Molecular electrotatic potential of a triple stranded helix: Poly(dT)·poly(dA)·poly(dT)

The molecular electrostatic potential of the triple helix poly(dT)·tpoly(dA)·poly(dT) is calculated, and the results are examined in relation to those obtained for its component double and single helical parts. For the double helix presenting the standard Watson–Crick hydrogen bonds, the deepest potentials are formed on the side of the major groove, a situation similar to that observed in the A-DNA duplex. For the double helix presenting Hoogsteen-type hydrogen bonds the deepest potentials lie in the major groove, on the side of the pyrimidine strand. In the triple helix the deepest potentials are located in the major groove in a narrow zone over the thymine bases of the Watson–Crick pair.     

Complexation dans le méthanol anhydre de Cu (II) et Zn (II) par des ligands diaza-polyoxamacrocycliques

Complexation in anhydrous methanol of Cu (II) and Zn (II) with diaza-polyoxamacrocyclic ligands Protonation of five diaza-polyoxamacrocyclic ligands, (L = [2.1], [2.2], [2.1.1.], [2.2.1], [2.2.2]), and their complexing properties towards Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ cations have been studied in anhydrous methanolic solutions. Potentiometric measurements have been carried out at 25°, using 5 · 10^?2MEt₄N⁺ClO as support-electrolyte, in order to determine the nature of the species formed upon complexation and their stability constants. The results were confirmed by spectrophotometry, for the cupric complexes of [2.1] and [2.2.2], and the electronic spectra of the different complexes were calculated. Comparison between complexation in aqueous and methanolic solutions have been made: as in water, ML²⁺ species and sometimes protonated MHL³⁺ species, with higher stability constants, are present in methanol; but the main difference is the formation of dinuclear complexes M₂L⁴⁺, between Cu²⁺ and all ligands except [2.1]. In these complexes the Cu²⁺ cations cannot be both ‘encaged’ in the ligand cavity because of its small size. The different possible structures are discussed in terms of the stability constants values. The protonation constants values and the existence of the binuclear complexes may indicate a possible conformational change in the complexing ligand on changing the solvent from water to methanol.     

Molecular Recognition in Anion Coordination Chemistry. Structure,Binding Constants and Receptor-Substrate Complementarity of a Series of Anion Cryptates of a Macrobicyclic Receptor Molecule

The crystal structures of four anion cryptates [X^? ? BT -6H⁺] formed by the protonated macrobicyclic receptor BT -6H⁺ with F^?, Cl^?, Br^? and N have been determined. They provide a homogeneous series of anion coordination patterns with the same ligand. The small F^?-ion is tetracoordinated, while Cl^? and Br^? are bound in an octahedron of H-bonds. The non-complementarity between these spherical anions and the ellipsoïdal cavity of BT -6H⁺ is reflected in ligand distortions. Structural complementarity is achieved for the linear triatomic substrate N, which is bound by two pyramidal arrays of three H-bonds, each interacting with a terminal N-atom of N. The formation constants of the complexes formed by BT -6H⁺ with a variety of anions (halides, N, NO, carboxylates, SO, HPO, AMP^2?, ADP^3?, ATP^4?, P₂O) have been determined. Very strong complexations are found, as well as marked electrostatic and structural effects on stability and selectivity; in particular the binding of F^?, Cl^?, Br^?, and N may be analyzed in terms of the crystal structure data. The cryptand BT -6H⁺ is a molecular receptor containing an ellipsoïdal recognition site for linear triatomic substrates of size compatible with the size of the molecular cacity. Further developments of various aspects of anion coordination chemistry are considered.     

Assignment of acetyl groups to O-2 and/or O-3 of pectic oligogalacturonides using negative electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry

Partially acetylated and methylated oligogalacturonides produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of sugar beet pectin were analysed by negative electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI-ITMS). The (18)O labelling of the oligomer reducing end allowed the precise assignment of the fragments resulting from glycosidic bond and cross-ring cleavages. The collisional-induced dissociation of the C(i) and Z(j) fragment ions through sequential MS(n) experiments always displayed (0, 2)A-type cross-ring cleavage ions which were related to C(2)H(4)O(2) losses. These (0, 2)A ions appeared to be highly diagnostic ions allowing the precise location of the acetyl groups to the O-2 and/or O-3 of the acetylated galacturonic acid residues.     

