Eletronic structure of monosubstituted benzenes and X-ray emission spectroscopy

The electronic structure of benzonitrile has been studied by X-ray spectroscopy. N-K and C-K spectra were recorded. The corresponding theoretical spectra were constructed on the basis of MNDO calculations. The molecular orbitals (MO) of benzonitrile have been compared with those of benzene and hydrogen cyanide. The p-p-interaction between the phenyl fragment and the cyano group has been studied. The contribution of the latter to the highest occupied orbitals of the molecule was shown to be small.For part 1, see Ref. 1.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1251–1254, July, 1994.In conclusion, the authors would like to thank Prof. D. S. Werch (Queen Mary College, London) who put the OHM crystals at their disposal.     

Electrochemical oxidation of tetramethyl esters of α,α,ω,ω-alcaneteracarboxylic acids

Cyclization of esters of butane-1,1,4,4- and pentane-1,1,5,5-tetracarboxylic acids during electrolysis in methanol in the presence of Nal produces, with a yield of 95%, the esters of cyclobutane-1,1,2,2- and cyclopentane-1,1,2,2-tetracarboxylic acids. Under similar conditions, esters of the highest ,,,-alkanetetracarboxylic acids undergo iodation and hydroxymethylation due to electrical oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde. During electrolysis in methanol in the presence of NaOAc, the esters of ,,,-alkanetetracarboxylic acids undergo effective hydroxymethylation, followed by cyclization into substituted five- and six-member lactones, or tetrahydrofurans when structurally possible.N. D. Zelinskii Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117913 Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2332–2339, October, 1992.     

Synthesis and biological activity of yuccagenin bisrhamnoside

The two hydroxyls of yuccagenin can be glycosylated by Koenigs-Knorr condensation with acetobromorhammose in dichloroethane in the presence of mercuric cyanide. The bisrhamnoside of yuccagenin markedly lowers the cholesterol and triglyceride content in blood serum of healthy animals and animals with experimental hyperlipidemia.Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 242–243, May–June, 2000.     

Selective reduction of the acyl group in cyclic α-acyl-β-dicarbonyl compounds with sodium cyanoborohydride. Efficient synthesis of cyclic α-alkyl-β-dicarbonyl compounds

Efficient synthesis of cyclic -alkyl--dicarbonyl compounds of the cyclopentane, cyclohexane, tetronic acid, and -pyrone series from the corresponding cyclic -acyl--dicarbonyl compounds under the action of NaBH₃(CN) in a THF--HCl system is described.     

Amino- und Hydroxylaminosubstituierte α-Azidozimtsäureester und α-Aminozimtsäureester durch kathodische Reduktion ungesättigter Nitroazidoester

Cathodic reduction of nitro-substituted azidocinnamic esters on mercury under aprotic and protic conditions was studied. Nitro and azido groups behave as independent entities so that selectively amino- resp. hydroxylamino--azido compounds are obtained, which could not be synthesised by conventional methods. Under aprotic conditions, with added acetic anhydride, medium yields of acylated 4-hydroxylamino- and 4-amino--cinnamic acid derivatives are isolated. Evidence of homogeneous electron transfer from nitroanion radicals to azido groups is given.

     

Synthesis of driman-8α,11-diol from sclareol through 8α,12-epoxy-14,15-bisnorlabdan-13-one

A four-step synthesis of driman-8,11-diol from sclareol in 44% total yield is described that includes the intermediates (12R)-8,12-epoxy-14,15-bisnorlabdan-13-one, (12S)-8,12-epoxy-12-acetoxy-13,14,15,16-tetranorlabdane and 8,12-epoxy-13,14,15,16-tetranorlabd-11-ene.Institute of Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Moldova, Kishinev, fax (3732) 73 97 75, Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 124–125, March–April, 2000.     

Thermolytic transformations of polyfluoroorganic compounds

Copyrolysis of 4-chlorotetrafluorobenzotrichloride with chlorodifluoromethane (as the source of difluorocarbene) gave 4-chlorodifluoromethyl--chlorohexafluorostyrene, 1,4-dichlorotetrafluorobenzene, and 4-(chlorodifluoromethyl)chlorotetrafluorobenzene along with 4-chloro--chlorohexafluorostyrene. Possible routes for the formation of these products have been offered.For Part 30, see Ref. 1.Translated fromIzevstiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2199–2202, December, 1994.     

