Vibrational spectra and conformational behavior of benzyl fluoride

Infrared and Raman spectra have been obtained for benzyl fluoride and a vibrational assignment has been made. The spectra indicate the presence of a large number of conformers that differ only in the orientation of the C-F bond, as a result of free or nearly free internal rotation.     

Application of total selective solvent extraction of germanium,phosphorus and silicon to the simultaneous determination of arsenic,germanium, phosphorus and silicon

A simple rapid, accurate, and reliable method of simultaneous determination of arsenic, germanium, phosphorus, and silicon is reported. The method involves first, the determination of germanium as its phenlfluorone complex and its selective extraction with isoamyl alcohol. Phosphorus is next determined as its heteropoly blue after selective extraction of phosphomolybdic acid by isobutyl acetate at pH 1.0-0.8 and its direct reduction in this solvent. Silicon is then determined after its extraction as silicomolybdic acid by isooctyl alcohol at pH < 0.4 and direct reduction in the solvent phase. Finally, arsenic is determined in the remaining aqueous phase after reduction to its heteropoly blue.     

The structure of di-μ-pentafluorobenzoatobis[bis(pentafluorophenyl)(triphenylphosphine oxide)thallium(iii)]

An X-ray crystallographic study has shown that the complex (C₆H₅)₂TlO₂CC₆F₅(OPPh₃) has a dimeric structure with unsymmetrical pentafluorobenzoate bridging (TlO 2.531 and 2.789 Å) but an exact crystallographic centre of symmetry. The pentafluorobenzoate groups are also unsymmetrically chelated to thallium (TlO 2.389 and 2.531 Å.), which overall has irregular six coordination.     

Lanthanide complexes of [alpha-2-P2W17O61]10-: solid state and solution studies

We have isolated the 1:1 Ln:[alpha-2-P2W17O61]10- complexes for a series of lanthanides. The single-crystal X-ray structure of the Eu3+ analogue reveals two identical [Eu(H2O)3(alpha-2-P2W17O61)]7- moieties connected through two Eu-O-W bonds, one from each polyoxometalate unit. An inversion center relates the two polyoxometalate units. The Eu(III) ion is substituted for a [WO]4+ unit in the "cap" region of the tungsten-oxygen framework of the parent Wells-Dawson ion. The point group of the dimeric molecule is Ci. The extended structure is composed of the [Eu(H2O)3(alpha-2-P2W17O61)]214- anions linked together by surface-bound potassium cations. The space group is P, a = 12.7214(5) A, b = 14.7402(7) A, c = 22.6724(9) A, alpha = 71.550(3), beta = 84.019(3)degrees, gamma = 74.383(3), V = 3883.2(3) A3, Z = 1. The solution studies, including 183W NMR spectroscopy and luminescence lifetime measurements, show that the molecules dissociate in solution to form monomeric [Ln(H2O)4(alpha-2-P2W17O61)]7- species.     

Polymeric thiols as enzyme activators of serum creatine phosphokinase

Several hydrophilic polymeric thiols were prepared from aminoactivated polymeric supports by reaction with N-acetylhomocysteinethiolactone. Supports include agaroses, cellulose, Glycophase™ controlled-pore glass, and Matrex™ acrylic beads. Thiol content in these polymers was 3–72 μmol SH/g dry polymer. Several were effective solid-phase activators of the sulfhydryl-dependent enzyme creatine phosphokinase at concentrations comparable to that of monomeric thiol required for enzyme activation. The kinetic activation curves for the polymeric and the monomeric (thioglucose) activators were similar, suggesting unhindered interaction of the enzyme with the polymeric activator.     

Collagen stability: insights from NMR spectroscopic and hybrid density functional computational investigations of the effect of electronegative substituents on prolyl ring conformations

Collagen-like peptides of the type (Pro-Pro-Gly)(10) fold into stable triple helices. An electron-withdrawing substituent at the H(gamma)(3) ring position of the second proline residue stabilizes these triple helices. The aim of this study was to reveal the structural and energetic origins of this effect. The approach was to obtain experimental NMR data on model systems and to use these results to validate computational chemical analyses of these systems. The most striking effects of an electron-withdrawing substituent are on the ring pucker of the substituted proline (Pro(i)) and on the trans/cis ratio of the Xaa(i-1)-Pro(i) peptide bond. NMR experiments demonstrated that N-acetylproline methyl ester (AcProOMe) exists in both the C(gamma)-endo and C(gamma)-exo conformations (with the endo conformation slightly preferred), N-acetyl-4(R)-fluoroproline methyl ester (Ac-4R-FlpOMe) exists almost exclusively in the C(gamma)-exo conformation, and N-acetyl-4(S)-fluoroproline methyl ester (Ac-4S-FlpOMe) exists almost exclusively in the C(gamma)-endo conformation. In dioxane, the K(trans/cis) values for AcProOMe, Ac-4R-FlpOMe, and Ac-4S-FlpOMe are 3.0, 4.0, and 1.2, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations with the (hybrid) B3LYP method were in good agreement with the experimental data. Computational analysis with the natural bond orbital (NBO) paradigm shows that the pucker preference of the substituted prolyl ring is due to the gauche effect. The backbone torsional angles, phi and psi, were shown to correlate with ring pucker, which in turn correlates with the known phi and psi angles in collagen-like peptides. The difference in K(trans/cis) between AcProOMe and Ac-4R-FlpOMe is due to an n-->pi interaction associated with the Bürg-Dunitz trajectory. The decrease in K(trans/cis) for Ac-4S-FlpOMe can be explained by destabilization of the trans isomer because of unfavorable electronic and steric interactions. Analysis of the results herein along with the structures of collagen-like peptides has led to a theory that links collagen stability to the interplay between the pyrrolidine ring pucker, phi and psi torsional angles, and peptide bond trans/cis ratio of substituted proline residues.     

