Glycyl C(alpha) chemical shielding in tripeptides: measurement by solid-state NMR and correlation with X-ray structure and theory

We report here (13)C(alpha) chemical shielding parameters for central Gly residues in tripeptides adopting alpha-helix, beta-strand, polyglycine II, and fully extended 2 degrees structures. To assess experimental uncertainties in the shielding parameters and the effects of (14)N-(13)C(alpha) or (15)N-(13)C(alpha) dipolar coupling, stationary and magic angle spinning (MAS) spectra with and without (15)N decoupling were obtained from natural abundance and double-labeled samples containing [2-(13)C, (15)N]Gly. We find that accurate (<1 ppm uncertainty) shielding parameters are measured with good sensitivity and resolution in (15)N decoupled 1D or 2D MAS spectra of double-labeled samples. Compared to variations of isotropic shifts with peptide angles, those of (13)C(alpha) shielding anisotropy and asymmetry are greater. Trends relating shielding parameters to the 2 degrees structure are apparent, and the correlation of the experimental values with unscaled ab initio shielding calculations has an rms error of 3 ppm. Using the experimental data and the ab initio shielding values, the empirical trends relating the 2 degrees structure to shielding are extended to the larger range of torsion angles found in proteins.     

Remote sensing in an optically dense environment by using two-photon excited fluorescence and a single multimode fiber optic

The feasibility of remote sensing by means of two-photon excited molecular fluorescence was investigated by using a single 115-m multimode optical fibr.Because of modal dispersion and reflecton of Rayleigh scatter, time-resolved detection ws required to resolve the weak fluorescence from the relatively intense laser background. The bare-ended probe, which both delivered the excitation and collected the fluorescence emission, was employed to detect an analyte in an optically dense environment. For a fixed amount of fluorophore, the solvent was continuously changed from 90% (w/w) ethanol (non-absorbing) to 100% acetone (absorbing). The result was a flurorescence signal constant to within 5%. Quantitation via one-photon excitatation using a 50-cm optical fiber demonstrated the characteristic inner filter roll-off of optically dense systems. Because of th elarge attenuation of the waveguide in the ultraviolet range, remote sensing via one-photon excited fluorescence proved impossible. However, linear calibration plots for the nonlinear excitation process were obtained from micromolar to near saturation levels. Sources of interference were isolated, and the extension to a single-mode fiber was made.     

Synthesis,characterisation and solid state thermal behaviour of nickel(II) diamine complexes

Summary [NiL₂X₂] (L =N,N-dimethyl-1,2-ethanediamine; X = Cl^–, CF₃CO ₂ ^– , CC1₃CO ₂ ^– and CBr₃CO ₂ ^– ), [NiL₂C₂O₄] · H₂O and [NiL₂X₂] · 2 H₂O (X = Br^–, 0.5 SO ₄ ^2– and 0.5 SeO ₄ ^– ) have been synthesised and their thermal studies carried out. Thermally induced phase transition phenomena are noticed in [NiL₂X₂] (X = CF₃CO ₂ ^– and CCl₃CO ₂ ^– ) and their probable mechanisms are described. [NiL₂X₂] (X = Br^–, 0.5 SO ₄ ^2– and 0.5 SeO ₄ ^2– ) and [NiLX₂] (X = Cl^–, 0.5 C₂O ₄ ^2– and 0.5 SO ₄ ^2– ) have been prepared by solid state pyrolysis from the respective parent diamine complexes. [NiL₂X₂] have been made in solid state by temperature arrest technique from [NiL₂(CX₃CO₂)₂] (X = Cl^– and Br^–).     

Combined first-principles computational and experimental multinuclear solid-state NMR investigation of amino acids

13C, 14N, 15N, 17O, and 35Cl NMR parameters, including chemical shift tensors and quadrupolar tensors for 14N, 17O, and 35Cl, are calculated for the crystalline forms of various amino acids under periodic boundary conditions and complemented by experiment where necessary. The 13C shift tensors and 14N electric field gradient (EFG) tensors are in excellent agreement with experiment. Similarly, static 17O NMR spectra could be precisely simulated using the calculation of the full chemical shift (CS) tensors and their relative orientation with the EFG tensors. This study allows correlations to be found between hydrogen bonding in the crystal structures and the 17O NMR shielding parameters and the 35Cl quadrupolar parameters, respectively. Calculations using the two experimental structures for L-alanine have shown that, while the calculated isotropic chemical shift values of 13C and 15N are relatively insensitive to small differences in the experimental structure, the 17O shift is markedly affected.     