Elucidation of a common structure of selective fibrinogen receptor antagonists

In this paper, we investigate the common structural and electrostatic parameters of a series of specific inhibitors of the IIb3 integrin. Molecular dynamics simulations with an explicit aqueous environment led to an original theoretical pattern. Our results may suggest that the studied non-peptide IIb3 antagonists developed upon the Arg-Gly-Asp ubiquitous recognition sequence, in fact, should mimic the C-terminus part of the fibrinogen chain. This assumption could, therefore, explain their specificity with respect to other Arg-Gly-Asp-dependent integrins.     

Dichloromethyl tert-butyl ketone in the Darzens reaction

The condensation of dichloromethyl tert-butyl ketone (1) with benzaldehyde, para-bromobenzaldehyde, and 2,4-dichlorobenzaldehyde under conditions for the Darzens reaction gives 1-aryl-1-chloro-4,4-dimethyl-2,3-pentanediones (2–4). In the case of nitrobenzaldehydes, the reaction products are 1-aryl-2-chloro-1,2-epoxy-4,4-dimethylpentanones (5 and 6), which isomerize to -chloroketones (7 and 8) upon prolonged storage or heating at reflux in benzene.A. E. Arbuzov Institute of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Kazan Science Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 420083 Kazan. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 438–441, February, 1992.     

Effects of α-tocopherol and its acetate on the hydrolytic activity of phospholipase D in egg yolk phosphatidylcholine bilayers

Effects of -tocopherol (Toc) and -tocopherol acetate (TocA) on the hydrolysis activity of phospholipase D (fromStreptomyces chromofuscus) were studied in small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC). Choline produced in the reaction was monitored by use of a choline oxidase — oxygen electrode. Addition of 18 mol% Toc into SUV (2 mM PC) brought about a twofold rate of choline production. On the other hand, the effect of 18 mol% TocA in SUV was very small. The apparent maximum velocity,V _max(app), increased by addition of Toc in SUV. The apparent Michaelis constant,K _m(app), was unchanged by addition of Toc and TocA in SUV. The Toc and TocA molecules did not have significant effects when PC was solubilized in the micelles of heptaethylene glycol dodecyl ether. The effects of Toc and TocA are, therefore, not due to specific ones on the enzyme itself, but rather upon the bilayer-organization of the substrate. Measurements of spreading pressure showed complete miscibility of PC and Toc, and limited mutual solubility of PC and TocA, suggesting stronger attractive interactions between Toc and PC than those between TocA and PC in the bilayers.     

Synthese von α-Methyl-homocysteinthiolacton

Summary A facile high yield large scale methylation procedure affording2c is reported utilizing the N-[bis(methylthio)-methylen-protected derivative4a as an intermediate. The optical resolution of racemic2c is described leading to (S)-2b. In addition the thiolactone2c undergoes oxidative ring opening by bromine to the corresponding sulphonic acid5.

     

Comparison of the X-ray structure of baboon α-lactalbumin and the tertiary predicted computer models of human α-lactalbumin

Summary The previously predicted structures of human -lactalbumin by homology with hen egg white lysozyme by an automatic method, after the alignment stage, are compared to the X-ray determined structure of baboon -lactalbumin. The root mean square by rotation method (RMSR) deviations for 122 C- atoms between the two models and the X-ray structure are 2.0 Å and 2.3 Å. The RMSR deviations for all atoms, except for differences in human and baboon sequences, are 2.8 Å and 3.1 Å. If the flexible C-terminus (residues 112–122) are removed then these RMSR deviations are reduced to 2.4 Å and 2.3 Å respectively. These results are consistent with the fact that the RMSR deviation between the human and baboon X-ray structures increases from residue 112 onwards and is conformationally flexible.     

Reaction of Pregnenolone and 3α,5-Cyclo-5α-pregnan-6β-ol-20-one with Trifluoroperacetic Acid

The reaction of pregnenolone and 3,5-cyclo-5-pregnan-6-ol-20-one with trifluoroperacetic acid produces the trifluoroacetates, hydrolysis of which gives the 3,5alpha;,6-triol.     

