Vibrational analysis of tertiary alkyl chlorides

Vibrational spectra were obtained for 2-chloro-2-methylpentane, 3-chloro-3-methylpentane, 2-chloro-2-methylhexane, and 3-chloro-3-methylhexane. All four compounds exist in T_HHH and T_CHH conformations in the neat liquid, and the T_HHH' conformer of the last named compound also seems to be present. Only the T_HHH conformer is present in the crystalline state of the two pentanes, but the hexanes could not be made to crystallize and both conformers were present in the solid. A 44-parameter modified valence force field was used in normal coordinate calculations, with fifteen force constants being adjusted to fit 188 assigned frequencies below 1500 cm^?1 of six molecules (two conformers each of 2-chloro-2-methylbutane, 2-chloro-2-methylpentane, and 3-chloro-3-methylpentane). The resulting force constant values were used in zero-order calculations of the two hexanes as an aid in interpreting vibrational spectra for those compounds.     

A new cytotoxic and tubulin-interactive milnamide derivative from a marine sponge Cymbastela sp

[structure: see text] The crude methanol extract of a marine sponge Cymbastela sp. collected in Papua New Guinea was selected for chemical investigation due to its significant cytotoxicity. Fractionation of the extract led to the isolation of jaspamide (1), hemiasterlin (2), milnamide A (3), and a new metabolite, milnamide D (4). The structure was solved by interpretation of NMR and mass spectra data. The cytotoxic and antitubulin activities of milnamide D (4) were evaluated.     

Evolving interpretable structure-activity relationship models. 2. Using multiobjective optimization to derive multiple models

A multiobjective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) is described for evolving multiple structure-activity relationships (SARs). The SARs are encoded in easy-to-interpret reduced graph queries which describe features that are preferentially present in active compounds compared to inactives. The MOEA addresses a limitation associated with many machine learning methods; that is, the inherent tradeoff that exists in recall and precision which is usually handled by combining the two objectives into a single measure with a consequent loss of control. By simultaneously optimizing recall and precision, the MOEA generates a family of SARs that lie on the precision-recall (PR) curve. The user is then able to select a query with an appropriate balance in the two objectives: for example, a low recall-high precision query may be preferred when establishing the SAR, whereas a high recall-low precision query may be more appropriate in a virtual screening context. Each query on the PR curve aims at capturing the structure-activity information into a single representation, and each can be considered as an alternative (equally valid) solution. We then investigate combining individual queries into teams with the aim of capturing multiple SARs that may exist in a data set, for example, as is commonly seen in high-throughput screening data sets. Team formation is carried out iteratively as a postprocessing step following the evolution of the individual queries. The inclusion of uniqueness as a third objective within the MOEA provides an effective way of ensuring the queries are complementary in the active compounds they describe. Substantial improvements in both recall and precision are seen for some data sets. Furthermore, the resulting queries provide more detailed structure-activity information than is present in a single query.     

Round-robin evaluation of a solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatographic method for reliable determination of trace level ethylene oxide in sterilized medical devices

Medical devices that are sterilized with ethylene oxide (EtO) retain small quantities of EtO residuals, which may cause negative systemic and local irritating effects, and must be accurately quantified to ensure non-toxicity. The goal of this round-robin study is to investigate the capability of a novel solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatographic (SPME-GC) method for trace-level EtO residuals analysis: three independent laboratories conducted a guided experiment using this SPME-GC method, in assessing method performance, ruggedness and the feasibility of SPME fibers. These were satisfactory across the independent laboratories, at the 0.05-5.00 ppm EtO range. This method was then successfully applied to analyze EtO residuals in several sterilized/aerated medical devices of various polymeric composition, reliably detecting and quantifying the trace levels of EtO residuals present ( approximately 0.05 ppm EtO). SPME is a feasible alternative for quantifying trace-level EtO residuals in sterilized medical devices, thereby lowering the limit of quantification (LOQ) by as much as two to three orders of magnitude over the current GC methodology of direct liquid injection.     

Maleimide-activated aryl diazonium salts for electrode surface functionalization with biological and redox-active molecules

A versatile and simple method is introduced for formation of maleimide-functionalized surfaces using maleimide-activated aryl diazonium salts. We show for the first time electrodeposition of N-(4-diazophenyl)maleimide tetrafluoroborate on gold and carbon electrodes which was characterized via voltammetry, grazing angle FTIR, and ellipsometry. Electrodeposition conditions were used to control film thickness and yielded submonolayer-to-multilayer grafting. The resulting phenylmaleimide surfaces served as effective coupling agents for electrode functionalization with ferrocene and the redox-active protein cytochrome c. The utility of phenylmaleimide diazonium toward formation of a diazonium-activated conjugate, followed by direct electrodeposition of the diazonium-modified DNA onto the electrode surface, was also demonstrated. Effective electron transfer was obtained between immobilized molecules and the electrodes. This novel application of N-phenylmaleimide diazonium may facilitate the development of bioelectronic devices including biofuel cells, biosensors, and DNA and protein microarrays.     

