Unusual Folding Propensity of an Unsubstituted β,γ‐Hybrid Model Peptide: Importance of the C?H⋅⋅⋅O Intramolecular Hydrogen Bond

The single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis of a β,γ‐hybrid model peptide Boc‐β‐Ala‐γ‐Abu‐NH₂ revealed the existence of four crystallographically independent molecules ( A , B , C and D conformers) in the asymmetric unit. The analysis revealed that unusual β‐turn‐like folded structures predominate, wherein the conformational space of non‐proteinogenic β‐Ala and γ‐Abu residues are restricted to gauche‐gauche‐skew and skew‐gauche‐trans‐skew orientations, respectively. Interestingly, the U‐shaped conformers are seemingly stabilised by an effective unconventional C? H ??? O intramolecular hydrogen bond, encompassing a non‐covalent 14‐membered ring‐motif. Taking into account the signs of torsion angles, these conformers could be grouped into two distinct categories, A / B and C / D , establishing the incidence of non‐superimposable stereogeometrical features across a non‐chiral one‐component peptide model system, that is, “mirror‐image‐like” relationships. The natural occurrence of β‐Ala and γ‐Abu entities in various pharmacologically important molecules, coupled with their biocompatibilities, highlight how the non‐functionalised β,γ‐hybrid segment may offer unique advantages for introducing and/or manipulating a wide spectrum of biologically relevant hydrogen bonded secondary structural mimics in short synthetic peptides.     

Novel Dual Use of Formamide-POCl3 Mixture for the Efficient,One-Pot Synthesis of Condensed 2H-Pyrimidin-4-amine Libraries Under Microwave Irradiation

The novel dual use of formamide-POCl₃ mixture for the incorporation of a C-N fragment to form the pyrimidine nucleus and its subsequent chlorination in an efficient, one-pot synthesis of potentially bioactive condensed 2H-pyrimidin-4-amine libraries under microwave irradiation (MWI) is reported. The one-pot microwave-assisted synthetic protocol is high-yielding, ecofriendly, rapid, and novel as well as eliminates intermittent workups. The protocol can be adapted for the library synthesis of series of a condensed pyrimidines.     

Protecting group directed cyclization: asymmetric synthesis of both cis- and trans-dihydrexidine from a common precursor

Protection group of amino- and tethered o-arene functionality of 1,4-aryl-2-amino-1-butanol derived from l-serine dictates the cyclization mode under acidic conditions leading to reverse diastereoselectivity. N-Boc and acetal protected amino alcohol undergo cascade cyclization providing exclusively cis-dihydrexidine via reduction, where formation of C-ring (isoquinoline unit) prior to Friedel–Crafts cyclization control the cis-stereochemistry of the B-ring. N-Cbz and O-benzyl protection direct first F–C cyclization yielding the trans-1-aryl-2-aminotetralin and subsequent deprotection-cyclization forming the C-ring afforded dihydrexidine.     

Preparation of Tetraoxadiphosphadiborocane-2,6-diones

Cyclization of aryl/alkyl phosphonic dichlorides (2a–f) with phenylboronic acid/K₂CO₃/I₂ in dry toluene at 60–70 °C afforded 2,6-diaryl/alkyl-4,8-diphenyl-1,3,5,7,2λ ⁵,6λ ⁵,4,8-tetraoxadiphosphadiborocane-2,6-diones (3a–f).     

5-Nitro-1,10-phenanthroline bis(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-dimethylformamide-Κ′O)-bis(perchlorato) copper(II): synthesis,structural characterization,and DNA-binding study

The hexa-coordinated copper(II) complex [Cu(L)(DMF)₂(ClO₄)₂], where L = 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline, was synthesized and characterized. The X-ray crystal structure shows that the copper is coordinated by the two N-atoms of the 1,10-phenanthroline ligand plus four O-atoms, two from DMF ligands and two from the perchlorate anions. Thermal analysis showed that the complex was stable up to 285 °C. The interaction of the complex with calf thymus DNA was investigated using absorption and emission spectroscopic studies, and the binding constant (K _b) and linear Stern–Volmer quenching constant (K _sv) have been determined. Electrochemical characterization of the complex in acetonitrile showed a quasi-reversible one-electron exchange voltammogram for the Cu²⁺/Cu+ redox couple at ca. E _1/2 = −1.00 V (versus SCE) with ΔE = 200 mV and i _pc/i _pa ≈ 1.     

