Asymmetric base-mediated epoxide isomerisation

The base-mediated rearrangement of epoxides into allylic alcohols is a well-known synthetic transformation. The first enantioselective version of the reaction using a chiral base was reported in 1980. Since then, the reaction has received a lot of attention mostly due to the great usefulness of chiral allylic alcohols in organic synthesis. Major breakthroughs in the area were the first report on using a sub-stoichiometric amount of chiral base, and the development of chiral bases for a true catalytic reaction protocol. The present review covers the time from when the first asymmetric epoxide isomerisation reaction was reported (1980) up to now, focusing on the period 1997-2001.     

Stabilization of excess charge in isolated adenosine 5'-triphosphate and adenosine 5'-diphosphate multiply and singly charged anions

Multiply charged anions (MCAs) represent highly energetic species in the gas phase but can be stabilized through formation of molecular clusters with solvent molecules or counterions. We explore the intramolecular stabilization of excess negative charge in gas-phase MCAs by probing the intrinsic stability of the [adenosine 5'-triphosphate-2H](2-) ([ATP-2H](2-)), [adenosine 5'-diphosphate-2H](2-) ([ADP-2H](2-)), and H(3)P(3)O(10)(2-) dianions and their protonated monoanionic analogues. The relative activation barriers for decay of the dianions via electron detachment or ionic fragmentation are investigated using resonance excitation of ions isolated within a quadrupole trap. All of the dianions decayed via ionic fragmentation demonstrating that the repulsive Coulomb barriers (RCB) for ionic fragmentation lie below the RCBs for electron detachment. Both the electrospray ionization mass spectra (ESI-MS) and total fragmentation energies for [ATP-2H](2-), [ADP-2H](2-), and H(3)P(3)O(10)(2-) indicate that the multiply charged H(3)P(3)O(10)(2-) phosphate moiety is stabilized by the presence of the adenosine group and the stability of the dianions increases in the order H(3)P(3)O(10)(2-) < [ADP-2H](2-) < [ATP-2H](2-). Fully optimized, B3LYP/6-31+G* minimum energy structures illustrate that the excess charges in all of the phosphate anions are stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonding either within the phosphate chain or between the phosphate and the adenosine. We develop a model to illustrate that the relative magnitudes of the RCBs and hence the stability of these ions is dominated by the extent of intramolecular hydrogen bonding.     

Reduced-size polarized basis sets for calculations of molecular electric properties. IV. First-row transition metals

Recent studies of the perturbation-dependent basis sets have indicated the possibility of a significant reduction of the size of the usual CGTO sets without considerable loss of accuracy in calculations of molecular electric properties. The resulting (ZPolX) basis sets have been developed for several atoms of the first and second row of the Periodic Table. The same method of the ZPolX basis set generation is extended for the first-row transition metals and the corresponding contracted ZPolX basis sets of the size [6s5p3d1f] are determined for both nonrelativistic and scalar relativistic calculations. The performance of the ZPolX basis sets is verified in calculations on the first-row transition metal oxides at the level of the ROHF, ROHF/CASPT2, and ROHF/CCSD(T) approximations. Also the study of the dipole polarizability of TiCl₄ confirms the excellent features of these very compact basis sets. The ZPolX basis sets for nonrelativistic and relativistic calculations of molecular electric properties are available on the web page http://www.chem.uni.torun.pl/zchk/basis-sets.html.     

SynCar: an approach to automated synthesis

The automation of all aspects of manual solution-phase synthesis into one integrated, efficient, and reliable system could be regarded as something of an unmet challenge in organic chemistry. The requirements for modern solution-phase libraries in mainstream drug discovery is typically 50-250 high-purity compounds on a 10-100-mg scale, whether for target class libraries or lead optimization, and short cycle time in combination with high capacity is critical. To achieve these goals, in a codevelopment between Aventis and Accelab GmbH, Kusterdingen, Germany, we designed a completely novel system of independent workstations connected by a shuttle transfer system produced by Montech, Derendingen, Switzerland. Seven modular workstations process four reactions on each shuttle in parallel, with the ability to perform synthesis (temperature control and liquid reagent handling), filtration, liquid-liquid extraction, evaporation, weighing, solid-phase extraction, and HPLC/MS analysis. The modular design enables the continuous loading of shuttles at any time, and each shuttle can have its own workflow. The design also allows easy expansion for future needs. The result is a combination of high flexibility and high throughput.     

The Influence of Sulfate‐Doping on the Nature of V Sites in VOx/TiO2 Catalysts

EPR, UV/Vis and FTIR spectroscopy as well as thermal analysis (TA/MS) were applied to study the influence of sulfate species present in the anatase support on the specific nature of VO_x species in supported VO_x/TiO₂ catalysts. Those sulfate species modify the local structure of the supported vanadyl species and lead to the formation of two types of VO²⁺ sites instead of only one type being formed on sulfate‐free anatase. EPR and FTIR spectroscopic measurements revealed that a part of the VO²⁺ species are directly bound to the surface sulfate species. By TA/MS it was found that SO₂ is released at lower temperature from VO_x/TiO₂ in comparison to the vanadium‐free support. The direct bonding between sulfate and VO_x species stabilizes the latter on the surface of VO_x/TiO₂ resulting in three effects: 1) a higher V site dispersion in comparison to sulfate‐free TiO₂, 2) a better resistance of surface vanadyls against diffusion into the bulk of the support and 3) a much faster reoxidation of reduced V sites than observed on sulfate‐free TiO₂.     

Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Polymers from the Polymerisation of Methacrylate-Substituted Oxotantalum Clusters with Methylmethacrylate: A Thermomechanical and Spectroscopic Study

New inorganic-organic hybrid materials were prepared by free-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with methacrylate-substituted oxotantalum cluster [Ta₄O₄(OEt)₈(OMc)₄] and their properties evaluated. The cluster was prepared by the reaction of the parent alkoxide with methacrylic acid. Samples of the hybrid materials were produced with Ta-cluster to methyl methacrylate in the ratios of 1:50 and 1:100 and were characterized by thermal and spectroscopic techniques. The glass transition temperatures of the hybrid materials are shifted to higher temperatures than pure PMMA as a result of cross-linking of the polymer by the oxotantalum clusters. The increase in T_g is also observed from the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Evidence of crosslinking between the Ta-cluster and PMMA is obtained from infrared spectroscopic study. Surface studies performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provide information about the atomic concentrations of the surface and indicate tantalum bonded to oxygen.     

Nucleotides. Part LIV. Synthesis of condensed N1-(2′-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl)lumazines,New fluorescent building blocks in oligonucleotide synthesis

Various condensed areno[g]lumazine derivatives 2 , 3 , and 5 – 7 were synthesized as new fluorescent aglycones for glycosylation reactions with 2-deoxy-3, 5-di-O-(p-toluoyl)-α/β-D -erythro-pentofuranosyl chloride ( 10 ) to form, in a Hilbert-Johnson-Birkofer reaction, the corresponding N¹-(2′-deoxyribonucleosides) 15 – 21 . The β-D -anomers 15 , 17 , 19 , and 21 were deblocked to 24 – 27 and, together with N¹-(2′-deoxy-β-D -ribofuranosyl)lumazine ( 22 ) and its 6, 7-diphenyl derivative 23 , dimethoxytritylated in 5′-position to 28–33. These intermediates were then converted into the 3′-(2-cyanoethyI diisopropylphosphoramidites) 34 – 39 which function as monomeric building block in oligonucleotide syntheses as well as into the 3′-(hydrogen succinates) 40 – 45 which can be used for coupling with the solid-support material. A series of lumazine-modified oligonucleotides were synthesized and the influence of the new nucleobases on the stability of duplex formation studied by measuring the T_m values in comparison to model sequences. A substantial increase in the T_m is observed on introduction of areno[g]lumazine moieties in the oligonucleotide chain stabilizing obviously the helical structures by improved stacking effects. Stabilization is strongly dependent on the site of the modified nucleobase in the chain.     

Applicability of medium-size basis sets in calculations of molecular dynamic polarisabilities

Static and dynamic average polarisabilities and polarisability anisotropies of seven linear non-polar and polar molecules are calculated within the CCS, CC2, and CC3 approximations using a range of medium-sized basis sets: the polarised LPol-n (n = ds, dl, fs, fl), the aug-pc-n (n = 1, 2), the def2-SVPD, and -TZVPD basis sets. Reference values are obtained using a hierarchy of Dunning's (d-)aug-cc-pVXZ (X = D, T, Q, 5) basis sets. The results are discussed together with the available CCSD values in terms of basis set and correlation method errors, and their ratio. Detailed analysis shows that already the def2-SVPD basis set can be used in CCS polarisability calculations. When affordable, the slightly larger aug-pc-1 basis set is recommended, as it leads to significant reduction of basis set error. The def2-TZVPD, LPol-ds, and aug-pc-2 basis sets are optimal choice within the CC2 approximation, with the latter allowing to approach the CC2 basis set limit. The LPol-ds, -dl, and def2-TZVPD sets outperform the aug-cc-pVTZ set in average polarisability CCSD calculations, with the def2-TZVPD being competitive to other reduced-size sets also in determination of polarisability anisotropy. The aug-pc-2 basis is a particularly attractive choice for CCSD, giving the accuracy of aug-cc-pVQZ at a significantly reduced computational cost. The polarisability anisotropy is shown to be more computationally demanding than the average polarisability, in particular with respect to the accuracy of the correlation method and an accurate evaluation of this property requires at least the CCSD model.     

Investigation of Matrix Effects on the Determination of Carbadox and Olaquindox in Feed by LC–MS/MS

A comprehensive survey of matrix effects on the LC–MS/MS analysis of the banned antibiotic growth promoters carbadox and olaquindox in feed was carried out. Various factors of sample preparation procedure and measurement were systematically investigated by pre- and post-extraction addition and postcolumn infusion experiments. In general, strong signal suppression up to 70 % for carbadox and up to 90 % for olaquindox was observed when using different extraction solvents and techniques as well as different chromatographic conditions. Reduction of matrix effects was achieved by SPE clean-up and dilution of sample extracts. Nevertheless, matrix effect profiles determined by postcolumn infusion revealed, that reduction of signal suppression at a respective retention time cannot guarantee improvement of the methods performance. If high variability of matrix effects is present along the chromatographic run, accuracy might decrease despite reduced signal suppression. Besides method parameters, different feedingstuffs were investigated and showed similar matrix effects.