The microwave spectrum of thioformaldehyde,CD2S,and CH2S: Average structure,dipole moments,and 33S quadrupole coupling

Microwave transitions up to J = 53 in the ground vibrational state of deuterothioformaldehyde, CD₂S, were studied between 8 and 40 GHz. A detailed centrifugal distortion analysis yields accurate constants for comparison with force field values. The isotopic species ¹³CH₂S, CH₂³⁴S, CH₂³³S, ¹³CD₂S, CD₂³⁴S, and CD₂³³S were studied in natural abundance. Accurate average zero-point structures were determined for both CD₂S and CH₂S:

$\text{CH}{}_2\text{S}\text{CS}\text{=1.6138(4)}\text{CH}\text{= 1.0962(6)}\text{A}\text{?}\text{∠}\text{HCH}\text{=116° 16(6)′,}\text{CD}{}_2\text{S}\text{CS}\text{=1.6136(4)}\text{CD}\text{= 1.0931(4)}\text{A}\text{?}\text{∠}\text{DCD}\text{=116° 25(5)′}$

Changes in the zero-point geometry for deuterium substitution were established. Quadrupole fine structure arising from the ³³S nucleus has been measured in CH₂³³S and CD₂³³S. Analysis gives the following coupling constants (for both molecules) as χ_aa = ?11.7 and χ_bb - χ_cc = 88.1 MHz. The dipole moment of CD₂S was measured to be 1.6588(8)D and an accurate comparison with CH₂S was made; the ratio of dipole moments $\text{CD}{}_2\text{S}\text{CH}{}_2\text{S}$ was found to be 1.0062(4). The spectroscopic and bonding properties of CH₂S will be compared with formaldehyde and other molecules.     

First in vitro directed biosynthesis of new compounds by a minimal type II polyketide synthase: evidence for the mechanism of chain length determination

The minimal actinorhodin polyketide synthase bearing two point mutations (KSbeta Q161A, ACP C17S) was chemically modified to carry novel C4 to C8 starter units on the ACP: on incubation with an excess of malonyl CoA new 16-carbon polyketides are made, supporting a measuring mechanism.     

Conformation of Tax-response elements in the human T-cell leukemia virus type I promoter

Background: HTLV I Tax is believed to activate viral gene expression by binding bZIP proteins (such as CRIB) and increasing their affinities for proviral THE target sites. Each 21 by THE target site contains an imperfect copy of the intrinsically bent CRE target site (the TRE core) surrounded by highly conserved flanking sequences. These flanking sequences are essential for maximal increases in DNA affinity and transactivation, but they are not, apparently, contacted by protein. Here we employ non-denaturing gel electrophoresis to evaluate TRE conformation in the presence and absence of bZIP proteins, and to explore the role of DNA conformation in viral transactivation.Results: Our results show that the TRE-1 flanking sequences modulate the structure and modestly increase the affinity of a CREB bZIP peptide for the TRE-1 core recognition sequence. These flanking sequences are also essential for a maximal increase in stability of the CREB-DNA complex in the presence of Tax.Conclusions: The CRE-like TRE core and the TRE flanking sequences are both essential for formation of stable CRIB-TRE-1 and Tax-CREB-TRE-1 complexes. These two DNA segments may have co-evolved into a unique structure capable of recognizing Tax and a bZIP protein.     

Rapid and flexible synthesis of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate, the substrate for 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase

1-Deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate (DXP) is a key intermediate in the non-mevalonate pathway to terpenoids in bacteria, and it is the substrate for the enzyme 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXP-R). In order to study the mechanism of DXP-R, we required a flexible synthesis of the substrate which would allow the incorporation of isotopic labels, and the variation of the two stereocentres. Thus 1,4-dihydroxypent-2-yne was selectively reduced to give the E-olefin, and selective phosphorylation of the primary alcohol followed by oxidation of the secondary alcohol gave a substrate suitable for dihydroxylation. Dihydroxylation using stoichiometric OsO4 in the presence of chiral ligands gave protected DXP in high ee. Final hydrogenolysis gave DXP in quantitative yield and high purity. DXP-R was produced by rapid cloning of the dxr gene from Escherichia coli through controlled expression and ion exchange chromatography. The synthetic DXP was fully active in enzyme assays catalysed by recombinant DXP-R.     

