Study of spin–lattice relaxation and local motion in dissolved poly[2,2-propanediylbis(3,5-dimethyl-4, hydroxyphenyl)carbonate]

Proton and carbon-13 spin–lattice relaxation times are reported for 10-wt % solutions of tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonate. The relaxation times for both nuclei were measured at two Larmor frequencies and as a function of temperature. These relaxation times are interpreted in terms of three motions: segmental motion, restricted rotational diffusion, and backbone methyl-group rotation. The Hall–Helfand correlation function is used to describe the segmental motion. Internal rotation is described by the usual Woessner approach and restricted anisotropic rotational diffusion by the Gronski approach. As demonstrated by its higher activation energy, correlated segmental motion appears to be slower than the unsubstituted polycarbonate of BPA. In addition, the single-transition processes seem to be still less important than correlated backbone transitions. Phenylene-group rotation is described in terms of restricted rotational diffusion instead of complete anisotropic rotation. The time scale for backbone methyl-group rotation is comparable to that in BPA, a fact indicative of weaker cooperativity between this motion and the other motions. Rotation of the methyl group attached to the phenylene ring is too fast to significantly contribute to relaxation except by partially averaging the dipole–dipole interactions. The higher activation energies for segmental motion observed in solution for this methyl-substituted polycarbonate relative to the unsubstituted polycarbonate parallel a significant increase in the glass transition temperature observed for the substituted material. The restricted pheylene-group rotation in solution is also parallelled by a large upward shift of the low-temperature loss peak in the glassy polymer.     

Conformational Isomers of Calcineurin Follow Distinct Dissociation Pathways

In the gas-phase, ions of protein complexes typically follow an asymmetric dissociation pathway upon collisional activation, whereby an expelled small monomer takes a disproportionately large amount of the charges from the precursor ion. This phenomenon has been rationalized by assuming that upon activation, a single monomer becomes unfolded, thereby attracting charges to its newly exposed basic residues. Here, we report on the atypical gas-phase dissociation of the therapeutically important, heterodimeric calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine phosphatase calcineurin, using a combination of tandem mass spectrometry, ion mobility mass spectrometry, and computational modeling. Therefore, a hetero-dimeric calcineurin construct (62?kDa), composed of CNa (44?kDa, a truncation mutant missing the calmodulin binding and auto-inhibitory domains), and CNb (18?kDa), was used. Upon collisional activation, this hetero-dimer follows the commonly observed dissociation behavior, whereby the smaller CNb becomes highly charged and is expelled. Surprisingly, in addition, a second atypical dissociation pathway, whereby the charge partitioning over the two entities is more symmetric is observed. The presence of two gas-phase conformational isomers of calcineurin as revealed by ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) may explain the co-occurrence of these two dissociation pathways. We reveal the direct relationship between the conformation of the calcineurin precursor ion and its concomitant dissociation pathway and provide insights into the mechanisms underlying this co-occurrence of the typical and atypical fragmentation mechanisms.     

The thermoelectric power of the metallic glass Ca0.8Al0.2

We report the first measurement of the thermoelectric power Q, of a metallic glass that contains only normal metals. The thermoelectric power of amorphous Ca_0.8Al_0.2 has been measured as a function of temperature from 10 K to 420 K. It is found that Q is positive, varies linearly with temperature and has a small slope. This is similar to the thermoelectric power found for other metallic glasses containing large concentrations of transition metal atoms.     

Generalized Kolbenstvedt model for electron impact ionization of K-, L- and M-shell atoms

The recently modified Kolbenstvedt (MKLV) model [Eur. Phys. J. D 37, 361 (2006)], developed for electron impact ionization (EII) of the K-shell atomic targets, has been extended to generalize its two parameters in terms of the electronic orbitals nl. The generalized MKLV (GKLV) with two sets of the species independent parameters for the same nl, one set for the ionization of inner orbits and another for the outermost orbit, is found profoundly successful in accounting for the EII cross section data of the K, L and M-shell neutral atoms with atomic numbers Z = 1-92 for the incident energies up to 1000 MeV in a consistent manner.     

