NMR studies of lysozyme surface accessibility by using different paramagnetic relaxation probes

Paramagnetic probes, whose approach to proteins can be monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies, have been found to be of primary relevance for investigating protein surfaces' accessibility. Here, a Gd(III) neutral complex which contains two metal ions, [Gd2(L7)(H2O)2], is suggested as a paramagnetic probe particularly suited for systematic NMR investigation of protein surface accessibility, due to an expected high relaxivity and to the lack of electric charge which could favor specific interactions. Hen egg white lysozyme has been used as a model system to verify the absence of preferential approaches of this paramagnetic probe to specific protein moieties by comparing paramagnetic perturbation profiles of 1H-13C HSQC signals obtained in the presence of TEMPOL and [Gd2(L7)(H2O)2]. From the similarity of the measured paramagnetic perturbation profiles induced by the two different probes, specific interactions of [Gd2(L7)(H2O)2] with the enzyme could be ruled out. The large size of the latter probe is suggested to be responsible for the strong paramagnetic perturbations observed for CalphaH groups which are located in convex surface-exposed regions. The combined use of the two probes reveals fine details of the dynamics controlling their approach toward the protein surface.     

A simple,regioselective synthesis of 1,4-bis(tert-butoxycarbonylmethyl)- tetraazacyclododecane

A convenient synthetic route to 1,4-bis(tert-butoxycarbonylmethyl)tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen) (1) with high yield and excellent regioselectivity is described. Compound 1 reacted with a range of functionalized alkyl halides under two reaction conditions to give mono-N-alkylated 1,4-bis(tert-butoxycarbonylmethyl)tetraazacyclododecane (2-9) in good yield.     

Synthesis of Osmium–Palladium Mixed-Metal Clusters with 2-(diphenylphosphino)Pyridine as a Bridging Ligand

Reaction of the pentanuclear cluster [Os₅C(CO)₁₄(PPh₂py)] in CH₂Cl₂ with 1.2 equivalents of Pd(MeCN)₂Cl₂ led to the high-yield synthesis of the new osmium–palladium carbonyl cluster [Os₅PdC(CO)₁₄(-Cl)Cl(-PPh₂py)] 1. Cluster 1 is thermally unstable and converts slowly in refluxing CHCl₃ to [{Os₄C(CO)₁₀(-Cl)(-PPh₂py)}(₄-Pd){Os₄C(CO)₁₂(-Cl)}] 2 and [{Os₄ (₅-C)(CO)₁₂(-Cl)}₂(-Pd₂Cl₂)] 3 in 4% and 67% yield, respectively. Reaction of 1 with iodine gave [Os₅PdC(CO)₁₄(-Cl)I(-PPh₂py)] 4 and [{Os₄(₅-C)(CO)₁₂(-I)}₂(-Pd₂I₂)] 5 in moderate yields. All complexes have been characterized by spectroscopic and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Hyperbranched RuO2 Nanostructures

RuO₂ nanostructures were synthesized by heating Ru nanoparticles in air at 280°C using Cu as catalyst. The Ru nanoparticles were prepared by the pyrolysis of ruthenium precursors in a vacuum using multi-walled carbon nanotubes as templates. The RuO₂ nanostructures grew radically with diameters of 50–150 nm, and lengths of 0.5–2.0 μm. The growth of nanostructure mainly depends on the dispersivity of Ru nanoparticles on MWNTs. The electrochemical property of these nanostructures was studied by cyclic voltammetry. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material for this article is available at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Diarylethene-containing cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes: tunable photochromism via metal coordination and rational ligand design

