Coupling properties of imidazole dimer radical cation assisted by embedded water molecule: toward understanding of interaction character of hydrogen-bonded histidine residue side-chains

Geometry optimizations are performed at the DFTB3LYP6-311+G* level. Four intriguing coupling modes, totally eight stable structures are found in the potential energy surfaces of the water-assisted coupling of imidazole dimer radical cation. In these isomers, the water molecules are embedded between two imidazole moieties, and the oxygen atom is tridentate or quadridentate, respectively. The distinct redshifts of the vibrational frequencies of the O-H...N and N-H...O type H bonds indicate the strong interaction of two imidazole rings of respective isomer. Inspection of the highest occupied molecular orbital predicts the alterations of the geometry structures on oxidation and reduction. The low barrier of the fragment rotation demonstrates that the isomerization processes by experiencing the distinct transition states are easy to fulfill, especially for those with O-H...N and C-H...O H bonds. Both the energy difference of the 0 degrees-cis and 180 degrees-trans orientation and the barriers of the fragment rotation are lowered by the water assisting. The range of the zero point vibrational energy correction indicates that the influence on the complexes with N-H...O and O-H...N H bonds (0.13-0.17 kcal/mol) is more significant than those with O-H...N and C-H...O H bonds (+/-0.03 kcal/mol). The dissociation energies of these isomers indicate that the charges transfer easily through water in the dissociation process and then are distributed mainly over the imidazole ring connecting with water molecule. The isomer with proton transfer between imidazole fragments is the most stable one.     

Bonding, structure, and energetics of gaseous E8(2+) and of solid E8(AsF6)2 (E = S, Se)

The attempt to prepare hitherto unknown homopolyatomic cations of sulfur by the reaction of elemental sulfur with blue S8(AsF6)2 in liquid SO2/SO2ClF, led to red (in transmitted light) crystals identified crystallographically as S8(AsF6)2. The X-ray structure of this salt was redetermined with improved resolution and corrected for librational motion: monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c (No. 14), Z = 8, a = 14.986(2) A, b = 13.396(2) A, c = 16.351(2) A, beta = 108.12(1) degrees. The gas phase structures of E8(2+) and neutral E8 (E = S, Se) were examined by ab initio methods (B3PW91, MPW1PW91) leading to delta fH theta[S8(2+), g] = 2151 kJ/mol and delta fH theta[Se8(2+), g] = 2071 kJ/mol. The observed solid state structures of S8(2+) and Se8(2+) with the unusually long transannular bonds of 2.8-2.9 A were reproduced computationally for the first time, and the E8(2+) dications were shown to be unstable toward all stoichiometrically possible dissociation products En+ and/or E4(2+) [n = 2-7, exothermic by 21-207 kJ/mol (E = S), 6-151 kJ/mol (E = Se)]. Lattice potential energies of the hexafluoroarsenate salts of the latter cations were estimated showing that S8(AsF6)2 [Se8(AsF6)2] is lattice stabilized in the solid state relative to the corresponding AsF6- salts of the stoichiometrically possible dissociation products by at least 116 [204] kJ/mol. The fluoride ion affinity of AsF5(g) was calculated to be 430.5 +/- 5.5 kJ/mol [average B3PW91 and MPW1PW91 with the 6-311 + G(3df) basis set]. The experimental and calculated FT-Raman spectra of E8(AsF6)2 are in good agreement and show the presence of a cross ring vibration with an experimental (calculated, scaled) stretching frequency of 282 (292) cm-1 for S8(2+) and 130 (133) cm-1 for Se8(2+). An atoms in molecules analysis (AIM) of E8(2+) (E = S, Se) gave eight bond critical points between ring atoms and a ninth transannular (E3-E7) bond critical point, as well as three ring and one cage critical points. The cage bonding was supported by a natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis which showed, in addition to the E8 sigma-bonded framework, weak pi bonding around the ring as well as numerous other weak interactions, the strongest of which is the weak transannular E3-E7 [2.86 A (S8(2+), 2.91 A (Se8(2+)] bond. The positive charge is delocalized over all atoms, decreasing the Coulombic repulsion between positively charged atoms relative to that in the less stable S8-like exo-exo E8(2+) isomer. The overall geometry was accounted for by the Wade-Mingos rules, further supporting the case for cage bonding. The bonding in Te8(2+) is similar, but with a stronger transannular E3-E7 (E = Te) bonding. The bonding in E8(2+) (E = S, Se, Te) can also be understood in terms of a sigma-bonded E8 framework with additional bonding and charge delocalization occurring by a combination of transannular n pi *-n pi * (n = 3, 4, 5), and np2-->n sigma * bonding. The classically bonded S8(2+) (Se8(2+) dication containing a short transannular S(+)-S+ (Se(+)-Se+) bond of 2.20 (2.57) A is 29 (6) kJ/mol higher in energy than the observed structure in which the positive charge is delocalized over all eight chalcogen atoms.     