Synthesis and biological activities of tetrahydroquinazoline analogs of aminopterin and methotrexate

(6R,6S)-5,8-Dideaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroaminopterin ( 1 ) and (6R,6S)-5,8-dideaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydromethotrexate ( 2 ) were synthesized as potential inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and as antitumor agents. Cyclohexanone-4-carboxaldehyde dimethyl acetal, a key intermediate [10] was synthesized from cyclohexane-1,4-dione monoethylene ketal, which was converted via a Wittig reaction to its exocyclic 4-methylene derivative which in turn, was converted to the 4-aldehyde via a hydroboration-oxidation sequence. Selective protection of the 4-aldehyde as the dimethylacetal and cyclization with dicyandiamide afforded the 6-dimethylacetal of 2,4-diamino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazoline. Protection of the 2,4-diamino moieties and selective deprotection of the 6-aldehyde followed by reductive amination with p-aminobenzoyl-L-glutamate afforded 2,4-bisacetamido-5,8-dideaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroaminopterin ( 11 ). Deprotection of 11 afforded 1 . Compound 2 was obtained from 11 via N¹⁰-methylation and deprotection. The N¹⁰-methyl analogue 2 was 2–10 fold more potent than 1 as an inhibitor of various DHFRs. In the in vitro preclinical screening program of the National Cancer Institute, compound 2 inhibited the growth of eighteen of the twenty nine tumor cell lines in culture at a GI₅₀ > 1.0 × 10^?8 M.     

Efficient NMR enantiodiscrimination of bridge fluorinated paracyclophanes using lanthanide tris β-diketonate complexes

A selection of amino-substituted 1,1,2,2,9,9,10,10 octafluoro[2.2]paracyclophanes were tested for enantiodiscrimination by ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy via their interaction with different lanthanide tris β-diketonate chiral shift reagents. The amino-, and the pseudo-ortho di-amino substituted octafluoro[2.2]paracyclophanes, both of which exhibit planar chirality, revealed significant shifts and splittings of various ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR signals upon the addition of the chiral shift reagents, which allowed the easy determination of the enantiomeric purity. When the chiral shift reagent was added to an inseparable mixture of the (chiral) pseudo-meta, and (achiral) pseudo-para diamino analogues, both the chiral and achiral molecules revealed NMR doubling. In the case of the achiral molecule, this NMR behavior is due to the meso nature of the pseudo-para species.     

Adsorption and Desorption of the Herbicide Thiazafluron as A Function of Soil Properties

Abstract

The effect of soil composition on the adsorption and desorption of the herbicide thiazafluron [1.3-dimethyl-1-(5-trifluoromethyl-1,2,3-thiadiazol-2-yl) urea] by 20 soil samples of 13 selected soil profiles of southern Spain has been studied. The adsorption curves conformed the Freundlich equation and the values of the constants, Kf and nf, ranged from 0.13 to 4.64 and from 0.14 to 1.30, respectively. The simple and multiple regression analysis between Kf and soil properties revealed soil clay content, illite content and CEC as fundamental factors determining thiazafluron adsorption by soils. Unlike other substituted ureas, non significant correlation was found with soil organic matter. Desorption of thiazafluron was hysteretic in all cases, showing and values much lower than those for adsorption. Desorption kinetic indicated that this hysteresis is essentially due to irreversible adsorption, although some degradation seems also to occur. The Freundlich desorption Kfd values were closely related to the same factors as Kf: clay and illite contents and also montmorillonite content, suggesting that most of the hysteresis was due to thiazafluron irreversibly bound to soil clay mineral components.     

A variant of Shelah's characterization of Strong Chang's Conjecture

Shelah considered a certain version of Strong Chang's Conjecture which we denote , and proved that it is equivalent to several statements, including the assertion that Namba forcing is semiproper. We introduce an apparently weaker version, denoted , and prove an analogous characterization of it. In particular, is equivalent to the assertion that the the Friedman‐Krueger poset is semiproper. This strengthens and sharpens results by Cox and sheds some light on problems posed by Usuba, Torres‐Perez and Wu.