The synthesis,characterization and melting properties of thiophene-containing dithiocarboxylate complexes of nickel(II)

The reactions of a series of 5-alkyl-2-thiophenedithiocarboxylates with nickel(II) chloride afforded two types of complexes, blue nickel(II) complexes with two terminal dithiocarboxylate ligands, [Ni(S₂CTR)₂] and violet nickel(II) complexes with perthio- and dithiocarboxylate ligands, [Ni(S₂CTR)(S₃CTR)] (where T = 2,5-disubstituted thiophene, R = C_nH_2n+1, n = 4, 6, 8, 12, 16). The blue monomers are preferred for the shorter chains (C₄ and C₆) and the violet compounds form exclusively for the longer chains (C₈, C₁₂, and C₁₆) in the alkylthiophene complexes. In addition to the above series, [Ni(S₂CTCH₃)₂], was prepared in a one-pot reaction in THF and both the blue and violet products were isolated. It was possible to convert the blue complexes [Ni(S₂CTR)₂] (R = butyl, hexyl) into the corresponding violet complexes [Ni(S₂CTR)(S₃CTR)] after stirring in THF solutions for prolonged periods of time. Liquid-crystalline properties of these complexes were examined by DSC and POM. The violet complexes with C₈ and C₁₂ alkyl chains showed liquid-crystalline properties.     

Five-coordinate Fe(III)NO and Fe(II)CO porphyrinates: where are the electrons and why does it matter?

Recent years have seen dramatic growth in our understanding of the biological roles of nitric oxide (NO). Yet, the fundamental underpinnings of its reactivities with transition metal centers in proteins and enzymes, the stabilities of their structures, and the relationships between structure and reactivity remains, to a significant extent, elusive. This is especially true for the so-called ferric heme nitrosyls ([FeNO](6) in the Enemark-Feltham scheme). The Fe-CO and C-O bond strengths in the isoelectronic ferrous carbonyl complexes are widely recognized to be inversely correlated and sensitive to structural, environmental, and electronic factors. On the other hand, the Fe-NO and N-O bonds in [FeNO](6) heme complexes exhibit seemingly inconsistent behavior in response to varying structure and environment. This report contains resonance Raman and density functional theory results that suggest a new model for FeNO bonding in five-coordinate [FeNO](6) complexes. On the basis of resonance Raman and FTIR data, a direct correlation between the nu(Fe)(-)(NO) and nu(N)(-)(O) frequencies of [Fe(OEP)NO](ClO(4)) and [Fe(OEP)NO](ClO(4)).CHCl(3) (two crystal forms of the same complex) has been established. Density functional theory calculations show that the relationship between Fe-NO and N-O bond strengths is responsive to FeNO electron density in three molecular orbitals. The highest energy orbital of the three is sigma-antibonding with respect to the entire FeNO unit. The other two comprise a lower-energy, degenerate, or nearly degenerate pair that is pi-bonding with respect to Fe-NO and pi-antibonding with respect to N-O. The relative sensitivities of the electron density distributions in these orbitals are shown to be consistent with all published indicators of Fe-N-O bond strengths and angles, including the examples reported here.     

Studies on the subcellular localization of the porphycene CPO

This study was designed to provide more detailed information on the subcellular sites of binding of the porphycene, termed 9-capronyloxytetrakis (methoxyethyl) porphycene (CPO), with a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique. The proximity of CPO to two fluorescent probes was determined: nonyl acridine orange (NAO), a dye with specific affinity for the mitochondrial lipid cardiolipin, and dihexa-oxacarbocyanine iodide (DiOC6), an agent that labels the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). FRET spectra indicated energy transfer between DiOC6 and CPO but no significant transfer between NAO and CPO. These results confirm data obtained by fluorescence microscopy, suggesting a similar pattern of subcellular localization by CPO and DiOC6 but not by CPO and NAO. However, when cells containing CPO were irradiated and then loaded with NAO, FRET between the two fluorophores was observed. Hence, a relocalization of CPO can occur during irradiation. These data provide an explanation for recent studies on CPO-catalyzed photodamage to both ER and mitochondrial Bcl-2.     

Indole esters as heterocyclic synthons. III. Preparation and reactions of furo[3,2-b]indoles

The preparation of furo[3,2-b]indoles via Dieckmann cyclization is described. The precursor diesters were obtained from 3-hydroxy-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid esters and methyl or ethyl bromoacetate. Reactions of the furo[3,2-b]indole enolic esters prepared are discussed.