Design,synthesis, and evaluation of 6-carboxyalkyl and 6-phosphonoxyalkyl derivatives of 7-oxo-8-ribitylaminolumazines as inhibitors of riboflavin synthase and lumazine synthase

A series of 6-carboxyalkyl and 6-phosphonoxyalkyl derivatives of 7-oxo-8-D-ribityllumazine were synthesized as inhibitors of both Escherichia coli riboflavin synthase and Bacillus subtilis lumazine synthase. The compounds were designed to bind to both the ribitylpurine binding site and the phosphate binding site of lumazine synthase. In the carboxyalkyl series, maximum activity against both enzymes was observed with the 3'-carboxypropyl compound 22. Lengthening or shortening the chain linking the carboxyl group to the lumazine by one carbon resulted in decreased activity. In the phosphonoxyalkyl series, the 3'-phosphonoxypropyl compound 33 was more potent than the 4'-phosphonoxybutyl derivative 39 against lumazine synthase, but it was less potent against riboflavin synthase. Molecular modeling suggested that the terminal carboxyl group of 6-(3'-carboxypropyl)-7-oxo-8-D-ribityllumazine (22) may bind to the side chains of Arg127 and Lys135 of the enzyme. A hypothetical molecular model was also constructed for the binding of 6-(2'-carboxyethyl)-7-oxolumazine (15) in the active site of E. coli riboflavin synthase, which demonstrated that the active site could readily accommodate two molecules of the inhibitor.     

Long-lived triplet charge-separated state in naphthalenediimide based donor–acceptor systems

1,4,5,8-Naphthalenediimides (NDIs) are widely used motifs to design multichromophoric architectures due to their ease of functionalisation, their high oxidative power and the stability of their radical anion. The NDI building block can be incorporated in supramolecular systems by either core or imide functionalization. We report on the charge-transfer dynamics of a series of electron donor–acceptor dyads consisting of a NDI chromophore with one or two donors linked at the axial, imide position. Photo-population of the core-centred π–π* state is followed by ultrafast electron transfer from the electron donor to the NDI. Due to a solvent dependent singlet–triplet equilibrium inherent to the NDI core, both singlet and triplet charge-separated states are populated. We demonstrate that long-lived charge separation in the triplet state can be achieved by controlling the mutual orientation of the donor–acceptor sub-units. By extending this study to a supramolecular NDI-based cage, we also show that the triplet charge-separation yield can be increased by tuning the environment.

Ultrafast electron transfer from singlet and triplet excited states in equilibrium results in the population of both singlet and triplet charge-separated states.     

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-thermospray mass spectrometry of radiation-induced decomposition products of thymine and thymidine.

High-performance liquid chromatography-thermospray mass spectrometry was applied to the analysis of various radiation-induced decomposition products of thymidine including N-(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)formamide and the various diastereomers of 5,6-dihydroxy-5,6-dihydrothymidine, 5-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrothymidine and 5,6-dihydrothymidine. This method combines high sensitivity and product resolution, rendering it particularly useful for monitoring the formation of radiation-induced base damage within DNA.     

The solvent extraction of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) with benzil mono(2-quinolyl)hydrazone

Benzil mono(2-quinolyl)hydrazone, BmQH, has been studied as an extracting agent for Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II). Though the uncomplexed ligand remains undissociated in the pH range 3.5-10, it can lose a proton on complexation with metals, owing to the electron-withdrawing effects of neighbouring groups. The dependence of degree of extraction on pH indicates that complexes of both Cu(2+) and Cu(OH)(+) are extracted. Cu(BmQH)(2) and Cu(OH)BmQH species are extracted into MIBK, and the Cu(OH)BmQH complex is extracted into benzene. In the vicinity of pH 5.5-6, extraction efficiencies greater than 95% can be achieved with both solvents. Both Ni(II) and Co(II) also show dependence of extraction on pH, but precipitation of both metals in the vicinity of pH 6 limits further studies.     

Matched/Mismatched interaction of a cyclic hexapeptide with ion pairs containing chiral cations and chiral anions

The binding of a chiral quaternary ammonium ion to a cyclopeptide containing aromatic amino acid subunits is affected not only by the configuration of the cation but also by the configuration of the chiral counterion. Analysis of the binding equilibria shows that complex formation involves interaction of the whole ion pair with the host indicating that steric requirements of the anion influence complex geometry and stability.     

Structural and magnetic properties of hexagonal perovskites La1.2Sr2.7MO7.33 (M = Ru, Ir) containing peroxide ions

The structures of the new compound La(1.2)Sr(2.7)IrO(7.33) and the recently discovered La(1.2)Sr(2.7)RuO(7.33) have been solved using a combination of X-ray and neutron diffraction. Both compounds crystallize in the trigonal space group Rm and consist of isolated MO6 (M = Ru, Ir) octahedra, which are arranged in well-defined hexagonal perovskite slabs. These slabs are separated by (Sr2O(1+delta)) layers containing both O2- and (O2)2- ions. The composition can therefore be written as La(1.2)Sr(2.7)MO(7-delta)(O2)delta with delta = 0.33. Results of the magnetic susceptibility and XANES measurements show that the transition metal cations are in a pentavalent state. While in La(1.2)Sr(2.7)RuO(7.33) an antiferromagnetic interaction between the Ru5+ ions is found, La(1.2)Sr(2.7)IrO(7.33) shows a very small temperature-independent paramagnetism down to 1.8 K due to the strong spin-orbit coupling characteristic for the 5d element iridium.     

