Ions Can Move a Proton‐Coupled Electron‐Transfer Reaction into Tunneling Regime

The effects of charged species on proton‐coupled electron‐transfer (PCET) reaction should be of significance for understanding/application of important chemical and biological PCET systems. Such species can be found in proximity of activated complex in a PCET reaction, although they are not involved in the charge transfer process. Reported here is the first study of the above‐mentioned effects. Here, the effects of Na⁺, K⁺, Li⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Me₄N⁺ observed in PCET reaction of ascorbate monoanions with hexacyanoferrate(III) ions in H₂O reveal that, in presence of ions, this over‐the‐barrier reaction entered into tunneling regime. The observations are: a) dependence of the rate constant on the cation concentration, where the rate constant is 71 (at I = 0.0023), and 821 (at 0.5M K⁺), 847 (at 1.0M Na⁺), and 438 M ^?1 s^?1 (at 0.011M Ca²⁺); b) changes of kinetic isotope effect (KIE) in the presence of ions, where k_H/k_D=4.6 (at I = 0.0023), and 3.4 (in the presence of 0.5M K⁺), 3.3 (at 1.0M Na⁺), 3.9 (at 0.001M Ca²⁺), and 3.9 (at 0.001M Mg²⁺), respectively; c) the isotope effects on Arrhenius pre‐factor where A_H/A_D=0.97 (0.15) in absence of ions, and 2.29 (0.60) (at 0.5M Na⁺), 1.77 (0.29) (at 1.0M Na⁺), 1.61 (0.25) (at 0.5M K⁺), 0.42 (0.16) (at 0.001M Ca²⁺) and 0.16 (0.19) (at 0.001M Mg²⁺); d) isotope differences in the enthalpies of activation in H₂O and in D₂O, where ΔΔH^?(D,H)=3.9 (0.4) kJ mol^?1 in the absence of cations, 1.3 (0.6) at 0.5M Na⁺, 1.8 (0.4) at 0.5M K⁺, 1.5 (0.4) at 1.0M Na⁺, 5.5 (0.9) (at 0.001M Ca²⁺), and 7.9 (2.8) (at 0.001M Mg²⁺) kJ mol^?1; e) nonlinear proton inventory in reaction. In the H₂O/dioxane 1 : 1, the observed KIE is 7.8 and 4.4 in the absence and in the presence of 0.1M K⁺, respectively, and A_H/A_D=0.14 (0.03). The changes when cations are present in the reaction are explained in terms of termolecular encounter complex consisting of redox partners, and the cation where the cation can be found in a near proximity of the reaction‐activated complex thus influencing the proton/electron double tunneling event in the PCET process. A molecule of H₂O is involved in the transition state. The resulting ‘configuration’ is more ‘rigid’ and more appropriate for efficient tunneling with Na⁺ or K⁺ (extensive tunneling observed), i.e., there is more precise organized H transfer coordinate than in the case of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ (moderate tunneling observed) in the reaction.     

Self-assembly of 5,11,17,23-tetranitro-25,26,27,28-tetramethoxythiacalix[4]arene with neutral molecules and its use for anion recognition

Methylation of 5,11,17,23-tetranitrothiacalix[4]arene with diazomethane leads to the tetramethoxy derivative, which was studied using single-crystal X-ray crystallography. It revealed that this compound, albeit in the 1,3-alternate conformation, can form the inclusion complexes with various solvent molecules possessing acidic methyl groups (ethyl acetate, nitromethane, acetone, acetonitrile) and creates interesting infinite channels filled with solvent molecules. The subsequent transformation of nitro groups into the ureido moieties gave receptors capable of anion recognition even in a highly HB-competitive solvent like DMSO.     

The relative importance of temperature and isotope effects on the dipole oscillator strength distribution of H2

Summary The calculation of the effects of temperature and isotopic composition on the energy weighted moments of the dipole oscillator strength distribution of H₂ in the random phase approximation to the polarization propagator are reported. It is seen that the effect of isotopic composition is small, while that of temperature is of an order accessible to experiment. We find that all the mean excitation energiesI , for =–1, 0, 1, decrease with temperature as does the dipole oscillator strength momentS() for >0, while the opposite is true for <0. These effects are interpreted in terms of the bond length dependence of the excitation energies.     

RESOLUTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL TRYPTOPHANYL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEAR-ULTRAVIOLET DICHROIC ACTIVITY OF APOMYOGLOBIN

Abstract –The individual tryptophanyl contributions to the near-ultraviolet dichroic activity of apomyoglobin in its native conformation have been resolved. This was accomplished by comparing the spectra of two classes of apomyoglobin with different aromatic residue contents and observing the effect of a specific modification of indole residues. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of apomyoglobins containing two tryptophanyl residues, i.e. Trp A-5 and A-12, show the presence of a positive peak centered at 292 nm, attributable to indolic chromophore, which is missing in the CD spectrum of tuna apomyoglobin possessing only Trp A-12. Moreover, the specific modification of Trp A-5 by 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide is shown by the lack of the 292 nm peak and the appearance of a positive band at longer wavelength. The pH dependence of the position of this band suggests that it arises from the 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl moiety. The results suggest that Trp A-12 does not substantially contribute to the optical activity in the near ultraviolet.     

Synthese des Pyrrolizidin-Alkaloides (±)-Trachelanthamidin

Synthesis of the Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid (±)-Trachelanthamidine The important intermediate in the synthesis of the title compound 8 is the diastereoisomer mixture of ethyl 2-[2-(1,3 dioxolan-2-yl)ethyl]-5-oxopyrrolidine-3-carboxylate ( 3a/3b ) which was prepared from nitromethane, acrylaldehyde, and diethyl fumarate (Scheme). Its reduction (NaBH₄, t-BuOH, MeOH) gave exclusively the trans-alcohol 4a , which was converted to the protected pyrrolidine derivative 6 . The deprotection and reduction of 6 gave the pyrrolizidine alkaloid 8 , characterized as its hydrochloride.     

