Rate and Computational Studies for Pd-NHC-Catalyzed Amination with Primary Alkylamines and Secondary Anilines: Rationalizing Selectivity for Monoarylation versus Diarylation with NHC Ligands

The relative rates of arylation of primary alkylamines with different Pd-NHC catalysts have been measured, as have the relative rates of arylation of the secondary aniline product in an attempt to understand the key ligand design features necessary to have high selectivity for the monoarylated amine product. As the substituents on the N-aryl ring of the NHC increase in size, selectivity for monoarylation increases and this is further enhanced by chlorinating the back of the NHC ring. Computations have been performed on the catalytic cycle of this transformation in order to understand the selectivity obtained with the different catalysts.     

Biomimetic Bottlebrush Polymer Coatings for Fabrication of Ultralow Fouling Surfaces

Demand for long‐lasting antifouling surfaces has steered the development of accessible, novel, biocompatible and environmentally friendly materials. Inspired by lubricin (LUB), a component of mammalian synovial fluid with excellent antifouling properties, three block polymers offering stability, efficacy, and ease of use were designed. The bottlebrush‐structured polymers adsorbed strongly on silica surfaces in less than 10 minutes by a simple drop casting or online exposure method and were extremely stable in high‐salinity solutions and across a wide pH range. Antifouling properties against proteins and bacteria were evaluated with different techniques and ultralow fouling properties demonstrated. With serum albumin and lysozyme adsorption <0.2 ng cm^?2, the polymers were 50 and 25 times more effective than LUB and known ultralow fouling coatings. The antifouling properties were also tested under MPa compression pressures by direct force measurements using surface forces apparatus. The findings suggest that these polymers are among the most robust and efficient antifouling agents currently known.     

Extraction methods of red blood cell membrane proteins for Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology (MudPIT) analysis

Since red blood cells (RBCs) lack nuclei and organelles, cell membrane is their main load-bearing component and, according to a dynamic interaction with the cytoskeleton compartment, plays a pivotal role in their functioning. Even if erythrocyte membranes are available in large quantities, the low abundance and the hydrophobic nature of cell membrane proteins complicate their purification and detection by conventional 2D gel-based proteomic approaches. So, in order to increase the efficiency of RBC membrane proteome identification, here we took advantage of a simple and reproducible membrane sub-fractionation method coupled to Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology (MudPIT). In addition, the adoption of a stringent RBC filtration strategy from the whole blood, permitted to remove exhaustively contaminants, such as platelets and white blood cells, and to identify a total of 275 proteins in the three RBC membrane fractions collected and analysed. Finally, by means of software for the elaboration of the great quantity of data obtained and programs for statistical analysis and protein classification, it was possible to determine the validity of the entire system workflow and to assign the proper sub-cellular localization and function for the greatest number of the identified proteins.     

Assembling heterocycle-tethered C-glycosyl and alpha-amino acid residues via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions

The 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of C-glycosyl nitrile oxides and acetylenes to an alkyne and an azide, respectively, bearing a masked glycinyl moiety furnished disubstituted isoxazoles and triazoles. Unveiling the glycinyl group in these cycloadducts afforded C-glycosyl alpha-amino acids in which the two bioactive entities were tethered through rigid five-membered heterocycles. Optimized entries to the same compounds involved the use of unmasked but protected alkyne- and azide-containing amino acids as the partners of 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions.     

Adsorption of 3-pyrroline on Si(100) from first principles

The chemisorption of 3-pyrroline (C(4)H(7)N) on Si(100) is studied from first principles. Three different structures can be realized for which, depending on the temperature, the chemisorption process is facile (for two of them it is essentially barrierless); among these configurations the most favored one, from a thermodynamical point of view, is a dissociated structure obtained through an exothermic reaction characterized by the formation of a N-Si bond and a H-Si bond in which the H atom is detached from the molecule. Several other chemisorption structures are possible which, however, require overcoming a significant energy barrier and often breaking multiple bonds. A number of reaction paths going from one stable structure to another have been investigated. We have also generated, for the two basic adsorption structures, theoretical scanning tunneling microscopy images which could facilitate the interpretation of experimental measurements, and we propose a possible reaction mechanism for nitrogen incorporation.     

Separation and purification of scandium: From industry to medicine

Scandium and its compounds are used in many modern industrial fields due to its unique chemical and physical properties. It is mainly recovered from residues and wastes in the production of other metals. The exploitation of the ores and wastes could contaminate water and soil creating environmental problems. This paper discusses recent developments and tendencies in scandium separation, purification and preconcentration from different wastes, residues, environmental samples as well as in the production of radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear medicine, both in the laboratory and on the industrial scale. The period reviewed here mainly includes publications that have appeared, since 2010.     

Preparation of L-Lyxo-Hexos-5-Ulose Through C-3 Epimerization of Bis-Glycopyranosides of L-Arabino-Hexos-5-Ulose1

Abstract

The unreported title compound and its 2,6-di-O-benzyl derivative have been prepared from methyl β-D-galactopyranoside through a sequence involving the bisglycoside methyl 2,6-di-O-benzyl-5-O-methoxv-β-D-galactopyranoside 8, the precursor of L-orabino-hexos-5-ulose, that was converted to the L-lyxo series by inversion at C-3. The inversion was achieved in acceptable yields by selective triflation, followed by displacement with benzoate, and by an oxidation/reduction sequence. Whereas 2,5-di-O-benzyl-L-lyxo-hexos-5-ulose exists entirely as a mixture of the two anomeric 1,4-furanosic forms, the unprotected hexos-5-ulose involves at equilibrium in CD₃CN/D₂O at least eight tautomers, one of which is predominant.     

The First Synthesis of a Ribo-Hexos-5-Ulose: the L-Enantiomer

ABSTRACT

The title compound, previously unreported in either enantioform, and its 2,6-di-O-benzyl derivative have been synthesized through a stereocontrolled epimerization at C-2 of 6-O-protected methyl 3,4-O-isopropylidene-5-C-methoxy-β-D-galactopyranosides. The epimerization, performed through a high yielding sequence of oxidation-reduction owing to the cooperative role of the equatorial C-1 aglycon and the steric hindrance of the isopropylidene group, turned out to be completely diastereoselective. Whereas the unprotected L-ribo-hexos-5-ulose exists, as proved by NMR in D₂O, in five main tautomeric forms in a ratio of about 4:2:2:1:1, only two anomeric 1,4-furanosic forms are present at equilibrium in its 2,6-di-O-benzyl derivative, in ratios ranging from 10:1 to 7:3, depending on the prevalence of D₂O or CD₃CN in the solvent mixture.     

A Combined Kinetic and Thermodynamic Approach for the Interpretation of Continuous‐Flow Heterogeneous Catalytic Processes

The heterogeneous proline‐catalyzed aldol reaction was investigated under continuous‐flow conditions by means of a packed‐bed microreactor. Reaction‐progress kinetic analysis (RPKA) was used in combination with nonlinear chromatography for the interpretation, under synthetically relevant conditions, of important mechanistic aspects of the heterogeneous catalytic process at a molecular level. The information gathered by RPKA and nonlinear chromatography proved to be highly complementary and allowed for the assessment of optimal operating variables. In particular, the determination of the rate‐determining step was pivotal for optimizing the feed composition. On the other hand, the competitive product inhibition was responsible for the unexpected decrease in the reaction yield following an apparently obvious variation in the feed composition. The study was facilitated by a suitable 2D instrumental arrangement for simultaneous flow reaction and online flow‐injection analysis.