Charge transfer complexes and cation radical salts of azino-diselenadiazafulvalene

The synthesis and the redox behaviour of electroactive donor molecules incorporating an azino spacer group between a benzoselenazole core and another heterocyclic moiety, either a benzoselenazole one or a thiazole one, are reported. Neutral complexes were obtained with TCNQ and, for the first time with dithiadiazafulvalene or diselenadiazafulvalene derivatives, cation radical salts by electrocrystallization. Crystal structures data of these complexes are presented and their geometries compared with those deduced from theoretical calculations.     

Covalent attachment of trypsin on plasma polymerized allylamine

This paper focuses on the immobilization of a proteolytic enzyme, trypsin, on plasma polymerized allylamine (ppAA) films. The later have been deposited onto silicon substrate by means of radiofrequency glow discharge. The covalent attachment of the enzyme was achieved in three steps: (i) activation of the polymer surface with glutaraldehyde (GA) as a linker, (ii) immobilization of trypsin and (iii) imino groups reduction treatment. The effects and efficiency of each step were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Fluorescent spectroscopy was used to evaluate the change of the biological activity following the immobilization steps. The results showed that enzyme immobilization on GA-modified substrate increases the enzyme activity by 50% comparing to adsorbed enzymes, while the imino reduction treatment improves the enzyme retention by about 30% comparing to untreated samples. In agreement with XPS and AFM data, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, used to quantify the amount of immobilized enzyme, showed that allylamine plasma polymer presents a high adsorption yield of trypsin. Although the adsorbed enzymes exhibit a lower activity than that measured for enzymes grafted through GA linkers, the highest catalytic activity obtained was for the enzymes that underwent the three steps of the immobilization process.     

Studies on the titanium-catalyzed cyclopropanation of nitriles

The Ti-mediated reaction of Grignard reagents with nitriles was investigated with sub-stoichiometric amounts of titanium isopropoxide. Cyanoesters were converted to spirocyclopropanelactams in good yields using as low as 0.05 eq of Ti(O(i)Pr)4. Under similar conditions, cyanocarbonates led to spirocyclopropane oxazolidinones and/or aminocyclopropylcarbinols. A very short synthesis of the naturally occurring aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid illustrates the usefulness of this methodology.     

A new approach to A,B-difunctionalisation of cyclodextrins using bulky 1,3-bis[bis(aryl)chloromethyl]benzenes as capping reagents

1,3-Bis[bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)chloromethyl]benzene and 1,3-bis[bis(4-anisyl)chloromethyl]benzene were employed as regioselective capping reagents for the preparation of C-6A,C-6B-bridged, permethylated alpha- and beta-CD derivatives; isolated yields up to 55% of proximally capped, methylated CDs were obtained, thus opening the way to the straightforward preparation of a wide range of A,B-functionalised CDs. As revealed by a single crystal X-ray diffraction study, the benzene-1,3-bis[bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)methyl] spacer is perfectly suited for A,B-capping of beta-cyclodextrin.     

Syntheses of d-Glucosaminyl Bolaamphiphiles1

Abstract

Twelve N-acetyl or NH2-free D-glucosaminyl bolaamphiphiles have been synthesized by the intermediate of N-allyloxycarbonyl-d-glucosaminyl precursors. Thus, glycosylation of α,ω-diols with 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-allyloxycarbonylamino-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranose (1) gave the bis(glycosides) 2a-h in good yields and without column chromatography. Alkaline treatment of these derivatives followed by acetylation gave the peracetylated N-acetyl compounds 3a-h which were further deprotected by the Zemplén deacetylation procedure to the N-acetyl-d-glucosaminyl bolaamphiphiles 4a-h. The bis(glycosides) 2c,d,g were also transformed into the O-acetylated amino-free derivatives 5c,d,g by chemospecific deprotection of the N-allyloxycarbonyl groups with palladium (0). Further deprotection of the ester functions led to the completely deprotected bolaamphiphiles 7c,d,g with high yields. Fully deprotected compounds 7a,d,g,h were also obtained from 2a,d,g,h by alkaline treatment and purification by column chromatography. Surface tension measurements were realized for aqueous solutions containing the soluble bolaamphiphiles.     

Efficient Access to Peptidyl‐RNA Conjugates for Picomolar Inhibition of Non‐ribosomal FemXWv Aminoacyl Transferase

Peptidyl–RNA conjugates have various applications in studying the ribosome and enzymes participating in tRNA‐dependent pathways such as Fem transferases in peptidoglycan synthesis. Herein a convergent synthesis of peptidyl–RNAs based on Huisgen–Sharpless cycloaddition for the final ligation step is developed. Azides and alkynes are introduced into tRNA and UDP‐MurNAc‐pentapeptide, respectively. Synthesis of 2′‐azido RNA helix starts from 2′‐azido‐2′‐deoxyadenosine that is coupled to deoxycytidine by phosphoramidite chemistry. The resulting dinucleotide is deprotected and ligated to a 22‐nt RNA helix mimicking the acceptor arm of Ala‐tRNA^Ala by T4 RNA ligase. For alkyne UDP‐MurNAc‐pentapeptide, meso‐cystine is enzymatically incorporated into the peptidoglycan precursor and reduced, and L ‐Cys is converted to dehydroalanine with O‐(mesitylenesulfonyl)hydroxylamine. Reaction of but‐3‐yne‐1‐thiol with dehydroalanine affords the alkyne‐containing UDP‐MurNAc‐pentapeptide. The Cu^I‐catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition reaction in the presence of tris[(1‐hydroxypropyl‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)methyl]amine provided the peptidyl‐RNA conjugate, which was tested as an inhibitor of non‐ribosomal FemX_Wv aminoacyl transferase. The bi‐substrate analogue was found to inhibit FemX_Wv with an IC₅₀ of (89±9) pM , as both moieties of the peptidyl–RNA conjugate contribute to high‐affinity binding.     

Atypical Oxidation Reaction by Thionyl Chloride: Easy Two‐Step Synthesis of N‐Alkyl‐1,4‐dithiines

Easy two‐step synthesis of a series of dithiines was performed from succinic anhydride via cyclization of the corresponding 4‐(alkylamino)‐4‐oxobutanoic acids (succinamic acids). The reaction, carried out in polar aprotic solvents, gave 4,8‐dithiine‐indacene‐1,3,5,7‐tetraones (diimides 3) via 3,7‐bis‐4,8‐dithia‐indacene‐1,5‐diones (diisoimides 2), which could be isolated. Surprisingly, in this reaction, thionyl chloride appeared as an oxidant, and this process seemed to be useful for the syntheses of S‐containing heterocyclic compounds such as 1,4‐dithiins. A mechanistic pathway was considered.     

Improved Asymmetric Synthesis of 8-Arylmenthols

A two-step synthesis of a set of arylmenthones 3 from R(+)-pulegone 2 via their silylenolethers 4 is proposed leading in high yields to 8-arylmenthols 1.     

Numerical computation of the electrostatic interaction energy between methanol and the dyad water-imidazole

Summary The electrostatic interaction energy between methanol and the dyad water-imidazole has been computed numerically at three levels of approximation from 3D grids of the charge density of one partner and the electrostatic potential of the other. The minimum positions and energy values thus obtained compare well with those calculated analytically. The numerical procedure is especially interesting for the prediction of the stable conformers.