Exploring azide-enolate cycloaddition in the synthesis of novel Rufinamide analogs

The exploration of azide-enolate cycloaddition in the synthesis of novel Rufinamide analogs is reported for the first time. A very simple procedure involving the use of β-ketonitriles as dipolarophiles afforded 5-aril/heteroayl Rufinamide derivatives in two steps.     

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of peloids from main Cuban spas

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Peloids from some Cuban spas (San Diego, Elguea, Santa Lucía, Cajío and Colony) have been studied using Instrumental Neutron Activation...     

A first glance into the nutritional properties of the sea cucumber Parastichopus regalis from the Mediterranean Sea (SE Spain)

This work reports for the first time the nutritional profile, including proximate chemical composition, amino acids, fatty acids and minerals of Parastichopus regalis from the Mediterranean Sea (SE Spain). The studied species had a high moisture content, moderate protein and low lipid levels. The most abundant amino acids were glutamic acid, arginine and tyrosine. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially arachidonic acid, dominated the fatty acid profile. Iron, sodium, calcium and zinc were the most abundant mine rals. In general, P. regalis has a balanced nutritional quality suitable for human consumption.     

On the state of iron in a clinoptilolite

The characterization of an iron-containing natural zeolitic sample from the deposit of Tasajeras (Cuba) has been carried out by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS),⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and Fe K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). The results show that iron is mainly located (ca. 96%) as Fe³⁺ in an octahedral site of the clinoptilolite framework. No evidence of tetrahedrally coordinated Fe³⁺ was found. The remaining 4% Fe is located as Fe²⁺ in an extraframework octahedral site, probably as a solvated ion, within the clinoptilolite structure.     

Dissociation constant of acetic acid in N-methylpropionamide from 5 to 55°C and related thermodynamic quantities

The dissociation constant of acetic acid in N-methylpropionamide (NMP) has been determined at 11 temperatures from 5 to 55°C by measurement of the electromotive force of cells without liquid junction containing hydrogen gas electrodes and silver-silver chloride electrodes. The pK at 25°C was found to be 7.995 (molal scale) as compared with 4.756 in water; thus, acetic acid is much weaker in NMP than in water despite the higher dielectric constant of the nonaqueous solvent (176 as compared with 78.3 at 25°C). The standard changes of enthalpy and entropy for the dissociation of acetic acid were calculated from the temperature coefficient of pK, and thermodynamic functions for the transfer dissociation process were obtained. The weakness of acetic acid in NMP is discussed in terms of electrostatic effects and solute-solvent interactions.     

About the intrinsic photochemical properties of the 11-cis retinal chromophore: computational clues for a trap state and a lever effect in Rhodopsin catalysis

CASPT2//CASSCF/6-31G* computations are used on the singlet S ₁ and S ₂ states to map the photoisomerization process of the 11-cis retinal protonated Schiff base in vacuo and to characterize its optical properties. It is shown that the spectroscopic observations recorded in Rhodopsin are reproduced quite well, calling for a substantially neutral effect of the protein. Furthermore, a rationale is proposed for the unreactive population recently observed in Rhodopsin, which is here addressed to the accessible S ₂ state, behaving as a trap. The experimental transient absorption and (absorption-wavelength dependent) emission are discussed and interpreted under the light of this novel model. Finally, a planarization of the β-ionone ring is observed on S ₁, which may cause a steric lever effect into the protein pocket, thus assisting photoisomerization catalysis. The reported results constitute a solid reference for further studies aimed to rationalize the effect of the environment on the photochemical reactivity of retinal chromophores. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Contribution to the Fernando Bernardi Memorial Issue.     

Thermodynamics, kinetics, and dynamics of the two alternative aniomesolytic fragmentations of C-O bonds: an electrochemical and theoretical study

Fragmentation reactions of radical anions (mesolytic cleavages) of cyanobenzyl alkyl ethers (intramolecular dissociative electron transfer, heterolytic cleavages) have been studied electrochemically. The intrinsic barriers for the processes have been established from the experimental thermodynamic and kinetic parameters. These values are more than 3 kcal/mol lower as an average than the related homolytic mesolytic fragmentations of radical anions of 4-cyanophenyl ethers. In the particular case of isomers 4-cyanobenzyl phenyl ether and 4-cyanophenyl benzyl ether, the difference in intrinsic barriers amounts to 5.5 kcal/mol, and this produces an energetic crossing where the thermodynamically more favorable process (homolytic) is the kinetically slower one. The fundamental reasons for this behavior have been established by means of theoretical calculations within the density functional theory framework, showing that, in this case, the factors that determine the kinetics are clearly different (mainly present in the transition state) from those that determine the thermodynamics and they are not related to the regioconservation of the spin density ("spin regioconservation principle"). Our theoretical results reproduce quite well the experimental energetic difference of barriers and demonstrate the main structural origin of the difference.