NO-Mediated aromatic nitration during decomposition of phenolic S-nitrosothiols in non-aqueous aerobic medium

Five novel S-nitrosothiol compounds (6-10) derived from L-cysteine were generated in solution and their decomposition rate was followed by UV spectroscopy. In acetonitrile, compounds 9 and 10 were the most stable of this series with a half-life of 24 h. The final organic decomposition products of the five S-nitrosothiols were also analysed. Derivatives 8, 9, and 10, possessing a phenolic hydroxyl group, afforded an unexpected decomposition pathway, with nitration of aromatic ring occurring in non-aqueous media. A mechanism involving a phenoxy radical seems to be implicated.     

High regio-, chemo-, and stereoselectivity via low-temperature 4 + 3 cycloadditions. Convergent synthesis of multifunctionalized vinylmetals (M = Si, Sn) and S-vinyl benzenecarbothioates

A series of enantiomerically pure 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-6-en-3-ones functionalized in the unsaturated two-carbon bridge has been prepared by the title reaction. Carbocation reactivity has been fined-tuned at -95 degrees C and adjusted to diene nucleophilicity. Conventional electrophilic substitution of 3-silylated and 3-stannylated furan is suppressed in favor of the rapid 4 + 3 cycloaddition mode. In the case of cycloadduct 13A, stereoselectivity (17:1) is perfectly matched to regioselectivity (17:1). High stereoselection as well as unprecedented regioselection and chemoselection is attributed to the low-temperature cycloaddition protocol and the design of chiral auxiliary and tether.     

Electron-deficient bonding in rhomboid rings

The bonding environment of boron is usually thought about in terms of localized 2c-2e/3c-2e bonding (as in diborane) or completely delocalized polyhedral bonding (as in B(12)H(12)(2)(-)). Recently, a number of boron compounds having a rhomboidal B(4) framework have been synthesized; these show an amazing variation in their skeletal electron count, one that cannot be interpreted in familiar ways. In this report, we systematically explore the origin of the range of electron counts in these compounds. We find that four skeletal MOs are primarily responsible for keeping the B(4) skeleton together. As a subunit in a macropolyhedral environment, termed rhombo-B(4), such an arrangement of B atoms deviates from Wade's rule by three electron pairs (if treated as a distorted arachno system derived from B(6)H(6)(2)(-)). Aided by this analysis, we examine the nature of bonding in Na(3)B(20), where the rhombo-B(4) unit forms linear chains fusing closo-B(7) units. Theory suggests that this structure requires one more electron per formula unit for optimal bonding. Finally, we study the nature of bonding in beta-SiB(3), where silicon atoms also adopt the rhomboid framework.     

Designed Beta‐Turn Mimic Based on the Allylic‐Strain Concept: Evaluation of Structural and Biological Features by Incorporation into a Cyclic RGD Peptide (Cyclo(‐L‐arginylglycyl‐L‐α‐aspartyl‐))

The (3R,5S,6E,8S,10R)‐11‐amino‐3,5,8,10‐tetramethylundec‐6‐enoic acid (ATUA; 1 ), which was designed as a βII′‐turn mimic according to the concepts of allylic strain and 2,4‐dimethylpentane units, was incorporated into a cyclic RGD peptide. The three‐dimensional structure of cyclo(‐RGD‐ATUA‐) (=cyclo(‐Arg‐Gly‐Asp‐ATUA‐)) 4 in H₂O was determined by NMR techniques, distance geometry calculations and molecular‐dynamics simulations. The RGD sequence of 4 shows high conformational flexibility but some preference for an extended conformation. The structural features of the RGD sequence of 4 were compared with the RGD moiety of cyclo(‐RGDfV‐) (=cyclo(‐Arg‐Gly‐Asp‐D ‐Phe‐Val‐)). In contrast to cyclo(‐RGDfV‐), which is a highly active αvβ3 antagonist and selective against αIIbβ3, cyclo(‐RGD‐ATUA‐) shows a lower activity and selectivity. The structure of the ATUA residue in the cyclic peptide resembles a βII′‐turn‐like conformation. Its middle part, adjacent to the C?C bond, strongly prefers the designed and desired structure.     

