EPR spectroscopy of multicomponent,multispin molecular system obtained by the photolysis of 2,4,6-triazido-3-cyano-5-fluoropyridine in solid argon

Complex multicomponent, multispin molecular system, consisting of a septet trinitrene, two quintet dinitrenes, and three triplet mononitrenes, was obtained by the photolysis of 2,4,6-triazido-3-cyano-5-fluoropyridine in solid argon. To identify these paramagnetic products, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy in combination with line-shape spectral simulations and density functional theory calculations was used. The products of the photolysis was found to be triplet 2,4-diazido-3-cyano-5-fluoropyridyl-6-nitrene (D_T = 1.000 cm⁻¹, E_T = 0), triplet 2,4-diazido-3-cyano-5-fluoropyridyl-2-nitrene (D_T = 1.043 cm⁻¹, E_T = 0), triplet 2,6-diazido-3-cyano-5-fluoropyridyl-4-nitrene (D_T = 1.128 cm⁻¹, E_T = 0 cm⁻¹), quintet 4-azido-3-cyano-5-fluoropyridyl-2,6-dinitrene (D_Q = 0.211 cm⁻¹, E_Q = 0.0532 cm⁻¹), quintet 2-azido-3-cyano-5-fluoropyridyl-4,6-dinitrene (D_Q = 0.208 cm⁻¹, E_Q = 0.0386 cm⁻¹), and septet 3-cyano-5-fluoropyridyl-2,4,6-trinitrene (D_S = −0.1017 cm⁻¹, E_S = −0.0042 cm⁻¹) in a 38:4:7:22:14:4 ratio, respectively.     

EPR spectroscopy of quintet 4-amino-3,5-dichloropyridine-2,6-diyldinitrene isolated in solid argon

An EPR spectrum of solid Ar isolated quintet 4-amino-3,5-dichloropyridin-2,6-diyldinitrene that formed by the photolysis of 4-amino-2,6-diazido-3,5-dichloropyridine at 15 K was recorded. Using computer simulation based on numerical diagonalization of the quintet spin Hamiltonian matrices, it was established that this EPR spectrum corresponds to a quintet spin state with the magnetic parameters g = 2.0023, |D _q| = 0.2100 cm⁻¹, and |E _q| = 0.0560 cm⁻¹. Owing to high resolution of the experimental spectrum, the zero-field splitting parameters of the quintet intermediate were determined to an accuracy of at least 5·10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹. Calculations of the fine-structure energy levels in external magnetic field and the dependences of the EPR signal positions and intensities of the quintet dinitrene on the direction of external magnetic field were performed for the first time. This allowed unambiguous assignment of all EPR lines of quintet molecules having both in-principal-axis and off-principal-axis orientations. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2284–2289, December, 2007.     

Spin–Orbit Contributions in High‐Spin Nitrenes/Carbenes: A Hybrid CASSCF/MRMP2 Study of Zero‐Field Splitting Tensors

Zero‐field splitting (ZFS) tensors ( D tensors) of organic high‐spin oligonitrenes/oligocarbenes up to spin‐septet are quantitatively determined on the basis of quantum chemical calculations. The spin–orbit contributions, D ^SO tensors are calculated in terms of a hybrid CASSCF/MRMP2 approach, which was recently proposed by us. The spin–spin counterparts, D ^SS tensors are computed based on McWeeny–Mizuno’s equation in conjunction with the RODFT spin densities. The present calculations show that more than 10 % of ZFS arises from spin–orbit interactions in the high‐spin nitrenes under study. Contributions of spin‐bearing site–site interactions are estimated with the aid of a semi‐empirical model for the D tensors and found to be ca. 5 % of the D ^SO tensor. The analysis of intermediate states reveal that the largest contributions to the calculated D ^SO tensors are attributed to intra‐site spin flip excitations and delocalized π and π* orbitals play an important role in the inter‐site spin–orbit interactions.     