Condensed cyclic and bridged-ring systems. VII. Acid-catalysed cyclisation of methyl substituted benzylcyclohexanols. Factors influencing the nature of cyclisation products

The gross structures of the cyclised products from the acid-catalysed cyclisations of 2-benzyl-1, 3-dimethylcyclohexanol (6) and 1-benzyl-3, 5-dimethylcyclohexanol (11) revealing the influence of the structure of the benzylcyclohexanol derivative, and of the cyclisation reagent, have been evaluated. Polyphosphoric acid and aluminium chloride catalysed cyclisations of (6) result in the formation of predominantly 1, 4a-dimethyl-1, 2, 3, 4, 4a, 9a-hexahydrofluorene (7) and 4, 9-dimethyl-7, 8-benzobicyclo [3.3.1] non-7-ene (9) respectively. Under the same conditions, (11) produced cyclised products consisting mostly the benzobicyclo [3.3.1] non-7-ene derivative (12), characterised through 1,3-dimethyl-7,8-benzobicyclo [3.3.1] non-6-oxo-7-ene (14) by oxidation with chromium trioxide. Phosphorus pentoxide induced cyclisation of (6), followed by oxidation gave a mixture of the bridged-ring ketone (10) and the 9-oxohydrofluorene (8) in a ratio ofca. 3 : 2, whereas 2-benzyl-5-methylcyclohexanol (19) resulted in mostly 2-methyl-7,8-benzobicyclo [3.3.1] non-6-oxo-7-ene (19).     

Synthesis and properties of amphiphilic vinyl acetate triblock copolymers prepared by copper mediated living radical polymerisation

Polymerisation of vinyl acetate by conventional free radical polymerisation using a diazo initiator followed by copper mediated living radical polymerisation with a range of monomers was studied. This method led to the synthesis of triblock copolymers. We have thus successfully prepared several new ABA triblock copolymers where B is poly(vinyl acetate) and A is (dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), (polyethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (MeO(PEG)MA) or solketal methacrylate (SMA). The sequential conventional/living radical polymerisation approach provided an efficient route to synthesis of new block copolymers. The properties of these amphiphilic polymers have been subsequently investigated by ¹H NMR, fluorescence spectroscopy, tensiometry and dynamic light scattering to investigate their behaviour as potential surfactants.     

Performance of an ultra-low elution-volume 96-well plate: drug discovery and development applications

Recently, sample preparation has been considered to be the major cause of bottlenecks during high-throughput analysis. With the assistance of robotic liquid handlers and the 96-well plate format, more samples can be prepared for subsequent liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis. Protein precipitation is still widely used despite potential loss of sensitivity or variable results due to ion suppression. The use of solid-phase extraction (SPE) clearly gives superior results but may not be as cost effective as protein precipitation due to the labor and material costs associated with the process. Here, a novel 96-well SPE plate is described that was designed to minimize the elution volume required for quantitative elution of analytes. The plate is packed with 2 mg of a high-capacity SPE sorbent that allows loading of up to 750 microL of plasma, while the novel design permits elution with as little as 25 microL. Therefore, the plate offers up to a 15-fold increase in sample concentration. The evaporation and reconstitution step that is typically required in SPE is avoided due to the concentrating ability of the plate. Examples of applications in drug discovery/development are shown and results are compared to protein precipitation. Excellent sensitivity and linearity are demonstrated.     

