Bias-dependent visualization of electron donor (D) and electron acceptor (A) moieties in a chiral DAD triad molecule

The 2D crystal lattice structure and bias-dependent contrast of a chiral electron donor-acceptor-donor triad system, composed of two oligo(p-phenylene vinylene) electron donors and a perylenediimide electron acceptor (OPV4-PDI-OPV4), have been studied by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at the liquid-graphite interface. OPV4-PDI-OPV4 is ordered in rows and forms a well-ordered 2D crystal lattice structure. The electrical properties of the donor and acceptor parts are distinguished by the contrast in bias-dependent STM imaging.     

Cover Picture

The cover picture shows the process of building functional amphiphilic protein-polymer hybrids in a modular fashion. Monolayers of biotinylated polystyrene (purple) bind the protein streptavidin (blue), resulting in the formation of giant amphiphiles. The remaining free binding sites are subsequently used to associate biotinylated biomacromolecules (yellow), such as the iron-storage protein ferritin. The use of covalent conjugates of streptavidin and horseradish peroxidase leads to the formation of reactive surfaces, which are capable of catalyzing organic reactions. Further details on these giant amphiphiles are reported by Nolte and co-workers on p. 4732 ff.     

Salt effects in the binding of 4-(1-pyrenyl)-butyltrimethylammonium to poly(vinylbenzo-18-crown-6) and poly(vinylbenzoglyme) in water

The binding of 4¹-(1-pyrenyl)butyltrimethylammonium bromide (PN⁺) to the neutral poly-soap-type polymers poly(vinylbenzo-18-crown-6) (P18C6) and poly(vinylbenzoglyme) (PVBG) was studied by optical spectroscopy and fluorescence in the presence and absence of salts. Measurements of the respective binding constants were based on distinct differences in the optical absorption spectra of free and polymer-bound PN⁺. When crown ether-compelxable cations (e.g., K⁺) were added the adsorption of PN⁺ to P18C6 decreased as the neutral polymer was converted to a polycation. No decrease was found with PVBG because alkali ions do not complex significantly to this polymer in water. PN⁺ adsorption to both polymers rose rapidly, however, as the salt concentration increased. This effect was strongly anion-dependent and increased in the order of Cl^? < Br^? < I^? < CNS^? < BPh₄?. The increased binding was reflected in a higher binding constant and also in a larger number of bound PN⁺ molecules per polymer chain under saturation conditions. It is argued that the formation of ion pairs or larger ion clusters in the aqueous phase when anions are added forces more PN⁺ molecules to adsorb on the surface of the polymer coil to which they are bound as ion pairs or higher aggregates. Under saturation conditions enough PN⁺ molecules are bound to convert the pyrene monomer fluorescence spectrum into that of the excimer. These results are compared with data obtained for the anionic solute 4-(1-pyrenyl)butanoate in the presence of salts.     

In Situ Action Spectra Suggest that DNA Damage is Involved in Ultraviolet Radiation-induced Immunosuppression in Humans

Abstract— The mixed epidermal cell lymphocyte reaction (MECLR) is a commonly used method to study the immunomodulatory effects of UV radiation. The in vitro action spectrum for the MECLR showed that the UV-induced suppression of the MECLR responses is associated with UV-induced DNA damage. To investigate whether in vivo DNA damage also leads to the abrogation of the MECLR, in situ action spectra were made for the MECLR and the induction of thymine dimers (T<>T). Human skin, obtained from plastic surgery, was exposed to monochromatic light of 254, 297, 302 and 312 nm. After irradiation, epidermal cells were isolated and used as stimulator cells in the MECLR or processed for flow cytometric detection of T<>T. On the basis of dose-response curves for each wavelength, the action spectra for suppression of the MECLR and the induction of T<>T were calculated. These spectra showed close similarities, suggesting that, also in situ, UV-induced DNA damage is involved in the UV-induced suppression of the MECLR. Both action spectra showed a small decline from 254 nm to 302 nm, followed by a steep decline to 312 nm. These data show that, in situ, UVC can efficiently induce DNA damage and modulate cutaneous immune responses.     

Reaction of a terminal phosphinidene complex with azulenes: eta1-complexes, C--H bond insertions, and 1,4-adducts

Reaction of an in situ generated phosphinidene complex [PhPW(CO)(5)] with the aromatic azulene and guaiazulene leads to unexpected 1,4-adducts of the seven-membered ring and to C--H bond insertion of the five-membered ring. A DFT analysis suggests that the reaction is initiated by formation of a eta(1)-complex between the phosphinidene and the five-membered ring of the aromatic substrate. Four conformations of this complex were identified. Two convert without barrier to the slightly more stable syn- and anti-1,2-adducts. These undergo pericyclic 1,7-sigmatropic rearrangements with remarkably low barriers to give 1,4-adducts, with an inverted configuration at the phosphorus center. An X-ray crystal structure is presented for one of the 1,4-adducts of guaiazulene. The other two eta(1)-complexes insert with modest barriers into a C--H bond of the five-membered ring.     

