Gas-phase scrambling of disulfide bonds during matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry analysis

Evidence for photo-induced radical disulfide bond scrambling in the gas phase during matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is described. The phenomenon was observed during the analysis of tryptic peptides from insulin and was confirmed in the determination of disulfide bonds in the rhamnose-binding lectin SEL24K from the Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. A possible mechanism for this surprising scrambling is proposed. Despite this finding, the disulfide bond pattern in SEL24K was assigned unambiguously by a multi-enzyme digestion strategy in combination with MALDI mass spectrometry. The pattern was found to be symmetrical in the tandem repeat sequence of SEL24K. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of disulfide bond scrambling in the gas phase during MALDI-MS analysis. This observation has important ramifications for unambiguous assignment of disulfide bonds.     

Active vibration control for structural-acoustic coupling system of a 3-D vehicle cabin model

This paper presents an active vibration control system for use with structural-acoustic coupling system using piezoelectric actuators and piezoelectric sensors. For modelling a complicated 3-D vehicle cabin model, the structural-acoustic coupling system is analyzed by combining the structural data from modal testing with the acoustic data from the finite element method. Through the structural-acoustic analysis program, the control plate and the control modes are selected, which are most effective for attenuating its noise. A robust LQG controller with two sensor signal filters is designed to remove the experimental problems such as the spillover effect due to uncontrolled modes. The robust LQG controller for the structural-acoustic coupling system can reduce the interior noise of the cavity as well as the structural vibration of the cabin.     

Radiation resistance and molecular structure of poly(arylene ether sulfone)s

The radiation resistance of a series of aromatic polysulfones comprising alternating units of diphenyl sulfone and various aromatic diols has been investigated by measuring volatile products, soluble fractions and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra. The yields of radicals at 77 K observed by ESR and of SO₂ at 423 K have indicated that biphenol gives enhanced resistance to Y radiation, and tetramethyl bisphenol-A decreased resistance, relative to bisphenol-A, bisphenol-S and hydroquinone. The protective effect of bisphenol was confirmed by lower scission and crosslinking yields determined from the soluble fractions after high doses.     

Synthesis and characterization of aromatic amine functional semicrystalline aryl ether ketone macromers

From earlier experiments it was observed that the reactions of aryl fluoride functional aryl ether ketone oligomers (PEK) with m-aminophenol lead to poor levels of amine incorporation because of side-reactions. In this article, a method is presented to protect the m-aminophenol by converting it into a triarylimine group. This protected m-aminophenol was used together with 4-fluoro,4′-hydroxybenzophenone in a typical poly(aryl ether) synthesis. PEKs of different molecular weights were synthesized with number average molecular weights $\overline {M}_n$) of 2600, 4500, and 5400 g/mol. The deprotection of the triarylimine chain end was carried out by an acid treatment to afford a monofunctional aromatic amine end group, amenable towards copolymerization. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis, chemical properties, and biological evaluation of CC-1065 and duocarmycin analogues incorporating the 5-methoxycarbonyl-1,2,9,9a-tetrahydrocyclopropa

The synthesis of 5-methoxycarbonyl-1,2,9,9a-tetrahydrocyclopropa[c]benz[e]indol-4-one (C5-CO2Me-CBI), a substituted CBI derivative bearing a C5 methoxycarbonyl group, and its corresponding 5-hydroxymethyl derivative are described in efforts to establish substituent electronic effects on the agents' functional reactivity and the resulting effect this has on their rate of DNA alkylation. Resolution of an immediate C5-CO2Me-CBI precursor and its incorporation into both enantiomers of 16 and 17, analogues of the duocarmycins, are also detailed. A study of the solvolysis reactivity and regioselectivity of N-BOC-C5-CO2Me-CBI (12) revealed that the introduction of a C5 methyl ester modestly slowed the rate of solvolysis (1.8x, pH 3) without altering the inherent reaction regioselectivity (>20:1). The comparison of the X-ray structures of the N-CO2Me derivatives of C5-CO2Me-CBI and CBI revealed correlations with the reaction regioselectivity and the relative reactivity of the compounds. The latter correlated well with the less reactive C5-CO2Me-CBI exhibiting a shortened N2-C2a bond length (1.386 vs 1.390 A) and smaller chi1 dihedral angle (8.1 degrees vs 21.2 degrees ) indicative of greater vinylogous amide conjugation and was accompanied by a diminished (cross-conjugated) cyclopropane conjugation (shorter bond lengths). Establishment of the DNA alkyation properties revealed that C5-CO2Me-CBI-based agents retained the identical alkylation selectivity of the natural products. More importantly, the C5 methyl ester was found to decrease the rate (0.77x) of DNA alkylation relative to CBI, consistent with its inherent lower reactivity. These results indicate that the previously observed increase in the rate of DNA alkylation for C7-substituted CBI analogues including CCBI (7-cyano-CBI) is contrary to expectations based on their inherent reactivities. Unlike 17, in which the C5 methyl ester does not bind in the minor groove, the C7 substituent lies in the minor groove extending the rigid length of the agents, further enhancing the DNA binding-induced conformational change responsible for activation toward nucleophilic attack and catalysis of the DNA alkylation reaction.     

Expanding the catalytic activity of nucleophilic N-heterocyclic carbenes for transesterification reactions

[reaction: see text] Currently, there is a renewed interest in reactions that are catalyzed by organic compounds. Typical organic catalysts for acylation or transesterification reactions are based on either nucleophilic tertiary amines or phosphines. This communication discusses the use of nucleophilic N-heterocyclic carbenes as efficient transesterification catalysts. These relatively unexplored and highly versatile organic catalysts were found to be mild, selective, and more active than traditional organic nucleophiles.