Effect of pH on the electrochemical reduction of some heterocyclic quinones

The reduction of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-quinone(I), 5,8-quinolinequinone(II) and 6,7-dichloro-5,8-quinolinequinone(III) was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and coulometry at mercury electrodes and 50% dimethylsulfoxide+water solvent. Each compound is reduced to the corresponding hydroquinone in a diffusion-controlled, reversible two-electron process. The pH-dependence of the reversible potential indicated that the quinone forms were unprotonated, but the hydroquinones could be protonated at the heterocyclic nitrogen atom with pK_a = 5.3 for I and 3.5 for III. Careful analysis of the cyclic voltammetric peak shape revealed that the difference between the standard potentials for the introduction of successive electrons, E₂⁰ ? E₁⁰, was 70 ±20, >100 and 80 ± 20 mV for I–III. Investigation of the pH-dependence of E₁⁰ and E₂⁰ showed that the pK_a of the semiquinone of I was about 8.     

Ionization energy reductions in small 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid-proline clusters

The photoionization of (pro)(n)DHB (pro = proline, DHB = 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, n = 0, 1, 2 or 4) clusters was studied both experimentally and computationally. Experimentally the (pro)(n)DHB clusters are generated in the gas phase by laser desorption and supersonic jet entrainment. The photoionization thresholds are then determined by the mass-selective measurement of both one- and two-color photoionization efficiency curves. These experiments demonstrate that the ionization energies (IEs) of the (pro)(n)DHB clusters are substantially reduced in comparison with the IE of free DHB. Computational studies of the (pro)(n)DHB clusters provide insights into the mechanism of IE reduction. For the (pro)DHB system the IE reduction results from spin delocalization in the ion state of the cluster. In contrast, for the (pro)(2)DHB and (pro)(4)DHB clusters the IE reduction results from an inductive delocalization of electron density from pro to DHB in the ground state of the cluster. This latter effect, which is a result of the specific hydrogen-bonding interactions occurring in the mixed clusters, leads to IE reductions of >1 eV. Finally, determination of the energetics of the (pro)(2)DHB radical cation demonstrate that the DHB-to-proline proton transfer reaction is a barrierless, exoergic process in the ion state and that energetic demands for cluster dissociation to protonated (pro)(2) plus a deprotonated DHB radical are substantially lower than those for cluster dissociation to (pro)(2) plus DHB(+*). Cumulatively, these studies provide new energetic and mechanistic insights into both primary and secondary MALDI ionization processes.     

Operator splitting algorithm for isokinetic SLLOD molecular dynamics

We apply an operator splitting method to develop a simulation algorithm that has complete analytical solutions for the Gaussian thermostated SLLOD equations of motion [D. J. Evans and G. P. Morriss, Phys. Rev. A 30, 1528 (1984)] for a system under shear. This leads to a homogeneous algorithm for performing both equilibrium and nonequilibrium isokinetic molecular dynamics simulation. The resulting algorithm is computationally efficient. In particular, larger integration time steps can be used compared to simulations with regular Gaussian thermostated SLLOD equations of motion. The utility and accuracy of the algorithm are demonstrated through application to the Weeks-Chandler-Anderson fluid. Although strict conservation of the kinetic energy suppresses thermal fluctuations in the system, this algorithm does not allow simulations at lower shear rates than those normally afforded by older nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations.     

Enzymic determination of cerebrospinal fluid lipid fractions

Colorimetric peroxidase-coupled procedures for the determination of several cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lipid classes are described. These methods were modified to increase the effectiveness of each cerebrospinal fluid lipid assay by using the sample as the primary diluent for a highly concentrated reagent in an inverse concentration technique. Direct enzymic assays for the determination of CSF cholesterol (free and total), choline phospholipids, and triglycerides were adapted from existing assays to require less than 0.5 ml of sample per assay. This made determinations of the several lipid analytes possible even when samples were from pediatric specimens. In a study model, 51 pediatric CSF samples were analyzed for these lipid constituents. Mean values and standard deviations were determined. Within and between-run studies were performed by sampling from a pool of cerebrospinal fluid specimens. Within-run coefficients of variation for the several proposed procedures were less than 3% while the between-run findings for all of the procedures were less than 5%.     

OptiDock: virtual HTS of combinatorial libraries by efficient sampling of binding modes in product space

Products from combinatorial libraries generally share a common core structure that can be exploited to improve the efficiency of virtual high-throughput screening (vHTS). In general, it is more efficient to find a method that scales with the total number of reagents (Sigma growth) rather with the number of products (Pi growth). The OptiDock methodology described herein entails selecting a diverse but representative subset of compounds that span the structural space encompassed by the full library. These compounds are docked individually using the FlexX program (Rarey, M.; Kramer, B.; Lengauer, T.; Klebe, G. J. Mol. Biol. 1995, 251, 470-489) to define distinct docking modes in terms of reference placements for combinatorial core atoms. Thereafter, substituents in R-cores (consisting of the core structure substituted at a single variation site) are docked, keeping the core atoms fixed at the coordinates dictated by each reference placement. Interaction energies are calculated for each docked R-core with respect to the target protein, and energies for whole compounds are calculated by finding the reference core placement for which the sum of corresponding R-core energies is most negative. The use of diverse whole compounds to define binding modes is a key advantage of the protocol over other combinatorial docking programs. As a result, OptiDock returns better-scoring conformers than does serially applied FlexX. OptiDock is also better able to find a viable docked pose for each library member than are other combinatorial approaches.     

