Cross-chiral examinations of molecular enantioselective recognition by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry: Host–guest complexations between chiral crown ethers and chiral organic ammonium ions

Using fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry (MS), cross-chiral relationships were confirmed for the first time for the diasteromeric host-guest complexations between the chiral crown ether host (1) and the chiral organic ammonium ion guest (2) on the basis of the relative peak intensities (RPI). Both host–guest combinations (R, R, R, R) – 1, (R) – 2 and (S, S, S, S) – 1, (S) – 2 obviously provided larger RPI values than the combination of both (R, R, R, R) – 1, (S) – 2 and (S, S, S, S) – 1, (R) – 2 by a factor of 1.6 as an averaged value: 1.87 (n = 4)/1.16 (n = 4) = 1.6. These results are consistent with the expected stabilities of the host-guest complexations by CPK model examinations. Successfully observed cross-chiral examinations strongly suggest a potentially useful FABMS/RPI methodology for rapidly searching newly designed and synthesized crown ether-like host compounds with a higher degree of enantioselectivity.     

Synthesis of [18,19,21,22‐13C4]‐Labeled Tautomycin as an NMR Probe of Protein Phosphatase Inhibitor

We have accomplished the synthesis of ¹³C‐labeled tautomycin at the C18, C19, C21, and C22 positions starting from 100 % [¹³C]triethylphosphonoacetate for the purpose of elucidating the dynamics and conformation of the C17–C26 moiety. NMR spectroscopy of ¹³C‐labeled tautomycin revealed strong binding with protein phosphatase type 1 and new features in the ¹³C NMR spectrum, such as the very small three‐bond coupling constants (²J).     

Thermodynamic analysis of duplex formation of the heterochiral DNA with L-deoxyadenosine.

An L-DNA, the mirror-image isomer of natural DNA, has extraordinary nuclease resistance, and thus the molecules should be promising reagents for many applications, such as antisense technology. However, little is known about the structural and thermodynamic properties of DNAs with this modified nucleotide. In this study, we prepared the L-nucleotide (L-dA) and introduced it into oligodeoxyribonucleotides to assess the ability of the L-nucleotide as a functional molecule for many applications based on the DNA hybridization. Two decamers with an L-dA at the center were synthesized and duplexes with the complementary DNA strand were applied to structural and thermodynamic analyses. The structural study by CD spectra showed that the structures of both modified "L/D-D" duplexes were the typical B-form. This result suggests that the global structure of DNA was not collapsed by the introduction of an L-DNA. Thermodynamic parameters (deltaH degrees, deltaS degrees, and deltaG degrees 37) of the duplex formation, determined by UV melting experiments, indicated that the both duplexes were destabilized at about 2.5 to 3.0 kcal mol(-1) by the introduced L-dA, mainly due to an unfavorable enthalpic effect. In conjunction with information by other researchers, these results suggest that the L-DNA affect on the duplex structure and the stability vary locally; thus, the thermodynamic stability of modified L/D-D duplexes should be predictable by the nearest-neighbor thermodynamic parameters.     

Analysis of conjugated linoleic acids as 9-anthrylmethyl esters by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A simple and highly sensitive method for determining the fatty acid composition of food lipids containing conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is described. The method is based on the separation of the 9-anthrylmethyl ester derivatives of saturated and unsaturated (conjugated and non-conjugated) fatty acids by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Just like the other fatty acids, CLA reacts readily with 9-anthryldiazomethane at room temperature to produce 9-anthrylmethyl esters without isomerization and decomposition of the conjugated double bonds. Clear resolution of the individual fatty acids as their 9-anthrylmethyl esters is achieved on a highly efficient octadecylsilylated silica column (150- x 3-mm i.d., 3-microm particle size) using a stepwise gradient elution with methanol-water. The method is standardized with commercially available CLA isomers (cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12-octadecadienoic acids, and their cis,cis and trans,trans isomers) and applied for determination of the fatty acid compositions of milk and sdairy products.     

A twin optically-pumped far-infrared CH3OH laser for plasma diagnostics

A twin optically-pumped far-infrared CH₃OH laser has been constructed for use in plasma diagnostics. The antisymmetric doublet due to the Raman-type resonant two-photon transition is reproducibly observed at 118.8 m. With the 118.8-m line, it is obtained from the frequency separation of the anti-symmetric doublet that CH₃OH absorption line center is 16±1 MHz higher than the pump 9.7-m P(36) CO₂ laser line center. It is shown that the Raman-type resonant two-photon transition is useful in order to get several-MHz phase modulation for the far-infrared laser interferometer. Some preliminary performances of this twin laser for the modulated interferometer are described.This work was carried out under the collaborating research program at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464, Japan.     

