Key role of active-site water molecules in bacteriorhodopsin proton-transfer reactions

The functional mechanism of the light-driven proton pump protein bacteriorhodopsin depends on the location of water molecules in the active site at various stages of the photocycle and on their roles in the proton-transfer steps. Here, free energy computations indicate that electrostatic interactions favor the presence of a cytoplasmic-side water molecule hydrogen bonding to the retinal Schiff base in the state preceding proton transfer from the retinal Schiff base to Asp85. However, the nonequilibrium nature of the pumping process means that the probability of occupancy of a water molecule in a given site depends both on the free energies of insertion of the water molecule in this and other sites during the preceding photocycle steps and on the kinetic accessibility of these sites on the time scale of the reaction steps. The presence of the cytoplasmic-side water molecule has a dramatic effect on the mechanism of proton transfer: the proton is channeled on the Thr89 side of the retinal, whereas the transfer on the Asp212 side is hindered. Reaction-path simulations and molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the presence of the cytoplasmic-side water molecule permits a low-energy bacteriorhodopsin conformer in which the water molecule bridges the twisted retinal Schiff base and the proton acceptor Asp85. From this low-energy conformer, proton transfer occurs via a concerted mechanism in which the water molecule participates as an intermediate proton carrier.     

Lithiation of 2-Alkyl-3-amino- and 2-Alkyl-3-(methylamino)-4(3H)-quinazolinones(1)

3-Amino-2-methyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone has been doubly lithiated, on nitrogen and in the 2-methyl group, with n-butyllithium. The lithium reagent thus obtained reacts with a variety of electrophiles (D(2)O, benzophenone, cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, acetophenone, benzaldehyde, tetraisopropylthiuram disulfide (TITD)) to give the corresponding 2-substituted derivatives in very good yields. Reactions of the dilithio reagent with 2 molar equiv of methyl iodide or phenyl isocyanate give disubstituted derivatives. Double lithiation of the 2-ethyl and 2-propyl analogues have been achieved using LDA, and subsequent reactions with most electophiles are then similar. In the reaction of the dianion of the 2-ethyl compound with TITD, deamination from position 3 takes place with the formation of the 2-substituted derivative. In reactions with prochiral ketones, the dianion of the 2-ethyl compound gives very high diastereoselectivity. Lithiation and subsequent reactions of 3-(methylamino) analogues take place in a similar manner, thus providing access to a range of substituted 3-(methylamino)-2-alkyl-4(3H)-quinazolinones by a general procedure. Lithiation of 3-(dimethylamino)-2-ethyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone did not take place under similar conditions. Lithiation of 3-amino-2-unsubstituted-4(3H)-quinazolinone was also unsuccessful.     

Microwave-assisted sample preparation in analytical chemistry

The speed and efficiency of instrumentation for chemical analysis has improved dramatically over the past twenty years. Until recently, however, methods of sample preparation had not changed to keep pace, so this had become the slowest step in analytical chemistry methodology. The widespread adoption of domestic microwave ovens during the past twenty-five years has eventually led to their usage in chemical laboratories. Microwave technology has now advanced to the point where it is revolutionizing chemical sample preparation and chemical synthesis. Since the first application of a microwave oven for sample preparation in 1975, many microwave-assisted dissolution methods have been developed - these are applicable to virtually any kind of sample type. This review attempts to summarize all the microwave-assisted dissolution and digestion methods reported up to and including 1994. In addition, some very recent developments in continuous-flow automated dissolution systems are discussed, as is the emergence of databases and software packages related to the application of microwave technology to sample dissolution. There are 344 references.     

The dynamic movement of plutonium in an underground nuclear test with implications for the contamination of groundwater

Summary The recent discovery of the migration of plutonium in groundwater away from underground nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site has spawned considerable interest in the mechanisms by which plutonium may be released to the environment by a nuclear explosion. A suite of solid debris samples was collected during drilling through an expended test cavity and the overlying collapse chimney. Uranium and plutonium were analyzed for isotope ratios and concentrations using high precision magnetic sector inductively coupled mass spectrometry. The data unequivocally shows that plutonium may be dispersed throughout the cavity and chimney environment at the time of the detonation. The ²³⁹Pu/²⁴⁰Pu ratios are also fractionated relative to initial plutonium isotope ratio for the test device. Fractionation is the result of the volatilization of uranium and production of ²³⁹Pu by the reaction ²³⁸U(n,γ). We conclude that for the test under consideration plutonium was deposited outside of the confines of the cavity by dynamic processes in early-time and it is this plutonium that is most likely transferred to the groundwater regime.     

Addition of palladium and platinum tri-tert-butylphosphine groups to Re-Sn and Re-Ge bonds

The reaction of Re2(CO)8[mu-eta2-C(H)=C(H)Bu(n)](mu-H) with Ph3SnH at 68 degrees C yielded the new compound Re2(CO)8(mu-SnPh2)2 (10) which contains two SnPh2 ligands bridging two Re(CO)(4) groups, joined by an unusually long Re-Re bond. Fenske-Hall molecular orbital calculations indicate that the bonding in the Re2Sn2 cluster is dominated by strong Re-Sn interactions and that the Re-Re interactions are weak. The 119Sn M?ssbauer spectrum of 10 exhibits a doublet with an isomer shift (IS) of 1.674(12) mm s(-1) and a quadrupole splitting (QS) of 2.080(12) mm s(-1) at 90 K,characteristic of Sn(IV) in a SnA2B2 environment. The IS is temperature dependent, -1.99(14) x 10(-4) mm s(-1) K(-1); the QS is temperature independent. The temperature-dependent properties are consistent with the known Gol'danskii-Kariagin effect. The germanium compound Re2(CO)8(mu-GePh2)2 (11) was obtained from the reaction of Re2(CO)8[mu-eta2-C(H)=C(H)Bu(n)](mu-H) with Ph3GeH. Compound 11 has a structure similar to that of 10. The reaction of 10 with Pd(PBu(t)3)2 at 25 degrees C yielded the bis-Pd(PBu(t)3) adduct, Re2(CO)8(mu-SnPh2)2[Pd(PBu(t)3)]2 (12); it has two Pd(PBu(t)3) groups bridging two of the four Re-Sn bonds in 10. Fenske-Hall molecular orbital calculations show that the Pd(PBu(t)3) groups form three-center two-electron bonds with the neighboring rhenium and tin atoms. The mono- and bis-Pt(PBu(t)3) adducts, Re2(CO)8(mu-SnPh2(2)[Pt(PBu(t)3)] (13) and Re2(CO)8(mu-SnPh2)2[Pt(PBu(t)3)]2 (14), were formed when 10 was treated with Pt(PBu(t)3)2. A mono adduct of 11, Re2(CO)8(mu-GePh2)2[Pt(PBu(t)3)] (15), was obtained similarly from the reaction of 11 with Pt(PBu(t)3)2.     

Variable low-mass filtering using an electrodynamic ion funnel

An adjustable low-mass filter has been developed for an electrospray ionization (ESI) source to block ions associated with unwanted background species from entering the mass spectrometer. The low-mass filter is made by using an adjustable potential energy barrier from the conductance-limiting plate of an electrodynamic ion funnel, which prohibits species with higher ion mobilities from exiting the ESI source. We show that this arrangement provides a linear voltage adjustment for low-mass filtering from m/z 0 to 500. Mass filtering above m/z 500 is also performed; however, higher-mass species are attenuated. The mass filter was tested with a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis of a bovine serum albumin (BSA) tryptic digest and resulted in the ability to block low-mass, background species, which accounted for 40-70% of the total ion current immediately behind the ESI source during peak elution and detection.