Interactions of Cu2+ ions with chicken prion tandem repeats

The potentiometric and spectroscopic (EPR, UV-Vis, CD) data have shown that the chicken prion hexa-repeat (Ac-His-Asn-Pro-Gly-Tyr-Pro-NH(2)) is a very specific ligand for Cu(2+) ions. The His imidazole is an anchoring binding site, then the adjacent amide nitrogen coordinates as a second donor. The presence of Pro at position 3 induces binding of phenolate oxygen as a third donor atom. The tridentate coordination dominates around physiological pH. Similar to human octapeptide fragments, chicken tandem repeats exhibit a cooperative effect in binding Cu(2+) ions, although chicken peptides are much less effective in metal ion coordination.     

Calix[8]arene anions: solid state structure of an inclusion compound with a tetrabutylammonium cation

Octakis(dimethylsiloxy)-octa-p-tert-butylcalix[8]arene was prepared from the parent p-tert-butylcalix[8]arene and 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane. Desilylation of the siloxy-calix[8]arene with tetrabutylammonium fluoride hydrate under different conditions afforded di- and tetraanionic derivatives. Determination of the solid state structure of the dianion revealed the formation of an inclusion compound with one tetrabutylammonium cation inside the macrocyclic cavity.     

A neutron scattering study of the structure and water partitioning of selectively deuterated copolymer micelles

We present a scattering study of a selectively deuterated micelle-forming diblock copolymer. The copolymer comprises a partially deuterated polystyrene (d,h-PS) block and an imidazolium-functionalized PS (IL) block. In toluene solutions, the copolymers assemble into elongated micelles where the IL block forms the micelle core. Through dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements, we obtain the overall size of the micelles. In our small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies, we use contrast matching to characterize the IL core and the PS shell of the micelles independently. The PS block forming the micelle shell exhibits either a starlike or brushlike conformation depending upon the size of the core to which it is tethered. We find the IL block to be in an extended conformation, driving the formation of slightly elongated and relatively stiff micelle cores. The elongated micelle core cross-sectional radius and length depend linearly on the length of the IL block. We find that the micelles can sequester a few water molecules for each IL repeat unit; the addition of water slightly increases the cross section of the elongated micelles.     

Synthesis of New Bis‐imidazole Derivatives

The reaction of aldimines with α‐(hydroxyimino) ketones of type 10 (1,2‐diketone monooximes) was used to prepare 2‐unsubstituted imidazole 3‐oxides 11 bearing an alkanol chain at N(1) (Scheme 2, Table 1). These products were transformed into the corresponding 2H‐imidazol‐2‐ones 13 and 2H‐imidazole‐2‐thiones 14 by treatment with Ac₂O and 2,2,4,4‐tetramethylcyclobutane‐1,3‐dithione, respectively (Scheme 3). The three‐component reaction of 10 , formaldehyde, and an alkane‐1,ω‐diamine 15 gave the bis[1H‐imidazole 3‐oxides] 16 (Scheme 4, Table 2). With Ac₂O, 2,2,4,4‐tetramethylcyclobutane‐1,3‐dithione or Raney‐Ni, the latter reacted to give the corresponding bis[2H‐imidazol‐2‐ones] 19 and 20 , bis[2H‐imidazol‐2‐thione] 21 , and bis[imidazole] 22 , respectively (Schemes 5 and 6). The structures of 11a and 16b were established by X‐ray crystallography.     

Synthesis of Optically Active 1‐(1‐Phenylethyl)‐1H‐imidazoles Derived from 1‐Phenylethylamine

The three‐component reaction of (R)‐ or (S)‐1‐phenylethylamine ( 6 ), formaldehyde, and an α‐(hydroxyimino) ketone 5 , i.e., 3‐(hydroxyimino)butan‐2‐one ( 5a ) or 2‐(hydroxyimino)‐1,2‐diphenylethanone ( 5b ), yields the corresponding enantiomerically pure 1‐(1‐phenylethyl)‐1H‐imidazole 3‐oxide 7 in high yield (Schemes 2 and 3). The reactions are carried out either in MeOH or in AcOH. Smooth transformations of the N‐oxides into optically active 1‐(1‐phenylethyl)‐1H‐imidazoles 10 and 2,3‐dihydro‐1‐(1‐phenylethyl)‐1H‐imidazole‐2‐thiones 11 are achieved by treatment of 7 with Raney‐Ni and 2,2,4,4‐tetramethyl‐3‐thioxocyclobutanone ( 12 ), respectively (Scheme 4).     

Role and substrate specificity of the Streptomyces coelicolor RedH enzyme in undecylprodiginine biosynthesis

The function of RedH from Streptomyces coelicolor as an enzyme that catalyses the condensation of 4-methoxy-2,2'-bipyrrole-5-carboxaldehyde (MBC) and 2-undecylpyrrole to form the natural product undecylprodiginine has been experimentally proven, and the substrate specificity of RedH has been probed in vivo by examining its ability to condense chemically-synthesised MBC analogues with 2-undecylpyrrole to afford undecylprodiginine analogues.     

Comparative study of two analytical methods to the determination of boron in leachate samples from sanitary landfills and groundwater for routine analysis and feasible on-site environmental monitoring

Two analytical methods as inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES)) and azomethine-H UV-Vis-based method were compared statistically, to evaluate their analytical characteristics and applicability to the determination of boron in leachates (complex matrix) from sanitary landfills (SLs) and groundwater (simple matrix) from different sampling points near SLs. Calibration curves and standard addition methods were used for this purpose. Azomethine-H UV-Vis-based procedure has proven better precision and accuracy than ICP-OES. However, statistical analysis (F-test and t-test) does not show significant differences between these two methods, achieving concentration range of up to 10 mg L^?1 of the boron in both simple and complex matrices. Due to low cost and gentle-to-operate easy-accessible system, the azomethine-H UV-Vis-based method was therefore proposed (rather than ICP-OES) for routine analysis and for feasible on-site monitoring of boron in SLs, with respect to satisfy Chilean Standard 409 (NCh409) related to drinking water policy.     

Synthesis and Structure-Photophysics Evaluation of 2-N-Amino-quinazolines: Small Molecule Fluorophores for Solution and Solid State

2-N-aminoquinazolines were prepared by consecutive S_NAr functionalization. X-ray structures display the nitrogen lone pair of the 2-N-morpholino group in conjugation with the electron deficient quinazoline core and thus representing electronic push-pull systems. 2-N-aminoquinazolines show a positive solvatochromism and are fluorescent in solution and in solid state with quantum yields up to 0.73. Increase in electron donor strength of the 2-amino substituent causes a red-shift of the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) band (300–400 nm); whereas the photoluminescence emission maxima (350–450 nm) is also red-shifted significantly along with an enhancement in photoluminescence efficiency. HOMO-LUMO energies were estimated by a combination of electrochemical and photophysical methods and correlate well to those obtained by computational methods. ICT properties are theoretically attributed to an excitation to Rydberg-MO in SAC-CI method, which can be interpreted as n-π* excitation. 7-Amino-2-N-morpholino-4-methoxyquinazoline responds to acidic conditions with significant increases in photoluminescence intensity revealing a new turn-on/off fluorescence probe.