Catecholase activity of a copper(II) complex with a macrocyclic ligand: unraveling catalytic mechanisms

We report the structure, properties and a mechanism for the catecholase activity of a tetranuclear carbonato-bridged copper(II) cluster with the macrocyclic ligand [22]pr4pz (9,22-dipropyl-1,4,9,14,17,22,27,28,29, 30-decaazapentacyclo[22.2.1.1(4,7).1(11,14). 1(17,20)]triacontane-5,7(28),11(29),12,18, 20(30),24(27),25-octaene). In this complex, two copper ions within a macrocyclic unit are bridged by a carbonate anion, which further connects two macrocyclic units together. Magnetic susceptibility studies have shown the existence of a ferromagnetic interaction between the two copper ions within one macrocyclic ring, and a weak antiferromagnetic interaction between the two neighboring copper ions of two different macrocyclic units. The tetranuclear complex was found to be the major compound present in solution at high concentration levels, but its dissociation into two dinuclear units occurs upon dilution. The dinuclear complex catalyzes the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol to the respective quinone in methanol by two different pathways, one proceeding via the formation of semiquinone species with the subsequent production of dihydrogen peroxide as a byproduct, and another proceeding via the two-electron reduction of the dicopper(II) center by the substrate, with two molecules of quinone and one molecule of water generated per one catalytic cycle. The occurrence of the first pathway was, however, found to cease shortly after the beginning of the catalytic reaction. The influence of hydrogen peroxide and di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone on the catalytic mechanism has been investigated. The crystal structures of the free ligand and the reduced dicopper(I) complex, as well as the electrochemical properties of both the Cu(II) and the Cu(I) complexes are also reported.     

Evidence for two ferryl species in chloroperoxidase compound II

Using a combination of density functional calculations and M?ssbauer spectroscopy, we have examined chloroperoxidase compound II (CPO-II). The M?ssbauer spectrum of CPO-II suggests the presence of two distinct ferryl species in an approximately 70:30 ratio. Density functional calculations and cryogenic reduction and annealing experiments allow us to assign the major species as an Fe(IV)OH intermediate. The M?ssbauer parameters of the minor component are indicative of an authentic iron(IV)oxo species, but we have found the 70:30 ratio to be pH invariant. The unchanging ratio of component concentrations is in agreement with CPO-II's visible absorption spectrum, which shows no change over the enzyme's range of pH stability.     

Production of Ethanol and Feed by High Dry Matter Hydrolysis and Fermentation of Palm Kernel Press Cake

Palm kernel press cake (PKC) is a residue from palm oil extraction presently only used as a low protein feed supplement. PKC contains 50% fermentable hexose sugars present in the form of glucan and mainly galactomannan. This makes PKC an interesting feedstock for processing into bioethanol or in other biorefinery processes. Using a combination of mannanase, β-mannosidase, and cellulases, it was possible without any pretreatment to hydrolyze PKC at solid concentrations of 35% dry matter with mannose yields up to 88% of theoretical. Fermentation was tested using Saccharomyces cerevisiae in both a separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) setup. The hydrolysates could readily be fermented without addition of nutrients and with average fermentation yields of 0.43?±?0.02 g/g based on consumed mannose and glucose. Employing SSF, final ethanol concentrations of 70 g/kg was achieved in 216 h, corresponding to an ethanol yield of 70% of theoretical or 200 g ethanol/kg PKC. Testing various enzyme mixtures revealed that including cellulases in combination with mannanases significantly improved ethanol yields. Processing PKC to ethanol resulted in a solid residue enriched in protein from 17% to 28%, a 70% increase, thereby potentially making a high-protein containing feed supplement.     

Preparation and structural properties of 7,8-dioxa[6]helicenes and 7a,14c-dihydro-7,8-dioxa[6]helicenes.

The potentially chiral 7,8-dioxa[6]helicenes 1-1c have been prepared by oxidation of their precursors the 7a,14c-dihydro-7,8-dioxa[6]helicenes 3. The crystal structure determination of 3b cis-7a,14c-dihydro-3,12-dibromo-7,8-dioxa[6]helicene unambiguously confirms the cis configuration of the 7a,-14c hydrogens in compounds 3 as previously implied from NMR measurements and also shows that 3b crystallizes in a chiral conformation in the solid state. Selective deuteration of the sterically crowded 1,14 positions of 7,8-dioxa[6]helicene 1 influenced the crystal structure. The deuterium labeled compound D2-1 exhibits a disordered structure, whereas 1 had been found to crystallize in a complex structure which can be described as an analogous partly ordered modulated superstructure. When dehydrogenation of compound 3 to obtain compound 1 was attempted, harsh synthetic conditions gave the unexpected halogenated compounds 5-chloro-7,8-dioxa[6]helicene 1c and cis-7a,14c-dibromo-7,8-dioxa[6]helicene 3c. Compounds 1d and 3b were identified by solving their crystal structure.     

