Di- and triindolylmethanes: molecular structures and spectroscopic characterization of potentially bidentate and tridentate ligands

4-Bromophenyldi(3-methylindol-2-yl)methane (2) and 2-methoxyphenyldi(3-methylindol-2-yl)methane (3) were prepared by sulfuric-acid-catalyzed reactions of 3-methylindole with 4-bromobenzaldehyde and o-anisaldehyde, respectively. Di(3-methylindol-2-yl)phenylmethane (1) and tri(3-methylindol-2-yl)methane (4) were similarly prepared as described previously. Spectroscopic data (¹H, ¹³C NMR) and the X-ray crystal structures for 1 C₂H₅OH and 2–4 are reported. The molecular structure of 1 C₂H₅OH shows hydrogen bonding of both indolyl NH protons to the oxygen of an ethanol molecule. Crystal data for 1 C₂H₅OH: Orthorhombic, Pca2₁, a = 23.9782(17) Å, b = 8.4437(7) Å, c = 11.3029(9) Å, V = 2288.4(3) ų, R ₁ = 0.0597. Crystal data for 2: Orthorhombic, P2₁2₁2₁, a = 8.911(3) Å, b = 9.584(4) Å, c = 24.040(11) Å, V = 2053.0(14) ų, R ₁ = 0.0454. Crystal data for 3: Monoclinic, P2₁/c, a = 9.737(2) Å, b = 25.035(6) Å, c = 9.359(2) Å, = 114.853(4), V = 2070.2(8) ų, R ₁ = 0.0511. Crystal data for 4: Trigonal, R3, a = 14.2214(10) Å, c = 9.6190(10) Å, V = 1684.8(2) ų, R ₁ = 0.0425.     

Posaconazole (Noxafil, SCH 56592), a new azole antifungal drug, was a discovery based on the isolation and mass spectral characterization of a circulating metabolite of an earlier lead (SCH 51048)

Posaconazole (SCH 56592) is a novel triazole antifungal drug that is marketed in Europe and the United States under the trade name 'Noxafil' for prophylaxis against invasive fungal infections. SCH 56592 was discovered as a possible active metabolite of SCH 51048, an earlier lead. Initial studies have shown that serum concentrations determined by a microbiological assay were higher than those determined by HPLC from animals dosed with SCH 51048. Subsequently, several animals species were dosed with (3)H-SCH 51048 and the serum was analyzed for total radioactivity, SCH 51048 concentration and antifungal activity. The antifungal activity was higher than that expected based on SCH 51048 serum concentrations, confirming the presence of active metabolite(s). Metabolite profiling of serum samples at selected time intervals pinpointed the peak that was suspected to be the active metabolite. Consequently, (3)H-SCH 51048 was administered to a large group of mice, the serum was harvested and the metabolite was isolated by extraction and semipreparative HPLC. LC-MS/MS analysis suggested that the active metabolite is a secondary alcohol with the hydroxyl group in the aliphatic side chain of SCH 51048. All corresponding monohydroxylated diastereomeric mixtures were synthesized and characterized. The HPLC retention time and LC-MS/MS spectra of the diastereomeric secondary alcohols of SCH 51048 were similar to those of the isolated active metabolite. Finally, all corresponding individual monohydroxylated diasteriomers were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro and in vivo antifungal potencies, as well as pharmacokinetics. SCH 56592 emerged as the candidate with the best overall profile.     

Acetylacetonate anchors for robust functionalization of TiO2 nanoparticles with Mn(II)-terpyridine complexes

