Homogeneous immunoassay of atrazine in water by terbium-entrapping liposomes as fluorescent markers

Atrazine (Atr) was conjugated to mastoparan (Mast) cytolytic peptide; Mast-Atr derivative was used as cytolytic agent on liposomes trapping Tb/citrate complex. This was applied in a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for detection of Atr in water. The cytolytic activity was read by means of time-resolved fluorescence after adding an excess of dipicolinic acid (DPA). Tb/citrate-entrapping liposomes are easy to prepare, and the assay is carried out in a short incubation time and in a range between 10 pg and 100 ng. The procedure was applied to analyse samples taken from Adda River and from irrigation ditches in an agricultural area around the town of Lodi. Recovery in samples spiked with two different Atr concentrations was between 95 and 105%.     

Intramolecular Dynamics of Tetranuclear Iridium Carbonyl Cluster Compounds. Part V. Polysubstituted derivatives of [Ir4(CO)12]

The dynamic behaviour of twelve polysubstituted derivatives of [Ir₄(CO)₁₂] has been investigated in solution, using 2D-EXSY, and VT-³¹P- and ¹³C-NMR. [Ir₄(CO)₆(μ₂-CO)₃(η⁴-diarsine) PPh₃] and [Ir₄(CO)₆(μ₂-CO)₃(η⁴-nor-bornadiene)(PMePh₂)] exhibit two isomeric forms in solution, which interconvert through an intramolecular change of basal face. The related cluster [Ir₄(CO)₆(μ₂-CO)₃(η⁴-norbornadiene)PPh₃] exists as a single isomer in solution. It displays rotation of CO ligands about the apical Ir-atom, followed by two consecutive changes of basal face. The tetrasubstituted clusters with two chelating ligands [Ir₄(CO)₅(μ₂-CO)₃(η⁴-diolefin)₂] also exhibit rotation of apical CO's, the activation energy increases with greater steric hindrance of the radical ligands. A quantitative analysis of the ³¹P- and ¹³C-2D-EXSY spectra followed by simulation of the corresponding VT-NMR spectra of [IR₄(CO)₅(μ₂-CO)₃(μ₂-L)₂] (L = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane and 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane) revealed a pairwise averaging of the P-atoms, caused by two parallel changes of basal face averaging all CO ligands. In addition, the restricted rotation of ligands about the apical Ir-atom was identified at higher temperatures. The remaining clusters are either rigid on the NMR time scale, or display CO-scrambling about a single Ir-atom.     

Cp*Rh(bpy)(H2O)]2+ as a coenzyme substitute in enzymatic oxidations catalyzed by Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases

[Cp*Rh(bpy)(H2O)]2+ was applied as a flavin regenerating reagent in BVMO catalyzed oxidations of organic sulfides to chiral sulfoxides.     

Chemo-enzymatic Synthesis of 6″-O-(3-Arylprop-2-enoyl) Derivatives of the Flavonol Glucoside Isoquercitrin

A chemo-enzymatic approach to some 6″-O-(3-arylprop-2-enoyl) derivatives of the flavonol glucoside isoquercitrin ( 2a ) was explored to overcome the inability to directly introduce these acyl moieties by an enzyme-catalyzed reaction of 2a with the corresponding activated esters. This new approach was based on the regioselective introduction of a methyl malonate residue at the CH₂OH of the sugar moiety by catalysis with the protease subtilisin (→ 22a ). The mixed diester 22a was then subjected to chemoselective hydrolysis of the methoxycarbonyl function by another enzyme, biophine esterase (→ 23 ). Finally, the malonic monoester 23 was reacted in a Knoevenagel-type condensation with benzaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, or 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde to afford the target 6″-O-(3-arylprop-2-enoyl) isoquercitrins 2b–d .     

Computing the (1)H NMR spectrum of a bulk ionic liquid from snapshots of car-parrinello molecular dynamics simulations.

We have investigated the performance of several computational protocols in predicting the NMR spectrum of a molecular ion in a complex liquid phase such as an ionic liquid. To do this, we computed the proton NMR chemical shifts of the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium cation [emim](+) in [emim][Cl]. Environmental effects on the imidazolium ring proton chemical shifts are quite significant and must be taken into account explicitly. Calculations performed on the isolated imidazolium cation as well as on the [emim][Cl] ion pair grossly fail to reproduce the correct spacing between proton signals. In contrast, calculations performed on clusters extracted from the trajectory of a Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulation yield very good results.     

First general approach to cyclohex-3-ene-1,1-bis(phosphonates) by Diels-Alder cycloaddition of tetraethyl vinylidenebis(phosphonate) to 1,3-dienes

Tetraethyl vinylidenebis(phosphonate) (VBP) reacts smoothly with substituted 1,3-dienes at 90-110 degrees C without solvent to give the corresponding cyclohex-3-ene-1,1-bis(phosphonates) in good yields (60-85%). With nonsymmetrically substituted dienes, mixtures of regioisomers are obtained, the regioisomeric ratio being exclusively controlled by electronic effects. Danishefsky's diene allows tetraethyl 4-oxocyclohex-2-ene-1,1-bis(phosphonate) to be obtained in an 81% overall yield after the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the Diels-Alder cycloadduct. With 2,3-dimethoxy-1,3-butadiene, a mixture of regioisomeric dimethoxycyclohexene-1,1-bis(phosphonates) is formed by the VBP-catalyzed isomerization of the normal Diels-Alder cycloadduct. The mixture converges into tetraethyl 3,4-dimethoxycyclohex-2-ene-1,1-bis(phosphonate) at prolonged reaction times.     

