Improving the carboxyamidomethyl ester for subtilisin A-catalysed peptide synthesis

A series of novel glycine esters was evaluated for efficiency in subtilisin A-CLEA-catalysed peptide synthesis. The reactivity of the easily accessible carboxyamidomethyl (Cam) ester was further enhanced by elongating it with an amino acid residue, thereby creating more recognition space for subtilisin A.     

Determination of phenols in landfill leachate-contaminated groundwaters by solid-phase extraction

A solid-phase extraction method for phenols in landfill leachates was developed and optimized in order to solve the expected and observed problems associated with an anaerobic matrix containing high concentrations of salts and organic matter. Isolute ENV+ cartridges exhibited the best retention of phenols of the four sorbents examined, and was the only cartridge which a 1 L leachate sample could pass through. With the other cartridges, clogging made this impossible. The final method, which included 27 different phenols, gave detection limits of <0.1 microg/L (drinking water concentration limit for pesticides) for most phenols (25), and for 12 phenols <0.01 microg/L. Recovery rates (determined for four concentrations in the range 1-25 microg/L, two replicates of each) were in the range 79-104% (SD 1-12%), except for phenol (26+/-1.3%) and 2-methoxyphenol (62+/-4.2%). Up to 12 different phenols could be identified in leachates from three Danish landfills, ranging in concentration from 0.01 to 29 microg/L, which is at the lower end of the concentration range usually found for phenols in landfill leachates (sub-microg/L to mg/L).     

Arithmetical conservation results

In this paper we present a proof of Goodman’s Theorem, a classical result in the metamathematics of constructivism, which states that the addition of the axiom of choice to Heyting arithmetic in finite types does not increase the collection of provable arithmetical sentences. Our proof relies on several ideas from earlier proofs by other authors, but adds some new ones as well. In particular, we show how a recent paper by Jaap van Oosten can be used to simplify a key step in the proof. We have also included an interesting corollary for classical systems pointed out to us by Ulrich Kohlenbach.     

Role of rotational temperature in adiabatic molecular alignment

One-dimensional alignment of molecules in the adiabatic limit, where the pulse duration greatly exceeds the molecular rotational periods, is studied experimentally. Four different asymmetric top molecules (iodobenzene, p-diiodobenzene, 3,4-dibromothiophene, and 4,4'-dibromobiphenyl), rotationally cooled through a high pressure supersonic pulsed valve, are aligned by a 9-ns-long pulse. Their orientations are measured through Coulomb explosion, induced by a 130-fs-long pulse, and by recording the direction of the recoiling ions. The paper focuses on the crucial role of the initial rotational temperature for the degree of alignment. In particular, we show that at molecular temperatures in the 1 K range very strong alignment is obtained already at intensities of a few times 10(11) W/cm2 for all four molecules. At the highest intensities (approximately 10(12) W/cm2) the molecules can tolerate without ionizing >or=0.92 in the case of iodobenzene. This is the strongest degree of alignment ever reported for any molecule.     

The crystal structure of racemic and meso-diastereoisomers of aqua[2,6-bis(3-carboxy-1,2-dimethyl-2-azapropyl)pyridine]-Co(III) · Hexafluorophosphate · Di- and monohydrate,respectively

Synthesis of the pentadentate ligand 2,6-bis(3-carboxy-1,2-dimethyl-2-azapropyl)pyridine yields a mixture of the racemic and meso-isomers which it was difficult to separate by column chromatography. When the cationic Co(III)-complex of this ligand was crystallized with hexafluorophosphate as anion, two distinct crystalline forms were produced. The complex of the racemic ligand, 1 , has C₂ symmetry and is a dihydrate; a = 8.999(8), b = 12.047(6), c = 20.65(1) Å, orthorhombic, space group Peen,Z = 4, R = 0.074 for 1439 observed reflections. The complex of the meso-ligand, 2 , shows two independent molecules ( 2A and 2B ) per asymmetric unit, both monohydrates with a resolved disordered H₂O molecule in 2A ; a = 10.109(4), b = 12.835(2), c = 16.651(3) Å, α = 89.5(1)°, β = 84.7(3)°, γ = 88.6(3)°, triclinic, space group P1 , Z = 4, Rs = 0.054 for 4198 observed reflections. The coordination around the Co-atom is distorted octahedral in both complexes, with the coordinated H₂O molecule trans to the pyridine N-atom. In the racemic form of the complex, 1 , the pyridine ring is twisted about the Co-N(1) bond with respect to the plane defined by atoms Co, N(1), O(W1), N(2) and N(2P) by 17.2(2)°. In the meso-form of the complex, 2 , the CH₃ substituent C(8P) on atom C(4P), is now axial with respect to the 5-membered chelate ring. As a result of steric hinderance between atom O(1) and CH₃(8P), the pyridine ring has been displaced from the best mean-plane formed by atoms Co, O(W1), N(2) and N(2P). The principal axis of the pyridine ring C(3)…N(1), makes an angle of 14.1(1)° (mean) with this plane. At the same time the pyridine ring is twisted about axis C(3)…N(1) with respect to this plane by 19.7(1)° (mean).     

NMR and X‐ray structural studies on 3‐benzyl‐8‐bromoadenine

8‐Bromoadenine was benzylated in the presence of base to give a mixture of two regioisomers. One was easily recognized as 9‐benzyl‐8‐bromoadenine, but the other structure could not be determined with absolute certainty by NMR. Therefore, X‐ray crystallography was used to prove that the benzyl group was attached to N‐3. Furthermore, it is shown that the 3‐benzyl adenine derivative exists as the amine tautomer both in the crystalline state as well as in solution (DMSO‐d₆), with restricted rotation around the N⁶? C6 bond. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2011).     

Collective motion and nonequilibrium cluster formation in colonies of gliding bacteria

We characterize cell motion in experiments and show that the transition to collective motion in colonies of gliding bacterial cells confined to a monolayer appears through the organization of cells into larger moving clusters. Collective motion by nonequilibrium cluster formation is detected for a critical cell packing fraction around 17%. This transition is characterized by a scale-free power-law cluster-size distribution, with an exponent 0.88±0.07, and the appearance of giant number fluctuations. Our findings are in quantitative agreement with simulations of self-propelled rods. This suggests that the interplay of self-propulsion and the rod shape of bacteria is sufficient to induce collective motion.     

2‐Chloro‐6‐(2‐furyl)‐9‐(4‐methoxybenzyl)‐9H‐purine

The title compound, C₁₇H₁₃ClN₄O₂, displays profound and selective activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In the crystal structure, there are two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding between a CH group of the purine ring and the O atom of the furan ring, and also π–π stacking in another direction, builds the three‐dimensional network.