Concise synthesis of ether analogues of lysobisphosphatidic acid

We describe a versatile, efficient method for the preparation of ether analogues of (S,S)-lysobisphosphatidic acid (LBPA) and its enantiomer from (S)-solketal. Phosphorylation of a protected sn-2-O-octadecenyl glyceryl ether with 2-cyanoethyl bis-N,N-diisopropylamino phosphine and subsequent deprotection generated the bisether LBPA analogues. By simply changing the sequence of deprotection steps, we obtained the (R,R)- and (S,S)-enantiomers of 2,2'-bisether LBPA. An ELISA assay with anti-LBPA monoclonal antibodies showed that the bisether LBPAs were recognized with the same affinity as the natural 2,2'-bisoleolyl LBPA. [reaction: see text]     

What crystals of small analogs are trying to tell us about cellulose structure

The molecular geometries from crystal structures of 23 small molecules such as cellobiose were reviewed and extrapolated to give model cellulose chains. Within a given model, all monosaccharide units and their linkages are identical so the models are regular helices. Despite fairly large ranges for the glycosidic linkage torsion angles and , 29° and 57°, respectively, there is little variation in the n and h parameters of the model helices. They are extended, with h values (the advance per residue along the helix axis) of 5.04–5.27 Å. Some models were slightly right-handed, with n values up to 2.12 residues per helix turn. Left-handed models were in the majority, and their n values were as large as –2.91. These results are consistent with known structures of cellulose and its derivatives. An exception comes from a heavily derivatized cellobiose molecule. It yields right-handed helices with n 4.5 and h 3 Å. Because one half turn of this helix reverses the direction of the chain in a compact region, the linkage geometry is a model for chain-folding. Other derivatives that are unable to form the O3O5 hydrogen bond gave left-handed helices. The puckering of the glucose rings was also surveyed. A number of rings in small molecule structures are puckered to a degree that is similar to the puckering determined for methyl cellotrioside, cellotetraose, cellulose I and cellulose II.     

Multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies of the structuration of the tunnels of sepiolite in the presence of intracrystalline pyridine molecules

Sepiolite, a naturally occurring magnesiosilicate nanoporous clay mineral with a tunnel structure, contains two types of water molecules in the structure: zeolitic water trapped inside the tunnels and structural water molecules which interact strongly with magnesium cations. The zeolitic water was removed by heating the sepiolite to 120 degrees C. The partially dehydrated sepiolite absorbed pyridine vapor to produce an intercalated material where the pyridine takes the place of the zeolitic water. 1H solid-state MAS NMR spectroscopy showed that there is isotopic H/D exchange between pyridine-d5 and the remaining structural water molecules of the sepiolite framework. The exchange takes place at room temperature over several days. Wide line solid state 2H NMR of the sequestered pyridine-d5 showed that two populations of pyridine molecules coexist in the material: one very mobile physisorbed population, which can be removed by heating at 90 degrees C, and a population due to pyridine trapped in the tunnels. Except for small in-plane librations, the trapped pyridine was shown to be held rigidly by the sepiolite. When the pyridine intercalated material is heated at 400 degrees C the structural water and some of the pyridine is lost. The remaining pyridine takes the place of the structural water to produce a new inorganic-organic nanohybrid material with the pyridine bound to the terminal Mg(II) in the structure. The pyridine in this material as well as the intercalated material was characterized by slow-spinning 15N and 13C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy. The 15N NMR was shown to be a very sensitive probe to characterize the various types of pyridine. The data indicate that pyridine molecules in the inorganic-organic nanohybrid material are directly bound to magnesium cations exposed in the tunnels of sepiolite.     

Layer by layer buildup of polysaccharide films: physical chemistry and cellular adhesion aspects

The formation ofpolysaccharide films based on the alternate deposition of chitosan (CHI) and hyaluronan (HA) was investigated by several techniques. The multilayer buildup takes place in two stages: during the first stage, the surface is covered by isolated islets that grow and coalesce as the construction goes on. After several deposition steps, a continuous film is formed and the second stage of the buildup process takes place. The whole process is characterized by an exponential increase of the mass and thickness of the film with the number of deposition steps. This exponential growth mechanism is related to the ability of the polycation to diffuse "in" and "out" of the whole film at each deposition step. Using confocal laser microscopy and fluorescently labeled CHI, we show that such a diffusion behavior, already observed with poly(L-lysine) as a polycation, is also found with CHI, a polycation presenting a large persistence length. We also analyze the effect of the molecular weight (MW) of the diffusing polyelectrolyte (CHI) on the buildup process and observe a faster growth for low MW chitosan. The influence of the salt concentration during buildup is also investigated. Whereas the CHI/HA films grow rapidly at high salt concentration (0.15 M NaCl) with the formation of a uniform film after only a few deposition steps, it is very difficult to build the film at 10(-4) M NaCl. In this latter case, the deposited mass increases linearly with the number of deposition steps and the first deposition stage, where the surface is covered by islets, lasts at least up to 50 bilayer deposition steps. However, even at these low salt concentrations and in the islet configuration, CHI chains seem to diffuse in and out of the CHI/HA complexes. The linear mass increase of the film with the number of deposition steps despite the CHI diffusion is explained by a partial redissolution of the CHI/HA complexes forming the film during different steps of the buildup process. Finally, the uniform films built at high salt concentrations were also found to be chondrocyte resistant and, more interestingly, bacterial resistant. Therefore, the (CHI/HA) films may be used as an antimicrobial coating.     

