Stereoselective synthesis of new bicyclic N,O-iso-homonucleoside analogues

The synthesis of two new bicyclic nucleoside analogues is reported. These compounds are iso-homonucleoside and are synthesised through a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of an enantiopure cyclic nitrone to protected allyl acohol and subsequent introduction of thymine by a Mitsunobu reaction.     

Spectrophotometric and electrochemical determination of the formation constants of the complexes Curcumin-Fe(III)-water and Curcumin-Fe(II)-water

The formation of complexes among the Curcumin, Fe(III) and Fe(II) was studied in aqueous media within the 5-11 pH range by means of UV-Vis spectrophotometry and cyclic voltammetry. When the reaction between the Curcumin and the ions present in basic media took place, the resulting spectra of the systems Curcumin-Fe(III) and Curcumin-Fe(II) presented a similar behaviour. The cyclic voltammograms in basic media indicated that a chemical reaction has taken place between the Curcumin and Fe(III) before that of the formation of complexes. Data processing with SQUAD permitted to calculate the formation constants of the complexes Curcumin-Fe(III), corresponding to the species FeCur (lob beta110 = 22.25 +/- 0.03) and FeCur(OH)- (log beta111 = 12.14 +/- 0.03), while for the complexes Curcumin-Fe(II) the corresponding formation constants of the species FeCur- (log beta110 = 9.20 +/- 0.04), FeHCur (log beta111 = 19.76 +/- 0.03), FeH2Cur+ (log beta112 = 28.11 +/- 0.02).     

NMR-Spectroscopic, computational and mass-spectrometric investigations on the cis/trans analogues of 2,3,4-trihydronaphthalene-1-one

NMR-Spectroscopic, computational and mass-spectrometric studies of the cis/trans isomers of N-[8-(acetylamino)-4-(2,2-dimethyl-1,1-diphenyl-silapropoxy)-6-fluoro-5-methyl-1-one-2,3,4-trihydronaphthyl]acetamide (1a and 1b), obtained as intermediates in the synthesis of an important class of alkaloid molecules, are reported. ¹H and ¹³C NMR analyses show an unusual axial preference of the TBDPSi- (tert-butyldiphenylsilyl) group in position 4 in both the isomers. Mass spectrometric evidence demonstrates that trans isomer has a higher affinity for ammonium ions than the cis isomer and that only the ammonium adduct [1b+NH₄]⁺ and the protonated molecule [1b+H]⁺ show the fragmentation in which loss of benzene is observed. Moreover, molecular mechanics and semi-empirical calculations indicate that a group of trans conformers tend to place one of the phenyl rings of the TBDPSiO- group in a offset π-stacked geometry with the compound's aromatic ring. The combination and the detailed analyses of these experimental and theoretical results could support the π-π interaction obtained as a conformational preference in the trans isomer.     

Empty level structure in phenyl and benzyl isocyanates

The energies of the lowest-lying anion states of phenyl (C6H5N=C=O) and benzyl (C6H5CH2N=C=O) isocyanates have been determined experimentally in the gas phase for the first time using electron transmission spectroscopy (ETS), and their localization properties have been evaluated using HF/6-31G, MP2/6-31G*, and B3LYP/6-31G* calculations. The lowest-lying anion state of phenyl isocyanate, mainly of benzene ring character but with some contribution also from the N=C=O pi-system, lies at significantly higher energy than that of other benzenes substituted by pi-functionals, such as benzaldehyde or styrene. The scaling with the use of suitable empirical equations of the virtual orbital energies (VOEs) for orbitals with predominantly pi*(ring) character calculated for the neutral-state molecules leads to vertical attachment energies (VAEs) which closely correspond to those determined experimentally, whereas those calculated for the predominantly pi*(CO) and pi*(NC) orbitals (3rd and 4th LUMO, respectively) are significantly different from the corresponding measured values notwithstanding the fact that the calculations reproduce the shortening of the N=C and C=O double bonds.     