Electron binding energies of aqueous alkali and halide ions: EUV photoelectron spectroscopy of liquid solutions and combined ab initio and molecular dynamics calculations

Photoelectron spectroscopy combined with the liquid microjet technique enables the direct probing of the electronic structure of aqueous solutions. We report measured and calculated lowest vertical electron binding energies of aqueous alkali cations and halide anions. In some cases, ejection from deeper electronic levels of the solute could be observed. Electron binding energies of a given aqueous ion are found to be independent of the counterion and the salt concentration. The experimental results are complemented by ab initio calculations, at the MP2 and CCSD(T) level, of the ionization energies of these prototype ions in the aqueous phase. The solvent effect was accounted for in the electronic structure calculations in two ways. An explicit inclusion of discrete water molecules using a set of snapshots from an equilibrium classical molecular dynamics simulations and a fractional charge representation of solvent molecules give good results for halide ions. The electron binding energies of alkali cations computed with this approach tend to be overestimated. On the other hand, the polarizable continuum model, which strictly provides adiabatic binding energies, performs well for the alkali cations but fails for the halides. Photon energies in the experiment were in the EUV region (typically 100 eV) for which the technique is probing the top layers of the liquid sample. Hence, the reported energies of aqueous ions are closely connected with both structures and chemical reactivity at the liquid interface, for example, in atmospheric aerosol particles, as well as fundamental bulk solvation properties.     

Biosynthesis of 4-methylproline in cyanobacteria: cloning of nosE and nosF genes and biochemical characterization of the encoded dehydrogenase and reductase activities

The biosynthesis of the unusual amino acid 4-methylproline in the Nostoc genus of cyanobacteria was investigated on the genetic and enzymatic level. Two genes involved in the biosynthesis were cloned and the corresponding enzymes, a zinc-dependent long-chain dehydrogenase and a Delta(1)-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid (P5C) reductase homologue, were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and biochemically characterized. Putative substrates were synthesized to test enzyme substrate specificities, and deuterium labeling studies were carried out to reveal the stereospecificities of the enzymatic reactions with respect to the substrates as well as to the coenzymes.     

Orbital Theory of Heterolytic Fragmentation and Remote Effects on Nitrogen Inversion Equilibria

From a molecular orbital study of model systems we derive the electronic requirements for the Grob fragmentation. The necessary condition for an allowed fragmentation in an X-C₁-C₂-C₃-N system, or the amino cation ⁺C₁-C₂-C₃-N is the level ordering A below S . This in turn is set by maximal through-bond coupling of the empty cation orbital and the nitrogen lone pair. The conformational dependence of through-bond coupling is exactly that derived by Grob, namely parallel orientation of the cation orbital (or the C-X bond), the C₂-C₃-σ-bond, and the N-lone-pair. When the C₁-C₂-C₃ and C₂-C₃-N angles are small, the through-space interaction dominates, reversing the level ordering to S below A , and consequently makes the fragmentation forbidden even though the conformational requirements for it are met. Ring closure becomes allowed. Some examples exploiting this result are presented, as well as procedures for enhancing through-bond coupling and thus fragmentation. The through-bond-effect has also kinetic consequences, allowing the definition of a new type of remote neighbouring group participation operative through bonds and not by direct overlap. The position of equilibria in nitrogen inversion processes should also be influenced by remote substituents which are π-acceptors or donors.     

Analysis of Early Medieval Glass Beads – The Raw Materials to Produce Green, Orange and Brown Colours

 Monochrome coloured glass beads of the Merovingians (5^th–7^th cent. AD) have been examined by different analytical methods. The elemental composition of a large number of mostly unprepared beads have been measured non-destructively by X-ray fluorescence analysis. After subtracting the content of the colouring oxides of the glass beads and normalising the residual values to 100% an identical soda-lime-glass matrix was obtained. X-ray diffraction was used for the identification of the crystalline colouring and opacifying pigments (SnO₂, Cu, Cu₂O, PbSnO₃), and scanning electron microscopy as well as electron probe microanalysis were applied to study the microstructure and the composition of white, brown, green, orange and yellow coloured glass beads. Oxidised metals, alloys (lead, copper, bronze, brass and mixtures of them) and iron smelting slag have been identified as raw materials to colour the soda-lime-glass.     

Diiod(methylthio)gallan. Darstellung und reaktivität

Different synthetic routes for the preparation of diiodo(methylthio)gallane are given. Some reactions of this compound with Lewis bases, such as O(CH₃)₂, S(CH₃)₂, S₂(CH₃)₂, N(CH₃)₃, P(CH₃)₃, and other compounds, such as CH₃I, CH₃OH, C₂H₅OH, C₂H₅SH, i-C₃H₇SH, and C₂H₅SeH are investigated. Spectra and some physical and chemical properties of the new compounds are reported. The structure of diiodo(methylthio)gallane is discussed in view of some interesting differences of this molecule in solution and in crystal form.