Matched/Mismatched interaction of a cyclic hexapeptide with ion pairs containing chiral cations and chiral anions

The binding of a chiral quaternary ammonium ion to a cyclopeptide containing aromatic amino acid subunits is affected not only by the configuration of the cation but also by the configuration of the chiral counterion. Analysis of the binding equilibria shows that complex formation involves interaction of the whole ion pair with the host indicating that steric requirements of the anion influence complex geometry and stability.     

Aromatic hydrocarbons, carbocyclic ligands spanning several oxidation states in both Main Group and transition elements. Recent advances with early transition d elements

In this paper some synthetic procedures to obtain (η⁶-arene)metal derivatives are reviewed. The metal-atom-arene-vapor co-condensation technique is the most appropriate to generate complexes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or heterocycles. As far as the aluminium halide-mediated synthesis is concerned, two classes of reaction are observed. When AlX₃ is used with a metal halide in the presence of an aromatic hydrocarbon in the absence of any reducing agent, AlX₃ can function as a dehalogenating agent, to give ionic compounds of general formula [M(η⁶-arene)n](AlX₄)_m, or it can add across the M---X bond with formation of M(μ-X)_nAlX_4−n systems. In both cases the metal displays its typical oxidation state. However, the use of AlX₃ in combination with aluminium (the Fischer-Hafner reducing system) affords ionic or covalent low-oxidation-state metal(η⁶-arene) complexes. Attention is focused on our most recent results concerning the synthesis, properties and reactivity of η⁶-arene derivatives of Group 4 and 5 elements, showing, inter alia, the first example of a tetraarylborate anion behaving as a 12-electron donor to one metal atom and low-valent η⁶-arene compounds as useful reagents in the inorganic and coordination chemistry of the corresponding metal in nonaqueous systems.     

Chromium trioxide oxidation products from 4-spiro-1-phenylisochromans

Chromium trioxide oxidation of 1-phenylisochroman-4-spiro-1′-cyclopentane (Ia) in acetic acid led to the expected 1-(2-benzoylphenyl)cyclopentanecarboxylic acid (IIa), while its 6,7-dimethoxy analogue Ib and 6,7-dimethoxy-1-phenylisochroman-4-spiro-4′-(1′-methyl)piperidine (Ic) under the same conditions gave a mixture of their related 1-hydroxy derivatives VIIIb and VIIIc and of the p-benzoquinones, 1-benzoyloxymethyl-1-(2,5-dioxo-4-methoxyphenyl)cyclopentane (IXb) and 1-benzoyloxymethyl-1-(2,5-dioxo-4-methoxyphenyl)-1-methylpiperidine (IXc). Cyclization of Ila with hydrazine or monomethylhydrazine led to the 5-spiro-substituted 1-phenyl-3,5-dihydro-4H-2,3-benzodiazepin-4-ones IIIa or XIa.     

The interaction of biliverdin and its dimethyl ester with superoxide ion

Bilin-1,19(21H,24H)-diones interact with O₂·- in DMSO giving rise to adducts showing charge-transfer character. This reaction can be reversed by addition of O₂·- consuming compounds. The O₂·-biliverdin dimethyl ester adduct collapses partially to 10-oxobilirubin dimethyl ester when treated with thiourea and 2-mercaptoethanol.     

Synthesis of Hexadentate Hexahydro-1,3,5-triazine-Based Ligands and their Copper(I) Complexes

Summary.  Hexadentate ligands were formed by the reaction of primary dimethylaminoethyl- or methoxyethylamines with formaldehyde. The resulting N, N′, N″-functionalized hexahydro-1,3,5-triazines contain pending amino or ether functionalities which are able to coordinate to metals in addition to the ring nitrogen atoms. Both ligands were reacted with CuBr, and novel tricopper clusters were isolated and characterized by X-ray structure analysis. In these compounds a ring nitrogen atom, the pending amino or ether functionality, and two bridging bromine atoms coordinate each of the copper atoms. Received January 22, 2002; accepted (revised) March 22, 2002     

A new route to achiral and chiral 1,2-bis(phosphino)ethanes, 1-arsino-2-phosphinoethanes, and 1,3-bis(phosphino)propanes and the molecular structure and catalytic activity of some rhodium(I) complexes derived thereof

