Cholic acid derivatives containing both 2-naphthylcarbamate and 3,5-dinitrophenylcarbamate groups: a combined circular dichroism-molecular mechanics approach to the definition of their molecular conformation

CD spectra of the chiral auxiliaries for enantioselective HPLC N-allyl-N'-methyl-3,12-bis(2-naphthyl)carbamoyloxy-7-(3,5-dinitrophenyl)carbamoyloxycholan-24-amide (1), N-allyl-N'-methyl-3-(3,5-dinitrophenyl)carbamoyloxy-7,12-bis(2-naphthyl)carbamoyloxycholan-24-amide (2), N-allyl-N'-methyl-3,7-bis(2-naphthyl)carbamoyloxy-12-(3,5-dinitrophenyl)carbamoyloxycholan-24-amide (3), and N-allyl-N'-methyl-3,7,12-tris(2-naphthyl)carbamoyloxycholan-24-amide (4) are presented. To determine the preferred conformations of those chiral auxiliaries, a random search based on the aromatic side-chain conformational degrees of freedom was performed and the energy was minimized using two different molecular mechanics force fields. The low energy structures presenting common features were arranged in groups and selected exploiting appropriate filters. The calculation of theoretical CD spectra according to the De Voe model has allowed a further discrimination among the conformations, specifying which of them gave calculated CD spectra in acceptable agreement with the experimental ones. Finally, taking into account the additivity of the contributions of each 2-naphthylcarbamate chromophore to the CD spectrum of the cholic acid derivatives, and, hence, choosing, for derivatives 1-3, those conformations in which the 2-naphthylcarbamate groups take a similar disposition as in 4, the preferentially assumed conformation of each compound was obtained. A molecular dynamics simulation in the presence of acetonitrile allowed the fluctuations of one of the structures, used as a test case, depending on environmental effects, to be examined.     

Biological weighting function of the UV-B-induced impairment of phototaxis in the freshwater ciliate Ophryoglena flava

We determined the biological weighting function (BWF) of the effect of UV radiation on phototaxis of the freshwater, histophagous ciliate Ophryoglena flava. Dose-effect curves were measured by exposing the cells to 12 different irradiation regimens obtained with two different levels of UV-B radiation and by using six filters with cutoff wavelengths ranging from 280 to 335 nm. The results show that there are significant damages to phototaxis at the doses used and that the effect increases when the cutoff is shifted toward short wavelengths. The data were used to calculate the BWF of phototaxis impairment by applying a nonlinear fit procedure. The BWF thus obtained decays exponentially with increasing wavelength in agreement with similar findings reported in the literature for other systems.     

An extension of the fenchel theorem

We give an extension of the Fenchel-Borsuk result by introducing the total absolute torsion-curvature KT() for regular curves whose tangent indicatrix is a piecewise regular curve (-closed curves). We prove that KT() is low bounded by 2 and we give a geometric characterization for the -closed curves whose KT() is minimal.     

Removal of organic pollutants from water via molecular inclusion within a cavitand

The molecular inclusion chemistry of cavitands provides a useful way for the removal of organic pollutants from water. A wide range of lipophilic organic compounds, present at trace level in water, are efficiently extracted by cavitand1, which can be easily reactivated and reused.     

Theoretical studies on the effects of methods and parameterization on the calculated free energy of hydration for small molecules

Free energies of hydration (FEH) have been computed for 13 neutral and nine ionic species as a difference of theoretically calculated Gibbs free energies in solution and in the gas phase. In‐solution calculations have been performed using both SCIPCM and PCM polarizable continuum models at the density functional theory (DFT)/B3LYP and ab initio Hartree–Fock levels with two basis sets (6‐31G* and 6‐311++G**). Good linear correlation has been obtained for calculated and experimental gas‐phase dipole moments, with an increase by ～30% upon solvation due to solute polarization. The geometry distortion in solution turns out to be small, whereas solute polarization energies are up to 3 kcal/mol for neutral molecules. Calculation of free energies of hydration with PCM provides a balanced set of values with 6‐31G* and 6‐311++G** basis sets for neutral molecules and ionic species, respectively. Explicit solvent calculations within Monte Carlo simulations applying free energy perturbation methods have been considered for 12 neutral molecules. Four different partial atomic charge sets have been studied, obtained by a fit to the gas‐phase and in‐solution molecular electrostatic potentials at in‐solution optimized geometries. Calculated FEH values depend on the charge set and the atom model used. Results indicate a preference for the all‐atom model and partial charges obtained by a fit to the molecular electrostatic potential of the solute computed at the SCIPCM/B3LYP/6‐31G* level. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004     

Chelated hydrazido(3-)rhenium(V) complexes: on the way to the nitrido-M(V) core (M = Tc, Re)

