A theoretical study of the relative affinities of an aliphatic and an aromatic bisguanylhydrazone for the minor groove of double-stranded (dA-dT) n oligomers

The nonintercalative binding of an aliphatic and an aromatic bisguanylhydrazone (BGH) to the minor groove of double-stranded (dA-dT) _n oligomers is investigated by means of theoretical computations. The preferred binding arrangements of both BGHs are stabilized by a number of H-bonding interactions with sites O₂(T), N₃(A) and o₁ on the two strands, and require limited conformational rearrangements of the BGHs around their C-C single bonds. The intermolecular interaction energy is larger with the aliphatic BGH than with the aromatic one. The energy difference is, however, considerably reduced when the oligomer is lengthened: it passes from 16.1 kcal/mole at the heptamer level, to 7.9 kcal/mole at the undecamer level and to 4.6 kcal/mole when each strand of the undecamer is flanked with a complementary complete helical turn of phosphates, on both the 3 and 5 termini.The interaction energies of the BGHs with water molecules in the first hydration shell are, however, also larger with the aliphatic BGH, than with the aromatic BGH. This energy difference is further enhanced when one considers also the water molecules in the second shell. It becomes greater than the difference in the interaction energy of the two BGHs with (dA-dT) _n for large values of n. When the dehydration energy of BGHs is taken into account the overall energy balance is then more favorable for the interaction of the aromatic than of the aliphatic BGH with the polynucleotide. This last conclusion is in agreement with experimental results.     

Stabilization of carbon dioxide-in-water emulsions with silica nanoparticles

Stable carbon dioxide-in-water emulsions were formed with silica nanoparticles adsorbed at the interface. The emulsion stability and droplet size were characterized with optical microscopy, turbidimetry, and measurements of creaming rates. The increase in the emulsion stability as the silica particle hydrophilicity was decreased from 100% SiOH to 76% SiOH is described in terms of the contact angles and the resulting energies of attachment for the silica particles at the water-CO(2) interface. The emulsion stability also increased with an increase in the particle concentration, CO(2) density, and shear rate. The dominant destabilization mechanism was creaming, whereas flocculation, coalescence, and Ostwald ripening played only a minor role over the CO(2) densities investigated. The ability to stabilize these emulsions with solid particles at CO(2) densities as low as 0.739 g/mL is particularly relevant in practical applications, given the difficulty in stabilizing these emulsions with surfactants, because of the unusually weak solvation of the surfactant tails by CO(2).     

Separation and structural analysis by 1H-NMR of the telomers of methyl methacrylate with thiophenol

The stereoselectivity of the addition step and the transfer step of the radical telomerization of methyl methacrylate with thiophenol has been studied by determining the structure and the amount of each isomer by ¹H-NMR. We found, in this case, that the addition step gave preferentially a diad r and that the transfer step gave preferentially a diad m. On the other hand, the tacticity observed for higher telomers is preferentially syndiotactic, similar to that of the poly(methyl methacrylate) prepared by radical initiation. The propagation process for radical telomerization obeys, as for the radical polymerization, Bernoulli's statistics.     

The syntheses of pyridazino[1,2-a] pyridazine derivatives of furan,pyridazine and pyrrole by diels-alder reactions

Diels-Alder adducts were formed in the lead tetraacetate oxidations of substituted cyclic hydrazides of furan, pyridazine and pyrrole dicarboxylic acids in the presence of 1,3-cyclo-hexadiene or 1,3-cyclopentadiene. The products resulting were furo[3,4-g]pyridazino[1,2-a]-pyridazine-6,10-diones, pyridazino[4,5-g]pyridazino[1,2-a]pyridazine-6,11-diones, and pyrrolo-[3,4-g]pyridazino[1,2-a]pyridazine-6,10-diones, respectively. Some hydrogenations and ring opening reactions were studied.     

New fluorinated polysiloxanes containing an ester function in the spacer. I. Synthesis and characterization

Unsaturated perfluoroalkyl esters derived from undecylenic acid: CH₂?CH? (CH₂)₈? COO? CH₂? CH₂? R_F (with R_F?C₆F₁₃, 2a and R_F?C₈F₁₇, 2b ) and C₈F₁₇? (CH₂)₁₀? COO? CH₂? CH?CH₂, 2c were prepared with excellent yields. Their hydrosilylation by methylhydrodimethylsiloxane copolymers of various Si? H contents gives new fluorinated polysiloxanes which were examined by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR, GPC, differential scanning calorimetry, and optical polarizing microscopy. Polymers derived from compounds 2a and 2b exhibit mesomorphic structures. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

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.