Synthetic and theoretical studies of cyclobuta[1,2:3,4]dicyclopentene. Organocobalt intermediates in the construction of the unsaturated carbon skeleton and their transformation into novel cobaltacyclic complexes by C-C insertion

Theoretical and synthetic studies of the tricyclic 10pi-electron hydrocarbon cyclobuta[1,2:3,4]dicyclopentene (1), a nominally aromatic structure that has never been synthesized, are described. Geometry optimization by density-functional-theory calculations (B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)) predict that 1 is a D(2h) symmetric structure with nonalternant C-C single and double bonds. The calculations also predict that 1 is 4.7 kcal/mol higher in energy than the isomeric hydrocarbon 1,6-didehydro[10]annulene (2), a molecule known to isomerize to 1,5-didehydronaphthalene (4) above -50 degrees C. Calculated enthalpic changes of homodesmotic reactions support the notion that 1 is an aromatic molecule with a resonance stabilization energy (RSE) about half to two-thirds that of benzene on a per-molecule basis. Investigations of potential synthetic pathways to 1 initially utilized as starting material the tricyclic carbonate 11, the product of an intramolecular [2 + 2]-photocyclization reaction. In these studies, 11 was transformed in several steps to the distannane 12, which upon treatment with boron fluoride ethyl etherate is believed to have formed the unstable hydrocarbon bicyclopentadienylidene (13). In an effort to avoid cleavage of the central, four-membered ring of unsaturated tricyclo[5.3.0.0(2,6)]decane intermediates (perhaps the result of 10-electron electrocyclic ring opening of the tetraene 8), synthetic approaches to 1 employing cobalt-cyclobutadiene complexes 18 and 19 were pursued. Treatment of 18 with excess methyllithium led to the novel cobaltacyclic product 30, and dehydration of 19 in the presence of pyridine produced the ring-opening cobaltacyclic product 35. It is proposed that both processes may occur by a 10-electron electrocyclic ring-opening reaction of eta(2)-organocobalt intermediates. These processes may be related to the hypothetical transformation of tetraene 8 to bicyclopentadienylidene (13).     

Effect of low amounts of cholesterol on the swelling behavior of floating bilayers

The effect of the addition of 1, 2, 4, and 6 mol % cholesterol to 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) floating bilayers has been investigated by neutron reflectivity. All samples exhibited fully stable and reversible gel and fluid phases. Around the main lipid phase transition temperature, DPPC double bilayers exhibit large increases in the water layer separating the bilayers and the upper bilayer roughness. The inclusion of low amounts of cholesterol reduced the swelling of the water layer between the bilayers and the upper bilayer roughness and progressively widened the temperature range over which swelling occurs. Results from asymmetric bilayers are also reported. A higher amount of cholesterol in the lower bilayer induces a smaller swelling of the water layer between the bilayers than in the symmetric case. Finally, the effect of the inclusion of a leaflet of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE) was investigated. The presence of a leaflet with a higher gel-transition temperature (T(m)) modifies the phase behavior of the lower T(m) leaflet.     

Enantioselective syntheses of tremulenediol A and tremulenolide A

[reaction: see text] An enantioselective entry to the skeleton of the tremulane sesquiterpenes is described. The approach features a series of efficient transition metal-catalyzed reactions commencing with an enantioselective rhodium(II)-catalyzed intramolecular cyclopropanation followed by a regioselective allylic alkylation and a diastereoselective rhodium(I)-catalyzed [5 + 2] cycloaddition. This strategy was applied to the first enantioselective syntheses of tremulenediol A and tremulenolide A.     

Proposed Mechanism for the Antitrypanosomal Activity of Quercetin and Myricetin Isolated from Hypericum afrum Lam.: Phytochemistry,In Vitro Testing and Modeling Studies

The in vitro activity of L. donovani (promastigotes, axenic amastigotes and intracellular amastigotes in THP1 cells) and T. brucei, from the fractions obtained from the hydroalcoholic extract of the aerial part of Hypericum afrum and the isolated compounds, has been evaluated. The chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts showed significant antitrypanosomal activity towards T. brucei, with IC₅₀ values of 12.35, 13.53 and 12.93 µg/mL and with IC₉₀ values of 14.94, 19.31 and 18.67 µg/mL, respectively. The phytochemical investigation of the fractions led to the isolation and identification of quercetin (1), myricitrin (2), biapigenin (3), myricetin (4), hyperoside (5), myricetin-3-O-β-d-galactopyranoside (6) and myricetin-3’-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (7). Myricetin-3’-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (7) has been isolated for the first time from this genus. The chemical structures were elucidated by using comprehensive one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D and 2D NMR) spectroscopic data, as well as high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI–MS). These compounds have also been evaluated for their antiprotozoal activity. Quercetin (1) and myricetin (4) showed noteworthy activity against T. brucei, with IC₅₀ and IC₉₀ values of 7.52 and 5.71 µM, and 9.76 and 7.97 µM, respectively. The T. brucei hexokinase (TbHK1) enzyme was further explored as a potential target of quercetin and myricetin, using molecular modeling studies. This proposed mechanism assists in the exploration of new candidates for novel antitrypanosomal drugs.     

