Alkene loss from metastable methyleneimmonium ions: Unusual inverse secondary isotope effect in ion-neutral complex intermediate fragmentations

The mechanism of propene elimination from metastable methyleneimmonium ions is discussed. The first field-free region fragmentations of complete sets of isotopically labelled methyleneimmonium ions (H₂C = $ \mathop {\rm N}\limits^{\rm +} $⁺R¹R²: R¹ = R² = n-C₃H₇; R¹ = R² = i-C₃H₇; R¹ = n -C₃H₇; R² = C₂H₅; R¹ = n-C₃H₇; R² = CH₃; R¹ = n-C₃H₇; R² = H) were used to support the mechanism presented. The relative amounts of H/D transferred are quantitatively correlated to two distinct mathematical concepts which allow information to be deduced about influences on reaction pathways that cannot be measured directly. Propene loss from the ions examined proceeds via ion-neutral complex intermediates. For the di-n-propyl species rate-determining and H/D distribution-determining steps are clearly distinct Whereas the former corresponds to a 1,2-hydride shift in a 1-propyl cation coordinated to an imine moiety, the latter is equivalent to a proton transfer to the imine occurring from the 2-propyl cation generated by the previous step. For the diisopropyl-substituted ions which directly form the 2-propyl cation-containing complex, the rate-determining hydride shift vanishes. The 2-propyl cation-containing complex can decompose directly or via an intermediate proton-bridged complex. Competition of these routes is not excluded by the experimental results. Assuming a 2:1:3 distribution, a preference for the α- and β-methylene of the initial n-propyl chain as the source of the hydrogen transferred is detected for n-propylimmonium ions containing a second alkyl chain R². This preference shows a clear dependence on the steric influence of R². During the transfer step isotopic substitution is found to affect the H/D distribution strongly. For the alternative route of McLafferty rearrangement leading to C₂H₄ loss, specific γ-H transfer is observed.     

Two remarks concerning toroidal groups

This paper deals with two quite unrelated properties of toroidal groups. After some preliminary remarks in section 0, we calculate in section 1 the Dolbeault cohomology groups of a toroidal group under an additional assumption which assures that those are at least finite-dimensional. In particular, we obtain a Hodge decomposition for these special toroidal groups. In section 2, we first give a new proof of a theorem of Cousin concerning the sections of topologically trivial line bundles on toroidal groups. As an application, we then show that, in a sense to be made precise, most abelian complex Lie groups of dimension ≥2 do not have any hypersurfaces.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of the LOV2 domain from Adiantum capillus-veneris

The mechanism for signal transduction from the LOV-domains toward the kinase region of phototropin is still not well understood. We have performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and CONCOORD calculations on the LOV2 domain of Adiantum capillus-veneris, with the goal to detect possible differences between the two forms of the LOV domain which may not show up in the static crystal structures. Since no such clear differences are found in the MD simulations also, we suggest that the real, biologically active conformation of the LOV domain within the whole phototropin is different from the crystal structure of the isolated LOV domains. The MD simulations do offer, however, insight into details of the dynamics of the dark and illuminated LOV domains, which are discussed in the light of recent experiments.     

Indium(III) one-dimensional polymers with pyrazine and pyrazine, 2-carboxylic acid as the spacer molecules

The reactions of indium(III) chloride tetrahydrate with pyrazine (C₄H₄N₂) and pyrazine, 2-carboxylic acid afford two polymeric frameworks, the structures of which were characterized in the solid state by single crystal analysis. The former is a one-dimensional infinite structure interlinked by the pyrazine spacer, while the latter is a one-dimensional ‘zigzag’ polymeric structure. A dimeric indium(III) pyrazine complex is also reported.     

