Homolytic C-H and N-H bond dissociation energies of strained organic compounds

High-level computations at G3, CBS-Q, and G3B3 levels were conducted, and good-quality C-H and N-H bond dissociation energies (BDEs) were obtained for a variety of saturated and unsaturated strained hydrocarbons and amines for the first time. From detailed NBO analyses, we found that the C-H BDEs of hydrocarbons are determined mainly by the hybridization of the parent compound, the hybridization of the radical, and the extent of spin delocalization of the radical. The ring strain has a significant effect on the C-H BDE because it forces the parent compound and radical to adopt certain undesirable hybridization. A structure-activity relationship equation (i.e., BDE (C-H) = 61.1-227.8 (p(parent)% - 0.75)(2) + 152.9 (p(radical)% - 1.00)(2) + 40.4 spin) was established, and it can predict the C-H BDEs of a variety of saturated and unsaturated strained hydrocarbons fairly well. For the C-H BDEs associated with the bridgehead carbons of the highly rigid strained compounds, we found that the strength of the C-H bond can also be predicted from the H-C-C bond angles of the bridgehead carbon. Finally, we found that N-H BDEs show less dependence on the ring strain than C-H BDEs.     

A chemical inhibitor reveals the role of Raf kinase inhibitor protein in cell migration

Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) is a modulator of cell signaling that functions as an endogenous inhibitor of multiple kinases. We demonstrate here a positive role for RKIP in the regulation of cell locomotion. We discovered that RKIP is the relevant cellular target of locostatin, a cell migration inhibitor. Locostatin abrogates RKIP's ability to bind and inhibit Raf-1 kinase, and it acts by disrupting a protein-protein interaction, an uncommon mode of action for a small molecule. Small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of RKIP expression also reduces cell migration rate. Overexpression of RKIP converts epithelial cells to a highly migratory fibroblast-like phenotype, with dramatic reduction in the sensitivity of cells to locostatin. RKIP is therefore the compound's valid target and a key regulator of cell motility.     

Native and stearic acid modified ceria-zirconia supports in normal and reversed-phase HPLC

Porous ceria-zirconia composite with narrow particle size distribution and large specific surface area was synthesized by a sol-gel process. Chromatographic properties of the native supports was investigated in normal phase mode for the separation of test mixtures of basic, neutral and acidic compounds. The new packing material exhibited polar and basic properties, which are suitable for the separation of basic compounds. Lypophilic packing has been obtained by the modification of the ceria-zirconia with stearic acid, which exhibited strong hydrophobicity relative to the native packing. Therefore, the modified ceria-zirconia behaves as a reversed-phase packing material. Different selectivity towards basic compounds was observed on the new packing compared to the native ceria-zirconia and conventional ODS stationary phase.     

Experimental verification of a predicted, previously unseen separation selectivity pattern in the capillary electrophoretic separation of noncharged enantiomers by octakis(2,3-diacetyl-6-sulfato)-gamma-cyclodextrin

The capillary electrophoretic separation of noncharged enantiomers with single-isomer anionic resolving agents is reexamined here with the help of the charged resolving agent migration model. Two general model parameters have been identified that influence the effective mobility, separation selectivity and mobility difference curves of the enantiomers: parameter b, called binding selectivity (K(RCD)/K(SCD)), and parameter s, called size selectivity (mu(o)RCD/mu(o)SCD). Analysis of the model in terms of these parameters indicates that in addition to the known, previously observed separation selectivity vs. resolving agent concentration patterns, a new pattern, increasing separation selectivity with increasing resolving agent concentration, is also possible provided that (i) K(RCD)/K(SCD)<1 and mu(o)RCD/mu(o)SCD>1 and (K(RCD)mu(o)RCD)/(K(SCD)mu(o)SCD)>1, or (ii) K(RCD)/ K(SCD)>1 and mu(o)SCD/mu(o)SCD<1 and (K(RCD)mu(o)RCD)/(K(SCD)mu(o)SCD)<1. This hitherto unseen separation selectivity pattern was experimentally verified during the capillary electrophoretic separation of the enantiomers of O-isopropyl p-nitrophenyl methylphosphonate with the single-isomer octakis(2,3-diacetyl-6-sulfato)-gamma-cyclodextrin as resolving agent.     

Amino acid analysis by micellar electrokinetic chromatography with laser-induced fluorescence detection: application to nanolitre-volume biological samples from Arabidopsis thaliana and Myzus persicae

Amino acids were derivatised with 4-fluoro-7-nitrobenzo-2,1,3-oxadiazol (NBD-F), separated by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), and detected by argon-ion (488 nm) laser-induced fluorescence. The optimised MEKC background electrolyte conditions were: 40 mM sodium cholate, 5 mM beta-cyclodextrin in 20 mM aqueous borate buffer, pH 9.1, with 7% v/v acetonitrile. Using these conditions, 19 amino acids were separated within 17 min. The limits of detection were in the range of 7.6-42.2 pmol/mL and limits of quantitation from 0.05-0.14 nmol/mL. The method was systematically validated for injection volume error, migration time variation, calibration linearity, accuracy, precision, and recovery. Nanolitre volume samples of phloem sap of individual sieve element cells from the plant Arabidopsis thaliana and honeydew from the aphid Myzus persicae were directly analysed with this method. Quantitative amino acid concentrations in these two biological matrices were profiled for the first time. This method is particularly important because it allows the complete profile of the amino acids obtained from individual phloem elements, allowing cell to cell and plant to plant variation to be quantified, which to date has not been possible with Arabidopsis thaliana.     

