Solubilization of n-alkylbenzenes into decanoyl-N-methylglucamide (Mega-10) solution

Solubilization of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, n-propylbenzene, n-butylbenzene, n-pentylbenzene, and n-hexylbenzene into micelles of decanoyl-N-methylglucamide (Mega-10) was studied, where equilibrium concentrations of the above solubilizates were determined spectrophotometrically at 303.2 K. The concentration of the above solubilizates remained constant below the critical micelle concentration (cmc) and increased linearly with an increase in Mega-10 concentration above the cmc. The Gibbs free energy change of the solubilizates from the aqueous bulk to the liquid solubilizate phase was evaluated from the dependence of their aqueous solubility on the alkyl chain length of the solubilizates, which leads to -3.46 kJ mol-1 for DeltaG(0)(CH), the energy change per CH2 group of the alkyl chain. The first stepwise solubilization constant (K(overline)1 ) was evaluated from the slope of the change of solubilizate concentration versus Mega-10 concentration. The Gibbs free energy change (DeltaG(0,s)) for the solubilization decreased linearly with the carbon number of the alkyl chain of the solubilizates, from which DeltaG(0,s)(CH2) as evaluated to be -2.71 kJ mol-1. The similar values above clearly indicate that the location of the alkyl chain is a hydrophobic micellar core, which is also supported by the absorption spectrum of the solubilized molecules.     

A [3 + 3] annelation approach to tetrahydropyridines

[reaction: see text] A stepwise [3+3] annelation sequence to tetrahydropyridines via addition of the Büchi Grignard to aziridines has been developed. These intermediates can be further functionalized with good regio- and stereocontrol and this methodology has been employed in the stereoselective formal synthesis of (-)-dihydropinidine.     

Top-down patterning of zeolitic imidazolate framework composite thin films by deep X-ray lithography

For the first time a top-down process was used to control the spatial location of Metal-Organic Frameworks on a surface. Deep X-ray lithography was utilised to micropattern a Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework layer on a sol-gel surface, with exposure hardening the sol-gel by inducing crosslinking while leaving the frameworks intact.     

Application of affinity selection-mass spectrometry assays to purification and affinity-based screening of the chemokine receptor CXCR4

Affinity selection-mass spectrometry (AS-MS) is a sensitive technology for identifying small molecules that bind to target proteins, and assays enabled by AS-MS can be used to delineate relative binding affinities of ligands for proteins. 'Indirect' AS-MS assays employ size-exclusion techniques to separate target-ligand complexes from unbound ligands, and target-associated ligands are then specifically detected by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. We report how indirect AS-MS binding assays with known reference control compounds were used as guideposts for development of an optimized purification method for CXCR4, a G-protein coupled chemokine receptor, for which we sought novel antagonists. The CXCR4 purification method that was developed was amenable to scale-up and enabled the screening of purified recombinant human CXCR4 against a large combinatorial library of small molecules by high throughput indirect AS-MS. The screen resulted in the discovery of new ligands that competed off binding of reference compounds to CXCR4 in AS-MS binding assays and that antagonized SDF1α-triggered responses and CXCR4-mediated HIV1 viral uptake in cell-based assays. This report provides a methodological paradigm whereby indirect AS-MS-based ligand binding assays may be used to guide optimal integral membrane protein purification methods that enable downstream affinity selection-based applications such as high throughput AS-MS screens.     

Pulsed jet discharge matrix isolation and computational study of bromine atom complexes: Br···BrXCH(2) (X = H, Cl, Br)

Halogen atoms are important reactive radicals in the atmosphere. In this work, pulsed jet discharge matrix isolation spectroscopy and computational methods were used to characterize prereactive complexes of halogen atoms with simple halons. Our experiments combined matrix isolation techniques with a pulsed DC discharge nozzle, where a dilute CH(2)XBr (X = H, Cl, Br)/rare gas sample was gently discharged and the products were deposited onto a cold KBr window. The Br···BrCH(2)X (X = H, Cl, Br) complexes were characterized by infrared and electronic spectroscopy, supported by ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which shed light on the structure of, bonding in, and binding energy of the complexes. The correlation of charge-transfer energy with donor ionization potential (Mulliken correlation) was examined, and the charge-transfer photochemistry of the complexes was explored.     

MS3 using the collision cell of a tandem mass spectrometer system

We report the feasibility of multistage fragmentation in combination with a fast background subtraction method, yielding the equivalent of MS3. The first quadrupole selects an ion of interest, and the ion is axially accelerated into Q2 to generate fragment ions. Subsequent stages of mass selection and fragmentation are obtained by quadrupolar resonant excitation within the Q2 collision cell. The fragments are analyzed downstream by either a resolving quadrupole or a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer, and multistage spectra are obtained by subtraction (MS(n) - MS(n-1)) for n = 3 or 4. We discuss the characterization of this method, including product ion arrival times, fragmentation efficiencies, and ion selectivity. We report accurate TOF mass spectra of background-subtracted MS3 for protonated molecules reserpine (m/z 609), bosentan (m/z 1552), and taxol (m/z 854).     

A stereoselective cyclisation cascade mediated by SmI2–H2O: synthetic studies towards stolonidiol

A cascade reaction involving sequential conjugate reduction, stereoselective aldol cyclisation and chemoselective lactone reduction mediated by SmI₂–H₂O provides access to a cyclopentanol bearing two vicinal quaternary stereocentres with good stereocontrol. The functionalised cyclopentanol product has been converted to a key intermediate in ongoing asymmetric studies towards stolonidiol.     

Furans in Synthesis. The Preparation of Spiro-Cyclic Systems.

Furan-terminated cationic cyclizations allylic alcohols, enones, and N-acyl iminium ions as initiators have been explored as routes to highly functionalized spiro[4,5]decanes, spiro[5,5]undecanes, spiro[4,6]undecanes, and spiro[5,6]dodecanes.