Selective oxidation of hydrocarbons catalyzed by iron-containing heterogeneous catalysts

Recent studies on iron-based heterogeneous catalysts for selective oxidation of hydrocarbons are reviewed with emphasis on the partial oxidation of methane and the epoxidation of alkenes. High dispersion of iron sites is essentially important for the selective oxidations. The effective catalysts include immobilized or encapsulated iron complexes, iron-doped metal oxides such as Fe³⁺-doped silica, iron-containing microporous and mesoporous materials, and iron-containing compounds with isolated iron sites typified by iron phosphate. The structure-reactivity relationships and the factors affecting the catalytic performances are discussed with the aim to uncover the requirements of the active iron sites in target-selective oxidation.     

Selective oxidation of hydrocarbons catalyzed by iron-containing heterogeneous catalysts

Recent studies on iron-based heterogeneous catalysts for selective oxidation of hydrocarbons are reviewed with emphasis on the partial oxidation of methane and the epoxidation of alkenes. High dispersion of iron sites is essentially important for the selective oxidations. The effective catalysts include immobilized or encapsulated iron complexes, iron-doped metal oxides such as Fe³⁺-doped silica, iron-containing microporous and mesoporous materials, and iron-containing compounds with isolated iron sites typified by iron phosphate. The structure-reactivity relationships and the factors affecting the catalytic performances are discussed with the aim to uncover the requirements of the active iron sites in target-selective oxidation.     

Mimicking receptor for methylmercury preconcentration based on ion-imprinting

Solid-phase extraction (SPE) based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were used to develop selective separation and preconcentration for methylmercury ion from complex matrixes. In this study, an ion-imprinting polymer was prepared to make artificial organomercury lyase preorganizing three methacryloyl-(l)-cysteine methylester (MAC) monomers and one methylmercury ion in a three-coordinate form by template polymerization, with the goal preparing a solid-phase which has the high selectivity for methylmercury ions.Methylmercury-imprinted beads were produced by a dispersion polymerization technique with use methylmercury-methacryloyl-(l)-cysteine (MM-MAC) complex monomer and ethylene glycoldimethacrylate (EDMA). After removal of methylmercury ions, methylmercury-imprinted beads were used for solid-phase extraction and determination of mercury compounds. Methylmercury adsorption and selectivity studies of methylmercury versus other metal ions which Hg(II), Zn(II), Pb(II) and Cd(II) were reported and distribution and selectivity coefficients of these ions with respect to methylmercury were calculated here.ICP-OES and HPLC-DAD determinations of methylmercury and mercury ions in the certified reference, LUTS-1 from the National Research Council of Canada and synthetic sea water showed that the interfering matrix had been almost removed during preconcentration. The methylmercury-imprinted solid-phase as mimic receptor was good enough for methylmercury determination in complex matrixes.     

Direct In Situ Determination of Ascorbic Acid in Fruits by Screen‐Printed Carbon Electrodes Modified with Nylon‐6 Nanofibers

A simple sensing unit based on a disposable screen printed carbon electrode coated by an electrospun nylon‐6 nanofibrous membrane was developed for in situ selective determination of ascorbic acid (AA) in different types of fruits. The membrane, prepared by electrospinning, represents a selective barrier to possible interferents, such as phenolic compounds, allowing an improved selectivity towards AA. No sample preparation and/or dilution is necessary since the new device is applied directly “pricking” the fruit with the electrode. A good correlation was obtained between the amperometric in situ method and a reference chromatographic methodology (HPLC‐UV) when applied to various fruit samples.     

Exploring fragment spaces under multiple physicochemical constraints

We present a new algorithm for the enumeration of chemical fragment spaces under constraints. Fragment spaces consist of a set of molecular fragments and a set of rules that specifies how fragments can be combined. Although fragment spaces typically cover an infinite number of molecules, they can be enumerated in case that a physicochemical profile of the requested compounds is given. By using min-max ranges for a number of corresponding properties, our algorithm is able to enumerate all molecules which obey these properties. To speed up the calculation, the given ranges are used directly during the build-up process to guide the selection of fragments. Furthermore, a topology based fragment filter is used to skip most of the redundant fragment combinations. We applied the algorithm to 40 different target classes. For each of these, we generated tailored fragment spaces from sets of known inhibitors and additionally derived ranges for several physicochemical properties. We characterized the target-specific fragment spaces and were able to enumerate the complete chemical subspaces for most of the targets.     

