Microswimmers – From Single Particle Motion to Collective Behavior

Locomotion of autonomous microswimmers is a fascinating field at the cutting edge of science. It combines the biophysics of self-propulsion via motor proteins, artificial propulsion mechanisms, swimming strategies at low Reynolds numbers, the hydrodynamic interaction of swimmers, and the collective motion and synchronisation of large numbers of agents. The articles of this Special Issue are based on the lecture notes of an international summer school, which was organized by the DFG Priority Programme 1726 “Microswimmers – From Single Particle Motion to Collective Behaviour” in the fall of 2015. The minireviews provide a broad overview of the field, covering both elementary and advanced material, as well as selected areas from current research.     

Quantification of retinoid concentrations in human serum and brain tumor tissues

Retinoic acid signaling is essential for central nervous system (CNS) differentiation and appears to be impaired in tumors. Thus far, there are no established methods to quantify relevant retinoids (all-trans-retinoic acid, 9-cis-retinoic acid, 13-cis retinoic acid, and retinol) in human brain tumors. We developed a single step extraction and quantification procedure for polar and apolar retinoids in normal tissue, lipid-rich brain tumor tissues, and serum. This quantification procedure is based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode-array detection (DAD) using all-trans-acitretin as an internal standard and extraction by liquid–liquid partition with ethyl acetate and borate buffer at pH 9. Recovery with this extraction procedure was higher than earlier (two-step) liquid–liquid extraction procedures based on hexane, NaOH, and HCl. The overall quantification procedure was validated according to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines and fulfilled all criteria of accuracy, precision, selectivity, recovery, and stability. The overall method accuracy varied between −5.6% and +5.4% for serum and −3.8% and +6.2% for tissues, and overall precision ranged from 3.1% to 6.9% for serum and 2.1% to 8.3% for tissues (%CV batch-to-batch). The lower limit of quantification for all compounds in tumor tissue (and serum) was 3.9 ng g⁻¹ (ng mL⁻¹). Using this assay, photodegradation of the retinoids was evaluated and endogenous polar and apolar retinoids were quantified in sera and brain tumor tissues of patients and compared with serum and tonsil tissue concentrations of controls. It may thus serve as a suitable method for the characterization of retinoid uptake and metabolism in the respective compartments.     

A Supramolecular Chiral Auxiliary Approach: “Remote Control” of Stereochemistry at a Hierarchically Assembled Dimeric Helicate

Dimeric hierarchically‐assembled titanium(IV) helicates are in solvent‐dependent equilibrium with the corresponding monomers. Statistically formed mixtures of such complexes bearing chiral stereocontrolling ligands and achiral diene‐substituted ligands show high diastereoselectivity and reasonable enantioselectivity in the Diels–Alder reaction with maleimides if the reaction proceeds with the dimer but not with the monomer. Thus, solvent dependent switching between the monomer and dimer enables on/off switching of the enantioselectivity.     

STUDIEN ZUM VORGANG DER WASSERSTOFFÜBERTRAGUNG 511 RANEY-NICKEL ALS REAGENS ZUR HYDRIERENDEN ABSPALTUNG DES CHALKOGENATOMS AUS SCHWEFEL-, SELEN- UND TELLUR-VERBINDUNGEN

Abstract

Thioäther, Sulfoxide, Sulfone, organische Selenide und Telluride (R – Y – R': R, R', = Alkyl, Aryl, Y=S, SO, SO₂, Se, Te) werden an der Grenzfläche von Raney-Nickel hydrogenolysiert. Als Spaltprodukte entstehen die Verbindungen RH und R'H sowie eine Grenzflächenverbindung (Raney-Nickel-Y) (Y=S, Se, Te; S auch aus Sulfoxiden und Sulfonen. Letztere entbinden ebenfalls mit Mineralsäuren YH₂).

Die Größe und ‘Struktur’ der Oberfläche des Raney-Nickels entscheidet über die Hydrogenolysekapazität. Bei einer technischen Raney-Nickel-Probe liegt bei Diphenylsulfid die Sättigungsausbeute an Benzol bei 1,1 mmol/g Raney-Nickel. Die Sättigungskapazität hängt ab von der Struktur von R bzw. R' und dem Heteroatom Y. (Auch Benzylether können–wenn auch langsamer als Thioether–zu Toluol aufgespalten werden). Auf Grund bekannter Daten werden Vorstellungen entwickelt, die ein Bild über den topochemischen Verlauf der Hydrogenolyse von R–Y–R' vermitteln sollen.

