Synthesis of 6R(β)-tritylaminopenicillanic-3R(β)-alcohol,a versatile stereoisomer of natural β-lactams

In an attempt to rationalize a synthesis of penicillin analogs modified at C(3), we have isolated the 3R(β)-carbinolamide derivative 4a. The trityl substituent on N(6′) seems to be responsible for the inversion of configuration which occurs at C(3) during the acid hydrolysis of the isocyanate intermediate. An hydrogen bond is formed on the β-face of the bell-shaped bicyclic skeleton between the N(6′)-nitrogen lone pair and the C(3) hydroxyl group. On standing, the carbinolamide analog slowly isomerizes to its expanded bicyclic isomer 4b , but the starting material may be easily recovered by treatment with acid. The postulated intermediate during isomerization, i.e., the open aldehyde form, does not accumulate. Substitutions of the hydroxyl group at C(3) lead to a variety of compounds with the biologically active 3S(α) configuration. These may be used to study the importance of the carboxyl group of penicillins in their interaction with β-lactamases at the molecular level.     

Validity of the Hammond postulate and constraints on general one-dimensional reaction barriers

The Hammond postulate is a useful, qualitative tool that interrelates structural similarities between reactants, transition structures, and products with the exo- or endothermicity of reactions. It applies to most chemical reactions, although several exceptions are known. In this study the following problem is addressed: is it possible to formulate conditions for the validity of the quantitative Hammond postulate in terms of simple physical quantities characteristic to the molecules involved? A detailed analysis is given for the conditions of validity of the postulate, in terms of bounds on the internal forces and force constants of nuclear arrangements encountered along a reaction path. We have determined a broad class of constraints on barrier shapes that must be satisfied in order to obtain a critical situation that violates the Hammond postulate: a reactant-like transition structure (“transition state”) for endothermic reactions, and a product-like one for exothermic reactions. The general constraints are formulated in terms of physically meaningful quantities: (i) energy differences, (ii) restrictions on slopes (e.g., an upper bound on internal forces), and (iii) restrictions on curvatures (e.g., upper bounds on force constants) along potential curves.     

Molecular orbital studies on the conformation of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)

In distinction to Extended Hückel Theory which predicts as the most stable conformation of free zwitterionic GABA a totally extended form, PCILO and SCF ab initio studies show that the intrinsically preferred conformation of the isolated molecule is a highly folded one, resulting from strong interactions between the two charged ends. Computations are also carried out for hydrated GABA in the supermolecule approach allowing moreover for the flexibility of binding of some of the water molecules of the first hydration shell. They predict the coexistence in solution of a large number of conformations showing different degrees of folding (or extension), a result confirmed by recent NMR studies. This and a number of similar results show that we have to adapt our thinking on the role of conformations in pharmacological activity to this situation, which was frequently obscured by the more abundant results of X-ray crystallography yielding a single conformation.     

Identification of a series of C25-C40 acyclic isoprenoid hydrocarbons in crude oils

The identification of acyclic isoprenoid hydrocarbons in organic extracts of geological samples and particularly in petroleum deserves a great interest from the biological origin of the sedimentary organic matter and the understanding of geochemical processes.     

Metallacycloalkanes: I. Preparation and characterisation of α,α′-bipyridyl-5-nickela-3,3,7,7-tetramethyl-trans-tricyclo[4.1.0.02,4]heptane

Oxidative addition of 2 molecules of 3,3-dimethylcyclopropene (I) to α,α′-bipyridyl(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) (III) gave the title compound (IV) in over 90% yield. Complex IV was characterized by mass, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Its structure was determined by X-ray diffraction (a 13.7081(2), b 14.638(2), c 9.5139(1) Å, β 110.82(1)°, C2/c, R = 0.05 for 1614 reflections).     