Numerical simulation of flow of viscoelastic fluids

The paper deals with the numerical calculation of highly viscous, non-newtonian fluid flows in apparatus of mechanical engineering. We use a differential constitutive equation to approximate the real behaviour of technical fluids like polymer melts. By means of calculated flow examples in two and three dimensional geometries we demonstrate the influence of the non-newtonian behaviour. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Electromagnetic moments of short lived β emitters 21F, 23Mg, 27Si and 39Ca

The β-NMR spectra of ²¹F, ²³Mg, ²⁷Si and ³⁹Ca which were produced in heavy ion collisions and implanted in various crystals have been observed. The magnetic moments of ²¹F and ²⁷Si were determined to be |μ(²¹F)| = 3.9194 ± 0.0012 μ_N and |μ(²⁷Si)| = 0.8653 ± 0.0003 μ_N, respectively. The electric quadrupole coupling constants were determined for the first time to be |eqQ(²¹F in MgF₂)/h|= 9.94 ± 0.09 MHz, |eqQ(²³Mg in MgF₂)/h|= 1.96 ± 0.06 MHz, |eqQ(²⁷Si in Al₂O₃)/h|= 1.90 ± 0.12 MHz, |eqQ(³⁹Ca in CaCO₃)/h|= 0.60 ± 0.04 MHz. From the present eqQ/h, the Q moments were deduced as |Q(²¹F)|= 110 ± 22 mb, |Q(²³Mg)|= 114 ± 3 mb, |Q(²⁷Si)|= 60 ± 13 mb and |Q(³⁹Ca)|= 36± 7 mb. The present data were compared with the theoretical values obtained by the OXBASH shell model code. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Syntheses and Crystal Structures of Rb2B2Se7, Tl2B2Se7, Cs3B3Se10, and Tl3B3Se10: New Perseleno‐selenoborates with Polymeric Anionic Chains

The perseleno‐selenoborates Rb₂B₂Se₇ and Cs₃B₃Se₁₀ were prepared from the metal selenides, amorphous boron and selenium, the thallium perseleno‐selenoborates Tl₂B₂Se₇ and Tl₃B₃Se₁₀ directly from the elements in evacuated carbon coated silica tubes by solid state reactions at temperatures between 920 K and 950 K. All structures were refined from single crystal X‐ray diffraction data. The isotypic perseleno‐selenoborates Rb₂B₂Se₇ and Tl₂B₂Se₇ crystallize in the monoclinic space group I 2/a (No. 15) with lattice parameters a = 12.414(3) Å, b = 7.314(2) Å, c = 14.092(3) Å, β = 107.30(3)°, and Z = 4 for Rb₂B₂Se₇ and a = 11.878(2) Å, b = 7.091(2) Å, c = 13.998(3) Å, β = 108.37(3)° with Z = 4 for Tl₂B₂Se₇. The isotypic perseleno‐selenoborates Cs₃B₃Se₁₀ and Tl₃B₃Se₁₀ crystallize in the triclinic space group P1 (Cs₃B₃Se₁₀: a = 7.583(2) Å, b = 8.464(2) Å, c = 15.276(3) Å, α = 107.03(3)°, β = 89.29(3)°, γ = 101.19(3)°, Z = 2, (non‐conventional setting); Tl₃B₃Se₁₀: a = 7.099(2) Å, b = 8.072(2) Å, c = 14.545(3) Å, α = 105.24(3)°, β = 95.82(3)°, γ = 92.79(3)°, and Z = 2). All crystal structures contain polymeric anionic chains of composition ([B₂Se₇]^2–)_n or ([B₃Se₁₀]^3–)_n formed by spirocyclically fused non‐planar five‐membered B₂Se₃ rings and six‐membered B₂Se₄ rings in a molar ratio of 1 : 1 or 2 : 1, respectively. All boron atoms have tetrahedral coordination with corner‐sharing BSe₄ tetrahedra additionally connected via Se–Se bridges. The cations are situated between three polymeric anionic chains leading to a nine‐fold coordination of the rubidium and thallium cations by selenium in M₂B₂Se₇ (M = Rb, Tl). Coordination numbers of Cs⁺ (Tl⁺) in Cs₃B₃Se₁₀ (Tl₃B₃Se₁₀) are 12(11) and 11(9).     

