1′-Acetylferrocene amino acid esters and amides. A simple model for parallel β-helical peptides

In this study we present a synthesis and conformational analysis of 1′-acetylferrocene amino acid derivatives of type Ac–Fn–CO–AA–Y (Fn=ferrocene-1,1-diyl; AA=Gly, Ala or Val; Y=OMe or NHMe) as a simple model for parallel β-helical peptides. Derivatives with only one amino acid adopt a reduced number of total conformations and allow a more exact analysis of intramolecular hydrogen bonds (IHB) close to the ferrocene unit. Conformational analysis of these bioconjugates was performed by a combination of spectroscopic techniques (IR, NMR and CD) and corroborated by solution-phase DFT calculations. The investigation of ester conjugates 1–3 indicates the coexistence of non-bonded (an open forms) and hydrogen bonded NH_a group forming a 7-membered ring (γ-turn). The amide derivatives 4–6 with an additional NH_b hydrogen bond donor are mostly constituted of conformers with a 10-membered ring (β-turn) as a single IHB pattern or the β-turn accompanied by a 7-membered ring (γ-turn) containing NH_a group. The exchange of the amino acid side-chain does not significantly affect the conformational properties and IHB pattern of the studied conjugates 1–6.     

SNAr iodination of 6-chloropurine nucleosides: aromatic Finkelstein reactions at temperatures below -40 degrees C

Mesitoyl or toluoyl esters of inosine and 2'-deoxyinosine were deoxychlorinated at C6 to give the crystalline 6-chloropurine nucleoside derivatives, which underwent quantitative conversion to the 6-iodo analogues with NaI/TFA/butanone at -50 to -40 degrees C. The 6-iodo compounds were efficient substrates for SNAr, Sonogashira, and Suzuki-Miyaura reactions, in contrast with the 6-chloro analogues, and gave good to high yields of C-N and C-C coupled products.     

Polarization induced water molecule dissociation below the first-order electronic-phase transition temperature

Hydrogen produced from the photocatalytic splitting of water is one of the reliable alternatives to replace the polluting fossil and the radioactive nuclear fuels. Here, we provide unequivocal evidence for the existence of blue- and red-shifting O-H covalent bonds within a single water molecule adsorbed on the MgO surface as a result of asymmetric displacement polarizabilities. The adsorbed H-O-H on MgO gives rise to one weaker H-O bond, while the other O-H covalent bond from the same adsorbed water molecule compensates this effect with a stronger bond. The weaker bond (nearest to the surface), the interlayer tunneling electrons and the silver substrate are shown to be the causes for the smallest dissociative activation energy on the MgO monolayer. The origin that is responsible to initiate the splitting mechanism is proven to be due to the changes in the polarizability of an adsorbed water molecule, which are further supported by the temperature-dependent static dielectric constant measurements for water below the first-order electronic-phase transition temperature.     

Self-consistent nonlocal potentials near planar surfaces

A new derivation of the self-consistent dynamically screened nonlocal Coulomb potential near a planar surface is presented, based on the integral equation approach. The exact solution is obtained without restrictions on the dynamical response of the solid (e.g. RPA in metals), the type of surface potential or electronic density profile, and without additional matching or boundary conditions. This makes the present approach particularly useful e.g. in the general discussion of model-independent screening phenomena at metal surfaces. The application to the calculation of matrix elements for electron and ion excitation of collective modes and electron-hole pairs is formulated, and the connection with the previous results discussed.     

Carbon-13 chemical shifts of inverted carbon atoms

The inverted carbons in 2,4-methano-2,4-dehydroadamantane are shielded by 14.3 ppm relative to the corresponding carbons in 2,4-methanoadamantane. This was explained by the balance of the inverted carbon hybridization deshielding, the shielding effect of the cyclopropane rings formed, and the change in the influence of the neighbouring atoms.     

Substituent effects on carbon-13 chemical shifts in 2,6-disubstituted adamantanes

Carbon-13 NMR spectral data for a series of symmetrical 2,6-disubstituted adamantanes (O?, CH₂?, CH₃, OH, OCOCH₃) are presented. The substituent effects on ¹³C chemical shifts are additive, except for carbons 2 and 6 in 2,6-adamantanedione. The non-additivity of the substituent effect in the diketone can be interpreted in terms of a through-space interaction of the carbonyl π-electrons; the additivity in the other derivatives indicates that there is no appreciable interaction between the substituents.     

Functionalization of carbon nanotubes with silver clusters

In this paper, an advanced method of one-step functionalization of single and multi walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs and MWCNTs) using γ-irradiation was described. Two synthesis procedures, related with different reduction species, were employed. For the first time, poly(vinyl alcohol) PVA is successfully utilized as a source to reduce silver (Ag) metal ions without having any additional reducing agents to obtain Ag nanoparticles on CNTs. The decoration of carbon nanotubes with Ag nanoparticles takes place through anchoring of (PVA) on nanotube's surface. Optical properties of as-prepared samples and mechanism responsible for the functionalization of carbon nanotubes were investigated using UV-vis and FTIR spectroscopy, respectively. Decorated carbon nanotubes were visualized using microscopic techniques: transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. Also, the presence of Ag on the nanotubes was confirmed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. This simple and effective method of making a carbon nanotube type of composites is of interest not only for an application in various areas of technology and biology, but for investigation of the potential of radiation technology for nanoengineering of materials.     

Hydrogen molecule in the small dodecahedral cage of a clathrate hydrate: quantum five-dimensional calculations of the coupled translation-rotation eigenstates

We report quantum five-dimensional (5D) calculations of the energy levels and wave functions of the hydrogen molecule, para-H2 and ortho-H2, confined inside the small dodecahedral (H2O)20 cage of the sII clathrate hydrate. All three translational and the two rotational degrees of freedom of H2 are included explicitly, as fully coupled, while the cage is treated as rigid. The 5D potential energy surface (PES) of the H2-cage system is pairwise additive, based on the high-quality ab initio 5D (rigid monomer) PES for the H2-H2O complex. The bound state calculations involve no dynamical approximations and provide an accurate picture of the quantum 5D translation-rotation dynamics of H2 inside the cage. The energy levels are assigned with translational (Cartesian) and rotational quantum numbers, based on calculated root-mean-square displacements and probability density plots. The translational modes exhibit negative anharmonicity. It is found that j is a good rotational quantum number, while the threefold degeneracy of the j = 1 level is lifted completely. There is considerable translation-rotation coupling, particularly for excited translational states.     

Synthesis of new amidino-substituted 2-aminothiophenoles: mild basic ring opening of benzothiazole

The efficient synthesis of new amidino, N-isopropylamidino, 2-imidazolinyl substituted benzothiazoles and 2-aminothiophenoles by the Pinner reaction is described. The novel ring opening of benzothiazole with ammonia and ethylenediamine was found, and a plausible reaction mechanism proposed. The ring opening with ethylenediamine is selective and applicable to compounds bearing hydrolytically and amonolytically unstable substituents. Different amidino-substituted 2-aminothiophenoles were isolated in zwitterionic and disulfide form and their structures were determined by X-ray crystal structure analysis.