Solid‐state transformation of 4,2′‐an­hydro‐5‐(β‐d‐arabino­furan­osyl)­uracil dihydrate to 4,2′‐an­hydro‐5‐(β‐d‐arabino­furan­osyl)­uracil mono­hydrate

Crystals of 4,2′‐an­hydro‐5‐(β‐d ‐arabino­furan­osyl)­uracil, (I), obtained from an aqueous solution, were characterized as the dihydrate, C₉H₁₀N₂O₅·2H₂O, (Ia). In air, these crystals slowly transform to the mono­hydrate, C₉H₁₀N₂O₅·H₂O, (Ib), but remain crystalline. The solid‐state transformation proceeds with the loss of one water mol­ecule and a rearrangement of hydrogen‐bonded layers of mol­ecules. The furan­ose ring in (I) has an approximate C4′‐exo,O4′‐endo twist conformation. The central five‐membered ring is slightly puckered. The uracil group is planar within experimental uncertainty.     

catena‐Poly­[[bis­(nitrato)(pyrimidine)­copper(II)]‐μ‐pyrimidine‐N:N′]

The title compound, [Cu(NO₃)₂(C₄H₄N₂)₂]_n, crystallizes as a linear polymeric compound with one pyrimidine ligand bridging between two Cu^II atoms and a second pyrimidine ligand coordinated in a monodentate manner. The distorted octahedral geometry around the Cu^II atom consists of two pyrimidine N atoms at distances of 2.033 (4) and 2.025 (4) Å, and two nitrate O atoms at distances at 1.987 (3) and 1.973 (3) Å. The apical positions are occupied by an N atom of a bridging pyrimidine ligand [2.291 (4) Å] and a nitrate O atom at a long distance of 2.781 (3) Å. The basal plane is almost planar, with trans angles of 176.23 (14) and 165.34 (15)°.     

The biphasic virulence activities of gingipains: activation and inactivation of host proteins

Gingipains are trypsin-like cysteine proteinases produced by Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major causative bacterium of adult periodontitis. Rgps (HRgpA and RgpB) and Kgp are specific for -Arg-Xaa- and -Lys-Xaa- peptide bonds, respectively. HRgpA and Kgp are non-covalent complexes containing separate catalytic and adhesion/hemagglutinin domains, while RgpB has only a catalytic domain with a primary structure essentially identical to that of the cata-lytic subunit of HRgpA. The multiple virulence activities of gingipains are reviewed in view of the biphasic mechanisms: activation and inactivation of host proteins. Rgps enhanced vascular permeability through prekallikrein activation or direct bradykinin release in combination with Kgp. This Rgp action is potentially associated with gingival edema and crevicular fluid production. Rgps activate the blood coagulation system, leading to progression of inflammation and consequent alveolar bone loss in the periodontitis site. Rgps also activate protease-activated receptors and induce platelet aggregation, which, together with the coagulation-inducing activity, may explain an emerging link between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Kgp is the most potent fibrinogen/fibrin degrading enzyme of the three gingipains in human plasma, being involved in the bleeding tendency at the diseased gingiva. Gingipains stimulate expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in fibroblasts and activate secreted latent MMPs that can destroy periodontal tissues. Gingipains degrade cytokines, components of the complement system and several receptors, including macrophage CD14, T cell CD4 and CD8, thus perturbing the host-defense systems and thereby facilitating sustained colonization of P. gingivalis. Gingipains are potent virulence factors of P. gingivalis, and in many regards their pathogenic activities constitute new mechanisms of bacterial virulence.     

