The cyano nitronyl nitroxide radical: experimental and theoretical evidence for the fourth case of the McConnell-I mechanism

The nitronyl nitroxide 2-cyano-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (1) crystallises in the tetragonal P42(1)m space group with a=7.4050(7), c=8.649(1) A. In the crystal the molecules form layers parallel to the ab plane in which they are orthogonal to each other. In the layers there are close contacts, 2.953(2) A, between the NO groups and the bridging carbon atoms of the O-N-C-N-O fragment of neighbouring radicals. The calculated spin density shows a positive population mainly and equally localised on the NO groups and small but significant negative spin densities on the bridging carbon atom and the cyano nitrogen. Absorption spectra show temperature-dependent transitions related to the magnetic behaviour. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility in the range 2-300 K reveals that couplings between the radicals are antiferromagnetic, and is interpreted by considering a two-dimensional square array of spin S=1/2 antiferromagnetically coupled (J=-10 cm(-1) and g=2.01). This is interpreted as an exchange coupling through close contact between positive and negative spin densities in orthogonal orbitals on oxygen and carbon atoms, respectively.     

A genetic algorithm for the automated generation of small organic molecules: Drug design using an evolutionary algorithm

Rational drug design involves finding solutions to large combinatorial problems for which an exhaustive search is impractical. Genetic algorithms provide a novel tool for the investigation of such problems. These are a class of algorithms that mimic some of the major characteristics of Darwinian evolution. LEA has been designed in order to conceive novel small organic molecules which satisfy quantitative structure-activity relationship based rules (fitness). The fitness consists of a sum of constraints that are range properties. The algorithm takes an initial set of fragments and iteratively improves them by means of crossover and mutation operators that are related to those involved in Darwinian evolution. The basis of the algorithm, its implementation and parameterization, are described together with an application in de novo molecular design of new retinoids. The results may be promising for chemical synthesis and show that this tool may find extensive applications in de novo drug design projects.     

A general approach toward the synthesis of 8-acylamidopyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazines

An expedient synthesis of 8-acylamidopyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazines was developed by treating 8-amino-4-[N-(4-aminophenyl)-N-(methyl)amino]pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine with various acyl chlorides following by the displacement of the so-formed N-(methyl)-N-[4-(acylamido)phenyl]amino leaving group with various amines. Applications to high-throughput synthesis are suggested.     

A stabilized formulation of IBX (SIBX) for safe oxidation reactions including a new oxidative demethylation of phenolic methyl aryl ethers

[reaction: see text] SIBX is a nonexplosive formulation of IBX that can be used as a suspension in a variety of standard organic solvents such as refluxing EtOAc and THF to oxidize safely alcohols into aldehydes and ketones. The use of hot THF is limited to the oxidation of allylic and benzylic alcohols. Most yields are comparable to those obtained with IBX or DMP. SIBX can also be used to perform oxygenative demethylation of 2-methoxyarenols into orthoquinones and catechols.     

The rearrangement of some cyclopentanone-aryloximes: synthesis of (±)-aplysin, (±)-filiformin and of their debromo analogues.

Upon acid catalyzed rearrangement after Sheradsky, the aryloximes A gave the tricyclic aminals C, which suffered hydrolysis to lactols E. The unique alcohol 29 was then prepared through a highly stereoselective equilibration-reductive alkylation of the epimeric mixture of lactols 22a,b. Two routes, one of which was stereospecific, allowed cyclization of 29 to (±)-aplysin 34. The yield was 2.5 % from oximes 2a,b. The isomeric epi-aplysin 35 and filiformin 36 were also obtained from 29. The debromo analogues 37,38 and 39 and their trideutero derivatives 41,42 and 43 were synthesized along similar line and allowed unequivocal structure elucidation by NMR spectroscopy.     

Identification,synthesis and conformational study of a CN(R,S) synthon by-product: (5R, 10R)-5,10-diphenyl-1,6-diaza-3,8-dioxabicyclo[4.4.1]undecane

The title compound, containing a new heterocyclic skeleton, was identified by X-ray crystallography as the product of condensation of (R)-phenylglycinol with an excess of formaldehyde. The molecule adopts a rigid double twist-chair conformation in both solid and solution states.     

An Organoruthenium Anticancer Agent Shows Unexpected Target Selectivity For Plectin

Organometallic metal(arene) anticancer agents require ligand exchange for their anticancer activity and this is generally believed to confer low selectivity for potential cellular targets. However, using an integrated proteomics-based target-response profiling approach as a potent hypothesis-generating procedure, we found an unexpected target selectivity of a ruthenium(arene) pyridinecarbothioamide (plecstatin) for plectin, a scaffold protein and cytolinker, which was validated in a plectin knock-out model in vitro. Plectin targeting shows potential as a strategy to inhibit tumor invasiveness as shown in cultured tumor spheroids while oral administration of plecstatin-1 to mice reduces tumor growth more efficiently in the invasive B16 melanoma than in the CT26 colon tumor model.     

Conformational Dynamics in the Core of Human Y145Stop Prion Protein Amyloid Probed by Relaxation Dispersion NMR

Microsecond to millisecond timescale backbone dynamics of the amyloid core residues in Y145Stop human prion protein (PrP) fibrils were investigated by using ¹⁵N rotating frame (R_1ρ) relaxation dispersion solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy over a wide range of spin-lock fields. Numerical simulations enabled the experimental relaxation dispersion profiles for most of the fibril core residues to be modelled by using a two-state exchange process with a common exchange rate of 1000 s⁻¹, corresponding to protein backbone motion on the timescale of 1 ms, and an excited-state population of 2 %. We also found that the relaxation dispersion profiles for several amino acids positioned near the edges of the most structured regions of the amyloid core were better modelled by assuming somewhat higher excited-state populations (∼5–15 %) and faster exchange rate constants, corresponding to protein backbone motions on the timescale of ∼100–300 μs. The slow backbone dynamics of the core residues were evaluated in the context of the structural model of human Y145Stop PrP amyloid.     

Application of gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to the analysis of inhibition of dimerisation of tributylphosphate under radiolysis. Identification of isomeric tributylphosphate-alkylbenzene inhibitor coupling products

Tributylphosphate (TBP), solvent used as extractant for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, can dimerise under radiolysis. This occurs by radical radical recombination, leading to 10 isomeric dimers (TBP-TBP). These species are complexation agents and are responsible of fission product retention in the organic phase that increases the solvent degradation. In order to limit their formation two free radical inhibitors (In), isopropyl and 1,4-diisopropylbenzenes, were used. These additives reduce by about 50% the concentration of TBP-TBP dimers but this reduction is not strictly followed by TBP regeneration as mixed coupling products from TBP and inhibitor are detected. By using GC-MS-MS and selectively deuterated compounds, the identification of these different isomers (TBP-In) has been realised. From these identifications and from the analysis of the proportion of the different isomers, the major primary TBP radical generated under radiolysis was determined.