Vicarious Nucleophilic Substitution of Hydrogen and Formation of Aziridine Rings in Reactions of Benzonaphthyridines and their N-Oxides with Chloromethyl Phenyl Sulfone

 Treatment of benzonaphthyridines with chloromethyl phenyl sulfone in the presence of base led to the formation of aziridine rings annelated to the benzonaphthyridine skeleton, whereas their N-oxides underwent vicarious nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (VNS), thus leading to the corresponding phenylsulfonylmethyl derivatives.     

Use of calcium carbonate – fumed silica mixtures as filler in polyurethane adhesives

Natural ultramicronized calcium carbonate and mixtures of fumed silica‐natural ultramicronized calcium carbonate are proposed as fillers of solvent based polyurethane (PU) adhesives. PU adhesive containing only calcium carbonate shows similar rheological, thermal, mechanical, surface and adhesion properties than the PU adhesive without filler. Addition of 90 wt% fumed silica +10 wt% calcium carbonate mixture to PU adhesive produced a similar performance than the PU adhesive containing only famed silica. The increase in the amount of natural calcium carbonate in respect to fumed silica in the filler mixture produced detrimental effect on the rheological and mechanical properties of the PU adhesives (in respect to those provided by the PU adhesive only containing fumed silica), although the surface and adhesion properties were not noticeably modified.     

Connexin Expression in Human Minor Salivary Glands: An Immunohistochemical Microscopy Study

Connexins (Cxs) are transmembrane proteins involved in the formation of hemichannels and gap junctions (GJs). GJs are involved in various physiological functions, including secretion in glandular tissue. It has been demonstrated that Cx26, Cx32, and Cx43 are mainly expressed in glands, but no data are available in human salivary glands to date. The aim of our study was to investigate the presence and the localization of Cxs in human minor labial salivary glands. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy were employed to evaluate the Cx26, Cx32, and Cx43 protein in human labial salivary gland biopsies (hLSGBs). RT-PCR was also used to detect their mRNA expression. Cx expression was found at both the mRNA and protein levels in all hLSGBs analysed. Cxs were observed at the level of the duct and acinar cells, as well as in myoepithelial cells. The localization of the three Cx types was very similar, suggesting colocalization of these Cxs in the same connexons. These results demonstrated the presence of Cxs in human salivary glands for the first time. Moreover, the few samples with primary Sjögren’s Syndrome analysed only by immunofluorescence showed an alteration of the Cx expression, indicating that these proteins could be involved in salivary gland dysfunctions.     

Protein Attachment Mechanism for Improved Functionalization of Affinity Monolith Chromatography (AMC)

This work aims at understanding the attachment mechanisms and stability of proteins on a chromatography medium to develop more efficient functionalization methodologies, which can be exploited in affinity chromatography. In particular, the study was focused on the understanding of the attachment mechanisms of bovine serum albumin (BSA), used as a ligand model, and protein G on novel amine-modified alumina monoliths as a stationary phase. Protein G was used to develop a column for antibody purification. The results showed that, at lower protein concentrations (i.e., 0.5 to 1.0 mg·mL⁻¹), protein attachment follows a 1st-order kinetics compatible with the presence of covalent binding between the monolith and the protein. At higher protein concentrations (i.e., up to 10 mg·mL⁻¹), the data preferably fit a 2nd-order kinetics. Such a change reflects a different mechanism in the protein attachment which, at higher concentrations, seems to be governed by physical adsorption resulting in a multilayered protein formation, due to the presence of ligand aggregates. The threshold condition for the prevalence of physical adsorption of BSA was found at a concentration higher than 1.0 mg·mL⁻¹. Based on this result, protein concentrations of 0.7 and 1.0 mg·mL⁻¹ were used for the functionalization of monoliths with protein G, allowing a maximum attachment of 1.43 mg of protein G/g of monolith. This column was then used for IgG binding–elution experiments, which resulted in an antibody attachment of 73.5% and, subsequently, elution of 86%, in acidic conditions. This proved the potential of the amine-functionalized monoliths for application in affinity chromatography.     

Supra­molecular motifs in 1‐(2‐cyano­ethyl)thymine and 1‐(3‐cyano­propyl)­thymine

In both 1‐(2‐cyano­ethyl)thymine [systematic name: 3‐(5‐methyl‐2,4‐dioxo‐1,2,3,4‐tetra­hydro­pyrimidin‐1‐yl)propane­nitrile], C₈H₉N₃O₂, (I), and 1‐(3‐cyano­propyl)thymine [systematic name: 4‐(5‐methyl‐2,4‐dioxo‐1,2,3,4‐tetra­hydro­pyrimidin‐1‐yl)butane­nitrile], C₉H₁₁N₃O₂, (II), the core of the supra­molecular structure is formed by centrosymmetric dimers generated by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Further weak hydrogen bonds of C—H⋯O and C—H⋯N types generate mol­ecular tapes and sheets that resemble those in uracil and its methyl derivatives. The steric hindrance that arises from the cyano­alkyl substituents perturbs the conformations of the tapes and sheets.     

Anab initio molecular orbital study of substituted carbonyl compounds

Ab initio SCF calculations with a minimal STO-3G basis set have been performed to determine the equilibrium geometries of two series of carbonyl compounds, RCHO and R₂ CO. For the mono-substituted compounds, R may be CH₃, NH₂, OH, F, CHO, and C₂ H₃. In the disubstituted compounds, R has been restricted to the isoelectronic saturated groups. The computed equilibrium geometries of these compounds are in satisfactory agreement with the experimentally-determined geometries, with an average difference of 0.021 Å between computed and experimental bond lengths, and 1.9 ° in corresponding bond angles. An analysis of the effect of the substituent on the electronic structure of the carbonyl group has also been made. The saturated groups are found to be electron-withdrawing groups relative to H, with the electron withdrawing ability increasing in the order CH₃ 2 2H₂ are also electron withdrawing relative to H, and comparable to CH₃ in acetaldehyde. Vertical ionization potentials andn* transition energies have also been calculated for these molecules at their optimized geometries, experimental geometries, and geometries given by a standard model. The effect of changes in molecular geometry on these computed properties has been analyzed.     

Regioselective ring opening of amino epoxides with nitriles: an easy synthesis of (2R,3S)- and (2S,3S)-1,3-diaminoalkan-2-ols with differently protected amine functions

[reaction: see text] Transformation of enantiopure (2R,1'S)- or (2S,1'S)-2-(1-aminoalkyl)epoxides 1 or 2 into the corresponding (2R,3S)- and (2S,3S)-1,3-diaminoalkan-2-ols 3 or 4 is described. The opening of the epoxide ring with different nitriles (Ritter reaction) takes place with total selectivity and in high yields in the presence of BF3.Et2O. Interestingly, the two amine groups are differently protected. A mechanism to explain this transformation is proposed.     

Solvation structure and transport of acidic protons in ionic liquids: a first-principles simulation study

Ab initio simulations of a single molecule of HCl in liquid dimethyl imidazolium chloride [dmim][Cl] show that the acidic proton exists as a symmetric, linear ClHCl(-) species. Details of the solvation structure around this molecule are given. The proton-transfer process was investigated by applying a force along the antisymmetric stretch coordinate until the molecule broke. Changes in the free energy and local solvation structure during this process were investigated. In the reaction mechanism identified, a free chloride approaches the proton from the side. As the original ClHCl(-) distorts and the incoming chloride forms a new bond to the proton, one of the original chlorine atoms is expelled and a new linear molecule is formed.