Determination of the relative stereochemistry of flexible organic compounds by Ab initio methods: conformational analysis and Boltzmann-averaged GIAO 13C NMR chemical shifts

Ab initio calculations at the Hartree-Fock level with full-geometry optimization using the 6-31G(d) basis set, and GIAO (gauge including atomic orbitals) (13)C NMR chemical shifts, are presented here as a support in the study of the stereochemistry of low-polar organic compounds having an open-chain structure. Four linear stereoisomers, fragments of a natural product previously characterized by experimental (13)C NMR spectra, which possesses three stereogenic centers, 11 carbon atoms, and 38 atoms in total, were considered. Conformational searches, by empirical force-field molecular dynamics, pointed out the existence of 8-13 relevant conformers per stereoisomer. Thermochemical calculations at the ab initio level in the harmonic approximation of the vibrational modes, allowed the evaluation, at 298.15 K, of the standard Gibbs free energy of the conformers. The (13)C NMR chemical shift of a given carbon atom in each stereoisomer was considered as the average chemical shift value of the same atom in the different conformers. The averages were obtained by the Boltzmann distribution, using the relative standard free energies as weighting factors. Computed parameters related to linear correlation plots of experimental (13)C chemical shifts versus the corresponding computed average data allowed us to distinguish among the four stereoisomers.     

Effect of copper salts on peptide bond formation using peptide thioesters

[reaction: see text] In the present paper, systematic studies revealed that Cu(I) salts in general and Cu(II) salts under certain circumstances promote effective reaction between peptide thiol esters and the N-terminal amino function of a second peptide segment to give the native amide bond for both solution- and solid-phase syntheses. Chiral integrity was retained. Reaction conditions were optimized and applied to the synthesis of a small protein, the identity of which was confirmed by NMR analysis.     

Cross linking and rheological characterization of adsorbed protein layers at the oil-water interface

The dilatational rheological properties of cross-linked protein layers adsorbed at the oil-water interface were investigated with help of a modified drop tensiometer allowing successive replacements of the external phase. This setup enables one to perform cross-linking reactions at the interface only, that is, without any contact between the cross-linking agent and protein molecules in solution, under continuous monitoring of the interfacial tension. The mechanical properties of the resulting interface were investigated with dilatational large strain experiments. Measured rheological properties were related to the expected stability of an emulsion against disproportionation by considering the ratio of the interfacial elasticity to the interfacial tension. In an attempt to increase this ratio to improve the resistance against disproportionation, experiments were performed with densified protein layers obtained via reduction of the droplet area prior to cross linking. To highlight the influence of the protein morphology on the dilatational rheological properties of the cross-linked adsorbed layers, experiments were performed with random coil (beta-casein) as well as globular (beta-lactoglobulin) proteins. Glutaraldehyde was used as a cross-linking agent. Experiments were performed at 55 degrees C and pH 7.0 in 20 mM imidazole buffer for later comparison with enzymatically cross-linked adsorbed protein layers. The present work demonstrated substantial qualitative and quantitative differences in the interfacial rheological properties of cross-linked random coil and globular proteins.     

études sur les composés organométalliques,VIII. Synthése du tétrabenzyltitane

Tetrabenzyltitane is prepared by reaction of TiCl₄ on dibenzylmagnesium in pentane or hexane at – 20° in the presence of a small amount of ether.     

Calculation of some electronic excited states of formaldehyde

The optimized MO's of several excited states of formaldehyde have been calculated by means of a large basis set of modified Gaussian functions; particular attention has been paid to the * transition. The total energy of the various states has been obtained as the sum of the SCF and correlation energies; the last one has been calculated as a functional of the electronic density. The calculated values for the transition energies are in good agreement with the experiment. A strong interaction of the * state with the continuum is evidentiated; this fact can justify the absence of the * band in the absorption spectrum.     

