Similarities and Differences between Crystal and Enzyme Environmental Effects on the Electron Density of Drug Molecules

The crystal interaction density is generally assumed to be a suitable measure of the polarization of a low-molecular weight ligand inside an enzyme, but this approximation has seldomly been tested and has never been quantified before. In this study, we compare the crystal interaction density and the interaction electrostatic potential for a model compound of loxistatin acid (E64c) with those inside cathepsin B, in solution, and in vacuum. We apply QM/MM calculations and experimental quantum crystallography to show that the crystal interaction density is indeed very similar to the enzyme interaction density. Less than 0.1 e are shifted between these two environments in total. However, this difference has non-negligible consequences for derived properties.     

Understanding Refractive Index Changes in Homologous Series of Unbranched Organic Compounds Based on Beer's Law

Changes of the refractive index for homologous series of hydrocarbons are usually plotted versus the density. While there is a clear linear dependence for alkanes and alkenes, the linearity deteriorates for homologous series with functional groups involving heteroatoms. The slope can even become negative, e. g., for carboxylic acids. For gaining a deeper understanding and to establish a more general correlation, we reinvestigate the corresponding theories starting with the Newton-Laplace, Gladstone-Dale and the Lorentz-Lorenz rules. We revisit the concept of molar refractivity pioneered by Landolt and Brühl and show that it is closely connected with a twin of Beer's law. We conclude that the refractive index of homologues series should better be plotted versus the molar concentration of the main UV-chromophore, the C−H bond, which actually causes the refractive index changes. This new approach is not limited to alkanes and alkenes but holds for homologous series with functional groups including heteroatoms.     

Laterally nanostructured adsorbed layers of surfactant/surfmer mixtures before and after polymerisation

The adsorbed layer structure of mixed films of the polymerisable cationic surfactant dodecyldimethyl(ethylmethacrylate)ammonium bromide (MEDDAB) with the cationic and non-ionic surfactants dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and polyoxyethylene-23-lauryl ether (C12E23) has been investigated by AFM soft-contact imaging before and after solution polymerisation of MEDDAB. MEDDAB alone adsorbs on mica as a planar bilayer, but the adsorbed layer structure can be modified by mixing with DTAB or C12E23 to yield an adsorbed mesh or cylinders. The equilibrium adsorbed film structure after solution polymerisation of the methacrylate group on MEDDAB was found to depend on the solubilising ability of the non-polymerisable surfactant. C12E23 effectively prevented precipitation of polymerised MEDDAB, retaining the unpolymerised adsorbed layer structure, whereas DTAB mixtures became cloudy above 23 mol% MEDDAB. The resultant structure remained similar to the adsorbed rods formed prior to polymerisation, but had a diameter several times larger.     

Measurement of the sign of the spectroscopic quadrupole moment for the 2(1)+ state in 70Se: no evidence for oblate shape

Using a method whereby molecular and atomic ions are independently selected, an isobarically pure beam of 70Se ions was postaccelerated to an energy of 206 MeV using REX-ISOLDE. Coulomb-excitation yields for states in the beam and target nuclei were deduced by recording deexcitation gamma rays in the highly segmented MINIBALL gamma-ray spectrometer in coincidence with scattered particles in a silicon detector. At these energies, the Coulomb-excitation yield for the first 2+ state is expected to be strongly sensitive to the sign of the spectroscopic quadrupole moment through the nuclear reorientation effect. Experimental evidence is presented here for a prolate shape for the first 2+ state in 70Se, reopening the question over whether there are, as reported earlier, deformed oblate shapes near to the ground state in the light selenium isotopes.     

Phase behavior and microstructure of microemulsions with a room-temperature ionic liquid as the polar phase

Microemulsions of nonionic alkyl oligoethyleneoxide (CiEj) surfactants, alkanes, and ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), a room-temperature ionic liquid, have been prepared and characterized. Studies of phase behavior reveal that EAN microemulsions have many features in common with corresponding aqueous systems, the primary difference being that higher surfactant concentrations and longer surfactant tailgroups are required to offset the decreased solvophobicity the surfactant molecules in EAN compared with water. The response of the EAN microemulsions to variation in the length of the alkane, surfactant headgroup, and surfactant tailgroup has been found to parallel that observed in aqueous systems in most instances. EAN microemulsions exhibit a single broad small-angle X-ray scattering peak, like aqueous systems. These are well described by the Teubner-Strey model. A lamellar phase was also observed for surfactants with longer tails at lower temperatures. The scattering peaks of both microemulsion and lamellar phases move to lower wave vector on increasing temperature. This is ascribed to a decrease in the interfacial area of the surfactant layer. Phase behavior, small-angle X-ray scattering, and conductivity experiments have allowed the weakly to strongly structured transition to be identified for EAN systems.