Metal phosphonates applied to biotechnologies: a novel approach to oligonucleotide microarrays

A new process for preparing oligonucleotide arrays is described that uses surface grafting chemistry which is fundamentally different from the electrostatic adsorption and organic covalent binding methods normally employed. Solid supports are modified with a mixed organic/inorganic zirconium phosphonate monolayer film providing a stable, well-defined interface. Oligonucleotide probes terminated with phosphate are spotted directly on to the zirconated surface forming a covalent linkage. Specific binding of terminal phosphate groups with minimal binding of the internal phosphate diesters has been demonstrated. The mixed organic/inorganic thin films have also been extended for use arraying DNA duplex probes, and therefore represent a viable general approach to DNA-based bioarrays. Ideas for interfacing mixed organic/inorganic interfaces to other bioapplications are also discussed.     

Mesoionic compounds VIII. Synthesis of 3-phenylsydnonyl substituted alkenes. Some new photochromic sydnones

The reactions of 3-phenylsydnonyllithium with a variety of ketones to afford tertiary carbinols 4a-4i and their subsequent dehydration to 4-(3-phenylsydnonyl) alkenes 5a-5i are discussed. Among the alkenes, 2-[4-(3-phenylsydnonyl)]propene ( 5b ) and 1-[4-(3-phenylsydnonyl)]-1-cyclohexene ( 5i ) were photochromic. A Wittig reaction between ethyl-4-(3-phenylsydnonyl)-ketone and methylenetriphenylphosphorane afforded the photochromic 2-[4-(3-phenylsydnon-yl)]-1-butene(5j).     

Structure du stearyl-velutinal,sequiterpenoide naturel de lactarius velutinus bert1.

Stearyl-velutinal, a new natural sesquiterpenoi̋d isolated from lactarius velutinus Bert., has the structure $\text{1}$; this very labile compound is responsible for the dark-blue reation of the fungus to the ‘sulfo-vanilic’ mixtures.     

Electroorganic synthesis. Reductive alkylation of functionalized 1,2-dithiole-3-thiones

Two-electron reduction of some substituted 1,2-dithiole-3-thiones 1 followed by alkylation of the dianionic intermediates leads through electrosynthesis to mixture of Z and E isomers of the corresponding substituted alkyl-(3-thioalkyl)-2-propenedithioates 2, 3 in satisfactory yield. The structure of those products was established by ¹³C and ¹H nmr and mass spectroscopy. The isomers ratios were determined by nmr spectroscopy.     

Fluorescence spectroscopy for monitoring deterioration of extra virgin olive oil during heating

The potential of fluorescence spectroscopy for characterizing the deterioration of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) during heating was investigated. Two commercial EVOO were analysed by HPLC to determine changes in EVOO vitamin E and polyphenols as a result of heating at 170°C for 3 h. This thermal oxidation of EVOO caused an exponential decrease in hydroxytyrosol and vitamin E (R²=0.90 and 0.93, respectively) whereas the tyrosol content was relatively stable. At the same time, amounts of preformed hydroperoxides (ROOH), analysed by an indirect colorimetric method, decreased exponentially during the heating process (R²=0.94), as a result of their degradation into secondary peroxidation products. Fluorescence excitation spectra with emission at 330 and 450 nm were recorded to monitor polyphenols and vitamin E evolution and ROOH degradation, respectively. Partial least-squares calibration models were built to predict these indicators of EVOO quality from oil fluorescence spectra. A global approach was then proposed to monitor the heat charge from the overall fluorescence fingerprint. Different data pretreatment methods were tested. This study indicates that fluorescence spectroscopy is a promising, rapid, and cost-effective approach for evaluating the quality of heat-treated EVOO, and is an alternative to time-consuming conventional analyses. In future work, calibration models will be developed using a wide range of EVOO samples.     

Characterization of Two Light-Harvesting Subunits Isolated from the Brown Alga Pelvetia canaliculata: Heterogeneity of Xanthophyll Distribution

The main light-harvesting fraction from Pelvetia canaliculata was isolated on a sucrose density gradient from digitonin-solubilized chloroplasts. After further solubilization by dodecyl maltoside, the bulk fraction was separated into two subunits by preparative isoelectric focusing. The more acidic brown fraction was mainly composed of 22 kDa polypeptides having an apparent pI of 4.55. Its pigment composition was very simple, containing chlorophyll (Chi) a, Chi c and fucoxanthin. The in vivo spectral properties of fucoxanthin, namely a shift in light absorption to the green and efficient energy transmission to Chi a, were conserved in this subunit. No xanthophyll associated with photoprotection was found in this band, even when obtained from photoinhibited thalli. The less acidic green band contained predominantly 22 kDa polypeptides that were resolved into numerous components by denaturing isoelectric focusing. Its pigment composition was more complex, containing, in addition, pigments of the so-called xanthophyll cycle. In photoinhibited thalli, about half of the violaxanthin was converted into antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin. All the pigments of the xanthophyll cycle were specifically associated with this subunit, and it may thus have a central role in the thermal dissipation of the absorbed light energy as postulated for light-harvesting complex II isolated from green plants.     

