Orientation-selected 15N-HYSCORE detection of weakly coupled nitrogens around the archaeal rieske [2Fe-2S] center

The weakly coupled 15N atoms around a reduced Rieske [2Fe-2S] cluster of the uniformly 15N-labeled, hyperthermostable archaeal Rieske protein appear to produce readily observable cross-peaks in the HYSCORE spectra, with the well-resolved couplings of 0.3-0.4 MHz for the Nepsilon and 1.1 MHz for the peptide backbone nitrogens, in addition to the contributions from the coordinated Ndelta atoms. These features can be used for structure-mechanism studies of the biological redox protein system involving the weakly coupled nitrogens in coupled electron-proton transfer reactions.     

Radical cyclization by ipso substitution of the methoxy group: considerable effect of HMPA on samarium-mediated cyclization

Alkyl radicals generated by treatment of thiocarbamates of conformationally favorable 3-alkyl-3-arylpropan-1-ols with tris(trimethylsilyl)silane and AIBN efficiently undergo intramolecular ipso substitution of the methoxy group, yielding the corresponding cyclized products. In contrast, either conformationally favorable or flexible 1-arylalkan-3- or 4-ones easily cyclize into five- or six-membered condensed rings by treatment with SmI(2) via ketyl radical intermediates. The addition of HMPA as cosolvent dramatically changes the cyclization mode of the SmI(2)-induced reaction, and the para-cyclization products are exclusively formed. This "HMPA effect" can be rationalized by the strong chelating ability of HMPA with the samarium atom.     

Conformational effects on the performance and selectivity of a polymeric pseudostationary phase in electrokinetic chromatography

The effect of the conformation of a polymeric pseudostationary phase on performance and selectivity in electrokinetic chromatography was studied using an amphiphilic pH-responsive polymer that forms compact intramolecular aggregates (unimer micelles) at low pH and a more open conformation at high pH. The change in conformation was found to affect the electrophoretic mobility, retention, selectivity, and separation efficiency. The low-pH conformer has higher electrophoretic mobility and greater affinity for most solutes. The unimer micelle conformation was also found to provide a solvation environment more like that of micelles and other amphiphilic self-associative polymers studied previously. It was not possible to fully characterize the effect of conformation on efficiency, but very hydrophobic solutes with long alkyl chains appeared to migrate with better efficiency when the unimer micelle conformation was employed. The results imply that polymers with a carefully optimized lipophilic-hydrophilic balance that allow self-association will perform better as pseudostationary phases. In addition, the results show that electrokinetic chromatography is a useful method for determining the changes in solvation environment provided by stimuli-responsive polymers with changes in the conditions.     

Acrolein polymerization: Monodisperse,homo, and hybrido microspheres,synthesis, mechanism,and reactions

Monodisperse polyacrolien (PA) microspheres were obtained by a single step process via two mechanisms: (a) aqueous polymerization of acrolein under alkaline conditions and (b) aqueous radical polymerization of acrolein by irradiation with a cobalt source. The diameter of the former microspheres can be varied from 0.04 up to 8 μm. The monodispersity of the system is also discussed. The diameter of the latter microspheres can be varied up to 0.2 μm. Hybrido PA microspheres were formed by grafting PA microspheres of average diameter of 0.1 μm obtained by irradiation onto the surface of PA microspheres produced by the alkaline mechanism. The aldehyde content of the microspheres prepared by irradiation is much higher than those of the microspheres formed under alkaline conditions. The aldehyde groups were used for the covalent binding of ligands containing primary amino groups, such as proteins and drugs, in a single step under physiological pH.     

Starburst dendrimer-supported pseudostationary phases for electrokinetic chromatography

Pseudo-stationary phases for electrokinetic chromatography were prepared by the alkylation of starburst dendrimers (SBDs). The SBD-supported pseudo-stationary phase with dodecyl groups showed higher efficiency than short-akyl derivatives, and maintained the hydrophobic property inthe presence of methanol. The dodecyl-modified SBD provided wide migration time windows ar high methanol content to effect the separation of sixteen aromatic hydrocarbons, the priority pollutants designated by EPA, in 65% methanol. The selectivity of polymer-supported pseudo-stationary phase can be varied simply by changing the length of the alkyl groups. The dodecyl SBD showed relatively similar selectivity as sodium dodecyl culfate micelle, whereas short alkyl derivatives showed preference towards rigid and planar compounds based on the rigid and planar compounds based on the rigid polymer backbones. The selectivity of SBD-supported pseudo-stationary phases was dominated by the chain length of the alkyl groups, with the minor effect of the structure of the core and the generation of SBD where alkyl groups were attached.     

