Reversible replication between ordered mesoporous silica and mesoporous carbon

Highly ordered mesoporous silica can be regenerated from a mesoporous carbon CMK-3 that is a negative replica of mesoporous silica SBA-15, indicating reversible replication between carbon and inorganic materials.     

Study on the properties of dextran-linked adenine nucleotide derivatives

A simple method is described for the preparation of dextran-linked coenzyme derivatives. Several different 8-(6-aminohexyl)amino-adenine nucleotide coenzymes and their derivatives were covalently attached to dextran by incubation with bromohydroxypropyl derivatives of dextran at room temperature in an alkaline medium. The polymer-linked adenine nucleotide derivatives were separated from the free coenzyme derivatives by a Sephadex G-50 column. The prepared dextran derivatives have ligand densities ranging from 20 to 100 μmol/g of dextran derivatives depending on the conditions of coupling and derivatives. NMR studies revealed that proton resonances of the polymer-linked coenzymes exhibit short transverse relaxation times (T₂) but long longitudinal relaxation times (T₁) This phenomenon was interpreted in terms of the anisotropic motions of the dextran-bound coenzyme derivatives in which the fast axial motions and slow restricted transverse motions of the bound coenzyme derivatives are postulated. These observations could properly explain why the polymer-linked coenzymes exhibit lower biological activity, but similar binding affinity to most enzymes.     

Modeling dioxygen-activating centers in non-heme diiron enzymes: carboxylate shifts in diiron(II) complexes supported by sterically hindered carboxylate ligands

General synthetic routes are described for a series of diiron(II) complexes supported by sterically demanding carboxylate ligands 2,6-di(p-tolyl)benzoate (Ar(Tol)CO(2)(-)) and 2,6-di(4-fluorophenyl)benzoate (Ar(4-FPh)CO(2)(-)). The interlocking nature of the m-terphenyl units in self-assembled [Fe(2)(mu-O(2)CAr(Tol))(2)(O(2)CAr(Tol))(2)L(2)] (L = C(5)H(5)N (4); 1-MeIm (5)) promotes the formation of coordination geometries analogous to those of the non-heme diiron cores in the enzymes RNR-R2 and Delta 9D. Magnetic susceptibility and M?ssbauer studies of 4 and 5 revealed properties consistent with weak antiferromagnetic coupling between the high-spin iron(II) centers. Structural studies of several derivatives obtained by ligand substitution reactions demonstrated that the [Fe(2)(O(2)CAr')(4)L(2)] (Ar' = Ar(Tol); Ar(4-FPh)) module is geometrically flexible. Details of ligand migration within the tetracarboxylate diiron core, facilitated by carboxylate shifts, were probed by solution variable-temperature (19)F NMR spectroscopic studies of [Fe(2)(mu-O(2)CAr(4-FPh))(2)-(O(2)CAr(4-FPh))(2)(THF)(2)] (8) and [Fe(2)(mu-O(2)CAr(4-FPh))(4)(4-(t)BuC(5)H(4)N)(2)] (12). Dynamic motion in the primary coordination sphere controls the positioning of open sites and regulates the access of exogenous ligands, processes that also occur in non-heme diiron enzymes during catalysis.     

Elimination of amino acid interferences in the chiral ligand-exchange chromatographic analysis of lactic acid enantiomers in wine

Chiral ligand-exchange liquid chromatography is used to identify and quantitate lactic acid enantiomers in wines that have or have not undergone malolactic fermentation. The stationary phase is (R)-penicillamine, which is bound lipophilically to a C18 bonded silica matrix. The mobile phase is 1mM copper sulfate, and the detection mode is ultraviolet. Serious interference from (S)-aspartic acid and other amino acids is eliminated by the use of propanesulfonic acid-type cation exchange solid-phase extraction cartridges prior to chromatographic analysis. Lactic acid enantiomers in wine are quantitated in the range of 10 to 500 mg/L. The detection limit is 3 mg/L. The method is also successful in the determination of lactic acid enantiomers in certain beers (e.g., lambic beers), kim-chi, sauerkraut, and various yogurts.     

A series of long-chain lamellar hydrated copper(II) alkylsulfonates with different chain molecular assemblies

Reaction of copper(II) salts with n-alkylsulfonate anions yields light blue lamellar Cu(C(n)H(2n + 1)SO3)2 x zH2O displaying distinct (mono/bi-layer) chain packing with increasing alkyl chain lengths. This may be attributed to the amphiphilic nature of the surfactants, i.e., the hydrophilic sulfonate head groups, mediating the coordination, and H-bonding interactions, and the hydrophobic alkyl chains.     

