Conductance of tetraalkylammonium salts in 2-butanone from −45 to 25°C

Interactions of three types of tetraalkylammonium cations (tetrapropyltetrabutyl-and tri-isoamylbutyl- ammonium) with perchlorate and tetraphenylborate anions were studied by the conductivity method in 2-butanone from –45°C to 25°C. Conductance data obtained for diluted solutions (5×10^–5 – 2×10^–3 mol-dm^–3) were used to calculate the limiting molar conductivities and associationconstants. The conductance equation of Fuoss-Hsia including the Chen term and the chemical model assumption were applied. Limiting ion conductivities were calculated assuming equal limiting conductivities of the i-Am₃BuN⁺ and BPh ₄ ^– ions at all temperatures. Gibbs energies and entropies of ion pair formation, calculated from the dependence of association constants on temperature, are presented including the contributions due to short-range forces.     

Synthesis of an s-butyldibenz[a,h]acridine. Alkyl migration in the bernthsen reaction

The Bernthsen reaction between N-1-naphthyl-2-naphthylamine and 2-methylbutanoic acid and its anhydride at 200–230° for seven hours gives a low yield of 12- or 13-s-butyldibenz[a,h]acridine, instead of the expected 14-isomer. The parent molecule dibenz[a,h]acridine results from the same reaction conducted at 270° for thirteen hours. It is suggested that alkyl migration may have occurred in some other cases where the Bernthsen reaction was reported to yield 14-alkyldibenz[a,h]acridines.     

Conformation of receptor-associated PGI2: An investigation by molecular modeling

Summary To elucidate the conformation of receptor-associated prostacyclin (PGI₂), we first performed structure-activity correlation analysis of over 200 PGI₂ analogues and derived from this analysis several crucial features pertaining to structural requirements for PGI₂ activity [Ah-lim Tsai and Kenneth K. Wu, Eicosanoids, 2 (1989) 131–143]. These structural features proved to be useful guidelines for selecting model molecules for further investigations by molecular mechanics. By properly selecting four analogues with either rigid or uniquely oriented -side chain structure for geometric fitting, we succeeded in maximally minimizing the degree of freedom of the carboxylate terminus of PGI₂. We were able to define the spatial relationship among the four critical functional groups, i.e., C1-COOH, C6a-O, C11-OH and C15-OH. More information is needed, however, to define the geometry of the -side chain, particularly for the moiety beyond C15. Nevertheless, results from structure-activity correlation analysis and molecular modeling provide useful information regarding the conformation of receptor-associated PGI₂, which assumes an elongated conformation instead of the traditional hairpin structure.     

Liquid chromatographic analysis of vitamin B6 in reconstituted infant formula: collaborative study

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method was validated for the determination of total vitamin B6 in infant formula. Total vitamin B6 was quantified by converting the phosphorylated and free vitamers into pyridoxine. Pyridoxine was determined by ion pair reversed-phase LC with fluorescence detection. The method was subjected to an AOAC collaborative study involving a factory-manufactured, milk- and soy-based infant formula. Each was spiked at 3 concentrations in the range of 0-1 microg/g and sent as blind duplicate to participant laboratories. Nine laboratories returned valid data which were statistically analyzed for outliers and precision parameters. The repeatability relative standard deviation (RSD(r)) ranges were 2.0-4.0 and 3.5-5.9% for fortified milk- and soy-based formulas, respectively. The reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSD(R)) ranges were 8.2-8.4 and 6.7-11.2% for fortified milk- and soy-based formulas, respectively. HORRAT values ranged from 0.42 to 0.53, indicating that the precision of the method is acceptable. The mean RSD(r):RSD(R) values were 0.60 and 0.55 for milk- and soy-based formulas, respectively. As expected, RSDs for the unfortified samples were higher, but their HORRAT values (0.81 and 2.06) helped define a realistic limit of quantitation as 0.05 microg/g. Recovery data were quantitative and varied between 81.4 and 98.0% (mean = 89.8%) for each of 6 spiked materials.     

