Phase Relations in the Ni–Mn–Ga Ternary System and Aging Effect on Shape Memory Properties of Ferromagnetic Ni<Subscript>2</Subscript>MnGa Sputtered Films

Summary. Isothermal sections of the Ni–Mn–Ga ternary phase diagram at 1073 and 1273 K were investigated over a wide range of alloy compositions. The range of the β-Ni₂MnGa phase, its equilibria with the γ-(Mn, Ni), α′-Ni₃Ga, and γ-Ni₃Ga₂ phases, and the liquidus and solidus lines were determined experimentally. The aging effect on the shape memory effect (SME) of Ni₂MnGa sputtered films was also investigated. The two-way SME of the constraint-aged films was confirmed by the temperature change.     

Stress-Strain Behavior of Shape Memory Polymers by 1WE Method: Application to Tecoflex®

Thermomechanical cycles including programming, cooling, unloading and heating to trigger the 1WE were examined for a shape memory polymer (SMP), Tecoflex® (TFX EG-72D). Cycles were performed at 60°C with 50% and 225% strains and the recovery time of 10 min. Strains evolving with time were estimated during the thermomechanical treatments for the total 44 cycles using 50% strains and the total 50 cycles using 225% strains. Recovery ratios for 50% strains and 225% were also estimated. It turns out that programming, cooling, unloading and heating to trigger the 1WE causes an increase of irreversible strain and is associated with a corresponding decrease of the intensity of the 1WE in particular during the first thermomechanical cycles. In parallel scanning electron microscopic study using secondary electron imaging shows a very slight wavy surface structure evolved during cycling.     

Multi-purpose functionality for the structural elaboration of the piperazine-2,5-dione motif

Mild methods for controlled C- and N-alkylation of 3-benzyloxycarbonylpiperazine-2,5-diones are reported. The benzyloxylcarbonyl substituent can also serve as latent functionality for N-acyliminium ion formation and subsequent trapping enables installation of new carbon and/or heteroatom substituents.     

Polymer-supported pyridine-bis(oxazoline). Application to ytterbium-catalyzed silylcyanation of benzaldehyde

[reaction: see text] Terminal acetylenes containing hydroxy and carboxylic acid groups were subjected to Sonogashira coupling with 4-bromo-2,6-bis[(R)-4-phenyloxazolin-2-yl]pyridine and the resulting pybox derivatives were immobilized on Tentagel resins. Ytterbium(III) chloride complexes of the polymeric ligands catalyzed the addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to benzaldehyde with 80-81% ee. The ligands were reused more than 30 times without any loss in selectivity or activity, and the metal complexes could be recovered and reused at least four times, although with slightly decreasing activity.     

Titanium Salalen Catalyzed Enantioselective Benzylic Hydroxylation

The titanium complex of the cis-1,2-diaminocyclohexane (cis-DACH) derived Berkessel-salalen ligand is a highly efficient and enantioselective catalyst for the asymmetric epoxidation of terminal olefins with hydrogen peroxide (“Berkessel-Katsuki catalyst”). We herein report that this epoxidation catalyst also effects the highly enantioselective hydroxylation of benzylic C−H bonds with hydrogen peroxide. Mechanism-based ligand optimization identified a novel nitro-salalen Ti-catalyst of the highest efficiency ever reported for asymmetric catalytic benzylic hydroxylation, with enantioselectivities of up to 98 % ee, while overoxidation to ketone is marginal. The novel nitro-salalen Ti-catalyst also shows enhanced epoxidation efficiency, as evidenced by e.g. the conversion of 1-decene to its epoxide in 90 % yield with 94 % ee, at a catalyst loading of 0.1 mol-% only.     

Chemical Validation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Phosphopantetheine Adenylyltransferase Using Fragment Linking and CRISPR Interference**

The coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis pathway has attracted attention as a potential target for much-needed novel antimicrobial drugs, including for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), the lethal disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Seeking to identify inhibitors of Mtb phosphopantetheine adenylyltransferase (MtbPPAT), the enzyme that catalyses the penultimate step in CoA biosynthesis, we performed a fragment screen. In doing so, we discovered three series of fragments that occupy distinct regions of the MtbPPAT active site, presenting a unique opportunity for fragment linking. Here we show how, guided by X-ray crystal structures, we could link weakly-binding fragments to produce an active site binder with a K_D <20 μM and on-target anti-Mtb activity, as demonstrated using CRISPR interference. This study represents a big step toward validating MtbPPAT as a potential drug target and designing a MtbPPAT-targeting anti-TB drug.     

A Model for the Cobalamin-Dependent Methionine Synthase

The acid-catalyzed transfer of a Me group from N,N-dimethylaniline ( 6 ) to vitamin-B₁₂-derived Co^I complexes 2a , b was realized (Scheme 3). Hexane-1-thiol ( 8 ) was methylated by the methylcobalt complexes 4a , b in the presence of pyridine. Conditions for the complete cycle, i.e., Me transfer from 6 to 8 with Co^I complexes acting as a nucleophile and a nucleofuge have been established. The importance of Zn²⁺ as activating agent and of the basicity of tertiary amines for the Me transfer has been investigated.     

Halogen–Aromatic π Interactions Modulate Inhibitor Residence Times

Prolonged drug residence times may result in longer‐lasting drug efficacy, improved pharmacodynamic properties, and “kinetic selectivity” over off‐targets with high drug dissociation rates. However, few strategies have been elaborated to rationally modulate drug residence time and thereby to integrate this key property into the drug development process. Herein, we show that the interaction between a halogen moiety on an inhibitor and an aromatic residue in the target protein can significantly increase inhibitor residence time. By using the interaction of the serine/threonine kinase haspin with 5‐iodotubercidin (5‐iTU) derivatives as a model for an archetypal active‐state (type I) kinase–inhibitor binding mode, we demonstrate that inhibitor residence times markedly increase with the size and polarizability of the halogen atom. The halogen–aromatic π interactions in the haspin–inhibitor complexes were characterized by means of kinetic, thermodynamic, and structural measurements along with binding‐energy calculations.