4‐(2‐Hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine and the 2‐(2,3‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐, 2‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐ and 2‐(2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐substituted derivatives

The 1,5‐benzodiazepine ring system exhibits a puckered boat‐like conformation for all four title compounds [4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₁H₁₈N₂O, (I), 2‐(2,3‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₃H₂₂N₂O₃, (II), 2‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₃H₂₂N₂O₃, (III), and 2‐(2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine, C₂₃H₂₂N₂O₃, (IV)]. The stereochemical correlation of the two C₆ aromatic groups with respect to the benzodiazepine ring system is pseudo‐equatorial–equatorial for compounds (I) (the phenyl group), (II) (the 2,3‐dimethoxyphenyl group) and (III) (the 3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl group), while for (IV) (the 2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl group) the system is pseudo‐axial–equatorial. An intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl OH group and a benzodiazepine N atom is present for all four compounds and defines a six‐membered ring, whose geometry is constant across the series. Although the molecular structures are similar, the supramolecular packing is different; compounds (I) and (IV) form chains, while (II) forms dimeric units and (III) displays a layered structure. The packing seems to depend on at least two factors: (i) the nature of the atoms defining the hydrogen bond and (ii) the number of intermolecular interactions of the types O—H...O, N—H...O, N—H...π(arene) or C—H...π(arene).     

Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties of novel heterobimetallic malonate-bridged MIIReIV complexes (M = Mn, Fe, Co and Ni)

Five novel ReIV-MII bimetallic complexes of formula [ReCl4(mu-mal)M(dmphen)2].MeCN [M = Co (1), Fe (2) and Ni (3)], [ReCl4(mu-mal)Ni(dmphen)(MeCN)2(H2O)].(MeCN)0.5(H2O)0.5 (4), and [ReCl4(mu-mal)Mn(dmphen)(H2O)2].dmphen.MeCN.H2O (5) (mal = malonate dianion, dmphen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) have been synthesized, and the structures of 1, 2, 4, and 5 determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structures of 1 and 2 consist of neutral [ReCl4(mu-mal)M(dmphen)2] dinuclear units where the metal ions are linked through a malonate ligand which adopts simultaneously the bidentate (at ReIV) and monodentate (at MII) coordination modes. The bridging carboxylate-malonate group in them exhibits the anti-syn conformation. The rhenium atom is six-coordinated with four chloro atoms and two carboxylate-oxygens from a bidentate malonate group in a distorted octahedral environment. The M atom is five-coordinated being surrounded by four nitrogen atoms of two bidentate dmphen ligands and one oxygen atom of the malonato ligand. There are also ReIV(mu-mal)NiII dinuclear units in 4 with the same type of bridge, but the nickel atom is six-coordinated with one bidentate dmphen, two molecules of acetonitrile and one water molecule as peripheral ligands. Compound 5 is a neutral chain compound with regular alternating rhenium(IV) and manganese(II) ions. The [ReCl4(mal)]2- units in each chain act as bismonodenate ligands through two carboxylate-oxygen atoms toward [Mn(dmphen)(H2O)2]2+ entities. Variable-temperature magnetic measurements of 1-5 in the temperature range 2.0-300 K show the occurrence of weak antiferromagnetic interactions which are rationalized on the basis of the structural knowledge and simple orbital considerations. Very noticeable is compound 5, a ferrimagnetic chain with regular alternating ReIV and MnII cations.     

Effect of ionic interactions on the oxidation of Fe(II) with H2O2 in aqueous solutions

