Design and synthesis of zinc-selective chelators for extracellular applications

Zinc (Zn2+) is found in every cell in human bodies. A few millimolar of free Zn2+ exists in the vesicles of presynaptic neurons in the mammalian brain and is released by synaptic activity or depolarization, modulating the function of certain ion channels and receptors. Although various chemical tools for measuring Zn2+ in biological samples, such as fluorescent probes for Zn2+, have been developed, Zn2+-selective chelators have room to be improved. Research on Zn2+ signals in the brain has traditionally employed several chelators, which have several shortcomings for biological applications. Here we report the design, synthesis, and properties of new membrane-impermeable chelators selective for Zn2+ and describe biological applications in hippocampal slices. As a result, our newly designed chelator revealed the first biological implication that presynaptic Zn2+ can be released in the CA1 region. This confirms the utility of these new chelatotrs as extracellular Zn2+ chelators for biological applications.     

Co2(CO)8-catalyzed intramolecular hetero-Pauson-Khand reaction of alkynecarbodiimide: synthesis of (+/-)-physostigmine

[reaction: see text] Herein we describe a novel Co(2)(CO)(8)-catalyzed intramolecular aza-Pauson-Khand-type reaction of alkynecarbodiimide derivatives affords pyrrolo[2,3-b]indol-2-one ring systems in reasonable yields. This is the first reported Co(2)(CO)(8) successfully applied in the hetero-Pauson-Khand reaction. Significantly, the transformation of one of our pyrrolo[2,3-b]indol-2-one derivatives into the indole alkaloid, (+/-)-physostigmine, was completed in a highly stereoselective manner.     

Diffusion in glassy polymers. IV. Diffusion of methyl ethyl ketone in atactic polystyrene above the critical concentration

Integral absorption and desorption of methyl ethyl ketone in atactic polystyrene were studied as functions of film thickness at 25 and 45°C. with concentrations above the critical concentration of the system. In all cases investigated, the reduced absorption and desorption curves for films of different thicknesses did not give a single curve, though the individual absorption and desorption curves appeared to have the shape expected from the Fickian diffusion mechanism. The initial slopes of the reduced curves increased with increasing film thickness for both absorption and desorption. The quantity R₀, the value of the reciprocal of the half-time for absorption or desorption extrapolated to zero concentration increment, provides a measure of absorption rate at a given initial concentration. The dependence of R₀, on film thickness was almost unaltered in the concentration region concerned at both temperatures. The values of the mutual diffusion coefficient D of the system were calculated by assuming absorption and desorption processes for hypothetical film of infinite thickness to be controlled by the purely Fickian mechanism. The values of D evaluated by this method agreed quite well with those deduced by Kishimoto from steady-state permeation measurements.     

Universal Reaction Mechanism of Boronic Acids with Diols in Aqueous Solution: Kinetics and the Basic Concept of a Conditional Formation Constant

To establish a detailed reaction mechanism for the condensation between a boronic acid, RB(OH)₂, and a diol, H₂L, in aqueous solution, the acid dissociation constants (${K{{{\rm BL}\hfill \atop {\rm a}\hfill}}}$ ) of boronic acid diol esters (HBLs) were determined based on the well‐established concept of conditional formation constants of metal complexes. The pK_a values of HBLs were 2.30, 2.77, and 2.00 for the reaction systems, 2,4‐difluorophenylboronic acid and chromotropic acid, 3‐nitrophenylboronic acid and alizarin red S, and phenylboronic acid and alizarin red S, respectively. A general and precise reaction mechanism of RB(OH)₂ with H₂L in aqueous solution, which can serve as a universal reaction mechanism for RB(OH)₂ and H₂L, was proposed on the basis of (a) the relative kinetic reactivities of the RB(OH)₂ and its conjugate base, that is, the boronate ion, toward H₂L, and (b) the determined pK_a values of HBLs. The use of the conditional formation constant, K′, based on the main reaction: RB(OH)₂+H₂L ${{\mathop \leftrightarrow \limits ^{K{_{1}}}_{}}}$ RB(L)(OH)^?+H₃O⁺ instead of the binding constant has been proposed for the general reaction of uncomplexed boronic acid species (B′) with uncomplexed diol species (L′) to form boronic acid diol complex species (esters, BL′) in aqueous solution at pH 5–11: B′+L′ ${{\mathop \leftrightarrow \limits ^{K{^\prime}}_{}}}$ BL′. The proposed reaction mechanism explains perfectly the formation of boronic acid diol ester in aqueous solution.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of tin sulfide nanoflakes and their electrochemical performance as Li-inserting materials

