Preparation and photoelectron spectrum of the glycine molecular anion: assignment to a dipole-bound electron species with a high-dipole moment, non-zwitterionic form of the neutral core

We report the gas-phase preparation of negatively charged glycine as well as the Gly(H(2)O)(1,2) (-) complexes by entrainment of the neutral precursor into an ionized supersonic expansion tuned to optimize the (H(2)O)(n) (-)Ar(m) clusters. The photoelectron spectrum of Gly(-) displays the signature of a dipole-bound species, with sufficient vibrational fine structure to characterize the core neutral as a higher energy, non-zwitterionic isomer of the amino acid.     

Structure and Thermodynamics of NaF-AlF(3) Melts with Addition of CaF(2) and MgF(2)

The NaF-AlF(3) system with additions of CaF(2) and MgF(2) has been studied with Raman and vapor pressure measurements for 3 >/= CR (NaF/AlF(3) molar ratio) >/= 1 and up to 50 mol % additive. The results show that the binary melt can be described using the two equilibria AlF(6)(3)(-) = AlF(6)(2)(-) + F(-) and AlF(5)(2)(-) = AlF(4)(-) + F(-) with equilibrium constants 0.25 and 0.05, respectively, at 1293 K. Both reactions have positive reaction enthalpies. The first equilibrium is strongly shifted to the right resulting in a melt mixture with very low AlF(6)(3)(-) concentrations even at the Na(3)AlF(6) composition. Evidence for nonideal mixing of anions was found. For the ternaries, models based on Raman data are presented and compared with vapor pressure measurements. Good agreement is observed when association between the additives, CaF(2) or MgF(2), with the AlF(5)(2)(-) ions in the melt was considered. This association could be experimentally observed through a band broadening and a slight shift in the AlF(5)(2)(-) band frequency. Our vapor pressures and Raman data both indicate that MgF(2) clearly acts as an acid when added to NaF-AlF(3) melts of any composition. When CaF(2) is added, a slight decrease of vapor pressure occurs. Raman data indicate a decrease of AlF(4)(-) concentration, corresponding to a dissociation of CaF(2) with liberation of F(-) ions. All these results are, however, very much dependent on the initial melt composition. These data are explained in terms of acid-base, dilution, and association reactions of the solute with the solvent.     

Charge Dispersal in the Quinuclidine Radical Cation and in the Quinuclidinium Ion,as Revealed by PE and ICR Spectroscopy

The n ionization energies I and the gas-phase basicities GB of CH₃-, Cl-, or CN-substituted quinuclidines have been measured by PE and ICR spectroscopy. The dependence of the shifts ΔI and ΔGB (relative to the values of the parent molecule) allow conclusions about the charge dispersal accompanying the n ionization or the protonation of quinuclidine in the gas phase. The agreement with the results of a minimal basis set ab initio calculation is excellent. Comparison of the solution pK_a values with either I or GB reveals that 2-substituted quinuclidines exhibit sizeable solvent-induced proximity effects, i.e. that the corresponding quinuclidinium ions are more acidic in solution than expected on the basis of the gas-phase basicities. This agrees with earlier results concerning 2-substituted pyridines.     

Reaction du meta-diisopropyl-phenyllithium-chrometricarbonyle avec le monoxyde de carbone

The complex CpV(CO)₃THF has been prepared in THF solution (i) photochemically from CpV(CO)₄, and (ii) from [CpV(H)(CO)₃]^?/[Ph₃C]⁺ at low temperatures. THF is replaced by [CpV(H)(CO)₃]^? to form [{CpV(CO)₃}₂-μ-H]^?, and by various ligands L with C, η²-CC, Sn, N, O, S, Se or Te functionality to yield CpV(CO)₃L and cis-[CpV(CO)₂LL] (LL = bipy, o-phen, tolane). The δ (⁵¹V) values range over ca. 1400 ppm and allow the assignment of distinct coordination modes for ambidentate ligands. The temperature gradient is ca. +1.2 ppm/deg. For [CpV(SnCl₃)(CO)₃]^? (δ ?1340 ppm rel. to VOCl₃), ¹J(⁵¹V-^117,119Sn) is 900 Hz. The isotope effect on introducing ¹²CO for ¹³CO in CpV(CO)₄ is ?0.48(2) ppm; ¹J(⁵¹V-¹³C) 107 Hz.     

ortho-metallation reactions involving some triphenyl phosphite complexes of osmium

Osmium triphenylphosphine complexes, OsH₄(PPh₃)₃, OsH₂ (CO)(PPh₃)₃ and OsHCl(CO)(PPh₃)₃ react with triphenyl phosphite in boiling organic solvents to yield triphenyl phosphite derivatives which subsequently undergo ortho-metallation reactions.     