What a difference ancillary thienyl makes: unexpected additional stabilization of the diruthenium(III,II) but not the diosmium(III,II) mixed-valent state in tetrazine ligand-bridged complexes

The Ru(2)(III,II) mixed-valent state is strongly stabilized in [(bpy)(2)Ru(mu-bttz)Ru(bpy)(2)](5+) (3(5+), bttz = 3,6-bis(2-thienyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine, as evident from lowered oxidation potentials and isolability, a strongly increased comproportionation constant K(c) = 10(16.6), and a high-energy intervalence charge transfer band at 10100 cm(-1). Curiously, no such effects were observed for the diosmium(III,II) analogue, whereas the related systems [(bpy)(2)M(mu-bmptz)M(bpy)(2)](5+), bmptz = 3,6-bis(4-methyl-2-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine, exhibit conventional behavior, i.e., a slightly higher K(c) value of the Os(2)(III,II) analogue. EPR signals were observed at 4 K for 3(5+) but not for the other mixed-valent species, and high-frequency (285 GHz) EPR was employed to study the diruthenium(II) radical complexes 2(3+) and 3(3+).     

Monosaccharide templates for de novo designed 4-alpha-helix bundle proteins: template effects in carboproteins

De novo design and total chemical synthesis of proteins provide powerful approaches to critically test our understanding of protein folding, structure, and stability. The 4-alpha-helix bundle is a frequently studied structure in which four amphiphilic alpha-helical peptide strands form a hydrophobic core. Assembly of protein models on a template has been suggested as a way to reduce the entropy of folding. We have previously developed the concept of carbohydrates as templates in the de novo design of protein models termed 'carboproteins'. Here we present the chemical synthesis of three 8.1 kDa 4-alpha-helix bundles by oxime ligation of tetra-aminooxyacetyl functionalized D-galacto-, D-gluco-, and D-altropyranoside templates with an amphiphilic C-terminal hexadecapeptide aldehyde sequence. CD spectroscopy indicated that the choice of template has an effect on the overall structure of the carboprotein, as the altro-based carboprotein was found to be more alpha-helical than the corresponding galacto- and gluco-carboproteins. However, an influence on stability could not be detected in the present experiments, as the three carboproteins gave similar free energy of foldings (deltaG(F)H2O) and melting points in chemical and thermal denaturation experiments.     

Diphenyldichlorophosphonium trichloride-chlorine solvate 1:1, [PPh2Cl2]+Cl(3)(-).Cl2: an ionic form of diphenyltrichlorophosphorane. Crystal structures of [PPh2Cl2]+Cl(3)(-).Cl2 and [(PPh2Cl2)+]2[InCl5](2-)

An ionic form of diphenyltrichlorophosphorane, namely, diphenyldichlorophosphonium trichloride isolated as a dichlorine solvate (1), was obtained by treating PPh(2)Cl(3) with excess chlorine. The identity of this species was established by single-crystal X-ray analysis and (31)P, (1)H, and (35)Cl NMR and Raman spectra. Bis(diphenyldichlorophosphonium) pentachloroindate (2) was obtained by the reaction of diphenyltrichlorophosphorane with indium trichloride in dichloromethane for comparison purposes. Its identity was determined by (31)P NMR spectra and single-crystal X-ray analysis.     

High thermodynamic stability and extraordinary kinetic inertness of copper(II) complexes with 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane-1,8-bis(methylphosphonic acid): example of a rare isomerism between kinetically inert penta- and hexacoordinated copper(II) complexes

