Kinetics of acid-induced spectral changes in the GFPmut2 chromophore

We have used a nanosecond pH-jump technique, coupled with simultaneous transient absorption and fluorescence emission detection, to characterize the dynamics of the acid-induced spectral changes in the GFPmut2 chromophore. Disappearance of the absorbance at 488 nm and the green fluorescence emission occurs with a thermally activated, double exponential relaxation. To understand the source of the two transients we have introduced mutations in amino acid residues that interact with the chromophore (H148G, T203V, and E222Q). Results indicate that the faster transient is associated with proton binding from the solution, while the second process, smaller in amplitude, is attributed to structural rearrangement of the amino acids surrounding the chromophore. The protonation rate shows a 3-fold increase for the H148G mutant, demonstrating that His148 plays a key role in protecting the chromophore from the solvent. The deprotonation rate for T203V is an order of magnitude smaller, showing that the hydrogen bond with the hydroxyl of Thr203 is important in stabilizing the deprotonated form of the chromophore. A kinetic model suggests that, in addition to protecting the chromophore from the solvent, His148 may act as the primary acceptor for the protons on the way to the chromophore.     

C2-symmetric bisprolinamide as a highly efficient catalyst for direct aldol reaction

[reaction: see text] The catalytic activity of the prolinamide-type catalysts may be improved by introducing additional prolinamide moiety into the catalyst, while the enantioselectivity can still be maintained or further improved. A C2-symmetric bisprolinamide with two prolinamide moieties has been found to be an excellent catalyst for direct aldol reaction with more than doubled reactivity and better asymmetric induction than its monoprolinamide counterpart.     

Contribution to the study of the mechanism of directed remote-metalation. Evidence for the intermediacy of a geminal dimetallo dialkoxide C(OM)2 (M = Li, K), first doubly charged director of ortho metalation

The mechanism of the metalation of 2-biphenyl carboxylic acid (1) with the Lochmann-Schlosser superbase was determined by deuteriolysis. Both ortho (C(3)) and remote (C(2')) positions are metalated. The C(2')-metalated species 2 cyclizes instantaneously. Under suitable conditions, the doubly charged geminal dimetallo dialkoxide group C(OM)(2) 4 directs metalation in the adjacent position (C(1)), affording a stable 1-metallo-9H-fluorene-9,9-dimetallo dialkoxide 5 that can be trapped by diverse electrophiles to give 1-substituted 9H-fluoren-9-ones 7 and 9 after acidic workup. [structure: see text]     

Characterization of Anthocyanins and Anthocyanin-Derivatives in Red Wines during Ageing in Custom Oxygenation Oak Wood Barrels

The ageing of wines in oak barrels is a key stage in the production of high-quality red wines, with the type of oak chosen and the amount of oxygen received by the wine being the determining factors of the process. This work analyses the effect of ageing the same red wine in barrels with different oxygenation rates for one year (OTR), specifically the effect on the evolution of anthocyanins, their derivatives and the appearance of new pigments according to the oxygen dosage in barrels. Results show that wines aged in High-Wood-OTR barrels have a large quantity of monomeric anthocyanins and wine aged in Low-Wood-OTR barrels presents a major intensity of colour. Moreover, using LC-MS analysis, it was possible to detect and identify different families of anthocyanin derivatives, including the tentative identification of two new aldehyde-flavanol-methylpyranoanthocyanin pigments.     

Polymer-supported 1,3-oxazolium-5-olates: synthesis of 1,2,4-triazoles

A traceless synthesis of 3,5-disubstituted 1,2,4-triazoles has been developed on polymeric supports. The synthetic process utilizes immobilized mesoionic 1,3-oxazolium-5-olates (munchnones) as key intermediates in the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. The initial step in the synthesis involves reductive alkylation of phenylglycine methyl esters with Ameba resin. The resulting immobilized amino acid esters were subsequently acylated with a variety of carboxylic acid chlorides and subjected to hydrolysis with 15% KOH to yield the polymer-bound carboxylic acids. Finally, the cycloaddition between diethyl diazocarboxylate or 4-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione and the polymer-bound munchnones generated from the corresponding carboxylic acids afforded the polymer-bound 3,5-disubstituted 1,2,4-triazoles. Cleavage from the polymeric support using trifluoroacetic acid gave the desired 3,5-disubstituted 1,2,4-triazoles with excellent yield and high purity.     

