Silver-palladium nanodispersions in silicate matrices: highly uniform, stable, bimetallic structures

Ag-Pd nanobimetallic colloidal particles are prepared in a single step by a chemical reduction method. Organically modified aminosilicate is used as a supporting matrix as well as a stabilizing agent, to obtain very uniform, well-distributed bimetallic particles. These nanoparticles are found to be stable for several months in both the solid and the liquid phases. The structure of the bimetallic particles has been followed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The distribution and the particle size are determined by transmission electron microscope and X-ray diffraction studies. Polymerization and condensation of the support silicate material have been confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.     

Catalytic transesterification of dialkyl phosphates by a bioinspired dicopper(II) macrocyclic complex

For a number of phosphoryltransfer enzymes, including the exonuclease subunit of DNA polymerase I, a mechanism involving two-metal ions and double Lewis-acid activation of the substrate, combined with leaving group stabilization, has been proposed. Inspired by the active site structure of this enzyme, we have designed as a synthetic phosphoryl transfer catalyst the dicopper(II) macrocyclic complex LCu(2). Crystal structures of complexes [(L)Cu(2)(mu-NO(3))(NO(3))](NO(3))(2) (1), [(L)Cu(2)(mu-CO(3))(CH(3)OH)](BF(4))(2) (2), and [(L)Cu(2)(mu-O(2)P(OCH(3))(2))(NO(3))](NO(3))(2) (3) illustrate various possibilities for the interaction of oxoanions with the dicopper(II) site. 1 efficiently promotes the transesterification of dimethyl phosphate (DMP) in CD(3)OD, k(cat) = 2 x 10(-)(4) s(-)(1) at 55 degrees C. 1 is the only available catalyst for the smooth transesterification of highly inert simple dialkyl phosphates. From photometric titrations and the pH dependence of reactivity, we conclude that a complex [(L)Cu(2)(DMP)(OCH(3))](2+) is the reactive species. Steric bulk at the -OR substituents of phosphodiester substrates O(2)P(OR)(2)(-) drastically reduces the reactivity of 1. This is explained with -OR leaving group stabilization by Cu coordination, an interaction which is sensitive to steric crowding at the alpha-C-atom of substituent R. A proposed reaction mechanism related to that of the exonuclease unit of DNA polymerase I is supported by DFT calculations on reaction intermediates. The complex [(L)Cu(3)(mu(3)-OH)(mu-CH(3)O)(2)(CH(3)CN)(2)](ClO(4))(3) (4) incorporates a [Cu(OH)(OCH(3))(2)(CH(3)CN)(2)](-) complex anion, which might be considered as an analogue of the [PO(2)(OCH(3))(2)(OCD(3))](2)(-) transition state (or intermediate) of DMP transesterification catalyzed by LCu(2).     

Thermal rearrangements of spiro[2.4]hepta-1,4,6-trienes

Thermolysis of spiro[2.4]hepta-1,4,6-triene (1a) at 50 degrees C yielded bicyclo[3.2.0]hepta-1,3,6-triene (5), which dimerized in two different fashions to form cyclobutanes. The 1,2-dimethyl and 1-propyl derivatives of 1a also rearranged at 50 degrees C, but at a faster rate, each yielding a pair of cyclobutane dimers. The structures of these symmetrical dimers were investigated by 1D and 2D NMR and NOE difference spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations indicated that the two strained olefins 1a and 5 had comparable energies about 50 kcal/mol lower than norborna-1(7),2,5-triene, which was thus excluded as a reaction intermediate.     

Geminale Azo- und Heteroelement-Funktionen,II: α-Substituierte 2-(4-Chlorphenylazo)-propan-Derivate

The reaction of acetone-4-chlorophenylhydrazone (6) with bromine in the presence of acetamide yields 2-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenylazo)-propane (7) and 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenylazo)propane (8). The unstable heteroallylic bromide7 was subjected without isolation to nucleophilic displacements with a series of heteronucleophiles thereby affording the corresponding 2-(4-chlorophenylazo)-2-propane derivatives9 with the azo- and heteroelement-functions in a geminal position to each other.

