Acid-base properties of xanthosine 5'-monophosphate (XMP) and of some related nucleobase derivatives in aqueous solution: micro acidity constant evaluations of the (N1)H versus the (N3)H deprotonation ambiguity

The first acidity constant of fully protonated xanthosine 5'-monophosphate, that is, of H3(XMP)+, was estimated by means of a micro acidity constant scheme and the following three deprotonations of the H2(XMP)+/- (pKa=0.97), H(XMP)- (5.30), and XMP2- (6.45) species were determined by potentiometric pH titrations; further deprotonation of (XMP-H)3- is possible only with pKa>12. The most important results are that the xanthine residue is deprotonated before the P(O)2(OH)- group loses its final proton; that is, twofold negatively charged XMP carries one negative charge in the pyrimidine ring and one at the phosphate group. Micro acidity constant evaluations reveal that this latter mentioned species occurs with a formation degree of 88 %, whereas its tautomer with a neutral xanthine moiety and a PO3(2-) group is formed only to 12 %; this distinguishes XMP from its related nucleoside 5'-monophosphates, like guanosine 5'-monophosphate. At the physiological pH of about 7.5 mainly (XMP-H)3- exists. The question, which of the purine sites, (N1)H or (N3)H, is deprotonated in this species cannot be answered unequivocally, though it appears that the (N3)H site is more acidic. By application of several methylated xanthine species intrinsic micro acidity constants are calculated and it is shown that, for example, for 7-methylxanthine the N1-deprotonated tautomer occurs with a formation degree of about 5 %; a small but significant amount that, as is discussed, may possibly be enhanced by metal ion coordination to N7, which is known to occur preferably to this site.     

Development of a chemical vapor sensor using piezoelectric quartz crystals with coated unusual lipids

Piezoelectric quartz crystal sensors were developed using lipids with various properties for highly sensitive detection of chemical vapors. Lipids with varying lengths of alkyl chains were coated onto 10 MHz AT-cut quartz crystal resonators and the response of these modified crystals to chemical vapors were measured. It was shown that hydrophilic compounds, such as ethanol and methanol, could be recognized efficiently by lipids having shorter alkyl chains, whereas lipids with longer alkyl chains showed affinity to more hydrophobic vapors, such as toluene, hexane and cyclohexane. Frequency changes caused by adsorption of alcohols could be enhanced when cholesterol was co-immobilized in the lipid layer. To confirm the assumption that the sensor-response might be affected by the properties of lipids derived from acyl chains, we have examined the effects of two types of newly synthesized unusual lipids on sensor response. When lipids having one triple bond each at different positions on their alkyl chains were coated onto quartz crystals separately, lower responses were observed compared to responses obtained for a sensor with immobilized, saturated phosphatidylcholine. Lipids containing -branched acyl chains, however, showed good affinity for organic vapors, and sensor responses improved 4–5-fold. Moreover, these sensors were shown to have sensitivity of the same order as the humans' sense of smell (10⁻⁵–10⁻⁶ w/w in liquid paraffin) when measured using standard odorants (isovaleric acid, skatole, etc.) for an olfactometry established in Japan.     

Syntheses and PE-Spectroscopic Investigations of 2,6- and 3,5-Bridged 1,4-Dimethylidenecyclohexanes

Three 1,4-dimethylidenecyclohexanes, bridged in the 2,6- and 3,5-positions by two ethano ( 4 ), one ethano and one propano ( 5 ), and two propano bridges ( 6 ) have been synthesized. The interaction of the two exocyclic methylidene groups has been investigated by He(I) photoelectron (PE) spectroscopy. It revealed a slightly larger energy difference (0.8 eV) for 4 and 5 as compared to the parent 1,4-dimethylidenecyclohexane ( 7 ) (0.7 eV). The interpretation of the PE spectra was based on the comparison with PE data of related systems and with the results of semiempirical calculations on 4–6 .     

Umsetzungen von Polyacroleinen mit reaktionsfähigen Polymeren

Zusammenfassung Durch Radikalketten-Polymerisation von Acrolein erhält man Polymere mit Aldehydgruppen. Diese sind zu vielfältigen Umsetzungen befähigt. In dieser Mitteilung werden nur zwei Arten von Reaktionen behandelt; nämlich die Reaktion der Aldehydgruppen untereinander, wobei unter Disproportionierung Polyhydroxypolycarbonsäuren entstehen. DieseCannizzaro-Reaktion tritt auch an der Oberfläche fester Polyacroleine ein. Eingehend behandelt wird die Umsetzung wäßriger Polyacrolein-Lösungen mit anderen Polymeren, welche Amino-, Hydroxyl-oder Mercaptangruppen enthalten. Die Kennzeichen der entstehenden Verbundpolymeren werden beschrieben und mit denWillstätterschen Symplexen verglichen. Auf Beziehungen dieser Reaktionen zu biochemischen Prozessen wird hingewiesen. Ferner wird die Diffusion von Polymeren durch Membranen mit reaktiven Gruppen (Agar-Agar und Gelatine) untersucht. In einigen Fällen tritt eine Oberflächen-Pfropfung ein.19. Mitt, üiber Polymere Acroleine, vorgetragen auf der 20. wissenschaftlichen Arbeitstagung der Kolloid-Gesellschaft vom 19. bis 20. 10. 1961 in Bad Oeynhausen; 18. Mitt, siehe Angew. Chem.72, 771 (1960).Fräulein Dr.Irmela Löflund und Herrn Dr.Mathias Marx, die an diesen Untersuchungen maßgebend beteiligt waren, möchte ich für ihre Mitarbeit herzlich danken. Herrn Prof. Dr.W. Kern, Direktor des Organisch-Chemischen Instituts, danke ich für mannigfache Förderung und anregende Diskussionen. Die Untersuchungen wurden durch Mittel des Fonds der Chemischen Industrie sowie der Firma Degussa, Frankfurt/Main, unterstützt, wofür ebenfalls herzlichst gedankt sei.     

