PHOTOSENSITIZATION OF PYRIMIDINE DIMER SPLITTING BY A COVALENTLY BOUND INDOLE

Abstract— Photosensitized pyrimidine dimer splitting characterizes the enzymatic process of DNA repair by the DNA photolyases. Possible pathways for the enzymatic reaction include photoinduced electron transfer to or from the dimer. To study the mechanistic photochemistry of splitting by a sensitizer representative of excited state electron donors, a compound in which an indole is covalently linked to a pyrimidine dimer has been synthesized. This compound allowed the quantitative measurement of the quantum efficiency of dimer splitting to be made without uncertainties resulting from lack of extensive preassociation of the unlinked dimer and sensitizer free in solution. Irradiation of the compound with light at wavelengths absorbed only by the indolyl group (approximately 280 nm) resulted in splitting of the attached dimer. The quantum yield of splitting of the linked system dissolved in N₂0-saturated aqueous solution was found to be 0.04 ± 0.01. The fluorescence typical of indoles was almost totally quenched by the attached dimer. A splitting mechanism in which an electron is efficiently transferred intramolecularly from photoexcited indole to ground state dimer has been formulated. The surprisingly low quantum yield of splitting has been attributed to inefficient splitting of the resulting dimer radical anion. Insights gained from this study have important mechanistic implications for the analogous reaction effected by the DNA photolyases.     

TRANSIENT INTERMEDIATES IN INTRAMOLECULARLY PHOTOSENSITIZED PYRIMIDINE DIMER SPLITTING BY INDOLE DERIVATIVES

Abstract— Intramolecularly photosensitized pyrimidine dimer splitting can serve as a model for some aspects of the monomerization of dimers in the enzyme-substrate complex composed of a photolyase and UV-damaged DNA. We studied compounds in which a pyrimidine dimer was covalently linked either to indole or to 5-methoxyindole. Laser flash photolysis studies revealed that the normally observed photoejection of electrons from the indole or the 5-methoxyindole to solvent was diminished by an order of magnitude for indoles with dimer attached (dimer-indole and dimer-methoxyindole). The fluorescence lifetime of dimer-indole in aqueous methanol was 0.85 ns, whereas that of the corresponding indole without attached dimer (tryptophol) was 9.7 ns. Similar results were obtained for the dimer-methoxyindole (0.53 ns) and 5-methoxytryptophol (4.6 ns). The quantum yield of dimer splitting for the dimer-methoxyindole (φ₂₈₇K7 = 0.08) was only slightly greater than the value found earlier for the dimer bearing the unsubstituted indole (4>_2K7= 0.04). Transient absorption spectroscopy also revealed lower yields of indole radical cations following laser flash photolysis of dimer-indole compared to the indole without attached dimer. Dimer-methoxyindole behaved similarly. These results are interpreted in terms of an enhanced rate of radiationless relaxation of the indole and methoxyindole excited singlet states in dimer-indoles. The possible quenching of the indole and methoxyindole excited states via electron abstraction by the covalently linked dimer is discussed.     

Stoichiometric and catalytic oxygen activation by trimesityliridium(III)

Trimesityliridium(III) (mesityl = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) reacts with O(2) to form oxotrimesityliridium(V), (mes)(3)Ir=O, in a reaction that is cleanly second order in iridium. In contrast to initial reports by Wilkinson, there is no evidence for substantial accumulation of an intermediate in this reaction. The oxo complex (mes)(3)Ir=O oxidizes triphenylphosphine to triphenylphosphine oxide in a second-order reaction with DeltaH++ = 10.04 +/- 0.16 kcal/mol and DeltaS++ = -21.6 +/- 0.5 cal/(mol.K) in 1,2-dichloroethane. Triphenylarsine is also oxidized, though over an order of magnitude more slowly. Ir(mes)(3) binds PPh(3) reversibly (K(assoc) = 84 +/- 3 M(-1) in toluene at 20 degrees C) to form an unsymmetrical, sawhorse-shaped four-coordinate complex, whose temperature-dependent NMR spectra reveal a variety of dynamic processes. Oxygen atom transfer from (mes)(3)Ir=O and dioxygen activation by (mes)(3)Ir can be combined to allow catalytic aerobic oxidations of triphenylphosphine at room temperature and atmospheric pressure with overall activity (approximately 60 turnovers/h) comparable to the fastest reported catalysts. A kinetic model that uses the rates measured for dioxygen activation, atom transfer, and phosphine binding describes the observed catalytic behavior well. Oxotrimesityliridium does not react with sulfides, sulfoxides, alcohols, or alkenes, apparently for kinetic reasons.     

A practical, fast, and high-yielding aziridination procedure using simple Cu(II) complexes containing N-donor pyridine-based ligands

Four-coordinate dichlorocopper(II) complexes derived from di(2-pyridyl)methanes or pyridine itself exhibit high catalytic activity in aziridination of regular olefins with PhINTs in weakly coordinating chloroform in the presence of 1-2 equiv of NaBArF4 (BArF4- = tetra[3,5-di(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate). High yields of aziridines exceeding 90% can be obtained with a 1:1 olefin/PhINTs ratio and 1-5 mol % catalyst loading for such reactive olefins as styrene, tri- and tetramethylethylene. For cis-cyclooctene, indene, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, vinyl methyl ketone, tert-butylethylene, and neopentylethylene, as well as for 1-hexene and cyclopentene, yields of corresponding aziridines vary from 44% to 83%. The catalytic activity and efficiency of the reported copper complexes decrease moderately in the absence of NaBArF4.     

