Investigation by EPR and ENDOR spectroscopy of the novel 4Fe ferredoxin fromPyrococcus furiosus

The hyperthermophilic archaeonPyrococcus furiosus contains a four-Fe ferredoxin (Pf- Fd) that differs from most other 4Fe-Fd’s in that its [Fe₄S₄] cluster is anchored to protein by only three cysteinyl residues.Pf- Fd also is of interest because in its reduced form, [Fe₄S₄]⁺, the cluster exhibits bothS = 1/2 andS = 3/2 spin states. Addition of excess cyanide ion converts the cluster exclusively to anS = 1/2 state (g₁ = 2.09, g₂ = 1.95, g₃ = 1.92), however dialysis restores the EPR signal of native reduced protein indicating that the cluster is not irreversibly altered by cyanide. Both the native protein and protein in the presence of excess cyanide ion (Pf- Fd 4Fe-CN) were investigated here using the techniques of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy. In particular,Pf- Fd 4Fe-CN was investigated using¹³CN^? and C¹⁵N^? ligands.¹³C and¹⁵N ENDOR indicated that a single cyanide ion bound directly, with the cluster showing an unusually small contact interaction (a_iso(¹³C)～ ?3 MHz, a_iso(¹⁵N) ～ 0). This is in contrast to cyanide bound to monomeric low-spin Fe(III)-containing proteins such as transferrin and myoglobin, for which the¹³C hyperfine coupling has a large isotropic component (a_iso(¹³C) ≈ ?30 MHz). This small contact interaction is not due to low spin density of Fe, as⁵⁷Fe ENDOR of the singly and triply labeledPf- Fd 4FeCN isotopologs, [⁵⁷FeFe₃S₄]⁺ and [Fe⁵⁷Fe₃S₄]⁺, show hyperfine coupling characteristic for [Fe₄S₄]⁺ clusters, particularly for the Fe to which cyanide binds. Thus, the low spin density on¹³C is not due to low spin density on the Fe ion to which it binds. Further theoretical work is needed to explain the contrast between the strong electronic effect of cyanide ion binding with the low spin density on the ligand.     

Precipitation from homogeneous solution by photochemical action: determination of thorium

Thorium was precipitated from homogeneous solution by photochemical reduction of periodate to iodate in a solution containing thorium and perchloric acid, by means of a 2537 A low-pressure mercury vapour lamp. For weighing, the precipitate was redissolved, precipitated once as thorium hydroxide, and finally as thorium oxalate, which was ignited to thorium dioxide. Quantitative results were obtained in the range 35-180 mg of thorium.     

Synthesis and structures of zirconium amide-iodide complexes

Zirconium amide-iodide complexes were synthesized for possible use as chemical vapor deposition precursors to zirconium nitride films. The series of six complexes Zr(NR(2))(4-n)I(n)(R = Me or Et; n = 1-3) was prepared by reacting ZrI(4) and Zr(NR(2))(4) in hot toluene. X-ray crystallographic analyses were performed for Zr(NMe(2))(3)I, Zr(NEt(2))(2)I(2), and Zr(NEt(2))I(3). In the solid state, Zr(NMe(2))(3)I and Zr(NEt(2))(2)I(2) are the discrete dimers [Zr(NMe(2))(2)I(mu-NMe(2))](2) and [Zr(NEt(2))(2)I(mu-I)](2), and Zr(NEt(2))I(3) is the polymer of dimers ([Zr(NEt(2))I(2)(mu-I)](2))(n). In solution, Zr(NEt(2))(3)I is proposed to be monomeric on the basis of NMR data and a molecular weight determination. The complex Zr(NEt(2))(3)I is the most promising precursor candidate because of its physical properties.     

The reactive states of ions: Dimethyl-hexadienes and tetramethylcyclobutenes

The principal decomposition routes of molecular ions of cis, cis-3,4-dimethyl-2-4-hexadiene, cis, trans-3,4-dimethyl-2,4-hexadiene, cis-1,2,3,4-tetramethylcyclobutene and trans-1,2,3,4-tetramethylcyclobutene were studied using ion kinetic energy spectroscopy. Evidence indecates that loss of radicals from [M]⁺· appears to proceed via an electronically excited state, while loss of a neutral molecule appears to involve complete equilibration of structure within the system, or may involve both ground state and excited state pathways.     

Highly stereoselective syntheses of syn- and anti-1,2-amino alcohols

The reduction of N-protected amino ketones can be carried stereoselectively to produce either the syn- or anti-amino alcohol diastereomer. Carbamate-protected amino ketones can be reduced predictably and selectively to anti-amino alcohols with LiAlH(O-t-Bu)3 in ethanol at -78 degrees C. N-Trityl-protected amino ketones can be reduced selectively to syn-amino alcohols with LiAlH(O-t-Bu)3 in THF at -5 degrees C.     

An insight into the aromaticity of fullerene anions: experimental evidence for diamagnetic ring currents in the five-membered rings of C(60)(6-) and C(70)(6-)

Reduction of the two "closed" [6,6] methanofullerenes, [6,6]C(61)H(2) (1) and [6,6]C(71)H(2) (5), to the corresponding hexaanions with lithium metal causes the bridgehead-bridgehead bonds to open, at least partially, and this change gives rise to diamagnetic ring currents in the resulting homoconjugated six-membered rings (6-MRs). These new ring currents shield the overlying hydrogen atoms on the methylene bridge and induce upfield shifts of 1.60 and 0.11 ppm in their (1)H NMR resonances, respectively. Analogous reduction of the already "open" [5,6]methanofullerenes, [5,6]C(61)H(2) (2) and [5,6]C(71)H(2) (3 and 4), only slightly enhances the shielding of the hydrogen atoms over the homoconjugated 6-MRs (upfield shifts of 0.13, 0.68, and 0.14 ppm, respectively) but leads to exceptionally strong diamagnetic ring currents in the homoconjugated five- membered rings (5-MRs), as evidenced by dramatic shielding of the hydrogen atoms situated over them (upfield shift of 5.01, 6.78, and 1.63 ppm, respectively). The strongest shielding is seen for the hydrogen atom sitting over the 5-MR at the pole of C(71)H(2)(6)(-) (delta = -0.255 ppm) indicating that the excess charge density is concentrated at the poles.