Copper(I) complexes of neutral,deprotonated and protonated 4,6-dimethylpyrimidine-2 (1H)-thione

Summary The following copper(I) complexes of 4,6-dimethylpyrimidine-2(1H)-thione (HL), its protonated cation (H₂L⁺) and deprotonated anion (L^–) have been prepared: CuL, Cu(HL)X (X = Cl, Br or I), Cu(HL)₂X (X = C1 or Br), Cu₂(HL)₃Br₂, Cu(H₂L)X₂ (X = Cl or Br), Cu₃(HL)₂LA₂ (A = ClO₄ or BF₄ ). The i.r. spectra show that in all the HL and L^– complexes and in the Cu(H₂L)Br₂ complex, the ligands are S, N coordinated to the metal ion, while in Cu(H₂L)Cl₂ only the thiocarbonylic sulphur is coordinated, probably bridging two copper(I) atoms. Thev(CuN) (288–317 cm^–1 ) andv(CuS) (191–225 cm^–1 ) have uniform frequency values in all the complexes. The halide ions are, in all their complexes, wholly or in part coordinated giving twov(CuX) bands which may indicate an asymmetrical Cu-X Cu halide bridging bond.Author to whom all correspondence should be directed.     

A novel group of highly hydroxylated steroids from the starfish Protoreaster nodosus

Thre novel polyhydroxylated sterols, 5-cholestane-3β,6,8,15,16β,26-hexol, 5-cholestane-3β,6,7,8,15,16β,26-heptol and 5-cholestane-3β,4β,6,7,8,15,16β,26-octol, have been isolated from the Pacific Starfish Protoreaster nodosus and their structures have been established through extensive ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR studies, chemical transformations and related spectroscopic data.     

The Synthesis of Natural Acetylenic Compounds from Stereum hirsutum

The regioselective synthesis of two new acetylenic compounds, sterehirsutinal ( 1 ) and sterehirsutinol ( 2 ), isolated recently from culture medium of the fungus Stereum hirsutum, is reported.     

Phytochemical Analysis,Antispasmodic, Myorelaxant,and Antioxidant Effect of Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin and Clemants Flower Hydroethanolic Extracts and Its Chloroform and Ethyl Acetate Fractions

Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin and Clemants is an annual or ephemeral perennial herb used traditionally in the Mediterranean region in folk medicine to treat various illnesses, including those related to the digestive system. This study aims to assess the antispasmodic, myorelaxant, and antioxidant effects of D. ambrosioides flower hydroethanolic extract and its chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions in a comparative study to evaluate the result of the extraction type on the potential activity of the extract. Both rat and rabbit jejunum were used to evaluate the antispasmodic and myorelaxant effect, while the antioxidant effect was evaluated using DPPH, a ferric reducing power assay, and a beta-carotene bleaching test. LC/MS-MS analysis was carried out to reveal the composition of the different types of extract. Following the results, the hydroethanolic extract showed a significant myorelaxant effect (IC₅₀ = 0.39 ± 0.01 mg/mL). Moreover, it was shown that the hydroethanolic extract demonstrated the best antispasmodic activity (IC₅₀ = 0.51 ± 0.05 mg/mL), followed by the ethyl acetate (IC₅₀ = 4.05 ± 0.32 mg/mL) and chloroform (IC₅₀ = 4.34 ± 0.45 mg/mL) fractions. The antioxidant tests showed that the hydroethanolic extract demonstrated high antioxidant activity, followed by the ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions. The LC/MS-MS analysis indicates that the plant extract was rich in flavonoids, to which the extract activity has been attributed. This study supports the traditional use of this plant to treat digestive problems, especially those with spasms.     

On different geometric formulations of Lagrangian formalism

We consider two geometric formulations of Lagrangian formalism on fibred manifolds: Krupka's theory of finite order variational sequences, and Vinogradov's infinite order variational sequence associated with the -spectral sequence. On one hand, we show that the direct limit of Krupka's variational bicomplex is a new infinite order variational bicomplex which yields a new infinite order variational sequence. On the other hand, by means of Vinogradov's -spectral sequence, we provide a new finite order variational sequence whose direct limit turns out to be the Vinogradov's infinite order variational sequence. Finally, we provide an equivalence of the two finite order and infinite order variational sequences modulo the space of Euler-Lagrange morphisms.