Determination of rare earth elements in geological samples by inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry after oxalate coprecipitation and cation-exchange column separation

A method for separation and determination of traces of 14 rare earth elements (REEs) in geological samples is described. Determination by inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry follows oxalate coprecipitation of the REEs with calcium as carrier and cation- exchange column separation in nitric acid. The combination of the two separation techniques improved the low recoveries found for Sm, Eu, and Gd when only ion-exchange was used, especially for iron- and aluminum-rich samples. The method was applied to the analysis of geological standard materials NBS SRM 688 (basalt), NBS SRM 278 (obsidian), GSJ JB-1 (basalt), GSJ JA- 2 (andesite), and CCRMP SY-3 (syenite). The results were evaluated on the basis of chondrite- normalized rare earth element distribution patterns.     

Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies on oxazolidinone antibacterial agents. 2. Relationship between lipophilicity and antibacterial activity in 5-thiocarbonyl oxazolidinones

5-Thiourea and 5-dithiocarbamate oxazolidinones were synthesized as a continuation of research on 5-thiocarbonyl oxazolidinone antibacterial agents considering the hydrophobic parameters of the molecule. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) study revealed that the antibacterial activity on 5-thiocarbonyl oxazolidinones was significantly affected by the lipophilicity, especially the calculated log P value and the balance between 5-hydrophilic (or hydrophobic) substituent and hydrophobic (or hydrophilic) substituents on the benzene ring. Some of 5-thiocarbonyl oxazolidinones were found to have good in vitro antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).     

Synthesis and structure of 1-zirconacyclopent-3-yne complexes without substituents adjacent to the triple bond

Five-membered metallacyclic alkynes that have no substituents adjacent to the triple bond have been synthesized, isolated, and structurally characterized. Zirconocene dichlorides, Cp'2ZrCl2 (Cp' = C5H5, C5H4-t-Bu), reacted with 1,4-dichlorobut-2-yne in the presence of magnesium to give 1-zirconacyclopent-3-yne compounds (5 (a) Cp' = C5H5, (b) Cp' = C5H4-t-Bu) that have a -CH2CCCH2- moiety in good yields. They are stable enough to be isolated in a pure form, despite the absence of substituents. 5a reacted with an equimolar amount of Cp2Zr(but-1-ene)(PMe3) to produce a bimetallic complex in which the zirconacyclopentyne coordinates to the other zirconocene moiety as an alkyne.     

Syntheses and structures of hypervalent pentacoordinate carbon and boron compounds bearing an anthracene skeleton--elucidation of hypervalent interaction based on X-ray analysis and DFT calculation

Pentacoordinate and tetracoordinate carbon and boron compounds (27, 38, 50-52, 56-61) bearing an anthracene skeleton with two oxygen or nitrogen atoms at the 1,8-positions were synthesized by the use of four newly synthesized tridentate ligand precursors. Several carbon and boron compounds were characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis, showing that compounds 27, 56-59 bearing an oxygen-donating anthracene skeleton had a trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) pentacoordinate structure with relatively long apical distances (ca. 2.38-2.46 A). Despite the relatively long apical distances, DFT calculation of carbon species 27 and boron species 56 and experimental accurate X-ray electron density distribution analysis of 56 supported the existence of the apical hypervalent bond even though the nature of the hypervalent interaction between the central carbon (or boron) and the donating oxygen atom was relatively weak and ionic. On the other hand, X-ray analysis of compounds 50-52 bearing a nitrogen-donating anthracene skeleton showed unsymmetrical tetracoordinate carbon or boron atom with coordination by only one of the two nitrogen-donating groups. It is interesting to note that, with an oxygen-donating skeleton, the compound 61 having two chlorine atoms on the central boron atom showed a tetracoordinate structure, although the corresponding compound 60 with two fluorine atoms showed a pentacoordinate structure. The B-O distances (av 2.29 A) in 60 were relatively short in comparison with those (av 2.44 A) in 59 having two methoxy groups on the central boron atom, indicating that the B-O interaction became stronger due to the electron-withdrawing nature of the fluorine atoms.     

Biodegradable Phosphorylcholine Polymer Hydrogels Cross‐Linked with Vinyl‐Functionalized Polyphosphate

A vinyl‐functionalized polyphosphate (PIOP) was synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization of 2‐isopropyl‐2‐oxo‐1,3,2‐dioxaphospholane and 2‐(2‐oxo‐1,3,2‐dioxaphosphoroyloxyethyl methacrylate) with triisobutylaluminum as an initiator. The number‐averaged molecular weight of the PIOP was 1.2 × 10⁴. The average number of vinyl groups in the PIOP is 2.20. Transparent hydrogels were prepared by the radical polymerization of 2‐methacryroyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine with PIOP as a cross‐linking reagent. These hydrogels may have many applications in the biomedical field because of their biodegradability and biocompatibility.

Synthetic route of PIOP.