The electronic structure of FeV-cofactor in vanadium-dependent nitrogenase

The electronic structure of the active-site metal cofactor (FeV-cofactor) of resting-state V-dependent nitrogenase has been an open question, with earlier studies indicating that it exhibits a broad S = 3/2 EPR signal (Kramers state) having g values of ∼4.3 and 3.8, along with suggestions that it contains metal-ions with valencies [1V³⁺, 3Fe³⁺, 4Fe²⁺]. In the present work, genetic, biochemical, and spectroscopic approaches were combined to reveal that the EPR signals previously assigned to FeV-cofactor do not correlate with active VFe-protein, and thus cannot arise from the resting-state of catalytically relevant FeV-cofactor. It, instead, appears resting-state FeV-cofactor is either diamagnetic, S = 0, or non-Kramers, integer-spin (S = 1, 2 etc.). When VFe-protein is freeze-trapped during high-flux turnover with its natural electron-donating partner Fe protein, conditions which populate reduced states of the FeV-cofactor, a new rhombic S = 1/2 EPR signal from such a reduced state is observed, with g = [2.18, 2.12, 2.09] and showing well-defined ⁵¹V (I = 7/2) hyperfine splitting, a_iso = 110 MHz. These findings indicate a different assignment for the electronic structure of the resting state of FeV-cofactor: S = 0 (or integer-spin non-Kramers state) with metal-ion valencies, [1V³⁺, 4Fe³⁺, 3Fe²⁺]. Our findings suggest that the V³⁺ does not change valency throughout the catalytic cycle.

Active site FeV-cofactor of the V-nitrogenase and the EPR spectrum of the reduced cofactor showing ⁵¹V-hyperfine coupling.     

Renner-Teller vibronic analysis for a tetra-atomic molecule. I. The effective Hamiltonian and matrix elements

The effective vibronic Hamiltonian for a linear tetra-atomic molecule in a Pi state has been investigated. In addition to the usual vibrational and Renner-Teller coupling terms, the bending mode anharmonicity, spin-orbit coupling, and Fermi resonance interactions have been added to the model. Terms in the Hamiltonian up to the fourth order are given explicitly for molecules of C(infinityupsilon) symmetry and simplifications for symmetric D(infinityh) molecules are discussed. The matrix elements for the HCCS free radical have been obtained and are used to analyze the observed ground-state levels of HCCS and DCCS in a companion paper. The Sears resonance vibronic interaction that couples levels with the selection rules DeltaK=+/-1, DeltaSigma=-/+1, and DeltaP=0 has also been studied and the matrix elements derived. The determinable combinations of signs for the major parameters in the model are discussed.     

Highly stereoselective reduction of methyl ketone complexes of the chiral Lewis acid [(η-C5H5)Re(NO)(PPh3)] by K(s-C4H9)3BH; synthesis of optically active secondary alcohols and derivatives

Reaction of optically active ketone complexes (+)-(R)-[(η⁵-C₅H₅)Re(NO)-(PPh₃)(η¹-O=C(R)(CH₃)]⁺ BF₄⁻ (R = CH₂CH₃, CH(CH₃)₂m C(CH₃)₃, C₆H₅) with K(s-C₄H₉)₃BH gives alkoxide complexes (+)-(RS)-(η⁵-C₅H₅)Re(NO)(PPh₃)-(OCH(R)CH₃) (73–90%) in 80–98% de. The alkoxide ligand is then converted to Mosher esters (93–99%) of 79–98% de.     

Ring-opening of unsymmetrical 1,2-dioxines using cobalt(II) salen complexes

The regioselectivity of the metal-catalyzed ring opening of unsymmetrical 1,2-dioxines to cis-gamma-hydroxyenones was investigated using two different Co(II) salen complexes. Regioselectivity was determined by direct examination of the enone ratios and by derivitization with a stabilized phosphorus ylide. The steric influence of the substituents on the 1,2-dioxine was the primary influence on regioselectivity. Temperature played little role; however, solvent and selection of Co(II) complex could be used to mildly influence the outcome of the rearrangement for selected substrates. The origins of the selectivity for the reaction are discussed.     

Lipophilicity in PK design: methyl, ethyl, futile

Lipophilicity, often expressed as distribution coefficients (log D) in octanol/water, is an important physicochemical parameter influencing processes such as oral absorption, brain uptake and various pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. Increasing log D values increases oral absorption, plasma protein binding and volume of distribution. However, more lipophilic compounds also become more vulnerable to P450 metabolism, leading to higher clearance. Molecular size and hydrogen bonding capacity are two other properties often considered as important for membrane permeation and pharmacokinetics. Interrelationships among these physicochemical properties are discussed. Increasing size (molecular weight) often gives higher potency, but inevitably also leads to either higher lipophilicity, and hence poorer dissolution/solubility, or to more hydrogen bonding capacity, which limits oral absorption. Differences in optimal properties between gastrointestinal absorption and uptake into the brain are addressed. Special attention is given to the desired lipophilicity of CNS drugs. In examples using -blockers, Ca channel antagonists and peptidic renin inhibitors we will demonstrate how potency and pharmacokinetic properties need to be balanced.