Two-dimensional protein database of human pancreas

We report here the two-dimensional protein database of human pancreas. The proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Totally, 302 proteins were identified, of which about 27% were enzymes with a broad range of catalytic activities. Several of these are specifically expressed in pancreas, such as pancreatic amylase, pancreatic stone protein, pancreatitis-associated protein, pancreatic lipase, pancreatic elastase, etc. Structural and cytoskeletal proteins are also strongly represented on the gels. Thus, the pancreatic proteome reflects the organ's function. This work paves the way for further studies on pancreatic protein expression in health and disease, such as diabetes and pancreatic cancer.     

Determination of (R)- and (S)-phenprocoumon in human plasma by enantioselective liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry

Phenprocoumon is a commonly used oral anticoagulant of the coumarin type, and has found extensive clinical use in the treatment of thrombophlebitis, pulmonary embolism and atrial fibrillation. In the course of a clinical study to investigate the influence of genetic polymorphisms of the CYP2C9 enzyme on phenprocoumon metabolism, we developed a new enantioselective liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method to quantify (R)- and (S)-phenprocoumon in human plasma. HPLC separation of the enantiomers was achieved on a Chira-Grom-2 column under isocratic conditions using a water/acetonitrile/formic acid eluent. For detection and quantification a triple-quadrupole MS system was used in the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. As an internal standard the structurally homologous compound warfarin was chosen. The detector response was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.988-0.999 for (R)-phenprocoumon and 0.989-0.999 for (S)-phenprocoumon in the investigated concentration range between 62.5 and 1000 ng/mL (per enantiomer). The limit of detection (LOD) was 12.5 ng/mL.     

The aza-xylylene Diels-Alder approach for the synthesis of naturally occurring 2-alkyl tetrahydroquinolines

The recently discovered intramolecular aza-xylylene Diels-Alder reaction, based on a 1,4-dehydrohalogenation reaction, was extended in terms of substrates and leaving groups allowing the assembly of tetrahydroquinolines in two synthetic steps. Intramolecular cleavage of a thiocarbamate using triphenylphosphine and tetrachloromethane (Appel conditions) to give chloromethyl phenylisocyanate has been presented for the first time. The synthetic feasibility of this process was demonstrated in the first total syntheses of the alkaloids rac-Angustureine and 1-methyl-2-propyltetrahydroquinoline.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

An on-line potentiometric sequential injection titration process analyser for the determination of acetic acid

An on-line potentiometric sequential injection titration process analyser for the determination of acetic acid is proposed. A solution of 0.1 mol L(-1) sodium chloride is used as carrier. Titration is achieved by aspirating acetic acid samples between two strong base-zone volumes into a holding coil and by channelling the stack of well-defined zones with flow reversal through a reaction coil to a potentiometric sensor where the peak widths were measured. A linear relationship between peak width and logarithm of the acid concentration was obtained in the range 1-9 g/100 mL. Vinegar samples were analysed without any sample pre-treatment. The method has a relative standard deviation of 0.4% with a sample frequency of 28 samples per hour. The results revealed good agreement between the proposed sequential injection and an automated batch titration method.     

Catalysts for the living insertion polymerization of alkenes: access to new polyolefin architectures using Ziegler-Natta chemistry

Coordination-insertion polymerization systems have long been superior to their anionic, cationic, and radical polymerization counterparts with regard to stereochemical control. However, until five years ago, these metal-based insertion methods were inferior to ionic and radical mechanisms in the category of living polymerization, which is simply a polymerization that occurs with rapid initiation and negligible chain termination or transfer. In the last half decade, the living insertion polymerization of unactivated olefins has emerged as a powerful tool for the synthesis of new polymer architectures. Materials available today by this route range from simple homopolymers such as linear and branched polyethylene, to atactic or tactic poly(alpha-olefins), to end-functionalized polymers and block copolymers. This review article summarizes recent developments in this rapidly growing research area at the interface of synthetic and mechanistic organometallic chemistry, polymer chemistry, and materials science. While special emphasis is placed on polymer properties and novel polymeric architectures, most of which were inaccessible just a decade ago, important achievements with respect to ligand and catalyst design are also highlighted.