Li,Ti(III), and Ti(IV) trisamidotriazacyclononane complexes. Syntheses,reactivity, and structures

The preparations of 1,4,7-(NHPhSiMe(2))(3)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane (H(3)N(3)-tacn) and its lithium and sodium derivatives are described. The X-ray structure of the THF adduct of the lithium derivative, Li(3)N(3)-tacn(THF)(2), shows that one of the macrocycle pendant arms is bent to allow the coordination of the its lithium ion to two tacn amines. In solution, a fluxional process makes all the pending arms magnetically equivalent. The reactions of Li(3)N(3)-tacn or Na(3)N(3)-tacn with either TiCl(4) and TiCl(3)(THF)(3) led to the formation of [Ti(N(3)-tacn)], 5. The oxidation of 5 with various oxidizing reagents gave cationic complexes [Ti(N(3)-tacn)]X, 6 (X = I, Cl, SCN, PF(6), BPh(4)), that exist as a pair of enantiomers, lambda(lambdalambdalambda)/delta(deltadeltadelta), which interconvert in solution. The molecular structures of 5 and 6 (X = I, BPh(4)) show the coordination of the six nitrogen donor set to the titanium. Due to the short length of the tacn pendant arms, the hexadentate bonding mode of the ligand is mainly achieved through the sharpening of the N-Si-N angles. The reaction of [Ti(N(3)-tacn)]I, 6a, with W(CO)(6) led to the synthesis of [Ti(N(3)-tacn)][W(CO)(5)I], 7.     

Trans-1-chloro-2-fluoroethylene: microwave spectra and anharmonic force field

For the first time the millimeter-wave spectra of the trans-35ClHC=CHF and trans-37ClHC=CHF isotopomers have been observed in natural abundance. Many DeltaJ=0, +/-1 DeltaK(-1)=+1 transitions for 35ClHC=CHF and DeltaJ=0 DeltaK(-1)=+1 transitions for 37ClHC=CHF have been detected and assigned. This allowed us to accurately determine the vibrational ground-state rotational constants, quartic and some sextic centrifugal distortion constants, and nuclear quadrupole coupling constants for both 35Cl and 37Cl. The experimental investigation has been supported by highly accurate theoretical predictions. As far as ab initio computations are concerned, the complete set of cubic and quartic force constants have been evaluated by numerical differentiation of the analytic second-order M?ller-Plesset many-body perturbation theory/correlation consistent polarized valence triple zeta second derivatives. The anharmonic part of the force field completes the theoretical study on the equilibrium structure, dipole moment, chlorine quadrupolar tensor, and harmonic force field previously carried out by the same authors.     

New strained ferrocenophane-based receptors for the selective electrochemical recognition of Mg in the presence of Ca cations

Ferrocenophane derivatives 3 act as electrochemical sensors of Mg²⁺ ions: a new redox peak appears in the CVs anodically shifted compared to the E_1/2 of the free receptors by 268-382 mV. Receptors 3a, 3c and 3d are selective for Mg²⁺, whilst 3b is also responsive to Ca²⁺ ion (302 mV shift). Receptor 3c also gave a highly visual output response in the presence of Mg²⁺ consisting of a deep purple colour.     

Coded amino acids in gas phase: the shape of isoleucine

The solid alpha-amino acid isoleucine has been vaporized by laser ablation and expanded in a supersonic jet, where the molecular conformations of the isolated molecule were probed using Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Two conformers of neutral isoleucine have been detected in gas phase, the most stable being stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen bond N-H...O=C and a cis-COOH arrangement. The higher energy form is stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen bond N...H-O. The sec-butyl side chain of the amino acid adopts the same configuration in the two observed conformers, with a staggered configuration at Cbeta similar to that observed in valine and a trans arrangement of Calpha and Cdelta. Ab initio calculations at MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level reproduce satisfactorily the experimental results.     

Molar and Partial Molar Excess Volumes of Benzene in Methyl Ester Solutions at 25°C

Molar and partial molar excess volumes of mixtures of benzene with several methyl esters (from methanoate to decanoate) were determined, over the whole concentration range, at 25°C and atmospheric pressure from experimental densities and correlated by a suitable equation. The applicability of the Flory and Priggogine–Flory–Pattersort models for predicting molar excess volumes is tested. The calculated values with Flory and Priggogine–Flory–Patterson are similar and agree poorly with the experimental data.     

Direct Electrochemical Sensing and Detection of Natural Antioxidants and Antioxidant Capacity in Vitro Systems

This review highlights the role of electrochemical approaches in the sensing of antioxidants and their antioxidant capacity with especial attention to the analytical possibilities of electrochemistry in the direct evaluation of antioxidant capacity exhibited by food and biological samples due to the termed dietary, natural or biological antioxidants (mainly polyphenols, and vitamins C and E). The analytical potency of the electrochemistry is comprehensively stated and the selected results found in the literature are summarized and discussed critically. The main electrochemical approaches used have been cyclic voltammetry (CV) and flow injection analysis with amperometric detection (FIA‐ED). In addition, miniaturization is going to break new frontiers in the evaluation of antioxidant activity.