Skin Necrosis due to Photodynamic Action of Benzoporphyrin Depends on Circulating Rather than Tissue Drug Levels: Implications for Control of Photodynamic Therapy

In an ideal world, photodynamic therapy (PDT) of abnormal tissue would reliably spare the surrounding normal tissue. Normal tissue responses set the limits for light and drug dosimetry. The threshold fluence for necrosis (TFN) was measured in normal skin following intravenous infusion with a photosensitizer, benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A (BPD-MA) Verteporfin as a function of drug dose (0.25-2.0 mg/kg), wavelength of irradiation (458 and 690 nm) and time interval (0–5h) between drug administration and irradiation. The BPD-MA levels were measured in plasma and skin tissue to elucidate the relationship between TFN, drug kinetics and biodistribution. The PDT response of normal skin was highly reproducible. The TFN for 458 and 690 nm wavelengths was nearly identical and the estimated quantum efficiency for skin response was equal at these two wavelengths. Skin phototoxicity, quantified in terms of 1/ TFN, closely correlated with the plasma pharmacokinetics rather than the tissue pharmacokinetics and was quadratically dependent on the plasma drug concentration regardless of the administered drug dose or time interval between drug and light exposure. This study strongly suggests that noninvasive measurements of the circulating drug level at the time of light treatment will be important for setting optimal light dosimetry for PDT with liposomal BPD-MA, a vascular photosensitizer.     

Analysis of anthracycline antitumour drugs in tissues and body fluids using liquid chromatography

Anthracyclines, with doxorubicin as the major representative, are amongst the most important chemotherapeutic agents used in cancer therapy. In order to reduce the severe side effects associated with their use, and to increase therapeutic efficacy, analogue development still continues, and analytical requirements change concomitantly. The available methods for bioanalysis of anthracyclines are summarized, with emphasis on high-performance liquid chromatography. Attention is paid to sample pretreatment, the possibilities of liquid—liquid and solid-phase extraction, and the chromatographic behaviour of the anthracyclines.     

Application of Arene-Ruthenium Chemistry to a Formal Total Synthesis of OF 4949 III

A convergent formal total synthesis of OF 4949 III is described. Arene-ruthenium chemistry was used in the construction of the diaryl ether linkage in high yield, and cycloamidation under high dilution conditions (0.005 M) was achieved using DPPA as coupling reagent. SmI(2) was used to reductively remove the 2-iodoethyl ester protecting group in the presence of DMPU or HMPA.     

Theoretical Study of Weakly Bound Dimers between Hydrogen Fluoride and Some Polar Molecules

Weakly bound linear and bent dimers, FH—X (where X = CO, OC, CNH, NCH, N₂O and ON₂), are investigated using the DFT B3LYP and ab initio MP2 methods with the same basis sets (6–311++G(3df,2pd)). The strengths of the H—C or H—N H‐bonds in dimers FH—CO, FH—CNH, and FH—N₂O are compared with those of the H—O or H—N H‐bonds in dimers FH—OC, FH—NCH, and FH—ON₂. The results obtained for the H‐bond distances, the elongation effect of the HF bond, the red shift of the HF stretching frequency, and the energy difference between the dimer and the charge transfer reveal that the H‐bonds of the first group of dimers are stronger than those of the second. The Gibbs energies calculated for the six dimer formations indicate that the weakly bound dimers are unstable at room temperature (T = 298 K) (FH—X's → FH + X's, ΔG < 0).     

Adsorption geometry of 4-picoline chemisorbed on the Cu(110) surface: a study of forces controlling molecular self-assembly

The adsorption of 4-picoline (4-methylpyridine) on the Cu(110) surface has been studied with time-of-flight electron stimulated desorption ion angular distribution (TOF-ESDIAD) and other methods. Using deuterium labeling in the methyl group and hydrogen labeling on the aromatic ring, it has been possible to separately monitor by TOF-ESDIAD the C-D bond directions and the C-H bond directions in the adsorbed molecule. These triangulation measurements have led to a detailed understanding of the conformation of the adsorbed molecule relative to the Cu(110) crystal lattice, allowing one to witness changes in the molecular conformation as adsorbate-adsorbate interactional effects take place for increasing coverages. At low coverages, the molecule adsorbs by the N atom at an atop Cu site with the aromatic ring parallel to the <001> azimuth and with the molecular axis inclined 33 (+/- 5) degrees along the <001> azimuth. As rows of 4-picoline molecules form long range ordered chain structures oriented along the <112> azimuth, the aromatic ring twists 29 degrees about the inclined molecular axis as a result of forces between the adsorbate molecules. The initial tilting of the molecular axis at low coverage is likely due to the interaction of the positive-outward dipole with its image in the substrate. The ring twist may result from dipoleminus signdipole forces between the adsorbate molecules in the rows formed tending to form nested parallel pyridine rings. These studies are the first to apply the TOF-ESDIAD method for the measurement of the direction of chemical bonds at more than one molecular location within an adsorbed molecule and the new method is named electron stimulated desorption-molecular triangulation (ESD-MT). The results obtained give information of importance in understanding the factors which control conformational effects during the molecular self-assembly of complex adsorbed molecules on surfaces.