Kinetico‐Mechanistic Insights on the Assembling Dynamics of Allyl‐Cornered Metallacycles: The PtNpy Bond is the Keystone

The square‐like homo‐ and heterometallamacrocycles [{Pd(η³‐2‐Me‐C₃H₄)( L ⁿ )₂}₂{M(dppp)}₂](CF₃SO₃)₆ (dppp=1,3‐bis(diphenylphosphino)propane) and [{Pd(η³‐2‐Me‐C₃H₄)( L¹ )₂}₂{M(PPh₃)₂}₂](CF₃SO₃)₆ [py=pyridine, M=Pd, Pt, L ^{n =}4‐PPh₂py ( L¹ ), 4‐C₆F₄PPh₂py ( L² )] containing allyl corners were synthesised by antisymbiotic self‐assembly of the different palladium and platinum metallic corners and the ambidentate N,P ligands. All the synthesised assemblies displayed a complex dynamic behaviour in solution, the rate of which is found to be dependent on the electronic and/or steric nature of the different building blocks. A kinetico‐mechanistic study by NMR line shape analysis of the dynamics of some of these assemblies was undertaken in order to determine the corresponding thermal activation parameters. Both an enhanced thermodynamic stability and slower dynamics were observed for platinum‐pyridine‐containing species when compared with their palladium analogues. Time‐dependent NMR spectroscopy in combination with ESI mass spectrometry was used to study the exchange between the assemblies and their building blocks, as well as that occurring between different metallamacrocycles. Preliminary studies were carried out on the activity of some of the metallamacrocyclic compounds as catalytic precursors in the allylic substitution reaction, and the results compared with that of the monometallic allylic corner [Pd(η³‐2‐Me‐C₃H₄)( L¹ )₂]⁺.     

Growth and characterization of Mn- and Co-doped ZnO nanowires

A flow injection chemiluminescence method is proposed for the determination of cobalt, based on the strong catalytic effect of Cobalt(II) (1,10-phenanthroline)₃ complex on the lucigenin-periodate reaction in alkaline medium. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the chemiluminescence signal responded linearly to the concentration of cobalt(II) in the 1.0 × 10⁻⁹–3.0 × 10⁻⁷ g mL⁻¹ range with a detection limit of 4.4 × 10⁻¹⁰ g mL⁻¹ cobalt(II). The relative standard deviation for the determination of 5.0 × 10⁻⁸ g mL⁻¹ of cobalt was 2.3% in eleven replicated measurements. The method was successfully applied to the determination of cobalt(II) in pharmaceutical preparations.     

Determination of the activity of diamine oxidases, urease and histidine ammonia-lyase by enzymatic assay of ammonia

Summary The activities of diamine oxidases (DAO) from submaxillary glands, parotid glands and kidneys, from human serum during the pregnancy and from pig serum and of DAO from pea seedlings and the activities of urease and histidine ammonia-lyase have been determined by measuring NH₄ ⁺ released from the corresponding substrates. Ammonia has been determined with the aid of glutamate dehydrogenase reaction in the coupled optic test. The specifity and sensitivity of the method, by which still 3×10^–9 Mol of NH₄ ⁺ could be measured, is excellent, the performance simple and rapid. The sensitivity could be enhanced by fluorometric determination of NAD⁺ in strong alkali solution. A method for the preparation of tissues for the spectrophotometric test of DAO is described. The importance of DAO determination in different diseases is briefly discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Die Aktivität von Diaminoxydasen aus Speicheldrüsen und Nieren, aus menschlichem Serum während der Schwangerschaft und Schweineserum und aus Erbsenkeimlingen sowie die Aktivität der Urease und Histidase wurden anhand der NH₃-Abspaltung aus ihren entsprechenden Substraten bestimmt. Das entstehende Ammoniak wurde dabei mit Hilfe der Glutamatdehydrogenasereaktion im gekoppelten optischen Test gemessen. Spezifität und Empfindlichkeit der Methode, mit der noch 3 · 10^–9 Mol NH₄ ⁺ bestimmt werden können, sind ausgezeichnet, die Durchführung einfach und rasch. Die Empfindlichkeit konnte außerdem noch durch die fluorimetrische Bestimmung von NAD⁺ gesteigert werden. Für die Bestimmung der Diaminoxydasen im Gewebe wird eine Methode der Aufarbeitung des Gewebes angegeben, die praktisch keinen Verlust an Gesamtaktivität gegenüber dem Ausgangshomogenat aufweist. Die Bedeutung der Diaminoxydasebestimmung für die Klinik wird kurz diskutiert.

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Supported by a grant from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Frictional dynamics of fluorine-terminated alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers

The frictional dynamics of fluorine-terminated alkanethiol (S(CH2)8CF3) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold are studied using molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations treat the interactions between two SAMs on flat surfaces. The structure and frictional behavior are investigated as a function of applied pressure (200 MPa to 1 GPa) for a shear velocity of 2 m/s and compared to methyl-terminated alkanethiol SAMs. The maximum adhesive pressure between the SAMs is 220 MPa for both end groups. In agreement with experiments on the molecular scale, the shear stress and the coefficient of friction for CF3-terminated alkanethiols are larger than for CH3-terminated alkanethiols. The main source for the difference is primarily the tighter packing of the fluorinated terminal group resulting in a higher degree of order. The molecular scale coefficient of friction is correlated with the degree of order among all the systems.     

