Alkyne haloallylation [with Pd(II)] as a core strategy for macrocycle synthesis: a total synthesis of (-)-haterumalide NA/(-)-oocydin A

The rarely used haloallylation reaction, first described by Kaneda and Teranishi in 1974, employs a Pd(II) catalyst to join an alkyne with an allylic halide to produce a 1-halo-1,4-diene subunit. It is shown here that functionalized and tertiary allylic chlorides perform well as substrates in this reaction under the action of PdCl2(PhCN)2 in THF solution. When the alkyne is added slowly to the reaction mixture, the two reactants can be used in a nearly equimolar ratio. This fact means (i) that reasonably complex pairs of alkyne and allylic halide substrates are tolerated and, therefore, (ii) that an intramolecular version of the reaction is suitable as a core strategy for complex molecule construction. The latter is demonstrated in the macrocyclization of 2b to 17b, which is the central step in the total synthesis of (-)-haterumalide NA/(-)-oocydin A (1) that is reported. The final key to the completion of the synthesis was the choice of the acid-labile PMB ester of 1 as the penultimate intermediate.     

Photoelectrochemistry on Ru(II)-2,2'-bipyridine-phosphonate-derivatized TiO2 with the I3-/I- and quinone/hydroquinone relays. Design of photoelectrochemical synthesis cells

Photocurrent measurements have been made on nanocrystalline TiO2 surfaces derivatized by adsorption of a catalyst precursor, [Ru(tpy)(bpy(PO3H2)2)(OH2)]2+, or chromophore, [Ru(bpy)2 (bpy(PO3H2)2)]2+ (tpy is 2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine, bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, and bpy(PO3H2)2 is 2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-diphosphonic acid), and on surfaces containing both complexes. This is an extension of earlier work on an adsorbed assembly containing both catalyst and chromophore. The experiments were carried out with the I3-/I- or quinone/hydroquinone (Q/H2Q) relays in propylene carbonate, propylene carbonate-water mixtures, and acetonitrile-water mixtures. Electrochemical measurements show that oxidation of surface-bound Ru(III)-OH2(3+) to Ru(IV)=O(2+) is catalyzed by the bpy complex. Addition of aqueous 0.1 M HClO4 greatly decreases photocurrent efficiencies for adsorbed [Ru(tpy)(bpy(PO3H2)2)(OH2)]2+ with the I3-/I- relay, but efficiencies are enhanced for the Q/H2Q relay in both propylene carbonate-HClO4 and acetonitrile-HClO4 mixtures. The dependence of the incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) on added H2Q in 95% propylene carbonate and 5% 0.1 M HClO4 is complex and can be interpreted as changing from rate-limiting diffusion to the film at low H2Q to rate-limiting diffusion within the film at high H2Q. There is no evidence for photoelectrochemical cooperativity on mixed surfaces containing both complexes with the IPCE response reflecting the relative surface compositions of the two complexes. These results provide insight into the possible design of photoelectrochemical synthesis cells for the oxidation of organic substrates.     

Automated electrochemical synthesis and photoelectrochemical characterization of Zn1-xCo(x)O thin films for solar hydrogen production

High-throughput electrochemical methods have been developed for the investigation of Zn1-xCo(x)O films for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production from water. A library of 120 samples containing 27 different compositions (0 相似文献   

Synthesis, structure determination, and spectroscopic/computational characterization of a series of Fe(II)-thiolate model complexes: implications for Fe-S bonding in superoxide reductases