Herrn Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c.K. Kratzl mit den besten Wünschen zum 70. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

Supercapacitive admittance tomoscopy

A sensor for measuring adsorption on a substrate has been designed including a contactless detection scheme, called supercapacitive admittance tomoscopy (SCAT). The sensor comprises a thin dielectric layer with two parallel band electrodes on the one side and a chemically modified surface on the other onto which the adsorption of molecules occurs. Upon application of a high frequency ac voltage between the two electrodes, a capacitive coupling is established across the dielectric layer, and the admittance measured depends on the surface state of the chemically modified interface. On the basis of this principle, a flow sensor has been developed to measure sensorgrams to follow the dynamics of the adsorption and has been tested for the adsorption of IgG on the modified surface.     

Nonpeptide inhibitors of cathepsin G: optimization of a novel beta-ketophosphonic acid lead by structure-based drug design

The serine protease cathepsin G (EC 3.4.21.20; Cat G), which is stored in the azurophilic granules of neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) and released on degranulation, has been implicated in various pathological conditions associated with inflammation. By employing high-throughput screening, we identified beta-ketophosphonic acid 1 as a moderate inhibitor of Cat G (IC(50) = 4.1 microM). We were fortunate to obtain a cocrystal of 1 with Cat G and solve its structure by X-ray crystallography (3.5 A). Structural details from the X-ray analysis of 1.Cat G served as a platform for optimization of this lead compound by structure-based drug design. With the aid of molecular modeling, substituents were attached to the 3-position of the 2-naphthyl ring of 1, which occupies the S1 pocket of Cat G, to provide an extension into the hydrophobic S3 region. Thus, we arrived at analogue 7 with an 80-fold potency improvement over 1 (IC(50) = 53 nM). From these results, it is evident that the beta-ketophosphonic acid unit can form the basis for a novel class of serine protease inhibitors.     

A computational study of hydration, solution structure, and dynamics in dilute carbohydrate solutions

We report results from a molecular simulation study of the structure and dynamics of water near single carbohydrate molecules (glucose, trehalose, and sucrose) at 0 and 30 degrees C. The presence of a carbohydrate molecule has a number of significant effects on the microscopic water structure and dynamics. All three carbohydrates disrupt the tetrahedral arrangement of proximal water molecules and restrict their translational and rotational mobility. These destructuring effects and slow dynamics are the result of steric constraints imposed by the carbohydrate molecule and of the ability of a carbohydrate to form stable H bonds with water, respectively. The carbohydrates induce a pronounced decoupling between translational and rotational motions of proximal water molecules.     

Functionalized Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold as Binding Matrices for the Screening of Antibody-Antigen Interactions

Two different types of -substituted alkanethiol/disulfide compounds have been used to prepare monolayer architectures on gold serving as platforms for the immobilization of receptor probe molecules – antibodies. These are: (i) carboxylic acid alkanethiols post-reacted with amino biotin to generate streptavidin surfaces, and (ii) N-hydroxysuccinimide-terminated disulfide surfaces. The properties of the monolayers, with and without attached receptor probe molecules, were analysed using infrared spectroscopy, ellipsometry, fluorescence scanning and atomic force microscopy. Several experimental parameters, such as condensation reagents, additives, probe and target concentrations and immobilization time, were systematically varied to determine the dynamic range and to optimize the sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio of the biochip platforms. Fluorescence screening using Cy5-labelled antigens finally demonstrated that both surfaces could be successfully employed to immobilize the antibodies. The pros and cons of the two approaches are also discussed.Received November 15, 2002; accepted March 25, 2003 Published online July 28, 2003     

From solution-phase to solid-phase enyne metathesis: crossover in the relative performance of two commonly used ruthenium pre-catalysts

A crossover in the ability of two distinct ruthenium-based metathesis pre-catalysts to effect the synthesis of dialkenylboronic esters in solution and on the solid-phase was observed. Specifically, while the Grubbs 2nd generation pre-catalyst 3 affords a greater degree of conversion to product than the Hoveyda-Grubbs pre-catalyst 2 in a solution-phase enyne-metathesis reaction, this trend is reversed in the solid-phase variant. Systematic investigation showed this trend to be general, regardless of variations in the homoallylic alcohol and alkynylboronic ester components of the reaction, as well as in the type of solid support employed. Experiments to determine a mechanistic hypothesis for this trend highlighted the significance of the ruthenium remaining bound to the substrate after metathetic rearrangement and found the presence of phosphine ligand to be detrimental to the success of the solid-phase reaction. Therefore, these results suggest an expanded role for phosphine-free pre-catalysts, such as 2, in challenging solid-phase metathesis reactions.