The asymmetric syntheses of the C-1 sidechains of zaragozic acid A and zaragozic acid C

The asymmetric syntheses of the C-1 sidechains of zaragozic acid A and C are described. Aldol reaction defines the chirality at C-4′and C-5′in two independent routes. Multigram preparation as well as a route amenable to derivatization are highlights of these approaches.     

Practical asymmetric enzymatic reduction through discovery of a dehydrogenase-compatible biphasic reaction media

[reaction: see text] An enzyme-compatible biphasic reaction media for the asymmetric biocatalytic reduction of ketones with in situ cofactor regeneration has been developed. In this biphasic reaction media, which is advantageous for reactions at higher substrate concentrations, both enzymes (alcohol dehydrogenase and FDH from Candida boidinii) remain stable. The reductions with poorly water-soluble ketones were carried out at substrate concentrations of 10-200 mM, and the optically active (S)-alcohols were formed with moderate to good conversions and with up to >99% ee.     

Synthesis of part of a proposed insulin second messenger glycosylinositol phosphate and the inner core of glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors

Synthesis of 6-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy--D-glucopyranosyl)-D-myo-inositol 1-phosphate, an inner core structure found in various glycosylphosphatidylinositols, and the corresponding 1,2-cyclic phosphate, proposed as part of an insulin second messenger glycosylinositol phosphate, is described. Chirality in the inositol part of the molecule was achieved by the use of a known D-camphor acetal intermediate. The glycosylation used 4-O-allyl-2-azido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy--D-glucopyranosyl fluoride as glycosyl donor. The allyl group can be chemoselectively removed, opening a route to oligosaccharides bound to the 4-position of the glucosamine unit. The phosphorylation was accomplished by the phosphoramidate procedure.     

Nordesferriferrithiocin. Comparative Coordination Chemistry of a Prospective Therapeutic Iron Chelating Agent(1)

Nordesferriferrithiocin, NDFFTH(2), is a derivative of the siderophore desferriferrithiocin, DFFTH(2), in which the methyl group is substituted by a hydrogen atom. Both compounds show high oral activity as possible drugs for the treatment of iron overload. While DFFTH(2) is significantly toxic, NDFFTH(2) exhibits a lower toxicity and offers a much better therapeutic window than other orally active iron chelators. In this study, complexes of DFFTH(2) and NDFFTH(2) with various trivalent metals have been synthesized and characterized. Five isomers (the maximum possible) have been observed in the case of [Co(DFFT)(2)](-) in solution, as proved by (1)H-NMR measurements. Although normally labile, complexes of Al(3+) ([Al(DFFT)(2)](-)) have been separated by HPLC. In general, DFFTH(2) forms kinetically inert complexes whereas complexes of NDFFTH(2) tend to isomerize quickly in solution, as indicated by CD spectroscopy of separated HPLC fractions of [Cr(NDFFT)(2)](-). The most stable isomers of the aluminum complexes of both ligands have been characterized by X-ray crystallography; K[Al(DFFT)(2)] crystallizes from methanol/diethyl ether in the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2 with a = 11.238(3) ?, b = 31.719(11) ?, c = 7.684(2) ?, V = 2739.2(24) ?(3), and Z = 4. This isomer has the mer-(N,O-Lambda)(S,S) configuration, while K[Al(NDFFT)(2)] crystallizes from methanol/diethyl ether in the space group P6(1) (a = 21.269(8) ?, c = 9.643(3) ?, V = 3777.8(42) ?(3), Z = 6) and has the same coordination geometry. The solution thermodynamics of the Al(3+), Ga(3+), and Fe(3+) complexes have been studied by spectrophotometric titration. The stability constants (log K) are 23.6(1), 29.2(3), and 31.04(3), respectively, for the DFFTH(2) complexes and 22.0(1), 27.8(2), and 29.09(3), respectively, for the NDFFTH(2) complexes. Cyclic voltammograms of both iron complexes have been recorded in water at a carbon disk working electrode and in DMF at a graphite working electrode. The reduction waves measured in DMF indicate no reversibility whereas in water a quasi-reversible reduction is observed. The reduction potentials (E(1/2)'s) in water are -166 mV for [Fe(DFFT)(2)](-) and -97 mV for [Fe(NDFFT)(2)](-) versus NHE. These potentials are well in the range for biological reductants, which makes possible an in vivo reduction mechanism for the iron removal from the siderophore.