Guanidinophosphazenes: design, synthesis, and basicity in THF and in the gas phase

A principle for creating a new generation of nonionic superbases is presented. It is based on attachment of tetraalkylguanidino, 1,3-dimethylimidazolidine-2-imino, or bis(tetraalkylguanidino)carbimino groups to the phosphorus atom of the iminophosphorane group using tetramethylguanidine or easily available 1,3-dimethylimidazolidine-2-imine. Seven new nonionic superbasic phosphazene bases, tetramethylguanidino-substituted at the P atom, have been synthesized. Their base strengths are established in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution by means of spectrophotometric titration and compared with those of eight reference superbases designed specially for this study, P2- and P4-iminophosphoranes. The gas-phase basicities of several guanidino- and N',N',N',N'-tetramethylguanidino (tmg)-substituted phosphazenes and their cyclic analogues are calculated, and the crystal structures of (tmg)3P=N-t-Bu and (tmg)3P=N-t-Bu x HBF4 are determined. The enormous basicity-increasing effect of this principle is experimentally verified for the tetramethylguanidino groups in the THF medium: the basicity increase when moving from (dma)3P=N-t-Bu (pKalpha = 18.9) to (tmg)3P=N-t-Bu (pKalpha = 29.1) is 10 orders of magnitude. A significantly larger basicity increase (up to 20 powers of 10) is expected (based on the high-level density functional theory calculations) to accompany the similar gas-phase transfer between the (dma)3P=NH and (tmg)3P=NH bases. Far stronger basicities still are expected when, in the latter two compounds, all three dimethylamino (or tetramethylguanidino) fragments are replaced by methylated triguanide fragments, (tmg)2C=N-. The gas-phase basicity (around 300-310 kcal/mol) of the resulting base, [(tmg)2C=N-]3P=NH, having only one phosphorus atom, is predicted to exceed the basicity of (dma)3P=NH by more than 40 powers of 10 and to surpass also the basicity of the widely used commercial [(dma)3P=N]3P=N-t-Bu (t-BuP4) superbase.     

Mass spectral fragmentation mechanisms of some dibenzo[c,f][1,2] diazepines

The fragmentation mechanisms of 11H-dibenzo[c,f][1,2]diazepine (I), its 3,8-dichloro derivative (II), 3,8-dichlorodibenzo[c,f] [1,2]diazepin-11-one (III) and 3,8-dichloro-11H-dibenzo-[c,f][1,2]diazepin-N-oxide (IV) are discussed. The initial loss of molecular nitrogen is characteristic of I, II and III. Compound IV has a strong molecular ion, that competitively eliminates cither NO or Cl- and N₂O. The common radical ion, m/166 e present in the mass spectra of I, fluorene, 2-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone and 2-methylbenzo[c]cinnoline, appears to be formed in different states.     

Effects of steroidal carriers of alkylating agents on the phase transition in DPPC membrane bilayers

Several steroidal esters of alkylating agents have been synthesized and tested in vitro and in vivo in various experimental cancer types. 3β-Hydroxy-17α-aza-D-homo-5-androsten-7,17-dione-N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl) aminophenylacetate (I) is a highly active compound. DSC scans show differences between the alkylating agent alone and in conjugation with the steroidal part in the broadening and lowering of the phase transition of DPPC bilayers. These differences may in part explain the better pharmacokinetic profile and lower toxicity of conjugated congener I versus the alkylating agent alone.     

Reaction mechanism of deoxyribonucleotidase: a theoretical study

The reaction mechanism of human deoxyribonucleotidase (dN) is studied using high-level quantum-chemical methods. dN catalyzes the dephosphorylation of deoxyribonucleoside monophosphates (dNMPs) to their nucleoside form in human cells. Large quantum models are employed (99 atoms) based on a recent X-ray crystal structure. The calculations support the proposed mechanism in which Asp41 performs a nucleophilic attack on the phosphate to form a phospho-enzyme intermediate. Asp43 acts in the first step as an acid, protonating the leaving nucleoside, and in the second step as a base, deprotonating the lytic water. No pentacoordinated intermediates could be located.     

A combined μ-mercury reference electrode/Au counter-electrode system for microelectrochemical applications

Different types of mercury-based μ-reference electrodes (Hg/Hg₂SO₄/Na₂SO₄, Hg/Hg₂(CH₃COO)₂/NaCOOCH₃) have been developed following the concept of agar-based μ-reference electrodes. Mercury was electrochemically deposited onto a gold wire to form an amalgam. The corresponding mercury salt was formed electrochemically at the surface. This electrode can be inserted into a capillary that is filled with the electrolyte of interest. To simplify the handling of this μ-reference electrode, to reduce diffusion and to avoid leakage, the electrolyte was immobilised with agar. A 250-nm-thick gold layer on the outer surface of the capillary of the reference electrode served as counter-electrode. The electrochemical behaviour of reference electrodes and counter-electrodes were proven by micro-polarisation curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potential transients and cyclic voltammetry.     

