δ‐Peptide Analogues of Pyranosyl‐RNA,Part 1 , Nucleo‐δ‐peptides Derived from Conformationally Constrained Nucleo‐δ‐amino Acids: Preparation of Monomers

Cyclic nucleo‐δ‐amino acids that constitute monomers of a conformationally constrained nucleo‐δ‐peptide base‐pairing system have been prepared. Their synthesis starts with an enantioselectively catalyzed chirogenic Diels‐Alder reaction, proceeds via a regioselective ε‐iodolactamization process, and ends with a regio‐ as well as diastereoselective introduction of nucleobases through S_N2‐type opening of a transiently formed N‐acylaziridine ring. Extensive use of X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis has been made to support structure assignments.     

Synthesis and photoswitching properties of bent-shaped liquid crystals containing azobenzene monomers

Three novel bent-shaped monomers, namely 1,3-phenylene bis-{4-[4-(n-allyloxyalkyloxy)phenylazo]benzoate} 5a–c, containing azobenzene as side arms, resorcinol as central units and terminal double bonds as polymerisable functional groups were synthesised and characterised. The mesophase behaviour was investigated by polarising optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction measurements and it was found that all three compounds display SmA_intercal mesophases. These bent-shaped molecules exhibit strong photoisomerisation behaviour in solutions in which trans to cis isomerisation takes about 50 seconds whereas the reverse process takes almost 31 hours.     

Stability of mixed PEO-thiol SAMs for biosensing applications

The secret of a successful affinity biosensor partially hides in the chemical interface layer between the transducer system and the biological receptor molecules. Over the past decade, several methodologies for the construction of such interface layers have been developed on the basis of the deposition of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiols on gold. Moreover, mixed SAMs of polyethylene oxide (PEO) containing thiols have been applied for the immobilization of biological receptors. Despite the intense research in the field of thiol SAMs, relatively little is known about their biosensing properties in correlation with their long-term stability. Especially the impact of the storage conditions on their biosensing characteristics has not been reported before to our knowledge. To address these issues, we prepared mixed PEO SAMs and tested their stability and biosensing performance in several storage conditions, i.e., air, N2, ethanol, phosphate buffer, and H2O. The quality of the SAMs was monitored as a function of time using various characterization techniques such as cyclic voltammetry, contact angle, grazing angle Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, the impact of the different storage conditions on the biosensor properties was investigated using surface plasmon resonance. Via the latter technique, the receptor immobilization, the analyte recognition, and the nonspecific binding were extensively studied using the prostate specific antigen as a model system. Our experiments showed that very small structural differences in the SAM can have a great impact in their final biosensing properties. In addition it was shown that the mixed SAMs stored in air or N2 are very stable and retain their biosensor properties for at least 30 days, while ethanol appeared to be the worst storage medium due to partial oxidation of the thiol headgroup. In conclusion, care must be taken to avoid SAM degradation during storage to retain typical SAM characteristics, which is very important for their general use in many proposed applications.     

Haloacetylated enol ethers. 2. Synthesis of 5-trifluoromethylpyrazoles

1-Methyl-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazoles 2, 3 and 4,5-dihydro-1-phenyl-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-ol 4 were prepared by reaction of 4-alkoxy-1,1,1-trifluoro-3-alken-2-ones 1 and hydrazine, methylhydrazine, and phenylhydrazine, respectively, in good yields. Compound 1 proved to be a versatile building block for the regiospecific construction of pyrazole rings having an 5-trifluoromethyl substituent.     

Reaction behaviour of dinuclear copper(I) complexes with m-xylyl-based ligands towards dioxygen