The oxidation of Fe(II) with H₂O₂ has been measured in NaCl and NaClO₄ solutions as a function of pH, temperature T (K) and ionic strength (M, mol-L^–1). The rate constants, k (M^–1-sec^–1), d[Fe(II)]/DT=-k[Fe(II)][₂O₂]at pH=6.5 have been fitted to equations of the formlog k = log k₀+ AI ^1/2+BI+CI ^1/2/T Where log k₀=15.53-3425/T in water; A=–2.3, –1.35; B=0.334, 0.180; and C=391, 235, respectively, for NaCl (=0.09) and NaClO₄ ( =0.08). Measurements made in NaCl solutions with added anions yield rates in the order B(OH) ₄ ^– >HCO ₃ ^– >ClO ₄ ^– >Cl^–>NO ₃ ^– >SO ₄ ^2– and are attributed to the relative strength of the interactions of Fe²⁺ or FeOH⁺ with these anions. The FeB(OH) ₄ ⁺ species is more reactive while the FeCO ₃ ⁰ , FeCl⁺, FeNO ₃ ⁺ and FeSO ₄ ⁰ species are less reactive than the FeOH⁺ ion pair. The general trend is similar to our earlier studies of the oxidation of Fe(II) with O₂ except for B(OH) ₄ ^– . The effect of pH on the logk was found to be a quadratic function of the concentration of H⁺ or OH^– from pH=4 to 8. These results have been attributed to the different rate constants for Fe²⁺ (k₀) and FeOH⁺ (k₁) which are related to the measured k by, k=k_0Fe + k_1FeOH, where _i is the molar fraction of species i. The rates increase due to the greater reactivity of FeOH⁺ compared to Fe²⁺. k₀ is independent of composition and ionic strength but k₁ is a function of ionic strength and composition due to the interactions of FeOH⁺ with various anions.     

Production of exocellular polysaccharide by azotobacter chroococcwn

Environmental conditions affect the production of extracellular polysaccharide by Azotobacter chroococcum ATCC 4412. Production of exocellular polymer from a variety of carbon sources depended on the air flow rate. A high sucrose concentration in medium (8%) markedly favored expopolysaccharide production, which reached 14 g/L in about 72 h. In cell suspensions incubated in the presence of 8% sucrose in a nitrogen-free medium, biopolymer final concentration of 9 g/L corresponds to 68 g/g biomass. Maximum efficiency of sucrose conversion into exopolysaccharide peaked at 70% for initial disaccharide concentration of 6%. High performance liquid chromatography and gas liquid chromatography of acid hydrolysates of the exopolymer revealed the presence of mannuronosyl, guluronosyl, and acetyl residues, but not neutral sugars. The infrared spectrum corroborated the presence of carboxylate anions and O-acetyl groups in the exopolymer. Though the presence of more than one kind of polysaccharide cannot be ruled out, these data suggest that, under the experimental conditions used in this work, only a type of alginate-like exopolysaccharide is produced by A. chroococcum ATCC 4412.     

DFT studies on coordination models for adsorption essays of Cu(II) and Ni(II) solutions in modified silica gel with iminodiacetic groups

Research in functionalized inorganic supports faces special challenges regarding the inmobilization of organic chains and efficient computational methods for the quantum chemical modeling of coordination compounds. The silylant 3-cloropropyltriethoxysilyl (R1) was anchored over silica gel in anhydrous conditions, in order to react with diethyl Iminodiacetate (DIDA) to obtain modified silica gel (R2), which was hydrolized in basic conditions previously synthesized and characterized by S _BET, TGA and FTIR spectroscopy to obtain iminodiacetic acid groups IDA to prepare an modified inorganic support (R3) that is able to get hands on metals from the first transition series such as copper and nickel. The obtained experimental values showed that the functionalized grade of R3 corresponds to 0.1598 mmol of the nitrogen indicated that the adsorbed Cu(II) or Ni(II) have the stoichiometry for both cation of 1:1. Based on this relation, the three different structures were proposed to carry out the computational studies using density functional theory (DFT) in its LDA and PW91 with the TZP slater type basis set. The primary coordination sphere of copper(II) or nickel (II) ion in R3 are optimized, structural parameters are calculated, vibrational bands are assigned and energy gaps of frontier orbital (HOMO–LUMO) have been calculated. The calculated results reproduced the experimental data with good agreement. An energy decomposition analysis (EDA) of the different models proposed here was performed and suggest a 1:1 coordination form.     

A Safety Strategy for Producing Poly(Acrylic Acid) of Low Molar Mass

The synthesis of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) of low molar mass under safe conditions is difficult due to the high polymerization rate of acrylic acid (AA) and the fast heat generation. The aqueous‐solution “semibatch” polymerization of non‐ionized AA in almost starved conditions involves high initiator loads when low molar masses are required. This article proposes the simultaneous feeding of AA and nonconventional chain transfer agents (CTA) as a strategy aimed at controlling both the molar masses and the generated heat rate. Three CTAs are investigated: 2‐mercaptoethanol, thioglycolic acid, and isopropyl alcohol. Even when PAA of relatively low molar mass can be produced by adequately selecting the flow rates and concentrations of both AA and CTA, it is found that the nature of CTA can have a significant effect on the polymerizations kinetics. The mechanisms responsible for these effects are discussed with the help of a representative mathematical model.