Uncertainty sources in UV-Vis spectrophotometric measurement

An overview is given of the most important uncertainty sources that affect analytical UV-Vis spectrophotometric measurements. Altogether, eight uncertainty sources are discussed that are expected to have influence in chemical analysis. It is demonstrated that the well-known intrinsic (or “physical”) sources of uncertainty that originate from the instrument itself (repeatability of spectrophotometer reading, spectrophotometer drift, stray light, etc.) often have significantly lower contributions to the combined uncertainty of the result than the “chemical” sources of uncertainty that originate from the object under study (interference from the constituents of the matrix, decomposition of the photometric complex, etc.). Although selectivity of a photometric procedure is often considered more a validation topic than an uncertainty topic, it is very often important to include it also in the uncertainty budget.Usually the most difficult part of uncertainty estimation of a chemical measurement result is to evaluate the magnitude of the actual uncertainty components, especially the chemical ones. For most of the uncertainty sources discussed in this paper, approaches for their evaluation are given. A generic uncertainty budget for absorbance is presented. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at     

Stereoselektive Synthese von Pyrrolizidin-Alkaloiden aus Nitroalkanonen

Stereoselective Synthesis von Pyrrolizidin Alkaloids from Nitroalkanones Reduction of 5-nitropentadecane-2,8-dione ( 11 ), synthesized by a Michael reaction from nitromethane, methyl vinyl ketone, and dec-1-en-3-one, gave, depending on the conditions, two epimeric 3-heptyl-2,3,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-5-methyl-1H-pyrrolizines as the main products: Catalytic hydrogenation (Pd/C) afforded the expected 7aα-hydro epimer 1b with cis-orieted H-atoms at C(3), C(5), and C(7a). NaBH₃CN/NH₄OAc reduction of the nitrodione 11 yielded all four diastereoisomers with the 7aβ-hydro epimer 1a as the predominant component; 1a is a pheromone of the cryptic thief ant Solenopsis sp. The N-atom of the pyrrolizidine ring stems from NH₄OAc exclusively as shown by reduction of 11 with NaBH₃CN/(¹⁵N)H₄OAc.     

Photoconductive organic materials based on N-vinylcarbazole copolymers with higher alkenes as recording media in photonics

With the purpose to obtain novel photoconductive organic materials with improved complex of physical–mechanical properties and high sensitivity value, the possibility of N-vinylcarbazole copolymerization with higher alkenes was studied.The deposited films were 1.0–2.0 pm thin after drying in vacuum. The photosensitivity of the copolymer films is one order of magnitude greater than other carbazole containing copolymers. The investigation of spectral sensitivity was realized. Photosensitivity reaches its maximal value in 400–800 nm wave band.A photothermoplastic information registration medium was developed using synthesized copolymers. On the prepared photothermoplastic film, were recorded diffraction gratings with diffractional efficiency of 8–10% and resolution of 1000 mm⁻¹, using electrophotographic method. Photographical sensitivity of obtained films allows real time (1–3 s) photographical and holographic image recording.     

Separation of the Phenoxy Acid Herbicides and Their Enantiomers by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis in Presence of Highly Sulphated Cyclodextrins

The study of the chiral compounds and their fate in the environment is receiving an increasing attention — enantiomeric ratios are being measured and enantioselective degradation processes are being reported. It is particularly important with the toxic compounds like the pesticides, which are being freely used in the environment to control the harmful pests. Capillary zone electrophoresis was used for the chiral and mutual separation of four phenoxy acid herbicides using highly sulphated cyclodextrins (HSCD) in the buffer. The CE runs were performed with reverse polarity (anode in the outlet vial) using the acidic ammonium formate buffer (20 mmol, pH 3). Under these conditions of suppressed the electroendoosmotic flow (EOF), the analytes are mobilized to the anode by entering into host guest relation with the migrating negatively charged sulphated cyclodextrin. The phenoxy acid herbicides selected for the purpose were fenoprop, dicloprop, mecoprop and 2,4‐DB. The α‐HSCD and β‐HSCD have been tested as resolving agents in the CE for the separation of the enantiomers of the herbicides. Though the chiral separation of the dicloprop and mecoprop were achieved with α‐HSCD but it was not able to resolve fenoprop. With β‐HSCD the required base line separation was achieved. Potential difference selected was 10 kV. The limit of detection (S/N= 3) achieved in present case is 0.15 ppm for fenoprop, 0.14 ppm for dicloprop and mecoprop and 0.11 ppm for 2,4‐DB.     

Preface

Foundations of Computational Mathematics -