Electron transfer dissociation of peptide anions

Ion/ion reactions of multiply deprotonated peptide anions with xenon radical cations result in electron abstraction to generate charge-reduced peptide anions containing a free-radical site. Peptide backbone cleavage then occurs by hydrogen radical abstraction from a backbone amide N to facilitate cleavage of the adjacent C-C bond, thereby producing a- and x-type product ions. Introduction of free-radical sites to multiply charged peptides allows access to new fragmentation pathways that are otherwise too costly (e. g., lowers activation energies). Further, ion/ion chemistry, namely electron transfer reactions, presents a rapid and efficient means of generating odd-electron multiply charged peptides; these reactions can be used for studying gas-phase chemistries and for peptide sequence analysis.     

A kinetic stability study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>N<Subscript>5</Subscript> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>=Li,Na, K,and Rb)

A structure and kinetic stability study on some complexes with the general formula MN₅, where M are the alkali-metal atoms, Li, Na, K, and Rb, has been carried by using hybrid density functional methods. Complex B (C_2v) with two points of attachment to the N₅ ring is the most energetically favored for all metals considered here. Pyramidal structures A (C_5v) are kinetically unstable and they rapidly rearrange to the most stable planar structures B. At the QCISD(T)/6-311 + G*//B3LYP/6-311 + G* + ZPE (B3LYP/6-311 + G*) level, the decomposition barrier heights of LiN₅-B, NaN₅–B, KN₅-B, and RbN₅-B are predicted to be 19.9, 22.0, 22.5, and 23.0 kcal/mol, respectively. In addition, the rate constants of the decomposition reaction MN₅-B MN₃ + N₂ (M + Li, Na, K, and Rb) are also predicted using conventional transition state theory and canonical variational transition state theory, respectively.     

The performance of density functional theory for LnF (Ln=Nd,Eu, Gd,Yb) and YbH

Different density functional theory (DFT) functionals have been evaluated by studying geometries and bond strengths of YbH, YbF, EuF, GdF, and NdF and compared with accurate CCSD(T) results and, when available, experiment. The agreement between the CCSD(T) results and experiment, when available, is good. The agreement is also good between bond strengths calculated at the DFT level using relativistic effective core potentials and the CCSD(T) results. However, the all-electron ADF calculations systematically overestimate binding energies. The geometries obtained by both the all-electron and the effective-core-potential-based DFT calculations are generally in good agreement with the CCSD(T) results.Contribution to the Björn Roos Honorary Issue     

Substituent control in the diastereoselectivity of dipolar cycloadditions of nitrones and their Zn(II) complexes with N-arylmaleimides

The π-π stacking interactions between maleimide's and nitrone's aromatic rings during the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition were assumed to control the exo-endo selectivity of the reaction. The exo-endo ratios change during the reactions until they reach a constant value, which depends on the substituent. Electron-withdrawing groups favour the exo adduct while electron-donating groups favour the endo adduct. The nitrone ZnBr₂ complexes react much more slowly than the free nitrone and the cycloaddition is exo selective in all cases independent of the substituents on the maleimide's aromatic ring. Thermal retrocycloaddition of the cycloadducts produce the corresponding nitrones. The ring opening in the presence of secondary amines did not induce imine formation. endo Adducts were shown for the first time to be the stable paramagnetic compounds.     

Excess Molar Volumes and Liquid–Liquid Equilibria of the Ionic Liquid 1-Methyl-3Octyl-Imidazolium Tetrafluoroborate Mixed with Butan-1-ol and Pentan-1-ol

Experimental densities were measured for the system 1-methyl-3-octyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate [OMIM][BF₄] + butan-1-ol, + pentan-1-ol at 298.15 K and ambient pressure using a vibrating tube densimeter, taking into account the influence of the viscosity correction. Excess molar volumes V^E have been determined. V^E is quite small and negative in the alcohol-rich range of the mixture composition and positive in the alcohol-poor range. LLE data of [OMIM][BF₄] + pentan-1-ol have been measured using a laser light scattering cell for detecting cloud points at different compositions in the temperature range of 282–292 K. A miscibility gap with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) of 292 K has been found.     

Synthesis and characterization of new strontium 4-carboxyphenylphosphonates

Several new strontium 4-carboxyphenylphosphonates, i.e., two modifications of Sr(HOOCC₆H₄PO₃H)₂, SrH(OOCC₆H₄PO₃)·H₂O, Sr₃(OOCC₆H₄PO₃)₂·4H₂O and Sr₃(OOCC₆H₄PO₃)₂·5.7H₂O were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetry, X-ray powder diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. It was found that the compositions of these compounds depend on the acidity of the reaction medium. In addition, the presented compounds are interconvertible in dependence on pH. The position of the acid hydrogen atom in SrH(OOCC₆H₄PO₃)·H₂O was determined from the IR spectra of the studied compounds.The structure of the β modification of Sr(HOOCC₆H₄PO₃H)₂ was solved from its X-ray powder diffraction pattern using an ab initio method (the FOX program) with subsequent Rietveld refinement in the FULLPROF program. The compound is monoclinic, with the space group P2₁/c (No. 14), a=49.88(2), b=7.867(2), c=5.602(3) Å, β=128.68(2)°, and Z=4. It has a one-dimensional structure with an inorganic part built of SrO₈ distorted tetragonal antiprisms.     