Structural analyses and magnetic properties of 3D coordination polymeric networks of nickel(II) maleate and manganese(II) adipate with the flexible 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane ligand

Two novel inorganic-organic hybrid 3D extended networks of Ni(II) and Mn(II) having molecular formulas [(maleate)(2)Ni(3)(bpe)(4)(H(2)O)(4)](NO(3))(2).H(2)O (1) and [(adipate)Mn(bpe)] (2) (bpe = 1, 2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane), respectively, have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies and low-temperature (300-2 K) magnetic measurements. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group C2/c (No. 15), with chemical formula C(56)H(62)N(10)Ni(3)O(19), a = 30.955(4) A, b = 12.705(3) A, c = 17.058(5) A, beta = 117.26(2) degrees, and Z = 4. Compound 2 crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group Ponemacr; (No. 2), with chemical formula C(18)H(20)MnN(2)O(4), a = 8.492(2) A, b = 9.444(2) A, c = 11.533(3) A, alpha = 97.19(1) degrees, beta = 94.64(1) degrees, gamma = 105.02(1) degrees, and Z = 2. The structure determination reveals for both a 3D network. Compound 1 contains two crystallographically independent Ni(II) ions in different octahedral environments. Ni(1) lies on an inversion center, and its coordination environment comprises two chelating maleate anions and two bpe nitrogen donors, while the Ni(2) ion is surrounded by meridionally disposed three bpe N atoms, two water molecules, and one oxygen donor from the dicarboxylate anion. Of the three crystallographic independent bpe ligand, one presents an anti and the others a gauche conformation. The corresponding N-to-N distances are 9.344, 6.543, and 6.187 A. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurement of the complex reveals the existence of a dominant ferromagnetic interaction within the molecule. Compound 2 is composed of Mn(2) dimer units linked by adipate anions to form corrugated 2D sheets which, on interconnection through bpe (anti conformation, N-to-N distance of 9.391 A), produces an interpenetrated 3D alpha-polonium-related type net. Complex 2 reveals to be antiferromagnetic fitting data using a dimeric Mn(II) model that considers negligible magnetic transmission through the carbon skeleton of adipate and the bpe pathway.     

Electrical conductivity and phase transitions of the solid electrolyte system (Cs1−yRby)Cu4Cl3(I2−xClx)

Results of electrical conductivity measurements, thermal analysis, and X-ray diffraction studies indicate the existence of four phases, between 295 K and the melting points, in the system (Cs_1?yRb_y)Cu₄Cl₃I₂. These phases are designated α, á β, γ in order of decreasing temperature. The α phase is isostructural with α-RbAg₄I₅; the á phase is also cubic and very likely belongs to space groupP2₁3, a subgroup ofP4₁32 andP4₃32 to which the α phase belongs. There is a high probability that the á → α transition is continuous. The á → α transition is not discernible in the conductivity measurements or thermal analysis; therefore the line of á-α transitions is presently unknown. The β phase transforms to the á and the γ phase transforms to the β phase wheny ≤ 0.36; the γ phase transforms to the α phase wheny ≥ 0.36. That is, there is a triple point aty = 0.36, T = 399K. The γ-β, β-α′, and γ-α transitions are all hysteretic and are therefore first order. The conductivities of the β phases are relatively low and the enthalpies of activation relatively high. The conductivity of the β phase decreases with increasingy. The β phase probably belongs to space groupR3, in which the Cu⁺ ions can be ordered. The α and á phases are the true solid electrolytes; the conductivities are high, >0.73 Ω^?1cm^?1 at 419 K, and the enthalpies of activation of motion of the Cu⁺ ions low, 0.11 eV.In the system CsCu₄Cl₃(I_2?xCl_x), 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25, the Cl^? for I^? substitutions affect the transitions to only a small extent relative to the stoichiometric compound. The β phase occurs for allx and transforms to á.     

Gravimetric determination of osmium with 1:2:3-benzotriazole

A method for the direct gravimetric determination of osmium with 1:2:3-benzotriazole in acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer is presented. The method is accurate and reproducible, and the conditions used in the determination are not critical. The precipitate is a stoichiometric compound which is stable from room temperature up to 200°. It appears that 1:2:3-benzotriazole is probably the first organic reagent to be used successfully in the direct gravimetric determination of osmium.