesis of Novel Thiazoline Catalysts and Their Application in Michael Addition Reaction

Several novel chiral thiazoline catalysts containing thiazoline, thiourea and proline were efficiently synthesized from commercially available L-cysteine. These ligands were subsequently applied to the asymmetric Michael reaction between cyclohexanone and various β-nitrostyrene. The result shows that the optimal catalyst for this reaction is ligand 18d, the organocatalyst with thiazoline, thiourea and chiral proline motif, which efficiently promotes the enantioselective conjugate addition of cyclohexanone to various nitroalkenes to yield the corresponding addition products in high to excellent yields with enantiomeric excess(e.e.) up to 95% and diastereoselectivity ratio(dr.) up to 99:1.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Anti-Diabetic Therapeutic Activity of New Vanadyl(II) Complexes with Orotic Acid and Different Amino Acids Mixed Ligands

Russian Journal of General Chemistry - Mixed ligand vanadyl(II) complexes of orotic acid and six different amino acids (isoleucine, threonine, proline, phenylalanine, lysine, and glutamine) have...     

Unraveling the Role of Water in the Stereoselective Step of Aqueous Proline‐Catalyzed Aldol Reactions

A multiscale computational study was performed with the aim of tracing the source of stereoselectivity and disclosing the role of water in the stereoselective step of propionaldehyde aldol self‐condensation catalyzed by proline amide in water, a reaction that serves as a model for aqueous organocatalytic aldol condensations. Solvent mixing and hydration behavior were assessed by classical molecular dynamics simulations, which show that the reaction between propanal and the corresponding enamine takes place in a fully hydrated environment. First‐principles molecular dynamics simulations were used to study the free‐energy profile of four possible reaction paths, each of which yields a different stereoisomer, and high‐level static first‐principles calculations were employed to characterize the transition states for microsolvated species. The first solvation shell of the oxygen atom of the electrophilic aldehyde at the transition states contains two water molecules, each of which donates one hydrogen bond to the nascent alkoxide and thereby largely stabilizes its excess electron density. The stereoselectivity originates in an extra hydrogen bond donated by the amido group of proline amide in two reaction paths.