Proteins that convert from alpha helix to beta sheet: implications for folding and disease

The sequence of a protein normally determines which amino acid residues will form alpha helices, and which one beta sheets, to an extent that allows secondary structure prediction to be made with a reasonable reliability. Nevertheless, non-native helical structures are observed during in vitro folding of several model proteins and may even occur during protein biosynthesis within the ribosomal exit tunnel. Moreover, non-native beta sheet structures are common in amyloid fibrils formed by a variety of pathogenic and even non-pathogenic proteins and peptides. In all of these cases, the formation of alpha helix precedes the appearance of beta sheet, which suggests that conversion from the simpler, more local helix structure to the often more convoluted sheet architecture during folding and pathogenic misfolding processes could be a unifying principle of general importance. A better understanding of this switching process, and the ability to design molecular systems which can be induced to switch between these conformations will have a significant impact on fields ranging from fundamental biochemistry through to applied technology and medicine.     

Rapid 1H[13C]-resolved diffusion and spin-relaxation measurements by NMR spectroscopy

Hadamard-encoded heteronuclear-resolved NMR diffusion and relaxation measurements allow overlapping signal decays to be resolved with substantially shorter measuring times than are generally associated with 2D heteronuclear cross-correlation experiments. Overall measuring time requirements can be reduced by approximately an order of magnitude, compared to typical 2D heteronuclear single-quantum correlation-resolved diffusion or relaxation measurements. Specifically, in cases where chemical shift correlation information provides enhanced spectral resolution, the use of Hadamard encoding can be used to overcome uniqueness challenges that are associated with the analysis of concurrent dynamic processes and the extraction of time constants from overlapping exponential signal decays. This leads to substantially improved resolution of similar time constants than can be achieved solely through the use of post-acquisition processing techniques. In the ideal case of complete spectral separation of the signal decays, the usual constraint that time constants must be sufficiently different to resolve by exponential analysis can be circumvented entirely. Hadamard-based pulse sequences have been used to determine 1H[13C]-resolved diffusion coefficients and spin-relaxation time constants for the chemically similar components of an aqueous solution of ethanol, glycerol, and poly(ethylene glycol), and a dye-containing block-copolymer solution, which exhibit significant spectral overlap in their 1H NMR spectra.     

Pore formation in fluctuating membranes

We study the nucleation of a single pore in a fluctuating lipid membrane, specifically taking into account the membrane fluctuations, as well as the shape fluctuations of the pore. For large enough pores, the nucleation free energy is well-described by shifts in the effective membrane surface tension and the pore line tension. Using our framework, we derive the stability criteria for the various pore formation regimes. In addition to the well-known large-tension regime from the classical nucleation theory of pores, we also find a low-tension regime in which the effective line and surface tensions can change sign from their bare values. The latter scenario takes place at sufficiently high temperatures, where the opening of a stable pore of finite size is entropically favorable.     

Selective detection of Fe(III) ions in aqueous solution with a 1,8-diacridylnaphthalene-derived fluorosensor

The syn-isomer of 1,8-bis(4,4′-diisopropyl-9,9′-diacridyl)naphthalene, 1, has been prepared by two consecutive Pd(PPh₃)₄-catalyzed Stille cross-coupling steps. This highly congested sensor undergoes Fe(III)-selective fluorescence quenching in water/acetonitrile even in the presence of excess of other metal ions.     

Préparation d'isoxazoles trisubstitués par réduction chimique et électrochimique d'α-acyl β-nitrostilbènes

Nitration of α-acylstilbenes with dinitrogen tetroxide leads to corresponding Z-α-acyl-β-nitrostilbenes. By chemical or electochemical reduction of these compounds, trisubstituted isoxazoles were prepared in good yields.     

Adducts of niobium(V) and tantalum(V) halides. XIV. Structure and relative stability of the adducts with some phosphoryl compounds

The adducts of niobium(V) and tantalum(V) halides with some phosphoryl compounds have been studied in chloroform solution by ¹H- and ¹⁹F-FT-NMR. spectroscopy. These octahedral adducts of general formula MX₅ · L (M = Nb, Ta; X = F, Cl, Br; L = phosphoryl ligand) are monomeric and neutral. Their relative stability constants have been determined at ?60°. The stabilities are controlled by electronic effects of substituents on the phosphoryl group.