Ring closure to beta-turn mimics via copper-catalyzed azide/alkyne cycloadditions

[Structure: see text]. Copper-catalyzed azide alkyne cycloadditions of the linear substrates 1 were used to form the cyclic derivatives 2. Computational, NMR, and CD analyses of these compounds indicate that their most favorable conformational states include type I and type II beta-turn conformations. Selectivity for the dimeric products 6 in these cyclization reactions is discussed.     

Autocatalytic inactivation of cytochrome p-450 and chloroperoxidase by 1-aminobenzotriazole and other aryne precursors

Cytochrome P-450, as reported previously is inactivated during catalytic turnover of 1-aminobenzotriazole due to alkylation of its prosthetic heme group. NMR analysis of the heme adduct after removal of the iron atom identifies it unequivocally as a derivative of protoporphyrin IX in which two of the nitrogens are bridged by a benzene ring. Cytochrome P-450 destructive activity is retained by analogues with Me or Ac substituents on the exocyclic N but is lost when the N itself is removed or is replaced by a hydroxyl or nitro function. Prosthetic heme alkylation also occurs with 1-amino-1H-naphtho (2,3-d)triazole, the analogue with one additional benzene ring. In vivo studies suggest that 1-aminobenzotriazole is relatively nontoxic. Catalytic turnover of 1-aminobenzotriazole by chloro-peroxidase results in the formation of phenol and in inactivation of the enzyme. The phenol obtained in deuterated water incorporates one deuterium into the aromatic ring. The data indicate that benzyne, formed by enzymatic oxidation of 1-aminobenzotriazole, is responsible for inactivation of cytochrome P-450 and chloroperoxidase.     

Polyethers derived from bisphenols and highly fluorinated aromatics

A series of fluorinated aromatic polyethers was synthesized via aromatic nucleophilic substitution of highly fluorinated aromatics (1,2,4,5-tetrafluorobenzene, hexafluorobenzene, and decafluorobiphenyl) with bisphenol AF or bisphenol A. Polymerization with 1,2,4,5-tetrafluorobenzene was not observed, and polymerization of hexafluorobenzene with bisphenol proceeded only if the potassium carbonate–bisphenol ratio was carefully controlled. The polymer condensed from decafluorobiphenyl and bisphenol AF was prepared in 77% yield with an inherent viscosity of 1.01 dL/g. The polymer prepared from the condensation of decafluorobiphenyl with bisphenol A was obtained in 48% yield with an inherent viscosity of 0.28 dL/g. These polymers were very soluble in common organic solvents, formed clear, colorless films, and were thermally stable (> 450°C by TGA). The fully fluorinated polymer exhibited low water uptake (0.3%) and dielectric constant (2.17). © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Steam distillation with resin extraction for isolation and concentration of organic compounds from aqueous samples

Steam distillation is combined with solid-phase resin extraction using a simple apparatus and interface. A concentration factor of at least 100 is obtained. The method is effective for the isolation and concentration of organic compounds from complex aqueous samples ar μg l^?1 levels. Factors affecting the recovery of model compounds are studied; it is shown that the recovery of many compounds is improved markedly by disconnecting the condenser. Under proper conditions, compounds with boiling points in excess of 400°C are recovered quantitatively in only 24 mill.     

Photo-oxidation of metal carbynes

Photo-oxidation of the metal carbyne complexes (η-C⁵H₅)L₁L₂MCR (MMo, W; L₁, L₂CO, P(OMe)₃; R ≡ phenyl, cyclopropyl) generates radical that are extremely reactive. Depending on the reaction conditions, either the oxidized species exhibit the ligand exchange and atom abstraction processes typical of metal radicals, or the carbyne ligands undergo a series of highly unusual rearrangement to yield organic products. For the cyclopropyl carbynes (η⁵-C₅H₅)[P(OMe)₃](CO)MC(c-C₃H₅), photo-oxidation in the absence of added ligands results in the formation of cyclopentenone. When substituents are present on the cyclopropyl ring, single regioisomers or stereoisomers of the resulting cyclopentenones are produced.     

Sorption of galactose by zeolite Y

The sorption of galactose by Na-Y, K-Y and Ba-Y zeolites has been investigated by isopiestic equilibration at 25°C. The equilibrium galactose and water contents of the zeolites were determined for water activitiesa _w in the range 0.111 <a _w < 0.98. It was found that the maximum uptake of galactose U ₀ ^G (observed fora _W 0) was highest for Na-Y and least for Ba-Y. In contrast at high water activities the galactose uptake was highest for Ba-Y and least for Na-Y.     

