Redox modulation of benzene triimides and diimides via noncovalent interactions

[reaction: see text] Mellitic triimides undergo three sequential one-electron reduction processes whose potentials are significantly lowered in the presence of alkyl thioureas. The two sequential reductions of benzene diimides are similarly stabilized. Calculation of the relative free energy change between the different electronic states of the imide acceptors and their corresponding alkyl thiourea complexes indicates dramatic increases in hydrogen bond strength with increasing acceptor charge density.     

Tetrakis(imidazolyl)borate-based coordination polymers: group II network solids,M[B(Im)4]2(H2O)2 (M = Mg,Ca, Sr)

We are using the coordinating anion tetrakis(imidazolyl)borate to construct new metal-organic framework structures. In this report, we present three alkaline earth metal network solids incorporating this anion. All three compounds have the same formula, M[B(Im)(4)](2)(H(2)O)(2) (M = Mg, Ca, Sr), and the same coordination environment about the metal. However, the three compounds have different network structures with different degrees of hydrogen bonding; the Mg material forms a two-dimensional network and the Ca and Sr compounds form one-dimensional chains. In addition, we present the structure of the protonated anion B(HIm)(Im)(3) as a model for the default structure of this anion and discuss how the conformation of tetrakis(imidazolyl)borate can affect the structure of network solids.     

Formation of nitrogen‐containing heterocycles using di(imidazole‐1‐yl)methanimine

A mild and efficient synthesis of five‐ and six‐membered nitrogen containing heterocyclic compounds, in which di(imidazole‐1‐yl)methanimine serves as a one‐carbon source, is reported.     

Front Cover: Enhancement of dielectrophoresis-based particle collection from high conducting fluids due to partial electrode insulation

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a successful method to recover nanoparticles from different types of fluid. The DEP force acting on these particles is created by an electrode microarray that produces a nonuniform electric field. To apply DEP to a highly conducting biological fluid, a protective hydrogel coating over the metal electrodes is required to create a barrier between the electrode and the fluid. This protects the electrodes, reduces the electrolysis of water, and allows the electric field to penetrate into the fluid sample. We observed that the protective hydrogel layer can separate from the electrode and form a closed domed structure and that collection of 100 nm polystyrene beads increased when this occurred. To better understand this collection increase, we used COMSOL Multiphysics software to model the electric field in the presence of the dome filled with different materials ranging from low-conducting gas to high conducting phosphate-buffered saline fluids. The results suggest that as the electrical conductivity of the material inside the dome is reduced, the whole dome acts as an insulator which increases electric field intensity at the electrode edge. This increased intensity widens the high-intensity electric field factor zone resulting in increased collection. This informs how dome formation results in increased particle collection and provides insight into how the electric field can be intensified to the increase collection of particles. These results have important applications for increasing the recovery of biologically-derived nanoparticles from undiluted physiological fluids that have high conductance, including the collection of cancer-derived extracellular vesicles from plasma for liquid biopsy applications.     

Calculations of the electrostatic free energy contributions to the binding free energy of sulfonamides to carbonic anhydrase

The interactions between biologically important enzymes and drugs are of great interest. In order to address some aspects of these interactions we have initiated a program to investigate enzymedrug interactions. Specifically, the interactions between one of the isozymes of carbonic anhydrase and a family of drugs known as sulfonamides have been studied using computational methods. In particular the electrostatic free energy of binding of carbonic anhydrase II with acetazolamide, methazolamide,p-chlorobenzenesulfonamide,p-aminobenzenesulfonamide and three new compounds (MK1, MK2, and MK3) has been computed using finite-difference Poisson-Boltzmann (FDPB) [1] method and the semimacroscopic version [2, 3] of the protein dipole Langevin dipole (PDLD) method [4]. Both methods, FDPB and PDLD, give similar results for the electrostatic free energy of binding even though different charges and different treatments were used for the protein. The calculated electrostatic binding free energies are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. The potential and the limitation of electrostatic models for studies of binding energies are discussed.     

4-Cyano-2-oxo-1,2,4-oxadiazolo[2,3-a]quinoxaline 5-N-oxides. New synthetic method and reaction with alcohols. Potential cytotoxic activity

Several quinoxaline 1,4-di-N-oxides have been shown to be efficient and selective cytotoxins for hypoxic cells. We present now a series of 4-cyano-2-oxo-1,2,4-oxadiazolo[2,3-a]quinoxaline 5-N-oxides 2a-2k . They were prepared starting from 3-amino-2-quinoxalinecarbonitrile 1,4-di-N-oxides 1a-1k and 2-chloroethyl isocyanate in dry dioxane at 100–110°. A reaction mechanism is proposed. The treatment of 1a with phenyl isocyanate afforded 2a . Reaction of 2c with silica gel yielded 1c . Compounds 2a-2g were heated in the presence of ethanol and 2-propanol giving the corresponding carbamates 3a-3g and 4a-4g . Compound 2d was already obtained by heating a mixture of 1d and ethyl chloroformiate. Compound 2b was prepared when the carbamate 3b was heated at 150°. Quinoxalines were tested as cytotoxic agents both in oxic and hypoxic cells. The most interesting compounds were 3g and 4g .