Synthesis of Aristotelia-Type Alkaloids. Part III. (3R,4R)- and (3R,4S)-1-p-menthene-3,8-diol and the corresponding racemates: Preparation and assignment of configuration

A 1:1 mixture of the racemic trans- and cis-1-p-menthene-3,8-diols ((±)- 3 and (±)- 4 , resp.) was readily prepared in 3 steps starting from 3-methyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one. The relative configuration of the diols, purified via the corresponding cyclocarbonates, was assigned by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy and found to be at variance with tentative claims in the literature. Optically active samples of 3 and 4 were prepared by resolution of the racemates with (R)-1-phenylethylamine. The absolute configuration of the resulting diols was determined by chemical correlation with standards of known absolute configuration.     

Simultaneous measurement of glucose and glutamine in aqueous solutions by near infrared spectroscopy

A method is described for measuring the concentrations of both glucose and glutamine in binary mixtures from near infrared (NIR) absorption spectra. Spectra are collected over the range from 5000–4000/cm (2.0–2.5μm) with a 1-mm optical path length. Glucose absorbance features at 4710, 4400, and 4300/cm and glutamine features at 4700, 4580, and 4390/cm provide the analytical information required for the measurement. Multivariate calibration models are generated by using partial least squares (PLS) regression alone and PLS regression combined with a preprocessing digital Fourier filtering step. The ideal number of PLS factors and spectral range are identified separately for each analyte. In addition, the optimum Fourier filter parameters are established for both compounds. The best overall analytical performance is obtained by combining Fourier filtering and PLS regression. Glucose measurements are established over the concentration range from 1.66–59.91 mM, with a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 0.32 mM and a mean percent error of 1.84%. Glutamine can be measured over the concentration range from 1.10–30.65 mM with a SEP of 0.75 mM and a mean percent error of 6.67%. These results demonstrate the analytical utility of NIR spectroscopy for monitoring glucose and glutamine levels in mammalian and insect cell cultures.     

Photon-induced dissociation with a four-sector tandem mass spectrometer

The feasibility of using photodissociation of protonated peptide molecules to sequence specific fragment ions with a 193-nm pulsed laser beam in a magnetic deflection tandem mass spectrometer of EBEB configuration was demonstrated. Although the short pulse (15 ns) and low repetition rate (100 Hz) of the excimer laser permitted the irradiation of only ～ 0.02% of the (M + H)⁺ ions exiting MS-1, a photon-induced decomposition spectrum of the heptapeptide angiotensio III (M _r 930.5) was produced that was practically the same (but with better signal-to-noise ratio) as that generated by collision-activated dissociation at the same low duty cycle. Because of the low and pulsed fragment ion currents, an array detector was used to record the spectra. A dependence between laser power and abundance of fragment ions was observed (increased power increases the relative abundance of ions of low mass). Laser power was varied from 6 to 80 mJ. Formation of fragment ions from a large peptide (melittin, M, 2844.75) was also observed. The results permit the design of modifications that may increase the fragment ion yield to 10% or higher, which would make photon-induced decomposition a useful method for magnetic deflection mass spectrometers.     

Sequentially photocleavable protecting groups in solid-phase synthesis

[reaction: see text] A sequential solid-phase peptide synthesis was developed using both photolabile linker and protecting groups. The chromatic sequential lability between a tert-butyl ketone-derived linker (sensitive to irradiation at 305 nm) and a nitroveratryloxycarbonyl (NVOC) group (sensitive at 360 nm) was exploited to prepare Leu-Enkephalin in a 55% overall yield. This new strategy allows the preparation of peptides in essentially neutral medium, by avoiding the use of common deprotection reagents such as trifluoroacetic acid or piperidine.     

13-Hydroxyacenaphato[1,2-b]quinolizinium bromide as a new flouorescence indicator

13-Hydroxyacenaphtho[1,2-b]quinolizinium bromide (13-HQBr)was selected as a fluorescence indicator to determine basic compounds in non-aqueous media. This compound possesses an acidic phenolic hydroxyl group. It presents varying absorption (ROH, 408, 430 nm; RO(-) 456, 478 nm) and excitation spectra (ROH, 425 nm; RO, 471 nm) depending on the pH of the media, but the same emission fluorescence spectrum (ROH = RO(-), 526 nm) at different pH in buffered aqueous solutions. However, in acidic non-aqueous media (acetic, formic and trifluoroacetic acids), it can be observed that the fluorescence emission spectra differ for the ionized (lambda(em) = 530 nm) and non-ionized (lambda(em) = 440, 470 nm) forms. The fluorescence intensity at the characteristic peaks depends on the acid-base equilibria in the ground and excited states. Therefore, this property could be used to evaluate the concentration of basic compounds, showing a good linearity range between fluorescence intensity and basic sample concentration.     

