Competing excited state intramolecular proton transfer pathways from phenol to anthracene moieties

Four new 9-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)anthracene derivatives 7-10 were synthesized and their potential excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction investigated. Whereas 7 reacted via the anticipated (formal) ESIPT reaction (proton transfer to the 10-position of the anthracene), derivatives 8-10 reacted via ESIPT to both 9- and 10-positions, giving rise to two types of intermediates, quinone methides (e.g., 29) and zwitterions (e.g., 30). These intermediates are trapped by solvent (water or methanol) giving addition products that can readily revert back to starting material. However, on extended photolysis, the products that are isolated can best be rationalized as being due to competing elimination and intramolecular cyclization of zwitterions 30 and 37. These results show that it is possible to structurally tune ESIPT in (hydroxyphenyl)anthracenes to either result in a completely reversible reaction or give isolable anthracene addition or rearrangement products.     

Molecular fluorescent pH-probes based on 8-hydroxyquinoline

Three 5,7-pi-extended 8-benzyloxyquinolines, namely 5,7-diphenyl-, 5,7-bis(biphenyl-4-yl)- and 5,7-bis(4-dibenzothiophenyl)-8-benzyloxyquinoline were prepared and investigated as fluorescent pH-probes in nonaqueous solution. Absorption and photoluminescence spectra of the introduced compounds also including the starting material 8-benzyloxy-5,7-dibromoquinoline as well as their N-protonated counterparts were recorded and the results were rationalized by quantum-chemical calculations. A pronounced red shift of the emission occurred upon protonation of the non halogenated derivatives, while the dibromo-derivative is hardly emissive and is virtually not protonated under the conditions used. The diphenyl- and the bis(biphenyl)-derivative especially show promising photoluminescence quantum yields both in the parent and the protonated state making them candidates for the active component in pH sensing applications.     

Complete assignments of 1H and 13C NMR spectra of leucanthoside A, a new triterpenoid saponin from Cephalaria leucantha L

Leucanthoside A, a new allose-containing triterpenoid saponin (1), was isolated from the aerial parts of Cephalaria leucantha L. Its structure was determined by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. Complete assignments of the 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts were achieved by two-dimensional NMR experiments: DQF-COSY, NOESY, TOCSY, HSQC, DINE-HSQC, HMBC, 13C-1H 2D-J-resolved spectroscopy, and 1,1-ADEQUATE.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the reactions of Pd(II) complexes with azoles and diazines. Crystal structure of [Pd(bpma)(H2O)](ClO4)2.2H2O

Substitution reactions of the complexes [Pd(bpma)(H2O)]2+, [Pd(bpma)Cl]+, [Pd(dien)(H2O)]2+ and [Pd(dien)Cl]+, where bpma = bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine and dien = diethylentriamine or 1,5-diamino-3-azapentane, with some nitrogen-donor ligands such as triazole, pyrazole, pyrimidine, pyrazine and pyridazine, were studied in an aqueous 0.10 M NaClO4 at pH 2.8 using variable-temperature and -pressure stopped-flow spectrophotometry. The second-order rate constants indicate that the Pd(II) complexes of bpma, viz. [Pd(bpma)(H2O)]2+ and [Pd(bpma)Cl]+, are more reactive than the complexes of dien, viz. [Pd(dien)(H2O)]2+ and [Pd(dien)Cl]+. Also, the aqua complexes, [Pd(bpma)(H2O)]2+ and [Pd(dien)(H2O)]2+, are much more reactive than the corresponding chloro complexes. The most reactive nucleophile of the five-membered rings is triazole and for the six-membered rings the most reactive one is pyridazine. Activation parameters were determined for all reactions and the negative entropies and volumes of activation (Delta S++, Delta V++) support an associative ligand substitution mechanism. The crystal structure of [Pd(bpma)(H2O)](ClO4)2.2H2O was determined by X-ray diffraction. Crystals are monoclinic with the space group P2(1)/c. The coordination geometry of [Pd(bpma)(H2O)]2+ is distorted square-planar. The Pd-N (central) bond distance, 1.958(5) A, is shorter than the other two Pd-N distances, 2.007(5) and 2.009(5) A. The Pd-O distance is 2.043(5) A.     

Surface properties of inclusion complexes between alpha-cyclodextrin and poly(ethylene oxide)

The surface properties of the supramolecular inclusion complex (IC) obtained from the threading of alpha-cyclodextrin (alpha-CD) onto poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) free in solution are studied. The complexes were characterized by IR, (1)H NMR spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. The variation of the interfacial tension, gamma(int), with inclusion complex (IC) concentration and temperature were determined. The results were compared with those found for PEO under the same conditions. alpha-CD does not present surface activity. To quantify the adsorption process of IC and PEO in aqueous medium, the Gibbs equation was used. The driving force for adsorption of IC at the air/aqueous interface seems to arise from an enthalpic contribution. The wettability of the alpha-CD, PEO, and IC films with two liquids was determined by static contact angle measurements. The hydrophobicity degree was estimated. IC is more hydrophobic than PEO and alpha-CD.     