A novel and quick method has been developed for the preparation of tin sulfide (SnS and SnS₂) nanoflakes in high yield (≈93%) by a microwave irradiation technique for 10–40 min. The sulfides were synthesized in a simple domestic microwave oven (DMO) using stannic chloride and stanous chloride as the precursors of tin and thiourea as the precursor of sulfur in ethylene glycol under argon atmosphere. Elemental sulfur and sodium thiosulfate were also tried as precursors of sulfur. The structures, morphologies, compositions, and physical properties of the products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and standard electrochemical techniques. The XRD patterns indicate that the as-synthesized product, obtained after microwave irradiation, is crystalline orthorhombic in the case of the SnS phase and amorphous in the case of SnS₂. Heat treatment of this SnS₂ produced a crystalline hexagonal phase. A possible mechanism for the formation of the tin sulfide nanoflakes is proposed herein. The electrochemical performance of these materials as Li-insertion materials was investigated in a number of electrolyte solutions and was found to be highly sensitive to the solution composition. A stable reversible capacity higher than 600 mAh/g could be obtained with SnS electrodes.     

An opposed-anvil-type apparatus with an optical window and a wide-angle aperture for neutron diffraction

We designed new anvil assemblies for acquiring high-quality neutron diffraction data and ruby fluorescence spectra inside a sample chamber. The conical aperture of Ni-binded WC anvils was expanded by a factor of two. A hybrid gasket made of TiZr- and Al-alloy was developed to prevent outward extrusion. A small and optically transparent window of moissanite was introduced to allow for the determination of pressure and hydrostaticity by measurement of ruby fluorescence spectra. High pressure-generation tests that make use of Bi electrical conductivity and ruby pressure markers revealed that pressure could be determined over 10 GPa. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments were also carried out using NaCl as the pressure calibrants. The maximum pressure achieved was approximately 13 GPa. The neutron diffraction intensity from the newly generated anvil assemblies was 2.5–3.0 times greater than that using the standard toroidal anvil assemblies used previously.     

Structures and Stabilities of Ternary Copper(II) Complexes with 3,5-Diiodo-L-tyrosinate. Weak Interactions Involving Iodo Groups