The first synthesis of a methano[60]fullerene with an electron-donating group at the methano-bridge carbon: synthesis and reaction of aminomethano[60]fullerene

[reaction: see text] Aminomethano[60]fullerene was synthesized for the first time as a trifluoromethanesulfonic acid salt by applying the Curtius rearrangement of azidocarbonylmethano[60]fullerene as the key reaction. Aminomethano[60]fullerene thus obtained was found to be able to react with various acyl chlorides to afford the corresponding amides.     

Ion chromatographic separation of hydrogen ion and other common mono- and divalent cations

We introduced an approach to the ion chromatographic determination of common mono- and divalent cations including hydrogen ion and demonstrated the ability of a C30 column dynamically coated first with dodecylsulfate and then with 18-crown-6 ether to separate the cations by ion-exchange mechanism. Using an ethylenediamine solution containing a small concentration of 18-crown-6 ether and lithium dodecylsulfate at pH 6.2 as eluent, the cations were eluted in the order Li < Na+ < NH4+ < H+ < K+ < Mg2+ < Ca2+ with symmetrical peaks. The conductivity vs. concentration plots were linear about three orders of magnitude, from millimolar to micromolar; and the detection limits were all < 0.6 microM. Rainwater was analyzed directly using this ion chromatographic system with satisfactory results.     

Electrochemical analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms of p53 gene

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of cancer repression gene p53 were analyzed electrochemically with ferrocenyl naphthalene diimide (1) as a hybridization indicator. The SNPs studied were the transition to A from G in the codon for amino acid at positions 175, 248 or 273 and the transversion to C from G in the codon for the amino acid at position 72. Thus, 20-meric oligonucleotides carrying the SNP site were used both as a sample and a probe with the latter immobilized on an electrode. Even one base difference on the p53 gene resulted in a significant difference in the current response of 1 and the magnitude of the response correlated with the amount of the DNA hybrid on the electrode. Moreover, when PCR products of exon 4, on which the P72/R72 SNP resides, of the p53 gene were analyzed by this method, the heterozygote and homozygotes were discriminated with modest precision.     

Analysis of Dns-amino acids by liquid chromatography. I. Selection of optimum mobile phase composition for separation of Dns-amino acids on polyvinyl acetate gel.

The separation of a mixture of ten Dns-amino acids (Gns-Gly, -Ala, -Val, -Leu, -Pro, -Hypro, -Met, -Ser, -Asn and -Gln) was carried out by liquid chromatography by using macroreticular polyvinyl acetate gel as a packing material. Different mobile phase systems were investigated, based mainly on mixtures of n-hexane with ethanol, methanol, chloroform, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl acetate, dioxane and tetrahydrofuran. The solvent composition was fixed so as to elute all of the components of the sample mixture in a practical period of 2 h. Satisfactory separation of the ten components was obtained with the n-hexane-ethanol (90:10) system. The presence of methanol as a modifier in the n-hexane was effective in reducing the elution time, but the separation was not as satisfactory. Chloroform or dioxane was useful only for the separation of Ser, Asn and Gln. Acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl acetate and tetrahydrofuran were not suitable for practical separations of Dns-amino acids.     

Asymmetric selective polymerization of racemic methacrylates with the cyclohexylmagnesium bromide-(−)-sparteine system

Asymmetric selective (or stereoelective) polymerization of various racemic methacrylates with cyclohexylmagnesium bromide (c-HexMgBr)-(-)sparteine (1/1.2) catalyst was studied in toluene at ?78°C. The methacrylates of α-ethylbenzyl (EBMA), α-isopropylbenzyl (i-PBMA), α-tert-butylbenzyl (t-BBMA), sec-butyl (s-BuMA), 1-methylallyl (1-MAMA), 2,3-epoxypropyl (2,3-EPMA), 2-phenylpropyl (2-PPMA), and menthyl (MentMA) alcohols were used as racemic monomers. In the polymerization of EBMA and i-PBMA (S) enantiomers were consumed preferentially and the optical purity of initially polymerized i-PBMA was as high as 97%. Optically pure (R) monomers were recovered at about 60% conversion for i-PBMA and 80% for EBMA. In t-BBMA, however, the (R) monomer was consumed preferentially over the (S) isomer. In the polymerization of s-BuMA and 1-MAMA (S) monomers were consumed in excess and the optical purity of the polymers formed in the early stage was about 30%. In 2,3-EPMA and 2-PPMA, which have asymmetric centers at the β position from the ester oxygen, (R) antipodes were more reactive. MentMA did not polymerize at ?78°C. Enantiomer selectivity ratios r_S and r_R were determined in the polymerization of EBMA, i-PBMA, and 1-MAMA. All polymers except poly(t-BBMA) were highly isotactic, but the tacticity of poly(t-BBMA) could not be estimated. Circular dichroism spectra of optically active polymers of α-substituted benzyl esters were measured.