Temperature-induced isomerization of violaxanthin in organic solvents and in light-harvesting complex II

Three main xanthophyll pigments are bound to the major photosynthetic pigment-protein complex of Photosystem II (LHCII): lutein, neoxanthin and violaxanthin. Chromatographic analysis of the xanthophyll fraction of LHCII reveals that lutein appears mainly in the all-trans conformation, neoxanthin in the 9'-cis conformation and major fraction of violaxanthin in the all-trans conformation. Nevertheless, a small fraction of violaxanthin appears always in a cis conformation: 9-cis and 13-cis (approximately 4% and 2% in the darkness, respectively). Illumination of the isolated complex (5 min, 445 nm, 250 micromolm-2s-1) results in the substantial increase in the concentration of the cis steric conformers of violaxanthin: up to 6% of 9-cis and 4% of 13-cis. Similar effect can be obtained by dark incubation of the same preparation for 30 min at 60 degrees C. Heating-induced isomerization of the all-trans violaxanthin can also be obtained in the organic solvent system but the formation of the 9-cis stereoisomer has not been observed under such conditions. The fact that the appearance of the 9-cis form of violaxanthin is specific for the protein environment suggests that violaxanthin may replace neoxanthin in LHCII in the N1 xanthophyll binding pocket and that the protein stabilizes this particular conformation. The analysis of the electronic absorption spectra of LHCII and the FTIR spectra of the protein in the Amid I band spectral region indicates that violaxanthin isomerization is associated with the disaggregation of the complex. It is postulated that this reorganization of LHCII provides conditions for desorption of violaxanthin from the pigment protein complexes, its diffusion within the thylakoid membrane and therefore, availability to the enzymatic deepoxidation within the xanthophyll cycle. It is also possible that violaxanthin isomerization plays the role of a security valve, by consuming an energy of excessive excitations in the antenna pigment network (in particular, exchanged at the triplet state levels).     

Microwave-Assisted Method for Synthesis of 1,3-Disubstituted Pyrroles

1,3-Disubstituted pyrroles were prepared by a microwave-assisted reaction of pyrrolidine and aldehydes in toluene as well as in solvent-free conditions. Reactions were completed in a few minutes in the solvent-free condition but a long time (up to 30 min) was necessary to complete reactions in toluene. Yields of products depended considerably on the aldehyde used.     

Acyclic congener of cucurbituril: synthesis and recognition properties

The cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) family of macrocycles occupies a prominent role in molecular recognition and self-assembly studies despite the current inability to access specific cucurbit[n]uril homologues, derivatives, and analogues by straightforward tailor-made synthetic procedures. In this paper, we explore an approach that circumvents the challenges posed by the tailor-made synthesis of macrocyclic CB[n] by preparing 1, which functions as an acyclic CB[6] congener. The o-xylylene connections to the glycoluril rings preorganize 1 into the (a,a,a,a)-1 conformation required for binding and reduce its tendency to undergo self-association. We surveyed the binding properties of 1 toward 16 amines (K(a) 相似文献   

The psuedo‐michael reaction of 2‐aminoimidazolines 2. Part 1. Synthesis and structure assignment of isomeric 5(1H)‐Oxo and 7(1H)‐Oxo‐2,3‐dihydroimidazo[1,2‐a]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxylates

The pseudo‐Michael reaction of 1‐aryl‐2‐aminoimidazolines‐2 with diethyl ethoxymethylenemalonate (DEEM) was investigated. Extensive structural studies were performed to confirm the reaction course. For derivatives with N1 aromatic substituents, it was found that the reaction course was temperature dependent. When the reaction temperature was held at ?10 °C only the formation of 1‐aryl‐7(1H)‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydroimi‐dazo[1,2‐a]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxylates ( 4 ) was observed in contrast to earlier suggestions. Under the room temperature conditions, the same reaction yielded mixtures, with varying ratio, of isomeric 1‐aryl‐7(1H)‐oxo‐ ( 4a‐4f ) and 1‐aryl‐5(1H)‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydroimidazo[1,2‐a]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxylates ( 5a‐5f ). The molecular structure of selected isomers, 4b and 5c , was confirmed by X‐ray crystallography. Frontal chro‐matography with delivery from the edge was applied for the separation of the isomeric esters. The isomer ratio of the reaction products depended on the character of the substituents on the phenyl ring. The 1‐aryl‐7(1H)‐oxo‐carboxylates ( 4a‐4f ) were preferably when the phenyl ring contained H, 4‐CH₃, 4‐OCH₃ and 3,4‐Cl₂ substituents. Chloro substitution at either position 3 or 4 in the phenyl ring favored the formation of isomers 5a‐5f . The isomer ratios were confirmed both by ¹H NMR and chromatography. The reaction of the respective hydrobromides of 1‐aryl‐2‐aminoimidazoline‐2 with DEEM, in the presence of triethylamine, gave selectively 5(1H)‐oxo‐esters ( 5a‐5f ).     

Templated crystal nucleation: mixed crystals of very different copper(II) N,N',N'-trimethyltriazacyclononane complexes

Templation of a daughter phase by a parent crystal results from an equilibrating mixture of two very different copper(ii) N,N',N'-trimethyltriazacyclononane complexes.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of tetrahydrofurans via reaction of gamma,delta-epoxycarbanions with aldehydes

[reaction: see text] Hydroxymethyl-substituted tetrahydrofurans were prepared with high diastereoselectivity by reaction of the carbanion derived from 3,4-epoxybutyl phenyl sulfone with aldehydes in the presence of a mixture of lithium and potassium tert-butoxides. Initial formation of aldol-type adducts is a nondiastereoselective but reversible process; thus, subsequent formation of one main diastereoisomer is controlled by the relative rates of cyclization. The configuration of the carbon stereocenter at the oxirane ring is inverted in the course of the S(N)2 process, and two new centers are created diastereoselectively.     

New evidence on the structure of potassium salts of 12-tungstophosphoric acid, KxH3-xPW12O40

Physicochemical properties and compositions of KxH(3-x)PW12O40 salts, where 2 < or = x < or = 3, have been investigated. It has been found that freshly prepared K2HPW12O40 salt (drying at 313 K) contains particles of heteropolyacid and particles of the neutral potassium salt, the sample being in 78.6% amorphous. On aging at room temperature, the heteropolyacid spreads to form a surface layer covering the neutral potassium salt particles K3PW12O40. Heat treatment of KxH(3-x)PW12O40 salts, where 2 < or = x < 3, from 313 K to higher temperatures induces the transformation of the heteropolyacid-covering K(3) core into a well-dispersed, amorphous surface layer. On further heating of the acidic potassium salts, the surface layer decomposes between 855 and 915 K with the formation of a PW8O26-type bronze as a new phase, the K3PW12O40 salt remaining unchanged. The latter starts to decompose at 1093 K, and in the case of all samples, the process is completed at about 1183 K. Rietveld structure refinement, XPS, and 31P NMR measurements of acidic potassium salts indicate that the core of these salts is always formed by the K3PW12O40 salt, which is covered by a heteropolyacid. Comparison of lattice parameters of the K3 salt and HPW leads to the conclusion that the layer is composed of partially or completely dehydrated heteropolyacid molecules. The coverage of the core by HPW in the K2 sample was estimated to be equal to one monolayer.