Enantioselective synthesis of 5-methylidenedihydrouracils as potential anticancer agents

An efficient, versatile, enantioselective synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted and 1,3,6-trisubstituted 5-methylidenedihydrouracils applying Horner-Wadsworth Emmons methodology was developed. Starting 1,3-disubstituted 5-diethoxyphosphoryluracils were subjected to reduction of the double bond or addition of various Grignard reagents and obtained Horner-Wadsworth Emmons reagents were used for the olefination of formaldehyde. Enantioselective synthesis of 1,3,6-trisubstituted 5-methylidenedihydrouracils was accomplished by introducing (R,R)- or (S,S)-di(1-phenylethylamino)phosphoryl groups as chiral auxiliary. Additions of Grignard reagents in the presence of these groups were highly and complimentary diastereoselective (de?～?80%). Further separation of the diastereomeric mixtures by column chromatography enabled synthesis of (R)- and (S)-1,3,6-trisubstituted-5-methylidenedihydrouracils with ee?≥?98%. Furthermore, absolute configuration of the adducts and final products was established using single crystal X-ray analysis. Stereochemical course of the addition reactions is also discussed.     

Electronic Structure Modulation in an Exceptionally Stable Non‐Heme Nitrosyl Iron(II) Spin‐Crossover Complex

The highly stable nitrosyl iron(II) mononuclear complex [Fe(bztpen)(NO)](PF₆)₂ (bztpen=N‐benzyl‐N,N′,N′‐tris(2‐pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine) displays an S=1/2?S=3/2 spin crossover (SCO) behavior (T_1/2=370 K, ΔH=12.48 kJ mol^?1, ΔS=33 J K^?1 mol^?1) stemming from strong magnetic coupling between the NO radical (S=1/2) and thermally interconverted (S=0?S=2) ferrous spin states. The crystal structure of this robust complex has been investigated in the temperature range 120–420 K affording a detailed picture of how the electronic distribution of the t_2g–e_g orbitals modulates the structure of the {FeNO}⁷ bond, providing valuable magneto–structural and spectroscopic correlations and DFT analysis.     

Thermoanalytical and dilatometric studies of the Al2O3–Cu–Mo hybrid composite

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The present research is focused on the characterization of the composites from Al2O3–Cu–Mo system. The composites were prepared by slip...     

Ba3V2S4O3: A Mott Insulating Frustrated Quasi‐One‐Dimensional S=1 Magnet

Through a solid‐state reaction, a practically phase pure powder of Ba₃V₂S₄O₃ was obtained. The crystal structure was confirmed by X‐ray single‐crystal and synchrotron X‐ray powder diffraction (P6₃, a=10.1620(2), c=5.93212(1) Å). X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, in conjunction with multiplet calculations, clearly describes the vanadium in charge‐disproportionated V^IIIS₆ and V^VSO₃ coordinations. The compound is shown to be a strongly correlated Mott insulator, which contradicts previous predictions. Magnetic and specific heat measurements suggest dominant antiferromagnetic spin interactions concomitant with a weak residual ferromagnetic component, and that intrinsic geometric frustration prevents long‐range order from evolving.     

Synthesis of functional magnetic porous SrFe<Subscript>12</Subscript>O<Subscript>19</Subscript>/P(St-DVB-MAA) microspheres by a novel suspension polymerization

In this study, a novel and effective suspension polymerization has been employed to prepare functional magnetic porous SrFe₁₂O₁₉/P(St-DVB-MAA) microspheres in the presence of bilayer surfactants (sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) and oleic acid (OA)) coated on micro-size magnetic SrFe₁₂O₁₉. This was achieved by pre-polymerizing the organic phase, which contained co-monomers, porogens and treated magnetic particles, at 65°C for 0.5 h under ultrasound conditions. Aqueous solutions containing a dispersion agent were then added to effect suspension polymerization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and magnetic property measurement system (MPMS) were used to characterize the functional magnetic porous microspheres. The results show that the microparticles are well shaped with a uniform size distribution of about 0.5 ∼ 0.7 mm and the surfaces of the microspheres have many micro-pores with an average diameter of 0.533 μm. There are carboxyl groups (−COOH) on the surface of the microspheres to the extent of 0.65 mmol g⁻¹, as determined by conductometric titration. According to the XRD spectra, iron oxide consists mainly of SrFe₁₂O₁₉ which reveals hexahedral structure. The content of magnetic SrFe₁₂O₁₉ reaches 17.81% (by mass), and the microspheres have good heat resistance. The magnetic porous microspheres are ferromagnetic with high residual magnetization and coercivity, 21.59 emu g⁻¹ and 4.13 kOe, respectively. The saturation magnetisation is around 42.85 emu g⁻¹.      

Modeling and molecular dynamics simulation of the human gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in a lipid bilayer

In the present study, a model for the human gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor embedded in an explicit lipid bilayer was developed. The final conformation was obtained by extensive molecular dynamics simulations of a homology model based on the bovine rhodopsin crystal structure. The analysis of the receptor structure allowed us to detect a number of specific contacts between different amino acid residues, as well as water- and lipid-mediated interactions. These interactions were stable in six additional independent 35 ns long simulations at 310 and 323 K, which used the refined model as the starting structure. All loops, particularly the extracellular loop 2 and the intracellular loop 3, exhibited high fluctuations, whereas the transmembrane helices were more static. Although other models of this receptor have been previously developed, none of them have been subjected to extensive molecular dynamics simulations, and no other three-dimensional structure is publicly available. Our results suggest that the presence of ions as well as explicit solvent and lipid molecules are critical for the structure of membrane protein models, and that molecular dynamics simulations are certainly useful for their refinement.     

Synthesis of perylene-3,4-mono(dicarboximide)--fullerene C60 dyads as new light-harvesting systems

Fullerene C 60-perylene-3,4-mono(dicarboximide) (C 60-PMI) dyads 1- 3 were synthesized in the search for new light-harvesting systems. The synthetic strategy to the PMI intermediate used a cross-coupling Suzuki reaction for the introduction of a formyl group in the ortho, meta, or para position. Subsequent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with C 60 led to the target C 60-PMI dyad. Cyclic voltammetry showed that the first one-electron reduction process unambiguously occurs onto the C 60 moiety and the following two-electron process corresponds to the concomitant second reduction of C 60 and the first reduction of PMI. A quasi-quantitative quenching of fluorescence was shown in dyads 1- 3, and an intramolecular energy transfer was suggested to occur from the PMI to the fullerene moiety. These C 60-PMI dyads constitute good candidates for future photovoltaic applications with expected well-defined roles for both partners, i.e., PMI acting as a light-harvesting antenna and C 60 playing the role of the acceptor in the photoactive layer.