Comparison of the electrophilic and free-radical addition of halogens with hexafluoro-1,3-butadiene and 1,3-butadiene

Ionic and photochemical reaction of chlorine (Cl₂), bromine (Br₂) and iodine monochloride (ICl) to hexafluoro-1,3-butadiene (1) and 1,3-butadiene (2) were carried out under conditions that would provide product distributions under controlled ionic or free-radical conditions. Product distributions for ionic reaction of Cl₂ and Br₂ with 1 are similar and suggest a weakly-bridged halonium ion species. Theoretical calculations support weakly-bridged chloronium and bromonium ions for both dienes 1 and 2. There are more of the 1,4-dihalo-2-butene products from ionic halogenation of 1 than 2 which correlates with the greater charge density on carbon-4 of halonium ions from 1. Ionic and free-radical reactions of ICl with 1 give 8 and 2% of 3-chloro-4-iodohexafluoro-1-butene and 4-chloro-3-iodohexafluoro-1-butene, respectively. The minor cis-1,4-dihalo-2-butene products from 1 and 2 are reported when formed.     

Transferable atom equivalent multicentered multipole expansion method

The transferability of atomic and functional group properties is an implicit concept in chemistry. The work presented here describes the use of Transferable Atom Equivalents (TAE) to represent molecular electrostatic potential fields through the use of integrated atomic multipole moments that are associated with each TAE atom type used in the reconstruction. TAE molecular surface distributions of electrostatic potentials are compared with analytical ab initio and empirical (Gasteiger) partial charge reference models for several conformations of test peptides. Surface electrostatic potential distributions computed using TAE multipole representations were found to converge at the octopole level, with incremental improvement observed when hexadecapoles were included. Molecular electrostatic potential fields that were produced using the TAE method were observed to be responsive to conformational changes and to compare well with ab initio reference distributions. Generation of TAE atom types and their associated multipoles does not involve fitting to sample electrostatic potential fields, but rather utilizes integrated AIM atomic electron density distributions within representative chemical environments. The RECON program was used for TAE reconstruction. RECON is capable of processing 5,000 drug-sized molecules or 25 proteins per minute per 1.7 GHz P4 Linux processor.     

Field gradient electrophoresis

The class of equilibrium gradient methods utilizes the opposition of two forces, at least one of which changes in magnitude with position, to separate and concentrate analytes. The drawback of many methods of this type is that the production of two opposing forces requires in comparison to standard methods, such as capillary electrophoresis, a relatively complex apparatus. In addition, for techniques such as electric field gradient focusing, hydrodynamic flow leads to Taylor dispersion, which limits the attainable concentration factor. We propose a new method, gradient field electrophoresis, which achieves analyte separation and focusing with only one spatially varying force, an electric field gradient. A model for the method is developed and used to analyze peak capacity. Experimental results for a protein (R-phycoerythrin) are given and compared to the model.     

Immobilizing a Fluorescent Dye Offers Potential to Investigate the Glass/Resin Interface

Silane coupling agents are commonly applied to glass fibers to promote fiber/resin adhesion and enhance durability in composite parts. In this study, a coupling agent multilayer on glass was doped with trace levels of the dimethylaminonitrostilbene (DMANS) fluorophore. The fluorophore was immobilized on the glass surface by tethering the molecule to a triethoxy silane coupling agent, creating the DMANS/silane coupling agent molecule (DMSCA). DMSCA was then diluted with commonly used coupling agents and grafted to a glass microscope coverslip to create a model composite interface. A 53-nm blue shift in fluorescence from the immobilized DMSCA can be followed during cure of an epoxy resin overlayer, giving this technique potential to monitor the properties of the fiber/resin interface during composite processing. Contact angle measurements on these coupling agent layers were similar in the presence or absence of the DMSCA molecule, suggesting that trace levels of the fluorescent probe did not affect the structure of the layer. The immobilized DMSCA molecule behaved similarly to the DMANS precursor in solution. Both showed longer wavelength fluorescence in more polar environments. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Drug delivery of aminolevulinic acid from topical formulations intended for photodynamic therapy

