New guaianolides from Berlandiera Pumila and B. Texana,and the X-ray crystal structure of pumilin

The isolation and structure determination of two new guaianolides, pumilin and its 2,3-epoxide, from Berlandiera pumila and B. texana are reported. The structure of pumilin was determined from nmr and mass spectral data, and from an X-ray single crystal study; the structure of the epoxide was found by comparison of nmr spectra. Pumilin is shown to be a Δ¹⁽¹⁰⁾-cis-guaianolide with a cyclopentenone ring attached to C1 and C5, and an α-methylene-γ-lactone ring trans-fused to C6 and C7. The absolute configuration was inferred from spectral considerations and knowledge of previous structural determinations. The cd spectrum of pumilin exhibits a negative Cotton effect, and the lactone chromophore has left-handed chirality. The cyclo-heptene ring is in the chair configuration, with the lactone a half-chair and the cyclopentenone essentially planar. Crystals are orthorhombic, a = 7.065, b = 13.652, c = 19.586 Å, space group P2₁2₁2₁, Z = 4, and the final R value is 3.9%. The crystal structure is strengthened by an O···O hydrogen bond linking the molecules into infinite chains.     

Hybridization of Long Pyridine‐Dicarboxamide Oligomers into Multi‐Turn Double Helices: Slow Strand Association and Dissociation,Solvent Dependence,and Solid State Structures

Oligoamides of 2,6‐diaminopyridine and 2,6‐pyridinedicarboxylic acid comprised of 5, 7, 9, 11, or 13 units and bearing 4‐isobutoxychains on all pyridine rings and tert‐butyl‐carbamate terminal groups have been synthesized stepwise, along with an 11 mer having benzyl‐carbamate terminal groups. The crystal structure of all five Boc‐terminated compounds has been obtained and shows a highly regular and conserved double helical hybridization motif of up to 3 complete turns for the 13 mer. Four pyridine units span one helical turn and define a helix pitch of ca 7 Å. Solution studies in CDCl₃ demonstrated that the Boc‐terminated oligomers strongly hybridize in this solvent, and that K_dim values increase with oligomer length. The K_dim values are 31000 and 7×10⁵ L mol^?1 for the 7 mer and the 9 mer, respectively, and are too high to be measured by NMR for the 11 mer and the 13 mer. Hybridization and dissociation kinetics at 2 mM proceed at decreasing rates upon increasing oligomer length. The rate was faster than minutes for the 7 mer, of the order of hours for the 9 mer, and days for the 11 mer and 13 mer. The same trend was observed in [D₅]pyridine but with considerably lower K_dim values and faster kinetics. The benzylcarbamate 11 mer was also found to hybridize into a double helix but with reduced K_dim values and faster kinetics compared to its Boc‐terminated analogue. Combined with previous studies, the results presented here frame a global understanding of the hybridization of these pyridinecarboxamide oligomers and provide useful guidelines for the design of other artificial double helices.     

Control of ionic transport through gated single conical nanopores

Control of ionic transport through nanoporous systems is a topic of scientific interest for the ability to create new devices that are applicable for ions and molecules in water solutions. We show the preparation of an ionic transistor based on single conical nanopores in polymer films with an insulated gold thin film “gate.” By changing the electric potential applied to the “gate,” the current through the device can be changed from the rectifying behavior of a typical conical nanopore to the almost linear behavior seen in cylindrical nanopores. The mechanism for this change in transport behavior is thought to be the enhancement of concentration polarization induced by the gate. Figure   Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (1′S,3R,4R)-4-acetoxy-3-(2′-fluoro-1′-trimethylsilyloxyethyl)-2-azetidinone

A stereoselective synthesis of (1′S,3R,4R)-4-acetoxy-3-(2′-fluoro-1′-trimethylsilyloxyethyl)-2-azetidinone as a new fluorine-containing intermediate towards β-lactams, is described. The synthetic key step relies upon the dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of ethyl 2-benzamidomethyl-4-fluoro-3-oxo-butanoate via asymmetric transfer hydrogenation catalyzed by [Ru(η⁶-arene)(S,S)-R₂NSO₂DPEN].     

