Copper-mediated reduction of CO2 with pinB-SiMe2Ph via CO2 insertion into a copper-silicon bond

Reaction of [(IPr)Cu-OtBu] (1) with pinB-SiMe(2)Ph (2) leads to the Cu-silyl complex [(IPr)Cu-SiMe(2)Ph] (3). Insertion of CO(2) into the Cu-Si bond of 3 is followed by transformation of the resulting silanecarboxy complex [(IPr)Cu-O(2)CSiMe(2)Ph] (4) to the silanolate complex [(IPr)Cu-OSiMe(2)Ph] (5) via extrusion of CO. As 5 reacts readily with 2 to regenerate 3, a catalytic CO(2) reduction to CO is feasible. The individual steps were studied by in situ(13)C NMR spectroscopy of a series of stoichiometric reactions. Complexes 3, 4, and 5 were isolated and fully characterized, including single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Interestingly, the catalytic reduction of CO(2) using silylborane 2 as a stoichiometric reducing agent leads not only to CO and pinB-O-SiMe(2)Ph but also to PhMe(2)Si-CO(2)-SiMe(2)Ph as an additional reduction product.     

Electric field effects in 13C NMR of some quaternary morphinan derivatives

¹³C NMR chemical shifts are assigned for some quaternary morphinan derivatives, including the ‘minor isomer’ of the thebaine N-oxides. In quaternary morphinan alkaloids having an 8.14-double bond, electric field effects cause unusual ¹³C NMR shifts.     

[PdCl(TeMe2)3](BArF) – The First Structurally Characterized Palladium(II) Complex with TeMe2 Ligands

[PdCl(TeMe₂)₃]BAr^F ( 4 ) forms as the major tellurium containing product from the reaction of [(4‐Mebti)PdCl] with TeMe₂ and Na(BAr^F) and is isolated by crystallization from the reaction mixture. At ?20 °C, the compound forms orange columns from toluene/pentane, space group , with Z = 2. In the solid, the cationic [PdCl(TeMe₂)₃]⁺ complex ions show a non‐planar PdClTe₃ coordination unit and are associated to dimers via weak Pd···Te interactions.     

Screening of protein-ligand interactions using dynamic protein-affinity chromatography solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A novel methodology is shown enabling the screening of mixtures of compounds for their affinity to a receptor protein. The system presented, dynamic protein-affinity chromatography solid-phase extraction (DPAC-SPE), overcomes the limitations of the existing methods by performing an incubation of the His-tagged protein with a mixture of possible ligands, which are still in their native conditions. This is followed by a fully automated affinity trapping step, coupled on-line to an LC-MS system in order to detect and identify the bound ligands. The system has been optimized using a commercially available on-line SPE system, using the estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) as model protein. A representative range of ligands with sub-nanomolar to millimolar affinities has been identified successfully from a mixture. The weakest binder that can be identified is norethindrone (approximately K(d)=0.1-1mM). The same setup also provides the possibilities to measure EC50 curves of both weak and strong binders.     

Synthetically accessible, high-affinity phosphate anion receptors

We report synthetically accessible receptors with protonated amines attached to a conformationally constrained backbone including amide units, and demonstrate that these receptors have high affinities (log K > 5) for phosphate anions in aqueous media at pH 7 in the presence of high concentrations of competitive chloride anions (ca. 100-fold excess).     

Cyclometalation vs. Werner-type coordination of sterically enforced palladium(II)-1,3-bis(pyridyl-2-imino)isoindolines (Pd-BPIs)

The reaction of 1,3-bis(4,6-dimethylpyridyl-2-imino)isoindoline and palladium acetate in methanol selectively yields the expected acetato palladium N,N,N-chelate or a cyclometalated tetranuclear dimer depending on the stoichiometry of the reactants.     

High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based acetylcholinesterase assay for the screening of inhibitors in natural extracts

The present paper describes a High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methodology for the screening of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors in natural extracts. AChE activity of sample components is monitored by a post-column biochemical assay that is based on the separate, sequential mixing of AChE and acetylcholine, respectively, with the HPLC eluate. AChE inhibitors are detected by measuring a decrease of product formation using electrospray MS. Ammonium bicarbonate was used as buffer in order to achieve optimum compatibility between biochemical assay and MS detection conditions. The assay is robust and stable for over 13 h and compares favourably with other AChE assays in terms of stability and sensitivity. IC(50) values of 9-aminoacridine, galanthamine, gallamine, (-)-huperzine A and thioflavin T were determined to be 0.12, 0.38, 6.4, 0.46 and 3.2 microM, respectively. The assay was used to effectively identify an AChE inhibitor present in a crude extract of Narcissus c.v. "Bridal Crown".