Pulse radiolysis study of the reactions of catechins with nitrogen dioxide

Nitrogen dioxide (^?NO₂), one of the oxidizing radicals formed in vivo is suspected to play a role in various pathophysiological processes. The reactions of ^?NO₂ with dietary catechins, the group of flavonoids present in high amounts in green tea and red wine, have been investigated by pulse radiolysis method. The kinetics of the reaction of ^?NO₂ with gallic acid have been also studied for comparison. The spectra of transient intermediates are presented. The rate constants of the reaction of ^?NO₂ with catechin, epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin gallate and gallic acid determined by the competition method with 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) at pH 7.0 and room temperature have been found to be 0.9, 1.0, 2.3 and 0.5×10⁸ M^?1 s^?1, respectively. The values for catechins are among the highest reported for the reactions of ^?NO₂ with non-radical compounds.     

Assessment of two theoretical methods to estimate potentiometric titration curves of peptides: comparison with experiment

We compared the ability of two theoretical methods of pH-dependent conformational calculations to reproduce experimental potentiometric titration curves of two models of peptides: Ac-K5-NHMe in 95% methanol (MeOH)/5% water mixture and Ac-XX(A)7OO-NH2 (XAO) (where X is diaminobutyric acid, A is alanine, and O is ornithine) in water, methanol (MeOH), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), respectively. The titration curve of the former was taken from the literature, and the curve of the latter was determined in this work. The first theoretical method involves a conformational search using the electrostatically driven Monte Carlo (EDMC) method with a low-cost energy function (ECEPP/3 plus the SRFOPT surface-solvation model, assumming that all titratable groups are uncharged) and subsequent reevaluation of the free energy at a given pH with the Poisson-Boltzmann equation, considering variable protonation states. In the second procedure, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are run with the AMBER force field and the generalized Born model of electrostatic solvation, and the protonation states are sampled during constant-pH MD runs. In all three solvents, the first pKa of XAO is strongly downshifted compared to the value for the reference compounds (ethylamine and propylamine, respectively); the water and methanol curves have one, and the DMSO curve has two jumps characteristic of remarkable differences in the dissociation constants of acidic groups. The predicted titration curves of Ac-K5-NHMe are in good agreement with the experimental ones; better agreement is achieved with the MD-based method. The titration curves of XAO in methanol and DMSO, calculated using the MD-based approach, trace the shape of the experimental curves, reproducing the pH jump, while those calculated with the EDMC-based approach and the titration curve in water calculated using the MD-based approach have smooth shapes characteristic of the titration of weak multifunctional acids with small differences between the dissociation constants. Nevertheless, quantitative agreement between theoretically predicted and experimental titration curves is not achieved in all three solvents even with the MD-based approach, which is manifested by a smaller pH range of the calculated titration curves with respect to the experimental curves. The poorer agreement obtained for water than for the nonaqueous solvents suggests a significant role of specific solvation in water, which cannot be accounted for by the mean-field solvation models.     

Structural, spectroscopic, and magnetic study of bis(9,10-dihydro-9-oxo-10-acridineacetate)bis(imidazole)bis(methanol) nickel(II)

The mixed ligand complex [Ni(CMA)2(im)2(MeOH)2] (where CMA = 9,10-dihydro-9-oxo-10-acridineacetate ion, im = imidazole) was prepared, and its crystal and molecular structure were determined. The nickel ions are hexa-coordinated by four oxygen atoms of the carboxylate and hydroxyl groups and by two imidazole nitrogen atoms, to form a distorted octahedral arrangement. The structure consists of a one-dimensional network of the complex molecules connected by strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The weak intermolecular C-H...X hydrogen bonds and stacking interactions make up the 2-D structure. Very strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds significantly affect the geometry and vibrational characteristics of the carboxylate group. The UV-vis-NIR electronic spectrum was deconvoluted into Gaussian components. Electronic bands of the Ni(II) ion were assigned to suitable spin-allowed transitions in the D4h symmetry environment. The single ion zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters for the S = 1 state of Ni(II), as well as the g components, have been determined by high-field and high-frequency EPR (HF-HFEPR) spectroscopy over the frequency range of 52-432 GHz and with the magnetic fields up to 14.5 T: D = 5.77(1) cm-1, E = 1.636(2) cm-1, gx = 2.29(1), gy = 2.18(1), and gz = 2.13(1). These values allowed us to simulate the powder magnetic susceptibility and field-dependent magnetization of the complex.     