     

New Features in the Lipid A Structure of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brucella suis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brucella abortus</Emphasis> Lipopolysaccharide

Brucellaceae are Gram-negative bacteria that cause brucellosis, one of the most distributed worldwide zoonosis, transmitted to humans by contact with either infected animals or their products. The lipopolysaccharide exposed on the cell surface has been intensively studied and is considered a major virulence factor of Brucella. In the last years, structural studies allowed the determination of new structures in the core oligosaccharide and the O-antigen of this lipopolysaccharide. In this work, we have reinvestigated the lipid A structure isolated from B. suis and B. abortus lipopolysaccharides. A detailed study by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in the positive and negative ion modes of the lipid A moieties purified from both species was performed. Interestingly, a new feature was detected: the presence of a pyrophosphorylethanolamine residue substituting the backbone. LID-MS/MS analysis of some of the detected ions allowed assurance that the Lipid A structure composed by the diGlcN3N disaccharide, mainly hexa-acylated and penta-acylated, bearing one phosphate and one pyrophosphorylethanolamine residue.

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Structural basis for recognition of bacterial cell wall teichoic acid by pseudo-symmetric SH3b-like repeats of a viral peptidoglycan hydrolase

Endolysins are bacteriophage-encoded peptidoglycan hydrolases targeting the cell wall of host bacteria via their cell wall-binding domains (CBDs). The molecular basis for selective recognition of surface carbohydrate ligands by CBDs remains elusive. Here, we describe, in atomic detail, the interaction between the Listeria phage endolysin domain CBD500 and its cell wall teichoic acid (WTA) ligands. We show that 3′O-acetylated GlcNAc residues integrated into the WTA polymer chain are the key epitope recognized by a CBD binding cavity located at the interface of tandem copies of beta-barrel, pseudo-symmetric SH3b-like repeats. This cavity consists of multiple aromatic residues making extensive interactions with two GlcNAc acetyl groups via hydrogen bonds and van der Waals contacts, while permitting the docking of the diastereomorphic ligands. Our multidisciplinary approach tackled an extremely challenging protein–glycopolymer complex and delineated a previously unknown recognition mechanism by which a phage endolysin specifically recognizes and targets WTA, suggesting an adaptable model for regulation of endolysin specificity.

Combining genetic, biochemical and computational approaches, we elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying the recognition of Listeria wall teichoic acid by bacteriophage-encoded SH3b repeats.     

l-Arginine Improves Solubility and ANTI SARS-CoV-2 Mpro Activity of Rutin but Not the Antiviral Activity in Cells

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak prompts an urgent need for efficient therapeutics, and repurposing of known drugs has been extensively used in an attempt to get to anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents in the shortest possible time. The glycoside rutin shows manifold pharmacological activities and, despite its use being limited by its poor solubility in water, it is the active principle of many pharmaceutical preparations. We herein report our in silico and experimental investigations of rutin as a SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitor and of its water solubility improvement obtained by mixing it with l-arginine. Tests of the rutin/l-arginine mixture in a cellular model of SARS-CoV-2 infection highlighted that the mixture still suffers from unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties, but nonetheless, the results of this study suggest that rutin might be a good starting point for hit optimization.     

The Influence of Water Vapor on the Electrochemical Shift of an Ionic Liquid Measured by Ambient Pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Ionic liquids (ILs) are considered to be one of the steppingstones to fabricate next generation electrochemical devices given their unique physical and chemical properties. The addition of water to ILs significantly impact electrochemical related properties including viscosity, density, conductivity, and electrochemical window. Herein we utilize ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APXPS) to examine the impact of water on values of the electrochemical shift (S), which is determined by measuring changes in binding energy shifts as a function of an external bias. APXPS spectra of C 1s, O 1s and N 1s regions are examined for the IL 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, [C₄mim][OAc], at the IL/gas interface as a function of both water vapor pressure and external bias. Results reveal that in the absence of water vapor there is an IL ohmic drop between the working electrode and quasi reference electrode, giving rise to chemical specific S values of less than one. Upon introducing water vapor, S values approach one as a function of increasing water vapor pressure, indicating a decrease in the IL ohmic drop as the IL/water mixture becomes more conductive and the potential drop is driven by the electric double layer at the electrode/IL interface.