Unlimited non-linear selectivity effects in systems of independent parallel reactions as a basis for new chemical separation techniques

There exist two basic types of kinetically controlled selective reactions. They differ fundamentally from each other with respect to the time dependence of the relative concentrations of the participating reactants. We call the first type, systems of dependent parallel reactions. They have in common the same ensemble of starting materials. The second type, systems of independent parallel reactions, have starting material ensembles that are distinguishable. The selectivity of dependent parallel reactions is limited by the ratio of their rate constants, whereas the selectivity of independent parallel reactions. An example is the recently developed synthesis of isomerically pure oligopeptides by similar manner. This follows from an analysis of the solutions of the corresponding differential equation systems. The non-linear and unlimited selectivity effects of independent parallel reactions may serve as a basis for new techniques to prepare pure chemical compounds from mixtures of chemical analogs that would be hard to separate by other means. Under suitable conditions this is possible, even if the reagents are also mixtures of chemical analogs. One of the most effective ways to synthesize isomerically pure chemical compounds is by beginning with a selective system of dependent parallel reactions, and then letting its products participate in a subsequent selective system of independent parallel reactions. An example, is the recently developed synthesis of isomerically pure oligopeptides by a stereoselective 4-component-condensation (4CC), followed by purification of the desirable diastereomer by preferential acidolysis of the other diastereomer (confer Scheme 6). Note that in such asymmetric syntheses the chiral reference system is exploited twice, first in the dependent parallel 4CC, and then in the independent parallel acidolysis. The overall stereoselectivity of such syntheses corresponds to the product of the selectivities of the consecutive steps.     

Triplex selective 2-(2-naphthyl)quinoline compounds: origins of affinity and new design principles

A novel competition dialysis assay was used to investigate the structural selectivity of a series of substituted 2-(2-naphthyl)quinoline compounds designed to target triplex DNA. The interaction of 14 compounds with 13 different nucleic acid sequences and structures was studied. A striking selectivity for the triplex structure poly dA:[poly dT](2) was found for the majority of compounds studied. Quantitative analysis of the competition dialysis binding data using newly developed metrics revealed that these compounds are among the most selective triplex-binding agents synthesized to date. A quantitative structure-affinity relationship (QSAR) was derived using triplex binding data for all 14 compounds used in these studies. The QSAR revealed that the primary favorable determinant of triplex binding free energy is the solvent accessible surface area. Triplex binding affinity is negatively correlated with compound electron affinity and the number of hydrogen bond donors. The QSAR provides guidelines for the design of improved triplex-binding agents.     

Structure-based design of estrogen receptor-beta selective ligands

We present the structure-based optimization of a series of estrogen receptor-beta (ERbeta) selective ligands. X-ray cocrystal structures of these ligands complexed to both ERalpha and ERbeta are described. We also discuss how molecular modeling was used to take advantage of subtle differences between the two binding cavities in order to optimize selectivity for ERbeta over ERalpha. Quantum chemical calculations are utilized to gain insight into the mechanism of selectivity enhancement. Despite only two relatively conservative residue substitutions in the ligand binding pocket, the most selective compounds have greater than 100-fold selectivity for ERbeta relative to ERalpha when measured using a competitive radioligand binding assay.     

Silica particles coated with azobenzene-containing photoresponsive molecule-imprinted skin layer

We developed a novel type of azobenzene-containing photoresponsive molecule-imprinted silica microspheres. Ibuprofen and activated silica particles were used as template molecules and substrates, respectively. Pre-synthesized azobenzene-based monomers were chemically bonded on the surface of silica particles. Template–monomer complexes were formed relying on hydrogen bonding. Then skin layer was formed by graft polymerization of azobenzene-based monomers. After that, ibuprofen molecules were removed from their embedded spaces. The vacant spaces on the surface of particles were easily accessible for the template molecules. Furthermore, photoinduced trans–cis isomerization of azobenzene chromophores within imprinted vacant spaces was able to regulate their substrate affinity. The results demonstrated that the imprinted silica microspheres possessed obvious molecular imprinting effects towards the template ibuprofen, rather fast template rebinding kinetics, and appreciate selectivity over structurally related compounds.     