A series of unsymmetrical 1,2-bis(phosphino)ethanes R(2)PCH(2)CH(2)PR'(2) and 1-arsino-2-phosphinoethanes R(2)AsCH(2)CH(2)PR'(2) mainly with bulky substituents R and R' were prepared from the cyclic sulfate by stepwise cleavage of the carbon-oxygen bonds by LiPR(2) and LiPR'(2) or LiAsR(2) and LiPR'(2), respectively. Analogously, racemic mixtures of R(2)PCH(2)CH(Me)PPh(2)(R =iPr, Cy ) as well as the enantiomers (R)-, (R)- and (R)-tBu(2)PCH(2)CH(Me)PPh(2)(R)- were obtained from the corresponding unsymmetrical cyclic sulfates and (S)-. On a similar route, the racemates of the 1,3-bis(phosphino)propanes R(2)PCH(2)CH(2)CH(Me)PPh(2)(R =iPr, tBu ), optically pure (R)- and (S,S)-iPr(2)PCH(Me)CH(2)CH(Me)PPh(2)(S,S)- were prepared. The reaction of [[RhCl([small eta](4)-C(8)H(12))](2)] with chelating ligands L-L, where L-L is R(2)PCH(2)P(men)(2)(R =iPr, Ph; men =(1S,2R,5S)-menthyl), Cy(2)AsCH(2)P(men)(2), or (R)-, (R)-, (R)-, (R)- and (S,S)-, in the presence of AgPF(6), gave the complexes [Rh(eta(4)-C(8)H(12))(L-L)]PF(6) which were used as pre-catalysts in the hydrogenation of the methyl ester of alpha-acetamidocinnamic acid (ACM). Depending on L-L, the solvent, the temperature and the pressure of H(2), optical yields of up to 69% ee were achieved. For two of the rhodium complexes, and, the molecular structures were determined by X-ray crystallography.     

NMR and X-ray crystallography, complementary tools in structural proteomics of small proteins

NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, the two primary experimental methods for protein structure determination at high resolution, have different advantages and disadvantages in terms of sample preparation and data collection and analysis. It is therefore of interest to assess their complementarity when applied to small proteins. Structural genomics/proteomics projects provide an ideal opportunity to make such comparisons as they generate data in a systematic manner for large enough numbers of proteins to allow firm conclusions to be drawn. Here we report a comparison for 263 unique proteins screened by both NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography in our structural proteomics pipeline. Only 21 targets (8%) were deemed amenable to both methods based on an initial 2D 15N-HSQC NMR spectrum and optimized crystallization trials. However, the use of both methods in the pipeline increased the total number of targets amenable to structure determination to 107, with 43 amenable to NMR only and 43 amenable to X-ray crystallographic methods only. We did not observe a correlation between 15N-HSQC spectral quality and the success of the same protein in crystallization screens. Similar results were found for an independent set of 159 proteins as reported in the accompanying paper by Snyder et al. Thus, we conclude that both methods are highly complementary, and in order to increase the number of proteins suited for structure determination, we suggest that both methods be used in parallel in screening of all small proteins for structure determination.     

First chemical study of anaspidean Syphonota geographica: structure of degraded sterols aplykurodinone-1 and -2

Two unprecedented degraded sterols, aplykurodinone-1 (1) and -2 (2), have been isolated from the skin of the marine anaspidean Syphonota geographica, collected along the coasts of Greece. The structures and the relative stereochemistry were established by spectroscopic analysis and confirmed by chemical correlation with related known compounds.     

Simplistic modeling approach to heterogeneous dilute-acid hydrolysis of cellulose microcrystallites

The classic kinetic model for cellulose hydrolysis is often referred to as pseudo-homogeneous, a term revealing the insight that the process is actually heterogeneous. During the past 10–15 yr, the shortcomings of this model have been demonstrated in various studies and the interest in the heterogeneous aspects has increased. The present work presents a simplistic model in which the intrinsic, heterogeneous hydrolysis and transport rates are coupled by the assumption of a constant glucosidic surface concentration. The mechanisms affecting these two rates are largely unknown, but the model serves as a guideline for further exploration of the process.     

Production of octadienal in the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum

[reaction: see text] Marine diatoms produce alpha,beta,gamma,delta-unsaturated aldehydes that have detrimental effects on the reproduction of their natural predators. The production of these defensive metabolites is suggested to involve enzymatic oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. In this paper, feeding experiments with labeled precursor provide clear evidence in support of the origin of octadienals 1 and 2 from 6,9,12-hexadecatrienoic acid (5), thus proving the involvement of novel lipoxygenase/lyase activity for the oxidation of C(16) fatty acids.