Complexation of Oleuropein and trans-Cinnamic Acid with Cyclodextrins

The complexation of oleuropein and trans-cinnamic acid with -, -, and -cyclodextrin has been studied in aqueous model systems by light scaterring. The influence of various parameters (pH, concentration, reaction time, nature of cyclodextrin) has been thoroughly examined. The formation of binary (1:1) inclusion complexes and the higher inclusion ability of -CD for both compounds has been indicated. Trans-cinnamic acid was extracted from olive olive oil following its complexation with -CD at satisfactory recovery levels.     

Substituierte 3-Amino-thiophene und 3-Amino-selenophene aus β-Chlor-α-cyan-zimtsäurenitril

Summary -Chloro--cyano-cinnamonitrile (1) reacts in one step with -oxo-thioles3 or successively with sodium sulphide and -chlorocarbonyl compounds4 to form the 5-substituted 4-amino-2-phenyl-thiophene-3-carbonitriles5. Analogously, the successive reactions of -chloro cinnamonitrile1 with sodium selenide — produced in situ from selene and sodium boronhydride — and -chlorocarbonyl compounds4 yields the 5-substituted 4-amino-2-phenyl-selenophene-3-carbonitriles6.

     

Bilirubin conformational enantiomer selection in sodium deoxycholate chiral micelles

Intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded, bichromophoric tetrapyrrole pigments, bilirubin-IX and mesobilirubin-XIII, adopt either of two enantiomeric conformations which are in dynamic equilibrium in solution. InpH 8 aqueous sodium deoxycholate solutions, chiral micelles preferentially select one conformational enantiomer, and the solutions exhibit a bisignate circular dichroism Cotton effect in the vicinity of the bilirubin long wavelength electronic transition. Exciton coupling theory indicates a predominance of the left-handed (or negative) chirality bilirubin conformational enantiomer.     

Phase and structural transitions in vicinal water on protein surfaces by means of the DSC

This paper presents investigations of phase and structural transitions occurring in water adsorbed on the surface of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and on the so-called intelligentrs or smart silica gel surface covered with a chemically bonded BSA phase. Cyclic changes of heat flow (HF) were observed in the samples studied during cooling and heating of the measuring cell of the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) apparatus. These cyclic changes reflect structural transitions occurring in the water adsorbed on the surface at subambient and elevated temperatures. This is connected with cyclic changes (decay and reproduction) of ice-like structures existing in the adsorbed water layers. On the basis of quantitative investigations it appears that, depending on the direction of the cooling or heating process of the samples studied, the number of ice-like water structures in the surface film increases or decreases. It has been stated that the observed fluctuations occur spontaneously and suddenly in the whole volume of adsorbed water in different and not regular temperature ranges, especially at the paradoxical effect temperatures.Support from the Research Council (Dr. R. K. Gilpin and Dr. M. Jaroniec) of Kent State University (Ohio, USA) is acknowledged. The author thanks Dr. V. Tittlebach for providing the samples of pure BSA and silica gel with chemically, bonded BSA phase.     

Triterpene glycosides ofScheffleropsis angkae. I. Structure of glycosides L-B1, L-B2, L-H1, and L-H2

The structures of four triterpene glycosides from the leaves ofScheffleropsis angkae (Araliaceae) are found by chemical methods and NMR spectroscopy to be the 3-O--L-arabinopyranosides of oleanic and ursolic acids and their 28-O--L-rhamnopyranosyl-(14)-O--gentiobiosyl esters, which are designated L-B₁, L-B₂, L-H₁, and L-H₂, respectively. The glycoside L-H₂ is new.Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 136–138, March–April, 2000.     

Electronic structure of monosubstituted benzenes and X-ray emission spectroscopy

The electronic structure of the phenol molecule in the gas phase was studied by X-ray emission spectroscopy (using the O-Kα and C-Kα spectra). MNDO calculations were performed, which made it possible to construct theoretical spectra and interpret experimental spectra. The structure of the molecular orbitals of phenol was compared with those of benzene and water. The π-interaction of the phenyl fragment with the oxygen-containing substituent was investigated. The contribution of the 2p atomic orbital of the oxygen atom to the π-HOMO of phenol is considerably less than that to lower-lying orbitals. For Part 3, see Ref. 1. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2187–2193, December, 1997.