The synthesis, characterization, electrochemistry, photophysics and photochromic behavior of a new class of cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes [Pt(C(∧)N)(O(∧)O)] (1a-5a and 1b-5b), where C(∧)N is a cyclometalating 2-(2'-thienyl)pyridyl (thpy) or 2-(2'-thienothienyl)pyridyl (tthpy) ligand containing the photochromic dithienylethene (DTE) unit and O(∧)O is a β-diketonato ligand of acetylacetonato (acac) or hexafluoroacetylacetonato (hfac), have been reported. The X-ray crystal structures of five of the complexes have also been determined. The electrochemical studies reveal that the first quasi-reversible reduction couple, and hence the nature of lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the complexes, is sensitive to the nature of the ancillary O(∧)O ligands. Upon photoexcitation, complexes 1a-3a and 1b-3b exhibit drastic color changes, ascribed to the reversible photochromic behavior, which is found to be sensitive to the substituents on the pyridyl ring and the extent of π-conjugation of the C(∧)N ligand as well as the nature of the ancillary ligand. The thermal bleaching kinetics of complex 1a has been studied in toluene at various temperatures, and the activation barrier for the thermal cycloreversion of the complex has been determined. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed to provide an insight into the electrochemical, photophysical and photochromic properties.     

A cyanine based fluorophore emitting both single photon near-infrared fluorescence and two-photon deep red fluorescence in aqueous solution

Optical imaging provides an indispensable way to locate tumors in their early stages with high sensitivity and signal to background ratio. A heptamethine cyanine based fluorophore that emits both single photon near-infrared fluorescence and two-photon deep red fluorescence under physiological conditions was developed. Linear and nonlinear photophysical properties of this fluorophore were investigated and it demonstrated the capability to label lysosomes in cancer cells. The advantages of this fluorophore, including tolerable cytotoxicity, high fluorescence quantum yield, and the ability to emit both near-infrared single photon fluorescence and deep red two photon fluorescence in aqueous solution, give it potential to be used in intra-operatively optical image-guided tumor excision followed by two-photon fluorescence microscopy biopsy analysis after a single administration.     

Desymmetrizing reductive aldol cyclizations of enethioate derivatives of 1,3-diones catalyzed by a chiral copper hydride

A range of enethioate derivatives of 1,3-diones underwent reductive aldol cyclizations catalyzed by a chiral copper hydride generated in situ from 5 mol% TaniaPhos (SL-T001-1), 5 mol% Cu(OAc)(2)·H(2)O, 5 mol% bipyridine and 2.0 equiv. of PhSiH(3), to furnish polycyclic β-hydroxythioester products bearing three newly established contiguous stereocenters, with >98:2 dr and in up to 94% yield and 98% ee. The use of an amine such as bipyridine or 2,6-lutidine as additive results in an increase of the overall reaction rate. The major bicyclic aldol product has all substituents cis and can be rationalized by a reductively generated (Z)-enolate reacting with the dione via a cyclic transition state.     

Syntheses,structures, photoluminescence,and theoretical studies of a novel class of d10 metal complexes of 1H-[1,10]phenanthrolin-2-one

A novel asymmetric monosubstituted 1,10-phenanthroline, Hophen.0.5 H(2)O (1, Hophen=1H-[1,10]phenanthrolin-2-one), was generated by a facile route, and a novel class of crystalline, d(10)-metal, monomeric or oligomeric complexes of this ligand, namely [Hg(ophen)(2)].4 H(2)O.CH(2)Cl(2) (2), [Cd(3)Cl(ophen)(5)].1.5 H(2)O.2 CH(2)Cl(2) (3), and [Zn(4)O(ophen)(4)(OAc)(2)].4H(2)O.2 CH(2)Cl(2) (4), were obtained by means of liquid diffusion, and were characterized by X-ray crystallography and photoluminescence studies. Complex 1 exhibits a hydrogen-bonded dimeric structure, 2 is a neutral monomeric complex, 3 has a trinuclear structure with the ophen ligand acting as a bridge through the ketone groups, and 4 features a tetranuclear Zn(4)O core that is consolidated further by bridging ophen and acetate ligands. All the complexes display photoluminescent properties in the blue/green region. The photoluminescent mechanisms were investigated by means of molecular orbital calculations, which showed that the photoluminescent properties are ligand-based and can be tuned upon ligation to different metal ions.