Square planar complexes of Cu(II) and Ni(II) with N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O donor set of two Schiff base ligands: synthesis and structural aspects

Abstract Two new square planar Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes, [CuL¹(NCO)] (1) and [NiL²(N₃)] (2) have been synthesized with two different tridentate N₂O donor Schiff base ligands L ¹ H (1:1 condensation product of benzoylacetone and 2-diethylaminoethylamine) and L ² H (1:1 condensation product of benzoylacetone and 2-dimethylaminoethylamine), respectively. Both the complexes 1 and 2 have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, room temperature magnetic susceptibility measurement, electrochemical, thermal, and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Structural studies reveal that in both the complexes metal centers have square planar environment with N₂O donor set of Schiff base ligands and terminal pseudohalide anions (isocyanate for 1 and azide for 2) at four coordination sites of square plane. Graphical abstract Square planar complexes of Cu(II) and Ni(II) with N ₂ O donor set of two Schiff base ligands: synthesis and structural aspects Subhra Basak, Soma Sen, Samiran Mitra, C. Marschner, W. S. Sheldrick Two new square planar Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes, [CuL¹(NCO)] (1) and [NiL²(N₃)] (2) have been synthesized with two different tridentate N₂O donor Schiff base ligands L ¹ H and L ² H respectively. Both the complexes 1 and 2 have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, room temperature magnetic susceptibility measurement, electrochemical, thermal and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies.      

Metal Complexes with Macrocyclic Ligands. Part XXVI. Synthesis and spectral properties of Cu2+ complexes with mono-N-functionalized 1,4,8-trimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanes

A series of mono-N-functionalized 1,4,8-trimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanes 3 – 14 were synthesized by alkylating the secondary N-atom of the macrocycle 1 . The spectral properties of the Cu²⁺ complexes, studied under different pH conditions, are discussed in relation to the possibility of coordination of the donor group of the side chain to the axial position of the metal ion and to the effect of the length of the side chain.     

Studies on intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions of furo[3,4-c]pyridines in the synthesis of conformationally restricted analogues of nicotine and anabasine

En route to conformationally restricted analogues of nicotine and anabasine, a novel synthetic route to bridged anabasines is described that hinges on a domino intramolecular [4 + 2]-cycloaddition/ring opening-elimination sequence of 3-amino-substituted furo[3,4-c]pyridines. Extension of this route to bridged nicotines, however, proved abortive, even when the dienophile tether is activated by a p-tolylsulfonyl group or when the diene moiety is activated by an electron-releasing methoxy substituent. A detailed density functional theoretical study (B3LYP/6-31+G) was undertaken to provide insight into the factors that facilitate an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction in the former case.     

A Garratt-Braverman route to isoindolines and phthalans

Garratt-Braverman (GB) cyclization, two CC bond forming reaction in a single step, has been utilized to construct several isoindoline and phthalan derivatives. The precursors were the bispropargyl protected amines and ethers with one of the propargyl arm substituted with an alkene moiety. The GB cyclizations were generally carried out in presence of DBU in refluxing toluene. In case of the bispropargyl amine systems with the alkene arm substituted with electron withdrawing ester group, the cyclization occurred at room temperature. The yields of cyclization ranged from 64 to 86% which are acceptable considering the formation of two CC bonds. The protected isoindolines could be successfully deprotected by treatment with thiophenol in presence of triethyl amine and the corresponding free amines were isolated as the TFA salts.     

Role of sulfur compounds in the detection of amino acids by ninhydrin on TLC plate

Three new sulfur reagents for specific identification of amino acids on thin-layer chromatography plates have been introduced. These three sulfur containing reagents are capable of developing various distinguishable colors with many of them. A probable mechanism for such color formation is proposed.     

A novel azetidinyl gamma-lactam based peptide with a preference for beta-turn conformation

Novel azetidinyl gamma-lactam based peptides have been synthesized with only compound showing a preference for the beta-turn conformation.