Torsional flexing: Conformational searching of cyclic molecules in biased internal coordinate space

A new stochastic (Monte Carlo) procedure, termed torsional flexing, has been devised for searching the conformational space of cyclic molecules. Torsional flexing causes a local, torsion angle-biased, distortion of a ring bond in a cyclic molecule. Because torsional flexing does not cause large atomic movements, even when it is applied to several bonds simultaneously, subsequent energy minimization generally proceeds rapidly. Nevertheless, the torsional flexing method is prone to generate structures that cross energy barriers so that the structure resulting after energy minimization is frequently a different conformer of the cyclic molecule. Conformational searches on cycloheptadecane, oxobrefeldin A, cyclopenta-L -alanine, and rifamycin SV based upon torsional flexing indicated that torsional flexing is among the best methods yet devised for searching the conformational space of flexible cyclic molecules. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

镍助剂对碳化钼催化剂的二苯并噻吩加氢脱硫性能的影响

 将MoO3和Ni-Mo混合氧化物在CH4/H2气氛中程序升温还原碳化制备了相应的碳化钼和碳化镍钼催化剂, X射线粉末衍射表征其物相分别为β-Mo2C和Ni-Mo2C. 考察了Ni助剂对碳化钼催化剂的制备及二苯并噻吩加氢脱硫反应性能的影响. 结果表明, Ni助剂的加入降低了碳化钼催化剂所需的还原碳化温度,提高了催化剂的比表面积,并对其二苯并噻吩加氢脱硫反应活性有明显的促进作用. Ni助剂添加量以Ni/Mo原子比为0.3为宜,此时Ni和Mo之间的催化协同效应达到最佳. 当反应压力为3.0 MPa, 反应温度为330 ℃, 空速8 h-1, H2/原料液体积比为500∶1时, 625 ℃还原碳化制备的碳化镍钼催化剂对0.6%二苯并噻吩/环己烷溶液的二苯并噻吩转化率达到96.25%, 较相应的碳化钼催化剂提高了1.57倍.     

Peroxycarbenium-mediated C-C bond formation: applications to the synthesis of hydroperoxides and peroxides

The Lewis acid-mediated reaction of alkene nucleophiles with peroxyacetals provides an effective route for the synthesis of homologated peroxides and hydroperoxides. In the presence of Lewis acids such as TiCl(4), SnCl(4), and trimethylsilyl triflate, peroxyacetals and peroxyketals undergo reaction with allyltrimethylsilane, silyl enol ethers, and silyl ketene acetals to afford homoallyl peroxides, 3-peroxyketones, and 3-peroxyalkanoates, respectively. Reactions of peroxyacetals are Lewis acid dependent; TiCl(4) promotes formation of ethers while SnCl(4) and trimethylsilyl triflate promote formation of peroxides. Lewis acid-promoted reactions of silylated hydroperoxyacetals furnish silylated hydroperoxides, which can be deprotected to homologated hydroperoxides. Hydroperoxyketals undergo Lewis acid-mediated allylation to furnish 1,2-dioxolanes via attack of hydroperoxide on the intermediate carbocation. Lewis acid-mediated cyclization of unsaturated peroxyacetals furnishes 1,2-dioxanes, 1,2-dioxepanes, and 1,2-dioxacanes through 6-endo/exo, 7-endo/endo, and 8-endo/endo pathways. The corresponding reactions involving 6-endo/endo and 5-endo/exo pathways were unsuccessful.     

Macromodel—an integrated software system for modeling organic and bioorganic molecules using molecular mechanics

An integrated molecular modeling system for designing and studying organic and bioorganic molecules and their molecular complexes using molecular mechanics is described. The graphically controlled, atom-based system allows the construction, display and manipulation of molecules and complexes having as many as 10,000 atoms and provides interactive, state-of-the-art molecular mechanics on any subset of up to 1,000 atoms. The system semiautomates the graphical construction and analysis of complex structures ranging from polycyclic organic molecules to biopolymers to mixed molecular complexes. We have placed emphasis on providing effective searches of conformational space by a number of different methods and on highly optimized molecular mechanics energy calculations using widely used force fields which are supplied as external files. Little experience is required to operate the system effectively and even novices can use it to carry out sophisticated modeling operations. The software has been designed to run on Digital Equipment Corporation VAX computers interfaced to a variety of graphics devices ranging from inexpensive monochrome terminals to the sophisticated graphics displays of the Evans & Sutherland PS300 series.     

