Protein Protection by Antioxidants: Development of a Convenient Assay and Structure‐Activity Relationships of Natural Polyphenols

In this work, a convenient test of antioxidant activity was developed, with BChE‐contaminated HSA as the target of AAPH‐induced oxidation and its esterase activity as the marker of protein integrity or degradation. The method is relatively simple, of low cost, and convenient to use. Its application to natural polyphenols showed that quercetin ( 1 ), verbascoside ( 2 ), chlorogenic acid ( 3 ), caffeic acid ( 4 ), 1,3,6,7‐tetrahydroxyxanthone ( 5 ), and mangiferin ( 6 ), are good antioxidants (IC₅₀<9 μM ). 1,5‐Dihydroxy‐3‐methoxyxanthone ( 7 ), flemichin D ( 8 ), and cordigone ( 9 ) showed modest activities (ca. 50 μM <IC₅₀<350 μM ), whereas danthrone ( 10 ) was inactive. Complementary experiments with two of the more active antioxidants, namely quercetin ( 1 ) and chlorogenic acid ( 3 ) showed that both antioxidants were better radical scavengers than chain‐breaking antioxidants. The relative adiabatic oxidation potential (ΔH_ox), the relative H‐bond dissociation energy (ΔH_abs), and the first oxidation potential measured by cyclic voltammetry were found to be related to the radical‐scavenging activity of these antioxidants.     

Chemie freier cyclischer vicinaler Tricarbonyl‐Verbindungen (‘1,2,3‐Trione') Teil 2. Redox‐Reaktionen von 1,2,3‐Trionen mit En‐1,2‐diolen (‘Reduktonen'), 2‐Alkoxy‐en‐1‐olen,En‐1,2‐diaminen und verwandten Spezies

Chemistry of Free Cyclic Vicinal Tricarbonyl Compounds (‘1,2,3‐Triones'). Part 2. Redox Reactions of 1,2,3‐Triones with Ene‐1,2‐diols (‘Reductones'), 2‐Alkoxy‐en‐1‐ols, Ene‐1,2‐diamines, and Related Species . Midstanding carbonyl groups of cyclic 1,2,3‐triones 4 possess outstanding electrophilic (electron‐pair accepting) as well as oxidizing (one‐electron accepting) properties. Their reactions with selected electron‐rich CC bonds as efficient nucleophiles (A_N reactions) and as efficient reducing agents (SET (single electron transfer) reactions) are studied. In a few cases, short‐lived charge‐transfer colors could be observed. Particularly, free didehydro‐5,6‐O‐isopropyliden‐L ‐ascorbic acid ( 4g ), its O,C‐adduct 8g to 5,6‐O‐isopropylidene‐L ‐ascorbic acid ( 1g ), and – via an independent pathway – the ostensible C,C‐dimer 10a of mono‐dehydrodimedone reductone were prepared. Intermediate radical anions 4 ^.− can be considered to be ideal representatives of dicapto‐dative radicals. Novel large‐scale syntheses of 3,4‐dihydroxyfuran‐2(5H)‐one ( 1e ) and of its vicinal trione 4e are presented.     

NMR‐Structural Investigations of a β3‐Dodecapeptide with Proteinogenic Side Chains in Methanol and in Aqueous Solutions

The structural properties of an all‐β³‐dodecapeptide with the sequence H‐β‐HLys(N^ε‐CO(CH₂)₃‐S Acm)‐β‐HPhe‐β‐HTyr‐β‐HLeu‐β‐HLys‐β‐HSer‐β‐HLys‐β‐HPhe‐β‐HSer‐β‐HVal‐β‐HLys‐β‐HAla‐OH ( 1 ) have been studied by two‐dimensional homonuclear ¹H‐NMR and by CD spectroscopy. In MeOH solution, high‐resolution NMR spectroscopy showed that the β‐dodecapeptide forms an (M)‐3₁₄‐helix, and the CD spectrum corresponds to the pattern expected for an (M)‐3₁₄‐helical secondary structure. In aqueous solution, however, the peptide adopts a predominantly extended conformation without regular secondary‐structure elements, which is in agreement with the absence of the characteristic trough near 215 nm in the CD spectrum. The NMR and CD measurements with solutions of 1 in MeOH containing 3M urea further indicated that the peptide retains the regular secondary structural elements under these conditions, whereas, after addition of 40% (v/v) H₂O to the MeOH solution, the large ¹H‐chemical‐shift dispersion indicative of a defined spatial peptide fold was lost. The β³‐dodecapeptide is – so far – the longest β‐peptide shown to adopt a regular (M)‐3₁₄‐helix conformation in an organic solvent. The observation that the structure of this long β³‐peptide is not maintained in aqueous solution indicates that the (M)‐3₁₄‐fold is primarily stabilized by short‐range interactions.     

Computer Algebra Algorithms for Control Related Tests of Implicit Dynamic Systems

This contribution is focused on control related tests for implicit dynamic systems, like accessibility, observability or input to output, input to state linearizability. Since the performance of these tests needs tedious symbolic calculations, computer algebra systems are the ideal tool to cope with this problem. Accessibility and observability are exemplarily used to present a new approach based on Lie groups. It is shown that non accessible or non observable systems admit Lie‐groups acting on their solutions such that distinguished parts remain unchanged. This fact allows us to apply this technique, as well as its realization by computer algebra algorithm, to several fundamental problems in control.     