Quenching of Flame Propagation with Heat Loss

The steady propagation of a planar laminar premixed flame, with a one-step exothermic reaction and linear heat loss, is studied. The corresponding travelling wave equations are solved numerically. The dependence of the flame velocity on the heat loss parameter is determined and compared with known results obtained by asymptotic expansion and other approximations. Due to the introduction of an ignition temperature the problem can be reduced to a bounded interval (of length L) and the graph of flame speed versus heat loss parameter can be parametrised by L. The numerical method is tested in the case of a step function nonlinearity when the exact solution of the differential equations can also be calculated.     

Rapid clean-up of fat extracts for organophosphorus pesticide residue determination using C18 solid-phase extraction cartridges

Commercial solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges with C₁₈ bonded silica packings effectively cleaned up acetonitrile extracts of 3-g samples of fats and oils for determination of organophosphorus pesticide residues by gas chromatography with flame photometric detection. Cartridges from three different sources were tested and found to differ in lipid capacity and inertness (free silanol activity). Consequently, the amount of packing (i.e., number of cartridges) and/or the choice of eluent used were adjusted for each brand of cartridge to achieve optimum clean-up and analyte recovery. Seven pesticides with a wide range of polarity (acephate, azodrin, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, malathion, methamidophos and methyl parathion) were separated from coextracted lipids by elution with either acetonitrile or methanol, depending on the brand of cartridge used. Cartridges were regenerated by purging lipids with dichloromethane and were reused numerous times without apparent loss of effectiveness. Recoveries from vegetable oils and butterfat fortified with the seven compounds at levels of 0.05–0.87 μg g^?1 ranged from 80 to 103%. Practical limits of determination range from 0.01 to 0.08 μg g^?1, depending on analyte response.     

The direct photo-oxidative decarboxylation of α-oxo-carboxylic acids

α-Oxo-carboxylic acids undergo photo-oxidative decarboxylation from both C-1 and C-2 positions, and reaction does not involve singlet oxygen: a mechanism involving an electron transfer reaction is postulated.     

Unexpectedly fast cis/trans isomerization of Xaa-Pro peptide bonds in disulfide-constrained cyclic peptides

Acyclic dithiol and cyclic disulfide forms of the peptides Ac-Cys-Pro-Xaa-Cys-NH2 (Xaa = Phe, His, Tyr, Gly, and Thr) and Ac-Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys-NH2 and the peptide Ac-Ala-Gly-Pro-Ala-NH2 were synthesized and characterized by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. Rate constants kct and ktc for cis-to-trans and trans-to-cis isomerization, respectively, across the Cys-Pro or Gly-Pro peptide bonds were determined by magnetization transfer NMR techniques over a range of temperatures, and activation parameters were derived from the temperature dependence of the rate constants. It was found that constraints imposed by the disulfide bond confer an unexpected rate enhancement for cis/trans isomerization, ranging from a factor of 2 to 13. It is proposed that the rate enhancements are a result of an intramolecular catalysis mechanism in which the NH proton of the Pro-Xaa peptide bond hydrogen bonds to the proline nitrogen in the transition state. The peptides Ac-Cys-Pro-Xaa-Cys-NH2 and Ac-Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys-NH2 are model compounds for proline-containing active sites of the thioredoxin superfamily of oxidoreductase enzymes; the results suggest that the backbones of the active sites of the oxidized form of these enzymes may have unusual conformational flexibility.     

A new quasi-one-dimensional ternary chalcogenide: synthesis,crystal structure,and electronic structure of Nb1+xV1-xS5 (x = 0.18)

The new low-dimensional ternary chalcogenide, Nb(1+x)V(1-x)S(5) (x = 0.18), has been prepared and characterized. This compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group, C2(2h)-P2(1)/m with two formula units in a cell with dimensions a = 9.881(4) A, b = 3.329(1) A, c = 8.775(3) A, and beta = 114.82(3) degrees. The layer is composed of two unique chains of face-sharing Nb-centered bicapped trigonal prisms and edge-sharing M-centered octahedra (M = Nb or V). The electronic structures of the monomeric basic building units, NbS(8) and VS(6), and hypothetical and real one-, two-, and three-dimensional structures making up the compound are examined to understand the nature of inter- and intrachain interactions and orbital overlapping among metals and sulfur atoms. The electronic structure of Nb(1+x)V(1-x)S(5) is essentially given by superimposing those of the individual chains. V d orbitals are found to be crucial for the one-dimensional metallic conductivity along the chain axis.     

Copper oxide nanocrystals

It is well-known that inorganic nanocrystals are a benchmark model for nanotechnology, given that the tunability of optical properties and the stabilization of specific phases are uniquely possible at the nanoscale. Copper (I) oxide (Cu(2)O) is a metal oxide semiconductor with promising applications in solar energy conversion and catalysis. To understand the Cu/Cu(2)O/CuO system at the nanoscale, we have developed a method for preparing highly uniform monodisperse nanocrystals of Cu(2)O. The procedure also serves to demonstrate our development of a generalized method for the synthesis of transition metal oxide nanocrystals. Cu nanocrystals are initially formed and subsequently oxidized to form highly crystalline Cu(2)O. The volume change during phase transformation can induce crystal twinning. Absorption in the visible region of the spectrum gave evidence for the presence of a thin, epitaxial layer of CuO, which is blue-shifted, and appears to increase in energy as a function of decreasing particle size. XPS confirmed the thin layer of CuO, calculated to have a thickness of approximately 5 A. We note that the copper (I) oxide phase is surprisingly well-stabilized at this length scale.