Preparation and structure of polymers from methoxy and hydroxy alkyl phenyl vinyl ketones

The preparation of 2-methoxy-5-t-butylphenyl vinyl ketone (MeOBVK), 2-hydroxy-5-t-butylphenyl vinyl ketone (HOBVK), and 2-methoxy-5-isooctylphenyl vinyl ketone (MeOOVK) is reported. These compounds can be considered as precursors of polymerizable derivatives of polyoxyethylated alkylphenols—a very important class of nonionic surface active compounds. The homopolymerization and copolymerization of MeOBVK, HOBVK, and MeOOVK with butylacrylate (BA), (–) menthylacrylate [(–)MtA], styrene (STY), and vinylacetate (VA) by free radical initiators, both in solution and emulsion, have been investigated. Copolymer formation has been demonstrated by fractionation and by the presence of induced optical activity in the electronic transitions of the achiral MeOBVK and HOBVK units in copolymers with the optically active comonomer (—)MtA. MeOBVK, HOBVK and MeOOVK give substantially random copolymers with STY, BA, or VA under all conditions investigated, and always show larger reactivity; thus, depending on feed composition, sequences of the vinyl ketone units can be expected in the macromolecules.     

Synthesis,Reactivity, and Fluxional Behaviour of [Ir2Rh2(CO)12], and Crystal Structure of [Ir2Rh2(CO)8(norbornadiene)2]

The synthesis of [Ir₂Rh₂(CO)₁₂] ( 1 ) by the literature method gives a mixture 1 /[IrRh₃(CO)₁₂] which cannot be separated using chromatography. The reaction of [Ir(CO)₄]^? with 1 mol-equiv. of [Rh(CO)₂(THF)₂]⁺ in THF gives pure 1 in 61% yield. Crystals of 1 are highly disordered, unlike those of its derivative [Ir₂Rh₂(CO)₅(μ₂-CO)₃(norbornadiene)₂] which were analysed using X-ray diffraction. The ground-state geometry of 1 in solution has three edge-bridging CO's on the basal IrRh₂ face of the metal tetrahedron. Time averaging of CO's takes place above 230 K. The CO site exchange of lowest activation energy is due to one synchronous change of basal face, as shown by 2D- and VT-¹³C-NMR. Substitution of CO by X^? in 1 takes place at a Rh-atom giving [Ir₂Rh₂(CO)₈(μ₂-CO)₃X]^? (X = Br, I). Substitution by bidentate ligands gives [Ir₂Rh₂(CO)₇(μ₂-CO)₃(η⁴-L)] (L = norbornadiene, cycloocta-1,5-diene) where the ligand L is chelating a Rh-atom of the basal IrRh₂ face. Carbonyl substitution by tridentate ligands gives [Ir₂Rh₂(CO)₆(μ₂-CO)₃(μ₃-L)] (L = 1,3,5-trithiane, tripod) with L capping the triangular basal face of the metal tetrahedron. Carbonyl scrambling is also observed in these substituted derivatives of 1 and is mainly due to the rotation of three terminal CO's about a local C₃ axis on the apical Ir-atom.     

Designing systems for a multiple use of light signals.

The photochemical and photophysical behavior of two dendrimers consisting of a benzophenone core and branches that contain dimethoxybenzene units has been investigated. Such dendrimers can undergo a variety of photochemical and photophysical processes, namely: 1) quenching of the fluorescence and phosphorescence of the dimethoxybenzene units by energy transfer to the benzophenone core (antenna effect), 2) direct and sensitized phosphorescence (and delayed fluorescence) of the benzophenone core, 3) hydrogen abstraction by the triplet excited state of the benzophenone core from solvent molecules, 4) intramolecular hydrogen abstraction by the triplet excited state of the benzophenone core from the dendrimer branches, 5) quenching of the phosphorescence and hydrogen abstraction reaction of the benzophenone core by energy transfer to terbium ions and dioxygen; 6) conversion of the UV light absorbed by the dendrimer branches into visible (Tb3+) or near infrared (O2) emission via the sequence of processes 1) and 5). The results obtained emphasize the great potential of suitably designed dendrimers for a multiple use of light signals.     

Structural effects on the beta-scission reaction of tertiary arylcarbinyloxyl radicals. The role of alpha-cyclopropyl and alpha-cyclobutyl groups

A product and time-resolved kinetic study on the reactivity of tertiary arylcarbinyloxyl radicals bearing alpha-cyclopropyl and alpha-cyclobutyl groups has been carried out. Both the 1-cyclopropyl-1-phenylethoxyl (1.) and alpha,alpha-dicyclopropylphenylmethoxyl (2.) radicals undergo beta-scission to give cyclopropyl phenyl ketone as the major or exclusive product with rate constants higher than that measured for the cumyloxyl radical. It is proposed that in the transition state for beta-scission of 1. and 2., formation of the C=O double bond is assisted by overlap with the C-C bonding orbitals of the cyclopropane ring. With tertiary arylcarbinyloxyl radicals bearing alpha-cyclobutyl groups such as the 1-cyclobutyl-1-phenylethoxyl (4.) and 1-cyclobutyl-1-phenylpropoxyl (5.) radicals, the fragmentation regioselectivity is essentially governed by the stability of the radical formed by beta-scission. Accordingly, 4. undergoes exclusive C-cyclobutyl bond cleavage to give acetophenone, whereas with 5., competition between C-cyclobutyl and C-ethyl bond cleavage, leading to propiophenone and cyclobutylphenyl ketone in a 2:1 ratio, is observed.