From Single Molecule to Crystal: Mapping Out the Conformations of Tartaric Acids and Their Derivatives

Stereoisomers of one of the most important organic compounds, tartaric acid, optically active and meso as well as the ester or amide derivatives, can show diverse structures related to the rotation around the three carbon–carbon bonds. This study determines the controlling factors for conformational changes of these molecules in vacuo, in solution, and in the crystalline state using DFT calculations, spectroscopic measurements, and X‐ray diffraction. All structural variations can be logically accounted for by the possibility of formation and breaking of hydrogen bonds between the hydroxy or amide donors and oxygen acceptors, among these the hydrogen bonds that close five‐membered rings being the most stable. These findings are useful in designing molecular and crystal structures of highly polar, polyfunctional, chiral compounds.     

Peripherally fused porphyrins via the Scholl reaction: synthesis, self-assembly, and mesomorphism

Oxidative coupling of activated aryl groups attached to β-positions of the porphyrin ring provides convenient access to derivatives containing peripherally fused phenanthrene and benzo[g]chrysene units. Tetra(benzochryseno)porphyrin, reported here for the first time, contains a nonplanar, sterically locked π system and shows very intense electronic absorptions in the Q range of the electronic spectrum. Tetraphenanthroporphyrins show a tendency to aggregate in solution. In one case, a discrete dimer is formed, whose structure was investigated spectroscopically and theoretically. Derivatives bearing long alkyl chains are mesomorphic and exhibit columnar phases (tetraphenanthroporphyrins) and a monoclinic 3D phase (tetrabenzochrysenoporphyrin). The symmetry of column packing in the columnar phases is dependent on the number of alkyl chains per molecule. X-ray diffraction measurements show that, in spite of their nonplanarity, the aromatic cores in the mesophases are tightly stacked within the column. The corresponding stacking patterns were derived from the structure of the dimer, on the basis of geometrical analysis and molecular modeling.     

Synthesis, structural characterization, antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects of aziridine, 2-aminoethylaziridine and azirine complexes of copper(II) and palladium(II)

The synthesis, spectroscopic and X-ray structural characterization of copper(II) and palladium(II) complexes with aziridine ligands as 2-dimethylaziridine HNCH(2)CMe(2) (a), the bidentate N-(2-aminoethyl)aziridines C(2)H(4)NC(2)H(4)NH(2) (b) or CH(2)CMe(2)NCH(2)CMe(2)NH(2) (c) as well as the unsaturated azirine NCH(2)CPh (d) are reported. Cleavage of the cyclometallated Pd(II) dimer [μ-Cl(C(6)H(4)CHMeNMe(2)-C,N)Pd](2) with ligand a yielded compound [Cl(NHCH(2)CMe(2))(C(6)H(4)CHMe(2)NMe(2)-C,N)Pd] (1a). The reaction of the aziridine complex trans-[Cl(2)Pd(HNC(2)H(4))(2)] with an excess of aziridine in the presence of AgOTf gave the ionic chelate complex trans-[(C(2)H(4)NC(2)H(4)NH(2)-N,N')(2)Pd](OTf)(2) (2b) which contains the new ligand b formed by an unexpected insertion and ring opening reaction of two aziridines ("aziridine dimerization"). CuCl(2) reacted in pure HNC(2)H(4) or HNCH(2)CMe(2) (b) again by "dimerization" to give the tris-chelated ionic complex [Cu(C(2)H(4)NC(2)H(4)NH(2)-N,N')(3)]Cl(2) (3b) or the bis-chelated complex [CuCl(C(2)H(2)Me(2)NC(2)H(2)Me(2)NH(2)-N,N')(2)]Cl (4c). By addition of 2H-3-phenylazirine (d) to PdCl(2), trans-[Cl(2)Pd(NCH(2)CPh)(2)] (5d) was formed. All new compounds were characterized by NMR, IR and mass spectra and also by X-ray structure analyses (except 3b). Additionally the cytotoxic effects of these complexes were examined on HL-60 and NALM-6 human leukemia cells and melanoma WM-115 cells. The antimicrobial activity was also determined. The growth of Gram-positive bacterial strains (S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. faecalis) was inhibited by almost all tested complexes at the concentrations of 37.5-300.0 μg mL(-1). However, MIC values of complexes obtained for Gram-negative E. coli and P. aeruginosa, as well as for C. albicans yeast, mostly exceeded 300 μg mL(-1). The highest antibacterial activity was achieved by complexes 1a and 2b. Complex 2b also inhibited the growth of Gram-negative bacteria.     

Nucleolin level in plant root meristematic cells under chilling stress and recovery

Nucleolin and its homologues are multifunctional proteins which reside mainly in nucleoli of yeast, animal and plant cells. Hence, they are generally implicated in many stages of ribosome biosynthesis. In this study nucleolin was identified in root meristematic cell nucleoli of soybean plants subjected to chilling stress, recovered after chilling and under control conditions with the use of the immunogold electron microscopy technique. Soybean nucleoli exhibited various metabolic activities under these conditions (St?piński, 2004). Current studies showed that the level of nucleolin, expressed as a number of gold grains per μm², varied in particular subnucleolar regions in the soybean root meristematic cell nucleoli. Labeling density changed in these regions when plants were subjected to the given treatment. Most abundantly this protein was present in dense fibrillar component (DFC) around fibrillar centers (FCs) in the nucleoli of recovered plants, while in the nucleoli of stressed plants this region contained the lowest level of nucleolin. It can be supposed that nucleolin participates in ribosome biogenesis and its level is correlated with metabolic activity of soybean nucleoli – the more active nucleoli, the higher level of nucleolin and vice versa.     

