A Chirally Stable,Atropoisomeric, Cα‐Tetrasubstituted α‐Amino Acid: Incorporation into Model Peptides and Conformational Preference

A variety of model peptides, including four complete homologous series, to the pentamer level, characterized by the recently proposed binaphthyl‐based, axially chiral, C^α‐tetrasubstituted, cyclic α‐amino acid Bin, in combination with Ala, Gly, or Aib residues, was synthesized by solution methods and fully characterized. The solution conformational propensity of these peptides was determined by FT‐IR absorption and ¹H‐NMR techniques. Moreover, the molecular structures of the free amino acid (S)‐enantiomer and an N^α‐acylated dipeptide alkylamide with the heterochiral sequence ‐(R)‐Bin‐Phe‐ were assessed in the crystal state by X‐ray diffraction. Taken together, the results point to the conclusion that β‐bends and 3₁₀ helices are preferentially adopted by Bin‐containing peptides, although the fully extended conformation would also be adopted in solution by the short oligomers to some extent. We also confirmed the tendency of (R)‐Bin to fold a peptide chain into right‐handed bend and helical structures. The absolute configuration of the Bin residue(s) was correlated with the typically intense exciton‐split Cotton effect of the ¹B_b binaphthyl transition near 225 nm.     

High-speed analysis of multiplexed short tandem repeats with an electrophoretic microdevice

We report the development of a robust and effective method for multiplexed short tandem repeat (STR) analysis within a chip-based microdevice. The method uses a laser-induced fluorescence detection system and simultaneously detects three- and four-color multiplexed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) samples. Analyses of the eight combined DNA index system (CODIS) STR loci were performed in 20 min with single-base-pair resolution ranging from 0.75 to 1. A simultaneous analysis of fifteen loci-ladders and a gender marker Amelogenin based on the PowerPlexTM 16 System was achieved in less than 35 min. The system is capable of repetitive operation and may be extended to high-throughput multilane devices that could be readily interfaced to an automated sample loading system.     

Synthesis,structure and biological activity of new 6,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐4‐{2‐[5‐organylsilyl(germyl)]furan(thiophen)‐2‐yl}vinyl‐5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐pyran‐3‐carbonitriles

New 6,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐4‐{2‐[5‐alkylsilyl(germyl)]furan(thiophen)‐2‐yl}vinyl‐5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐pyran‐3‐carbonitriles (IC₅₀: 1–6 µg ml^?1) have been prepared by the condensation of corresponding silicon‐ and germanium‐containing furyl(thienyl)‐2‐carbaldehydes with 3‐cyano‐4,6,6‐trimethyl‐5,6‐dihydropyran‐2‐one using piperidine acetate as a catalyst. The obtained carbonitriles were identified using NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ²⁹Si) spectroscopy and GC‐MS. The structure of 6,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐4‐[2‐(5‐trimethylsilyl)thiophen‐2‐yl]‐5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐pyran‐3‐carbonitrile was studied using X‐ray diffractometry. The influences of the heterocycle and the structure of the organoelement substituent on cytotoxicity and on matrix metalloproteinase inhibition have been studied. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis,structure and cytotoxicity of new 2‐[(3‐aminopropyl)dimethylsilyl]‐5‐furfural diethylacetals and 2‐[(3‐aminopropyl)dimethylsilyl]‐5‐phenylfurans

Novel 2‐[(3‐aminopropyl)dimethylsilyl]‐5‐furfural diethylacetals and 2‐[(3‐aminopropyl)di‐methylsilyl]‐5‐phenylfurans have been synthesized by a hydrosilylation reaction of aliphatic and heterocyclic N‐allylamines in the presence of the Speier's catalyst. The effects of the structure of the amine and nature of organic substituent at the furan ring on the cytotoxicity of the new compounds have been studied. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The different behavior of rutile and anatase nanoparticles in forming oxy radicals upon illumination with visible light: an EPR study

Photoexcited TiO(2) has been found to generate reactive oxygen species, yet the precise mechanism and chemical nature of the generated oxy species especially regarding the different crystal phases remain to be elucidated. Visible light-induced reactions of a suspension of titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) in water were investigated using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) coupled with the spin-trapping technique. Increased levels of both hydroxyl (˙OH) and superoxide anion (˙O(2)(-)) radicals were detected in TiO(2) rutile and anatase nanoparticles (50 nm). The intensity of signals assigned to the ˙OH and ˙O(2)(-) radicals was larger for the anatase phase than that originating from rutile. Moreover, illumination with visible (nonUV) light enhanced ˙O(2)(-) formation in the rutile phase. Singlet oxygen was not detected in water suspension of TiO(2) neither in rutile nor in anatase nanoparticles, but irradiation of the rutile phase with visible light revealed a signal, which could be attributed to singlet oxygen formation. The blue part of visible spectrum (400-500 nm) was found to be responsible for the light-induced ROS in TiO(2) nanoparticles. The characterization of the mechanism of visible light-induced oxy radicals formation by TiO(2) nanoparticles could contribute to its use as a sterilization agent.     

Evaluating paper degradation progress. Cross-linking between chromatographic, spectroscopic and chemical results

The study presents an overview of the chromatographic (SEC), spectroscopic (FTIR, UV/VIS), viscometric (DP) and chemical methods (titration, pH) used for the evaluation of the degradation progress of various kinds of paper under various conditions. The methods were chosen to follow different routes of paper degradation. Model paper samples represented boundary paper types from pure cellulose cotton paper, through softwood to low quality acidic, sized groundwood paper The accelerated ageing conditions were adjusted to achieve maximum effect (climatic chamber RH 59%, 90^oC) and also to mimic the environment inside books (closed vials). The results were settled on the literature data on the degradation mechanisms and compared in terms of the paper types and ageing conditions. The estimators of coupled de-polymerisation and oxidation have been proposed based on the correlation between SEC, UV/VIS and titrative coppper number determination. The overall oxidation index derived from FTIR results was shown to correlate with the summary –CHO and –COOH concentration determined by titrative methods.     

Understanding the Peculiarities of Azide and Thiocyanate Binding in Proteins: Use of the Small Molecule Structural Data

Abstract

The complexation and supramolecular recognition of two polyfunctional anions, thiocyanate and azide, have been analysed using the X-ray structural data retrieved from the Brookhaven Protein Database (for macromolecules) and the Cambridge Structural Database (for small molecule structures). The following structural aspects have been considered: - hydrogen-bond acceptor function of the anions; - analysis of the coordination features of anions with the metals; - influence of metal complexation on the H-donor accepting properties of the anions. Lastly, a comparison of the modes of binding of the two anionic substrates was carried out. Their extraordinary activity as hydrogen-bond acceptors allows these anions to serve as a strong bridge between different molecular fragments. The coordination of thiocyanate or azide anion by the metal atoms in coordination compounds gives rise to a redistribution of anionic charge in both entities which in turn, controls the hydrogen-bonding acceptor properties of the terminal atom of the anion. The results presented in this paper provide structural information of the role of anion binding in proteins and to our knowledge, afford the first study of the binding behaviour of thiocyanate and azide in systematic manner.