Intramolecular dimers: a new design strategy for fluorescence-quenched probes

Fluorogenic probes dual-labeled with reporter and quencher dyes use a change in fluorescence to monitor biochemical events (e.g., substrate binding or enzyme digestion). Such events change the reporter-quencher distance, which affects fluorescence. Recently, it is has been shown that static quenching through intramolecular dimers is an important mechanism that can sometimes be more efficient than F?rster resonance energy transfer (FRET).     

Gas-phase electron diffraction determination of the molecular structure of perfluoro(methyloxirane)

The molecular geometry of perfluoro(methyloxirane) has been studied using gas-phase electron diffraction data, effective least-squares refinement of the structure being achieved with the aid of constraints to limit the number of variable parameters. With the CCF₃ bond constrained to be 0.078 Å longer than the ring CC, the refined bond- length values CF (av.) = 1.323(2), CO (av.) = 1.410(8), and CC (ring) = 1.467(7) Å ($\text{r}$_g values, with e.s.d. in parentheses) were obtained; the angles between ring bonds and substituent CF bonds were CCF (av.) 121(1) and OCF (av.) 114(1)^o, the corresponding parameters involving the bulkier CCF₃ fragment being larger by 3^o in each case [∠CCCF₃ 124(1)^o∠OCCF₃ 117(2)^o]. The remaining refined parameters were ∠CCF(of CF₃) = 110.6(4)^o and τ , a torsion angle defining the orientation of the CF bonds of the CF₃ group with respect to ring bonds, = 29(2)^o. Dependent bond angles possessed the values 62.7 (COC), 58.7 [OCC (ring)], 108.3 [FCF (CF₃ group)], 114 [FCF (ring CF₂)], and 111^o (FCCF₃).     

Broadband and band-selective IMPRESS-gHMBC: compensation of refocusing inefficiency with synchronized inversion sweep

Compensation of refocusing inefficiency in a gHMBC experiment by replacing the rectangular pi pulse with a pair of adiabatic pulses with synchronized inversion sweep (CRISIS) significantly improves the performance of the gHMBC experiment. The CRISIS-gHMBC experiment retains the pure absorptive shapes in F1 and hence results in better lineshape and higher resolution than the current versions of magnitude mode gHMBC spectra. When used as a broadband experiment, CRISIS-gHMBC, owing to better refocusing efficiency of the adiabatic pulse pairs, gives improved performance across the 13C spectral width. Moreover, it is shown that CRISIS-gHMBC is a robust and improved alternative and when used along with the IMPRESS (Improved Resolution using Symmetrically Shifted pulses) technique further increases the sensitivity and resolution without additional experimental time. The IMPRESS-CRISIS combination is demonstrated for broadband gHMBC and band-selective gHMBC experiments. The ICbs-gHMBC [IMPRESS-CRISIS-band-selective gHMBC] experiment is an attractive and better alternative to individual band-selective gHMBC.     

Covalent bonding of alkene and alkyne reagents to graphitic carbon surfaces

Various aromatic and aliphatic alkynes and one alkene were covalently bonded to sp(2)-hybridized carbon surfaces by heat treatment in an argon atmosphere. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman, and FTIR spectra of the modified surfaces showed that the molecules were intact after the 400 degrees C heat treatment but that the alkyne group had reacted with the surface to form a covalent bond. Alkynes with ferrocene and porphyrin centers exhibited chemically reversible voltammetric waves that could be cycled many times. Atomic force microscopy of the modified surfaces indicated a thickness of the molecular layer consistent with monolayer coverage, and surface coverage determined by voltammetry was also in the monolayer range. Raman spectroscopy of the porphyrin monolayers formed from a porphyrin alkyne showed no evidence for dimer formation, although multilayer formation may occur at undetected levels. FTIR spectra of the porphyrin-modified carbon surfaces were well-defined, similar to the parent molecule, and indicative of an average tilt angle between the porphyrin plane and the surface normal of 37 degrees . The bond between the molecular monolayer and the carbon surface was quite stable, withstanding sonication in tetrahydrofuran, mild aqueous acid and base, and repeated voltammetric cycling in propylene carbonate electrolyte. Heat treatment of alkynes and alkenes appears to be a generally useful method for modifying carbon surfaces, which can be applied to both aromatic and aliphatic molecules.     

