Mass spectrometry of N-(Pyrimidin-2-yl)amino acids and their methyl esters

N(Pyrimidin-2-yl)-glycine, -alanine and -phenylalanine (1-3) and their methyl esters (4-6) were investigated using electron impact (EI) mass Spectrometry. The results showed that EI-induced decomposition occurs on the carboxylic group or involves the loss of R₂OH. In contrast to earlier investigations on N-(pyrimidin-4-yl)amino acids, elimination of water (in 1-3) or methanol (in 4-6) was found to be of EI-induced nature. The loss of 'COOH from M⁺ of ester 4 suggests the occurrence of a skeletal rearrangement leading to the isomeric N-methylamino acid.     

Mono-Aryl/Alkylthio-Substituted (Hetero)acenes of Exceptional Thermal and Photochemical Stability by the Thio-Friedel–Crafts/Bradsher Cyclization Reaction

The highly substituted mono-aryl/alkylthio-(hetero)acenes prepared in this study have been found to be thermally more stable (T_decomp.=331–354 °C) than the known di-aryl/alkylthio-substituted acenes by an average of 25 °C. They are also much more photostable at 254 and 365 nm (in both argon and air) than the parent anthracene and other reported anthracenes. The most photostable aryl/alkylthio-anthracenes at 254 nm were found to be 60–70 (in air) and 130 (in argon) times more stable in solution than the unsubstituted anthracene, and much more stable than known EDG/EWG-substituted anthracenes (EDG=electron-donating group, EWG=electron-withdrawing group) with an extended aromatic core. Furthermore, the acenes showed significantly higher photostability at 365 nm in both air and argon. The anthracenes were obtained by the novel thio-Friedel–Crafts/Bradsher cyclization reaction of hitherto unknown [o-(1,3-dithian-2-yl)aryl](aryl)methyl thioethers. The developed approach provides a general access to mono-aryl/alkylthio-substituted (hetero)acene frameworks containing at least three fused (hetero)aromatic rings. The characteristic feature of this approach, which leads to highly substituted acenes, is that the substituents, unlike in other methods, may be introduced at an early stage of the synthesis. DFT and TD-DFT calculations confirmed the stabilizing role of the aryl/alkylthio substituent in the mono-aryl/alkylthio-substituted anthracenes, which are the most stable anthracenes prepared to date. Their high photostability is mainly due to the quenching of singlet oxygen by the acene and the quenching of the acene S₁ state by molecular oxygen.     

Synthesis and structural studies of hydrazino-crown ethers and thermodynamic studies of their interaction with transition,and post-transition metal ions and methyl ammonium ion

Hydrazino-crown ethers have been synthesized in only 3 or 4 steps starting from 1,2-diacetylhydrazine. The X-ray crystal structure of protonated hydrazino-19-crown-7 (2) showed that one of the hydrazino nitrogen atoms was directed outside the ring cavity. A solvent methanol molecule is held in the cavity of the host ligand by three hydrogen bonds involving two hydrogen atoms bonded to nitrogens of the ligand and the alcohol hydrogen of the methanol. The logK values for the interaction of2 with CH₃NH ₊ ³ , Ag⁺, Pb²⁺, and Cd²⁺ were much less than those for the interaction of symmetrical triaza-l8-crown-6 (5) with the same cations. Hydrazino-crown2 reduced silver ions to silver metal when a solution of2 and silver ions in DMSO was allowed to stand for several days.     

Syntheses of diaza-18-crown-6 ligands containing two units each of 4-hydroxyazobenzene,benzimidazole, uracil,anthraquinone, or ferrocene groups

Six new diaza-18-crown-6 ligands each containing two aromatic side arms with responsive functions were prepared. Diaza-18-crown-6 containing two 4-hydroxyazobenzene ( 3 ) or two 4 -hydroxy- 4′ -(dimethyl-amino)azobenzene ( 4 ) substituents were prepared via a one-pot Mannich reaction. Diaza-18-crown-6 containing two benzimidazole ( 5 ), two uracil ( 6 ) or two 9,10-anthraquinone ( 7 ) substituents were prepared by treating the diazacrown with the appropriate chloromethyl-containing compound. Reductive amination using sodium triacetoxyborohydride, diaza-18-crown-6 and ferrocenecarboxaldehyde was used to prepare bisferrocene-substituted diaza-18-crown-6 ( 8 ). Interactions of compounds 3 , 5 , and 6 with Na⁺, K⁺, Ba²⁺, Ag⁺, and Cu²⁺ were evaluated by a calorimetric titration technique at 25° in methanol. All three ligands form more stable complexes with Ag⁺ and Cu²⁺ ( 5 forms a precipitate with Ag⁺) than with Na⁺ and K⁺. Ligand 5 also forms a highly stable complex with Ba²⁺.     