A Bioresistant Nitroxide Spin Label for In‐Cell EPR Spectroscopy: In Vitro and In Oocytes Protein Structural Dynamics Studies

Approaching protein structural dynamics and protein–protein interactions in the cellular environment is a fundamental challenge. Owing to its absolute sensitivity and to its selectivity to paramagnetic species, site‐directed spin labeling (SDSL) combined with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has the potential to evolve into an efficient method to follow conformational changes in proteins directly inside cells. Until now, the use of nitroxide‐based spin labels for in‐cell studies has represented a major hurdle because of their short persistence in the cellular context. The design and synthesis of the first maleimido‐proxyl‐based spin label (M‐TETPO) resistant towards reduction and being efficient to probe protein dynamics by continuous wave and pulsed EPR is presented. In particular, the extended lifetime of M‐TETPO enabled the study of structural features of a chaperone in the absence and presence of its binding partner at endogenous concentration directly inside cells.     

Properties of Triplet Tetrachloro-4-pyridylnitrene Isolated in Inert Matrices

Photolysis of 4-azidotetrachloropyridine isolated in inert matrices at low temperatures leads to formation of triplet tetrachloro-4-pyridylnitrene as the sole product of the photochemical reaction. In the EPR spectrum, this nitrene gives an intense signal and is characterized by zero-field splitting parameters. The UV spectrum of nitrene in solid argon contains a series of high-intensity and medium-intensity absorption bands. The IR spectrum in solid argon agrees well with nonempirical and semiempirical calculations. On exposure to light, nitrene easily reacts with molecular carbon(II) oxide, forming the corresponding isocyanate. Irradiation with light does not result in formation of bicyclic azirine, but initiates the reverse reaction of fixation by nitrene of the molecular nitrogen contained in the solid argon, leading to the starting azide.     

SLIM: A Short‐Linked,Highly Redox‐Stable Trityl Label for High‐Sensitivity In‐Cell EPR Distance Measurements

The understanding of biomolecular function is coupled to knowledge about the structure and dynamics of these biomolecules, preferably acquired under native conditions. In this regard, pulsed dipolar EPR spectroscopy (PDS) in conjunction with site‐directed spin labeling (SDSL) is an important method in the toolbox of biophysical chemistry. However, the currently available spin labels have diverse deficiencies for in‐cell applications, for example, low radical stability or long bioconjugation linkers. In this work, a synthesis strategy is introduced for the derivatization of trityl radicals with a maleimide‐functionalized methylene group. The resulting trityl spin label, called SLIM, yields narrow distance distributions, enables highly sensitive distance measurements down to concentrations of 90 nm , and shows high stability against reduction. Using this label, the guanine‐nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI) domain of Yersinia outer protein O (YopO) is shown to change its conformation within eukaryotic cells.     

A 13C‐Labeled Triarylmethyl Radical as an EPR Spin Probe Highly Sensitive to Molecular Tumbling

A stable triarylmethyl spin probe whose electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum is highly sensitive to molecular tumbling is reported. The strong anisotropy of the hyperfine coupling tensor with the central carbon of a ¹³C₁‐labeled triarylmethyl radical enables the measurement of the probe rotational correlation time with applications to measure microviscosity and molecular dynamics.     

A Spirocyclohexyl Nitroxide Amino Acid Spin Label for Pulsed EPR Spectroscopy Distance Measurements

Site‐directed spin labeling and EPR spectroscopy offer accurate, sensitive tools for the characterization of structure and function of macromolecules and their assemblies. A new rigid spin label, spirocyclohexyl nitroxide α‐amino acid and its N‐(9‐fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl) derivative, have been synthesized, which exhibit slow enough spin‐echo dephasing to permit accurate distance measurements by pulsed EPR spectroscopy at temperatures up to 125 K in 1:1 water/glycerol and at higher temperatures in matrices with higher glass transition temperatures. Distance measurements in the liquid nitrogen temperature range are less expensive than those that require liquid helium, which will greatly facilitate applications of pulsed EPR spectroscopy to the study of structure and conformation of peptides and proteins.     