Radiolytic unsaturation decay in polyethylene. Part II—the effect of irradiation temperature, thermal history and orientation

The decay rate of vinyl unsaturation in high-density polyethylenes irradiated at temperatures from about 310 to 450 K, changes significantly in the melting range up to the crystalline melting point as does free radical mobility and the polymer crystallinity. However, orienting the polymer, or slow cooling or quenching from the melt, prior to irradiation, do not alter the decay process or its rate, although they do alter the rate of increase of insoluble gel and of elastic modulus in the molten state. It is suggested that, below 340 K, the marked deviations from a first-order decay result from the limited mobility of polymeric free radicals in the crystalline phase and from scavenging, by vinyl groups, segregated into the amorphous phase, of radiolytic hydrogen atoms (H). In the melting range, the mobility of polymeric free radicals increases as the crystallinity decreases, reducing the importance of scavenging, so vinyl decay approximates more closely to a first-order relation. In the melt, the vinyl decay relation is not changed qualitatively by H atom scavenging, but the effective vinyl concentration is lower, so the decay rate drops sharply.     

A general approach toward the synthesis of C-nucleoside pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazines and their 3',5'-bisphosphate C-nucleotide analogues as the first reported in vivo stable P2Y(1)-receptor antagonists

In our effort to identify potent purinergic P2Y(1) receptor antagonists as potent platelet aggregation inhibitors with enhanced metabolic stability, we developed an efficient route for the large-scale preparation of 2'-deoxy-C-nucleosides of pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine. The key strategic elements of this novel synthetic approach involved the following: (i) the use of a novel activating group, the N-methyl-N-phenylamino group, which was easily generated in high yield by treatment of the pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazin-4-one (5) with phosphorus oxychloride and dimethylaniline under high pressure, (ii) a regio- and stereospecific palladium-mediated coupling reaction of the readily available unprotected glycal 1,4-anhydro-2-deoxy-D-erythro-pent-1-enitol (4b) and the 8-iodo derivative (16), and (iii) the stereoselective reduction of the ketone group of the furanosyl ring followed by the subsequent displacement of the N-methyl-N-phenylamino group upon treatment with methylamine. The beta configuration at the anomeric C-1' position of the glycal moieties was perfectly retained throughout this conversion. This procedure afforded 8-(2'-deoxy-beta-D-ribofuranosyl)-2-methyl-4-(N-methylamino)pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine (21) and 8-(2'-deoxy-beta-D-xylofuranosyl)-2-methyl-4-(N-methylamino)pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine (24) with an overall yield of 50% and 39%, respectively. Finally, the conversion of nucleosides 21 and 24 to the pyrazolotriazine C-nucleotides 3',5'-bisphosphate 2 and 3',5'-cyclophosphate 26 is also described herein and represents the first reported nucleotide derivatives within the pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine series. Preliminary biological testing has shown that compound 2 strongly inhibits ADP-induced human platelet aggregation and shape change and possesses significant efficacies 30 min after injection in rat, highlighting a strong P2Y(1)-receptor antagonist activity in vitro combined with a prolonged duration of action in vivo.     

Reactivite des carbanions benzyliques : VIII. Etude de la structure d'alkyl-9 lithio-10 dihydro-9,10 anthracenes par rmn du proton et spectrometrie d'absorption electronique; influence du substituant,du solvant et de la temperature

The structure of the 9,10-dihydroanthracenyl anion and of a series of 9-alkyl-10-lithio-9-10-dihydroanthracenes (9-R-10-LiDHA, I–V where R = H, Me, Et, i-Pr, t-Bu) was studied in solution by electronic absortion spectrometry and proton magnetic resonance. Our electronic absorption results, in addition to those of other authors, show that the contact ion pairs (c.i.p.) have an absorption at λ_max}- 400 nm (I–III) and 415 nm (V) whereas the loose ion pairs (l.i.p.) absorb at λmax}- 450 nm (I–V). In the NMR the chemical shift of the proton para with respect to the carbanionic center was examined as a function of solvent (THF, THF/HMPA, and in some cases ether or pure HMPA) and temperature (+20 to ?40°C). The para proton is shielded significantly with regard to the aromatic protons of the hydrocarbon (Δδ(H_para) ca. 1–1.7 ppm). The weakest shielding was observed in ether, in agreement with the existence of c.i.p. The largest shielding (THF/HMPA or pure HMPA) is in connection with the presence of l.i.p. where the negative charge is less localised at position 10. Moreover, in the same solvent, and at the same temperature, Δδ(H_para) was observed to increase with the substituent bulk, up to the point that there are only l.i.p. present. As found previously (namely for the fluorenyl anion) the l.i.p./c.i.p. ratio increases when temperature decreases. The results of this structural study allow to rationalize the protonation stereochemistry of 9-alkyl-10-lithio-9,10-dihydroanthracenes in the above-mentioned solvents.     