Metallkomplexe mit biologisch wichtigen Liganden. CXLVII [1] Struktur und Eigenschaften von Pfeiffers Nickel(II)‐Schiff‐Base‐Komplex aus Salicylaldehyd und Glycinester

Metal Complexes with Biological Important Ligands. CXLVII [1] Structure and Properties of Pfeiffer's Nickel(II) Schiff Base Complex from Salicylaldehyde and Glycine Ester. The structure of the planar nickel(II) complex reported by Paul Pfeiffer with two Schiff base ligands from salicylaldehyde and glycine ethylester and with trans‐NiO₂N₂ arrangement was determined by X‐ray diffraction. The finding by Pfeiffer that this complex reacts with oxygen to give the bis(O, N‐imine) complex Ni(OC₆H₄CH=NH)₂ under C‐N cleavage could be confirmed by spectroscopic data, and a reaction path is suggested.     

Phosphaniminato‐Komplexe des Zirconiums: Die Kristallstrukturen von [ZrCl3(NPPh3)(HNPPh3)2] und [ZrCl2(NPPh3)2(HNPPh3)2]

Phosphoraneiminato Complexes of Zirconium: Crystal Structures of [ZrCl₃(NPPh₃)(HNPPh₃)₂] and [ZrCl₂(NPPh₃)₂(HNPPh₃)₂] The phosphoraneiminato complexes [ZrCl₃(NPPh₃)(HNPPh₃)₂] ( 1 ) and [ZrCl₂(NPPh₃)₂(HNPPh₃)₂] ( 2 ) have been obtained by reaction of [ZrCl₄(THF)₂] with [CsNPPh₃]₄ in THF solution to give colourless moisture sensitive crystals which are characterized by X‐ray structure determinations. [ZrCl₃(NPPh₃)(HNPPh₃)₂] ( 1 ): Space group P 1, Z = 2, lattice dimensions at 193 K: a = 1209.4(2); b = 1480.8(2); c = 1814.2(2) pm; α = 71.203(13)°, β = 71.216(13)°, γ = 74.401(13)°; R = 0.0476. The zirconium atom of 1 is oktahedrally coordinated by the three chlorine atoms in meridional arrangement and by the three nitrogen atoms of the (NPPh₃^–) ligand and of the two phosphane imine molecules HNPPh₃. The ZrN bond distance of the (NPPh₃^–) group (193.5 pm) corresponds with a double bond. [ZrCl₂(NPPh₃)₂(HNPPh₃)₂] ( 2 ): Space group P 1, Z = 4, lattice dimensions at 193 K: a = 1447.6(2); b = 1925.7(2), c = 2457.0(2) pm; α = 67.317(12)°, β = 87.376(12)°, γ = 87.103(13)°; R = 0.0408. The zirconium atom in 2 is octahedrally coordinated by the two chlorine atoms in trans position, and by the nitrogen atoms of the two (NPPh₃^–) groups as well as by the two HNPPh₃ molecules. The ZrN distance of the (NPPh₃^–) ligands (198.9 and 202.0 pm) suggest some π‐interaction between the zirconium and the nitrogen atoms.     

Phosphaniminate von Alkalimetallen: Die Kristallstrukturen von [KNPCy3]4, [KNPCy3]4·2OPCy3, [CsNPCy3]4·4OPCy3 und [Li4(NPPh3)(OSiMe2NPPh3)3(DME)]

The alkalimetal phosphoraneiminates [KNPCy₃]₄, ( 1 ) [KNPCy₃]₄·2OPCy₃ ( 2 ) and [CsNPCy₃]₄·4OPCy₃ ( 3 ) (Cy = cyclohexyl) which are obtainable by the reaction of pottassium amide or cesium amide with Cy₃PI₂ or Cy₃PBr₂ in liquid ammonia, as well as the lithium derivative [Li₄(NPPh₃)(OSiMe₂NPPh₃)₃(DME)] ( 4 ) have been characterized by crystal structure determinations. 4 has been formed by the insertion reaction of silicon greaze (‐OSiMe₂)n into the LiN bonds of [LiNPPh₃]₆ in DME solution (DME = 1, 2‐dimethoxyethane). 1 : Space group P&1macr;, Z = 2, lattice dimensions at 193 K: a = 1389.8(1); b = 1408.1(1); c = 2205.2(2) pm; α = 78.952(10)?; β = 81.215(10)?; γ = 66.232(8)?; R1 = 0.0418. 2 : Space group Pbcn, Z = 4, lattice constants at 193 K: a = 2943.6(2); b = 2048.2(1); c = 1893.8(1) pm; R1 = 0.0428. 3 : Space group Cmc2₁, Z = 4, lattice dimensions at 193 K: a = 2881.6(2); b = 2990.2(2); c = 1883.7(2) pm; R1 = 0.0586. 4 ·1/2DME: Space group R&3macr;c, Z = 12, lattice dimensions at 193 K: a = b = 1583.5(1); c = 11755.3(5) pm; R1 = 0.0495. All complexes have heterocubane structures. In 1‐3 they are formed by four alkali metal atoms and by the nitrogen atoms of the (μ₃‐NPCy₃^‐) groups, whereas 4 forms a "heteroleptic" Li₄NO₃ heterocubane.