A combined synthetic/spectroscopic/computational approach has been employed to prepare and characterize a series of Fe(II)-thiolate complexes that model the square-pyramidal [Fe(II)(N(His))(4)(S(Cys))] structure of the reduced active site of superoxide reductases (SORs), a class of enzymes that detoxify superoxide in air-sensitive organisms. The high-spin (S = 2) Fe(II) complexes [(Me(4)cyclam)Fe(SC(6)H(4)-p-OMe)]OTf (2) and [FeL]PF(6) (3) (where Me(4)cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetramethylcyclam and L is the pentadentate monoanion of 1-thioethyl-4,8,11-trimethylcyclam) were synthesized and subjected to structural, magnetic, and electrochemical characterization. X-ray crystallographic studies confirm that 2 and 3 possess an N(4)S donor set similar to that found for the SOR active site and reveal molecular geometries intermediate between square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal for both complexes. Electronic absorption, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and variable-temperature variable-field MCD (VTVH-MCD) spectroscopies were utilized, in conjunction with density functional theory (DFT) and semiemperical INDO/S-CI calculations, to probe the ground and excited states of complexes 2 and 3, as well as the previously reported Fe(II) SOR model [(L(8)py(2))Fe(SC(6)H(4)-p-Me)]BF(4) (1) (where L(8)py(2) is a tetradentate pyridyl-appended diazacyclooctane macrocycle). These studies allow for a detailed interpretation of the S-->Fe(II) charge transfer transitions observed in the absorption and MCD spectra of complexes 1-3 and provide significant insights into the nature of Fe(II)-S bonding in complexes with axial thiolate ligation. Of the three models investigated, complex 3 exhibits an absorption spectrum that is particularly similar to the one reported for the reduced SOR enzyme (SOR(red)), suggesting that this model accurately mimics key elements of the electronic structure of the enzyme active site; namely, highly covalent Fe-S pi- and sigma-interactions. These spectral similarities are shown to arise from the fact that 3 contains an alkyl thiolate tethered to the equatorial cyclam ring, resulting in a thiolate orientation that is very similar to the one adopted by the Cys residue in the SOR(red) active site. Possible implications of our results with respect to the electronic structure and reactivity of SOR(red) are discussed.     

De novo enantioselective syntheses of galacto-sugars and deoxy sugars via the iterative dihydroxylation of dienoate

An efficient route to various sugar lactones has been developed. Key to the overall transformation is the sequential osmium-catalyzed dihydroxylation of 2,4-dienoates. The simplest (one-step/racemic) example of this reaction occurs when the dihydroxylation is performed with aqueous NMO in MeOH. When the first dihydroxylation is performed using the AD-mix procedure, an enantioselective variant results. When a matched AD-mix procedure is used for the second dihydroxylation, an exceedingly diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of galacto-1,4-lactone results. [Reaction: see text]     

Synthesis of functionalized rab GTPases by a combination of solution- or solid-phase lipopeptide synthesis with expressed protein ligation

Prenylated proteins with non-native functionalities are generally very difficult to obtain by recombinant or enzymatic means. The semisynthesis of preparative amounts of prenylated Rab guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) from recombinant proteins and synthetic prenylated peptides depends largely on the availability of functionalised prenylated peptides corresponding to the proteins' native structure or modifications thereof. Here, we describe and compare solution-phase and solid-phase strategies for the generation of peptides corresponding to the prenylated C terminus of Rab7 GTPase. The solid-phase with utilisation of a hydrazide linker emerges as the more favourable approach. It allows a fast and practical synthesis of pure peptides and gives a high degree of flexibility in their modification. To facilitate the analysis of semisynthetic proteins, the synthesised peptides were equipped with a fluorescent group. Using the described approach, we introduced fluorophores at several different positions of the Rab7 C terminus. The position of the incorporated fluorescent groups in the peptides did not influence the protein-ligation reaction, as the generated peptides could be ligated onto thioester-tagged Rab7. However, it was found that the positioning of the fluorescent group had an influence on the functionality of the Rab7 proteins; analysis of the interaction of the semisynthetic Rab7 proteins with REP (Rab escort protein) and GDI (guanosine diphosphate dissociation inhibitor) molecules revealed that modification of the peptide side chains or of the C-terminal isoprenoid did not significantly interfere with complex formation. However, functionalisation of the C terminus was found to have an adverse effect on complex formation and stability, possibly reflecting low structural flexibility of the Rab GDI/REP molecules in the vicinity of the lipid-binding site.     