Polymer-enzyme conjugates can self-assemble at oil/water interfaces and effect interfacial biotransformations

Native water-soluble enzymes were transformed into interface-binding enzymes via conjugation with hydrophobic polymers, thus enabling interesting interfacial biocatalysis between immiscible chemicals at oil/water interfaces. Such interfacial biocatalysis demonstrated a significantly improved catalytic efficiency as compared to traditional biphasic reactions with enzymes contained in the bulk aqueous phase. Particularly, polystyrene-conjugated beta-galactosidase showed a catalytic efficiency that was more than 145 times higher than that of the native enzyme for a transgalactosylation reaction. It is believed that the improved accessibility of the biocatalysts to chemicals held in both phases across the interface is the key driver for the enhancement of enzyme activity.     

Mass spectrometry-based chemical mapping and profiling toward molecular understanding of diseases in precision medicine

Precision medicine has been strongly promoted in recent years. It is used in clinical management for classifying diseases at the molecular level and for selecting the most appropriate drugs or treatments to maximize efficacy and minimize adverse effects. In precision medicine, an in-depth molecular understanding of diseases is of great importance. Therefore, in the last few years, much attention has been given to translating data generated at the molecular level into clinically relevant information. However, current developments in this field lack orderly implementation. For example, high-quality chemical research is not well integrated into clinical practice, especially in the early phase, leading to a lack of understanding in the clinic of the chemistry underlying diseases. In recent years, mass spectrometry (MS) has enabled significant innovations and advances in chemical research. As reported, this technique has shown promise in chemical mapping and profiling for answering “what”, “where”, “how many” and “whose” chemicals underlie the clinical phenotypes, which are assessed by biochemical profiling, MS imaging, molecular targeting and probing, biomarker grading disease classification, etc. These features can potentially enhance the precision of disease diagnosis, monitoring and treatment and thus further transform medicine. For instance, comprehensive MS-based biochemical profiling of ovarian tumors was performed, and the results revealed a number of molecular insights into the pathways and processes that drive ovarian cancer biology and the ways that these pathways are altered in correspondence with clinical phenotypes. Another study demonstrated that quantitative biomarker mapping can be predictive of responses to immunotherapy and of survival in the supposedly homogeneous group of breast cancer patients, allowing for stratification of patients. In this context, our article attempts to provide an overview of MS-based chemical mapping and profiling, and a perspective on their clinical utility to improve the molecular understanding of diseases for advancing precision medicine.

An overview of MS-based chemical mapping and profiling, indicating its contributions to the molecular understanding of diseases in precision medicine by answering "what", "where", "how many" and "whose” chemicals underlying clinical phenotypes.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Ag2S Nanocrystals in Hyperbranched Polyurethane at Room Temperature

Ag₂S nanoparticles in hyperbranched polyurethane matrix were prepared through the in situ reaction with thioacetamide as the sulfur source at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopic analysis revealed a uniform spherical shape for Ag₂S nanoparticles, with an average size of about 4-10 nm and a narrow size distribution. X-ray powder diffraction and UV-vis spectroscopy were also used to characterize the obtained nanoparticles     

Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic property of the novel dinuclear nickel(II) complex with 4-(p-methoxyphenyl)-3,5-bis(pyridine-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole

A novel dinuclear nickel(II) complex, [Ni₂(MOBPT)₂Cl₂(H₂O)₂]Cl₂ · 7H₂O (MOBPT = 4-(p-methoxyphenyl) −3,5-bis(pyridine-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole), has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The crystal structure determination shows that the dinuclear Ni₂N₈ unit is almost planer in which each Ni^II ion is coordinated by four nitrogen atoms from MOBPT equatorially and a water molecule and a chloride ion axially in a distorted octahedral geometry. Magnetic measurements reveal a relatively weak antiferromagnetic exchange in the complex.     

Study on the Tautomer Interconversion of 3-Oxo Pentanoate During Gas Chromatography

Enol and keto tautomers of methyl 3-oxo pentanoate could be separated on a HP-5 capillary column. The chromatographic peaks were identified by examining characteristic mass ions arose from the corresponding enol and keto molecular ions. The study showed that the area percentage of enol tautomer is a function of temperature of the column. Treating the column as a reactor, the energy of activation for the on-column tautomerization could be extracted (35.1 kJ mol⁻¹) by monitoring the loss of the enol tautomer, because the reaction is found to obey pseudo first-order kinetics. The enthalpy and the entropy changes (ΔH = −3.98 kJ mol⁻¹, ΔS = −7.89 J K⁻¹mol⁻¹) for the enol-to-keto reaction in the stationary phase were also obtained.