Stereochemistry of the thermal isomerizations of (2S,3R-methoxymethyl-2,3-dideuterio-1-(dideuteriomethylene)cyclopropane

The (2S,3R) isomer of 2-methoxymethyl-2,3-dideuterio-1-(dideuteriomethylene)cyclopropane has been synthesized and heated at 198.8°: from the experimentally observed mol fractions of the eight isomers of 2,3,α,α,- and 2,3,3,α - tetradeuterio - 2 - methoxymethyl - 1 - methylenecyclopropane in the pyrolysis product mixture have been derived rate constants for seven distinct modes of isomerization. One-center thermal epimerizations at C(2) and C(3) and the C(2)C(3) two-center epimerization are of kinetic importance. Only two of four observable stereochemical modes for carbon [1,3] shifts are seen: there is inversion of stereochemistry at the migrating C atom, while the C(3)H trans to C(2)-CH₂OCH₃ in starting material becomes syn 4 : 1 C(α)-H in the [1,3] shift product. Stereomutation at C(2) does not occur along the reaction coordinate for [1,3] carbon shifts.     

51V magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy of Keggin anions [PVnW12-nO40](3+n)-: effect of countercation and vanadium substitution on fine structure constants

Vanadium environments in Keggin oxopolytungstates were characterized by (51)V solid-state MAS NMR spectroscopy. (C(4)H(9))(4)N(+)-, K(+)-, Cs(+)-, as well as mixed Na(+)/Cs(+)- salts of the mono-, di-, and trivanadium substituted oxotungstates, [VW(11)O(40)](4-), [V(2)W(10)O(40)](5-), and [V(3)W(9)O(40)](6-), have been prepared as microcrystalline and crystalline solids. Solid-state NMR spectra report on the local environment of the vanadium site in these Keggin ions via their anisotropic quadrupolar and chemical-shielding interactions. These (51)V fine structure constants in the solid state are determined by the number of vanadium atoms present in the oxoanion core. Surprisingly, the quadrupolar anisotropy tensors do not depend to any significant extent on the nature of the countercations. On the other hand, the chemical-shielding anisotropy tensors, as well as the isotropic chemical shifts, display large variations as a function of the cationic environment. This information can be used as a probe of the local cationic environment in the vanadium-substituted Keggin solids.     

Mechanisms of reduced human vascular cell migration after photodynamic therapy

Restenosis results from intimal hyperplasia and constrictive remodeling following cardiovascular interventions. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been shown to inhibit intimal hyperplasia in vivo by preventing neointimal repopulation of the treated vessel. This study was undertaken in an attempt to further dissect the mechanisms by which PDT acts on secreted and extracellular matrix proteins to inhibit migration of cultured human vascular cells. PDT of three-dimensional collagen gels inhibited invasive human smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration, whereas cell-derived matrix metalloproteinase production remained unaltered. Additionally, PDT generated cross-links in the collagen gels, a result substantiated in an ex vivo model whereby PDT rendered the treated vessels resistant to pepsin digestion and inhibited invasive migration of SMC and fibroblasts. These data support the premise that by inducing matrix protein cross-links, rendering the vessel resistant to degradation, in vivo PDT inhibits repopulation of the vessel and therefore intimal hyperplasia.     

Concise synthesis of acyl migration-blocked 1,1-difluorinated analogues of lysophosphatidic acid

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA, 1- or 2-acyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate) is an important phospholipid mediator produced by activated platelets and by ovarian cancer cells. Efforts to understand LPA signaling through G-protein-coupled receptors are hampered by the facile acyl migration that results in equilibration to a mixture of the 1- or 2-acyl species under physiological conditions. We describe a new and efficient route to enantiomerically homogeneous lysophospholipid analogues from D-mannitol 1,2:5,6-bis-acetonide to give two 1,1-difluorodeoxy analogues of (2R)-acyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate. These compounds are migration-blocked analogues of the labile sn-2 LPA species. The (19)F NMR of diastereotopic fluorines of the difluoromethyl group shows an unexpected solvent dependence.     

The melt hollow fiber spinning process: steady-state behavior,sensitivity and stability

The rheology of the melt hollow fiber spinning process is examined in the thin filament limit. The resulting thin filament equations are also applicable to single-phase and two-phase extensional flows. Using a novel numerical solution procedure, the sensitivity of the fiber spinning equations to material property and process variations is investigated. Fiber geometry is directly controlled by the mass flowrates of the core and clad fluids while the spinline tension is most strongly influenced by clad viscosity. A maximum can occur in the clad stress profile if a core liquid is used and the ratio of core to clad viscosity increases greatly with temperature. Isothermal spinning of high viscosity clad liquids with either a core gas or liquid is unstable for draw ratios greater than 20.2 as found for solid fibers.     

Ion Association and Hydration in Aqueous Solutions of Nickel(II) and Cobalt(II) Sulfate

Aqueous solutions of nickel(II) and cobalt(II) sulfate have been investigated at 25 ^∘C by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS) over a wide range of frequencies (0.2 ≤ ν (GHz) ≤ 89) and salt concentrations (0.025 ≤ c(mol-L⁻¹) ≤ 1.4). The spectra indicate, as for MgSO₄(aq) studied previously, the simultaneous presence of double solvent-separated, solvent-shared and contact ion pairs in both NiSO₄(aq) and CoSO₄(aq). The stepwise formation constants for each ion-pair type and the overall association constant, obtained from the data are in good agreement with ultrasonic relaxation and other estimates. The DR spectra at higher concentrations (c ≥ 0.5 mol-L⁻¹) suggest the existence of a nonlinear triple ion M₂SO₄²⁺(aq). Consistent with the very strong hydration of the salts, which have ‘effective’ hydration numbers approaching 27 at infinite dilution, there are no significant differences in any of the relaxation or thermodynamic parameters for NiSO₄(aq) and CoSO₄(aq), except that the triple ion appears to be somewhat more stable for the latter.