Thiophosphorylated cavitand: structure and affinity towards soft metal ions

The iiii stereoisomer of the tetrathiophosphonate-calix[4]resorcinarene host 1 exhibited excellent extraction properties towards soft metal ions, with a better affinity for Ag⁺ (91%), than for Tl⁺ (38%) and Hg²⁺ (16%). The extraction of other picrate salts (Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺) was not detected. The stoichiometry and the structure of the Hg²⁺, Tl⁺ and Ag⁺ complexes were studied by NMR in solution and gave respectively 1:1, 1:1 and 1:2 host-guest complexes. The formation of the self-assembled 1₂·(AgPic)₄ complex was independent on the anion and only observed with silver(I) ion.     

Synthesis of optically active 2-benzyldihydrobenzopyrans for the hypoglycemic agent englitazone

Two syntheses of some optically active 2-benzyl-2,3-dihydro-4H-benzopyrans and benzopyran-4-ones are presented. An asymmetric synthesis starting from D- and L-phenylalanine was used to provide both enantiomers of 2-benzyl-6-(methoxycarbonyl)-2,3-dihydro-4H-benzopyran-4-one 19. Phenylalanine was diazotized in aqueous sulfuric acid to 2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionic acid 6 which was converted in four steps to 1-bromo-2-(4-methoxycarbonylphenoxy)-3-phenylpropane 11. (4R,S)-Benzamido-2-benzyl-2,3-dihydro-6-(methoxycarbonyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-carboxylic acid 16 was prepared from 11 by amidoalkylation with α-hydroxyhippuric acid in methanesulfonic acid solution followed by spiroalkylation to (4R,S)-2-benzyl-2,3-dihydro-6-(methoxycarbonyl)spiro[4H-benzopyran-4,4′-2′-phenyloxazolidin]-5′-one 15. After the phenyloxazolidin-5-one 15 was hydrolyzed to the spirobenzamido carboxylic acid 16 , oxidative decarboxylation with sodium hypochlorite yielded optically active 2-benzyl-6-(methoxycarbonyl)-2,3-dihydro-4H-benzopyran-4-one 19. The ketone in 19 was reduced by hydrogenation over palladium on carbon to a methylene group and the ester was converted to the aldehyde to give both isomers of the desired intermediate 2-benzyl-6-(formyl)-2,3-dihydro-4H-benzopyran 25. The second synthesis relied on an enzymatic hydrolysis of ethyl 2,3-dihydrobenzopyran-2-carboxylate 27 with the lipase from P. fluorescens to provide the desired 2R-ester. The ester group in (R)- 27 was converted to the triflate (R)- 29. Displacement of the triflate group with phenylmagnesium bromide and cuprous bromide as catalyst gave 2R-benzyl-2,3-dihydro-4H-benzopyran (R)- 30. Formylation of (R)- 30 provided 2R-benzyl-6-(formyl)-2,3-dihydro-4H-benzopyran (R)- 25 identical with that from the first synthesis. These optically active intermediates are used in the preparation of the hypoglycemic agent englitazone.     

Anisotropic rotations in 1-naphthylamine. Existence of a red-edge transition moment normal to the ring plane

The rotational motions of 1-naphthylamine in propylene glycol are investigated by means of steady-state flourescence polarization measurements and differential polarized phase flourometry, on excitation at various wavelengths. For excitation at 370 nm the average rotational rate is faster than for excitation at shorter wavelength and the rotations are clearly anisotropic. On excitation from 370nm to the red edge of the spectrum (390 nm) the average rotational rate slows down by a factor of two and the rotations become nearly isotropic. The results reveal the possible existence of an excited state generated preferentially by excitation at the edge of the absorption, in which the transition moments in both absorption and emission are prependicular to the plane of the aromatic rings.