Methyltrioxorhenium-catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling of 2-naphthols to binaphthols

A variety of 2-naphthols have been selectively oxidized to their corresponding 1,1′-bi-2-naphthols in excellent yields with molecular oxygen using methyltrioxorhenium as catalyst.     

Interference of ascorbic acid in the sensitive detection of dopamine by a nonoxidative sensing approach

The electrochemistry of a poly(anilineboronic acid)/carbon nanotube composite was studied in the presence of dopamine and ascorbic acid. To understand the binding affinity of dopamine and ascorbic acid to the boronic acid functional groups in the composite, the association constants between the diol groups in dopamine and ascorbic acid and the boronic acid were experimentally determined using a fluorescence-based binding assay. The results demonstrate that ascorbic acid could severely interfere with the detection of dopamine in nonoxidative boronic acid-binding approaches: Ascorbic acid was able to electrocatalytically reduce the fully oxidized polyaniline backbone during the electrochemical oxidation process; similarly to dopamine, ascorbic acid was also able to bind to the boronic acid groups through its planar diol group even though the binding affinity is much lower. The examination of the dopamine transduction mechanism and ascorbic acid interference mechanism in this nonoxidative approach will benefit the design of future boronic acid-based sensors.     

The base hydrolysis ofmer-[Co(1,5-diamino-3-azapentane)(amino acidate)X]+ (X = Cl or NO2) complexes and base hydrolysis of complexed peptides in the coordination sphere of the [Co(dien)]3+ moiety

Summary A variety ofmer-[Co(dien)(AA)X]⁺ (AA = amino acidate, dien = 1,5-diamino-3-azapentane) andmer-[Co(dien)(dipeptideOR)X]²⁺ complexes (X = Cl or NO₂) have been prepared and characterised. Base hydrolysis of the peptide bond in the carbonyl bonded glycyl peptides has been studied at 25°C and I = 0.1 mol dm^–3. The rate constants k_OH for peptide bond hydrolysis fall within the 0.67–0.88 mol dm^–3s^–1 range. Base hydrolysis of the complexed peptide isca. 2×10⁴ times faster than for the uncomplexed peptide ligand at 25 °C. The base hydrolysis of the chloro- and nitro-ligands in these complexes has also been studied. Very rapid hydrolysis occurs if the dien ligand adopts amer-configuration and the reactions are 10²–10⁴ times faster than for analogous complexes where the dien ligand adopts afac-configuration. These results are in agreement with Tobe's criteria for rapid base hydrolysis in cobalt(III) complexes.The following abbreviations are used thoughout this paper; dien 1,5-diamino-3-azapentane - dpt 1,7-diamino-4-azaheptane - glyO glycinate - glyOH glycine - glyOR glycine ester - glyNH₂ glycine amide - glyglyO glycylglycinate - glyglyOR glycylglycine ester - glyglyglyOH triglycine - -alaO -alaninate     

The quality-management system in research implemented in the food and food process quality research laboratory of the French Food Safety Agency

The French Food Safety Agency is a public body incorporating 12 laboratories that perform research to support expertise and public decisions taken in the fields of sanitary safety of food, animal health, and veterinary drugs. On the request of the General Management of the Agency a quality-management system in research (QMSR) is being implemented in the Food and Food Process Quality Research Laboratory. The experimental QMSR is based on existing standards and documents, describing the provisions required for scientific and technical competence, quality management, and project management. Furthermore, this QMSR also incorporates specific notions of great importance for research activities such as the positive and negative non-conformities, the non-confirmation of hypotheses, and the principle of evaluation of a research activity by peers for both quality and scientific aspects.     

Crystallographic/experimental electron density characterizations and reactions with nucleophiles of beta-enaminonitriles possessing a pyrrolobenzazepine core

In connection with a total synthesis of cephalotaxine (1a), we have examined the addition of various nucleophilic reagents to [ABC] subunits 2 and 7 possessing a pyrrolobenzazepine core. In fact, this reaction implicates invariably the carbonyl group of 2. Regarding the reaction of 7 with nucleophiles, the most striking aspect is the complete lack of reactivity of the enaminonitrile moiety. For instance, the condensation of 7 with methylmagnesium bromide involves exclusively the cleavage of the dioxole ring, yielding regioisomers 9 and 10. With the aim of understanding the unexpected reactivity of 2 and 7 toward nucleophiles, crystallographic studies of 2 and 7 and an experimental electron density determination of 7 were carried out. The marked reactivity of the carbonyl group of 2 was interpreted by invoking the weakness of the amide resonance, due to a pronounced delocalization of the N(9) lone pair over the enaminonitrile moiety. The electron density study of 7 reveals this electron delocalization along the enaminonitrile fragment, highlighted and quantified through the bond geometries, topological indicators, and atomic charges, a phenomenon that is responsible for the failure of the addition of nucleophilic species.     

Kinetics of CO2 formation in thermal destruction of brown coals

The previously suggested approach to the problem of kinetic system identification /1/ was used for the system of independent first order reactions. The analysis of the curves of CO₂ formation in thermal destruction of brown coal indicates that both structure and model parameters of real processs can be identified in terms of the continuity concepts.

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(I) ë . CO₂ , , .

     

Design of peptides with α,β-dehydro-residues: Synthesis and crystal structure of a tetrapeptide Boc-Ala-ΔPhe-ΔPhe-Phe-OCH<Subscript>3</Subscript>

In order to develop general rules of peptide design with α,β-dehydro-residues, a peptide, Boc-Ala-ΔPhe-ΔPhe-Phe-OCH₃, was synthesized. The peptide was crystallized from its solution in an acetone:water mixture (70:30). The crystals belong to orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁ with a = 9.403(1) Å, b = 16.871(1) Å, c = 21.638(1) Å, and Z = 4. The peptide adopts a conformation with two overlapping types II′ and III β-turns having dihedral angles, φ₁ = 53.7(6)^°, ψ₁ = ?135.9(4)^°, φ₂ = ?59.2(5)^°, ψ₂ = ?17.9(5)^°, φ₃ = ?68.4(5)^°, ψ₃ = ?18.8(6)^°. The conformation was further characterized by two intramolecular 4 → 1 hydrogen bonds involving imino nitrogen atoms of ΔPhe³ and Phe⁴ as donors and carbonyl oxygen atoms of blocking group Boc and Ala¹ as acceptors. The packing of the molecules in the unit cell is stabilized by an intermolecular hydrogen bond, N₂–H₂?s O′₃ [?x, y+1/2, ?z+1/2] = 2.894 Å and van der Waals forces involving aromatic side chains.