Preparation of Protected β2‐ and β3‐Homocysteine, β2‐ and β3‐Homohistidine,and β2‐Homoserine for Solid‐Phase Syntheses

The Ser, Cys, and His side chains play decisive roles in the syntheses, structures, and functions of proteins and enzymes. For our structural and biomedical investigations of β‐peptides consisting of amino acids with proteinogenic side chains, we needed to have reliable preparative access to the title compounds. The two β³‐homoamino acid derivatives were obtained by Arndt–Eistert methodology from Boc‐His(Ts)‐OH and Fmoc‐Cys(PMB)‐OH (Schemes 2–4), with the side‐chain functional groups' reactivities requiring special precautions. The β²‐homoamino acids were prepared with the help of the chiral oxazolidinone auxiliary DIOZ by diastereoselective aldol additions of suitable Ti‐enolates to formaldehyde (generated in situ from trioxane) and subsequent functional‐group manipulations. These include OH→O^tBu etherification (for β²hSer; Schemes 5 and 6), OH→STrt replacement (for β²hCys; Scheme 7), and CH₂OH→CH₂N₃→CH₂NH₂ transformations (for β²hHis; Schemes 9–11). Including protection/deprotection/re‐protection reactions, it takes up to ten steps to obtain the enantiomerically pure target compounds from commercial precursors. Unsuccessful approaches, pitfalls, and optimization procedures are also discussed. The final products and the intermediate compounds are fully characterized by retention times (t_R), melting points, optical rotations, HPLC on chiral columns, IR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analyses, and (in some cases) by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis.     

The kinetics of styrene emulsion polymerization

A study has been carried out on the kinetics of persulfate-initiated emulsion polymerization of styrene in the presence of an anionic (oleate) or mixed anionic-nonionic emulsifier. In both cases it appears that Smith-Ewart kinetics are obeyed, i.e., there is a constant-rate period up to 40–50% conversion, during which there is a concomitant constant molecular weight development. The sharp increases in molecular weight with conversion reported by Grancio and Williams appear to be an artifact resulting from the use of an impure emulsifier (Triton X-100), which acts as a chain transfer agent to reduce the molecular weight by approximately an order of magnitude. Hence there does not appear to be any kinetic justification for assuming an inhomogeneous swollen latex particle (“core-shell” morphology), and normal thermodynamic considerations should still apply to this swelling phenomemon.     

Heck reactions of 2-substituted enol ethers with aryl bromides catalysed by a tetraphosphine/palladium complex

cis,cis,cis-1,2,3,4-Tetrakis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)cyclopentane/[PdCl(C₃H₅)]₂ efficiently catalyses the Heck reaction of β-substituted enol ethers with aryl bromides. Employing β-methoxystyrene, 3-ethoxyacrylonitrile or methyl 3-methoxyacrylate, the regioselective α-arylation of these enol ethers was observed in all cases, and mixtures of Z and E isomers were generally obtained, which in many cases yielded a single ketone product after acid treatment. The stereoselectivity of this reaction depends on steric and electronic factors, and better stereoselectivities in favour of Z isomers were observed with electron-rich or sterically congested aryl bromides. Better yields were obtained for this reaction with electron-rich or sterically congested aryl bromides than with electron-poor aryl bromides. This observation suggests that with these β-substituted enol ethers the rate-limiting step of the catalytic cycle is not the oxidative addition of the aryl bromide to the palladium complex.     

Reactions of the trimethylsilyl ion with 1,2-cyclopentanediol isomers in the collision region of a triple quadrupole instrument

Ion-molecule reactions with the trimethylsilyl ion were used to distinguish between cis- and trans-1,2-cyclopentanediol isomers. The ion kinetic energy of [Si(CH₃)₃]⁺ was varied from 0 eV to 15 eV (center of mass frame of reference). At low ion kinetic energies (<4 eV), there are significant differences in the relative stabilities and decomposition behavior of the adduct ions [M + Si(CH₃)₃]⁺. The cis-1,2-cyclopentanediol isomer favors decomposition of [M + Si(CH₃)₃]⁺ to yield the hydrated trimethylsilyl ion [Si(CH₃)₃OH₂]⁺ at m/z 91. For the trans isomer, the formation of the hydrated trimethylsilyl ion is an endothermic process with a definite threshold ion kinetic energy.     

Further correlations between fragment ion intensity and critical energy. Unimolecular covalent bond fragmentation

A correlation of fragment ion intensity with critical energy found in the collisional activation spectra of [C₄Ph]⁺˙ ions produced by electron impact can also be found in the unimolecular mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectra of these ions. The P(E) functions of the unimolecular and collisionally activated ions should differ not only in width but also in structure and therefore, the hypothesis that P(E) functions do not have an important effect on these correlations is tested successfully.     