Determination of Kinetic Parameters in the Biosorption of Cr (VI) on Immobilized <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus cereus</Emphasis> M<Superscript>1</Superscript><Subscript>16</Subscript> in a Continuous Packed Bed Column Reactor

Due to technological advancement, environment suffers from untreated toxic heavy metal bearing effluent coming from different industries. Chromium (VI) is one of those heavy metals having adverse impact on ecological balance, human, and plant health because of its carcinogenic properties. Biosorption is presented as an alternative to traditional technologies which are costly and inefficient for treatment of industrial wastes containing low amount of heavy metals. In this study, bioremediation of Cr (VI) ions by immobilized Bacillus cereus M¹ ₁₆ was investigated in a laboratory scale packed bed up-flow column reactor. The effect of important parameters, such as the inlet flow rate, influent concentration, and effective bed height, has been studied. External mass transfer, surface adsorption, and intrabead mass transfer were also studied to conclude the rate limiting step for removal of Cr (VI) and to determine the process parameters which are important for biosorption optimization. The external mass transfer coefficient was calculated at different flow rates (6.51 × 10⁻² to 7.58 × 10⁻² cm/min). Using the model, the surface adsorption rate constant (k _ad) and the intrabead mass transfer coefficient (k _i) were predicted as 0.0267 × 10⁻³ and 0.7465 × 10⁻³ l/g/min, respectively. Both are much lower than the external mass transfer coefficient (k _e). The surface adsorption phenomenon is acting as the rate-limiting step due to its high resistance for removal of Cr (VI).     

Synthesis of 8‐Aminoquinolines by Using Carbamate Reagents: Facile Installation and Deprotection of Practical Amidating Groups

Described herein is the development of practical routes to 8‐aminoquinolines by using readily installable and easily deprotectable amidating reagents. Two scalable procedures were optimized under Rh^III‐catalyzed conditions: i) the use of pre‐generated chlorocarbamates and ii) a two‐step one‐pot process that directly employs carbamates. Both approaches are highly convenient for the gram‐scale synthesis of 8‐aminoquinolines under mild conditions. Facile deprotection of the synthetically versatile amidating groups was achieved under the Pd‐catalyzed transfer hydrogenation conditions with simultaneous deoxygenation of quinoline N‐oxides, thus yielding 8‐aminoquinolines in excellent overall efficiency.     

Kinetics and mechanism of reactions of bis(biguanide)copper(II) ion with 2,2′-bipyridyl and 1,10-phenanthroline in aqueous solution

Summary In aqueous solution [Cu(bigH)₂]²⁺ (bigH=biguanide) reacts with 2,2-bipyridyl (bipy) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) through intermediate formation of ternary complexes [Cu(bigH)(L)]²⁺ and [Cu(bipy)(phen)]²⁺ and binary complexes [CuL₂]²⁺ (L=bipy, phen). The rates of the different steps have been followed in borax buffer (pH 8.0±0.1) by stopped-flow spectrophotometry. For each step k_obs=k₀+k_L[L] and the k_L path appears to be associative. H and S values for the k_L path conform to an isokinetic trend.     

Effect of Controlled Deposition of ZnS Shell on the Photostability of CdTe Quantum Dots as Studied by Conventional Fluorescence and FCS Techniques

The effect of one and two monolayers of ZnS shells on the photostability of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) in aqueous and nonaqueous media has been studied by monitoring the fluorescence behavior of the QDs under ensemble and single‐molecule conditions. ZnS capping of the CdTe QDs leads to significant enhancement of the fluorescence brightness of these QDs. Considerable enhancement of the photostability of the shell‐protected QDs, including the suppression of photoactivation, is also observed. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements reveal an increase in the number of particles undergoing reversible fluorescent on–off transitions in the volume under observation with increasing excitation power; this effect is found to be more pronounced in the case of core‐only QDs than for core–shell QDs.     

A Selective Cucurbit[8]uril-Peptide Beacon Ensemble for the Ratiometric Fluorescence Detection of Peptides

A convenient supramolecular strategy for constructing a ratiometric fluorescent chemosensing ensemble, consisting of a macrocyclic host (cucurbit[8]uril CB[8]), and a pyrene-tagged amphiphilic peptide beacon (AP 1), is reported. AP 1 unfolds upon encapsulation of the pyrene termini into the hydrophobic CB[8] cavity. This changes pyrene excimer to monomer emission. Substrates with higher affinity for the CB[8] cavity can displace AP 1 from the ensemble. The released AP 1 folds again to form a pyrene excimer, which allows for the ratiometric fluorescence monitoring of the substrate. In this report, the ensemble capacity for ratiometric fluorescence monitoring of biological substrates, such as amino acid derivatives, specific peptides, and proteins, in aqueous media is demonstrated.