Assignments of carbon NMR resonances for microcrystalline ubiquitin

Solid-state NMR 2D spectroscopy was used to correlate carbon backbone and side-chain chemical shifts for uniformly (13)C,(15)N-enriched microcrystalline ubiquitin. High applied field strengths, 800 MHz for protons, moderate proton decoupling fields, 80-100 kHz, and high magic angle sample spinning frequencies, 20 kHz, were used to narrow the most of the carbon line widths to 0.5-0.8 ppm. Homonuclear magnetization transfer was effected by matching the proton RF field to the spinning frequency, the so-called dipolar-assisted rotational resonance (DARR) (Takegoshi, K.; Nakamura, S.; Terao, T. Chem. Phys. Lett. 2001, 344, 631-637), and a mixing time of 20 ms was used to maximize the intensity of one-bond transfers between carbon atoms. This polarization transfer sequence resulted in roughly 14% transfer efficiencies for directly bonded carbon pairs and 4% transfer efficiencies for carbons separated by a third carbon. With this simple procedure, the majority of the one-bond correlations was observed with moderate transfer efficiencies, and many two-bond correlations were also observed with weaker intensities. Spin systems could be identified for more than half of the amino acid side chains, and site-specific assignments were readily possible via comparison with 400 MHz (15)N-(13)C-(13)C correlation spectroscopy (described separately).     

Organically modified sols as pseudostationary phases for microchip electrophoresis

We demonstrate that the selectivity of microchip electrophoresis separations is greatly improved by the presence of organically modified silica (Ormosil) sols in the run buffer. A negatively-charged N-(trimethoxysilylpropyl)ethylenediamine triacetic-acid (TETT)-based sol is used for improving the selectivity between nitroaromatic explosives and a methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS)-based sol is employed for enhancing the microchip separation of environmental pollutants, aminophenols. These sols are added to the run buffer and act as pseudostationary phases. Their presence in the run buffer changes the apparent mobility of studied solutes, and leads to a higher resolution. The observed mobilities changes reflect the interactions between the Ormosil sols and the solutes. Relevant experimental variables have been characterized and optimized. The diverse chemistry of Ormosil sols should be extremely useful for tailoring the selectivity of a wide range of electrophoresis microchip separations.     

Synthesis of 2,3-dihydropyrazolo[5,1-b]thiazoles via a tandem condensation sulfur-extrusion reaction

2,3-Dihydropyrazolo[5,1-b]thiazoles 3 are the first representatives of a heterocyclic system, which are conveniently prepared by heating 3-aminorhodanines 1 with ethyl 2-bromo-3,3-diethoxypropionate ( 2 ), via a tandem condensation-sulfur extrusion reaction.     

Clays as selective catalysts in organic synthesis

Suitably modified smectite clays can be very selective catalysts for a wide range of organic reactions. While it has long been known that such materials can act as Bronsted and Lewis acids, it has been shown recently that they are also effective Diels-Alder catalysts. A selection of illustrative reactions is given which emphasises their wide range of use, their selectivity, and the ease of work-up after reaction. In each case, mechanistic information is presented, e.g., on the site of reaction (whether interlayer or surface), rate determining steps, etc. The regiochemical consequences of the restricted reaction space are stressed.Based on material presented at the Fourth International Symposium on Inclusion Phenomena and the Third International Symposium on Cyclodextrins, Lancaster, U.K., 20–25 July 1986.     

Secondary metabolites of the coelenterate echinopora lamellosa

The marine coelenterate Echinopora lamellosa (class Anthozoa, family Scleractinidae) was found to contain a number of unprecedented secondary metabolites which were isolated and identified as smilagenin (I), neodunol methyl ether (II), glycyrrhetic acid (III), 3β-acetoxyglycyrrhetic acid (IV), and 3β-acetoxy-11-deoxoglycyrrhetic acid (V). The structure of neodunol methyl ether was confirmed and its absolute configuration determined by the x-ray diffraction method.     

One-step axial acetoxylation at C-23. A new method for the functionalization of the side chain of steroid sapogenins

Treatment of steroid sapogenins with diacetoxyiodobenzene (DIB) and boron trifluoride ethyl etherate in acetic acid led to the introduction of an axial acetoxyl group at position C-23 of the side chain.     

Polyamine-based anion receptors: Extraction and structural studies

In the discussion that follows some of the more recent progress in the area of anion binding by synthetic polyamine receptors is presented, with emphasis given to work undertaken by the authors’ groups. A continuing theme in these studies has been the relationship between receptor structure and its anion extraction properties.Systematic solvent extraction and structural studies for halide and perrhenate complexes with polyamines of tripodal, macrocyclic and macrobicyclic architecture that contain both aromatic moieties and four to eight amine functions have been performed in order to derive relevant structure-binding/extractability relationships. The results demonstrate that the binding and extraction behaviour of the polyamines towards halides and perrhenate is a complex function of their structural features, degree of protonation and lipophilic properties. The extraction is characterized by the preferred formation of mono- and diprotonated amine species in the organic phase. X-ray structure studies of iodide and perrhenate complexes with open-chain tetraamino derivatives and octaamino cryptands in different protonation states lead to the conclusion that in the first case only limited chelation of the anion occurs and in the second only highly protonated species are able to encapsulate the anion. The structural patterns observed are strongly influenced by the presence of water molecules in the crystals.     

Triterpenoid Saponins from Schefflera arboricola

Four new triterpenoid saponins, named scheffarboside A – D ( 1 – 4 ), along with five known saponins were isolated from the stems of Schefflera arboricola. The structures of the four new saponins were determined as 3‐O‐(O‐β‐glucuronopyranosyl‐(1 → 3)‐O‐α‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐α‐arabinopyranosyl)oleanolic acid ( 1 ), 3‐O‐(O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 4)‐O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 3)‐O‐α‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐α‐arabinopyranosyl)oleanolic acid ( 2 ), 3‐O‐(O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 4)‐O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 3)‐O‐α‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐α‐arabinopyranosyl)hederagenin ( 3 ), 3‐O‐(O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 4)‐O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 3)‐O‐α‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐α‐arabinopyranosyl)oleanolic acid O‐α‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 4)‐O‐β‐glucopyranosyl‐(1 → 6)‐β‐glucopyranosylester ( 4 ), respectively, on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical degradation methods.     

Assignment of Relative Configuration to Acyclic Compounds Based on (13)C NMR Shifts. A Density Functional and Molecular Mechanics Study

1,3-Dimethylated hydrocarbon segments occur frequently as structural elements in polyketide natural products. The (13)C NMR chemical shifts of a series of model compounds containing such segments can be well reproduced by a combination of molecular mechanics and SOS-DFPT/IGLO calculations. (13)C NMR chemical shifts are calculated on MM3 geometries and are Boltzmann weighted according to the MM3 energies. On the basis of the resulting thermally averaged chemical shifts, all diastereomers of the model compounds can be unequivocally distinguished. Significant differences in chemical shifts occur at methyl groups and methylene groups that are adjacent to a single stereogenic center. The method is applied to predict the relative configuration of two stereocenters in the side chains of two natural products, sambutoxin and the bradykinin inhibitor L-755,897.     

Smenoqualone a novel sesquiterpenoid from the marine sponge Smenospongia sp.

Smenoqualone, a novel quinonic terpenoid with a rearranged drimane skeleton was isolated from a marine sponge Smenospongia sp. The stereostructure was determined by detailed analyses of ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra, ¹H-¹H COSY, ¹H-¹³C correlations via HMQC, HMBC and NOE difference NMR experiments.