Mesoporous silica supported ytterbium as catalyst for synthesis of 1,2‐disubstituted benzimidazoles and 2‐substituted benzimidazoles

The benzimidazole ring is an important pharmacophore in contemporary drug discovery. Thus, effort to identifying new compounds containing benzimidazole scaffolds have gained much attention in recent years. In the present study, MCM‐41 type mesoporous silica with large pore (l‐MSN) supported ytterbium was successfully prepared by wet impregnation method. Among rare earth metal salts, ytterbium triflate has already been widely investigated as a catalyst in organic synthesis but less toxic ytterbium oxide has yet to be explored. Relatively high abundance and low cost of ytterbium with respect to many catalytically active metals (e.g. Pd, Au, Ru, Ir, Pt) offer an opportunity to develop sustainable catalysts for organic conversions. The catalyst has been characterized by various techniques including nitrogen adsorption, FT‐IR, TEM, SEM, EDX technique and elemental mapping. The obtained materials exhibit high surface area and a narrow distribution of mesoporosity. The catalytic performance of the Yb@l–MSNs was tested by synthesis of 1,2‐disubstituted benzimidazoles and 2‐substituted benzimidazoles through the coupling of aldehydes with o‐phenylenediamine. The catalyst resulted in excellent yields in short reaction times and the reaction showed tolerance toward both electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing functional groups at room temperature. A particularly interesting finding was the solvent selectivity of this reaction; namely, 1,2‐disubstituted benzimidazoles generated as major product in water‐ethanol, while the 2‐substituted benzimidazoles was generated exclusively in non‐polar solvents like toluene.     

Blurring the Lines between Host and Guest: A Chimeric Receptor Derived from Cucurbituril and Triptycene

We report the synthesis and X‐ray crystal structure of a cucurbituril–triptycene chimeric receptor ( 1 ). Host 1 binds to guests typical of CB[6]–CB[8], but also binds to larger guests such as blue box ( 20 ) and the Fujita square ( 22 ). Intriguingly, the geometries of the 1 ? 20 and 1 ? 22 complexes blur the lines between host and guest in that both components fulfill both roles within each complex. The fluorescence output of 1 is fully quenched by the formation of complexes with pyridinium‐derived guests.     

Photophysical and density functional studies of the interaction of a flavone derivative with the halides

The synthesis, photophysical behavior, and anion-sensing ability of a fluorescent molecular system, N-(3-methoxy-4-oxo-2-phenyl-4H-chromen-7-yl)-benzamide (1H), designed and developed with a view to sensing fluoride ions, are reported. NMR and density functional studies on the system have been carried out to determine the nature of the interaction between 1H and X- (X = halogen atom) responsible for fluoride-induced dramatic changes in the absorption and emission properties of 1H. The color change of 1H, which can be observed by the naked eye, is found specific to fluoride ion; it is unaffected by the presence of a large excess of Cl-, Br-, and I-, thus rendering 1H as a selective fluoride ion sensor in micromolar concentration in the visible region. The changes in the fluorescence behavior of 1H, specifically, the formation of an additional long-wavelength emission band in the presence of fluoride ion, allow ratiometric fluorescence signaling of the fluoride ion as well. The results suggest that abstraction of the acidic proton of 1H by the F- leading to the formation of 1- is responsible for the spectral changes that allow signaling of the F-. Density functional calculations of the optimized geometrical parameters and charge densities of the 1H...halide complexes confirm the proton abstraction mechanism of the signaling of F-. Calculations of the transition energies of the 1H, 1-, and 1H...F- (hydrogen-bonded complex) show that only 1- is responsible for the long-wavelength absorption and emission band observed in the presence of F-.