Identification of Compounds that Selectively Stabilize Specific G‐Quadruplex Structures by Using a Thioflavin T‐Displacement Assay as a Tool

Small molecules are used in the G‐quadruplex (G4) research field in vivo and in vitro, and there are increasing demands for ligands that selectively stabilize different G4 structures. Thioflavin T (ThT) emits an enhanced fluorescence signal when binding to G4 structures. Herein, we show that ThT can be competitively displaced by the binding of small molecules to G4 structures and develop a ThT‐displacement high‐throughput screening assay to find novel and selective G4‐binding compounds. We screened approximately 28 000 compounds by using three different G4 structures and identified eight novel G4 binders. Analysis of the structural conformation and stability of the G4 structures in presence of these compounds demonstrated that the four compounds enhance the thermal stabilization of the structures without affecting their structural conformation. In addition, all four compounds also increased the G4‐structure block of DNA synthesis by Taq DNA polymerase. Also, two of these compounds showed selectivity between certain Schizosaccharomyces pombe G4 structures, thus suggesting that these compounds or their analogues can be used as selective tools for G4 DNA studies.     

The synthesis of new 2,4‐diaminofuro[2,3‐d]pyrimidines with 5‐biphenyl,phenoxyphenyl and tricyclic substitutions as dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors

Nonclassical 2,4‐diamino‐5‐substituted furo[2,3‐d]pyrimidines 4a‐i, 5a‐b and 7a‐f were synthesized as extended aromatic ring appended analogs of previously reported antifolates 1a‐b. The extended aromatic system was designed to better interact with a phenylalanine residue (Phe69) of dihydrofolate reductase from the opportunistic pathogen Pneumocystis carinii to afford potent and selective inhibitors of Pneumocystis carinii dihydrofolate reductase. The target compounds were synthesized by nucleophilic displacement of 2,4‐diamino‐5‐(chloromethyl)furo[2,3‐d]pyrimidine 3 with the appropriate aromatic amine or thiol. The compounds were evaluated as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase from Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii, and their selectivity was determined using rat liver dihydrofolate reductase as the mammalian reference. In the C8‐N9 bridged series, compound 4e , with a 3‐(2‐methoxydibenzofuran)‐ side chain, exhibited greatest potency and was more than 3 times as selective for Pneumocystis carinii dihydrofolate reductase compared to rat liver dihydrofolate reductase. Compounds 4b and 4c also exhibited selectivity. Compounds in the C8‐S9 bridged series showed comparable potencies, and each showed higher selectivity for Pneumocystis carinii dihydrofolate reductase compared to rat liver dihydrofolate reductase.     

含氮杂环及其衍生物的氮氧化方法研究进展

含氮杂环及其衍生物中的N－氧化反应是合成许多精细化工产品，如日用化学 品、医药、农药的重要反应，但该反应选择性较高，只要求在杂环氮上进行氧化而 不影响分子其它部位，从氮杂环及其衍生物应用不同氧化剂选择性氧化综述了该类 化合物的N－氧化反应。     

杯芳烃衍生物和丙烯酰胺作为复合功能单体的分子印迹聚合物对海因类化合物的选择性识别研究

以杯[4]芳烃衍生物+丙烯酰胺作为复合功能单体,将其运用到分子印迹技术中,对海因类化合物R-苄基海因进行选择性识别.研究结果表明,由单一的杯[4]芳烃衍生物或丙烯酰胺作为功能单体的分子印迹聚合物对R-苄基海因的选择性均不高,而由杯[4]芳烃衍生物+丙烯酰胺作为复合功能单体的分子印迹聚合物对模板分子具有较高的特异选择性.     

Catalytic oxidation of organic compounds with oxygen in the presence of Mo-V-phosphoric heteropoly acid solutions

The studies carried out at the Institute of Catalysis, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, on the selective catalytic oxidation of organic compounds with oxygen in the presence of aqueous solutions of Mo-V-phosphoric heteropoly acids (HPAs) are reviewed. Alkylphenols are oxidized into 1,4-quinones with a selectivity of 85–99%, and C₂-C₄ olefins in the presence of Pd complexes are oxidized into carbonyl compounds with a selectivity of 98–99%. The bifunctional (acidic and oxidizing) properties of HPA solutions were used for the first time to synthesize anthraquinones and vitamin K₃.     