Structures and stabilities of the ternary copper(II) complexes Cu(DA)(AA), where AA refers to 3,5-diiodo-L-tyrosinate (I(2)tyr) or L-tyrosinate (Tyr) and DA refers to 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine (ampy), histamine (hista), or ethylenediamine (en), have been investigated by potentiometric, spectroscopic, and X-ray diffraction methods. The stability constants have been determined by potentiometric titrations at 25 degrees C and ionic strength I = 0.1 M (KNO(3)). The equilibrium constants K for a hypothetical equilibrium, Cu(DA)(Ala) + Cu(en)(AA) Cu(DA)(AA) + Cu(en)(Ala) where Ala refers to L-alanine, have been calculated from the determined overall stability constants of the ternary complexes for estimating the stability enhancement due to the stacking interaction between the aromatic rings in Cu(DA)(AA). Large positive log K values have been obtained for the Cu(DA)(I(2)tyrOH) and Cu(DA)(I(2)tyrO(-)) systems (DA = phen or bpy, OH and O(-) refer to the protonated and deprotonated forms of the phenol moiety, respectively), indicating that the complexes are stabilized by effective stacking. Differences between the log K values for Cu(DA)(I(2)tyr) and Cu(DA)(Tyr) systems indicate that the iodine substituents greatly contribute to the stability enhancement. A distinct circular dichroism (CD) magnitude anomaly was also observed for the systems with large log K value, supporting the existence of the stacking interaction in Cu(DA)(AA). Two complexes, [Cu(bpy)(I(2)tyrO(-))(H(2)O)].2H(2)O (1) and [Cu(bpy)(I(2)tyrOH)(NO(3))].CH(3)OH (2), have been isolated as crystals and analyzed by the X-ray diffraction method. Both 1 and 2 crystallized in the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with four molecules in a unit cell of dimensions a = 9.2339(4), b = 16.9230(8), and c = 14.8584(5) ? for complex 1, and a = 11.2240(8), b = 11.715(1), and c = 17.966(2) ? for complex 2. The central Cu(II) ion for both complexes has a similar distorted five-coordinate square-pyramidal geometry with the equatorial positions occupied by the two nitrogen atoms of bpy and the nitrogen and oxygen atoms of I(2)tyr, and the apical position is occupied by a water molecule (for 1) or a nitrate ion (for 2). The opposite site to the axial water or nitrate oxygen atom is intramolecularly occupied by the side chain aromatic ring, which is approximately parallel to the copper coordination plane with the average spacing of 3.31 or 3.30 ? for complex 1 or 2, respectively, directly exhibiting the effective stacking interaction between the aromatic rings in the solid state. Distances between the iodine and one of the pyridine rings of bpy (3.79 ? for 1 and 3.56 ? for 2) are shorter than the van der Waals distance (3.85 ?), implying that the iodine substituent may be involved in a weak bonding interaction with the pyridine ring. Effects of the iodine substituents on the stacking interactions between the diiodophenol side ring and the coordinated aromatic diamine and their possible biological relevance have been discussed.     

A fluorescent anion sensor that works in neutral aqueous solution for bioanalytical application

Anion recognition and anion sensing are of interest because anions play many important roles in living organisms. Most currently known anion sensors work only in organic solution, but sensors for biological applications are required to function in neutral aqueous solution. We have designed and synthesized a novel fluorescent sensor for anions. The sensor molecule 1-Cd(II) contains 7-amino-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin as a fluorescent reporter and Cd(II)-cyclen (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) as an anion host. In neutral aqueous solution, Cd(II) of 1-Cd(II) is coordinated by the four nitrogen atoms of cyclen and the aromatic amino group of coumarin. When various anions are added to 100 mM HEPES buffer solution (pH 7.4) containing 1-Cd(II), the aromatic amino group of coumarin is displaced from Cd(II), causing a change of the excitation spectrum. While pyrophosphate and citrate were detected with high sensitivity, fluoride and perchlorate produced no response. Among organic anions, ATP and ADP gave strong signals, while cAMP showed little signal. By utilizing the different affinities of the sensor for AMP and cAMP, the activity of phosphodiesterase, which cleaves cyclic nucleotide, was monitored in real-time. The sensor should have many biochemical and analytical applications and the sensing principle should be widely applicable to the sensing of other molecules.     

Performance of ceramic anvils for high pressure neutron scattering

Three kinds of ceramics, zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA), alumina-toughened zirconia (ATZ) and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), were tested as anvil materials, mainly for the purpose of neutron scattering study under high pressure. ZTA with non-toroidal anvil profile, having the same sample volume as conventionally used double toroidal anvils, sustained pressures up to 11.9?GPa. This is comparable to anvils made of tungsten carbide (TC) with Ni binder with the same dimensions. ATZ would also be an alternative material to TC with pressure performance comparable to ZTA, whereas YSZ is much weaker than the other two ceramics. The attenuation coefficient for YSZ is significantly smaller than that of TC and similar to ZTA and ATZ, the latter being estimated by attenuation calculations. Neutron diffraction on a sample of lead in YSZ anvils as well as quasi-elastic neutron scattering on liquid water in ZTA also demonstrate the outstanding neutron transparency of these ceramics. The gain factor in count rate is up to one order of magnitude.