Synthesis and NMR Analysis in Solution of Oligo(3‐hydroxyalkanoic acid) Derivatives with the Side Chains of Alanine,Valine, and Leucine (β‐Depsides): Coming Full Circle from PHB to β‐Peptides to PHB

Oligomers of 3‐hydroxyalkanoic acids that contain two, three, and six residues with and without O‐terminal (tBu)Ph₂Si and C‐terminal PhCH₂ protection have been synthesized in such a way that the side chains on the oligoester backbone were those of the proteinogenic amino acids Ala (Me), Val (CHMe₂), and Leu (CH₂CHMe₂). The enantiomerically pure 3‐hydroxyalkanoates were obtained by Noyori hydrogenation of the corresponding 3‐oxo‐alkanoates with [Ru((R)‐binap)Cl₂](binap=2,2′bis(diphenylphosphanyl)‐1,1′‐binaphthalene)/H₂ (Scheme 1), and the coupling was achieved under the conditions (pyridine/(COCl)₂, CH₂Cl₂, −78°) previously employed for the synthesis of various oligo(3‐hydroxybutanoic acids) (Schemes 2 and 3). The Cotton effects in the CD spectra of the new oligoesters provided no hints about chiral conformation (cf. a helix) in MeOH, MeCN, octan‐1‐ol, or CF₃CH₂OH solutions (Figs. 1 and 2). Detailed NMR investigations in CDCl₃ solution (Figs. 3–6, and Tables 1–5) of the hexa(3‐hydroxyalkanoic acid) with the side chains of Val (HC), Ala (HB), Leu (HH), Val, Ala, Leu (from O‐ to C‐terminus; 3 ) gave, on the NMR time‐scale, no evidence for the presence of any significant amount of a 2₁‐ or a 3₁‐helical conformation, comparable to those identified in stretched fibers of poly[(R)‐3‐hydroxybutanoic acid], or in lamellar crystallites and in single crystals of linear and cyclic oligo[(R)‐3‐hydroxybutanoic acids], or in the corresponding β‐peptide(s) (the oligo(3‐aminoalkanoic acid) analogs; 1 – 3 ). Thus, the extremely high flexibility (averaged or ‘random‐coil' conformation) of the polyester chain (CO−O rotational barrier ca. 13 kcal/mol; no hydrogen bonding), as compared to polyamide chains (CO−NH barrier ca. 18 kcal/mol; hydrogen bonding) has been demonstrated once again. The possible importance of this structural flexibility, which goes along with amphiphilic properties, for the role of PHB in biology, in evolution, and in prebiotic chemistry is discussed. Structural similarities of natural potassium‐channeling proteins and complexes of oligo(3‐hydroxybutanoates) with Na⁺, K⁺, or Ba²⁺ are alluded to (Figs. 7–9).     

Synthese und Struktur von Mo2NCl7

Synthesis and Structure of Mo₂NCl₇ The reaction of VN with MoCl₅ at 175 °C in a sealed glass ampoule yields the molybdenum(V) nitride chloride Mo₂NCl₇ in form of air sensitive black crystals with the triclinic space group P1¯ and a = 905.7(8); b = 975.4((6); c = 1283.4(8) pm, α = 103.13(4)°; β = 109.83(5)° und γ = 98.58(5)°. The crystal structure is built up from dinuclear units [Mo₂N₂Cl₇]^3— and [Mo₂Cl₇]³⁺, which are connected by asymmetric nitrido bridges to form endless chains. Within both dinuclear units the Mo atoms are bridged by three Cl atoms resulting in a Mo‐Mo distance of 349.2(3) pm in the unit [Mo₂N₂Cl₇]^3—. In case of [Mo₂Cl₇]³⁺, however, a shorter Mo‐Mo distance of 289.4(3) pm is observed, which can be interpreted by a single bond. Correspondingly a reduced magnetic moment of 0.95 B.M. per Mo atom is observed.     