Syntheses,Crystal Structures,and Properties of the Novel Thioborates KBa4(BS3)3 and K4Ba11(BS3)8S

Our systematic studies on quaternary thioborates containing both a comparably small alkali metal ion and a large alkaline earth cation lead to the two new crystalline phases KBa₄(BS₃)₃ and K₄Ba₁₁(BS₃)₈S. The former consists of isolated BS₃ units and the corresponding counter‐ions while in the latter BS₃^3– and S^2– anions coexist. In both compounds boron is found in a trigonal‐planar coordination, in the case of K₄Ba₁₁(BS₃)₈S the additional sulfide anions are located inside an octahedron built of six barium cations. The two compounds were prepared in solid state reactions from the metal sulfides, amorphous boron and sulfur. Evacuated carbon coated silica tubes were used as reaction vessels since temperatures up to 870 K were applied. KBa₄(BS₃)₃ crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C 2/c (no. 15) with a = 14.299(6) Å, b = 8.808(3) Å, c = 13.656(5) Å, β = 98.72(4)°, and Z = 4, while for K₄Ba₁₁(BS₃)₈S the trigonal space group R 3 c (no. 167) was found with a = 18.146(3) Å, c = 25.980(7) Å, and Z = 6. X‐ray powder patterns are compared to calculated diffraction data obtained from single crystal X‐ray structure determination, in the case of K₄Ba₁₁(BS₃)₈S vibrational spectra were recorded.     

Novel Alkaline Earth Metal Chalcogenoborates: Syntheses and Crystal Structures of Sr4.2Ba2.8(BS3)4S and Ba7(BSe3)4Se

Systematic studies on quaternary thio‐ and selenoborates containing heavier alkaline earth metal cations led to the two new isotypic crystalline phases Sr_4.2Ba_2.8(BS₃)₄S and Ba₇(BSe₃)₄Se. Both compounds consist of trigonal‐planar BQ₃ (Q = S, Se) units, isolated Q^2– anions and the corresponding counter‐ions. The two new chalcogenoborates were prepared in solid state reactions from the metal sulfides (selenides), amorphous boron and sulfur (selenium). Evacuated carbon coated silica tubes were used as reaction vessels since temperatures up to 870 K were applied. Sr_4.2Ba_2.8(BS₃)₄S and Ba₇(BSe₃)₄Se crystallize in the monoclinic space group C2/c (no. 15) with a = 9.902(3) Å, b = 23.504(9) Å, c = 9.884(3) Å, β = 90.01(3)° and Z = 4 in the case of the thioborate, while for the selenoborate the lattice parameters a = 10.513(2) Å, b = 25.021(5) Å, c = 10.513(2) Å, β = 90.10(3)° were determined. X‐ray powder patterns are compared to calculated diffraction data obtained from single crystal X‐ray structure determination.     

Novel Platinum(II) Complexes with Dipyridyl Containing Chelating Ligands and their Products with the Model Nucleobases 1‐Methylthymine and 1‐Methyluracil

The reactions of [Pt(dpma)(H₂O)₂]²⁺ (dpma = 2,2′‐dipyridylmethylamine) and [Pt(dpk)(H₂O)₂]²⁺ (dpk = 2,2′‐dipyridylketone) with the model nucleobases 1‐methylthymine (1‐MeT) and 1‐methyluracil (1‐MeU) were studied. Reaction products were characterized by ¹⁹⁵Pt NMR spectroscopy and by X‐ray structure analysis. The symmetric dpma and dpk diaqua complexes form dinuclear complexes with 1‐methylthymine, acting as secondary bridging ligand via its N3 and O4 donor atoms. [Pt₂(dpma)₂(1‐MeT)₂](ClO₄)₂ · H₂O ( 5 ) and [Pt₂(dpk)(dpk · H₂O)(1‐MeT)₂](PF₆)₂ · 4 H₂O ( 6 ) both show a head‐to‐head arrangement. Biological tests show a significant in vitro antitumor activity of [Pt(dpk)Cl₂] against the human glioma cell line U 87.