Solid State Calix[4]arene Tubular Assemblies Based on Cation–π Interactions

Infinite tubular assemblies based on calix[4]arenes can be easily constructed using cation–π interactions of silver triflate with preorganised aromatic subunits (1,3-alternate or pinched cone conformations). X-ray crystallographic analysis shows that the overall self-assembly is held together by triflate anions playing the role of the bridges between the individual complexes.     

Gallium hydride complexes stabilised by multidentate alkoxide ligands: precursors to thin films of Ga2O3 at low temperatures

The donor-functionalised alkoxides {Me(3-x)N(CH(2)CH(2)O)(x)} (L(x); x = 1, 2) have been used to form gallium hydride complexes [{GaH(2)(L(1))}(2)] and [{GaH(L(2))}(2)] that are stable and isolable at room temperature. Along with a heteroleptic gallium tris(alkoxide) complex [Ga(L(1))(3)] and the dimeric complex [{GaMe(L(2))}(2)], these compounds have been used as single-source precursors for the deposition of Ga(2)O(3) by aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) with toluene as solvent. The resulting films were mostly transparent, indicating low levels of carbon contamination, and they were also mainly amorphous. However, [Ga(L(1))(3)] did contain visibly crystalline material deposited at a substrate temperature of 450?°C, by far the lowest ever observed for the CVD of gallium oxide.     

Gamma irradiation of sorghum flour: Effects on microbial inactivation, amylase activity, fermentability, viscosity and starch granule structure

Malted and un-malted sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) flour was gamma irradiated with a dose of 10 kGy and then re-irradiated with 25 kGy. The effects of irradiation on microbial decontamination, amylase activity, fermentability (using an amylolytic L. plantarum MNC 21 strain), starch granule structure and viscosity were determined. Standard methods were used during determinations. The 10 kGy dose had no effect on microbial load of un-malted flour but reduced that of malted flour by 3 log cycles. Re-irradiation resulted in complete decontamination. Irradiation of malt caused a significant (p<0.05) reduction in alpha and beta amylase activity (22% and 32%, respectively). Irradiation of un-malted flour increased the rates of utilization of glucose and maltose by 53% and 100%, respectively, during fermentation. However, microbial growth, rate of lactic acid production, final lactic acid concentration and pH were not affected. Starch granules appeared normal externally even after re-irradiation, however, granules ruptured and dissolved easily after hydration and gelatinization. Production of high dry matter density porridge (200 g dry matter/L) with a viscosity of 3500 cP was achieved by irradiation of un-malted flout at 10 kGy. Gamma irradiation can be used to decontaminate flours and could be utilized to produce weaning porridge from sorghum.     

Copper(I)-catalysed homo-coupling of aryldiazonium salts: synthesis of symmetrical biaryls

Copper(I) triflate acts as an efficient stoichiometric reagent for the homo-coupling of aryldiazonium salts bearing electron-withdrawing group(s), to yield symmetrical biaryls in acetonitrile under mild reaction conditions. Aryldiazonium salts bearing electron-donating groups undergo the reaction by using catalytic amounts of a copper complex prepared in situ from copper(II) triflate and 2,2′-bipyridine with metallic copper as an ultimate reductant.     

Water Dynamics in Nafion Fuel Cell Membranes: the Effects of Confinement and Structural Changes on the Hydrogen Bond Network

The complex environments experienced by water molecules in the hydrophilic channels of Nafion membranes are studied by ultrafast infrared pump-probe spectroscopy. A wavelength dependent study of the vibrational lifetime of the O-D stretch of dilute HOD in H(2)O confined in Nafion membranes provides evidence of two distinct ensembles of water molecules. While only two ensembles are present at each level of membrane hydration studied, the characteristics of the two ensembles change as the water content of the membrane changes. Time dependent anisotropy measurements show that the orientational motions of water molecules in Nafion membranes are significantly slower than in bulk water and that lower hydration levels result in slower orientational relaxation. Initial wavelength dependent results for the anisotropy show no clear variation in the time scale for orientational motion across a broad range of frequencies. The anisotropy decay is analyzed using a model based on restricted orientational diffusion within a hydrogen bond configuration followed by total reorientation through jump diffusion.