A chemical approach to the pharmaceutical optimization of an anti-HIV protein

Chemical protein synthesis is important for dissecting the molecular basis of protein function. Here we advance its scope by demonstrating the significant improvement of the multifaceted pharmaceutical profile of small proteins exclusively via a chemical-based approach. The focus of this work centered on CCL-5 (RANTES) derivatives with potent anti-HIV activity. The overall chemical strategy involved a combination of coded and noncoded amino acid mutagenesis, peptide backbone engineering, and site-specific polymer attachment. The ability to alter specific protein residues, as well as precise control of the position and type of polymer attachment, allows for the exploration of specific molecular designs and resulted in novel CCL-5 analogues with significant differences in their respective biochemical and pharmaceutical properties. Using this approach, the complex-interplay of variables contributing to the noncovalent self-association (aggregation) state, CCR-5 specificity, in vivo elimination half-life, and anti-HIV activity of CCL-5-based protein analogues could be empirically evaluated via total chemical synthesis. This work has led to the identification of potent (sub-nanomolar) anti-HIV proteins with significantly improved pharmaceutical profiles, and illustrates the increasing value of protein chemical synthesis in contemporary therapeutic discovery. These antiviral molecules provide a novel mechanism of action for the development of a new generation of anti-HIV therapeutics which are still desperately needed.     

NMR studies of double proton transfer in hydrogen bonded cyclic N,N'-diarylformamidine dimers: conformational control, kinetic HH/HD/DD isotope effects and tunneling

Using dynamic NMR spectroscopy, the kinetics of the degenerate double proton transfer in cyclic dimers of polycrystalline (15)N,(15)N'-di-(4-bromophenyl)-formamidine (DBrFA) have been studied including the kinetic HH/HD/DD isotope effects in a wide temperature range. This transfer is controlled by intermolecular interactions, which in turn are controlled by the molecular conformation and hence the molecular structure. At low temperatures, rate constants were determined by line shape analysis of (15)N NMR spectra obtained using cross-polarization (CP) and magic angle spinning (MAS). At higher temperatures, in the microsecond time scale, rate constants and kinetic isotope effects were obtained by a combination of longitudinal (15)N and (2)H relaxation measurements. (15)N CPMAS line shape analysis was also employed to study the non-degenerate double proton transfer of polycrystalline (15)N,(15)N'-diphenyl-formamidine (DPFA). The kinetic results are in excellent agreement with the kinetics of DPFA and (15)N,(15)N'-di-(4-fluorophenyl)-formamidine (DFFA) studied previously for solutions in tetrahydrofuran. Two large HH/HD and HD/DD isotope effects are observed in the whole temperature range which indicates a concerted double proton transfer mechanism in the domain of the reaction energy surface. The Arrhenius curves are non-linear indicating a tunneling mechanism. Arrhenius curve simulations were performed using the Bell-Limbach tunneling model. The role of the phenyl group conformation and hydrogen bond compression on the barrier of the proton transfer is discussed.     

Determination of tuaminoheptane in doping control urine samples

Since January 2007, the list of prohibited substances established by the World Anti-Doping Agency includes the sympathomimetic compound tuaminoheptane (1-methyl-hexylamine, 2-heptylamine). Primarily used as nasal decongestant drug it has been considered relevant for sports drug testing due to its stimulating properties. A confirmatory gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric procedure was developed including liquidliquid extraction and imine formation of tuaminoheptane employing various aldehydes and ketones such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde and acetone. Extraction and derivatisation conditions were optimised for utmost efficiency, and characteristic fragment ions obtained after electron ionisation allowed for a sensitive and selective analytical assay, which was validated with regard to recovery (50%), lower limit of detection (20 ng mL(1)) as well as interday- and intraday precision (<15%). The applicability to authentic urine samples was demonstrated using administration study specimens obtained from two male persons using Rhinofluimucil (tuaminoheptane hemisulfate) for intranasal application. The administered drug was detected up to 46 h after repeated topical instillation of a total of approximately 3 mg.     

NMR provides checklist of generic properties for atomic-scale models of periodic mesoporous silicas

MCM-41 and SBA-15 silicas were studied by (29)Si solid-state NMR and (15)N NMR in the presence of (15)N-pyridine with the aim to formulate generic structural parameters that may be used as a checklist for atomic-scale structural models of this class of ordered mesoporous materials. High-quality MCM-41 silica constitutes quasi-ideal arrays of uniform-size pores with thin pore walls, while SBA-15 silica has thicker pore walls with framework and surface defects. The numbers of silanol (Q(3)) and silicate (Q(4)) groups were found to be in the ratio of about 1:3 for MCM-41 and about 1:4 for our SBA-15 materials. Combined with the earlier finding that the density of surface silanol groups is about three per nm(2) in MCM-41 (Shenderovich, et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2003, 107, 11924) this allows us to discriminate between different atomic-scale models of these materials. Neither tridymite nor edingtonite meet both of these requirements. On the basis of the hexagonal pore shape model, the experimental Q(3):Q(4) ratio yields a wall thickness of about 0.95 nm for MCM-41 silica, corresponding to the width of ca. four silica tetrahedra. The arrangement of Q(3) groups at the silica surfaces was analyzed using postsynthesis surface functionalization. It was found that the number of covalent bonds to the surface formed by the functional reagents is affected by the surface morphology. It is concluded that for high-quality MCM-41 silicas the distance between neighboring surface silanol groups is greater than 0.5 nm. As a result, di- and tripodical reagents like (CH(3))(2)Si(OH)(2) and CH(3)Si(OH)(3) can form only one covalent bond to the surface. The residual hydroxyl groups of surface-bonded functional reagents either remain free or interact with other reagent molecules. Accordingly, the number of surface silanol groups at a given MCM-41 or SBA-15 silica may not decrease but increase after treatment with CH(3)Si(OH)(3) reagent. On the other hand, nearly all surface silanol groups could be functionalized when HN(Si(CH(3))(3))(2) was used.     

