Intramolecular electron transfer in nitrite reductases.

The copper- and heme-containing nitrite reductases (NiRs) are key enzymes in denitrification. Their subunits contain two distinct redox-active metal centers, an electron-accepting site and a nitrite-reducing site, to carry out the single-electron reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide. Catalytic cycles of both enzyme families employ intramolecular electron transfer that can be rate-determining for their activity. Herein, we report results comparing these two enzyme families in order to resolve the different mechanisms controlling intramolecular electron transfer in these proteins.     

Determination of low levels of fluorine in concentrated phosphoric acid by use of the fluoride electrode

Summary The determination of both high and low fluorine concentrations in concentrated phosphoric acid is complicated by the reaction of hydrofluoric acid with phosphoric acid to form monofluorophosphoric acid (MFP), the formation being favoured at high concentrations of phosphoric acid. Neutralization to pH 6–8, a condition suitable for the determination of fluoride with the fluoride electrode, gives low recoveries, since only free hydrogen fluoride is converted into fluoride ion, while MFP is not. The rates of formation and dissociation of MFP were studied and thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were determined. MFP formed in concentrated phosphoric acid can be hydrolysed completely by treatment of the sample with dilute hydrochloric acid and boiling briefly under reflux. EDTA is added to mask any potentially interfering metal ions. The results obtained for concentrated phosphoric acid, after dilution and prehydrolysis, were satisfactory for all the fluorine levels examined.

---

Bestimmung geringer Fluorgehalte in konzentrierter Phosphorsäure mit Hilfe der Fluorid-Elektrode

Zusammenfassung Die Bestimmung hoher und niedriger Fluorkonzentrationen in konz. Phosphorsäure wird durch die Reaktion der Flußsäure mit der Phosphorsäure zu Monofluorphosphorsäure (MPF) behindert, die in konz. Phosphorsäure begünstigt wird. Neutralisierung zu pH 6–8, die für die Bestimmung von Fluorid mit der Fluoridelektrode förderlich ist, gibt zu niedrige Resultate, da nur freier Fluorwasserstoff zu Fluoridion dissoziiert, nicht aber MFP. Die Anteile der Bildung und Dissoziation von MFP wurden untersucht, die thermischen und kinetischen Parameter bestimmt. In konz. Phosphorsäure gebildete MFP kann durch Behandlung der Probe mit verdünnter Salzsäure und kurzes Kochen unter Rückfluß vollständig hydrolysiert werden. Um störende Metallionen zu maskieren wird EDTA zugesetzt. Die nach Verdünnen und Hydrolyse der konz. Phosphorsäure erhaltenen Ergebnisse waren für alle untersuchten Größenordnungen von Fluor befriedigend.

---

---

Presented at the 8th International Microchemical Symposium, Graz, August 25–30, 1980.     

Synthesis and characterization of monomers and polymers of acrylated phosphonate esters derived from glycerol,D-mannitol,D-sorbitol,pentaerythritol, and dipentaerythritol

Phosphonic acid ester derivatives of glycerol, D -mannitol, D -sorbitol, pentaerythritol, and dipentaerythritol have been synthesized by transacetalation reactions with diethyl 2,2-diethoxyethylphosphonate. These phosphonated derivatives of polyols and carbohydrates have been esterified to from the corresponding methacrylates. All these compounds have been characterized on the basis of their elemental analysis and spectroscopic (infrared including FT–IR, ¹H-, ¹³C-, ³¹P-NMR, and mass) methods. Transacetalation reactions with dialkyl 2,2-dialkoxyethylphosphonate lead to the synthesis of 1,3-dioxane derivatives in the case of D -mannitol, pentaerythritol, and dipentaerythritol, whereas a mixture of both 1,3-dioxane and 1,3-dioxolane derivatives is obtained with D -sorbitol and glycerol. The methacrylates of phosphonylated polyol derivatives show the capacity to dissolve and interact with metal salts such as bismuth bromide and uranyl nitrate. Some of the polymers obtained from these monomers have been characterized on the basis of their spectral and thermal (differential scanning calorimetry) properties.     

Diborane (4) derivatives via coupling of amine monobromocyanoboranes: Study of the bromination of amine cyanoborane and molecular structures of the amine dibromocyanoboranes

The first examples of diborane (4) compounds derived from amine cyanoboranes are described. A series of monobromo derivatives of amine cyanoboranes (A:BHBrCN), and dibromo derivatives (A:BBr₂CN), 1-7, were prepared. Lithiation of the monobromo derivative of trimethylamine cyanoborane, using n-BuLi, did not produce the C-lithiated intermediate Li⁺ [CH₂NMe₂BHBrCN]⁻, but instead the B-lithiated intermediate Li⁺ [Me₃NBHCN]⁻, was obtained. This intermediate, when allowed to react for 16 h, coupled with the un-lithiated trimethylamine monobromocyanoborane (Me₃NBHBrCN) and resulted in diborane (4) derivative formation as the 2LiBr complex. The same result was obtained when one equiv of the trimethylamine monobromocyanoborane was added to the reaction mixture 1 h after lithiation. Following the same procedure, novel diborane (4) derivatives of amine cyanoboranes were successfully obtained, 8-11, as their 2LiBr complexes from the monobromo derivatives of the corresponding amine cyanoboranes. Molecular structures of the trimethylamine dibromocyanoborane, 6, and the triethylamine dibromocyanoborane, 7, were determined using X-ray crystallography.     

