MAPLE deposition of biomaterial multilayers

Double layers of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-methyl-l-alanine (m-DOPA) thin films were obtained by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique, by depositing a first layer of m-DOPA on Si substrate and a second layer of PEG on top of it. The films were characterized by low angle X-ray diffraction (LAXRD), X-ray reflectivity (XRR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and micro-Raman spectroscopy. From these analyses it resulted that PEG was deposited without any relevant damage both in terms of chemical structure and molecular weight. Furthermore, PEG chains were mostly in the extended conformation, although PEG micelles appeared.     

Disperse red 1 end capped oligoesters. Synthesis by noncatalyzed ring opening oligomerization and structural characterization

The synthesis of novel azofunctional oligoesters through bulk ring opening of ε‐caprolactone and D ,L ‐lactide (LA) at 100 and 130 °C, respectively, mediated by N‐ethyl‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)‐4‐(4‐nitrophenylazo)aniline (Disperse Red 1) (DR1) is described. The synthetic procedure allows “clean” products because no catalysts were used in the reaction. Moreover, DR1 moiety is showed for the first time to promote the ring opening of cyclic esters. The molecular structure of the obtained oligoesters was established by NMR spectroscopy, MALDI ToF MS and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS). ESI‐MS/MS fragmentation experiments were used to demonstrate the nature of the chain end groups (hydroxyl and DR1). Intermolecular transesterification reactions were proved by mass spectrometry studies at least in the case of LA oligomerization. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 534–547, 2009     

Efficient one-pot synthesis of substituted 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazoles

A convenient one-pot method for the preparation of substituted 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazoles has been developed. The method is a significant improvement over previously reported syntheses. Reaction of carboxylic acids with thiosemicarbazides afforded the corresponding oxadiazoles in moderate to good yields. In general, the products precipitated from the reaction mixture, and were collected by filtration. In most of the cases, no chromatographic separations were required. To explore the scope and limitations of this reaction, various aliphatic, aromatic, and heteroaromatic carboxylic acids were reacted with different substituted thiosemicarbazides. The influence of R¹ and R² substituents on the reaction yield and additional results demonstrating the versatility of this method are presented.     

New phosphorylating reagents for deoxyribonucleosides and oligonucleotides

New phosphorylating reagents 1 and 2 were prepared in three steps from 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde. They showed good efficiency in the solid phase synthesis of 5′-phosphate monoester nucleosides. End-phosphate DNA sequence synthesis demonstrated the efficiency of the new reagents (1 and 2) according to the general procedure of automated DNA synthesis. The oxidation of P(III) to P(V) and the removal of benzyl protecting groups were achieved in a single step by treatment with a 0.02 M I₂/pyridine/H₂O solution. Due to this one-pot treatment, it is possible to use the phosphorylating reagents (1 and 2) for the synthesis of base-sensitive ODNs. The reagents 1 and 2 are unique among phosphorylating reagents.     

Structural Inhomogeneity in Electrolyte Solutions: The Calcium Perchlorate–Water System

A new approach has been proposed to study the structure of aqueous electrolyte solutions. NIR, Raman and attenuated total reflectance, Fourier transform infra-red (ATR FTIR) spectra have been measured for aqueous calcium perchlorate solutions in the 0.22–4.3 mol·L^?1 (0.22–7.46 mol·kg^?1) concentration range at 25 °C. By the methods of principal component analysis (PCA) and multivariate curve resolution—alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) the number, spectra and concentration profiles have been determined for spectroscopically distinguishable forms of water and ClO ₄ ^? ion in solutions. The results have been analyzed using a phenomenological model, establishing thereby: concentration ranges for structural rearrangements of the solution, the nature of structural microirregularities and different states of the ClO ₄ ^? ion in the areas of domination of the natural water structure, and of cybotactic groups of calcium perchlorate hexa and tetra hydrates.     

