Zirconocene-mediated route to enantiopure 9-oxabicyclononanes functionalized on both carbon bridges

[reaction: see text] A zirconocene-mediated ring contraction of 4-vinylfuranosides generated either from d-arabinose or d-glucose is followed by sequential oxidation to the ketone and alkynyl Grignard addition. The resulting cis-cyclobutanediols are subjected in turn to thermal rearrangement and intramolecular oxymercuration-demercuration. The regiochemistry of the final ring closure is controlled by the nature of R.     

Single-run analysis of retinal isomers, retinol and photooxidation products by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure was developed to allow the rapid separation, in a single run, of a mixture of the main retinal isomers (all-trans, 13-cis, 9-cis), all-trans-retinol, and of the two major photooxygenated photoproducts (5,8-peroxyretinal and 5,6-epoxyretinal). The mixture was separated by HPLC on an octadecyl (ODS) column with 16% (v/v) diethyl ether in hexane as mobile phase and anthracene as the internal standard. A commercial type cosmetic formulation containing 0.05% all-trans-retinal was analyzed successfully for this analyte.     

Application of partial least-squares regression to the resolution of highly correlated spectra. Simultaneous spectrofluorimetric determination of Al(3+), Ga(3+) and In(3+)

The simultaneous spectrofluorimetric determination of mixtures of aluminium, gallium and indium as their 8-hydroxyquinoline complexes following extraction into chloroform is studied. The high collinearity of the spectra hindered their resolution by multiple linear regression (MLR) methodology; therefore, experimental data were processed by partial least-squares regression (PLSR) methodology. A previous step in the study of three-dimensional fluorescence spectrum is possible to select the best information to quantify this system with high collinearity. Finally the optimal conditions for quantitation, the best data preprocessing procedure and the most suitable spectral mode for calibration were established. Using an external set allowed the three analytes to be determined simultaineously at concentrations below 1 mug ml(-1) with errors less than 10% for aluminium and indium, and 15% for gallium.     

Following the aggregation of amyloid-forming peptides by computer simulations

There is experimental evidence suggesting that the toxicity of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease may result from the soluble intermediate oligomers. It is therefore important to characterize extensively the early steps of oligomer formation at atomic level. As these structures are metastable and short lived, experimental data are difficult to obtain and they must be complemented with numerical simulations. In this work, we use the activation-relaxation technique coupled with a coarse-grained energy model to study in detail the mechanisms of aggregation of four lys-phe-phe-glu (KFFE) peptides. This is the shortest peptide known to form amyloid fibrils in vitro. Our simulations indicate that four KFFE peptides adopt a variety of oligomeric states (tetramers, trimers, and dimers) with various orientations of the chains in rapid equilibrium. This conformational distribution is consistent with all-atom molecular-dynamics simulations in explicit solvent and is sequence dependent; as seen experimentally, the lys-pro-gly-glu (KPGE) peptides adopt disordered structures in solution. Our unbiased simulations also indicate that the assembly process is much more complex than previously thought and point to intermediate structures which likely are kinetic traps for longer chains.     

About SnF2 stannous fluoride. IV. Kinetics of the α → γ and β, γ → α transitions

The kinetics of the reconstructive first order phase transitions α → γ (upon heating) and β, γ → α (upon cooling) of SnF₂ were studied by quantitative X-ray powder diffraction. The main feature of the kinetics is that these transformations are incomplete over a wide temperature range. Consequently it is not possible to fit the experimental data using the usual solid state rate expressions. Although these transitions are not reversible (large hysteresis) the empirical use of a kinetic model of a reversible transformation provides a good fit. The α → γ transformation was also investigated by D.T.A.; this transition was found to be greatly influenced by particle size: the transition temperature increases with grain size, and its enthalpy decreases. The X-ray investigation revealed that the process of the α → γ transformation involves an intermediate noncrystalline phase named the “transition phase.” It is suggested that the transition proceeds through a process of fragmentation-reconstruction.     

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry for the direct analysis of enzymatically digested kappa- iota- and hybrid iota/nu-carrageenans

Enzymatically digested oligosaccharides of kappa-, iota- and hybrid iota/nu-carrageenans were analysed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry in the negative-ion mode. nor-Harmane was used as matrix. Depending on the stock concentration and the laser intensity applied, the oligosaccharides exhibited losses of sulphate units (neutralised by the Na+ ion, and thus non-stable), leaving the primary backbone structure in most cases with only the deprotonated sulphate groups (carrying the negative charge, stable). This meant that kappa- and iota-oligosaccharides could not be easily distinguished from one another since they share the same primary backbone structure. However, for the hybrid iota/nu-oligosaccharides the primary backbone structure could be identified since the nu-carrageenan repeating unit differs from that of the kappa/iota-carrageenan unit. For all types of oligosaccharides, the results indicated cleavage of an anhydrogalactose unit from the non-reducing end. Specifically, for the hybrid oligosaccharides of iota/nu-carrageenans, this type of fragmentation means that the nu-carrageenan unit is not positioned on the non-reducing end of the hybrid oligosaccharides. Dehydration reactions, and exchange reactions of Na+ with K+ and Ca2+, were also observed.     

Enzyme promiscuity: first protein-catalyzed Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

The Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of cyclohexenone and p-nitro benzaldehyde is catalyzed by carrier proteins such as serum albumins or enzymes such as certain lipases, conversion of up to 35% and enantioselectivities of up to 19% being observed.