Size Matters! On the Way to Ionic Liquid Systems without Ion Pairing

Several, partly new, ionic liquids (ILs) containing imidazolium and ammonium cations as well as the medium‐sized [NTf₂]^? (0.230 nm³; Tf=CF₃SO₃^?) and the large [Al(hfip)₄]^? (0.581 nm³; hfip=OC(H)(CF₃)₂) anions were synthesized and characterized. Their temperature‐dependent viscosities and conductivities between 25 and 80 °C showed typical Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann (VFT) behavior. Ion‐specific self‐diffusion constants were measured at room temperature by pulsed‐gradient stimulated‐echo (PGSTE) NMR experiments. In general, self‐diffusion constants of both cations and anions in [Al(hfip)₄]^?‐based ILs were higher than in [NTf₂]^?‐based ILs. Ionicities were calculated from self‐diffusion constants and measured bulk conductivities, and showed that [Al(hfip)₄]^?‐based ILs yield higher ionicities than their [NTf₂]^? analogues, the former of which reach values of virtually 100 % in some cases.From these observations it was concluded that [Al(hfip)₄]^?‐based ILs come close to systems without any interactions, and this hypothesis is underlined with a Hirshfeld analysis. Additionally, a robust, modified Marcus theory quantitatively accounted for the differences between the two anions and yielded a minimum of the activation energy for ion movement at an anion diameter of slightly greater than 1 nm, which fits almost perfectly the size of [Al(hfip)₄]^?. Shallow Coulomb potential wells are responsible for the high mobility of ILs with such anions.     

GnRH binding RNA and DNA Spiegelmers: a novel approach toward GnRH antagonism

Mirror-image oligonucleotide ligands (Spiegelmers) that bind to the pharmacologically relevant target gonadotropin-releasing hormone I (GnRH) with high affinity and high specificity have been identified using the Spiegelmer technology. GnRH is a decapeptide that plays an important role in mammalian reproduction and sexual maturation and is associated with several benign and malignant diseases. First, aptamers that bind to D-GnRH with dissociation constants of 50-100 nM were isolated out of RNA and DNA libraries. The respective enantiomers of the DNA and RNA aptamers were synthesized, and their binding to L-GnRH was shown. These Spiegelmers bind to L-GnRH with similar affinity to that of the corresponding aptamers that bind to D-GnRH. We further demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of GnRH-induced Ca(2+) release in Chinese hamster ovary cells that were stably transfected with the human GnRH receptor.     

A new concept for the preparation of beta-L- and beta-D-2',3'-dideoxynucleoside analogues

[reaction: see text] A new method for the synthesis of 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside analogues has been developed. An electrochemical activation of 2-substituted furans is followed by the coupling with a pyrimidine or purine base. This gives planar furyl nucleosides as key intermediates, which are hydrogenated cis-selectively to give the corresponding beta-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides as racemic mixtures. An enzymatic kinetic resolution gives rise to beta-D- and beta-L-configured derivatives in high optical purity. This is exemplified by the synthesis of beta-D- and beta-L-3'-deoxythymidine.     

Controllable 3D atomic Brownian motor in optical lattices

We study a Brownian motor, based on cold atoms in optical lattices, where atomic motion can be induced in a controlled manner in an arbitrary direction, by rectification of isotropic random fluctuations. In contrast with ratchet mechanisms, our Brownian motor operates in a potential that is spatially and temporally symmetric, in apparent contradiction to the Curie principle. Simulations, based on the Fokker-Planck equation, allow us to gain knowledge on the qualitative behaviour of our Brownian motor. Studies of Brownian motors, and in particular ones with unique control properties, are of fundamental interest because of the role they play in protein motors and their potential applications in nanotechnology. In particular, our system opens the way to the study of quantum Brownian motors.     

Influence of metal ions on antioxidant behaviour in polypropylene

The effect of Cr(III), Fe(III) and Cu(II) ions, at trace levels, on the effectiveness of four commercial antioxidant systems, viz. Topanol, Santowhite, Hostanox 03 and Irganox 1425, in polypropylene (PP) films is examined using infra-red and second-order derivative uv spectroscopy. The results show that at these levels the metal ions have a minor effect on the unstabilised polymer. However, the ions can have a beneficial or adverse effect on antioxidant activity, particularly under oven ageing conditions. The observed effect depends on the metal/antioxidant system, and is attributed to an indirect interaction between the components which can delay or accelerate antioxidant decomposition in the polymer. An exception to this behaviour is the metal complex Irganox 1425, which interacts strongly with copper ions in the polymer matrix. The antioxidant is partially transformed by copper ions during the compression moulding stage. The beneficial effect present in some cases is in direct contrast with what has generally been observed in studies using unstabilised polymers.     

Steroide und Sexualhormone. 248. Mitteilung. Die Partialsynthese von 5α-Dihydrohirundigenin und von 5α-dihydroanhydrohirundigenin

A partial synthesis of dihydroanhydrohirundigenin ( 4 ), a hydrogenation product of naturally occurring anhydrohirundigenin ( 2 ) is described. Furthermore 4 is transformed into the formal dihydroderivative 14 of hirundigenin ( 1 ).     

Vibrational spectra and force constants of symmetric tops: High resolution spectra of monoisotopic H3SiCl in the 2200-cm−1 region and rovibrational analysis of the ν1 and ν4 fundamentals

The gas phase infrared spectra of monoisotopic H₃Si³⁵Cl and H₃Si³⁷Cl have been studied in the $\text{ν}{}_1\text{ν}{}_4$ region near 2200 cm^?1 with a resolution of 0.012 and 0.04 cm^?1, respectively, and rotational fine structure for ΔJ = ±1 branches has been resolved. In addition, some information on ν₃ + ν₄ of H₃Si³⁵Cl near 2750 cm^?1 has been obtained. ν₁ and ν₄ are weakly coupled by Coriolis x, y resonance, $\text{B}\text{Ω}{}_{14}\text{ζ}{}_{14}\text{～ 2 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}\text{cm}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$, only the upper states K′ = 2, l = 0 and K′ = 1, l = ?1 being substantially affected. Local perturbation due to rotational l(±1, ±1)-type resonance with ν₃ + ν₅⁺¹ + ν₆⁺¹ and ν₃ + ν₅⁺¹ + ν₆^?1 is revealed in the ΔK = +1 and ?1 branches, respectively. From a fit of the experimental line positions, standard deviations of 1.4 and 3.8 × 10^?3 cm^?1, respectively, to a model with five interacting levels conventional excited state parameters and interaction constants have been obtained. In $\text{H}{}_3\text{Si}{}^{35}\text{Cl}\text{H}{}_3\text{Si}{}^{37}\text{Cl}$ the fundamentals are ν₁, $\text{2201.94380(15)}\text{2201.9345(7)}$ and ν₄, $\text{2209.63862(8)}\text{2209.6254(2)}\text{cm}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$, respectively. Q branches of the “hot” band (ν₃ + ν₄) ? ν₃ and of ν₄ of the ²⁹Si and ³⁰Si species have been detected.