Detection and quantitation of a pheomelanin component in melanin pigments using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry system with multiple reaction monitoring mode

Here, we describe the reliable method for the detection and quantitation of a pheomelanin component in melanin pigments. Synthetic melanins with various contents of pheomelanin-type structural units were thermally degraded, and the multiple reaction monitoring mode was applied to detect the pheomelanin markers in the pyrolysates by GC/MS/MS. The method allowed the specific detection and quantitation of a pheomelanin component in melanin with the incorporation of pheomelanin-type units as low as 0.05%. Considering highly universal character of the pheomelanin markers, the method could be applied for structural studies of natural melanin pigments being mixtures of eumelanin and pheomelanin.     

Highly stereoselective synthesis of N-substituted π-conjugated phthalimides

A new regio- and stereoselective synthesis of (E)-N-(2-arylvinyl)phthalimides as well as phthalimide-containing (E,E)-buta-1,3-dienes and (E)-but-1-en-3-ynes has been developed. The one-pot ruthenium-catalyzed silylative coupling/iododesilylation sequence provides (E)-N-(2-iodovinyl)phthalimide 1, which undergoes palladium-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura or Sonogashira cross-coupling to afford stereodefined highly π-conjugated phthalimides and functionalized dienimides containing phthalimide groups.     

Hematite nanoparticle monolayers on mica preparation by controlled self-assembly

In this research, a simple, green and effective strategy was developed to produce long-term stable oil in water emulsion from soy protein and soy polysaccharide. Soy protein and soy polysaccharide formed dispersible complexes at pH around 3.25 aqueous solution through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. A high pressure homogenization produced the protein/polysaccharide complex emulsion having a droplet size about 250 nm. A heat treatment of the emulsion resulted in the protein denaturation, forming irreversible oil-water interfacial films composed of soy protein/soy polysaccharide complexes. The droplets of the emulsion were characterized by dynamic light scattering, ζ-potential, transmission electron microscopy, polysaccharide digestion via pectinase, and confocal laser scanning microscopy observation via dual fluorescence probes. As a result of the polysaccharide being fixed on the droplet surface, the emulsions exhibited long-term stability in the media containing pH values of 2-8 and 0.2 mol/L NaCl. The stable soy protein/soy polysaccharide complex emulsion is a suitable food-grade delivery system in which lipophilic bioactive compounds can be encapsulated.     

Antimony Film Electrode Prepared In Situ in Hydrogen Potassium Tartrate in Anodic Stripping Voltammetric Trace Detection of Cd(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), Tl(I), In(III) and Cu(II)

An antimony film electrode (SbFE) was prepared in situ on a glassy carbon support and in a new supporting electrolyte, a saturated solution of hydrogen potassium tartrate in which Sb(III) ions were complexed using tartrate. Its performance in anodic stripping voltammetric (ASV) determination of Cd(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), Tl(I), In(III) and Cu(II) traces was examined. It was found that 1.2 mg/L of Sb(III) yields the finest quality SbFE for analytical purposes. The procedure with in situ SbFE ensures well‐defined anodic stripping voltammetric curves of the investigated elements, low detection limits (0.5–3.8 µg/L), good reproducibility (1–5 %) and satisfactory sensitivity (32–184 nA/(µg/L)).     

Hydrogen Bonding in Pyridine N-Oxide/Acid Systems: Proton Transfer and Fine Details Revealed by FTIR, NMR, and X-ray Diffraction

The H-bonded complexes of pyridine N-oxide (PyO) with H(2)O, acetic, cyanoacetic, propiolic, tribromoacetic, trichloroacetic, trifluoroacetic, hydrochloric, and methanesulfonic acids have been studied by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and quantum chemical DFT calculations. Correlations between vibrational frequencies of the NO stretching and PyO ring modes and geometric parameters of the H-bond have been established. FTIR experiments show and DFT calculations confirm that definite discontinuity is present in the vicinity of the midpoint in the proton transfer pathway. The established correlations significantly aid in the understanding of fine effects such as the isotope (deuteration) effect, crystal-to-solution transition, or criticality of aqueous solutions induced by ionic pairs. Geometric isotope effect in the ionic H-bond aggregate of PyO·H(D)Cl was found to be extraordinary large. Measured FTIR, CP/MAS, and high-resolution (13)C NMR spectra indicate that H-bond in the PyO·HCl complex in polar solvent can potentially be more ionic than in the crystal. Vibrational modes of ionic pairs originating via proton transfer in H-bond complexes can provide new information concerning the interionic interaction and its role in the phase separation and mezo-structuring processes. The results are compared to the relevant data for PyO·HCl complex in argon matrix.