Mechanism of the diphenyldisulfone-catalyzed isomerization of alkenes. Origin of the chemoselectivity: experimental and quantum chemistry studies

Polysulfone- and diphenyldisulfone-catalyzed alkene isomerizations are much faster for 2-alkyl-1-alkenes than for linear, terminal alkenes. The mechanism of these reactions has been investigated experimentally for the isomerization of methylidenecyclopentane into 1-methylcyclopentene, and theoretically [CCSD(T)/6-311++G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) calculations] for the reactions of propene and 2-methylpropene with a methanesulfonyl radical, MeSO2*. On heating, polysulfones and (PhSO2)2 equilibrate with sulfonyl radicals, RSO2*. The latter abstract allylic hydrogen atoms in one-step processes giving allylic radical/RSO2H pairs that recombine within the solvent cage producing the corresponding isomerized alkene and RSO2*. The sulfinic acid, RSO2H, can diffuse out from the solvent cage (H/D exchange with MeOD,D2O) and reduce an allyl radical. Calculations did not support other possible mechanisms such as hydrogen exchange between alkenes, electron transfer, or addition/elimination process. Kinetic deuterium isotopic effects measured for the (PhSO2)2-catalyzed isomerization of methylidenecyclopentane and deuterated analogues and calculated for the H abstraction from 2-methylpropene and deuterated analogues by CH3SO2* are consistent also with the one-step hydrogen transfer mechanism. The high chemoselectivity for this reaction is not governed by an exothermicity difference but by a difference in ionization energies of the alkenes. Calculations for CH3SO2* + propene and CH3SO2* + 2-methylpropene show a charge transfer of 0.34 and 0.38 electron, respectively, from the alkenes to the sulfonyl radical in the transition states of these hydrogen abstractions.     

Improved density functional theory/electrostatic calculation of the His291 protonation state in cytochrome C oxidase: self-consistent charges for solvation energy calculation

The protonation state of His291 in cytochrome c oxidase (CcO), a ligand to the Cu(B) center of the enzyme, has been recently studied in this group by using combined density functional theory (DFT)/electrostatic (QM/MM) calculations. On the basis of these calculations, a model of the proton pumping mechanism of CcO has been proposed. Due to certain technical difficulties, the procedure used in the previous calculation to find partial atomic charges of the QM system for the solvation energy evaluation was not entirely satisfactory; i.e., it was not self-consistent. Here, we describe a procedure that resolves the problem and report on the improved calculations of the protonation state of the His residue. The new procedure fits the protein and reaction field potentials in the region of the QM system with artificial point charges placed on a surface of a sphere surrounding the QM system and a few charges inside the sphere and allows one to perform DFT calculations that involve an inhomogeneous dielectric environment in a self-consistent way. The procedure improves the accuracy of calculations in comparison with previous work. The improved results show, however, that although the absolute energies change significantly the relative energies of the protonated and deprotonated states of His291 remain close to the previously reported ones and therefore do not change significantly the pK(a) values reported earlier. Therefore, our new improved calculations support for the proposed His291 model of the CcO pump.     

Hydrogen molecule in the small dodecahedral cage of a clathrate hydrate: quantum five-dimensional calculations of the coupled translation-rotation eigenstates

We report quantum five-dimensional (5D) calculations of the energy levels and wave functions of the hydrogen molecule, para-H2 and ortho-H2, confined inside the small dodecahedral (H2O)20 cage of the sII clathrate hydrate. All three translational and the two rotational degrees of freedom of H2 are included explicitly, as fully coupled, while the cage is treated as rigid. The 5D potential energy surface (PES) of the H2-cage system is pairwise additive, based on the high-quality ab initio 5D (rigid monomer) PES for the H2-H2O complex. The bound state calculations involve no dynamical approximations and provide an accurate picture of the quantum 5D translation-rotation dynamics of H2 inside the cage. The energy levels are assigned with translational (Cartesian) and rotational quantum numbers, based on calculated root-mean-square displacements and probability density plots. The translational modes exhibit negative anharmonicity. It is found that j is a good rotational quantum number, while the threefold degeneracy of the j = 1 level is lifted completely. There is considerable translation-rotation coupling, particularly for excited translational states.     

Optical and X-ray emission spectroscopy of high-power laser-induced dielectric breakdown in molecular gases and their mixtures

Large-scale plasma was created in molecular gases (CO, CO2, N2, H2O) and their mixtures by high-power laser-induced dielectric breakdown (LIDB). Compositions of the mixtures used are those suggested for the early earth's atmosphere of neutral and/or mildly reducing character. Time-integrated optical spectra emitted from the laser spark have been measured and analyzed. The spectra of the plasma generated in the CO-containing mixtures are dominated by emission of both C2 and CN radicals. A vibrational temperature of approximately 10(4) K was determined according to an intensity distribution in a vibronic structure of the CN (B2Sigma(+)u-X2Sigma(+)g) violet band. For comparison, the NH3-CH4-H2-H2O mixture has been irradiated as a model of the strongly reducing version of the early earth's atmosphere. In this mixture, excited CN seems to be significantly less abundant than C2. The LIDB experiments were in the molecular gases carried out not only in the static cell but also using a large, double stream pulse jet (gas puff target) placed in the vacuum interaction chamber. The obtained soft X-ray emission spectra indicate the presence of highly charged atomic ions in the hot core of high-power laser sparks.     

Comparison of different separation technologies for proteome analyses: isoform resolution as a prerequisite for the definition of protein biomarkers on the level of posttranslational modifications

In this article we evaluate methods used to reveal the molecular complexity, which is generated in biological samples by posttranslational modifications (PTM) of proteins. We show how distinct molecular differences on the level of phosphorylation sites in a single protein (ovalbumin) can be resolved with different success using 1D and 2D gel-electrophoresis and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) with monolithic polystyrol-divinylbenzol (PS-DVB) columns for protein separation, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for protein identification. Phosphorylation site analysis was performed using enzymatic dephosphorylation in combination with differential peptide mass mapping. Liquid chromatography-MALDI-TOF MS coupling with subsequent on-target tryptic protein digestion turned out to be the fastest method tested but yielded low resolution for the analysis of PTM, whereas 2D gel-electrophoresis, due to its unique capability of resolving highly complex isoform pattern, turned out to be the most suitable method for this purpose. The evaluated methods complement one another and in connection with efficient technologies for differential and quantitative analysis, these approaches have the potential to reveal novel molecular details of protein biomarkers.