A simple and fast micromethod for the analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls in air by sorbent enrichment and ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction

A combination of sorbent enrichment and ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction has been used to determine polychlorinated biphenyls in air. Analytes were sampled by pumping a known volume of air through a porous polymer (Tenax TA). The enriched adsorbent was transferred into a glass vial, and ultrasound-assisted extraction of the analytes was then performed in n-hexane. Quantification was carried out by using gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Breakthrough volume of the sampling step was studied, indicating that 10 m³ of air could be processed without losses of the most volatile compounds. Good recoveries (75–96%) were obtained, and limits of detection at the sub ng m^–3 were achieved for all the analytes. The proposed method is very simple and fast, avoiding the use of large solvent volumes and time-consuming preconcentration steps.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (R)-(+)-1-methoxyspirobrassinin, (2R,3R)-(−)-1-methoxyspirobrassinol methyl ether and their enantiomers or diastereoisomers

Stereoselective synthesis of cruciferous indole phytoalexin (R)-(+)-1-methoxyspirobrassinin and its unnatural (S)-(−)-enantiomer was achieved by spirocyclization of 1-methoxybrassinin in the presence of (+)- and (−)-menthol and subsequent oxidation of the obtained menthyl ethers. Methanolysis of menthyl ethers in the presence of TFA afforded (2R,3R)-(−)-1-methoxyspirobrassinol methyl ether as well its unnatural (2S,3S)-, (2R,3S)-, and (2S,3R)-isomers.     

Analysis of dinitro- and amino-nitro-toluenesulfonic acids in groundwater by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

A reversed-phase LC–MS method with quadrupole-time of flight (QTOF) detection has been developed for the determination of four dinitro-toluenesulfonic acids and two amino-nitro-toluenesulfonic acids in groundwater. The analytes were separated by HPLC with 0.1% (v/v) formic acid as mobile phase modifier compatible with mass spectrometric detection. QTOF-MS analysis with negative ion electrospray ionization afforded good selectivity and sensitivity for analysis of the dinitro- and amino-nitro-toluenesulfonic acids. Structure elucidation and confirmation were accomplished by tandem mass spectrometry. Characteristic ions resulting from the loss of NO, NO₂, and SO₂ from the [M–H]^– ions were detected. An intense fragment ion at m/z 80 representing the [SO₃]^– ion was detected for all dinitro- and amino-nitro-toluenesulfonic acids. Solid-phase extraction using a co-polymer cartridge was developed for preconcentration of the analytes from water. Good recovery (>85%) was achieved when 0.1% formic acid was added into the water samples before extraction. Method detection limits ranged from 10 to 76 ng L^–1 for the targeted compounds when 10 mL water was analyzed. Groundwater samples collected from wells close to a former ammunition plant in Stadtallendorf, Germany, were analyzed for the dinitro- and amino-nitro-toluenesulfonic acids.     

Estimation of binding constants between ristocetin and teicoplanin and peptides using on-column ligand derivatization coupled to affinity capillary electrophoresis

This work utilizes on-column ligand synthesis and affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) to determine binding constants (K_b) of 9-flourenylmethyloxy carbonyl (Fmoc)-amino acid derivatives to the glycopeptide antibiotics ristocetin (Rist) and teicoplanin (Teic). In this technique, two separate plugs of sample are injected on to the capillary column and electrophoresed. The initial sample plug contains a d-Ala-d-Ala terminus peptide and either one or two non-interacting standard(s). The second plug contains a Fmoc-amino acid-N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester. The electrophoresis is then carried out with an increasing concentration of Rist or Teic in the running buffer. Upon electrophoresis the initial d-Ala-d-Ala peptide reacts with the Fmoc-amino acid yielding a new Fmoc-amino acid-d-Ala-d-Ala peptide derivative. Continued electrophoresis results in the binding of Rist or Teic to the Fmoc-amino acid-d-Ala-d-Ala peptide derivatives. Analysis of the change in the relative migration time ratio (RMTR) or electrophoretic mobility () of the Fmoc-amino acid-d-Ala-d-Ala peptide derivatives relative to the non-interacting standards, as a function of the concentration of Rist and Teic, yields a value for K_b. These findings demonstrate the advantage of coupling on-column ligand synthesis to ACE for estimating binding parameters between antibiotics and ligands.Abbreviations Rist Ristocetin - Teic Teicoplanin - ACE Affinity capillary electrophoresis - RMTR Relative migration time ratio