Neutral and asymmetrical hydrazido(3-)rhenium(V) heterocomplexes of the type [Re(eta(2)-L(4))(L(n))(PPh(3))] (eta(2)-L(4) = NNC(SCH(3))S; H(2)L(1) = S-methyl beta-N-((2-hydroxyphenyl)ethylidene)dithiocarbazate, 1, H(2)L(2) = S-methyl beta-N-((2-hydroxyphenyl)methylidene)dithiocarbazate, 2) are prepared via ligand-exchange reactions in ethanolic solutions starting from [Re(V)(O)Cl(4)](-) in the presence of PPh(3) or from [Re(V)(O)Cl(3)(PPh(3))(2)]. The distorted octahedral coordination sphere of these compounds is saturated by a chelated hydrazido group, a facially ligated ONS Schiff base, and PPh(3). Reduction-substitution reactions starting from [NH(4)][Re(VII)O(4)] in acidic ethanolic mixtures containing PPh(3) and H(2)L(n) (or its dithiocarbazic acid precursor H(3)L(4)) produce another example of chelated hydrazido(3-) rhenium(V) derivative, namely [Re(eta(2)-L(4))Cl(2)(PPh(3))(2)], 3. On the contrary, the N-methyl-substituted dithiocarbazic acid H(2)L(3) reacts with perrhenate to give the known nitrido complex [Re(N)Cl(2)(PPh(3))(2)]. Rhenium(V) complexes incorporating the robust eta(2)-hydrazido moiety represent key intermediates helpful for the comprehension of the reaction pathway which generates nitridorhenium(V) species starting from oxo precursors. An essential requirement for the stabilization of such chelated hydrazido-Re(V) units is the triple deprotonation at the hydrazine nitrogens, thereby providing efficient pi-electron circulation in the resulting five-membered ring. The thermal stability of these units is affected by the nature of the anchoring donor, thione sulfur ensuring stronger chelation than nitrogen and oxygen. The eta(2)-hydrazido complexes are characterized by conventional physicochemical techniques, including the X-ray crystal structure determination of 1 and 3.     

Oxidative addition of tetrabromo-1,2-benzoquinone totrans-carbonylchlorobis(triphenylphosphine)rhodium andtrans-carbonyliodiobis(triphenylphosphine)rhodium

Summary The oxidative addition of tetrabromo-1,2-benzoquinone to Rh(CO)X(PPh₃)₂ (X = Cl or I) has been studied. With the square planar complex Rh(CO)Cl(PPh₃)₂, two new isomeric hexacoordinated compounds; withcis andtrans PPh₃ ligands, have been isolated and their structures are discussed on the basis of spectroscopic data. Thecis isomer in acetone solution quickly converts into thetrans. Such a conversion presumably proceeds through the dissociation of a triphenylphosphine molecule as seems indicated by the isolation of the pentacoordinated intermediate species Rh(CO)I(PPh₃)(1,2-O₂C₆Br₄), which has been identified by elemental analysis and spectroscopically characterized.     

Synthesis and characterization of rhenium(V) oxo complexes with N-[N-(3-diphenylphosphinopropionyl)glycyl]cysteine methyl ester. X-ray crystal structure of (ReO[Ph(2)P(CH(2))(2)C(O)-Gly-Cys-OMe(P,N,N,S)])

The PN(2)S chelate N-[N-(3-diphenylphosphinopropionyl)glycyl]-S-tritylcysteine methyl ester [PN(2)S(Trt)-OMe] was synthesized and reacted with ReOCl(3)(PPh(3))(2) and Ph(4)P[ReOCl(4)]. The reactions of both tritylated and detritylated ligands with Re(V)O precursors gave two diastereomers, 9a and 9b, of the ReO(PN(2)S-OMe) complex. The two isomers, produced in a 1:1 molar ratio, are stable and do not interconvert. They were separated by reverse-phase HPLC and characterized by NMR, FT-IR, and UV-visible spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry. X-ray analysis established for 9a the presence in the solid of the syn isomer. Compound 9a, C(21)H(23)N(2)O(5)PSRe, crystallized from warm acetonitrile in the triclinic space group Ponemacr;, a = 9.828(2) A, b = 11.163(2) A, c = 11.641(2) A, alpha = 106.48(3) degrees, beta = 109.06(3) degrees, gamma = 102.81(3) degrees, V = 1085.7(4) A(3), Z = 2. The PN(2)S coordination set is in the equatorial plane, and the complex shows a distorted square pyramidal coordination. The anti configuration assigned to 9b is consistent with all the available physicochemical data. Follow-up of the reaction of the detritylated ligand with Ph(4)P[ReOCl(4)] in ethanol or acetonitrile indicated that the phosphorus atom of the chelate binds first to the metal and that this bond acts as the driving force for coordination.