Aminolysis of glycal-derived allyl epoxides and activated aziridines. Effects of the absence of coordination processes on the regio- and stereoselectivity

The addition of primary and secondary aliphatic amines to glycal-derived allyl epoxides is completely 1,2-regio- and anti-stereoselective, whereas mixtures of the corresponding anti-1,2- [3-N-(substituted-amino) glycals] and anti-1,4-addition products (N-glycosyl amines) are obtained with N-(mesyl)-aziridines. In this way, structural moieties, otherwise difficult to synthesize, are obtained by means of a very simple protocol. The regio- and stereoselectivity observed with epoxides is the consequence of an isomerization process, whereas the result obtained with aziridines is explained by the absence of an effective substrate-nucleophile (amine) coordination.     

One-pot amide synthesis from allyl or benzyl halides and amines by Pd-catalysed carbonylation

Amides can be prepared from allyl or benzyl halides and primary or secondary amines, using Pd(0) catalyst under CO pressure, in a one-pot synthesis. The reaction proceeds through the acyl palladium halide formation which undergoes an acylic nucleophilic substitution from the amine.     

Control of organoclay structure in hydrocarbon polymers

Two different kinds of organoclays were prepared by mixing a pristine montmorillonite and a double‐chain ammonium salt in many different thermoplastic or elastomeric polymers. Independently of the chemical nature of the considered polymers, the obtained organoclays presented a basal spacing of 4 or 6 nm, when the mixing occurred in the absence or in the presence of a small amount of stearic acid (SA), respectively. X‐ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared measurements support the hypothesis that these two kinds of organoclays correspond to paraffin‐type tilted and perpendicular bi‐layer intercalates, respectively. The co‐intercalation of SA molecules with the double‐chain amphiphile is suggested, to explain the observed expansion of the clay interlayer distance. The obtained results suggest an easy way to control the organoclay structure in polymer composites. Moreover, the authors on the basis of these results propose a criticism to the extensive literature that systematically explains most d basal spacing increase observed for clays in polymer with the penetration of apolar polymer chains in the clay interlayer space. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Novel deletion of the E3A ubiquitin protein ligase gene detected by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification in a patient with Angelman syndrome

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a severe neurobehavioural disorder caused by failure of expression of the maternal copy of the imprinted domain located on 15q11-q13. There are different mechanisms leading to AS: maternal microdeletion, uniparental disomy, defects in a putative imprinting centre, mutations of the E3 ubiquitin protein ligase (UBE3A) gene. However, some of suspected cases of AS are still scored negative to all the latter mutations. Recently, it has been shown that a proportion of negative cases bear large deletions overlapping one or more exons of the UBE3A gene. These deletions are difficult to detect by conventional gene-scanning methods due to the masking effect by the non-deleted allele. In this study, we have used for the first time multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and comparative multiplex dosage analysis (CMDA) to search for large deletions affecting the UBE3A gene. Using this approach, we identified a novel causative deletion involving exon 8 in an affected sibling. Based on our results, we propose the use of MLPA as a fast, accurate and inexpensive test to detect large deletions in the UBE3A gene in a small but significant percentage of AS patients.     

Novel and highly sensitive mixed-polymeric electrokinetic chromatography system for determination of contaminants and impurities of heparin samples

A mixed‐polymeric electrokinetic chromatography system has been developed for the simultaneous determination of a contaminant like oversulfated condroitin sulfate (OSCS) and impurities expressed as dermatan (Der) in heparin (Hep) samples. The EKC system consisted of 0.5% w/v polymeric β‐CD, 0.4% w/v tetronic^® 1107 and 400 mM tris‐phosphate buffer at pH 3.5. The optimized electrophoretic conditions included the use of an uncoated‐silica capillary of 50 cm of total length and 75 μm id, an applied voltage of ?7 kV, a temperature of 30°C and 200 nm UV‐detection. The highly sensitive method developed showed low values of LOD, 0.07% w/w (0.07 μg/mL) (OSCS) and 0.1% w/w (0.1 μg/mL) (Der), and values of LOQ 0.2% w/w (0.2 μg/mL) (OSCS) and 0.3% w/w (0.3 μg/mL) (Der) with a concentration level of Hep sample as low as 0.1 mg/mL. Additional parameters of validation such as specificity, linearity, accuracy, and robustness were evaluated according to international guidelines. Owing to its simplicity, high sensitivity, and reliability, the proposed method can be an advantageous alternative to the traditional methodologies for the analysis of Hep in raw material and specially in finished products because of the low amounts of Hep sample required.