Molecularly imprinted sol–gel nanoparticles for mass-sensitive engine oil degradation sensing

Titanate sol–gel layers imprinted with midchain carbonic acids have proven highly useful for detecting engine oil degradation processes owing to selective incorporation of oxidised base oil components. Synthesising the material from TiCl₄ in CCl₄ and precipitating with water leads to imprinted TiO₂ nanoparticles with a diameter of 200–300 nm. Replacing the water by a 1 M ammonium hydroxide solution reduces the average particle size to 50–100 nm with retention of the interaction capabilities. Experiments with the latter solution revealed that the 100-nm particles take up substantially more analyte, indicating a size-dependent phenomenon. As the number of interaction sites within each material is the same, this cannot be a consequence of thermodynamics but must be one of accessibility. The sensor characteristic of water-precipitated particles towards engine oil degradation products shows substantially increased sensitivity and dynamic range compared with the corresponding thin films. Coating quartz crystal microbalances with such nanoparticle materials leads to engine oil degradation sensors owing to incorporation of acidic base oil oxidation products. Interaction studies over a large range of layer thicknesses revealed that both the absolute signal and the steepness of the correlation between the sensor signal and the layer height is 2 times higher for the particles. Figure Generation of molecularly imprinted sol–gel nanoparticles     

Kristallstrukturen von Na3TiCl6 und K3TiCl6

Ternary Halides of the Type A₃MX₆. IX Crystal Structures of Na₃TiCl₆ and K₃TiCl₆ Light yellow single crystals of Na₃TiCl₆ and K₃TiCl₆ are obtained from the binary components, TiCl₃ and NaCl and KCl, respectively, in 1 : 3 molar ratios. Na₃TiCl₆ crystallizes with the cryolite type of structure (monoclinic, P2₁/n, Z = 2, a = 668,02(8), b = 709,13(6), c = 981,38(12) pm, β = 90,31(2)°) while K₃TiCl₆ belongs to the K₃MoCl₆ type of structure (monoclinic, P2₁/c, Z = 4, a = 1261,6(2), b = 751,36(8), c = 1210,7(2) pm, β = 108,30(2)°).     

Solid-Phase Synthesis of Thio-oligosaccharides

No protecting groups are present in the highly reactive polymer-bound sugar 1-thiolates 1 , which undergo reactions with sugar triflates 2 to give thio-oligosaccharides 3 in high yield. Tr=trityl=triphenylmethyl, Tf=trifluoromethylsulfonyl, Bz=benzoyl.     

Chlorobis(nitrato‐O,O')(tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether)neodymium(III), [NdCl(NO3)2(tetraglyme)]: A Novel Heteroleptic Complex

In the crystal structure of [NdCl(NO₃)₂(tetraglyme)] (triclinic, P1, Z = 2, a = 7.814(1); b = 7.9832(9); c = 15.322(2) Å; α = 87.38(1); β = 84.88(1); γ = 79.83(1)°), neodymium is ten coordinate with two transoid chelating nitrate ligands, a chlorine and the five oxygen atoms of the tetraglyme ligand in an irregular array.     

Synthese und Kristallstrukturen der Tetrachlorozinkate SrZnCl4 und BaZnCl4

Synthesis and Crystal Structures of the Tetrachlorozincates SrZnCl₄ and BaZnCl₄ The tetrachlorozincates SrZnCl₄ and BaZnCl₄ are obtained from the respective binary chlorides at 550 °C in silica ampoules. SrZnCl₄ (tetragonal, I4₁/a, Z = 4, a = 650.40(7), c = 1437.0(2) pm) crystallizes with the scheelite type of structure, BaZnCl₄ (orthorhombic, Pnna, Z = 4, a = 724.15(6), b = 986.2(2), c = 947.71(8) pm) belongs to the GaCl₂ type of structure. The coordination polyhedra of the cations are the same in both compounds: Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺ are surrounded by eight Cl^– (trigon‐dodecahedron), Zn²⁺ is tetrahedrally coordinated. For both compounds no phase transitions could be detected between 140 and 620 K.     

Zwei Galliumfluorid-Ammoniakate: Ga(NH3)F3 und Ga(NH3)2F3

Two Gallium Fluoride Ammine Complexes: Ga(NH₃)F₃ and Ga(NH₃)₂F₃ Two gallium trifluoride ammines, Ga(NH₃)F₃ and Ga(NH₃)₂F₃, are obtained as single crystals through oxidation of gallium metal with NH₄HF₂ (Ga : NH₄HF₂ = 1 : 1.5) and NH₄F (Ga : NH₄F = 1 : 3.5), respectively, at 450 °C and 400 °C. Ga(NH₃)F₃ crystallizes with the non-centrosymmetric space group Abm2 (a = b = 544.6(2) pm, c = 986.6(4) pm) forming two-dimensional layers of [Ga(NH₃)F₅] octahedra. The addition of another NH₃ molecule in Ga(NH₃)₂F₃ (orthorhombic, Immm, a = 700.0(3) pm, b = 724.7(2) pm, c = 393.1(1) pm) leads to one-dimensional rods of [Ga(NH₃)₂F₄] octahedra running parallel [001] which are stacked in the [010] direction. Infrared spectra suggest hydrogen bonding (N–H…F) in Ga(NH₃)F₃, for Ga(NH₃)₂F₃ an unequivocal statement is not possible.