Topical photodynamic therapy is used for a variety of malignant and pre-malignant skin disorders, including Bowen's Disease and Superficial Basal Cell Carcinoma. A haem precursor, typically 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), acting as a prodrug, is absorbed and converted by the haem biosynthetic pathway to photoactive protoprophyrin IX (PpIX), which accumulates preferentially in rapidly dividing cells. Cell destruction occurs when PpIX is activated by an intense light source of appropriate wavelength. Topical delivery of ALA avoids the prolonged photosensitivity reactions associated with systemic administration of photosensitisers but its clinical utility is influenced by the tissue penetration characteristics of the drug, its ease of application and the stability of the active agent in the applied dose. This review, therefore, focuses on drug delivery applications for topical, ALA-based PDT. Issues considered in detail include physical and chemical enhancement strategies for tissue penetration of ALA and subsequent intracellular accumulation of PpIX, together with formulation strategies and drug delivery design solutions appropriate to various clinical applications. The fundamental aspects of drug diffusion in relation to the physicochemical properties of ALA are reviewed and specific consideration is given to the degradation pathways of ALA in formulated systems that, in turn, influence the design of stable topical formulations.     

Determination of bupivacaine and metabolites in rat urine using capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometric detection

A method using capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) was developed for the structural elucidation of bupivacaine and metabolites in rat urine. Prior to CE-MS analysis, solid-phase extraction (SPE) was used for sample cleanup and preconcentration purposes. Exact mass and tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) experiments were performed to obtain structural information about the unknown metabolites. Two instruments with different mass analyzers were used for mass spectrometric detection. A quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) and a magnetic sector hybrid instrument were coupled to CE and used for the analysis of urine extracts. Hydroxybupivacaine as well as five other isomerically different metabolites were detected including methoxylated bupivacaine.     

Coupling of an aldehyde or ketone to pyridine mediated by a tungsten imido complex

The reactivity of W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 and W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(pic)2 (py=pyridine; pic=4-picoline) with unsaturated substrates has been investigated. Treatment of W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 with diphenylacetylene or 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene generates W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(eta2-PhCCPh) and W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(eta4-CH2=C(Me)C(Me)=CH2), respectively, while the addition of ethylene to W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 generates the known metallacycle W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(CH2CH2CH2CH2). The addition of 2 equiv of acetone to W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(pic)2 provides the azaoxymetallacycle W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(OCH(Me)2)(OC(Me)2-o-C5H3N-p-Me), the result of acetone insertion into the ortho C-H bond of picoline. Similarily, the addition of 2 equiv of RC(O)H [R=Ph, tBu] to W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 generates W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(OCH2R)(OCHR-o-C5H4N) [R=Ph, tBu,]. In contrast, reaction between W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 and 2-pyridine carboxaldehyde yields the diolate W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(OCH(C5H4N)CH(C5H4N)O). The synthesis of W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(PMe3)(py)(eta2-OC(H)C6H4-p-Me), formed by the addition of p-tolualdehyde to a mixture of W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 and PMe3, suggests that an eta2-aldehyde intermediate is involved in the formation of the azaoxymetallacycle, while the isolation of W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(Cl)(OC(Me)(CMe3)-o-C5H4N), formed by the reaction of pinacolone with W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2, in the presence of adventitious CH2Cl2, suggests that the reaction proceeds via the hydride W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(H)(OC(Me)(CMe3)-o-C5H4N).     

(Z)-3-p-tolylsulfinylacrylonitrile as a chiral dienophile: diels-alder reactions with furan and acyclic dienes

The behavior of (Z)-3-p-tolylsulfinylacrylonitrile (1) as a chiral dienophile has been evaluated from its reactions with furan and acyclic dienes. Electrostatic interactions of the cyano group with the sulfinyl one restrict the conformational mobility around the C-S bond, thus controlling the pi-facial selectivity, which is almost complete in all cases, the approach of the diene from the less-hindered face of the dienophile (that bearing the lone electron pair) in the predominant rotamer being the favored one. The regioselectivity is also completely controlled by the cyano group. Additionally, the reactivity of compound 1 as well as its endo-selectivity are both higher than those observed for the corresponding (Z)-3-sulfinylacrylates, thus proving the potential of sulfinylnitriles as chiral dienophiles.     

Enolate generation under hydrogenation conditions: catalytic aldol cycloreduction of keto-enones

[reaction: see text] Formal heterolytic activation of elemental hydrogen under Rh catalysis enables the reductive generation of enolates from enones under hydrogenation conditions. Enolates generated in this fashion participate in catalytic C-C bond formation via carbonyl addition to aldehyde and, as demonstrated in this account, ketone partners. Notably, the use of appendant dione partners enables diastereoselective formation of cycloaldol products possessing 3-stereogenic centers, including 2-contiguous quaternary centers.