Electrochemical behavior of ellipticine derivatives: Part III. Reduction of 2-methyl-ellipticinium cations and their conjugated bases

In neutral DMF, ellipticinium cations 9 R—E⁺H—2 CH₃ undergo a reversible 1 e addition (standard potential ca. ?1.35 V) to yield a neutral radical which rapidly dimerizes (dimerization rate constant ca. 10⁷ mol^?1 1 s^?1). In basic DMF or in the presence of superoxide anion, the corresponding conjugated bases undergo a reversible 1 e addition accompanied by a fast and reversible proton addition (standard potential at pH_DMF 0 ca. ?0.52 V) to yield the same neutral radical. R being H, OCH₃ or OH, there is no effect of the substituent at the C-9 position on the electrochemical process.     

Snapshots of dioxygen activation by copper: the structure of a 1:1 Cu/O(2) adduct and its use in syntheses of asymmetric Bis(mu-oxo) complexes

The X-ray structure of a 1:1 Cu/O(2) adduct revealed side-on (eta(2)) O(2) coordination. Density functional calculations corroborated the structure, indicated a significant contribution of a Cu(III)-(O(2)(2-)) resonance form, and provided insights into the key bonding interactions. Reaction of a 1:1 adduct supported by a slightly different beta-diketiminate ligand with Cu(I) reagents resulted in the formation of novel asymmetric bis(mu-oxo) complexes that were identified by EPR, UV-vis, and Raman spectroscopy, as well as by an X-ray structure in one instance.     

MECHANISM OF OXYGEN DETOXIFICATION IN NEONATAL RAT LUNG TISSUE

Abstract— Pulmonary macrophages obtained from neonatal rats contain approximately four times the activity of cyanide resistant superoxide dismutase and catalase compared with the cells from adult animals. The activity is highest immediately after birth and diminishes with age until the minimum level is reached at approximately 3 weeks of age. Superimposed upon this change in basal activity is the capability of neonatal cells to synthesize additional cyanide resistant superoxide dismutase and catalase when either the animals or isolated pulmonary macrophages are exposed to 95–100% oxygen. The inductive effect begins at 2–3 days after birth, peaks at 10 days, and disappears at approximately 15 days after birth. In contrast to adult rats, neonatal rats are extremely resistant to the toxic effects of oxygen. If, however, the oxygen mediated increase in both enzymes is prevented or the maximum effective pulmonary macrophage number is diminished in test animals, these animals become vulnerable to toxic effects of oxygen exposure, observed by gross and histologic examination of lung tissue, in a manner similar to adult animals. These data indicate that both cyanide-resistant superoxide dismutase and catalase may be part of the endogenous defense mechanisms which provide neonatal rats with an exceptional resistance to oxygen toxicity.     

Molecules organiques coordinees a un metal. : Nouveaux complexes olefiniques d'α-enones par le fer(0)

Heterodienetricarbonyliron complexes react with ligands ( L = PMe₂Ph, P(OMe)₃ or P(OPh)₃) to give the adducts (enone)Fe(CO)₃L with the ethylenic double bond coordinated only to the iron(0). Electron-releasing and low-steric effects of L make the reaction which is specific for enones easier compared to that for dienes. PMe₂Ph allows enone exchange and P(OPh)₃ promotes carbonyl elimination. Ligand influence is shown by infrared spectroscopy and by the shielding of ethylenic protons in NMR spectroscopy.     

Non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis of the positional isomers of a sulfated monosaccharide

A non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis (NACE) method coupled to indirect absorbance detection has been developed for the separation of the three positional isomers of monosulfated fucose. The optimized electrolyte was composed of 12 mM ethanolamine, 2 mM trimesic acid buffer in a methanol-ethanol (1:1, v/v) mixture. As the retained electrolyte entails no separating agent other than the pH buffer, the NACE separation of the positional isomers has been ascribed mainly to selective ion-pairing with the electrolyte counter-ion and the possibility of a selective solvation effect in the alcohol mixture. In the absence of pure isomeric standards, peak identification was completed by MS and NMR spectroscopy and selective enzymatic desulfation. This method should be of interest for the structure elucidation of monosulfated fucose-based polysaccharides and for the screening of sulfoesterase of unknown activity.     

On the affinity of cytosine towards electrophiles

Ab initio SCF computations on the intrinsic preferences of the H⁺, CH ₃ ⁺ and C₂H ₅ ⁺ cations towards the two principal sites of protonation or alkylation on cytosine, N₃ or O₂, show that this preference undergoes a continuous modification with the increase in size and complexity of the cation. N₃ is the preferred site of fixation of H⁺, O₂ the preferred site of C₂H ₅ ⁺ , while CH ₃ ⁺ has no marked preference. The exchange repulsion term of the binding energy appears responsible for the preference of C₂H ₅ ⁺ for O₂.This work was supported by the Ligue Francaise contre le Cancer and the National Foundation for Cancer Research (USA)     

Indium(III) one-dimensional polymers with pyrazine and pyrazine, 2-carboxylic acid as the spacer molecules

The reactions of indium(III) chloride tetrahydrate with pyrazine (C₄H₄N₂) and pyrazine, 2-carboxylic acid afford two polymeric frameworks, the structures of which were characterized in the solid state by single crystal analysis. The former is a one-dimensional infinite structure interlinked by the pyrazine spacer, while the latter is a one-dimensional ‘zigzag’ polymeric structure. A dimeric indium(III) pyrazine complex is also reported.     

A convenient synthesis of new aminomethylenedioxypyrroloindoles via an iminium salt

Cyclization of 2-(1-pyrrolyl)piperonylcarboxamide derivatives gave iminium perchlorates which afforded 9-(N-substituted-imino) and 9-(N-substituted amino)-6,7-methylenedioxypyrrolo[1,2-a]indoles.     

Efforts to expand the genetic alphabet: identification of a replicable unnatural DNA self-pair

Six unnatural nucleotides featuring fluorine-substituted phenyl nucleobase analogues have been synthesized, incorporated into DNA, and characterized in terms of the structure and replication properties of the self-pairs they form. Each unnatural self-pair is accommodated in B-form DNA without detectable structural perturbation, and all are thermally stable and selective to roughly the same degree. Furthermore, the efficiency of polymerase-mediated mispair synthesis is similar for each unnatural nucleotide in the template. In contrast, the efficiency of polymerase-mediated self-pair extension is highly dependent on the specific fluorine substitution pattern. The most promising unnatural base pair candidate of this series is the 3-fluorobenzene self-pair, which is replicated with reasonable efficiency and selectivity.