1,4,5,8-Tetraacyl-1,4,5,8-tetraazadecalins: Configurational and conformational analysis in the crystal and in solution: Structure and conformation of heterocycles-12

A series of 1,4,5,8-tetraacyl-1,4,5,8-tetraazadecalins was studied and found to exist in trans form in analogy with the parent system₂. Only tetraacetyltetraazadecalin (TATAD) could be obtained in both trans and cis forms, which were investigated in detail by X-ray diffraction analysis and NMR techniques, trans -TATAD (8) occurs in the crystal in a centrosymmetric double twist-boat conformation whereas cis -TATAD (9) has one ring as a flattened chair and the other as a twist boat with all the amide CO's syn-oriented. Three out of seven possible rotameric forms of 9 occur at low temperature in solution. The free energy of activation of amide rotation in trans-TATAD (8) is 14.5 kcal/mol, in contrast to ca 12kcal/mol in the unique cis isomer (9).     

Characterization of a phosphorylated peptide and peptoid and peptoid-peptide hybrids by mass spectrometry

Nano-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (nano-ES-MS/MS) was used to record collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra of a set of peptoid-peptide hybrids and the complete peptoid derived from the phosphopeptide Ac-pTyr-Glu-Thr-Leu-NH(2) (1). The presence of B and Y'-type fragment ions in the tandem mass spectra of the protonated molecular ions [M + H](+) allowed confirmation of sequence similar to mass spectrometric sequence analysis in peptides. In the isomeric peptoid compounds studied, one or several amino acid residues were replaced by peptoid residues (N-substituted glycine residues), which resulted in characteristic tandem mass spectra with differently increased relative abundances of Y'-and B-type fragment ions. The increment of a particular Y'-ion was directly correlated to the position of a peptoid residue present. In addition to these increased peak intensities, other characteristic peaks were also observed compared with the spectrum of reference peptide 1. When a peptoid phosphotyrosine was incorporated, the presence of this residue was apparent from the occurrence of a relatively intense peak at m/z 187 representing the positively charged side-chain of phosphotyrosine, which was almost absent in the spectrum of the reference peptide 1. Since the threonine side-chain had to be translated into the homo peptoid analog this substitution was apparent from the presence of [M + H](+) and fragment ions 14 mass units higher than observed in the spectrum of the reference phosphopeptide 1. The presence of an NLeu peptoid residue could be confirmed by the specific fragmentation of the immonium ion showing an intense peak in its tandem mass spectrum at m/z 57, which results from the loss of an neutral imine molecule leading to a positively charged [C(4)H(9)](+) ion. By means of these mass spectrometric characteristics, all isomeric peptoid compounds could be distinguished from each other and characterized. The methods used appear to be very useful in future studies of peptoids and peptoid-peptide hybrids.     

A further study on the chiral separation power of a soluble neutral β-cyclodextrin polymer

Enantiomeric separation of some basic compounds, namely selegiline, amphetamine, and clenbuterol, was studied by capillary electrophoresis using an uncharged β-cyclodextrin polymer added to the background electrolyte at pH 2.5. Both complexation and resolution were influenced by the concentration of the chiral polymer confirming our previous results obtained in our earlier work for a wide number of pharmaceutical compounds. In this further study, we examined the influence of different organic additives to the background electrolyte on the enantioselectivity of the chiral selector, also using an extended number of analytes. In most cases, the use of an organic additive resulted in a decrease of resolution. However opposite to that, in some cases, e.g. ephedrine, the organic solvent proved to be essential to achieve enantiomeric resolution. Furthermore the influence of the capillary temperature on the resolution of the analytes was evaluated. Increase of temperature had a deleterious effect on the resolution of the enantiomers. For ephedrine, however, relatively high temperature (50 °C) proved to be advantageous, for the resolution of the optical isomers.     

Variable splitter for regulation of the solvent evaporation rate in the coupling of liquid chromatography with gas chromatography

A system is described which accelerates the solvent evaporation rate in the retention gap. The evaporation is due to a saturation effect of the carrier gas stream, and a considerable increase in evaporation rate is obtained by inserting a split outlet between the retention gap and the capillary separation column in the gas chromatograph. By varying the backpressure of the spliter device, the flow rate through the retention gap can be adjusted and so too the evaporation rate. The evaporation process was monitored by inserting a dectecter in the split outlet line. The technique was applied to the on-line LC trace enrichment/GC analysis of water containing a mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.     

Electron diffraction study of the thionyl fluoride molecular structure

The electron diffraction study of thionyl fluoride yielded the following geometrical parameters (r_a structure): S-O 1.420±0.003 Å, S-F 1.583±0.003Å, O-S-F 106.2±0.2° and F-S-F 92.2±0.3°. The average structure (r_α°) is also given. Some of the variations in the molecular geometries of SOX₂ and SO₂X₂ molecules (X = F or Cl) involving the valence shell electron pair repulsion theory are discussed.