1-Ethyl-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-(pyridinyl)-3-quinolinecarboxylic acids. I. Synthesis of 3- and 4-(3-aminophenyl)pyridine intermediates

A series of substituted 3- and 4-(3-aminophenyl)pyridines has been prepared as intermediates for the synthesis of some 1-alkyl-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-pyridinyl-3-quinolinecarboxylic acids. The Hantzsch, Hauser and other pyridine syntheses were used. 4-(3-Aminophenyl)pyridine was prepared via 3-(4-pyridinyl)-2-cyclohexen-1-one using the Semmler-Wolff reaction.     

Anharmonic vibrational spectroscopy calculations with electronic structure potentials: comparison of MP2 and DFT for organic molecules

Density functional theory (DFT) technique is the most commonly used approach when it comes to computation of vibrational spectra of molecular species. In this study, we compare anharmonic spectra of several organic molecules such as allene, propyne, glycine, and imidazole, computed from ab initio MP2 potentials and DFT potentials based on commonly used BLYP and B3LYP functionals. Anharmonic spectra are obtained using the direct vibrational self-consistent field (VSCF) method and its correlation-corrected extension (CC-VSCF). The results of computations are compared with available experimental data. It is shown that the most accurate vibrational frequencies are obtained with the MP2 method, followed by the DFT/B3LYP method, while DFT/BLYP results are often unsatisfactory. Contribution to the Mark S. Gordon 65th Birthday Festschrift Issue.     

A Tandem In Situ Peptide Cyclization through Trifluoroacetic Acid Cleavage

We present a new approach for peptide cyclization during solid phase synthesis under highly acidic conditions. Our approach involves simultaneous in situ deprotection, cyclization and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) cleavage of the peptide, which is achieved by forming an amide bond between a lysine side chain and a succinic acid linker at the peptide N‐terminus. The reaction proceeds via a highly active succinimide intermediate, which was isolated and characterized. The structure of a model cyclic peptide was solved by NMR spectroscopy. Theoretical calculations support the proposed mechanism of cyclization. Our new methodology is applicable for the formation of macrocycles in solid‐phase synthesis of peptides and organic molecules.     

Thermoanalytische Untersuchungen psychotroper Substanzen vom Typ der Abwandlungsprodukte des Phenothiaztns und der Butyrophenone auf Isomorphie und Polymorphie. II

Zusammenfassung Aus der Gruppe der Dibenzoazepinderivate wurden die Hydrochloride von Clomipramin, Imipramin und Desipramin miteinander kombiniert und aus der Gruppe der Dibenzocykloheptadiene bzw.-triene die Hydrochloride von Amitriptylin, Nortriptylin, Noxiptilin und Protriptylin.Bei fünf der untersuchten binären Systeme liegt Mischkristallbildung aufgrund von Isomorphiebeziehungen mit instabilen Modifikationen vor: Imipraminhydrochlorid — Clomipraminhydrochlorid, Imipraminhydrochlorid — Desipraminhydrochlorid, Clomipraminhydrochlorid — Desipraminhydrochlorid, Nortriptylinhydrochlorid — Protriptylinhydrochlorid und Noxiptilinhydrochlorid-Amitriptylinhydrochlorid. Das Substanzpaar Protriptylinhydrochlorid — Noxiptilinhydrochlorid bildet eine Molekülverbindung im Verhältnis 11. In drei Fällen werden einfache Eutektika gebildet.

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Thermoanalytical investigations of psychotropic substances derived from phenothiazine and butyrophenones for isomorphism and polymorphism. II

Summary From the group of dibenzoazepine derivatives, the hydrochlorides of clomipramine, imipramine and desipramine were combined with each other and from the group of dibenzocycloheptadienes or -trienes the hydrochlorides of amitriptyline, nortriptyline, noxiptiline and protryptiline. In five of the binary systems investigated, there is formation of mixed crystals due to isomorphism with unstable modifications: imipramine hydrochloride — clomipramine hydrochloride, imipramine hydrochloride — desipramine hydrochloride, clomipramine hydrochloride 3- desipramine hydrochloride, nortriptyline hydrochloride — protriptyline hydrochloride and noxiptiline hydrochloride — amitriptyline hydrochloride. The substance pair protriptyline hydrochloride — noxiptiline hydrochloride forms a molecular compound in the ratio 11. In three cases, simple eutectics are formed.

     

On the hydration of the phosphocholine headgroup in aqueous solution

The hydration of the phosphocholine headgroup in 1,2-dipropionyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (C(3)-PC) in solution has been determined by using neutron diffraction enhanced with isotopic substitution in combination with computer simulation techniques. The atomic scale hydration structure around this head group shows that both the -N(CH(3))(3) and -CH(2) portions of the choline headgroup are strongly associated with water, through a unique hydrogen bonding regime, where specifically a hydrogen bond from the C-H group to water and a strong association between the water oxygen and N(+) atom in solution have both been observed. In addition, both PO(4) oxygens (P=O) and C=O oxygens are oversaturated when compared to bulk water in that the average number of hydrogen bonds from water to both X=O oxygens is about 2.5 for each group. That water binds strongly to the glycerol groups and is suggestive that water may bind to these groups when phosophotidylcholine is embedded in a membrane bilayer.     

Ionization and double ionization of small water clusters

The valence ionization and double ionization spectra of the water molecule, of the water dimer, and the cyclic water clusters (H2O)3 and (H2O)4 are calculated by ab initio Green's function methods and discussed in some detail. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the development of the spectra with increasing cluster size. Electronic decay following inner valence ionization is addressed and a crude estimate for the kinetic energy spectrum of the secondary electrons is given for the clusters.