Water-induced physical gelation of organic solvents by N-(n-alkylcarbamoyl)-L-alanine amphiphiles

A series of amino acid-based gelators N-(n-alkylcarbamoyl)-L-alanine were synthesized, and their gelation abilities in a series of organic solvents were tested. No gelation was observed in pure solvents employed. All the amphiphilic molecules were found to form stable organogels in the solvents in the presence of a small amount of water, methanol, or urea. The volume of solvent gelled by a given amount of the gelator was observed to depend upon the volume of added water. The gelation behavior of the amphiphiles in a given solvent containing a known volume of water was compared. The effects of chirality and substitution on the acid group on the gelation ability were examined. Although the corresponding N-(n-tetradecylcarbamoyl)-DL-alanine was found to form only weak organogel in pure solvents, the achiral amphiphilic compound N-(n-tetradecylcarbamoyl)-β-alanine, however, did not form gel in the absence of water. The methyl ester of N-(n-tetradecylcarbamoyl)-L-alanine was also observed to form gels in the same solvents, but only in the presence of water. The organogels were characterized by several techniques, including (1)H NMR, Fourier transform IR, X-ray diffraction, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The thermal and rheological properties of the organogels were studied. The mechanical strength of the organogel formed by N-(n-tetradecylcarbamoyl)-DL-alanine was observed to increase upon the addition of water. It was concluded that water-mediated intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interaction between amphiphiles caused formation of supramolecular self-assemblies.     

Optically definable reaction-diffusion-driven pattern generation of Ag-Au nanoparticles on templated surfaces

We introduce a new lithographic method for the generation of 2D patterns of composite nanoparticles (NPs) of Ag and Au by taking recourse to combine top-down and bottom-up approaches. Micrometer-scale and submicrometer-scale patterned Ag foils of commercially available compact disks (CDs) and digital versatile disks (DVDs), respectively, were used as templates. The galvanic replacement reaction of Ag by HAuCl(4) in the presence of the dye coatings on the foils led to the formation of patterned NP composites of Ag and Au, in addition to the formation of AgCl. The resultant structures appeared in the form of cross patterns of particles with micrometer and submicrometer dimensions. The AgCl crystals thus formed could be removed by using either a saturated NaCl solution or aqueous ammonia. In addition, AgCl could be converted to Ag by electrochemical reduction, thus generating Ag-coated Au NPs. Interestingly, the digital writing on CDs led to the formation of tertiary imprints on the patterns, based on the original writing patterns. This provided an additional handle in generating hierarchical patterns using light in combination with a chemical reaction diffusion process and the nearly parallel line patterns originally present in commercial CDs. The reactions could be carried out in aqueous solution, and the method does not require any additional curing. Also, the density of patterned particles is scalable on the basis of the choice of the original line patterns as present in CDs and DVDs.     

Silica nanocapsules of fluorescent conjugated polymers and superparamagnetic nanocrystals for dual-mode cellular imaging

We describe here a facile and benign synthetic strategy to integrate the fluorescent behavior of conjugated polymers and superparamagnetic properties of iron oxide nanocrystals into silica nanocapsules, forming a new type of bifunctional magnetic fluorescent silica nanocapsule (BMFSN). The resultant BMFSNs are uniform, colloidally stable in aqueous medium, and exhibit the desired dual functionality of fluorescence and superparamagnetism in a single entity. Four conjugated polymers with different emissions were used to demonstrate the versatility of employing this class of fluorescent materials for the preparation of BMFSNs. The applicability of BMFSNs in cellular imaging was studied by incubating them with human liver cancer cells, the result of which demonstrated that the cells could be visualized by dual-mode fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging. Furthermore, the superparamagnetic behavior of the BMFSNs was exploited for in vitro magnetic-guided delivery of the nanocapsules into the cancer cells, thereby highlighting their potential for targeting biomedical applications.