Vergiftetes Raney-Nickel ist im Gegensatz zum aktivierten Raney-Nickel nicht mehr oder nur stark vermindert zur Isomerisierung, Disproportionierung und zum H-D-Austausch befähigt. Bei diesen Prozessen spielt offenbar der im Nickel strukturgebundene Wasserstoff eine wichtige Rolle.

Some thioethers, sulphoxides, sulphones, organoselenium and tellurium compounds (R–Y–R' R, R'= Alkyl, Aryl, Y?S, SO, SO₂, Se, Te) have been reductively cleaved on the surface of Raney-nickel. The products comprise RH and R'H, and a surface bound material (Raney-nickel-Y) (Y?S, also from sulphoxides and sulphones, Se, Te. The latter may be released as YH₂ on treatment with mineral acids).

The area and ‘structure’ of the surface determines the hydrogenolysis capacity of the catalyst. For technical quality Raney-nickel, the limiting yield of benzene from diphenylsulphide is 1.1 mmol/g. The limiting yield is dependent on the structure of R and R' and also the nature of Y. (Benzyl ethers may also be reduced to toluene, if somewhat slower than the corresponding thioether).

Proposal for the processes possibly involved at the surface during hydrogenolysis of R–Y–R' are put forward in the basis of consideration of the available experimental data.

Poisoned Raney-nickel (in contrast to the activated catalyst) is practically inactive as agent for isomerization, disproportionation, or H–D exchange, and hence surface bound hydrogen clearly plays an important role in these processes.     

The Effect of Oxygen on Conversion in the Organic Peroxide-initiated High-Pressure Polymerization of Ethylene

To initiate the high-pressure polymerization of ethylene, oxygen is used together with organic peroxides in a number of tubular reactor processes. Since molecular oxygen is capable of promoting or inhibiting radical polymerization, depending on the reaction conditions chosen, controlled experiments were carried out to clarify these aspects of high pressure ethylene polymerization. In continuous polymerization tests carried out at 1700 bar and temperatures between 110 and 320°C, conversions were determined with tert-amyl perneodecanoate and di-tert-butyl peroxide initiation in the presence of various quantities of oxygen. Batch tests using a photo-initiator together with oxygen were also carried out. A comparison with polymerizations under conditions of careful elimination of oxygen shows no effect on the peroxide-initiated polymerization up to temperatures of 160 to 170°C. Although oxygen is an initiator at higher temperatures, the conversions obtained from the simultaneous addition of controlled quantities of oxygen and organic peroxides is lower than that obtained by adding together the conversions from the separate polymerizations.     

Synthetic α,β(1→4)-Glucan Oligosaccharides as Models for Heparan Sulfate

Abstract

α,β-(1→4)-Glucans were devised as models for heparan sulfate with the simplifying assumptions that carboxyl-reduction and sulfation of heparan sulfate does not decrease the SMC antiproliferative activity and that N-sulfates in glucosamines can be replaced by O-sulfates. The target oligo-saccharides were synthesized using maltosyl building blocks. Glycosylation of methyl 2,3,6,2′,3′,6′-hexa-O-benzyl-β-maltoside (1) with hepta-O-acetyl-α-maltosyl bromide (2) furnished tetrasaccharide 3 which was deprotected to α-D-Glc-(1→4)-β-D-Glc-(1→4)-α-D-Glc-(1→4)-β-D-Glc-(1→OCH₃) (5) or, alternatively, converted to the tetrasaccharide glycosyl acceptor (8) with one free hydroxyl function (4?′-OH). Further glycosylation with glucosyl or maltosyl bromide followed by deblocking gave the pentasaccharide [β-D-Glc-(1→4)-α-D-Glc-(1→4)]₂-β-D-Glc-(1→OCH₃) (11) and hexasaccharide [α-D-Glc-(1→4)-β-D-Glc-(1→4)₂-α-D-Glc-(1→4)-β-D-Glc-(1→OCH₃) (14). The protected tetrasaccharide 3 and hexasaccharide 12 were fully characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Assignments were possible using 1D TOCSY, T-ROESY, ¹H,¹H 2D COSY supplemented by ¹H-detected one-bond and multiple-bond ¹H,¹³C 2D COSY experiments.     

