Highly selective synthesis of 1-(silyl)-1-(boryl)ethenes via a ruthenium-catalyzed silylative coupling reaction

An efficient silylative coupling of trisubstituted vinylsilanes with dialkoxy(vinyl)boranes is described. Under optimum conditions the reaction offers a selective route to 1-(silyl)-1-(boryl)ethenes, which are potentially attractive intermediates in organic synthesis     

On Chloralose-Cyclodextrin Complexes by <Emphasis Type="Italic">ESI</Emphasis>-Mass Spectrometry

α-Chloralose is a useful mild anaesthetic, providing stable but not deep anaesthesia. Host–guest complexes of α-chloralose with α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrin (CD) were studied using electrospray ionisation (ESI-MS) mass spectrometry and molecular modelling (MD). As it is currently administered, chloralose is transported in a convenient water-soluble complex, and released to react on a physiological level with the reactor sites. It is believed that the chloraloses (α and its isomer β) are encapsulated within the CD cavity. However, the ESI spectra did not reveal such the presence of inclusion compounds. Searching of alternative mechanisms of transportation of these anaesthetic agents, we found that outer-cavity complexes of inserted chloraloses, as found from MD calculations, do have a reasonable stability.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected issue number.     

O‐Benzyl‐N‐tert‐butoxy­carbonyl‐N‐methyl‐l‐tyrosine

The crystal structure of the title compound, alternatively called 3‐[4‐(benzyl­oxy)­phenyl]‐2‐(N‐tert‐butoxy­car­bonyl‐N‐methyl­amino)­propi­onic acid, C₂₂H₂₇NO₅, has been studied in order to ex­amine the role of N‐methyl­ation as a determinant of peptide conformation. The conformation of the tert‐butoxy­carbonyl group is trans–trans. The side chain has a folded conformation and the two phenyl rings are effectively perpendicular to one another. The carboxyl­ate hydroxyl group and the urethane carbonyl group form a strong intermolecular O—H?O hydrogen bond.     

Spherical Al-MCM-41 Doped with Copper by Modified TIE Method as Effective Catalyst for Low-Temperature NH3-SCR

Aluminum containing silica spherical MCM-41 was synthesized and modified with copper by the template ion-exchange method (TIE) and its modified version, including treatment of the samples with ammonia solution directly after template ion-exchange (TIE-NH₃). The obtained samples were characterized with respect to their chemical composition (ICP-OES), structure (XRD), texture (low temperature N₂ sorption), morphology (SEM-EDS), form and aggregation of deposited copper species (UV-vis DRS), reducibility of copper species (H₂-TPR), and surface acidity (NH₃-TPD). The deposition of copper by the TIE-NH₃ method resulted in much better dispersion of this metal on the MCM-41 surface comparing to copper introduced by TIE method. It was shown that such highly dispersed copper species, mainly monomeric Cu²⁺ cations, deposited on aluminum containing silica spheres of MCM-41, are significantly more catalytically effective in the NH₃-SCR process than analogous catalysts containing aggregated copper oxide species. The catalysts obtained by the TIE-NH₃ method effectively operated in much broader temperature and were less active in the side process of direct ammonia oxidation by oxygen.     

Dielectric anomaly in copper doped zinc sulphide

Unusually high values of dielectric constant of copper doped zinc sulphide powders have been obtained. They are discussed in terms of polarization catastrophe (PC) phenomenon. Because of the dependence both the hydrogen-like donor and effective mass approximation on the static dielectric constant of pure ZnS, the critical concentration of copper is lower for the hexagonal phase than for cubic one. This fact applied to the interpretation of our results, however, is heavily suppressed due to the unknown distribution of copper inside the crystallite. From the above reasons the strong dependence of the PC threshold on the real structure of the doped zinc sulphide is predicted.     

Catalytic Performance of Spherical MCM-41 Modified with Copper and Iron as Catalysts of NH3-SCR Process

Spherical MCM-41 with various copper and iron loadings was prepared by surfactant directed co-condensation method. The obtained samples were characterized with respect to their structure (X-ray diffraction, XRD), texture (N₂ sorption), morphology (scanning electron microscopy, SEM), chemical composition (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, ICP-OES), surface acidity (temperature programmed desorption of ammonia, NH₃-TPD), form, and aggregation of iron and copper species (diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy, UV-Vis DRS) as well as their reducibility (temperature programmed reduction with hydrogen, H₂-TPR). The spherical MCM-41 samples modified with transition metals were tested as catalysts of selective catalytic reduction of NO with ammonia (NH₃-SCR). Copper containing catalysts presented high catalytic activity at low-temperature NH₃-SCR with a very high selectivity to nitrogen, which is desired reaction products. Similar results were obtained for iron containing catalysts, however in this case the loadings and forms of iron incorporated into silica samples very strongly influenced catalytic performance of the studied samples. The efficiency of the NH₃-SCR process at higher temperatures was significantly limited by the side reaction of direct ammonia oxidation. The reactivity of ammonia molecules chemisorbed on the catalysts surface in NO reduction (NH₃-SCR) and their selective oxidation (NH₃-SCO) was verified by temperature-programmed surface reactions.     

Functional Protein Composition in Femoral Glands of Sand Lizards (Lacerta agilis)

Proteins are ubiquitous macromolecules that display a vast repertoire of chemical and enzymatic functions, making them suitable candidates for chemosignals, used in intraspecific communication. Proteins are present in the skin gland secretions of vertebrates but their identity, and especially, their functions, remain largely unknown. Many lizard species possess femoral glands, i.e., epidermal organs primarily involved in the production and secretion of chemosignals, playing a pivotal role in mate choice and intrasexual communication. The lipophilic fraction of femoral glands has been well studied in lizards. In contrast, proteins have been the focus of only a handful of investigations. Here, we identify and describe inter-individual expression patterns and the functionality of proteins present in femoral glands of male sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) by applying mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Our results show that the total number of proteins varied substantially among individuals. None of the identified femoral gland proteins could be directly linked to chemical communication in lizards, although this result hinges on protein annotation in databases in which squamate semiochemicals are poorly represented. In contrast to our expectations, the proteins consistently expressed across individuals were related to the immune system, antioxidant activity and lipid metabolism as their main functions, showing that proteins in reptilian epidermal glands may have other functions besides chemical communication. Interestingly, we found expression of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) among the multiple and diverse biological processes enriched in FGs, tentatively supporting a previous hypothesis that MHC was coopted for semiochemical function in sand lizards, specifically in mate recognition. Our study shows that mass spectrometry-based proteomics are a powerful tool for characterizing and deciphering the role of proteins secreted by skin glands in non-model vertebrates.     

Aryl H-phosphonates. 12. Synthetic and (31)P NMR studies on the preparation of nucleoside H-phosphonothioate and nucleoside H-phosphonodithioate monoesters

Transformation of nucleoside H-phosphonate monoesters into the corresponding H-phosphonothioate and H-phosphonodithioate derivatives and possible side-reactions that may accompany this process were studied using (31)P NMR spectroscopy. These provided new insight into a possible mechanism involved in this transformation and constituted the basis for development of efficient methods for the preparation of nucleoside H-phosphonothioate and nucleoside H-phosphonodithioate monoesters using readily available H-phosphonate monoesters as starting materials.