Introducing an amine group to calix[5]arene: comparison of several methods

Abstract

Chemists often use an amine group as an intermediate in syntheses of imines, amides and ureas; however, in the case of syntheses of p-aminophenol type compounds, several problems might occur. In this article, we prepared p-aminocalix[5]arene-pentaol by reduction of both nitro and azo derivatives, and compared four methods of the amine preparation, focusing mainly on its gramme scale and time-consuming issues.     

DFT-calculated structure of protonated tetraphenyl p - tert -butylcalix[4]arene tetraketone

Using DFT calculations, two of the most probable structures (A, B) of the tetraphenyl p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene tetraketone·H₃O⁺ cationic complex species were derived. The hydroxonium ion H₃O⁺, placed in the coordination cavity formed by the calix[4]arene lower-rim groups, is bound by strong hydrogen bonds to the phenoxy oxygen atoms of the calix[4]arene ligand (structures A, B) and also to one carbonyl oxygen (structure B).     

Metallopyrrole-capped carbon nanocones

We design nickel-doped and nitrogen-doped carbon nanocones with various amounts of buckling that feature square-planar, (approximate) tetrahedral, and octahedral coordination. The optimized geometries and electronic structures of these novel metallocarbon complexes are calculated by using the B3LYP (Gaussian03) and GGA-BLYP (ADF) exchange-correlation functionals. We analyze buckling and stability of the nanocones, and discuss their potential for additional functionalization at the metallic site.     

Microfluidics for multiplexed MS analysis

Recent advances of microfluidics systems suitable for multiplexed MS analysis are reviewed with respect to fabrication technologies and applications.     

Separation of phenolic acids by capillary electrophoresis with indirect contactless conductometric detection

A new method for the electrophoretic separation of nine phenolic acids (derivatives of benzoic and cinnamic acids) with contactless conductometric detection is presented. Based on theoretical calculations, in which the mobility of the electrolyte co- and counterions and mobility of analytes are taken into consideration, the electrolyte composition and detection mode was selected. This approach was found to be especially valuable for optimization of the electrolyte composition for the separation of analytes having medium mobility. Indirect conductometric detection mode was superior to the direct mode as predicted theoretically. The best performance was achieved with 150 mM 2-amino-2-methylpropanol electrolyte at pH 11.6. The separation was carried out in a counter-electroosmotic mode and completed in less than 6 min. The LODs achieved were about 2.3-3.3 microM and could be further improved to 0.12-0.17 microM by using a sample stacking procedure. The method compares well to the UV-Vis detection.     

Conformational flexibility of L-alanine zwitterion determines shapes of Raman and Raman optical activity spectral bands

Detailed analysis of Raman and Raman optical activity (ROA) of L-alanine zwitterion (ALAZW) revealed that shapes of the spectral bands are to a large extent determined by the rotation of the NH(3)(+), CO(2)(-), and CH(3) groups. Aqueous solution ALAZW spectra were measured down to 100 cm(-1) and compared to complex simulations based on ab initio (B3LYP/CPCM/6-31++G**) computations of molecular energies and spectral parameters. The bands exhibit different sensitivities to the motion of the rotating group; typically, for more susceptible bands the Raman signal becomes broader and the ROA intensity decreases. When these dynamical factors are taken into account in Boltzmann averaging of conformer contributions, simulated spectra not only better agree with the experiment, but shapes of the rotational potentials can be estimated. Effects of the molecular flexibility could be also demonstrated on differences in Raman spectra of the solution, crystalline, and glass (gellike) solid states of ALAZW. Experimental Raman and ROA spectra of four model dipeptides of different rigidities (Ala-Pro, Pro-Ala, Pro-Gly, and Gly-Pro) indicate that the broadening of spectral lines can be used as a general site-specific indicator of molecular rigidity or flexibility.     

Spectroscopic detection of DNA quadruplexes by vibrational circular dichroism

The four-stranded G-quadruplex motif is a conformation frequently adopted by guanine-rich nucleic acids that plays an important role in biology, medicine, and nanotechnology. Although vibrational spectroscopy has been widely used to investigate nucleic acid structure, association of particular spectral features with the quadruplex structure has to date been ambiguous. In this work, experimental IR absorption and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra of the model quadruplex systems d(G)(8) and deoxyguanosine-5'-monophosphate (5'-dGMP) were analyzed using molecular dynamics (MD) and quantum-chemical modeling. The experimental spectra were unambiguously assigned to the quadruplex DNA arrangement, and several IR and VCD bands related to this structural motif were determined. Involvement of MD in the modeling was essential for realistic simulation of the spectra. The VCD signal was found to be more sensitive to dynamical structural variations than the IR signal. The combination of the spectroscopic techniques with multiscale simulations provides extended information about nucleic acid conformations and their dynamics.     

Enantiomeric partitioning using fluorous biphase methodology for lipase-mediated (trans)esterifications

Lipase-catalysed (trans)esterification reactions in homogenous perfluorocarbon-hydrocarbon solvents enabled direct enantiomeric partitioning (up to 95% ee) of the products by liquid-liquid separation.     

Analytic solution for the nondegenerate quantum control problem

We present an analytic solution for the nondegenerate quantum control problem, i.e., the transfer of a deliberate amount of population, 0%-100%, between arbitrary initial Psi(t)> and final Psi'(t)> states, which can be expanded in terms of nondegenerate energy eigenstates k>. The solution constitutes a robust two-photon multicomponent adiabatic passage, via an intermediate eigenstate 0>, which relies on three types of "null states."