Optimization of Click Chemistry of Ferrocene Derivatives on Acetylene‐Functionalized Silicon(100) Surfaces

The optimization of the reaction conditions for copper‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne ‘click’ cyclo‐addition reactions used to covalently confine substituted ferrocene derivatives on passivated silicon(100) surfaces is reported. Variations in the observed reaction yields and the extent of surface contamination as a function of the source of the copper catalyst and the solvent system used in the ‘click’ procedure were evaluated spectroscopically. The electronic communication between the ferrocene centre and the underlying semiconductor surface was investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry and found to be consistent with that expected for a well‐behaved and robust redox interface.     

A Porous Organic Polymer Nanotrap for Efficient Extraction of Palladium

To offset the environmental impact of platinum-group element (PGE) mining, recycling techniques are being explored. Porous organic polymers (POPs) have shown significant promise owing to their selectivity and ability to withstand harsh conditions. A series of pyridine-based POP nanotraps, POP-Py, POP-pNH₂-Py, and POP-oNH₂-Py, have been designed and systematically explored for the capture of palladium, one of the most utilized PGEs. All of the POP nanotraps demonstrated record uptakes and rapid capture, with the amino group shown to be vital in improving performance. Further testing on the POP nanotrap regeneration and selectivity found that POP-oNH₂-Py outperformed POP-pNH₂-Py. Single-crystal X-ray analysis indicated that POP-oNH₂-Py provided a stronger complex compared to POP-pNH₂-Py owing to the intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the amino group and coordinated chlorine molecules. These results demonstrate how slight modifications to adsorbents can maximize their performance.     

Solid-State 13C NMR Evidence for Long Multicenter Intradimer Bonding in Zwitterion-like Structures

The principal values of the ¹³C chemical shift tensor for the β and δ polymorphs of π-[TTF⋅⋅⋅TCNE] (TTF=tetrathiafulvalene; TCNE=tetracyanoethylene) have been analyzed to understand the abnormally long intra-dimer bonding of singlet π-[TTF^δ+⋅⋅⋅TCNE^δ−]. These structures possess 12 intradimer contacts <3.40 Å, with the shortest intra π-[TTF⋅⋅⋅TCNE] separations involving 2-center (2c) C−S and 3c C−C−C orbital overlap contributions between the [TTF]^δ+ and [TCNE]^δ−. This solid-state NMR study compares the [TTF⋅⋅⋅TCNE] ¹³C tensor data against previously reported π-[TTF]₂²⁺ and π-[TCNE]₂²⁻ homo-dimers to determine how the tensor principal values change as a function of electronic structure for both TTF and TCNE moieties. In the β and δ phases of [TTF⋅⋅⋅TCNE], the TCNE ethylenic ¹³C shift tensors predict TCNE oxidation states of −0.46 and −0.73, respectively. The TTF sites are less similar to benchmark ¹³C data with the β-phase differing primarily in the ethylenic π-electrons. The δ form differs significantly from the homo-dimer data at all principal values at both the ethylenic and CH sites, indicating changes to both the π-electrons and σ-bonds. In both hetero-dimer phases, the NMR changes supports long bond formation at nitrile and CH sites not observed in homo-dimers.     

Characterization of a Bio-sourced,Fluorescent, Ratiometric pH Indicator with Alkaline pKa

Utilizing organisms as sources of fluorophores relieves the demand for petroleum feedstock in organic synthesis of fluorescent products, and endophytic fungi provide a promising vein for natural fluorescent products. We report the characterization of a pH-responsive fluorophore from an endophytic fungus isolated from sand pine. The endogenous fluorescence of the live organism was measured using fluorescence microscopy. Computational interpretation of the spectra was accomplished with time-dependent density functional theory methods. The combined use of experimental and theoretically predicted spectra revealed the pH equilibria and photoexcited tautomerization of the natural product, 5-methylmellein. This product shows promise both as a stand-alone pH-indicating fluorophore, with alkaline pK_a, and as "green" feedstock for synthesis of custom fluorophores.