Dehalogenation of polymers prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization

Polymers prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) have well‐defined end groups, predetermined by the initiator used. A typical initiator is an alkyl halide from which the halogen is transferred to one chain end. To remove the halogen end group, dehalogenation with trialkyltin hydride has been used. Procedures for the removal of the polymer halogen end groups are described, one of them being a one‐pot reaction where the dehalogenation of the polymer chain ends occurs immediately after polymerization.     

Branched polyether with multiple primary hydroxyl groups: polymerization of 3-ethyl-3-hydroxymethyloxetane

Cationic polymerization of 3-ethyl-3-hydroxymethyloxetane gives branched, soluble macromolecules with multiple glycolic end groups. There are approximately 3–4 “normal” units per one branched unit.     

Kinetics and Characterization of Degradation Products of Dihydralazine and Hydrochlorothiazide in Binary Mixture by HPLC-UV,LC-DAD and LC–MS Methods

Dihydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide were stored at high temperature and humidity, under UV/Vis light and different pH, as individual drugs and the mixture. Then, a sensitive and selective HPLC-UV method was developed for simultaneous determination of dihydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide in presence of their degradation products. Finally, the degradation products were characterized through LC-DAD and LC–MS methods. Dihydralazine was sensitive to high temperature and humidity, UV/Vis light and pH?≥?7. At the same time, it was resistant to acidic conditions. Hydrochlorothiazide was sensitive to high temperature and humidity, UV/Vis light and changes in pH. Its highest level of degradation was observed in 1 M HCl. Degradation of the drugs was higher when they were stressed in the mixture. In the case of dihydralazine, the percentage degradation was 5–15 times higher. What is more, dihydralazine became sensitive to acidic conditions. Hydrochlorothiazide was shown to be more sensitive to UV/Vis light and pH?>?4. Degradation of dihydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide followed first-order kinetics. The quickest degradation of dihydralazine was found to be in 1 M NaOH while of hydrochlorothiazide was in 1 M HCl (individual hydrochlorothiazide) or at pH 7–10 (hydrochlorothiazide in the mixture). A number of new degradation products were detected and some of them were identified by our LC-DAD and LC–MS methods. In the stressed individual samples, (phenylmethyl)hydrazine and 1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-7-sulfonamide 1,1-dioxide were observed for the first time. Interactions between dihydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide in the mixture were confirmed by additional degradation products, e.g., 2H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-7-sulfonamide 1,1,4-trioxide.     

Heteroatom‐Doped Carbon Dots (CDs) as a Class of Metal‐Free Photocatalysts for PET‐RAFT Polymerization under Visible Light and Sunlight

A key challenge of photoregulated living radical polymerization is developing efficient and robust photocatalysts. Now carbon dots (CDs) have been exploited for the first time as metal‐free photocatalysts for visible‐light‐regulated reversible addition–fragmentation chain‐transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Screening of diverse heteroatom‐doped CDs suggested that the P‐ and S‐doped CDs were effective photocatalysts for RAFT polymerization under mild visible light following a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) involved oxidative quenching mechanism. PET‐RAFT polymerization of various monomers with temporal control, narrow dispersity (?≈1.04), and chain‐end fidelity was achieved. Besides, it was demonstrated that the CD‐catalyzed PET‐RAFT polymerization was effectively performed under natural solar irradiation.     

Molecular dynamics of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A serotonin receptors with methylated buspirone analogues

In the present study experimentally determined ligand selectivity of three methylated buspirone analogues (denoted as MM2, MM5 and P55) towards 5-HT_1A and 5-HT_2A serotonin receptors was theoretically investigated on a molecular level. The relationships between the ligand structure and 5-HT_1A and 5-HT_2A receptor affinities were studied and the results were found to be in agreement with the available site-directed mutagenesis and binding affinity data. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of ligand-receptor complexes were performed for each investigated analogue, docked twice into the central cavity of 5-HT_1A/5-HT_2A, each time in a different orientation. Present results were compared with our previous theoretical results, obtained for buspirone and its non-methylated analogues. It was found that due to the presence of the methyl group in the piperazine ring the ligand position alters and the structure of the ligand-receptor complex is modified. Further, the positions of derivatives with pyrimidinyl aromatic moiety and quinolinyl moiety are significantly different at the 5-HT_2A receptor. Thus, methylation of such derivatives alters the 3D structures of ligand-receptor complexes in different ways. The ligand-induced changes of the receptor structures were also analysed. The obtained results suggest, that helical domains of both receptors have different dynamical behaviour. Moreover, both location and topography of putative binding sites for buspirone analogues are different at 5-HT_1A and 5-HT_2A receptors.