Chiral Fluorinated α‐Sulfonyl Carbanions: Enantioselective Synthesis and Electrophilic Capture,Racemization Dynamics,and Structure

Enantiomerically pure triflones R¹CH(R²)SO₂CF₃ have been synthesized starting from the corresponding chiral alcohols via thiols and trifluoromethylsulfanes. Key steps of the syntheses of the sulfanes are the photochemical trifluoromethylation of the thiols with CF₃Hal (Hal=halide) or substitution of alkoxyphosphinediamines with CF₃SSCF₃. The deprotonation of RCH(Me)SO₂CF₃ (R=CH₂Ph, iHex) with nBuLi with the formation of salts [RC(Me)? SO₂CF₃]Li and their electrophilic capture both occurred with high enantioselectivities. Displacement of the SO₂CF₃ group of (S)‐MeOCH₂C(Me)(CH₂Ph)SO₂CF₃ (95 % ee) by an ethyl group through the reaction with AlEt₃ gave alkane MeOCH₂C(Me)(CH₂Ph)Et of 96 % ee. Racemization of salts [R¹C(R²)SO₂CF₃]Li follows first‐order kinetics and is mainly an enthalpic process with small negative activation entropy as revealed by polarimetry and dynamic NMR (DNMR) spectroscopy. This is in accordance with a C_α? S bond rotation as the rate‐determining step. Lithium α‐(S)‐trifluoromethyl‐ and α‐(S)‐nonafluorobutylsulfonyl carbanion salts have a much higher racemization barrier than the corresponding α‐(S)‐tert‐butylsulfonyl carbanion salts. Whereas [PhCH₂C(Me)SO₂tBu]Li/DMPU (DMPU = dimethylpropylurea) has a half‐life of racemization at ?105 °C of 2.4 h, that of [PhCH₂C(Me)SO₂CF₃]Li at ?78 °C is 30 d. DNMR spectroscopy of amides (PhCH₂)₂NSO₂CF₃ and (PhCH₂)N(Ph)SO₂CF₃ gave N? S rotational barriers that seem to be distinctly higher than those of nonfluorinated sulfonamides. NMR spectroscopy of [PhCH₂C(Ph)SO₂R]M (M=Li, K, NBu₄; R=CF₃, tBu) shows for both salts a confinement of the negative charge mainly to the C_α atom and a significant benzylic stabilization that is weaker in the trifluoromethylsulfonyl carbanion. According to crystal structure analyses, the carbanions of salts {[PhCH₂C(Ph)SO₂CF₃]Li? L }₂ ( L =2 THF, tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA)) and [PhCH₂C(Ph)SO₂CF₃]NBu₄ have the typical chiral C_α? S conformation of α‐sulfonyl carbanions, planar C_α atoms, and short C_α? S bonds. Ab initio calculations of [MeC(Ph)SO₂tBu]^? and [MeC(Ph)SO₂CF₃]^? showed for the fluorinated carbanion stronger n_C→σ* and n_O→σ* interactions and a weaker benzylic stabilization. According to natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations of [R¹C(R²)SO₂R]^? (R=tBu, CF₃) the n_C→σ*_{S? R} interaction is much stronger for R=CF₃. Ab initio calculations gave for [MeC(Ph)SO₂tBu]Li ? 2 Me₂O an O,Li,C_α contact ion pair (CIP) and for [MeC(Ph)SO₂CF₃]Li ? 2 Me₂O an O,Li,O CIP. According to cryoscopy, [PhCH₂C(Ph)SO₂CF₃]Li, [iHexC(Me)SO₂CF₃]Li, and [PhCH₂C(Ph)SO₂CF₃]NBu₄ predominantly form monomers in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at ?108 °C. The NMR spectroscopic data of salts [R¹(R²)SO₂R³]Li (R³=tBu, CF₃) indicate that the dominating monomeric CIPs are devoid of C_α? Li bonds.     

A Molecular modeling study of the changes of some steric properties of the precatalysts during the olefin metathesis reaction

The productive self‐metathesis of 1‐octene with a series of new phosphine ligated Grubbs‐type precatalysts was studied. The resulting structures were used to compare some steric properties of the new precatalysts with those of well‐known precatalysts. The possibility of α‐CC agnostic stabilization as well as the ability of the ligands to shield the metal was studied. A comparison of the obtained data, pointed to the unlikelihood that α‐CC agostic stabilization is a major contribution to the stabilization of the various metallacyclobutane rings. The similarity in the ability of the ligands to shield the metal also raised questions about the comparison of experimentally observed trends with those obtained theoretically. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.