Two-component dendritic gel: effect of stereochemistry on the supramolecular chiral assembly

The self-assembly of diaminododecane solubilised by four different stereoisomeric dendritic peptides to form gel-phase materials in toluene was investigated. The second generation dendritic peptides were based on D- and L-lysine building blocks, and each contained three chiral centres. By designing dendritic peptides in which the configurations of the chiral centres were modified, and applying them as gelator units, the assembly of stereoisomers could be investigated. In all cases, the self-assembly of gelator units resulted in macroscopic gelation. However, the degree of structuring was modulated by the stereoisomers employed, an effect which changed the morphology and macroscopic behavior of the self-assembled state. Enantiomeric (L,L,L or D,D,D) gelator units formed fibrous molecular assemblies, whilst the racemic gel (50 % L,L,L : 50 % D,D,D) formed a flat structure with a "woven" appearance. Gelator units based on L,D,D or D,L,L dendritic peptides also formed fibrous assemblies, but small-angle X-ray scattering indicated significant morphological differences were caused by the switch in chirality. Furthermore, the macroscopic stability of the gel was diminished when these peptides were compared with their L,L,L or D,D,D analogues. In this paper it is clearly shown that individual stereocentres, on the molecular level, are directly related to the helicity within the fibre. It is argued that the chirality controls the pattern of hydrogen bonding within the assembly, and hence determines the extent of fibre formation and the macroscopic gel strength.     

Tuning the band gap in hybrid tin iodide perovskite semiconductors using structural templating

Structural distortions within the extensive family of organic/inorganic hybrid tin iodide perovskite semiconductors are correlated with their experimental exciton energies and calculated band gaps. The extent of the in- and out-of-plane angular distortion of the SnI4(2-) perovskite sheets is largely determined by the relative charge density and steric requirements of the organic cations. Variation of the in-plane Sn-I-Sn bond angle was demonstrated to have the greatest impact on the tuning of the band gap, and the equatorial Sn-I bond distances have a significant secondary influence. Extended Hückel tight-binding band calculations are employed to decipher the crystal orbital origins of the structural effects that fine-tune the band structure. The calculations suggest that it may be possible to tune the band gap by as much as 1 eV using the templating influence of the organic cation.     

Interesting fluorescence properties of C60-centered dendritic adduct with twelve symmetrically attached pyrenes

A C60-centered dendritic adduct with 12 symmetrically attached pyrene species was synthesized and found to have relatively simple fluorescence emission kinetics, in particular, the mono-exponential decay of the significant pyrene excimer emission.     

Regulation of the excitation energy utilization in the photosynthetic apparatus of chlorina f2 barley mutant grown under different irradiances

Acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus of chlorophyll b-less barley mutant chlorina f2 to low light (100 micromolm(-2)s(-1); LL) and extremely high light level (1000 micromolm(-2)s(-1); HL) was examined using techniques of pigment analysis and chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements at room temperature and at 77 K. The absence of chlorophyll b in LL-grown chlorina f2 resulted in the reduction of functional antenna size of both photosystem II (by 67%) and photosystem I (by 21%). Chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of the LL-grown mutant indicated no impairment of the utilization of absorbed light energy in photosystem II photochemistry. Thermal dissipation of excitation energy estimated as non-photochemical quenching of minimal fluorescence (SV(0)) was significantly higher as compared to the wild-type barley grown under LL. Despite impaired assembly of pigment-protein complexes, chlorina f2 was able to efficiently acclimate to HL. In comparison with chlorina f2 grown under LL, HL-grown chlorina f2 was characterized by unaffected maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (F(V)/F(M), doubled content of both beta-carotene and the xanthophyll cycle pigments and considerably reduced efficiency of excitation energy transfer from carotenoids to chlorophyll a. The enormous xanthophyll cycle pool size was however associated with reduced SV(0) capacity. We suggest that the substantial part of the xanthophyll cycle pigments is not bound to the remaining pigment-protein complexes and acts as filter for excitation energy, thereby contributing to the efficient photoprotection of chlorina f2 grown under HL.     

Isolation and Crystal Structure of Novel by-products Observed During the Formation of bis(thiosemicarbazones)

During the condensation of 4-methyl-4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazide (3) with 2,3-butanedione an unexpected by-product, 8a-methyl-6,8a-dihydro-8-methyl-2-[N-methyl-N-phenylamino]-5H-1,3,4-thiadiazolo[3,2-d][1,2,4]triazine-5-thione, (5) was obtained in addition to the desired bis(thiosemicarbazone) (4). An X-ray crystal structure was obtained and is presented together with a proposed mechanism for its formation. A brief investigation of the coordination chemistry of bicycle (5) was carried out. The formation of cyclic compounds during the synthesis of analogues with extended backbones is also described.