EPR/Spin‐trapping study of free radical intermediates in the photolysis of trifluoromethyl ketones with initiators

Photolysis of trifluoromethyl ketones (TFMKs) 1a–1e versus the non‐fluorinated ketones 2a–2b in the presence of radical initiators by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy has been studied for the first time. The transient radicals generated after irradiation of the ketones were identified by trapping with 2‐methyl‐2‐nitrosopropane (MNP) and 2,4,6‐tri‐tert‐butylnitrosobenzene (TTBNB) as spin traps. TTBNB is a powerful, particularly useful spin trap in these kinds of processes producing anilino and nitroxyl spin adducts due to the ambivalent reactivity on the N and O atoms. In the presence of t‐butylperoxide, short‐chain TFMKs, such as 1,1,1‐trifluoroacetone (1d) and hexafluoroacetone (1e), give rise to detection of the elusive trifluoromethyl radical. In contrast, long‐chain TFMKs did not provide clues to prove formation of the trifluoromethyl radical but instead to radicals derived by abstraction of one α‐methylene proton to the carbonyl. Although TFMKs are quite stable to photodegradation in the absence of initiator, methyl ketone 2b and phenyl ketone 3 produce radicals resulting from abstraction of a γ‐hydrogen to the carbonyl group. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photochemical synthesis and ESR spectra of quintet meta-phenylenedinitrenes

Relationships between the molecular structures and zero-field splitting parameters of quintet m-phenylenedinitrenes formed during the photolysis of 1,3-diazidobenzenes in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran solutions frozen at 77 K were studied by ESR spectroscopy and B3LYP/6-31G* calculations. Simulations of the W₋₂/W₋₁, W₊₂/W₊₁, W₋₁/W₀, W₊₁/W₀, and W₊₂/W₀ (Δm _s = 2) transitions were performed for the first time and all signals in the ESR spectra of quintet m-phenylenedinitrenes were unambiguously assigned. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1085–1089, July, 2006.     

The Double‐Histidine Cu2+‐Binding Motif: A Highly Rigid,Site‐Specific Spin Probe for Electron Spin Resonance Distance Measurements

The development of ESR methods that measure long‐range distance distributions has advanced biophysical research. However, the spin labels commonly employed are highly flexible, which leads to ambiguity in relating ESR measurements to protein‐backbone structure. Herein we present the double‐histidine (dHis) Cu²⁺‐binding motif as a rigid spin probe for double electron–electron resonance (DEER) distance measurements. The spin label is assembled in situ from natural amino acid residues and a metal salt, requires no postexpression synthetic modification, and provides distance distributions that are dramatically narrower than those found with the commonly used protein spin label. Simple molecular modeling based on an X‐ray crystal structure of an unlabeled protein led to a predicted most probable distance within 0.5 Å of the experimental value. Cu²⁺ DEER with the dHis motif shows great promise for the resolution of precise, unambiguous distance constraints that relate directly to protein‐backbone structure and flexibility.     

Pulsed EPR Dipolar Spectroscopy on Spin Pairs with one Highly Anisotropic Spin Center: The Low-Spin FeIII Case

Pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dipolar spectroscopy (PDS) offers several methods for measuring dipolar coupling constants and thus the distance between electron spin centers. Up to now, PDS measurements have been mostly applied to spin centers whose g-anisotropies are moderate and therefore have a negligible effect on the dipolar coupling constants. In contrast, spin centers with large g-anisotropy yield dipolar coupling constants that depend on the g-values. In this case, the usual methods of extracting distances from the raw PDS data cannot be applied. Here, the effect of the g-anisotropy on PDS data is studied in detail on the example of the low-spin Fe³⁺ ion. First, this effect is described theoretically, using the work of Bedilo and Maryasov (Appl. Magn. Reson. 2006 , 30, 683–702) as a basis. Then, two known Fe³⁺/nitroxide compounds and one new Fe³⁺/trityl compound were synthesized and PDS measurements were carried out on them using a method called relaxation induced dipolar modulation enhancement (RIDME). Based on the theoretical results, a RIDME data analysis procedure was developed, which facilitated the extraction of the inter-spin distance and the orientation of the inter-spin vector relative to the Fe³⁺ g-tensor frame from the RIDME data. The accuracy of the determined distances and orientations was confirmed by comparison with MD simulations. This method can thus be applied to the highly relevant class of metalloproteins with, for example, low-spin Fe³⁺ ions.     