Zum Mechanismus der sequentiellen Radikal-Cyclisierung von (Bromomethyl)silyl-ethern terpenoider Alkohole

On the Mechanism of Sequential Radical Cyclization of (Bromomethyl)silyl Ethers of Terpernoid Alcohols The cyclic products of the Bu₃SnH-promoted radical reaction of (E)-1-[(bromomethyl)dimethylsilyloxy]-2-methylhept-2-ene ( 6 ) consists to 98% of a 1:2 mixture of (±)-(4RS,5RS)- and (±)-(4-RS,5SR)-4-butyl-2,2,5-trimethyl-1-oxa-2-silacyclohexane ( 8a and 8b , respectively). It is, therefore, concluded that the 6-‘endo’→5-‘exo’ tandem cyclization of the 5-mehtyl-3-oxa-2-siladeca-5,9-dien-l-yl radical (reaction 1 → 2 ) is not necessarily a concerted process, but may be explained as a sequence of individual steps via free-radical intermediates.     

Photoelektronen-Spektren und Moleküleigenschaften. 133 [1, 2]. Trifluormethyldisulfan und Derivate F3CSSX (X  CF3, F,Cl, Br)

Photoelectron Spectra and Molecular Properties. 133. Trifluoromethyldisulfane and Derivates F₃CSSX (X?CF₃, F, Cl, Br) The He(I) photoelectron spectra of trifluoromethyldisulfane F₃CSSH and its derivatives F₃CSSX (X?CF₃, F, Cl, Br) are assigned by Koopmans correlations, IE = ?ε, with MNDO eigenvalues and by radical cation state comparison. Of special interest are the n/n splittings, which amount to 1.15 eV F₃C? SS? F or 0.87 eV in F₃? SS? Cl, and the dependance of which on the dihedral angle ω(XS? SX), on the SS bond length and on the acceptor effect of the F₃C substituents is discussed.     

Phanes with Three- and Four-Membered Rings as Building Elements

The systematic integration of the small 2π- and 4π-electron systems cyclopropenylium ion, cyclopropenone, oxo-cyclobutenylium ion, and cyclobutadiene into phane chemistry was initiated only a few years ago. [n₂]Cyclopropenylophanes, [n₂]cyclopropenonophanes, metal-capped [n₄]cyclobutadienosuperphanes, and other new families of double-decker phane species became available from cycloalkydiynes through special methods of double [2+1]cycloaddition with carbenes and metal complex induced dimerization by double [2+2]cycloaddition. Phane-specific structural features were elucidated by X-ray structural analyses. Cyclic voltammetry and PE spectroscopy as well as MO calculations reealed considerable interactions between closely spaced π-electron systems. Decapping cyclobutadienosuperphanes formally extended the synthetic principle to threefold [2+2]cycloadditions resulting in [n₄]-bridged tricyclo-[4.2.0.0^{3, 5}]octa-3,7-dienes, which represent a new type of cage compounds. Moreover, completion to fourfold [2+2]addition was achieved with the photoinduced transformation of [3₄]bridged tricyclo[4.2.0.0^{3, 5}]octa-3,7-diene into propella[3₄]cubane.     

Zur Kenntnis des Faktors F430 aus methanogenen Bakterien: Struktur des proteinfreien Faktors

Factor F430 from Methanogenic Bacteria: Structure of the Protein-free Factor Factor F430, the porphinoid nickel-containing coenzyme of the methylcoenzyme-M reductase of metanogenic bacteria is shown to be the 3³,8³,12²,13³,18²-pentaacid derivative of the pentamethylester F430M, the structure of which had been determined previously (see structural formulae 1 and 2 ). The structure assignment rests on chromatographic, UV/VIS-, CD-, IR-, and ¹³C-NMR-spectroscopic as well as FAB-mass spectral comparision of F430 with F430M and the pentaacid prepared by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of F430M. In the cells of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, factor F430 is present in a ‘bound’ and also, depending on the growth conditions, in ‘free’ form, the latter being defined as the part of total F430 that can be extracted from the cells under extremely mild conditions (80% EtOH at 0–4°). From the (protein)-‘bound’ form, F430 is extracted by subsequently treating the cells at 0–4° with 80% EtOH containing (e.g.), 2m LiCi. From both sources, the extracted factor is the same pentaacid, and there is no indication for the existence of a protein-free F430 species that would contain additional (covalently bound) structural elements.