Polymorphic forms of cilostazol

Two unique conformational polymorphic forms of the compound 6‐[4‐(1‐cyclo­hexyl‐1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)­butoxy]‐3,4‐di­hydro­quinolin‐2(1H)‐one (cilostazol), C₂₀H₂₇N₅O₂, have been discovered and characterized using single‐crystal X‐ray structural analysis. A third polymorph also exists, but acceptable crystals could not be obtained. Features of both reported polymorphic structures include a chair conformation of the cyclo­hexyl ring and puckering in the quinolinone ring. The major feature distinguishing the two polymorphic forms is a rotational twisting of the butoxy chain between the tetrazole and quinolinone rings. This difference in conformation influences the intermolecular forces, and hence the packing of the two mol­ecules during crystallization.     

Kinetic and mechanistic studies of the reaction of a range of bases and metal-hydroxo complexes with the phosphonate ester 2,4-dinitrophenyl ethyl methylphosphonate in aqueous solution

The base hydrolysis and spontaneous water hydrolysis of the phosphonate ester 2,4-dinitrophenyl ethyl methylphosphonate (DNPEMP) has been studied in detail and the activation parameters for these processes determined. The catalytic effect of a series of 19 oxygen and nitrogen bases and metal hydroxo complexes has been studied. The Brønsted plot of pK versus logkN has a slope (β) of 0.47, which is fairly typical for phosphate and phosphonate esters. alpha-Effect nucleophiles such as 2-iodosobenzoate, hypochlorite and the hydroperoxide ion (HO-2) exhibit enhanced reactivity, as does fluoride ion and the bifunctional metal complex [Cu(tmen) (OH2)(OH)]+ (tmen = N,N,N',N',-tetramethylethylenediamine). Reactions involving these species appear to take place by a nucleophilic pathway, while the other oxygen and nitrogen bases act as general base catalysts. The solvent deuterium isotope effect for Et3N catalysis, kH2O/kD2O=1.3, is consistent with general base catalysis. The mechanisms of these reactions are discussed in detail.     

Synthesis and crystallographic characterization of a dicyclopentadienylvanadium alkynide complex: (C5H5)2VCCC(CH3)3

(C₅H₅)₂VCl reacts with LiCCC(CH₃)₃ to form (C₅H₅)₂VCCC(CH₃)₃ which was characterized by spectroscopic, analytical, and crystallographic methods. The complex crystallizes from pentane at 0°C as a monomer in the orthorhombic space group Pnma with four molecules in a unit cell of dimensions a 9.075(3), b 9.807(3), c 16.444(5) Å. Full-matrix least-squares refinement based upon 1300 nonzero intensity data converged to a final conventional R factor of 0.060. The molecule has a mean VC₅H₅-ring centroid distance of 1.941 Å with 146.6° ring centroid-V-ring centroid angle. The vanadium alkynide carbon distance is 2.075(5) Å.     

Ab initio calculation of the heptamer (NH3)7 as a reasonable starting point for a description of the ammonia crystal

Quasi-Wannier functions for the ammonia crystal have been determined from optimized ab initio calculations of the heptamer (NH₃)₇, thus accounting for all the first neighbor interactions. The calculated geometry and binding energy are in good agreement with their experimental counterparts.     

Observation of an unprecedented Cu Bis-His site: crystal structure of the H129V mutant of nitrite reductase

Copper nitrite reductases contain both an electron-transfer type 1 Cu site and a catalytic type 2 Cu site. We have mutated one of the type 2 copper ligating histidines to observe the effect on catalytic turnover. This mutation has created a unique site where Cu is ligated by 2 His Nepsilon2 atoms alone.     

Gemini-induced columnar jointing in vitreous ice. Cryo-HRSEM as a tool for discovering new colloidal morphologies

A gemini surfactant is able to promote columnar jointing in vitreous ice where long pillars, often of hexagonal cross section, are formed. This jointing is visible by cryo-high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (cryo-HRSEM), in which colloidal suspensions in bulk water are cooled rapidly in liquid ethane, thereby avoiding the potential artifacts with other types of EM. The jointing is proposed to arise from a new type of colloidal morphology where the surfactant self-assembles into hexagonal columns. Evidence for this mechanism comes from a cryo-HRSEM photo of an ice-free hexagonal "skeleton" composed of surfactant. Cryo-HRSEM, a method that is just beginning to realize its potential, would seem to have a promising future in the discovery of additional and as yet unimagined colloidal structures.     

Metabonomics: the use of electrospray mass spectrometry coupled to reversed-phase liquid chromatography shows potential for the screening of rat urine in drug development

The application of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) followed by principal components analysis (PCA) has been successfully applied to the screening of rat urine following the administration of three candidate pharmaceuticals. With this methodology it was possible to differentiate the control samples from the dosed samples and to identify the components of the mass spectrum responsible for the separation. These data clearly show that LC/MS is a viable alternative, or complementary, technique to proton NMR for metabonomics applications in drug discovery and development.     

Alkylation of heme by the antimalarial drug artemisinin

The peroxide function of artemisinin has been activated by iron(II)-heme generated in situ from iron(III)-protoporphyrin-IX and glutathione, a biologically relevant reductant. In mild conditions, this reaction produced a high yield (85%) of heme derivatives alkylated at alpha-, beta-, and delta-meso positions by a C4-centered radical derived from artemisinin.     

Structure of tetraphenylarsonium tricyano- 2,2′,6′,2′′-terpyridylferrate(II), AsPh4[FeII(terpy)(CN)3]; and kinetics of oxidation of the complex anion by peroxodisulfate in water and in binary aqueous mixtures

The structure of the title compound has been determined by X-ray crystallography. The octahedral arrangement of ligands about the iron(II) centre is somewhat distorted, with the axial NC–Fe–CN bond angle being 174.3(4)°. The oxidation of the tricyano-2,2,6,2- terpyridylferrate(II) anion by the peroxodisulfate anion has been investigated in water and in binary aqueous mixtures. The reaction follows a second order rate law, with a second-order rate constant of 0.126± 0.001dm3mol–1s–1 at 295.2K. The enthalpy and entropy of activation in water are 51.3±1.8kJmol–1 and –89±5JK–1mol–1 respectively. The rate is retarded on addition of organic cosolvent. The transfer chemical potential of the initial state from water into mixed solvents has been determined from solubility measurements, and compared with the transfer potential of the transition state. Solvent effects on the reaction are discussed in terms of initial state versus transition state solvation.     

Coherent effects in energy transport in model dendritic structures investigated by ultrafast fluorescence anisotropy spectroscopy

Measurements of ultrafast fluorescence anisotropy decay in model branched dendritic molecules of different symmetry are reported. These molecules contain the fundamental branching center units of larger dendrimer macromolecules with either three (C(3))- or four (T(d), tetrahedral)-fold symmetry. The anisotropy for a tetrahedral system is found to decay on a subpicosecond time scale (880 fs). This decay can be qualitatively explained by F?rster-type incoherent energy migration between chromophores. Alternatively, for a nitrogen-centered trimer system, the fluorescence anisotropy decay time (35 fs) is found to be much shorter than that of the tetramers, and the decay cannot be attributed to an incoherent hopping mechanism. In this case, a coherent interchromophore energy transport mechanism should be considered. The mechanism of the ultrafast energy migration process in the branched systems is interpreted by use of a phenomenological quantum mechanical model, which examines the two extreme cases of incoherent and coherent interactions.