Synthesis, magnetostructural correlation, and catalytic promiscuity of unsymmetric dinuclear copper(II) complexes: models for catechol oxidases and hydrolases

Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization, through elemental analysis, electronic spectroscopy, electrochemistry, potentiometric titration, electron paramagnetic resonance, and magnetochemistry, of two dinuclear copper(II) complexes, using the unsymmetrical ligands N',N',N-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)-N-(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)-1,3-propanediamin-2-ol (L1) and N',N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-N,N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)-1,3-propanediamin-2-ol (L2). The structures of the complexes [Cu(2)(L1)(μ-OAc)](ClO(4))(2)·(CH(3))(2)CHOH (1) and [Cu(2)(L2)(μ-OAc)](ClO(4))·H(2)O·(CH(3))(2)CHOH (2) were determined by X-ray crystallography. The complex [Cu(2)(L3)(μ-OAc)](2+) [3; L3 = N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N',N',N-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,3-propanediamin-2-ol] was included in this study for comparison purposes only (Neves et al. Inorg. Chim. Acta2005, 358, 1807-1822). Magnetic data show that the Cu(II) centers in 1 and 2 are antiferromagnetically coupled and that the difference in the exchange coupling J found for these complexes (J = -4.3 cm(-1) for 1 and J = -40.0 cm(-1) for 2) is a function of the Cu-O-Cu bridging angle. In addition, 1 and 2 were tested as catalysts in the oxidation of the model substrate 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol and can be considered as functional models for catechol oxidase. Because these complexes possess labile sites in their structures and in solution they have a potential nucleophile constituted by a terminal Cu(II)-bound hydroxo group, their activity toward hydrolysis of the model substrate 2,4-bis(dinitrophenyl)phosphate and DNA was also investigated. Double electrophilic activation of the phosphodiester by monodentate coordination to the Cu(II) center that contains the phenol group with tert-butyl substituents and hydrogen bonding of the protonated phenol with the phosphate O atom are proposed to increase the hydrolase activity (K(ass.) and k(cat.)) of 1 and 2 in comparison with that found for complex 3. In fact, complexes 1 and 2 show both oxidoreductase and hydrolase/nuclease activities and can thus be regarded as man-made models for studying catalytic promiscuity.     

Rapid computation of intermolecular interactions in molecular and ionic clusters: self-consistent polarization plus symmetry-adapted perturbation theory

A method that we have recently introduced for rapid computation of intermolecular interaction energies is reformulated and subjected to further tests. The method employs monomer-based self-consistent field calculations with an electrostatic embedding designed to capture many-body polarization (the "XPol" procedure), augmented by pairwise symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) to capture dispersion and exchange interactions along with any remaining induction effects. A rigorous derivation of the XPol+SAPT methodology is presented here, which demonstrates that the method is systematically improvable, and moreover introduces some additional intermolecular interactions as compared to the more heuristic derivation that was presented previously. Applications to various non-covalent complexes and clusters are presented, including geometry optimizations and one-dimensional potential energy scans. The performance of the XPol+SAPT methodology in its present form (based on second-order intermolecular perturbation theory and neglecting intramolecular electron correlation) is qualitatively acceptable across a wide variety of systems-and quantitatively quite good in certain cases-but the quality of the results is rather sensitive to the choice of one-particle basis set. Basis sets that work well for dispersion-bound systems offer less-than-optimal performance for clusters dominated by induction and electrostatic interactions, and vice versa. A compromise basis set is identified that affords good results for both induction and dispersion interactions, although this favorable performance ultimately relies on error cancellation, as in traditional low-order SAPT. Suggestions for future improvements to the methodology are discussed.     

Incorporation and controlled release of silyl ether prodrugs from PRINT nanoparticles

Asymmetric bifunctional silyl ether (ABS) prodrugs of chemotherapeutics were synthesized and incorporated within 200 nm × 200 nm particles. ABS prodrugs of gemcitabine were selected as model compounds because of the difficulty to encapsulate a water-soluble drug within a hydrogel. The resulting drug delivery systems were degraded under acidic conditions and were found to release only the parent or active drug. Furthermore, changing the steric bulk of the alkyl substituents on the silicon atom could regulate the rate of drug release and, therefore, the intracellular toxicity of the gemcitabine-loaded particles. This yielded a family of novel nanoparticles that could be tuned to release drug over the course of hours, days, or months.     

Exploring aromatic chemical space with NEAT: novel and electronically equivalent aromatic template

In this paper, we describe a lead transformation tool, NEAT (Novel and Electronically equivalent Aromatic Template), which can help identify novel aromatic rings that are estimated to have similar electrostatic potentials, dipoles, and hydrogen bonding capabilities to a query template; hence, they may offer similar bioactivity profiles. In this work, we built a comprehensive heteroaryl database, and precalculated high-level quantum mechanical (QM) properties, including electrostatic potential charges, hydrogen bonding ability, dipole moments, chemical reactivity, and othe properties. NEAT bioisosteric similarities are based on the electrostatic potential surface calculated by Brood, using the precalculated QM ESP charges and other QM properties. Compared with existing commercial lead transformation software, (1) NEAT is the only one that covers the comprehensive heteroaryl chemical space, and (2) NEAT offers a better characterization of novel aryl cores by using high-evel QM properties that are relevant to molecular interactions. NEAT provides unique value to medicinal chemists quickly exploring the largely uncharted aromatic chemical space, and one successful example of its application is discussed herein.     

Synthesis and incorporation into cyclic peptides of tolan amino acids and their hydrogenated congeners: construction of an array of A-B-loop mimetics of the Cε3 domain of human IgE

The disruption of the human immunolobulin E-high affinity receptor I (IgE-FcεRI) protein-protein interaction (PPI) is a validated strategy for the development of anti asthma therapeutics. Here, we describe the synthesis of an array of conformationally constrained cyclic peptides based on an epitope of the A-B loop within the Cε3 domain of IgE. The peptides contain various tolan (i.e., 1,2-biarylethyne) amino acids and their fully and partially hydrogenated congeners as conformational constraints. Modest antagonist activity (IC(50) ～660 μM) is displayed by the peptide containing a 2,2'-tolan, which is the one predicted by molecular modeling to best mimic the conformation of the native A-B loop epitope in IgE.     

Pictorial representation of three-dimensional electron distributions through a perspective view of contour diagrams in a set of parallel planes

A method of graphically exhibiting detailed information about a three-dimensional electron distribution function f(x,y,z) is described. Contour lines f = constant are drawn on a set of equidistant parallel planes that intersect the distribution, and a perspective view of all contours on all planes is displayed. Representative examples are given.     

Screening for selected toxic elements in urine by sequential-scanning inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

A rapid screening method for nine elements (Se, As, Cr, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, Mn, and Cu) in human urine is described. A sequential-scanning inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer, incorporating a cross-flow nebulizer, was used. Internal standardization with yttrium compensated for the differences between the aqueous calibration standards and the undiluted urine specimens. Accuracy was evaluated with aqueous (NBS SRM 1643a, EPA 378-13, and EPA 476-3) and urine (NBS SRM 2670 and Fisher Urichem Level II) reference and control materials. Detection limits for the system were evaluated from analyses of normal urine materials found to contain low levels of the elements investigated.