Rhenium-promoted diastereo- and enantioselective cyclopentannulation reactions: furans as 1,3-propene dipoles

The rhenium furan complexes TpRe(CO)(MeIm)(eta2-2-methylfuran) (1) and TpRe(CO)(MeIm)(eta2-2,5-dmethylfuran) (2) undergo Lewis acid-promoted cyclopentannulation reactions with enones and enals to generate 3-acetylcyclopentene complexes. During the reaction, a rearrangement occurs such that the alpha and beta carbons of the enone are incorporated into the new carbocycle. Treatment of these complexes with an oxidant (H2O2 or silver triflate) liberates the acetylcyclopentene. When a resolved form of the rhenium complex is used, the acetylcyclopentenes can be obtained enantioselectively.     

THERMODYNAMICS OF PORPHYRIN BINDING TO SERUM ALBUMIN: EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE, OF PORPHYRIN SPECIES and OF ALBUMIN-CARRIED FATTY ACIDS

Abstract Porphyrin binding to serum albumin was studied at the molecular level probing the effects of: porphyrin self-aggregation, porphyrin species, temperature and protein-bound fatty acids. Human serum albumin was found to have a single high-affinity site for porphyrin monomers, with binding constants of 2 x 10⁶, 5 x 10⁷ and 3 x 10⁸ (37^o C, neutral pH, M ⁻¹), for hemato-, deutero- and protoporphyrins, respectively. Three equilibria models for the dimer binding were developed and tested. The data were found to fit best with a model proposing a single high-affinity binding site for the dimer, independent of and different than the monomer site. The binding constants of the hematoporphyrin and deuteroporphyrin dimers to human serum albumin (37^o C, neutral pH, M^−l) being 4 x 10* and 5 x 10⁸ respectively. The temperature dependence (Dp and HSA, 22-37^o C) of the monomer binding showed the process to be entropy-driven (δG^o= -45 kJ mol⁻¹; δS^o=+146 kJ mol⁻¹; δH^o= 0 kJ mol⁻¹). For the dimer binding, the enthalpy change was found to be highly temperature-dependent implying continuous changes in the heat capacity of the system over the entire temperature range, the trend at the 37^o C region fitting an entropy-driven process. The monomer vs dimer differences in temperature dependence strongly support separate and independent binding sites for these species. Similar thermodynamics were determined for fatty-acid carrying as well as for fatty-acid free HSA, with mild quantitative (but not qualitative) shifts.     

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.     

The last dozen of years of OR research in Czechia and Slovakia

Central European Journal of Operations Research - The paper discusses operations research (OR) history and achievements in Czechia and Slovakia in 2010–2021 including the most significant OR...     

Design considerations and computer modeling related to the development of molecular scaffolds and peptide mimetics for combinatorial chemistry

Summary A critical issue in drug discovery utilizing combinatorial chemistry as part of the discovery process is the choice of scaffolds to be used for a proper presentation, in a three-dimensional space, of the critical elements of structure necessary for molecular recognition (binding) and information transfer (agonist/ antagonist). In the case of polypeptide ligands, considerations related to the properties of various backbone structures (-helix, -sheets, etc.; , space) and those related to three-dimensional presentation of side-chain moieties (topography; (chi) space) must be addressed, although they often present quite different elements in the molecular recognition puzzle. We have addressed aspects of this problem by examining the three-dimensional structures of chemically different scaffolds at various distances from the scaffold to evaluate their putative diversity. We find that chemically diverse scaffolds can readily become topographically similar. We suggest a topographical approach involving design in chi space to deal with these problems.     

The O(N) vector model in the large-N limit revisited: multicritical points and double scaling limit

The multicritical points of the O(N)-invariant N vector model in the large-N limit are re-examined. Of particular interest are the subtleties involved in the stability of the phase structure at critical dimensions. In the limit N → ∞ while the coupling g → g_c in a correlated manner (the double scaling limit) a massless bound state O(N) singlet is formed and powers of 1/N are compensated by IR singularities. The persistence of the N → ∞ results beyond the leading order is then studied with particular interest in the possible existence of a phase with propagating small mass vector fields and a massless singlet bound state. We point out that under certain conditions the double scaled theory of the singlet field is non-interacting in critical dimensions.     

Selective mono-N-alkylation of 3-amino alcohols via chelation to 9-BBN

[reaction: see text] A method for selective mono-N-alkylation of amino alcohols is introduced. This method relies on formation of a stable chelate with 9-BBN, which serves in the dual roles of protecting and activating the amine group. Three prototypical amino alcohols featuring various three-carbon bridging units led selectively to the monoalkylated derivatives in very high yields. The straightforward synthesis of the N-CD3 derivatives demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach.     

Surface layering in ionic liquids: an X-ray reflectivity study

The surface structure and thermodynamics of two ionic liquids, based on the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations, were studied by X-ray reflectivity and surface tensiometry. A molecular layer of a density approximately 18% higher than that of the bulk is found to form at the free surface of these liquids. In common with surface layering in liquid metals and surface freezing in melts of organic chain molecules, this effect is induced by the lower dimensionality of the surface. The concentrations of the oppositely charged ions within the surface layer are determined by chemical substitution of the anion. The temperature-dependent surface tension measurements reveal a normal, negative-slope temperature dependence. The different possible molecular arrangements within the enhanced-density surface layer are discussed.     

Impact of adsorption isotherm parameters on the performance of enantioseparation using simulated moving bed chromatography

Often there are several chromatographic systems, i.e., combinations of mobile and stationary phases, available to solve a certain separation problem. Essential differences of these chromatographic systems are the separation factors and the efficiencies. For preparative applications in addition also the column saturation capacities and solubility limits are of importance. The impact of all these parameters appears to be rather well understood for conventional overloaded elution chromatography using a single column. In the last years the continuous simulated moving bed (SMB) process was increasingly used as a powerful alternative to batch elution since increased productivities and reduced solvent consumptions could be realised. However, the selection of suitable chromatographic systems is more sophisticated for this process. In this paper five different chromatographic systems capable of separating the enantiomers of mandelic acid are compared based on the achievable productivities using SMB chromatography. For these five systems the adsorption isotherms have been determined experimentally. Subsequently, an analysis of the SMB process was performed numerically using a well-established model.