Synthesis and structural characterization of acetatobis(triphenylphosphine)dicarbonylmanganese(I), (CH3CO2)Mn(CO)2[P(C6H5)3]2: An organometallic complex containing a chelating acetate ligand

The accidental but intriguing synthesis of acetatobis(triphenylphosphine)dicarbonylmanganese(I), (CH₃CO₂)Mn(CO)₂[P(C₆H₅)₃]₂, has been accomplished by the reaction of NaMn(CO)₅ with (CH₃)₃SiCl followed by the addition of triphenylphosphine and acetic acid. A three-dimensional single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis has shown an octahedral-like molecule containing a symmetrically oxygen-chelating acetate group, the first such group to be reported in a metal carbonyl complex. The two triphenylphosphine ligands occupy mutually trans positions with the two carbonyl ligands possessing the remaining cis sites in the octahedral complex. The compound crystallizes with four molecules in a monoclinic unit cell of space group symmetry $\text{P}\text{2}{}_1\text{c}$ and of dimensions a = 17.744(2) Å, b = 9.692(1) Å, c = 20.004(2) Å, and β = 106.195(4)°. The relatively long MnO(acetate) bond lengths [2.066(6) and 2.069(7) Å] and the relatively short MnCO bond lengths [1.701(12) and 1.760(13) Å] and the relatively short MnP(C₆H₅)₃ bond lengths [2.260(3) and 2.275(3) Å], compared to the corresponding MnCO and MnP(C₆H₅)₃ bond lengths in other manganese carbonyl triphenylphosphine complexes, are rationalized on the basis that the acetate ligand in this molecule functions primarily as a σ-donor.     

Multiple scattering theory. II. Collision induced dissociation in first order

Computationally tractable formulae for one particle differential cross sections and for coincidence cross sections for atom— diatom collision induced dissociation (CID) are obtained within the framework of first order multiple scattering theory. The first order formulation is then used to analyze the simple “knockout circle” model for CID and to derive a more reliable multiple scattering spectator model. Finally, differential and coincidence cross sections are computed for Li⁺ + H₂ at 2O eV and are compared with experiment. The qualitative insight afforded by coincidence studies of CID is clearly demonstrated.     

Chemical structure of cow kappa-casein: study of the soluble tryptic peptides

The sequences of 13 tryptic peptides of cow ?_A-casein (accounting for about one half of the amino acid residues present in the protein) were established. The rennin sensitive linkage could be located in a large fragment (36 residues). ?-casein consists of a hydrophilic part (?-caseino-glycopeptide) and of a hydrophobic moiety (para-?-casein); in this latter, however, several quite hydrophilic sequences were characterized. Another feature of the ?-casein structure is the frequent duplication or triplication of certain amino acids (Pro-Pro; Phe-Phe; Gln-Gln-Gln-Asn-Glu-Glu-Glu; Pro-Pro-Lys-Lys-Asn-Gln-; etc. …).     

High-resolution spectroscopy of induced chiral dimers: a study of the dimers of ethanol by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy

We present the first recording of the high-resolution spectrum of an induced chiral dimer. Three conformers of the induced chiral dimers of ethanol have been observed using a pulsed molecular-beam Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. The rotational constants of the normal isotopomers of the three species have been determined to be (a) A=5113.826(5), B=1329.7214(4), and C=1257.5151(3) MHz, (b) A=5086.459(5), B=1316.6508(4), and C=1243.6329(4) MHz, and (c) A=4851.608(5), B=1369.7558(6), and C=1243.4184(4) MHz. The observed species have been assigned to calculated structures via Kraitchman double substitution analyses and ab initio calculations. The Kraitchman analyses and the fitted centrifugal distortion parameters suggest that the deuterium bond is significantly stronger than the hydrogen bond in the dimers of ethanol.     

Theoretical conformational analysis of a simple sulphilimine model

The topomerization (bond rotation andS-pyramidal inversion) of a simple sulphilimine model, H₂SNH has been studied with the aid ofab initio SCF MO calculations. The highest rotation barrier occurs when the H₂SN moiety is planar, < HSN = 120 °. The maxima of the inversion crossections occur at the planar conformation for all rotation angles α as expected, however, the minima belong to different values when α is varied. The minimum energy path between the two lowest minima of the conformational energy surface consists of a pure inversion section and a section which is mostly rotation. The optimum values of the < HSN bond angles are significantly smaller than the corresponding < RSN bond angles of sulphilimines of bulkierR substituents.