Construction of Giant‐Spin Hamiltonians from Many‐Spin Hamiltonians by Third‐Order Perturbation Theory and Application to an Fe3Cr Single‐Molecule Magnet

A general giant‐spin Hamiltonian (GSH) describing an effective spin multiplet of an exchange‐coupled metal cluster with dominant Heisenberg interactions was derived from a many‐spin Hamiltonian (MSH) by treating anisotropic interactions at the third order of perturbation theory. Going beyond the existing second‐order perturbation treatment allows irreducible tensor operators of rank six (or corresponding Stevens operator equivalents) in the GSH to be obtained. Such terms were found to be of crucial importance for the fitting of high‐field EPR spectra of a number of single‐molecule magnets (SMMs). Also, recent magnetization measurements on trigonal and tetragonal SMMs have found the inclusion of such high‐rank axial and transverse terms to be necessary to account for experimental data in terms of giant‐spin models. While mixing of spin multiplets by local zero‐field splitting interactions was identified as the major origin of these contributions to the GSH, a direct and efficient microscopic explanation had been lacking. The third‐order approach developed in this work is used to illustrate the mapping of an MSH onto a GSH for an trigonal Fe₃Cr complex that was recently investigated by high‐field EPR spectroscopy. Comparisons between MSH and GSH consider the simulation of EPR data with both Hamiltonians, as well as locations of diabolical points (conical intersections) in magnetic‐field space. The results question the ability of present high‐field EPR techniques to determine high‐rank zero‐field splitting terms uniquely, and lead to a revision of the experimental GSH parameters of the Fe₃Cr SMM. Indeed, a bidirectional mapping between MSH and GSH effectively constrains the number of free parameters in the GSH. This notion may in the future facilitate spectral fitting for highly symmetric SMMs.     

Synthesis and Conformational Characterisation of Hexameric β‐Peptide Foldamers by Using Double POAC Spin Labelling and cw‐EPR

A selected set of terminally protected β‐hexapeptides, each containing two nitroxide‐based (3R,4R)‐4‐amino‐1‐oxyl‐2,2,5,5‐tetramethylpyrrolidine‐3‐carboxylic acid (POAC) residues combined with four (1S,2S)‐2‐aminocyclopentane‐1‐carboxylic acid (ACPC) residues, was synthesised by using solution methods and was fully characterised. The two POAC residues are separated in the sequences by different numbers of intervening ACPC residues. The conformational features of the doubly spin‐labelled β‐hexapeptides were examined in chloroform by FTIR absorption and continuous‐wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic techniques. In particular, the biradical exchange coupling (J) between two POAC residues within each peptide indicates unambiguously that the secondary structure overwhelmingly adopted is the 12‐helix. Taken together, these results support the view that POAC is an excellent β‐amino acid for exploring this type of helical conformation in doubly labelled β‐peptides.     

A 13C-Labeled Triarylmethyl Radical as an EPR Spin Probe Highly Sensitive to Molecular Tumbling

A stable triarylmethyl spin probe whose electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum is highly sensitive to molecular tumbling is reported. The strong anisotropy of the hyperfine coupling tensor with the central carbon of a ¹³C₁-labeled triarylmethyl radical enables the measurement of the probe rotational correlation time with applications to measure microviscosity and molecular dynamics.