On the structures of alpha-lithiated sulfoxide,sulfone and sulfonium systems. Implications for the stereochemistry of functionalization of carbon atoms adjacent to sulfur

The fully optimized geometries of C-S torsional isomers of LiCH₂SHO, LiCH₂SHO₂, and LiCH₂SH₂⁺ have been computed at the 3–21G^* level. The global minima of the sulfoxide and sulfone contain intramolecular LiO bonds. In the presence of Li⁺, intermolecular LiO bonding alters the structure of the alpha-lithiated sulfoxide, and the CLi bond is antiperiplanar to oxygen. The alpha-lithiated sulfonium cation exhibits no unusual conformational features, and a low barrier to CS torsion. The implications of these results upon the stereochemistry of functionalization of a carbon atom adjacent to sulfur by a lithiation-quenching sequence are discussed.     

Characterization of structural transitions from aqueous solution to a lipid phase for α-MSH

Fluorescence spectroscopy results show that the α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone peptide (α-MSH) interacts with acidic lipid vesicles. Detectable structural changes are concomitant with the passage of a tryptophan residue from aqueous to lipidic media. The observed multiexponential decay of fluorescence, rationalized as originating from three rotameric populations of the tryptophan residue, has been used together with a matrix algorithm to find the most probable conformational families of α-MSH in water and lipid environments. A model is discussed in which the same conformational families occur in various phases, although with different probabilities. A conformational family in which χ₁ of the Trp9 side chain is in the trans-rotameric conformation is shown to have structural features highly appropriate to interact with negatively charged biological membranes, which are also in accordance with previous molecular dynamics simulations and with structures engineered in α-MSH analogs that show an increased potency in biological essays. The gauche minus and gauche plus side-chain conformations of Trp9, on the other hand, yield conformations more likely to predominate in aqueous solution. NMR spectroscopy measurements of α-MSH analogs indicate the existence in aqueous solution of a β strand in the vicinity of Trp9. A similar structural feature was found in the present conformational analysis for the gauche minus and gauche plus side-chain rotamers of Trp9. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Potential of mean force between hydrophobic solutes in the Jagla model of water and implications for cold denaturation of proteins

Using the Jagla model potential we calculate the potential of mean force (PMF) between hard sphere solutes immersed in a liquid displaying water-like properties. Consistent estimates of the PMF are obtained by (a) umbrella sampling, (b) calculating the work done by the mean force acting on the hard spheres as a function of their separation, and (c) determining the position dependent chemical potential after calculating the void space in the liquid. We calculate the PMF for an isobar along which cold denaturation of a model protein has previously been reported. We find that the PMF at contact varies non-monotonically, which is consistent with the observed cold denaturation. The Henry constant also varies non-monotonically with temperature. We find, on the other hand, that a second (solvent separated) minimum of the PMF becomes deeper as temperature decreases. We calculate the solvent-solvent pair correlation functions for solvents near the solute and in the bulk, and show that, as temperature decreases, the two pair correlation functions become indistinguishable, suggesting that the perturbation of solvent structure by the solute diminishes as temperature decreases. The solvent-solute pair correlation function at contact grows as the temperature decreases. We calculate the cavity correlation function and show the development of a solvent-separated peak upon decrease of temperature. These observations together suggest that cold denaturation occurs when the solvent penetrates between hydrophobic solutes in configurations with favorable free energy. Our results thus suggest that cold denatured proteins are structured and that cold denaturation arises from strong solvent-solute interactions, rather than from entropic considerations as in heat denaturation.     

Structure and magnetostructural correlation of ferrimagnetic meso-tetraphenylporphinatomanganese(III) dimethyl-N,N′-dicyanoquinone diiminide, [MnTPP]+[Me2DCNQI]·?

The structure [MnⅢ TPP][Me2 DCNQI] (TPP = tetraphenylporphinato; Me 2 DCNQI = 2,5-dimethyl-N,N′-dicyanoquinonediimine) has been determined from X-ray powder diffraction data. The nonsolvated structure is composed of linear (1-D) chains of alternating [MnⅢ TPP] + and μ-[Me 2 DCNQI] with intrachain Mn···Mn separations of 12.83 , and a Mn N DCNQI distance of 2.18. The dihedral angle between the mean Mn(N 4 ) TPP and [Me 2 DCNQI].- planes, and the Mn (N C) DCNQI angle are 84.18° and 143.6°, respectively. [MnⅢ TPP][Me 2 DCNQI] has a T c of 4.3 K from the 10 Hz χ"(T) data, 2-K coercivity of 5,600 Oe, and 6,300 emuOe/mol remnant magnetization that are reduced from that observed for related materials, and their inclusion extends the magnetostructural correlation between the intrachain coupling and both the dihedral angle between the mean Mn(N 4 ) TPP and [TCNE]*- (TCNE = tetracyanoethylene) planes and Mn (N C) TCNE angles. This is in accord with the intrachain coupling arising from the overlap of the MnⅢ d z 2 -like singly occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) and the z component of the [TCNE]*-π* (πz *) SOMO, which increases with decreasing dihedral angle between the mean Mn(N 4 ) TPP and [TCNE]*- planes and Mn (N C) TCNE angle.     