Syntheses and molecular structure of some Rh and Ru complexes with the chelating diphenyl (2-pyridyl)phosphine ligand

The rhodium(III) complex mer,cis-[RhCl3(PPh2py-P,N)(PPh2py-P)] (1) (PPh2py = diphenyl (2-pyridyl)phosphine) has been prepared from RhCl3 x 3H2O and PPh2py and converted to the trans,cis-[RhCl2(PPh2py-P,N)2]PF6 (2) in acetone solution by treatment with Ag+ and PF6(-). Ruthenium(III) and ruthenium(II) compounds with PPh2py, mer,cis-[RuCl3(PPh2py-P,N)(PPh2py-P)] (3) and mer-[RuCl(PPh2py-P,N)2(PPh2py-P)]Cl (5) have been obtained from DMSO precursor complexes. In a chloroform solution, complex (5) isomerizes to fac-[RuCl(PPh2py-P,N)2(PPh2py-P)]Cl (fac-5). All compounds have been characterized by MS, UV-vis, IR, and 1H and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy, and the Ru(III) compound has been characterized by EPR spectroscopy as well. The crystal structures of 1, 2, 3, and fac-5 have been determined. In all compounds under investigation, at least one pyridylphosphine acts as a chelate ligand. The 31P chemical shifts for chelating PPh2py-P,N depend on the Ru-P bond lengths.     

Different nucleobase orientations in two cyclic 2′,3′‐phosphates of purine ribonucleosides: Et3NH(2′,3′‐cAMP) and Et3NH(2′,3′‐cGMP)·H2O

The crystal structures of triethyl­ammonium adenosine cyclic 2′,3′‐phosphate {systematic name: triethyl­ammonium 4‐(6‐amino­purin‐9‐yl)‐6‐hydroxy­methyl‐2‐oxido‐2‐oxoperhydro­furano[3,4‐c][1,3,2]dioxaphosphole}, Et₃NH(2′,3′‐cAMP) or C₆H₁₆N⁺·C₁₀H₁₁N₅O₆P⁻, (I), and guanosine cyclic 2′,3′‐phosphate monohydrate {systematic name: triethyl­ammonium 6‐hydroxy­methyl‐2‐oxido‐2‐oxo‐4‐(6‐oxo‐1,6‐dihydro­purin‐9‐yl)perhydro­furano[3,4‐c][1,3,2]dioxaphosphole monohydrate}, [Et₃NH(2′,3′‐cGMP)]·H₂O or C₆H₁₆N⁺·C₁₀H₁₁N₅O₇P⁻·H₂O, (II), reveal different nucleobase orientations, viz. anti in (I) and syn in (II). These are stabilized by different inter‐ and intra­molecular hydrogen bonds. The structures also exhibit different ribose ring puckering [₄E in (I) and ³T₂ in (II)] and slightly different 1,3,2‐dioxaphospho­lane ring conformations, viz. envelope in (I) and puckered in (II). Infinite ribbons of 2′,3′‐cAMP⁻ and helical chains of 2′,3′‐cGMP⁻ ions, both formed by O—H⋯O, N—H⋯X and C—H⋯X (X = O or N) hydrogen‐bond contacts, characterize (I) and (II), respectively.     

Wettability of a glass surface in the presence of two nonionic surfactant mixtures

Measurements of the advancing contact angle (theta) were carried out for aqueous solution of p-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenoxypoly(ethylene glycol), Triton X-100 (TX100), and Triton X-165 (TX165) mixtures on glass. The obtained results indicate that the wettability of glass depends on the concentration and composition of the surfactant mixture. The relationship between the contact angle and concentration suggests that the lowest wettability corresponds to the concentration of TX100 and TX165 and their mixture near the critical micelle concentration (CMC). The minimum of the dependence between the contact angle and composition of the mixtures for each concentration at a monomer mole fraction of TX100, alpha, equals 0.2 and 0.4 points to synergism in the wettability of the glass surface. In contrast to the results of Zisman ( Zisman, W. A. In Contact Angle, Wettability and Adhesion; Gould, R. F., Ed.; Advances in Chemistry Series 43; American Chemical Society Washington, DC, 1964; p 1 ) there was no linear dependence between cos theta and the surface tension of aqueous solutions of TX100 and TX165 mixtures for all studied systems, but a linear dependence exists between the adhesional tension and surface tension for glass, practically, in the whole concentration range of surfactants studied, the slopes of which are positive in the range of 0.43-0.67. These positive slopes indicate that the interactions between the water molecules and glass surface might be stronger than those between the surface and surfactant molecules. So, the surface excess of surfactant concentration at the glass-water interface is probably negative, and the possibility for surfactant to adsorb at the glass/water film-water interface is higher than that at the glass-water interface. This conclusion is confirmed by the values of the work of adhesion of "pure" surfactants, aqueous solutions of surfactants, and aqueous solutions of their mixtures to the glass surface and by the negative values of glass-water interfacial tension determined from the Young equation in the range of surfactant concentrations corresponding to their unsaturated monolayer at the water-air interface.     