Further studies on dppm-stabilized mixed-metal clusters: X-ray structure of PdPtCoCl(CO)3(μ-dppm)2 1

The metalloligated mixed-metal cluster [PdPtCo₂(CO)₇(-dppm)₂] (2) (dppm = -Ph₂PCH₂PPh₂) possesses numerous potential reaction centers (e.g., metal(s), metal-metal bonds, CO, and dppm ligands) and this has previously led to an investigation of the site selectivity of reactions with nucleophiles. The exocyclic CO(CO)₄ fragment was substituted with a chloride ligand and the resulting chiral, triangular cluster PdPtCoCl(CO)₃(-dppm)₂ (4) has been structurally characterized. The Pd-Co and Pt-Co edges of this almost equilateral triangle are bridged by a dppm ligand, and two of the three carbonyls borne by the Co atom are semi-triply bridging above and below the plane of the metals. The Co(CO)₃P fragment behaves as an anionic 4-electron donor organometallic bridging group toward thed ⁹-d ⁹ Pd(I)-Pt(I) unit. Crystal data for4, monoclinic space groupP2₁/n with Z=4 in a unit cell of dimensionsa=12.291(3),b=19.321(4),c=23.680(5) Å,=100.05(2)°. The structure has been solved from diffractometer data by Patterson, Fourier methods and refined by full-matrix least squares on the basis of 3512 observed reflections (l>3) toR(F) andR _w(F) values of 0.059 and 0.061.Dedicated to Professor L. F. Dahl on the occasion of his 65th birthday, with our sincere congratulations and best wishes.     

Palladium-catalyzed cascade allylation/carbopalladation/cross coupling: a novel three-component reaction for the synthesis of 3,3-disubstituted-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans

A novel one-pot palladium-catalyzed cascade between 2-iodophenol, methyl bromomethylacrylate and an arylboronic acid provides an efficient access to heterocycles possessing the 3,3-disubstituted-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran skeleton via allylation/carbopalladation/Suzuki cross-coupling.     

Stereochemical Aspects in the Asymmetric Michael Addition of Chiral Imines to Substituted Electrophilic Alkenes

The Michael-type addition of chiral imines, derived from racemic alpha-substituted cyclanones and optically active 1-phenylethylamine, to electrophilic alkenes, in neutral conditions, constitutes one of the most efficient methods for the stereocontrolled construction of quaternary carbon centers. In order to create an additional stereogenic center at the alpha- or beta-position to the quaternary one, the behavior of a variety of alpha- and beta-substituted alkenyl acceptors was examined. In general, these additions are highly regioselective, the alkylation taking place predominantly, if not exclusively, at the more substituted alpha-side of the imine function; however, in some cases (electrophilic alkenes 28 and 49), significant amounts (10-15%) of regioisomeric adducts were obtained. With the exception of methyl propiolate 52, a remarkable control of the absolute configuration of the adducts were always observed with these Michael acceptors. According to the general rule we have previously proposed, the alkylation process takes place preferentially on the less hindered pi-face of the more substituted secondary enamine, in tautomeric equilibrium with the starting imine. An excellent diastereocontrol was always obtained by using the present alpha- and beta-substituted alkenes. These stereochemical outcomes can be interpreted by invoking that the reaction proceeds through a compact approach of the reactants, the hydrogen atom at the nitrogen center of the enamine being transferred to the alpha-vinylic carbon atom of the acceptor, concertedly with the creation of the C-C bond. In this respect the "endo-approach" 58, in which the electron-withdrawing group of the acceptor faced to the nitrogen atom of the enamine (case of acceptors 10, methyl methacrylate, 24, 28, 43, 47, and 49) largely prevails over the "exo-approach" 59 (case of acceptor 38). This predominant "endo-preference" can be reasonably interpreted in terms of a cooperative effect between steric and stereoelectronic factors.