2',7'-Difluorofluorescein excited-state proton reactions: correlation between time-resolved emission and steady-state fluorescence intensity

The presence of excited-state buffer-mediated proton exchange reactions influences the steady-state fluorescence signals from dyes in solution. Since biomolecules in general have some chemical groups that can act as proton acceptors/donors and are usually dissolved in buffer solutions which can also behave as appropriate proton acceptors/donors, the excited-state proton exchange reactions may result in distorted steady-state fluorescence signals. In a previous paper (J. Phys. Chem. A 2005, 109, 734-747), we evaluated kinetic and other pertinent parameters for the excited-state proton reactions of the prototropic forms of 2',7'-difluorofluorescein (Oregon Green 488, OG488), recording a fluorescence decay surface at different pH values and acetate buffer concentrations, analyzed by means of global compartmental analysis. In this article we use the rate constants and the corrected pre-exponential factors from the previously recorded fluorescence decay traces to simulate the decay times and associated pre-exponentials at different acetate buffer concentrations and constant pH and compare these theoretically calculated values with new experimental data. We also calculate the steady-state fluorescence intensity vs pH and vs acetate buffer concentration (at constant pH) and compare these calculated emission values with the experimental data previously published. The agreement between the experimental and simulated data is excellent.     

Immobilization of the enzyme beta-lactamase on biotin-derivatized poly(L-lysine)-g-poly(ethylene glycol)-coated sensor chips: a study on oriented attachment and surface activity by enzyme kinetics and in situ optical sensing

Understanding the conformation, orientation, and specific activity of proteins bound to surfaces is crucial for the development and optimization of highly specific and sensitive biosensors. In this study, the very efficient enzyme beta-lactamase is used as a model protein. The wild-type form was genetically engineered by site-directed mutagenesis to introduce single cysteine residues on the surface of the enzyme. The cysteine thiol group is subsequently biotinylated with a dithiothreitol (DTT)-cleavable biotinylation reagent. beta-Lactamase is then immobilized site-specifically via the biotin group on neutral avidin-covered surfaces with the aim to control the orientation of the enzyme molecule at the surface and study its effect on enzymatic activity using Nitrocefin as the substrate. The DTT-cleavable spacer allows the release of the specifically bound enzyme from the surface. Immobilization of the enzyme is performed on a monolayer of the polycationic, biotinylated polymer PLL-g-PEG/PEG-biotin assembled on niobium oxide (Nb2O5) surfaces via neutral avidin as the docking site. Two different assembly protocols, the sequential adsorption of avidin and biotinylated beta-lactamase and the immobilization of preformed complexes of beta-lactamase and avidin, are compared in terms of immobilization efficiency. In situ optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy and colorimetric analysis of enzymatic activity were used to distinguish between specific and unspecific enzyme adsorption, to sense quantitatively the amount of immobilized enzyme, and to determine Michaelis-Menten kinetics. All tested enzyme variants turned out to be active upon immobilization at the polymeric surface. However, the efficiency of immobilized enzymes relative to the soluble enzymes was reduced about sevenfold, mainly because of impaired substrate (Nitrocefin) diffusion or restricted accessibility of the active site. No significant effect of different enzyme orientations could be detected, probably because the enzymes were attached to the surface through long, flexible PEG chain linkers.     

The PEST sequence does not contribute to the stability of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator.

Background  

Endoplasmic reticulum retention of misfolded cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutants and their rapid degradation is the major cause of cystic fibrosis (CF). An important goal is to understand the mechanism of how the misfolded proteins are recognized, retained, and targeted for degradation.     

Total syntheses of four stereoisomers of 4alpha-hydroxy-1beta,7beta-peroxy- 10betaH-guaia-5-ene

[reaction: see text]. The first total syntheses of four stereoisomers of 4alpha-hydroxy-1beta,7beta-peroxy-10betaH-guaia-5-ene are reported starting from the readily available (+)-dihydrocarvone. These compounds have been synthesized from dienes (-)-isoguaiene and (-)-10-epi-isoguaiene by tandem ene hydroperoxylation-[4 + 2] cycloaddition with O(2) followed by selective reduction. The structure of the natural 4alpha-hydroxy-1beta,7beta-peroxy-10betaH-guaia-5-ene isolated from Liabum floribundum has been confirmed.     

One-pot four-component reaction: aqueous TiCl3/PhN2+-mediated alkyl radical addition to imines generated in situ

Ti(III)-induced free-radical decomposition of a phenyldiazonium salt, followed by phenyl radical iodine-atom abstraction from alkyl iodides, leads to a one-pot selective alkyl radical addition to the C-atom of imines generated in situ under aqueous acidic conditions. [reaction: see text]