Ab initio quantum chemical studies of the reactions of CF3CFHO2 with HO2

The potential energy surface (PES) for the CF₃CFHO₂+HO₂ reaction has been theoretically investigated using the DFT [B3LYP/6‐311G(d,p)] and B3LYP/6‐311++G(3df,3pd)//B3LYP/6‐311G(d,p) levels of theory. Both singlet and triplet PESs are investigated. The reaction mechanism on the triplet surface is simple. It is revealed that the formation of CF₃CFHOOH+³O₂ is the dominant channel on the triplet surface. On the basis of the ab initio data, the total rate constants for the reaction CF₃CFHO₂+HO₂ in the T = 210–500 K range have been computed using conventional transition state theory with Wigner's tunneling correction and have been fitted by a rate constant expression as k = 1.04 ×10^?12(cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1) exp (700.33/T). Calculated transition state rate constants with Wigner's tunneling correction for the reaction CF₃CFHO₂+HO₂ are in good agreement with the available experimental values. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Simultaneous determination of neodymium, erbium and holmium in rare earth mixtures with 2-phenyltrifluoroacetone and octylphenol poly(ethyleneglycol) ether by third-derivative spectrophotometry

The complexes of the rare earth metals with 2-phenyltrifluoroacetone in the presence of TX-100 are reported. The characteristic absorbances of neodymium, holmium and erbium complexes can be increased by factors of 8.5, 31 and 15 respectively, compared to those of the cholrides. The third-derivative spectra have been used to eliminate the interference of cerium, and the sensitivities are increased again by factors of 7.4, 5.5 and 6.5. A method for the direct determination of neodymium, erbium and holmium in rare earth mixtures is proposed.     

POLYMER NETWORK-POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL)COMPLEXES WITH SHAPE MEMORY EFFECT

The complexes of poly(methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) network with poly(ethylene glycol) stabilized byhydrogen bonds were prepared. By introducing the poly(ethylene glycol), a large difference in storage modulus below andabove the glass transition temperature occurred and the complexes exhibited shape memory behaviors. The morphology ofcomplexes was studied by using DSC, WAXD, and DMA. The results indicate that the fixed phase of this kind of novelshape memory materials is the network, and the reversible phase is the amorphous state of PEG:PMAA complex phase. Theshape recoverability almost reaches 100%. This type of complexes can be regarded as a novel shape memory network.     

Synthesis and Conformational Analysis of the Multidrug Resistance-Reversing Agent Hapalosin and Its Non-N-methyl Analog

Hapalosin was initially synthesized by macrolactonization, and a second synthesis was achieved by cycloamidation. In both syntheses, three of the five stereocenters in hapalosin were established by two Brown allylboration reactions. The synthesis of the non-N-Me analog of hapalosin involved chelation-controlled reduction of a gamma-amino-beta-keto ester and cycloamidation. In CDCl(3) at 25 degrees C, synthetic hapalosin exists as a 2.3:1 mixture of conformers, while its non-N-Me analog exists only as a single conformer. (1)H,(1)H-NOESY and computation reveal that the configuration of the amide bond is responsible for the conformations of the two compounds. The major conformer of hapalosin is found to be an s-cis amide, the minor conformer an s-trans amide, and the non-N-Me analog an s-trans amide. Applying distance constraints to protons that exhibit NOESY correlations, computation shows that the major conformer of hapalosin and the non-N-Me analog have very different conformations. By contrast, the minor conformer of hapalosin and the non-N-Me analog have very similar conformations.     

Motor protein nano-biomachine powered by self-supplying ATP

A new nano-biomachine has been created from microtubules (MTs) and hetero-bifunctional polymer particles bearing pyruvate kinase, which is propelled on glass surfaces coated with kinesin by use of self-supplying ATP.     

Different catalysis role of in‐loop and out‐of‐loop waters in assisting HNS/HSN proton transfer isomerizations: Bridging vs. surrounding effect

In this work, a density function theory (DFT) study is presented for the HNS/HSN isomerization assisted by 1–4 water molecules on the singlet state potential energy surface (PES). Two modes are considered to model the catalytic effect of these water molecules: (i) water molecule(s) participate directly in forming a proton transfer loop with HNS/HSN species, and (ii) water molecules are out of loop (referred to as out‐of‐loop waters) to assist the proton transfer. In the first mode, for the monohydration mechanism, the heat of reaction is 21.55 kcal · mol^?1 at the B3LYP/6‐311++G** level. The corresponding forward/backward barrier lowerings are obtained as 24.41/24.32 kcal · mol^?1 compared with the no‐water‐assisting isomerization barrier T (65.52/43.87 kcal · mol^?1). But when adding one water molecule on the HNS, there is another special proton‐transfer isomerization pathway with a transition state 10T′ in which the water is out of the proton transfer loop. The corresponding forward/backward barriers are 65.89/65.89 kcal · mol^?1. Clearly, this process is more difficult to follow than the R–T–P process. For the two‐water‐assisting mechanism, the heat of reaction is 19.61 kcal · mol^?1, and the forward/backward barriers are 32.27/12.66 kcal · mol^?1, decreased by 33.25/31.21 kcal · mol^?1 compared with T. For trihydration and tetrahydration, the forward/backward barriers decrease as 32.00/12.60 (30T) and 37.38/17.26 (40T) kcal · mol^?1, and the heat of reaction decreases by 19.39 and 19.23 kcal · mol^?1, compared with T, respectively. But, when four water molecules are involved in the reactant loop, the corresponding energy aspects increase compared with those of the trihydration. The forward/backward barriers are increased by 5.38 and 4.66 kcal · mol^?1 than the trihydration situation. In the second mode, the outer‐sphere water effect from the other water molecules directly H‐bonded to the loop is considered. When one to three water molecules attach to the looped water in one‐water in‐loop‐assisting proton transfer isomerization, their effects on the three energies are small, and the deviations are not more than 3 kcal · mol^?1 compared with the original monohydration‐assisting case. When adding one or two water molecules on the dihydration‐assisting mechanism, and increasing one water molecule on the trihydration, the corresponding energies also are not obviously changed. The results indicate that the forward/backward barriers for the three in‐loop water‐assisting case are the lowest, and the surrounding water molecules (out‐of‐loop) yield only a small effect. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006