Multiple isotope effect study of the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of methyl formate

Multiple isotope effects have been measured for the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of methyl formate in 0.5 M HCl at 20 degrees C. The isotope effects in the present investigation include the carbonyl carbon (13k = 1.028 +/- 0.001), the carbonyl oxygen (18k = 0.9945 +/- 0.0009), the nucleophile oxygen (18k = 0.995 +/- 0.001), and the formyl hydrogen ((D)k = 0.81 +/- 0.02). Determination of the carbonyl carbon, carbonyl oxygen, and formyl hydrogen isotope effects was performed via isotopic analysis of residual substrate. However, determination of the oxygen nucleophile isotope effect required analysis of the oxygen atoms of the product (formic acid), which exchange with the solvent (water) under acid conditions. This necessitated measurement of the rate of exchange of these oxygen atoms under the conditions for hydrolysis (k(ex) = 0.0723 min(-1)) and correction of the raw isotope ratios measured during the nucleophile-O isotope effect experiment. These results, along with the previously reported isotope effect for the leaving oxygen (18k = 1.0009) and the ratio of the rate of hydrolysis to that of exchange of the carbonyl oxygen with water (k(h)/k(ex) = 11.3), give a detailed picture of the transition-state structure for the reaction.     

Enzymatic degradation of model cellulose films

Enzymatic degradation of model cellulose films prepared by a spin-coating technique was investigated by ellipsometry. The cellulose films were prior to degradation characterized by ellipsometry, contact angle measurements, ESCA (electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis) and AFM (atomic force microscopy). At enzyme addition to preformed cellulose films an initial adsorption was observed, which was followed by a total interfacial mass decrease due to enzymatic degradation of the cellulose films. The degradation rate was found to be constant during an extended time of hours, whereafter the degradation leveled off. In parallel to the decreased interfacial mass, the cellulose degradation resulted in a thinner and more dilute interfacial film. At long degradation times, however, there was an expansion of the cellulose film. The enzyme concentration affected the degradation rate significantly, with a faster degradation at a higher enzyme concentration. The effects of pH, temperature, ionic strength and stirring rate in the cuvette were also investigated.     

Effect of proline and glycine residues on dynamics and barriers of loop formation in polypeptide chains

Glycine and proline residues are frequently found in turn and loop structures of proteins and are believed to play an important role during chain compaction early in folding. We investigated their effect on the dynamics of intrachain loop formation in various unstructured polypeptide chains. Loop formation is significantly slower around trans prolyl peptide bonds and faster around glycine residues compared to any other amino acid. However, short loops are formed fastest around cis prolyl bonds with a time constant of 6 ns for end-to-end contact formation in a four-residue loop. Formation of short loops encounters activation energies in the range of 15 to 30 kJ/mol. The altered dynamics around glycine and trans prolyl bonds can be mainly ascribed to their effects on the activation energy. The fast dynamics around cis prolyl bonds, in contrast, originate in a higher Arrhenius pre-exponential factor, which compensates for an increased activation energy for loop formation compared to trans isomers. All-atom simulations of proline-containing peptides indicate that the conformational space for cis prolyl isomers is largely restricted compared to trans isomers. This leads to decreased average end-to-end distances and to a smaller loss in conformational entropy upon loop formation in cis isomers. The results further show that glycine and proline residues only influence formation of short loops containing between 2 and 10 residues, which is the typical loop size in native proteins. Formation of larger loops is not affected by the presence of a single glycine or proline residue.     

Continuous separation of lipid particles from erythrocytes by means of laminar flow and acoustic standing wave forces

Improved continuous acoustic particle separation (separation efficiency close to 100%) and separation of erythrocytes (red blood cells) from lipid microemboli in whole blood is reported.