Luminescent organoboron quinolate polymers

The synthesis of well-defined luminescent organoboron polymers via a novel three-step procedure starting from silylated polystyrene is reported. Highly selective borylation of poly(4-trimethylsilylstyrene) (PS-Si), followed by replacement of the bromine substituents in poly(4-dibromoborylstyrene) (PS-BBr) with substituted thienyl groups (R = H, 3-hexyl, 5-hexyl), and final introduction of the 8-hydroxyquinolato moiety yields a series of new organoboron quinolate polymers in 67-83% isolated yield. The hexyl-substituted polymers are highly soluble and solution-processable yielding thin films that efficiently emit light at 513-514 nm upon excitation at 395 nm.     

Infrared spectra of M+NO 3 − contact ion pairs in aprotic solvents and matrix isolated in the corresponding glasses

Studies of the vibrational spectra of matrix-isolated M⁺NO ₃ ^– ion pairs have been extended to glassy aprotic solvents. The deuterated form of the solvents DMSO, THF, and ACN have windows through the 7- nitrate ionv ₃(e) mode infrared region, so it was possible to clearly observe the splitting of the degeneracy of this mode,v ₃, produced by the contacting, but solvated, alkali metal cation. Primary attention has been directed to the extent to which this splitting is reduced relative to the argon matrix values. This reduction, which reflects electron-density transfer from the solvating molecules to the ion pairs, is comparable to that observed for H₂O and NH₃ matrices as the splitting is reduced to 20–35% of the argon-matrix values. The extent of reduction ofv ₃ for the different solvents has been related to Gutmann's donicity number scale with the correlation holding well for solvent molecules of comparable size, DMSO, THF and DMF, but breaking down for the smaller linear ACN, apparently because of more molecules in the cation solvation sphere. The matrix data have also been used, through comparison with spectra for saturated liquid solutions of Li⁺NO ₃ ^– , to show that the contact ion pair is the dominant species in liquid THF and ACN, whereas the ions are largely solvent separated in DMSO.     

Molecular dynamics averaging of Xe chemical shifts in liquids

The Xe nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shift differences that afford the discrimination between various biological environments are of current interest for biosensor applications and medical diagnostic purposes. In many such environments the Xe signal appears close to that in water. We calculate average Xe chemical shifts (relative to the free Xe atom) in solution in eleven liquids: water, isobutane, perfluoro-isobutane, n-butane, n-pentane, neopentane, perfluoroneopentane, n-hexane, n-octane, n-perfluorooctane, and perfluorooctyl bromide. The latter is a liquid used for intravenous Xe delivery. We calculate quantum mechanically the Xe shielding response in Xe-molecule van der Waals complexes, from which calculations we develop Xe (atomic site) interpolating functions that reproduce the ab initio Xe shielding response in the complex. By assuming additivity, these Xe-site shielding functions can be used to calculate the shielding for any configuration of such molecules around Xe. The averaging over configurations is done via molecular dynamics (MD). The simulations were carried out using a MD technique that one of us had developed previously for the simulation of Henry's constants of gases dissolved in liquids. It is based on separating a gaseous compartment in the MD system from the solvent using a semipermeable membrane that is permeable only to the gas molecules. We reproduce the experimental trends in the Xe chemical shifts in n-alkanes with increasing number of carbons and the large chemical shift difference between Xe in water and in perfluorooctyl bromide. We also reproduce the trend for a given solvent of decreasing Xe chemical shift with increasing temperature. We predict chemical shift differences between Xe in alkanes vs their perfluoro counterparts.     

Duplex-promoted platination of adenine-N3 in the minor groove of DNA: challenging a longstanding bioinorganic paradigm