Anion template effect on the self-assembly and interconversion of metallacyclophanes

Reactions of 3,6-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine (bptz) with solvated first-row transition metals M(II) (M(II) = Ni, Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu) have been explored with emphasis on the factors that influence the identity of the resulting cyclic products for Ni(II) and Zn(II). The relatively small anions, namely [ClO4]- and [BF4]-, lead to the formation of molecular squares [{M4(bptz)4(CH3CN)8} subsetX][X]7, (M = Zn(II), Ni(II); X = [BF4]-, [ClO4]-), whereas the larger anion [SbF6]- favors the molecular pentagon [{Ni5(bptz)5-(CH3CN)10} subsetSbF6][SbF6]9. The molecular pentagon easily converts to the square in the presence of excess [BF4]-, [ClO4]-, and [I]- anions, whereas the Ni(II) square can be partially converted to the less stable pentagon under more forcing conditions in the presence of excess [SbF6]- ions. No evidence for the molecular square being in equilibrium with the pentagon was observed in the ESI-MS spectra of the individual square and pentagon samples. Anion-exchange reactions of the encapsulated ion in [{Ni4(bptz)4(CH3CN)8} subsetClO4][ClO4]7 reveal that a larger anion such as [IO4]- cannot replace [ClO4]- inside the cavity, but that the linear [Br3]- anion is capable of doing so. ESI-MS studies of the reaction between [Ni(CH3CN)6][NO3]2 and bptz indicate that the product is trinuclear. Mass spectral studies of the bptz reactions with Mn(II), Fe(II), and Cu(II), in the presence of [ClO4]- anions, support the presence of molecular squares. The formation of the various metallacyclophanes is discussed in light of the factors that influence these self-assembly reactions, such as choice of metal ion, anion, and solvent.     

Simulation study of solvent shifts of vibrational overtone spectra

Buckingham's theory of the solvent shift of vibrational spectral frequencies predicts that the shift of the v = 0 → n overtone transition is n times the shift of the fundamental v = 0 → 1. We test this prediction by molecular dynamics simulations using existing intermolecular potential models for liquid N₂ and dilute N₂ in liquid Ar, at standard state conditions. We extend Buckingham's theory by including additional intramolecular potential and perturbation terms which lead to solvent-induced anharmonicity, i.e. O(n ²) terms in the solvent shift. The simulations show that Buckingham's prediction is not accurate for N₂ at standard liquid state conditions. We find that at these conditions there is a significant positive O(n ²) contribution to the solvent shifts and that for n ～ 20 the shifts change sign from red to blue. Simulation results and indirect evidence from shock wave experiments with liquid N₂ show that Buckingham's prediction is more accurate for high-pressure high-temperature conditions, where the shifts are blue and only slightly nonlinear in n.     

A comparative quantum chemical study of ethylcarbonium ion and hydroxymethylcarbonium ion

Nonempirical molecular orbital calculations of the energies of CH₃CH (ethylcarbonium ion) and HOCH (hydroxymethylcarbonium ion) as a function of rotation about the C? C or C? O bonds and deviation from coplanarity at the carbonium ion center are reported. As expected, and in agreement with previous work, both carbonium centers are planar and there is no barrier to rotation in the planar ethylcarbonium ion. However, for the planar configuration at carbon, the conjugative interaction between oxygen and carbon produces a barrier to rotation about the C? O bond of HOCH of 19.6 Kcal/mole. When a pyramidal geometry is imposed upon the carbonium ion center of CH₃CH, a typical three-fold barrier results. As the deviation from coplanarity increases there is a regular increase in the barrier height (1.72 Kcal/mole at the tetrahedral geometry), but the energy minimum remains at the same position in each case (60°). For HOCH, imposition of a pyramidal geometry on the carbonium ion center causes a change in both rotational barriers. One decreases slightly (from 19.6 to 15.4 Kcal/mole) and the other increases to 30.5 Kcal/mole. There is an accompanying change in the position of the minimum of the rotational potential, from 90° towards the gauche structure.     

Acceleration by aliphatic mercaptan in the photoexcited carbonyl-amine redox system

Low concentration of aliphatic mercaptan increase the quantum yield of photoreduction of benzophenone by 2-butylamine, nearly to the theoretical maximum value. It is proposed that the effect arises from catalysis by mercaptain of transfer of hydrogen from the amine radical cation to the ketyl radical anion in the charge-transfer of hydrogen complex.