Coordination chemistry of 2-hydroxymethylbenzimidazole complexes with copper(II) and cadmium(II) ions: Similarities and differences

The new Cu(II) and Cd(II) complexes of the biologically relevant ligand 2-hydroxymethylbenzimidazole: [CdL₂(NO₃)₂] 1, ([CuL₂(NO₃)](NO₃)(H₂O) 2, [CdL₃](NO₃)₂L(EtOH)_0.253, mer-[CuL₃](NO₃)₂(H₂O)(i-PrOH) 4 have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, UV–Vis, IR, Raman, EPR, NMR, X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements. X-ray studies have confirmed a bidentate fashion of coordination of the 2-CH₂OHBIm to the Cd(II) as well to Cu(II) ions. This results in the formulation of a five-membered chelate ring in which both N(imidazole) and O(hydroxymethyl) donors of ligand are involved. A comparison of Cu(II) 4 and Cd(II) 3 model complexes shows that both metals may form complexes which exhibit identical structures (distorted octahedral) forming chromophores of the MN₃O₃ type. On the contrary, the polyhedra of metal complexes containing two ligands are different. The copper complex 2 is a five-coordinated with tetragonal pyramid as coordination polyhedron (CuN₂O₃) but cadmium forms an eight-coordinated (CdN₂O₆) complex 1. Weak C–H?π type interactions which were extracted from X-ray data of 1 were confirmed by the ¹³C NMR method. The IR data indicated that Cd(II) is a considerably better acceptor (Lewis acid) than Cu(II) ion for the N, O-donor ligand. The similarities and differences revealed in the coordination behaviour of Cu(II) and Cd(II) towards N, O-donor ligand should be treated as a test on possibility of the copper(II) ions to be displaced by cadmium(II), for example, in the intracellular sites.     

Capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: an attractive complementary technique for elemental speciation analysis

Some basic and practical aspects of interfacing capillary electrophoresis to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (CE-ICP-MS) are reviewed in this article with emphasis on the use of this hyphenated technique for elemental speciation analysis. The principles behind the techniques of both CE and ICP-MS are introduced. The interfacing of CE to ICP-MS is discussed including several devices and nebulizers reported in literature. A brief account of their advantages and limitations is given. The various CE-ICP-MS applications for elemental speciation analysis are also reviewed. Some issues concerning the future of CE-ICP-MS for the elemental speciation analyses are discussed.     

Experimental and calculated H, C and P NMR spectra of pyridine-2-phosphono-4-carboxylic acid

Pyridine-2-phosphono-4-carboxylic acid (MC1) is a compound that possesses potential neuroactivity. In this work the ¹H, ¹³C and ³¹P NMR spectra of MC1 dissolved in D₂O in solution, in the 1.5-9.0 pD range, are presented. Theoretical calculations of the NMR spectra, as well as structural parameters of expected compounds, were performed at the B3PW91/6-311G** and B3PW91/6-31G** level, respectively, for all five possible forms of MC1 (cation, zwitteranion and three anions). Consecutive deprotonation of MC1 and its influence on the structure of the ligand are discussed in detail.     

Hydroxy lactones with the gem-dimethylcyclohexane system – Synthesis and antimicrobial activity

Two new lactones comprising the gem-dimethylcyclohexane ring: 2-chloro-5,5-dimethyl-9-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonan-8-one and 2-bromo-5,5-dimethyl-9-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonan-8-one as well as the already known 2-iodo-5,5-dimethyl-9-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonan-8-one, were obtained from (6,6-dimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)acetic acid. These lactones were used as substrates for the screening of biotransformation by whole cells of nine fungal strains (Fusarium species, Syncephalastrum racemosum and Cunninghamella japonica). Some of these microorganisms (mainly Fusarium species) transformed all three lactones during the hydrolytic dehalogenation into 2-hydroxy-5,5-dimethyl-9-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonan-8-one. It is worth noting that two microorganisms (Fusarium culmorum and Fusarium scirpi) converted iodolactone with very high enantioselectivity (75.1% and 91.6%, respectively). The (+) isomer of hydroxy lactone was preferred. At the last step the hydroxy lactone obtained during biotransformation was examined for its biological activity against bacteria, yeasts and fungi. It was found that this compound inhibits growth of some tested microorganisms.