Binding energies of hydrogen molecules to isoreticular metal-organic framework materials

Recently, several novel isoreticular metal-organic framework (IRMOF) structures have been fabricated and tested for hydrogen storage applications. To improve our understanding of these materials, and to promote quantitative calculations and simulations, the binding energies of hydrogen molecules to the MOF have been studied. High-quality second-order Moller-Plesset (MP2) calculations using the resolution of the identity approximation and the quadruple zeta QZVPP basis set were used. These calculations use terminated molecular fragments from the MOF materials. For H2 on the zinc oxide corners, the MP2 binding energy using Zn4O(HCO2)6 molecule is 6.28 kJ/mol. For H2 on the linkers, the binding energy is calculated using lithium-terminated molecular fragments. The MP2 results with coupled-cluster singles and doubles and noniterative triples method corrections and charge-transfer corrections are 4.16 kJ/mol for IRMOF-1, 4.72 kJ/mol for IRMOF-3, 4.86 kJ/mol for IRMOF-6, 4.54 kJ/mol for IRMOF-8, 5.50 and 4.90 kJ/mol for IRMOF-12, 4.87 and 4.84 kJ/mol for IRMOF-14, 5.42 kJ/mol for IRMOF-18, and 4.97 and 4.66 kJ/mol for IRMOF-993. The larger linkers are all able to bind multiple hydrogen molecules per side. The linkers of IRMOF-12, IRMOF-993, and IRMOF-14 can bind two to three, three, and four hydrogen molecules per side, respectively. In general, the larger linkers have the largest binding energies, and, together with the enhanced surface area available for binding, will provide increased hydrogen storage. We also find that adding up NH2 or CH3 groups to each linker can provide up to a 33% increase in the binding energy.     

Donor-stabilized cations and imine transfer from N-silylphosphoranimines

A series of donor-stabilized N-silylphosphoranimine salts [DMAP.PCl2=NSiMe3]+X- (DMAP = 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine) were prepared by the reaction of Cl3P=NSiMe3 with DMAP in the presence of silver salts AgX (X = OSO2CF3, BF4, and SbF6). Repeating the reaction in the absence of AgX gave the chloride salt [DMAP.PCl2=NSiMe3]Cl which has been shown to be in equilibrium with free DMAP and Cl3P=NSiMe3. Attempts to stabilize a N-silylphosphoranimine cation with phosphine donors led to unexpected imine transfer chemistry. For example, Cl3P=NSiMe3 reacts with phosphines, R3P (R = nBu and Ph), to produce the metathesis products PCl3 and R3P=NSiMe3 which subsequently react together to afford the N-phosphinophosphoranimines R3P=N-PCl2 and ClSiMe3 as a byproduct.     

Application of NMR SHAPES screening to an RNA target

Several NMR screening techniques have been developed in recent years to aid in the identification of lead drug compounds. These NMR methods have traditionally been used for protein targets, and here we examine their applicability for an RNA target. We used the SHAPES compound library to test three different NMR screening methodologies: the saturation transfer difference (STD), the 2D trNOESY, and the WaterLOGSY experiments. We found that the WaterLOGSY experiment was the most sensitive method for our RNA target, the P4P6 domain of the Tetrahymena thermophila Group I intron. Using the WaterLOGSY experiment, we found that 23 of the 112 SHAPES compounds interact with P4P6. To identify which of these 23 hits bind through nonspecific interactions, we counterscreened with a linear duplex RNA control and identified one of the SHAPES compounds as interacting with P4P6 specifically. We thus demonstrated that the WaterLOGSY experiment in combination with the SHAPES compound library can be used to efficiently find RNA binding lead compounds.     

Level decay and orientational kinetics of the rhodamine B monomer and dimer

The population kinetics and the rotational diffusion of the rhodamine B monomer and dimer were measured by using picosecond pulses from a mode-locked Nd : YAG laser to induce and time resolve the concentration-dependent transient absorption saturation of various aqueous solutions of this organic dye.     

Factor Xa: Simulation studies with an eye to inhibitor design

Factor Xa is a serine protease which activates thrombin and plays a key regulatory role in the blood-coagulation cascade. Factor Xa is at the crossroads of the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of coagulation and, hence, has become an important target for the design of anti-thrombotics (inhibitors). It is not known to be involved in other processes than hemostasis and its binding site is different to that of other serine proteases, thus facilitating selective inhibition. The design of high-affinity selective inhibitors of factor Xa requires knowledge of the structural and dynamical characteristics of its active site. The three-dimensional structure of factor Xa was resolved by X-ray crystallography and refined at 2.2 Å resolution by Padmanabhan and collaborators. In this article we present results from molecular dynamics simulations of the catalytic domain of factor Xa in aqueous solution. The simulations were performed to characterise the mobility and flexibility of the residues delimiting the unoccupied binding site of the enzyme, and to determine hydrogen bonding propensities (with protein and with solvent atoms) of those residues in the active site that could interact with a substrate or a potential inhibitor. The simulation data is aimed at facilitating the design of high-affinity selective inhibitors of factor Xa.