An efficient approach to isoindolo[2,1-b][2]benzazepines via intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition of maleic anhydride to 4-α-furyl-4-N-benzylaminobut-1-enes

Acylation of 4-α-furyl-4-N-benzylaminobut-1-enes with maleic anhydride gave 4-oxo-3-aza-10-oxatricyclo[5.2.1.0^1,5]dec-8-ene-6-carboxylic acid via amide formation followed by intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of furan (IMDAF). The cycloaddition proceeded under mild reaction conditions (25 °C) and provided only the exo-adduct in quantitative yield. Treatment of this compound with PPA gave isoindolo[2,1-b][2]benzazepine derivatives via ring opening, aromatization and intramolecular electrophilic alkylation. In order to extend the scope of the reaction sequence, 7-oxo-5,11b,12,13-tetrahydro-7H-isoindolo[2,1-b][2]benzazepine-8-carboxylic acids were further transformed into useful synthetic intermediates.     

Theory of the Lamellar Superstructure of an ABC 3‐Miktoarm Star‐Terpolymer

Summary: The theory of lamellar superstructures of an ABC 3‐miktoarm star terpolymer in the conditions corresponding to the strong segregation limit for linear ABC triblock terpolymer has been developed. According to the particular molecular topology (namely, the common junction point for all three blocks), the system cannot avoid volume interactions between monomers of different blocks even in this limit. Hence, in the lamellar superstructure, there exists the so‐called “mixed” domain containing monomers of all three blocks but formed mainly of the block with the lowest degree of incompatibility. It is shown that unfavorable volume interactions in this domain are minimized by the increase of the interfacial area per ABC molecule which makes the mixed domain narrow. This leads to an unusual behavior of the period of the superstructure which decreases with an increase in the length of the block with the lowest incompatibility. However, in the case of a “synchronous” increase in the size of the branches of the ABC 3‐miktoarm star terpolymer, the period of the superstructure increases similarly to that for a linear ABC triblock terpolymer.

ABC 3‐miktoarm star terpolymer.     

Lead Finder docking and virtual screening evaluation with Astex and DUD test sets

Lead Finder is a molecular docking software. Sampling uses an original implementation of the genetic algorithm that involves a number of additional optimization procedures. Lead Finder's scoring functions employ a set of semi-empiric molecular mechanics functionals that have been parameterized independently for docking, binding energy predictions and rank-ordering for virtual screening. Sampling and scoring both utilize a staged approach, moving from fast but less accurate algorithm versions to computationally more intensive but more accurate versions. Lead Finder includes tools for the preparation of full atom protein and ligand models. In this exercise, Lead Finder achieved 72.9% docking success rate on the Astex test set when the original author-prepared full atom models were used, and 74.1% success rate when the structures were prepared by Lead Finder. The major cause of docking failures were scoring errors resulting from the use of imperfect solvation models. In many cases, docking errors could be corrected by the proper protonation and the use of correct cyclic conformations of ligands. In virtual screening experiments on the DUD test set the early enrichment factor of several tens was achieved on average. However, the area under the ROC curve ("AUC ROC") ranged from 0.70 to 0.74 depending on the screening protocol used, and the separation from the null model was not perfect-0.12-0.15 units of AUC ROC. We assume that effective virtual screening in the whole range of enrichment curve and not just at the early enrichment stages requires more accurate solvation modeling and accounting for the protein backbone flexibility.     

Molecular and ionic complexes of pyrrolidinofullerene bearing chelating 3-pyridyl units

Molecular and ionic complexes of cis-2',5'-di(pyridin-3-yl)pyrrolidino[3',4':1,9](C(60)-I(h))[5,6]fullerene DP3FP with chlorobenzene (C(6)H(5)Cl), manganese(II) tetraphenylporphyrin (Mn(II)TPP) and tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene (TDAE) have been obtained for the first time. X-ray single crystal structure determination for the crystalline DP3FP·C(6)H(5)Cl (1) solvate proved unambiguously its molecular structure with the cis-arrangement of chelating 3-pyridyl groups. It has been demonstrated that DP3FP easily forms self-assembled photoactive complexes with metallated porphyrins. For example, the formation of a 1 : 1 complex between DP3FP and zinc (II) tetraphenylporphyrin (Zn(II)TPP) in cyclohexane solution (2) was evidenced using absorption spectroscopy. A successful X-ray single crystal structure determination was performed for a self-assembled triad composed of a DP3FP molecule linked with two Mn(II)TPP molecules in {DP3FP·(Mn(II)TPP)(2)}·(C(6)H(4)Cl(2))(3) (3). A strong organic donor TDAE reduces DP3FP to the radical anion state thus forming an ionic complex (TDAE˙(+))·(DP3FP˙(-))·(C(6)H(4)Cl(2))(1.6) (4). Optical, electronic and magnetic properties of 4 were investigated in detail. The performed studies strongly suggest that pyrrolidinofullerene DP3FP can be used as a building block in the design of various organic materials with advanced optoelectronic and/or magnetic properties.     

