Red‐Shifted Fluorescent Aminated Derivatives of a Conformationally Locked GFP Chromophore

A novel class of fluorescent dyes based on conformationally locked GFP chromophore is reported. These dyes are characterized by red‐shifted spectra, high fluorescence quantum yields and pH‐independence in physiological pH range. The intra‐ and intermolecular mechanisms of radiationless deactivation of ABDI‐BF2 fluorophore by selective structural locking of various conformational degrees of freedom were studied. A unique combination of solvatochromic and lipophilic properties together with “infinite” photostability (due to a dynamic exchange between free and bound dye) makes some of the novel dyes promising bioinspired tools for labeling cellular membranes, lipid drops and other organelles.     

The use of mass spectrometry in obstetric and gynecology

The present review shows the utility of using mass spectrometry (MS) in obstetrics and gynecology. In this review different gas chromatography / mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography / mass spectrometry methods developed before to be used in obstetrics and gynecology are described. These methods are very useful to determine different hormones in pregnancy, fatty acids esters (related to the use of ethanol) in human meconium and toxic compounds in umbilical cord (as ethanol, steroids, morphine, cocaine, methadone and other drugs). It is also shown in this review the progress during last decades in the field of using mass spectrometry in obstetrics and gynecology (for screening in utero exposure of the child to alcohol, drugs and other toxic compounds). In the field of using mass spectrometry in obstetrics and gynecology are still many problems to solve. For example, the detection of fatty acids esters in meconium has several limitations, which affects the results. One limitation is multiple births. Also in fetal distress, meconium may be passed before birth, and in this case, the collection is impossible. Moreover the meconium is formed starting from the fourth month of pregnancy, so the fetal exposure at any toxic compounds during the first three months cannot be detected at all. To solve all of these, the best would be to combine the results obtained from meconium, with other results obtained from pregnancy serum, placenta or umbilical cord. The main reason for using MS in obstetrics and gynecology is that MS is a noninvasive and a complementary method. It offers the results at a very early point in time, even before the act of birth. Sometimes the use of mass spectrometry is the only alternative. This shows that these methods are of great interest for the future and need to be developed further.      

The Chemical Basis of Fungal Bioluminescence

Many species of fungi naturally produce light, a phenomenon known as bioluminescence, however, the fungal substrates used in the chemical reactions that produce light have not been reported. We identified the fungal compound luciferin 3‐hydroxyhispidin, which is biosynthesized by oxidation of the precursor hispidin, a known fungal and plant secondary metabolite. The fungal luciferin does not share structural similarity with the other eight known luciferins. Furthermore, it was shown that 3‐hydroxyhispidin leads to bioluminescence in extracts from four diverse genera of luminous fungi, thus suggesting a common biochemical mechanism for fungal bioluminescence.     

Divergent Reactivity of Rhodium(I) Carbenes Derived from Indole Annulations

Rhodium(I) carbenes were generated from propargylic alcohol derivatives as the result of a dehydrative indole annulation. Depending on the choice of the electron‐withdrawing group on the aniline nitrogen nucleophile, either a cyclopropanation product or dimerization product was obtained chemoselectively. Intramolecular hydroamidation occurred for the same type of propargylic alcohol derivatives when other transition‐metal catalysts were employed.     

Polymorphism of dinitro[tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine]cobalt(III) chloride

Three polymorphs of bis(nitrito‐κN)[tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine‐κ⁴N,N′,N′′,N′′′]cobalt(III) chloride, [Co(NO₂)₂(C₆H₁₈N₄)]Cl, have been structurally characterized in the 100–300 K temperature range. Two orthorhombic polymorphs are related by a solid‐state enantiotropic order–disorder k2 phase transition at ca 152 K. The third, monoclinic, polymorph crystallizes as a nonmerohedral twin. In the structure of the high‐temperature (300 K) orthorhombic polymorph, the Co^III complex cation resides on a crystallographic mirror plane, whereas the Cl⁻ anion occupies a crystallographic twofold axis. In the unit cell of the monoclinic polymorph, the cationic Co^III complex is in a general position, whose charge is balanced by two halves of two Cl⁻ anions, each residing on a crystallographic twofold axis.     

Inverse seesaw in NMSSM and 126 GeV Higgs boson

We consider extensions of the next-to-minimal supersymmetric model (NMSSM) in which the observed neutrino masses are generated through a TeV scale inverse seesaw mechanism. The new particles associated with this mechanism can have sizable couplings to the Higgs field which can yield a large contribution to the mass of the lightest CP-even Higgs boson. With this new contribution, a 126 GeV Higgs is possible along with order of 200 GeV masses for the stop quarks for a broad range of tan β. The Higgs production and decay in the diphoton channel can be enhanced due to this new contribution. It is also possible to solve the little hierarchy problem in this model without invoking a maximal value for the NMSSM trilinear coupling and without severe restrictions on the value of tan β.     

Efficient synthesis of functionalized furans and benzofurans based on a ‘[3+2] cyclization/oxidation’ strategy

Functionalized furans and benzofurans were prepared by DDQ oxidation of 2-alkylidenetetrahydrofurans, which are readily available by one-pot cyclizations of 1,3-dicarbonyl dianions or 1,3-bis-silyl enol ethers.     

Bis­(iso­propyl­amino)­methyl­carbenium tetrakis­(penta­fluoro­phenyl)­gallate

The title compound, [MeC(NHⁱPr)₂][Ga(C₆F₅)₄] crystallizes as discrete ions forming interionic hydrogen bonds of the type N—H?F.     

Solvent-free synthesis of tris(4-hydroxybutyl acrylate) phosphate in the presence of 1-methylimidazole

In this paper, we present the synthesis of tris(4-hydroxybutyl acrylate) phosphate using 1-methylimidazole as acid scavenger for hydrochloric acid by-product, when an ionic liquid is formed. The synthesis was performed in the absence of any organic solvent. The yield is 83% for ester. The phosphate was characterized by ¹H–³¹P NMR and FTIR. The obtained phosphate is appropriate monomer for UV curing in the presence of photoinitiator. The obtained polymer was characterized by thermal analysis and LOI. The results showed good thermal stability and flame retardancy of UV-cured polymer.