Separation of closely related structural isomers by inclusion complexation with tailor-made host compounds. Crystal structures of 2,2-di (p-hydroxyphenyl) propane and Its 1:1 complex withp-cresol

The crystal structures of the 2,2-di(p-hydroxyphenyl)propane host and its 1:1 adducts withm-andp-cresol guests have been studied. The preferential complexation of this host withp-cresol overm-cresol is related to the opposite trend exhibited by 1,1-di(p-hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexane; both hosts can separate effectively the two cresols from their liquid mixture by crystalline inclusion. A plausible explanation of the different inclusion features is provided by examining the intermolecular association in the corresponding solids. The analysed structures are stabilized by strong and continuous H-bonding between the constituent entities along two dimensions, and by weak van der Waals forces along the third axis. The p-cresol complex of the title host reveals a unique arrangement within and a more efficient packing of the layered structure, and thus represents a more stable and less soluble crystal lattice than itsm-cresol analog. Supplementary Data relating to this article are deposited with the British Library as Supplementary Publication No. SUP 82099 (8 pages).     

Mössbauer studies and magnetic properties of Ln2SrCu2O6 compounds

Mössbauer and magnetic susceptibility measurements were used to study the magnetic properties of Ln_1.9Sr_1.1Cu₂O₆ (Ln=Pr,Nd) and La₂SrCu₂O₆ materials. These compounds were prepared by solid-state reaction and crystallize in a tetragonal structure, space group I4/mmm with two formula units per unit cell. There is only one crystallographic site for Cu atoms, which form a double layer of CuO₅ pyramids. These compounds are not superconducting, but we show, using Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS) on iron doped samples and susceptibility measurements, that the Cu planes order antiferromagnetically. The hyperfine fields on iron nuclei at 4.2 K extend from 472 kOe for La₂SrCu₂O₆ to 501 kOe for Nd_1.9Sr_1.1Cu₂O₆. The ordering temperaturesT _N are: R20, 190, and 250 K for Ln=La, Pr and Nd, respectively.     

Banach algebras of singular integral operators with piecewise continuous coefficients. General contour and weight

The Banach algebra generated by one-dimensional linear singular integral operators with matrix valued piecewise continuous coefficients in the spaceL _p (,) with an arbitrary weight is studied. The contour consists of a finite number of closed curves and open arcs with satisfy the Carleson condition. The contour may have a finite number of points of selfintersection. The symbol calculus in this algebra is the main result of the paper.     

Acetylcholinesterase complexed with bivalent ligands related to huperzine a: experimental evidence for species-dependent protein-ligand complementarity

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors improve the cognitive abilities of Alzheimer patients. (-)-Huperzine A [(-)-HupA], an alkaloid isolated from the club moss, Huperzia serrata, is one such inhibitor, but the search for more potent and selective drugs continues. Recently, alkylene-linked dimers of 5-amino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinolinone (hupyridone, 1a), a fragment of HupA, were shown to serve as more potent inhibitors of AChE than (-)-HupA and monomeric 1a. We soaked two such dimers, (S,S)-(-)-bis(10)-hupyridone [(S,S)-(-)-2a] and (S,S)-(-)-bis(12)-hupyridone [(S,S)-(-)-2b] containing, respectively, 10 and 12 methylenes in the spacer, into trigonal TcAChE crystals, and solved the X-ray structures of the resulting complexes using the difference Fourier technique, both to 2.15 A resolution. The structures revealed one HupA-like 1a unit bound to the "anionic" subsite of the active-site, near the bottom of the active-site gorge, adjacent to Trp84, as seen for the TcAChE/(-)-HupA complex, and the second 1a unit near Trp279 in the "peripheral" anionic site at the top of the gorge, both bivalent molecules thus spanning the active-site gorge. The results confirm that the increased affinity of the dimeric HupA analogues for AChE is conferred by binding to the two "anionic" sites of the enzyme. Inhibition data show that (-)-2a binds to TcAChE approximately 6-7- and > 170-fold more tightly than (-)-2b and (-)-HupA, respectively. In contrast, previous data for rat AChE show that (-)-2b binds approximately 3- and approximately 2-fold more tightly than (-)-2a and (-)-HupA, respectively. Structural comparison of TcAChE with rat AChE, as represented by the closely related mouse AChE structure (1maa.pdb), reveals a narrower gorge for rat AChE, a perpendicular alignment of the Tyr337 ring to the gorge axis, and its conformational rigidity, as a result of hydrogen bonding between its hydroxyl group and that of Tyr341, relative to TcAChE Phe330. These structural differences in the active-site gorge explain the switch in inhibitory potency of (-)-2a and 2b and the larger dimer/(-)-HupA potency ratios observed for TcAChE relative to rat AChE. The results offer new insights into factors affecting protein-ligand complementarity within the gorge and should assist the further development of improved AChE inhibitors.