A novel class of derivatized acetylacetonate (acac) linkers for robust functionalization of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) under aqueous and oxidative conditions is reported. The resulting surface adsorbate anchors are particularly relevant to engineering photocatalytic and photovoltaic devices since they can be applied to attach a broad range of photosensitizers and photocatalytic complexes and are not affected by humidity. Acac is easily modified by CuI-mediated coupling reactions to provide a variety of scaffolds, including substituted terpy complexes (terpy = 2,2':6,2'-terpyridine), assembled with ligands coordinated to transition-metal ions. Since Mn-terpy complexes are known to be effective catalysts for oxidation chemistry, functionalization with Mn(II) is examined. This permits visible-light sensitization of TiO2 nanoparticles due to interfacial electron transfer, as evidenced by UV-vis spectroscopy of colloidal thin films and aqueous suspensions. The underlying ultrafast interfacial electron injection is complete on a subpicosecond time scale, as monitored by optical pump-terahertz probe transient measurements and computer simulations. Time-resolved measurements of the Mn(II) EPR signal at 6 K show that interfacial electron injection induces Mn(II) --> Mn(III) photooxidation, with a half-time for regeneration of the Mn(II) complex of ca. 23 s.     

Reactivity of the triple ion and separated ion pair of tris(trimethylsilyl)methyllithium with aldehydes: a RINMR study

Low-temperature rapid-injection NMR (RINMR) experiments were performed on tris(trimethylsilyl)methyllithium. In THF/Me2O solutions, the separated ion (1S) reacted faster than can be measured at -130 degrees C with MeI and substituted benzaldehydes (k >/= 2 s -1), whereas the contact ion (1C) dissociated to 1S before reacting. Unexpectedly, the triple ion reacted faster with electron-rich benzaldehydes relative to electron-deficient ones. The addition of HMPA had no effect on the rate of reaction of the triple ion with p-diethylaminobenzaldehyde, and the immediate product of the reaction was the HMPA-solvated separated ion 1S, with the Peterson product forming only slowly. Thus, the aldehyde is catalyzing the dissociation of the triple ion. HMPA greatly decelerated the reaction of 1S (<10 -10), providing an estimate of the Lewis acid activating effect of a THF-solvated lithium cation in an organolithium addition to an aldehyde.     

Supporting Middle School Teachers’ Implementation of STEM Design Challenges

We describe and analyze a professional development (PD) model that involved a partnership among science, mathematics and education university faculty, science and mathematics coordinators, and middle school administrators, teachers, and students. The overarching project goal involved the implementation of interdisciplinary STEM Design Challenges (DCs). The PD model targeted: (a) increasing teachers’ content and pedagogical content knowledge in mathematics and science; (b) helping teachers integrate STEM practices into their lessons; and (c) addressing teachers’ beliefs about engaging underperforming students in challenging problems. A unique aspect involved low‐achieving students and their teachers learning alongside each other as they co‐participated in STEM design challenges for one week in the summer. Our analysis focused on what teachers came to value about STEM DCs, and the challenges in and affordances for implementing DCs. Two significant areas of value for the teachers were students’ use of scientific, mathematical, and engineering practices and motivation, engagement, and empowerment by all learners. Challenges associated with pedagogy, curriculum, and the traditional structures of the schools were identified. Finally, there were four key affordances: (a) opportunities to construct a vision of STEM education; (b) motivation to implement DCs; (c) ambitious pedagogical tools; and, (d) ongoing support for planning and implementation. This article features a Research to Practice Companion Article . Please click on the supporting information link below to access.     

CZE for the speciation of arsenic in aqueous soil extracts

We developed two separation methods using CZE with UV detection for the determination of the most common inorganic and methylated arsenic species and some phenylarsenic compounds. Based on the separation method for anions using hydrodynamic sample injection the detection limits were 0.52, 0.25, 0.27, 0.12, 0.37, 0.6, 0.6, 1.2 and 1.0 mg As/L for phenylarsine oxide (PAO), p-aminophenylarsonic acid (p-APAA), o-aminophenylarsonic (o-APAA), phenylarsonic acid (PAA), 4-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzenearsonic acid (roxarsone), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), arsenite or arsenious acid (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)), respectively. These detection limits were improved by large-volume sample stacking with polarity switching to 32, 28, 14, 42, 22, 27, 26 and 27 microg As/L for p-APAA, o-APAA, PAA, roxarsone, MMA, DMA, As(III) and As(V), respectively. We have applied both methods to the analysis of the arsenic species distribution in aqueous soil extracts. The identification of the arsenic species was validated by means of both standard addition and comparison with standard UV spectra. The comparison of the arsenic species concentrations in the extracts determined by CZE with the total arsenic concentrations measured by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) indicated that CZE is suited for the speciation of arsenic in environmental samples with a high arsenic content. The extraction yield of phenylarsenic compounds from soil was derived from the arsenic concentrations of the aqueous soil extracts and the total arsenic content of the soil determined by ICP-AES after microwave digestion. We found that 6-32% of the total amount of arsenic in the soil was extractable by a one-step extraction with water in dependence on the type of arsenic species.     