The U. V. spectrophotometric determination of potassium ethylxanthate

Summary A U. V.-spectrophotometric determination of potassium ethylxanthate is described and a recommended procedure is given. The method may be used for the determination of small amounts of carbon disulphide.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird eine UV-spektrophotometrische Bestimmung von Kaliumäthylxanthogenat beschrieben und eine Arbeitsvorschrift empfohlen. Die Methode kann für die Bestimmung kleiner Mengen Schwefelkohlenstoff verwendet werden.

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Résumé Une méthode U. V.-spectrophotométrique pour le dosage de l'éthylxanthogénate de potassium est décrite et une instruction recommendée est proposée. La méthode peut être utilisée pour le dosage des petites quantités de sulfure de carbone.

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Part of the thesis of the first author, Dissertation Free University, Amsterdam, 1956.     

Quantitative analysis of backbone dynamics in a crystalline protein from nitrogen-15 spin-lattice relaxation

A detailed analysis of nitrogen-15 longitudinal relaxation times in microcrystalline proteins is presented. A theoretical model to quantitatively interpret relaxation times is developed in terms of motional amplitude and characteristic time scale. Different averaging schemes are examined in order to propose an analysis of relaxation curves that takes into account the specificity of MAS experiments. In particular, it is shown that magic angle spinning averages the relaxation rate experienced by a single spin over one rotor period, resulting in individual relaxation curves that are dependent on the orientation of their corresponding carousel with respect to the rotor axis. Powder averaging thus leads to a nonexponential behavior in the observed decay curves. We extract dynamic information from experimental decay curves, using a diffusion in a cone model. We apply this study to the analysis of spin-lattice relaxation rates of the microcrystalline protein Crh at two different fields and determine differential dynamic parameters for several residues in the protein.     

Dual-flame photometric detector (DFPD) for the simultaneous G. C. determination of P-, S-, Cl-containing organic compounds

Summary The construction and set-up of a dual-flame photometric detector (DFPD) which, through three channel operation, allows the simulatneous selective determination of P-, S-, Cl-containing compounds eluted from a G. C. column is described. For P- and S-containing compounds the molecular emission bands HPO and S₂ at 526 and 394 nm respectively are measured; for Cl-containing compounds, after reaction with In, the InCl band at 360 nm is recorded. Detectability, specificity, linearity as well as mutual interferences are discussed and compared with those of classical GC-detectors as thermionic (TID) and electron capture (ECD). Some practical applications concerning the pesticide residue analysis in animal and vegetable extracts are shown.

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Zwei-Flammen-Photometer-Detektor (DFPD) für die gleichzeitige G. C. Bestimmung von P-, S-und Cl-enthaltenden organischen Verbindungen

Zusammenfassung Der Aufbau und die Justierung eines Zwei-Flammen-Photometer-Detektors, welcher durch 3-Kanal Arbeitsweise eine gleichzeitige selektive Bestimmung von P-, S- und Cl-enthaltenden Verbindungen erlaubt, wird beschrieben. Für P- und S-enthaltende Moleküle werden die Molekül-Linien HPO und S₂ bei 526 bzw. 394 nm gemessen; bei Cl-enthaltenden Verbindungen wird, nach Reaktion mit In, die InCl-Linie bei 360 nm registriert. Nachweisgrenze, Spezifität, Linearität sowie Quereinflüsse wechselseitiger Interferenzen werden diskutiert und mit den entsprechenden Werten klassischer GC-Detektoren wie TID und ECD verglichen. Einige praktische Anwendungen bei der Pestizid-Rückstand-Analyse in Extrakten von Tieren und Pflanzen werden gezeigt.

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Détecteur photométrique à double flamme (DPDF) pour la détermination simultantée des composés organiques contenant du P, S, Cl en CG

Résumé On décrit la construction et la mise au point d'undétecteur photométrique à double flamme («DFPD»=DPDF); celui-ci permet grâce à système à «3 canaux» de déterminersimultanément et sélectivement les substances organiques contenant du P, du S, du Cl, à la sortie des colonnes de chromatographie en phase gazeuse. Pour les substances contenant du P et du S, on mesure l'émission moléculaire correspondant aux bandes dûes à HPO et S₂ (526 et 394 nm. respectivement); pour les composés chlorés, on mesure l'émission correspondant à la bande due à InCl (360 nm.) après réaction avec l'Indium des gaz brulés. Les problèmes relatifs à la limite de détection, à la specificité et à la linéarité de la réponse en fonction de la quantité de substance injectée, ainsi qu'aux interactions entre substances détectées, sont discutés et les rultats obtenus sont compar avec ceux fournis par les détecteurs classiques: thermo-ionique («TID»=DTI) ou à capture d'électrons («ECD»=DCE). Quelques applications pratiques dans le domaine de l'analyse des résidus de pesticides dans des extraits d'origine animale ou végétale sont données comme exemples.