[Ga6R8]2– (R = SiPh2Me): Eine metalloide Clusterverbindung mit einem unerwarteten Ga6‐Gerüst

[Ga₆R₈]^2– (R = SiPh₂Me): A Metalloid Cluster Compound with an Unexpected Ga₆‐Frame The reaction of a metastable solution of GaBr with a solution of LiSiPh₂Me in a toluene/THF mixture results in orange coloured crystals of [Ga₆(SiPh₂Me)₈]^2– · 2 [Li(THF)₄]⁺ ( 1 ). The unexpected structure of the planar Ga₆ frame (C_2h) could also be realized with the help of DFT calculation. DFT calculations furthermore show that 1 is energetically favoured against an octahedral Ga₆R₆^2– species and R₂. In contrast calculations for the similar Al and B species show that in these cases the octahedral entities are favoured. These results demonstrate that even for similar compounds of B, Al, and Ga Wade rules are too general and that they cannot predict the correct structure. Moreover the atomic arrangement within 1 shows that a structure is preferred which is also present in allotropic β‐Ga and that therefore clusters of this type should be called metalloid or more general elementoid.     

cis‐Bis­[1,3‐bis(2‐fluoro­phenyl)­triazenido‐κ2N1,N3]­bis­(pyridine‐κN)cadmium(II)

In the title compound, [Cd(C₁₂H₈F₂N₃)₂(C₅H₅N)₂], the Cd atom lies on a crystallographic twofold axis in space group Iba2. The coordination geometry about the Cd^II ion corresponds to a rhombically distorted octahedron, with two deprotonated 1,3‐bis(2‐fluoro­phenyl)­triazenide ions, viz. FC₆H₄NNNC₆H₄F⁻, acting as bidentate ligands (four‐electron donors). Two neutral pyridine (py) mol­ecules complete the coordination sphere in positions cis with respect to one another. The triazenide ligand is not planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.204 Å), the dihedral angle between the phenyl rings of the terminal 2‐fluoro­phenyl substituents being 24.6 (1)°. The triazenide and pyridine Cd—N distances are 2.3757 (18)/2.3800 (19) and 2.3461 (19) Å, respectively. Intermolecular C—H⋯F interactions generate sheets of mol­ecules in the (010) plane.     

Topological Structure of the Set of Weighted Composition Operators on Weighted Bergman Spaces of Infinite Order

We consider the topological space of all weighted composition operators on weighted Bergman spaces of infinite order endowed with the operator norm. We show that the set of compact weighted composition operators is path connected. Furthermore, we find conditions to ensure that two weighted composition operators are in the same path connected component if the difference of them is compact. Moreover, we compare the topologies induced by L(H^∞) and L(H^∞_v) on the space of bounded composition operators and give a sufficient condition for a composition operator to be isolated.     

Benchmarking and validation of a Geant4–SHADOW Monte Carlo simulation for dose calculations in microbeam radiation therapy

Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) is a synchrotron‐based radiotherapy modality that uses high‐intensity beams of spatially fractionated radiation to treat tumours. The rapid evolution of MRT towards clinical trials demands accurate treatment planning systems (TPS), as well as independent tools for the verification of TPS calculated dose distributions in order to ensure patient safety and treatment efficacy. Monte Carlo computer simulation represents the most accurate method of dose calculation in patient geometries and is best suited for the purpose of TPS verification. A Monte Carlo model of the ID17 biomedical beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility has been developed, including recent modifications, using the Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit interfaced with the SHADOW X‐ray optics and ray‐tracing libraries. The code was benchmarked by simulating dose profiles in water‐equivalent phantoms subject to irradiation by broad‐beam (without spatial fractionation) and microbeam (with spatial fractionation) fields, and comparing against those calculated with a previous model of the beamline developed using the PENELOPE code. Validation against additional experimental dose profiles in water‐equivalent phantoms subject to broad‐beam irradiation was also performed. Good agreement between codes was observed, with the exception of out‐of‐field doses and toward the field edge for larger field sizes. Microbeam results showed good agreement between both codes and experimental results within uncertainties. Results of the experimental validation showed agreement for different beamline configurations. The asymmetry in the out‐of‐field dose profiles due to polarization effects was also investigated, yielding important information for the treatment planning process in MRT. This work represents an important step in the development of a Monte Carlo‐based independent verification tool for treatment planning in MRT.