Design of neutral Lewis superacids of group 13 elements

A general approach toward superstrong neutral Lewis acids, featuring both the pyramidalization of acceptor molecules and the introduction of electron-withdrawing substituents, is proposed and examined theoretically. Complexes of group 13 element derivatives with ammonia at the B3LYP and MP2 levels of theory with def2-TZVPP basis set are considered as examples. Pyramidalization of the acceptor molecule significantly increases its Lewis acidity (by 50-60 kJ mol(-1) for aluminum and gallium compounds and by 120-130 kJ mol(-1) for boron compounds). An additional increase of the complex stability of 55-75 kJ mol(-1) may be achieved by fluorination. The combined increase of the bond dissociation energy amounts to 110-190 kJ mol(-1), which is equivalent to 19-33 orders of magnitude in Lewis acidity.     

Synthesis, isolation, and spectroscopic characterization of holmium-based mixed-metal nitride clusterfullerenes: HoxSc3-xN@C80 (x=1, 2)

The synthesis, isolation and spectroscopic characterization of holmium-based mixed metal nitride clusterfullerenes Ho(x) Sc(3-x) N@C(80) (x=1, 2) are reported. Two isomers of Ho(x) Sc(3-x) N@C(80) (x=1, 2) were synthesized by the reactive gas atmosphere method and isolated by multistep recycling HPLC. The isomeric structures of Ho(x) Sc(3-x) N@C(80) (x=1, 2) were characterized by laser-desorption time-of-flight (LD-TOF) mass spectrometry and UV/Vis/NIR, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. A comparative study of M(x) Sc(3-x) N@C(80) (M=Gd, Dy, Lu, Ho) demonstrates the dependence of their electronic and vibrational properties on the encaged metal. Despite the distinct perturbation induced by 4f(10) electrons, we report the first paramagnetic (13) C?NMR study on Ho(x) Sc(3-x) N@C(80) (I; x=1, 2) and confirm I(h) -symmetric cage structure. A (45) Sc NMR study on HoSc(2) N@C(80) (I, II) revealed a temperature-dependent chemical shift in the temperature range of 268-308?K.     

The enthalpies of vaporisation of ionic liquids: new measurements and predictions

The enthalpies of vaporisation, Δ(vap)H(298), of seven ionic liquids (ILs) (four imidazoliums, a pyridinium, a phosphonium and an isouronium) have been determined by temperature programmed desorption using line of sight mass spectrometry. They were: 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(pentafluoroethyl)phosphinate, [C(2)C(1)Im][PO(2)(C(2)F(5))(2)]; 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium octylsulfate, [C(4)C(1)Im][C(8)OSO(3)]; 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [C(4)C(1)Im][BF(4)]; 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate, [C(6)C(1)Im][FAP]; 1-butylpyridinium methylsulfate, [C(4)Py][C(1)OSO(3)]; trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium tetrafluoroborate, [P(6,6,6,14)][BF(4)] and O-ethyl-N,N,N',N'-tetramethylisouronium trifluoromethanesulfonate, [C(2)(C(1))(4)iU][TfO]. The values were found to be consistent with a previously proposed, predictive, model in which Δ(vap)H(298) is decomposed into a Coulombic component (computable from the IL density) and van der Waals components from the anion and cation. Two previously predicted values of Δ(vap)H(298) were found to be within 6 kJ mol(-1) of the measured experimental values. Values for the van der Waals components are tabulated for eleven cations and twelve anions. Predictions are made for Δ(vap)H(298) for 13 ILs with as yet unmeasured Δ(vap)H(298) values (using experimental molar volumes), and for a further 44 ILs using estimated molar volumes.     

A miniaturized and integrated gel post platform for multiparameter PCR detection of herpes simplex viruses from raw genital swabs

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is one of the most prevalent viruses, with acute and recurrent infections in humans. The current gold standard for the diagnosis of HSV is viral culture which takes 2-14 days and has low sensitivity. In contrast, DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be performed within 1-2 h. We here describe a multiparameter PCR assay to simultaneously detect HSV-1 and HSV-2 DNA templates, together with integrated positive and negative controls, with product detection by melting curve analysis (MCA), in an array of semi-solid polyacrylamide gel posts. Each gel post is 0.67 μL in volume, and polymerized with all the components required for PCR. Both PCR and MCA can currently be performed in one hour and 20 min. Unprocessed genital swabs collected in universal transport medium were directly added to the reagents before or after polymerization, diffusing from atop the gel posts. The gel post platform detects HSV templates in as little as 2.5 nL of raw sample. In this study, 45 genital swab specimens were tested blindly as a preliminary validation of this platform. The concordance of PCR on gel posts with conventional PCR was 91%. The primer sequestration method introduced here (wherein different primers are placed in different sets of posts) enables the simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens for the same sample, together with positive and negative controls, on a single chip. This platform accepts unprocessed samples and is readily adaptable to detection of multiple different pathogens or biomarkers for point-of-care diagnostics.