In an aqueous solution at room temperature, 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane-1,8-bis(methylphosphonic acid) (H(4)L(1)) and Cu(I) (I) form a pentacoordinated (pc) complex, pc-[Cu(L(1))](2-), exhibiting conformation I of the cyclam ring. At high temperature, the complex isomerises to a hexacoordinated isomer, trans-O,O-[Cu(L(1))](2-), with a trans-III conformation of the cyclam ring. In pc-[Cu(L(1))](2-), four ring nitrogen atoms and one phosphonate oxygen atom are arranged around Cu(I) (I) in a structure that is half-way between a trigonal bipyramid and a tetragonal pyramid, with one phosphonic acid group uncoordinated. In the trans-O,O-[Cu(L(1))](2-) isomer, the nitrogen atoms form a plane and the phosphonic acid groups are in a mutually trans configuration. A structurally very similar ligand, 4-methyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane-1,8-bis(methylphosphonic acid) (H(4)L(2)), forms an analogous pentacoordinated complex, pc-[Cu(L(2))](2-), at room temperature. However, the complex does not isomerise to the octahedral complex analogous to trans-O,O-[Cu(L(1))](2-). Because of the high thermodynamic stability of pc-[Cu(L(1))](2-), (logbeta=25.40(4), 25 degrees C, I=0.1 mol dm(-3) KNO(3)) and the formation of protonated species, Cu(I) (I) is fully complexed in acidic solution (-log [H(+)] approximately 3). Acid-assisted decomplexation of both of the isomers of [Cu(H(2)L(1))] takes place only after protonation of both uncoordinated oxygen atoms of each phosphonate moiety and at least one nitrogen atom of the cycle. The exceptional kinetic inertness of both isomers is illustrated by their half-lives tau(1/2)=19.7 min for pc-[Cu(H(2)L(1))] and tau(1/2) about seven months for trans-O,O-[Cu(H(2)L(1))] for decomplexation in 5 M HClO(4) at 25 degrees C. The mechanism of formation of pc-[Cu(L(1))](2-) is similar to those observed for other macrocyclic complexes.     

Utilization of cleavage of the [1]benzofuro[2,3‐e][1,2,4]triazine ring for the synthesis of oxygen,nitrogen and sulfur derivatives of [1,2,4]triazine

A series of 6‐azacytosines 4a‐4k and 5a‐5c were prepared by nucleophilic cleavage of furan ring of [1]benzofuro[2,3‐e][1,2,4]triazine derivative 1 . Some of them were used for the preparation of derivatives of [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3‐d][1,2,4]triazine ( 6a‐6d ) and tetrazolo[1,5‐d][1,2,4]triazine (7). The reaction of 1 with hydrogen sulfide afforded the corresponding 6‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐phenyl‐5‐thioxo‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,2,4‐tri‐azin‐3(2H)‐one ( 8 ), while with hydrogen selenide 6‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐phenyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,2,4‐triazin‐3(2H)‐one ( 9 ) was formed. The prepared compounds were tested for biological activity.     

Multifunctional polyesters as new candidate materials for biomedical applications. Synthesis and structural characterization

The present work was aimed at the development of functional polymeric materials to be used in the targeted delivery of proteic drug and tissue engineering fields. The adopted strategy was based on the design of special polymer classes whose structures and functionality could be easily modified by finely tuned synthetic procedures. Poly(ether ester)s containing H-bonding units were chosen as promising materials for the proposed applications. Commercially available precursors were successfully used for the synthesis of symmetrical diesters containing different H-bonding groups (amide, carbamate, and urea moieties). In all cases, pure products were obtained in good yields. Bulk polycondensation of the monomeric precursors with different mixtures of 1,4-butanediol and PEG 1000 diol afforded a variety of high molecular weight polymeric structures. Physical-chemical characterization of the polymers indicates that their thermal, mechanical, and swelling properties can be tailored by a proper selection of the H-bonding group and of the composition of the feed mixture.     

Preliminary studies on the surface layer of starch

Characterization of the surface layer of starch powder, originated from potato or maize, was carried out applying various experimental techniques: Fourier-transformed infrared internal reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-IRS), inverse gas chromatography (IGC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The main kinds of starch were studied as potential fillers for rubber and results discussed in terms of factors requiring modification to improve starch miscibility and activity towards rubber. Starch of high amylopectine content shows surface enrichment with amylose what makes crystallinity of the surface layer higher than in bulk of the material. Particles of the both kinds of starch have very smooth surface (morphological index, I_m = 0.995), highly resistant to its geometrical development. Dispersive component of the surface energy of starch was found to be similar to that of low energy polymers (γ_s^d = 32.5 mJ/m² at 23°C) and its surface to be of electron-donor character.