Secondary Effects of Hypochlorite Treatment on the Emerging Pollutant Candesartan: The Formation of Degradation Byproducts and Their Toxicological Profiles

In recent years, many studies have reported the frequent detection of antihypertensive agents such as sartans (olmesartan, valsartan, irbesartan and candesartan) in the influents and effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and in the superficial waters of rivers and lakes in both Europe and North America. In this paper, the degradation pathway for candesartan (CAN) was investigated by simulating the chlorination process that is normally used to reduce microbial contamination in a WWTP. Twelve isolated degradation byproducts (DPs), four of which were isolated for the first time, were separated on a C-18 column by employing a gradient HPLC method, and their structures were identified by combining nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry and comparing the results with commercial standards. On the basis of these results, a mechanism of formation starting from the parent drug is proposed. The ecotoxicity of CAN and its DPs was studied by conducting a battery of ecotoxicity tests; bioassays were performed using Aliivibrio fischeri (bacterium), Daphnia magna (planktonic crustacean) and Raphidocelis subcapitata (alga). The ecotoxicity results shed new light on the increased toxicity of DPs compared with the parent compound.     

W-MCM-48中孔分子筛的微波合成与表征

在微波辐射下快速合成出Ｗ－ＭＣＭ－４８分子筛,通过ＸＲＤ,ＦＴ－ＩＲ和Ｎ２吸附等手段对样品进行了表征,并考察了合成条件对Ｗ－ＭＣＭ－４８相对结晶度的影响。结果表明：在微波辐射下快速合成出的Ｗ－ＭＣＭ－４８分子筛结晶及热稳定性良好,且孔道规整;Ｗ离子进入了分子筛的骨架;以十六烷基三甲基溴化铵为模板剂,最佳合成条件为ｎ（Ｎａ２Ｏ）／ｎ（ＳｉＯ２）＝０．２５,ｐ＝０．４８ＭＰａ,ｔ＝２ｈ。苯乙烯催化氧化     

Synthesis,characterization, and thermal properties of anhydride terminated and allyl terminated oligoimides

This study concerns the synthesis of anhydride terminated oligoimides (ANTOI) and allyl terminated oligoimides (ALTOI), in acetic acid medium, which allows a very fast reaction and an easy working out. For the preparation of ALTOIs, two methods are compared: the first one consists of adding the monofunctional compound (allyl amine) to the ANTOI already formed during a first step by reaction of a dianhydride (excess) and a diamine. The second method consists of a “one pot” reaction between the dianhydride, the diamine, and the monofunctional allyl–amine compounds, at the beginning of the reaction. The experimental results show that the best control of the molecular weights is obtained with the first method. If the amount of allyl amine is higher than the amount necessary to end cap the ANTOI, a transimidization reaction occurs. Thermal analyses of oligoimides terminated by anhydride or allyl groups have been performed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Transition and thermoresistance properties make ANTOI and ALTOI derivatives interesting as precursors for block polyimide copolymers. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2993–3003, 2000     

Biophysical and Biological Tools to Better Characterize the Stability,Safety and Efficacy of a Cosmeceutical for Acne-Prone Skin

(1) Background: Acne is a widespread skin disease, especially among adolescents. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of masks, the problem has been affecting a greater number of people, and the attention of the skin care beauty routine cosmetics has been focused on the “Maskne”, caused by the sebum excretion rate (SER) that stimulates microbial proliferation. (2) Methods: the present study was focused on the rheological characterization and quality assurance of the preservative system of an anti-acne serum. The biological effectiveness (cytotoxicity—skin and eye irritation—antimicrobial, biofilm eradication and anti-inflammatory activity) was evaluated in a monolayer cell line of keratinocytes (HaCaT) and on 3D models (reconstructed human epidermis, RHE and human reconstructed corneal epithelium, HCE). The Cutibacterium acnes, as the most relevant acne-inducing bacterium, is chosen as a pro-inflammatory stimulus and to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the serum. (3) Results and Conclusions: Rheology allows to simulate serum behavior at rest, extrusion and application, so the serum could be defined as having a solid-like behavior and being pseudoplastic. The preservative system is in compliance with the criteria of the reference standard. Biological effectiveness evaluation shows non-cytotoxic and irritant behavior with a good antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity of the formulation, supporting the effectiveness of the serum for acne-prone skin treatment.     

Neural correlates of semantic and syntactic processes in the comprehension of case marked pronouns: Evidence from German and Dutch

Background  

It is well known that both semantic and syntactic information play a role in pronoun resolution in sentences. However, it is unclear what the relative contribution of these sources of information is for the establishment of a coreferential relationship between the pronoun and the antecedent in combination with a local structural case constraint on the pronoun (i.e. case assignment of a pronoun under preposition governing). In a prepositional phrase in German and Dutch, it is the preposition that assigns case to the pronoun. Furthermore, in these languages different overtly case-marked pronouns are used to refer to male and female persons. Thus, one can manipulate biological/syntactic gender features separately from case marking features.     

Space charge limited avalanche growth in multigap resistive plate chambers

The European Physical Journal C - The ALICE TOF array will be built using the Multigap Resistive Plate Chamber(MRPC) configured as a double stack. Each stack contains 5 gas gaps with width of...