The interactions of [Pt(en)Cl(ACRAMTU-S)](NO3)2 (PT-ACRAMTU, en = ethane-1,2-diamine, ACRAMTU = 1-[2-(acridin-9-ylamino)ethyl]-1,3-dimethylthiourea) with adenine in DNA have been studied using a combination of analytical and high-resolution structural methods. For the first time, a cytotoxic platinum(II) complex has been demonstrated to form adducts in the minor groove of DNA through platination of the adenine-N3 endocyclic nitrogen. An acidic depurination assay was developed that allowed the controlled and selective (pH 2, 60 degrees C, 12 h) release of platinum-modified adenine from drug-treated nucleic acid samples. From the digested mixtures, three adducts were isolated by semipreparative reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography and studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (in-line LC-MS), variable-pH 1H NMR spectroscopy, and, where applicable, X-ray crystallography. The three species were identified as the N7 (A-I), N3 (A-II), and N1 (A-III) linkage isomers of [Pt(en)(ACRAMTU-S)(adenine)]3+ (A). Incubations carried out with the single- and double-stranded model sequences, d(TA)5 and d(TA)15, as well as native DNA indicate that the adduct profiles (A-I:A-II:A-IIIratios) are sensitive to the nature of the nucleic acid template. A-II was found to be a double-strand specific adduct. The crystal structure of this adduct has been determined, providing ultimate evidence for the N3 connectivity of platinum. A-II crystallizes in the triclinic space group P in the form of centrosymmetric dimers, {[Pt(en)(ACRAMTU-S)(adenine-N3)]2}6+. The cations are stabilized by a combination of adenine-adenine base pairing (N6...N1 2.945(5) A) and mutual acridine-adenine base stacking. Tandem mass spectra and 1H chemical shift anomalies indicate that this type of self-association is not merely a crystal packing effect but persists in solution. The monofunctional platination of adenine at its N7, N3, and N1 positions in a significant fraction of adducts breaks a longstanding paradigm in platinum-DNA chemistry, the requirement for nucleophilic attack of guanine-N7 as the principal step in cross-link formation. The biological consequences and potential therapeutic applications of the unique base and groove recognition of PT-ACRAMTU are discussed.     

Protein fold recognition

Summary An important, yet seemingly unattainable, goal in structural molecular biology is to be able to predict the native three-dimensional structure of a protein entirely from its amino acid sequence. Prediction methods based on rigorous energy calculations have not yet been successful, and best results have been obtained from homology modelling and statistical secondary structure prediction. Homology modelling is limited to cases where significant sequence similarity is shared between a protein of known structure and the unknown. Secondary structure prediction methods are not only unreliable, but also do not offer any obvious route to the full tertiary structure. Recently, methods have been developed whereby entire protein folds are recognized from sequence, even where little or no sequence similarity is shared between the proteins under consideration. In this paper we review the current methods, including our own, and in particular offer a historical background to their development. In addition, we also discuss the future of these methods and outline the developments under investigation in our laboratory.     

Kinetics of the γ-radiation-induced polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the solid state

Studies have been made of the γ-radiation-induced polymerization of methyl methacrylate in bulk, in the solid state at a temperature of ?65°C. and a radiation intensity of 346,000 rad/hr. The reaction was found to have an extremely long induction period (～50 hr.) when pure monomer was used, and to be first-order with respect to polymer concentration. This first-order dependency was confirmed by a series of irradiations in which 0.6% poly(methyl methacrylate) was dissolved in the monomer before irradiation. These irradiations showed no induction period. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated a much more heterotactic polymer than that obtained in the liquid state at ?49°C.     

Dibenzotetraaza crown ethers: a new family of crown ethers based on o-phenylenediamine

Dibenzotetraaza (DBTA) crown ethers possess two o-phenylenediamine moieties. They are homologues of dibenzo crown ether phase-transfer catalysts and were prepared from the condensation of benzimidazoles with oligo(ethyleneglycol) dichlorides and oligo(ethyleneglycol) ditosylates. Compounds with ring sizes ranging from 18-crown-6 to 42-crown-14 were prepared. In addition, various altered benzimidizoles were used to produce DBTA crown ethers with modified substituents and ether bridges, as well as benzimidazolidine crown ethers. The synthetic approach presented here proved to be a convenient route to a new family of crown ethers with overall yields of up to 48% based on the benzimidazole. Yields for the ring-closing step were generally high, ranging from 51% to 94%, without the need for high-dilution conditions. Reaction of the DBTA crown ethers with alkyl and benzyl halides was found to be a facile way to obtain the corresponding tetra(N-organyl) compounds. Picrate extraction studies were carried out to determine phase-transfer catalytic capabilities. Extraction efficiencies for alkali-metal ions were lower than those for dibenzo-18-crown-6. Efficiencies were higher for other metal ions, with some selectivity for Pb(2+). Tetra(N-methyl) DBTA-18-crown-6 generally exhibited higher extraction efficiencies than its N-H analogue, but the selectivity was lower.