Versatile host for metallo anions and cations

The crystal structures of two metallo oxides, perrhenate and dichromate, are reported with a diprotonated tetraamido/diamino-based macrocycle, L, in which the floppy ligand assumes a folded conformation. When the four amides are deprotonated, this same ligand binds transition-metal ions in its tetraanionic form, H-4L. For the divalent metal ions Cu2+ and Ni2+, H-4L again folds and dinuclear complexes are formed. With trivalent metal ions Co3+ and Fe3+, the ligand wraps about the metal ions, resulting in mononuclear complexes.     

Liposome-Based Optochemical Nanosensors

 This paper describes the optochemical pH and oxygen sensing properties of dye-encapsulating and fluorescently labeled nano-sized unilamellar liposomes. To prepare the oxygen sensitive liposomes a lipid mixture consisting of dimyristoylphospatidylcholine, cholesterol, and dihexadecyl phosphate (molar ratio 5:4:1) all dissolved in dry isopropyl alcohol is injected into a sensing dye solution. The mixture is then sonicated with a liposome maker to form dye-encapsulating liposomes. A lipid mixture consisting of dimyristoylphospatidylcholine, N-(fluorescein-5-thiocarbamoyl)-1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine triethylammonium salt (fluorescein DHPE), cholesterol, and dihexadecyl phosphate (molar ratio 20:1:16:4) is used to prepare the pH sensitive liposomes by the same sonication technique. Fluorescein labeled DHPE phospholipids are combined with DMPC phospholipids in a 1:20 ratio to incorporate the sensing dye directly into the bilayer membrane, virtually eliminating any instability due to dye leakage. Oxygen sensing liposomes are created by encapsulating the oxygen sensitive ruthenium tris(1,10)-phenanthroline complex [Ru(phen)₃]. The dye is believed to exist both in free solution within the liposome, and as an adherent on the inner membrane of the liposome. High uniformity of the liposomes is realized by extruding them back and forth through a 100 nm pore-size polycarbonate membrane. TEM images of the liposomes, stained with uranyl acetate, show that the liposomes are unilamellar, spherical in shape, maintain high structural integrity, and average 70 nm in diameter. The liposomes show high stability with respect to dye leaking at room temperature for 8 days, and high photostability when exposed to the excitation light. Individual liposomes are used to monitor the pH and oxygen level in their vicinity during the enzymatic oxidation of glucose by the enzyme glucose oxidase. The newly prepared environmentally sensitive liposomes can be applied for non-invasive pH and oxygen determination in tissues and single biological cells. Received June 8, 1998. Revision November 10, 1998.     

De-Pake-ing transform analysis of fully deuterated malonic acid

The analysis of deuterium wideline NMR spectra has been an essential step in characterizing the dynamics of molecules in the solid-state. Although clearly important, the identification of quadrupolar coupling constants (QCCs) from the powder patterns is often complicated by poor sensitivity and/or spectral overlap. Previously, others have demonstrated the utility of “de-Pake-ing”, a mathematical transform that yields the QCCs in a straightforward manner for symmetric (η = 0) sites. In this short paper, we describe our analysis of a powder sample of perdeutero-malonic acid, a molecule with two distinct deuteron environments and asymmetries. The methylene sites are immediately amenable to the standard de-Pake-ing transform analysis due to their low asymmetry. However, the de-Pake-ing methodology for the acid deuterons, for which the asymmetry deviates significantly from zero, requires more analysis to extract their QCCs. The impact of this work on the future application of de-Pake-ing to a wider range of samples is also discussed.