Asymmetric synthesis of trans-2,3-piperidinedicarboxylic acid and trans-3,4-piperidinedicarboxylic acid derivatives

Asymmetric syntheses of (2S,3S)-3-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-2-piperidinecarboxylic acid (1b), (3R,4S)-4-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-3-piperidinecarboxylic acid (2b), and their corresponding N-Boc and N-Cbz protected analogues 8a,b and 17a,b are described. Enantiomerically pure 1b has been synthesized in five steps starting from L-aspartic acid beta-tert-butyl ester. Tribenzylation of the starting material followed by alkylation with allyl iodide using KHMDS produces the key intermediate 5a in a 6:1 diastereomeric excess. Upon hydroboration, the alcohol 6a is oxidized, and the resulting aldehyde 7 is subjected to a ring closure via reductive amination, providing 1b in an overall yield of 38%. Optically pure 2b has been synthesized beginning with N-Cbz-beta-alanine. The synthesis involves the induction of the first stereogenic center using Evans's chemistry and sequential LDA-promoted alkylations with tert-butyl bromoacetate and allyl iodide. Further elaboration by ozonolysis and reductive amination affords 2b in an overall yield of 28%.     

Contributions of restructuring and oxidation to the aging of the surface of plasma polymers containing heteroatoms

The properties and composition of plasma polymer surfaces stored in air can change considerably over time, especially as a result of oxidative reactions. When plasma polymers contain an element other than O, it is possible to probe for mechanisms in addition to oxidation that contribute to the aging of the surface. Plasma polymers containing N were fabricated from either 1,3-diaminopropane (DAP),n-heptylamine (nHA), or allylamine (AA), and studied by X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) and air/water contact angles (CA). For each of the plasma polymers, a multiexponential increase in the O/C ratio was observed over time using XPS. The N/C ratios remained constant (AA) or decreased somewhat (nHA and DAP). In contrast, the trends in CA values differed, declining for the nHA surfaces, rising for the AA, and changing little for the DAP. Surface roughness, assessed by scanning tunnelling or atomic force microscopy, did not change over time. The diverse adjustments in the polarity of each surface and the similar compositional changes between them are reconcilable if the aging of the plasma polymer surface is a manifestation of the superposition of concurrent oxidative reactions and partial surface reorientation; the former introduce polar groups and the latter transports then from the surface to deeper regions beyond the CA probe depth but within the XPS analysis depth. These processes vary between different plasma polymers. Data for the alkylamine plasma polymers is also compared with that for two plasma polymers fabricated from methanol. The change in composition, but not polarity, of the DAP surface after 4 days of storage demonstrates the importance of using multiple techniques to characterize the aging of plasma polymer surfaces.     

ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION - INDUCED MALIGNANT MELANOMA IN Monodelphis domestica

Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis that ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is involved in the etiology of cutaneous melanoma in humans. However, progress in understanding the mechanisms involved in induction of melanotic tumors by UVR has been hindered by lack of a suitable animal model. During the course of multiple exposures (3 times/wk for 70 wk) of the South American opossum, Monodelphis domestica, to UVR, we first observed the appearance of areas of dermal melanocytic hyperplasia (MH) on the exposed skin. Post-UVR exposure to photoreactivating light (320-500 nm) suppressed the occurrence of MH. We also observed at 100 weeks from first exposure that 10 of 46 surviving animals had developed melanotic tumors which arose, presumably, from areas of MH. Tumors on three of the 10 animals have been classified as malignant melanomas based on metastasis to lymph nodes. We conclude from these results that UVR can act as a complete carcinogen for melanoma induction and, based on the photoreactivation of MH induction, that DNA damage is involved in melanoma formation.     

Charge reversal of three alkylamide ions: Free nitrenium ions

The methylnitrenium, ethylnitrenium and dimethylnitrenium ions are prepared by charge reversal collisional activation (CR CA) of the corresponding negative ions; their collisional activation mass spectra are shown to support the assigned structures. MINDO/3 energies are used to evaluate relative energies of [CH₄N]⁺ and [C₂H₆N]⁺ isomers, and to determine whether unstable forms rearrange spontaneously to stable ones. As in other examples, charge reversal here generates cations that do not exist in an energy well, but their transient existence is established because their fragmentation is more rapid than their rearrangement to a more stable form.     

Calculation of the Entropy of Lattice Polymer Models from Monte Carlo Trajectories

While lattice models are used extensively for macromolecules (synthetic polymers proteins, etc.), calculation of the absolute entropy, S, and the free energy, F, from a given Monte Carlo (MC) trajectory is not straightforward. Recently, we have developed the hypothetical scanning MC (HSMC) method for calculating S and F of fluids. Here we extend HSMC to self-avoiding walks on a square lattice and discuss its wide applicability to complex polymer lattice models. HSMC is independent of existing techniques and thus constitutes an independent research tool; it provides rigorous upper and lower bounds for F, which can be obtained from a very small sample and even from a single chain conformation.