Intramolecular ligand hydroxylation was observed during the reactions of dioxygen with the dicopper(I) complexes of the ligands L(1)(L(1)=alpha,alpha'-bis[(2-pyridylethyl)amino]-m-xylene) and L(3)(L(3)=alpha, alpha'-bis[N-(2-pyridylethyl)-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]-m-xylene). The dinuclear copper(I) complex [Cu(2)L(3)](ClO(4))(2) and the dicopper(II) complex [Cu(2)(L(1)-O)(OH)(ClO(4))]ClO(4) were characterized by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. Furthermore, phenolate-bridged complexes were synthesized with the ligand L(2)-OH (structurally characterized [Cu(2)(L(2)-O)Cl(3)] with L(2)=alpha, alpha'-bis[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylethyl)amino]-m-xylene; synthesized from the reaction between [Cu(2)(L(2)-O)(OH)](ClO(4))(2) and Cl(-)) and Me-L(3)-OH: [Cu(2)(Me-L(3)-O)(mu-X)](ClO(4))(2)xnH(2)O (Me-L(3)-OH = 2,6-bis[N-(2-pyridylethyl)-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]-4-methylphenol and X = C(3)H(3)N(2)(-)(prz), MeCO(2)(-) and N(3)(-)). The magnetochemical characteristics of compounds were determined by temperature-dependent magnetic studies, revealing their antiferromagnetic behaviour [-2J(in cm(-1)) values: -92, -86 and -88; -374].     

Pteridines. Part C. Structure and nonenzymatic synthesis of aurodrosopterin

The nonenzymatic synthesis of aurodrosopterin ( 5 ) from 6-acetyl-2-amino-3, 7, 8, 9-tetrahydro-4H-pyrimido-[4,5-b][1,4]diazepin-4-one ( 3 ) and 7,8-dihydrolumazine ( 4 ) at pH 3 (HCl) was performed. The identity of the synthesized compound with the natural eye pigment isolated from drosophila heads was confirmed by thin-layer chromatography on cellulose and by comparisons of the ¹H-NMR and UV/VIS spectra. The nonenzymatic synthesis of a neodrosopterin-like red pigment from 3 and 2,4-diamino-7,8-dihydropteridine was also carried out, but its identity could not be established. This pigment, called aminodrosopterin, has an absorption peak at 489 nm, which is very close to that of neodrosopterin.     

Photoinduced electron transfer between the interlocked components of porphyrin catenanes: effect of the presence of nonequivalent reduction sites on the charge recombination rate

[2]Catenanes made up of several polyether-strapped porphyrin macrocycles interlinked with the cyclic electron acceptor cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) were spectroscopically, photophysically, and electrochemically characterized. The catenanes exhibit very rich redox behavior due to the presence of several different and interacting electro-active subunits. The redox patterns represent useful "fingerprints" that provide detailed information on the electronic interactions and the chemical environments that the electroactive subunits experience in the supramolecular arrays. A photoinduced electron transfer from the porphyrin excited state (charge separation CS) occurs with tau=20 ps in the catenanes with a larger strap and faster than 20 ps (instrumental resolution) in the catenanes with a shorter strap. The resulting charge-separated state recombines to the ground state (charge recombination CR) with lifetimes similar in all cases, 41+/-4 ps. Comparison of the electron transfer rates CS and CR in the host-guest complexes of the same porphyrins with the noncyclic electron acceptor paraquat, indicate slower reactions in the [2]catenanes. This behavior is assigned to the different separation between reacting partners determined by the type of bond (weak interaction or mechanical) and to a two-step consecutive electron transfer to different sites of the macrocyclic electron acceptor in the catenanes which retards charge recombination.     

Steric effects in the mass spectra of the stereoisomers of decalin-1,3-diol and of 1,3-dimethoxy-decalin

The stereoisomers 1a–8a of decalin-1,3-diol have been synthesized by LAH-reduction of cis- and trans-decalin-1, 3-dione, respectively. With the exception of trans-decalin-1a,3e- and -1e,3a-diols, 7a and 8a, the stereoisomers have been isolated by column chromatography, and their configurations have been determined by ¹H-NMR, IR and chemical methods. It is shown by the aid of deuterated derivatives, that the elimination of H₂O, MeOH and CH₂O from the molecular ions of the stereoisomeric diols and di-O-methyl ethers, respectively, occurs predominantly by stereospecific reactions, if the ground state conformation of the molecule corresponds to the geometry of the transition state of the elimination reaction. The steric control of the fragmentations is greatly reduced, if conformational changes of the molecular ions have to occur prior to fragmentation. No clear steric effects are observed, if none of the conformations of the intact molecular ions corresponds to the transition state. These steric effects can be used to identify the various stereoisomers of decalin-1,3-diol and 1,3-dimethoxy-decalin by mass spectrometry.