Comonomer effects with high-activity titanium- and vanadium-based catalysts for ethylene polymerization

High-activity titanium- and vanadium-based catalysts for ethylene polymerization frequently show an increase in reaction rate in the presence of an α-olefin. The magnitude of this increase depends on the specific α-olefin. The results show propylene > 1-butene > 1-hexene in increasing initial reaction rates. Addition of certain electron-donor compounds to these catalysts can lower the magnitude of the comonomer effect and, in some cases, totally eliminate such an effect. Among the classes of electron-donor compounds examined were ether-alcohols, ether-esters, amino-alcohols, alkoxysilanes, siloxanes, and phosphine oxides. Reaction kinetics show that the presence of a comonomer can influence the kinetic order of the reaction. These results can be interpreted using a mechanistic model involving two vacant coordination positions at the active sites. In this model electron donors and comonomers are viewed as Lewis-base ligands which influence features of chain propagation and chain termination. As Lewis-base ligands, the comonomers can also increase the number of active sites available for polymerization. Catalyst deactivation following the initial comonomer rate increase is believed to be caused by reaction with the Lewis bases (α-olefin included) in the system and by possible reduction in the oxidation state of the metal centers. The most acidic metal centers activated by the comonomer are most reactive to Lewis bases and deactivate most rapidly. Veratrole (1,2-dimethoxybenzene) can be employed as a probe for estimating the number of bis-vacant coordination sites in vanadium-based catalysts. Addition of low levels of veratrole led to significant deactivation of the vanadium-based catalyst. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Metal complexes of tetramethylethylenediaminetetraacetate

Summary A number of metal complexes of the ligand tetramethylethylenediaminetetraacetate [Edta(OMe)₄ = L] have been characterised. The complexes may be formulated MLCl₂ · xH₂O where M²⁺ = Mn^II, Fe^II, Co^II, Ni^II, Cu^II, Cd^II, Hg^II and Sn^II. I.r., conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and electronic spectral data are discussed.     

Proximity-induced catalysis by the protein kinase ERK2

Five hundred protein kinases phosphorylate 10 000 proteins in human cells. Frequently, more than one site in a protein is phosphorylated, and often by more than one protein kinase. The mechanistic basis underlying the overlapping specificity of the phospho-proteome is not well understood. We are interested in understanding why ERK2, a proline-directed protein kinase, phosphorylates only a fraction of the (S/T-P) sites found in the surface loops of proteins, at an appreciable rate. To address this fundamental question, we utilized a well-established protein substrate EtsDelta138, which comprises a globular ERK2-recognition domain (pnt domain) and an unstructured peptide-like N-terminal tail. This tail contains T38, the sole ERK2 phosphorylation site. We mutated the TP motif, which is recognized by the active site and found that mutagenesis of the T-38/P-39 motif to TD, TR, TA, TG, and TV has no effect on the stability of the ternary complex but does decrease kcat. We also investigated the effect of perturbing the binding between ERK2 and the pnt domain, which occurs outside the active site, to find that mutation of the pnt domain (F120A) leads to a 10-fold decrease in binding but the kcat remains the same. The data support a mechanism of proximity-mediated catalysis, where the docking of the pnt domain, outside the active site, increases the effective concentration of the TP motif near the active site. The data are consistent with the notion that the interaction between ERK2 and the pnt domain provides uniform binding energy and stabilizes each enzyme intermediate and transition state to an equal extent. While other steps on the reaction pathway contribute towards the specificity of the ERK2 reaction, a docking interaction provides the initial basis for substrate recognition. Those residues within the docked complex, which have the ability to access the active site with an appropriate geometry, can be phosphorylated at an efficient rate if followed by a proline or small hydrophobic amino acid.     

Bridging photochemistry and photomechanics with NMR crystallography: the molecular basis for the macroscopic expansion of an anthracene ester nanorod

Crystals composed of photoreactive molecules represent a new class of photomechanical materials with the potential to generate large forces on fast timescales. An example is the photodimerization of 9-tert-butyl-anthracene ester (9TBAE) in molecular crystal nanorods that leads to an average elongation of 8%. Previous work showed that this expansion results from the formation of a metastable crystalline product. In this article, it is shown how a novel combination of ensemble oriented-crystal solid-state NMR, X-ray diffraction, and first principles computational modeling can be used to establish the absolute unit cell orientations relative to the shape change, revealing the atomic-resolution mechanism for the photomechanical response and enabling the construction of a model that predicts an elongation of 7.4%, in good agreement with the experimental value. According to this model, the nanorod expansion does not result from an overall change in the volume of the unit cell, but rather from an anisotropic rearrangement of the molecular contents. The ability to understand quantitatively how molecular-level photochemistry generates mechanical displacements allows us to predict that the expansion could be tuned from +9% to −9.5% by controlling the initial orientation of the unit cell with respect to the nanorod axis. This application of NMR-assisted crystallography provides a new tool capable of tying the atomic-level structural rearrangement of the reacting molecular species to the mechanical response of a nanostructured sample.

NMR crystallography establishes absolute unit-cell orientations relative to the shape change, revealing the atomic-resolution mechanism for the nanorod''s photomechanical response.