Antihydrophobic solvent effects: an experimental probe for the hydrophobic contribution to enzyme-inhibitor binding

The hydrophobic component to the binding affinities of one acyclic phosphinate (4) and three macrocyclic phosphonamidate inhibitors (1-3) to the zinc peptidase thermolysin was probed by varying the solvent composition. Increasing the percentage of ethanol in the buffer solution over the range 0-9% increases the inhibition constants, K(i), by up to an order of magnitude. This approach represents an experimental method for distinguishing solvation from conformational or other effects on protein-ligand binding. The size of the "antihydrophobic effect" is correlated with the amount of hydrophobic surface area sequestered from solvent on association of the inhibitor and enzyme, although it is attenuated from that calculated from the surface tension of ethanol-water mixtures. The results are consistent with the Lum-Chandler-Weeks explanation for the size dependence of the hydrophobic effect.     

Challenges in the structural characterization of thin organic films

This review addresses the special problems associated with the micro-structural characterization of thin and ultrathin organic films, primarily by optical spectroscopies. Films which are deposited by Langmuir-Blodgett techniques, self-assembly chemistry, and bulk film deposition techniques are considered. The use of enhanced optical excitation using surface phasma resonances and integrated optical structures is discussed extensively, as is the use of ellipsometry. Discussion of the spectroscopies used is broken into a section on electronic spectroscopies and an extensive discussion of vibrational spectroscopies. Vibrational information may be obtained with photons (absorption or scattering) or electrons (loss spectra), and the types of experimental systems amenable to each, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each are explored.     

Conformational preferences of 34 valence electron A2X4 molecules: An ab initio Study of B2F4, B2Cl4, N2O4, and C2O

Ab initio molecular orbital structures and energies of B₂F₄, B₂Cl₄, N₂O₄, and C₂O have been calculated for both perpendicular D_2d and planar D_2h rotamers. The experimental trend toward greater preference for the D_2d forms in going from B₂F₄ to B₂Cl₄ is reproduced. N₂O₄ favors the planar conformation, although the rotation barrier is overestimated at the theoretical levels used. The oxalate dianion is calculated to be more stable in the D_2d conformation; the experimental planar arrangement in the solid may be due to crystal packing forces. The preferences for one conformation over another are small; analysis indicates that different effects may predominate in each case: π stabilization for B₂F₄, hyperconjugation for B₂Cl₄, lone-pair interactions for N₂O₄, and electrostatic repulsions for C₂O.     

Reactions of tetrahydro-as-triazine-3(2H)-thiories with α, β-difunctional compounds

The results of allowing tetrahydro-as-triazine-3(2H)-thiones to react with various α,β-diiunctional compounds, such as, α-bromoethyl p-toluenesulfonate, chloroacetaldehyde, α-bromophenylacet-uldehyde, phenaeyl bromide, chloroacetonitrile, α-bromophenylaeelonitrile, and α-cyanobenzyl p-toluenesulfonate are discussed. These condensations give either a 5H-thiazolo[3,2-b]-as-triazine or a 2H-thiazolo[2,3-c]-as-triazine.     

Addition reactions of cyclooctatetraene with 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran the benzene ring as dienophile in a [4+2] cycloaddition reaction

Addition reactions of cyclooctatetraene with 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran resulted in the formation of three 1:1 cycloadducts, 1, 2, and 3, and a 1:2 cycloadduct, 4. Single crystal x-ray analysis established 3 to be a cage compound formed by an unprecedented [4+2] cycloaddition reaction of 1 in which the double bond of the benzene moiety acted as the dienophile.     

Calculation of the frequencies and intensities in the infrared and raman spectra of cyclopropenone

By using the values of the vibrational frequencies of normal and deuterated cyclopropenone (II-d₀ , II-d₂ ) and ¹⁶ O-and ¹⁸ O-substituted dimethylcyclopropenone (III) as -well as the infrared and Raman intensities of II a consistent set of force constants has been derived for the cyclopropenone skeleton. The derived values show that the zwitterionic form makes a substantial contribution to the electronic ground state of the molecule. The combined frequency and intensity calculation - simulation of the infrared and the Raman spectrum - is shown to be a good method for making a proper assignment of calculated and observed vibrations and deriving realistic sets of force constants.     

An NMR study of the rotational barriers in cobalt-stabilized carbocations: X-ray crystal structures of (η-C4Ph4)Co-(η-C5H4R), where R is CH3CO, CHO, CH(Bu)OH

Treatment of the aldehyde (η⁴-C₄Ph₄)Co(η⁵-C₅H₄-CHO) (4b) with tert-butyllithium or phenyllithium yields the secondary alcohols (η⁴-C₄Ph₄)Co(η⁵-C₅H₄-CH(R)OH), where R=tert-butyl (5) or phenyl (6). Protonation of 5 and 6 at −80 °C furnishes the deep purple, cobalt-stabilized cations, 7 and 8, respectively, both of which exhibit restricted rotation about the external C₅H₄-CHR⁺ linkage on the NMR time-scale. These data indicate a minimum value for the barrier to rotation of 15 kcal mol⁻¹, but it is certainly much higher, indicating a considerable degree of C-C double bond character. X-ray crystal structures of 4b, 5 and also of the ketone (η⁴-C₄Ph₄)Co(η⁵-C₅H₄-C(O)CH₃ (4a) are reported. The secondary alcohol 5 exhibits disorder in the solid state because of the presence of diastereomers as a consequence of the stereogenic center at the α-carbon and the clockwise or anticlockwise propeller orientations of the tetraphenylcyclobutadiene ligand.     

Thermodynamic Properties and Melting Behavior of Bi–Sn–Zn Alloys

Summary. The partial and integral enthalpies of mixing of liquid Bi–Sn–Zn alloys were determined at 500°C by a drop calorimetric technique using a Calvet-type microcalorimeter. The ternary interaction parameters in the Bi–Sn–Zn system were fitted using the Redlich-Kister-Muggianu model for substitutional solutions, and isoenthalpy curves of the integral molar enthalpy of mixing at 500°C were constructed. Furthermore, a DSC technique was used to determine the liquidus temperatures in three sections (3, 5, and 7 at.% Zn) as well as the invariant reaction temperature of the ternary eutectic L ⇄ (Bi) + (Sn) + (Zn). The ternary eutectic reaction was found at 135°C.     

Combining the best in triplex recognition: synthesis and nucleic acid binding of a BQQ-neomycin conjugate

Synthesis of a BQQ-neomycin conjugate is reported. The conjugate combines two ligands, one known to intercalate triplexes (BQQ) and another known to bind in the triplex groove (neomycin). The conjugate stabilizes T.A.T, as well as mixed base DNA triplex, better than neomycin, BQQ, or a combination of both. The conjugate selectively stabilizes the triplex (in the presence of physiological salt concentrations), with as little as 4 muM of the ligand leading to a DeltaTm of >60 degrees C. Competition dialysis studies show a clear preference for the drug binding to triplex DNA/RNA over the duplex/single strand structures. Modeling studies suggest a structure of neomycin bound to the larger W-H (Watson-Hoogsteen) groove with BQQ intercalated between the triplex bases.