Selective immunoclean-up followed by liquid or gas chromatography for the monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban waste water and sewage sludges used for soil amendment

A selective clean-up procedure using immunoaffinity solid-phase extraction was applied for the trace-level determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban waste water and sewage sludges used for soil amendment. Anti-pyrene antibodies have been immobilized on a silica-based sorbent and the cross-reactivity of the antibodies towards structurally related compounds were allowed to extract the whole class of priority PAHs. The selectivity of the antibodies provided clean extracts from sludges and, therefore, the identification and quantification were shown to be easier using either liquid chromatography (LC) with UV diode array and fluorescence detection in series or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), although some loss of up to 50% was observed for the clean-up. The identification of the PAHs by matching of UV and MS spectra was greatly improved. The procedure, including immunoclean-up and LC coupled to diode array and fluorescence detection, was validated using certified reference materials with native PAHs of concentrations in the range of 0.57-2.16 mg/kg (dry sludges).     

Control of extremely fast competitive consecutive reactions using micromixing. Selective Friedel-Crafts aminoalkylation

Friedel-Crafts reactions of aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds with an N-acyliminium ion pool were studied. The reaction of 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene in a batch reactor gave rise to the selective formation of a monoalkylation product (69%). Presumably, the second alkylation is slower than the first alkylation because of the protonation of the monoalkylation product that decreases its reactivity. The reaction of 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene, however, gave rise to the formation of both monoalkylation (37%) and dialkylation (32%) products. Disguised chemical selectivity due to faster reaction than mixing seems to be responsible for the lack of selectivity. The use of micromixing was found to be quite effective to solve this problem to increase the selectivity. The monoalkylation product was obtained in 92% yield together with a small amount of the dialkylation product (4%). The reaction with various aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds revealed that the low mono/dialkylation selectivity was observed only for highly reactive aromatics. In such cases, the use of micromixing was quite effective to improve the selectivity. On the basis of micromixing, the selective sequential dialkylation using two different N-acyliminium ions was achieved. CFD simulations using a laminar flow and finite-rate model are consistent with the experimental observations and clearly indicate the importance of mixing.     

Evaluation of 3- and 4-Phenoxybenzamides as Selective Inhibitors of the Mono-ADP-Ribosyltransferase PARP10

Intracellular ADP-ribosyltransferases catalyze mono- and poly-ADP-ribosylation and affect a broad range of biological processes. The mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase PARP10 is involved in signaling and DNA repair. Previous studies identified OUL35 as a selective, cell permeable inhibitor of PARP10. We have further explored the chemical space of OUL35 by synthesizing and investigating structurally related analogs. Key synthetic steps were metal-catalyzed cross-couplings and functional group modifications. We identified 4-(4-cyanophenoxy)benzamide and 3-(4-carbamoylphenoxy)benzamide as PARP10 inhibitors with distinct selectivities. Both compounds were cell permeable and interfered with PARP10 toxicity. Moreover, both revealed some inhibition of PARP2 but not PARP1, unlike clinically used PARP inhibitors, which typically inhibit both enzymes. Using crystallography and molecular modeling the binding of the compounds to different ADP-ribosyltransferases was explored regarding selectivity. Together, these studies define additional compounds that interfere with PARP10 function and thus expand our repertoire of inhibitors to further optimize selectivity and potency.     

Heterogeneous oxidation of alcohols with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by polyoxometalate metal–organic framework

HSiW-MOF, PMo-MOF, HPMo-MOF and PW-MOF were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, UV–Vis, FT-IR, cyclic voltammetry and XRD. These compounds were used as catalyst for the selective oxidation of alcohols by hydrogen peroxide. Within them, PW-MOF showed a higher catalytic activity compared to other catalysts in a similar reaction condition. Therefore, PW-MOF catalyst system was successfully used for the selective oxidation of the benzylic, linear and secondary alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes and ketones. Also, allylic alcohols were converted to the corresponding aldehydes with high conversion and significant selectivity. Moreover, PW-MOF was stable to leaching, behaved as true heterogeneous catalysts, easily recovered by filtration, and reused four times with the preserve of the catalytic performance.