Synthesis of pyrimidinones by action of benzamidine on a benzocycloheptenic β‐keto ester

The synthesis of a polycyclic heterocyclic ring system compound, ethyl 7‐hydroxy‐4‐oxo‐2‐phenyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐3H‐benzo[6,7]cyclohepta[1,2‐d]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxylate was carried out by condensation of benzamidine on diethyl 5,9‐dihydroxy‐7H‐benzo[a]cycloheptene‐6,8‐dicarboxylate, after opening and then closure of the seven membered ring.     

Stereoselective bidirectional synthesis of spiroacetals via Rh(II)-catalysed double C–H insertion

The stereoselective synthesis of 5,5-spiroacetals by Rh(II)-catalysed double C–H insertion of methylene acetals bearing two diazo ester substituents is described. The diastereoselectivity of this bidirectional approach can be tuned through appropriate choice of catalyst, and chiral catalysts lead to products with up to 89% ee. The diastereoselectivity of the first cyclisation suggests that the second cyclisation proceeds via a non-concerted pathway.     

Iminosugar‐Cyclopeptoid Conjugates Raise Multivalent Effect in Glycosidase Inhibition at Unprecedented High Levels

A series of cyclopeptoid‐based iminosugar clusters has been evaluated to finely probe the ligand content‐dependent increase in α‐mannosidase inhibition. This study led to the largest binding enhancement ever reported for an enzyme inhibitor (up to 4700‐fold on a valency‐corrected basis), which represents a substantial advance over the multivalent glycosidase inhibitors previously reported. Electron microscopy imaging and analytical data support, for the best multivalent effects, the formation of a strong chelate complex in which two mannosidase molecules are cross‐linked by one inhibitor.     

Dual-band Artificial Magnetic Conductor

A dual-band Artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) is presented in this paper. The proposed metasurface is based on a spiral geometry in which an additional resonance has been introduced thanks to a physical understanding of the structure??s behavior. The design is compact and the two frequency bands can be adjusted independently. Furthermore, an analytical model is developed, which can predict both the frequencies at which the metasurface reflects incident waves in-phase.     

Structural Basis of Outstanding Multivalent Effects in Jack Bean α‐Mannosidase Inhibition

Multivalent design of glycosidase inhibitors is a promising strategy for the treatment of diseases involving enzymatic hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds in carbohydrates. An essential prerequisite for successful applications is the atomic‐level understanding of how outstanding binding enhancement occurs with multivalent inhibitors. Herein we report the first high‐resolution crystal structures of the Jack bean α‐mannosidase (JBα‐man) in apo and inhibited states. The three‐dimensional structure of JBα‐man in complex with the multimeric cyclopeptoid‐based inhibitor displaying the largest binding enhancements reported so far provides decisive insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying multivalent effects in glycosidase inhibition.     

An Artificial Lithium Protective Layer that Enables the Use of Acetonitrile‐Based Electrolytes in Lithium Metal Batteries

The resurgence of the lithium metal battery requires innovations in technology, including the use of non‐conventional liquid electrolytes. The inherent electrochemical potential of lithium metal (?3.04 V vs. SHE) inevitably limits its use in many solvents, such as acetonitrile, which could provide electrolytes with increased conductivity. The aim of this work is to produce an artificial passivation layer at the lithium metal/electrolyte interface that is electrochemically stable in acetonitrile‐based electrolytes. To produce such a stable interface, the lithium metal was immersed in fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) to generate a passivation layer via the spontaneous decomposition of the solvent. With this passivation layer, the chemical stability of lithium metal is shown for the first time in 1 m LiPF₆ in acetonitrile.     

Desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric analysis of chemical warfare agents from solid‐phase microextraction fibers

Desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (DESI‐MS) was recently reported for the direct analysis of sample media without the need for additional sample handling. During the present study, direct analysis of solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) fibers by DESI‐MS/MS was evaluated with indoor office media that might be collected during a forensic investigation, including wall surfaces, office fabrics, paper products and Dacron swabs used for liquid sampling. Media spiked at the µg/g level with purified chemical warfare agents and a complex munitions grade sample of tabun, to simulate the quality of chemical warfare agent that might be used for terrorist purposes, were successfully analysed by DESI‐MS/MS. Sulfur mustard, a compound that has not been successfully analysed by electrospray mass spectrometry in the past, was also sampled using a SPME fiber and analysed for the first time by DESI‐MS/MS. Finally, the overall analytical approach involving SPME headspace sampling and DESI‐MS analysis was evaluated during a scenario‐based training live agent exercise. A sarin sample collected by the military was analysed and confirmed by DESI‐MS in a mobile laboratory under realistic field conditions. Copyright © 2007 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.