Redox‐Active Tetraruthenium Macrocycles Built from 1,4‐Divinylphenylene‐Bridged Diruthenium Complexes

Metallamacrocylic tetraruthenium complexes were generated by treatment of 1,4‐divinylphenylene‐bridged diruthenium complexes with functionalized 1,3‐benzene dicarboxylic acids and characterized by HR ESI‐MS and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. Every divinylphenylene diruthenium subunit is oxidized in two consecutive one‐electron steps with half‐wave potential splittings in the range of 250 to 330 mV. Additional, smaller redox‐splittings between the +/2+ and 0/+ and the 3+/4+ and 2+/3+ redox processes, corresponding to the first and the second oxidations of every divinylphenylene diruthenium entity, are due to electrostatic effects. The lack of electronic coupling through bond or through space is explained by the nodal properties of the relevant molecular orbitals and the lateral side‐by‐side arrangement of the divinylphenylene linkers. The polyelectrochromic behavior of the divinylphenylene diruthenium precursors is retained and even amplified in these metallamacrocyclic structures. EPR studies down to T=4 K indicate that the dications 1‐H²⁺ and 1‐OBu²⁺ are paramagnetic. The dications and the tetracation of macrocycle 3‐H display intense (dications) or weak ( 3‐H⁴⁺ ) EPR signals. Quantum chemical calculations indicate that the four most stable conformers of the macrocycles are largely devoid of strain. Bond parameters, energies as well as charge and spin density distributions of model macrocycle 5‐H^Me were calculated for the different charge and spin states.     

Intramolecularly coordinated organoantimony(III) carboxylates

The reactions of organoantimony chlorides L^1,2SbCl₂1 and 2 ([2,6-(ROCH₂)₂C₆H₃]⁻, R = Me; L¹ and R = t-Bu; L²) with silver salts of selected carboxylic acids resulted to corresponding organoantimony carboxylates L^1,2Sb(OOCR′)₂, 1a-c (for L¹) and 2a-c (for L²), where R′ = CH₃ for 1a, 2a; R′ = CHCH₂ for 1b, 2b and R′ = CF₃ for 1c, 2c. All compounds were characterized by the help of elemental analysis, ESI-MS, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The solid state structure investigation using single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques (2a, c) and IR spectroscopy revealed significant differences in coordination mode of both O,C,O chelating ligand and carboxylic groups in this set of compounds. The structure of all compounds in solution of non-coordinating solvent (CDCl₃) was determined by means of variable temperature ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy and IR spectroscopy.     

8-Dioxane ferra(III) bis(dicarbollide): A paramagnetic functional molecule as versatile building block for introduction of a Fe(III) centre into organic molecules

The synthesis of a new, paramagnetic closo-[(8-(-CH₂CH₂O)₂-1,2-C₂B₉H₁₀)(1′,2′-C₂B₉H₁₁)-3,3′-Fe]⁰ (3) is reported. This compound can serve as a versatile building block for construction of both anionic and zwitterionic derivatives, as exemplified by the synthesis of a series of compounds of general formula closo-[(8-X-(CH₂CH₂O)₂-1,2-C₂B₉H₁₀)(1′,2′-C₂B₉H₁₁)-3,3′-Fe], bearing organic end groups (X = NC₅H₅ (4), (C₆H₅)₃P (5), OH (6), and 2-O(1-CH₃O-C₆H₄) (7)) attached to the cluster by a diethyleneglycol spacer. Molecular structures of 3, 4, 5 and 7 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and by the long-time neglected method of paramagnetic, high field NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹B) spectroscopy.     

Fast simultaneous LC/MS/MS determination of 10 active compounds in human serum for therapeutic drug monitoring in psychiatric medication

A UPLC/MS/MS method with simple protein precipitation has been validated for the fast simultaneous analysis of agomelatine, asenapine, amisulpride, iloperidone, zotepine, melperone, ziprasidone, vilazodone, aripiprazole and its metabolite dehydro‐aripiprazole in human serum. Alprenolol was applied as an internal standard. A BEH C₁₈ (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.7 µm) column provided chromatographic separation of analytes using a binary mobile phase gradient (A, 2 mmol/L ammonium acetate, 0.1% formic acid in 5% acetonitrile, v/v/v; B, 2 mmol/L ammonium acetate, 0.1% formic acid in 95% acetonitrile, v/v/v). Mass spectrometric detection was performed in the positive electrospray ionization mode and ion suppression owing to matrix effects was evaluated. The validation criteria were determined: linearity, precision, accuracy, recovery, limit of detection, limit of quantification, reproducibility and matrix effect. The concentration range was as follows: 0.25–1000 ng/mL for agomelatine; 0.25–100 ng/mL for asenapine and iloperidone; 2.5–1000 ng/mL for amisulpride, aripiprazole, vilazodone and zotepine; 2.3–924.6 ng/mL for dehydroaripiprazole; 2.2–878.4 ng/mL for melperone; and 2.2–883.5 ng/mL for ziprasidone. Limits of quantitation below a therapeutic reference range were achieved for all analytes. Intra‐run precision of 0.4–5.5 %, inter‐run precision of 0.6–8.2% and overall recovery of 87.9–114.1% were obtained. The validated method was successfully implemented into routine practice for therapeutic drug monitoring in our hospital. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.