A new strategy toward indole alkaloids involving an intramolecular cycloaddition/rearrangement cascade

The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction between an amidofuran moiety tethered onto an indole component was examined as a strategy for the synthesis of Aspidosperma alkaloids. Furanyl carbamate 23 was acylated using the mixed anhydride 26 to provide amidofuran 22 in 68% yield. Further N-acylation of this indole furnished 27 in 88% yield. Cyclization precursors were prepared by removing the carbamate moiety followed by N-alkylation with the appropriate alkyl halides. Large substituent groups on the amido nitrogen atom causes the reactive s-trans conformation of the amidofuran to be more highly populated, thereby facilitating the Diels-Alder cycloaddition. The reaction requires the presence of an electron-withdrawing substituent on the indole nitrogen in order for the cycloaddition to proceed. Treatment of N-allyl-bromoenamide 48 with n-Bu(3)SnH/AIBN preferentially led to the 6-endo trig cyclization product 50, with the best yield (91%) being obtained under high dilution conditions. The initially generated cyclohexenyl radical derived from 48 produces the pentacyclic heterocycle 50 by either a direct 6-endo trig cyclization or, alternatively, by a vinyl radical rearrangement pathway.     

Comparative Electrochemical and Photophysical Studies of Tetrathiafulvalene‐Annulated Porphyrins and Their ZnII Complexes: The Effect of Metalation and Structural Variation

A series of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)‐annulated porphyrins, and their corresponding Zn^II complexes, have been synthesized. Detailed electrochemical, photophysical, and theoretical studies reveal the effects of intramolecular charge‐transfer transitions that originate from the TTF fragments to the macrocyclic core. The incremental synthetic addition of TTF moieties to the porphyrin core makes the species more susceptible to these charge‐transfer (CT) effects as evidenced by spectroscopic studies. On the other hand, regular positive shifts in the reduction signals are seen in the square‐wave voltammograms as the number of TTF subunits increases. Structural studies that involve the tetrakis‐substituted TTF–porphyrin (both free‐base and Zn^II complex) reveal only modest deviations from planarity. The effect of TTF substitution is thus ascribed to electronic overlap between annulated TTF subunits rather than steric effects. The directly linked thiafulvalene subunits function as both π acceptors as well as σ donors. Whereas σ donation accounts for the substituent‐dependent charge‐transfer transitions, it is the π‐acceptor nature of the appended tetrathiafulvalene groups that dominates the redox chemistry. Interactions between the subunits are also reflected in the square‐wave voltammograms. In the case of the free‐base derivatives that bear multiple TTF subunits, the neighboring TTF units, as well as the TTF ^{? +} generated through one‐electron oxidation, can interact with each other; this gives rise to multiple signals in the square‐wave voltammograms. On the other hand, after metalation, the electronic communication between the separate TTF moieties becomes restricted and they act as separate redox centers under conditions of oxidation. Thus only two signals, which correspond to TTF ^{. +} and TTF²⁺, are observed. The reduction potentials are also seen to shift towards more negative values after metalation, a finding that is considered to reflect an increased HOMO–LUMO gap. To probe the excited‐state dynamics and internal CT character, transient absorption spectral studies were performed. These analyses revealed that all the TTF–porphyrins of this study display relatively short excited‐state lifetimes, which range from 1 to 20 ps. This reflects a very fast decay to the ground state and is consistent with the proposed intramolecular charge‐transfer effects inferred from the ground‐state studies. Complementary DFT calculations provide a mechanistic rationale for the electron flow within the TTF–porphyrins and support the proposed intramolecular charge‐transfer interactions and π‐acceptor effects.     

Statistical thermodynamics of bond torsional modes: tests of separable, almost-separable, and improved Pitzer-Gwinn approximations

Practical approximation schemes for calculating partition functions of torsional modes are tested against accurate quantum mechanical results for H(2)O(2) and six isotopically substituted hydrogen peroxides. The schemes are classified on the basis of the type and amount of information that is required. First, approximate one-dimensional hindered-rotator partition functions are benchmarked against exact one-dimensional torsion results obtained by eigenvalue summation. The approximate one-dimensional methods tested in this stage include schemes that only require the equilibrium geometries and frequencies, schemes that also require the barrier heights of internal rotation, and schemes that require the whole one-dimensional torsional potential. Then, three classes of approximate full-dimensional vibrational-rotational partition functions are calculated and are compared with the accurate full-dimensional path integral partition functions. These three classes are (1) separable approximations combining harmonic oscillator-rigid rotator models with the one-dimensional torsion schemes, (2) almost-separable approximations in which the nonseparable zero-point energy is used to correct the separable approximations, and (3) improved nonseparable Pitzer-Gwinn-type methods in which approaches of type 1 are used as reference methods in the Pitzer-Gwinn approach. The effectiveness of these methods for the calculation of isotope effects is also studied. Based on the results of these studies, the best schemes of each type are recommended for further use on systems where a corresponding amount of information is available.     

Physical-chemical aspects of protein corona: relevance to in vitro and in vivo biological impacts of nanoparticles

It is now clearly emerging that besides size and shape, the other primary defining element of nanoscale objects in biological media is their long-lived protein ("hard") corona. This corona may be expressed as a durable, stabilizing coating of the bare surface of nanoparticle (NP) monomers, or it may be reflected in different subpopulations of particle assemblies, each presenting a durable protein coating. Using the approach and concepts of physical chemistry, we relate studies on the composition of the protein corona at different plasma concentrations with structural data on the complexes both in situ and free from excess plasma. This enables a high degree of confidence in the meaning of the hard protein corona in a biological context. Here, we present the protein adsorption for two compositionally different NPs, namely sulfonated polystyrene and silica NPs. NP-protein complexes are characterized by differential centrifugal sedimentation, dynamic light scattering, and zeta-potential both in situ and once isolated from plasma as a function of the protein/NP surface area ratio. We then introduce a semiquantitative determination of their hard corona composition using one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and electrospray liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, which allows us to follow the total binding isotherms for the particles, identifying simultaneously the nature and amount of the most relevant proteins as a function of the plasma concentration. We find that the hard corona can evolve quite significantly as one passes from protein concentrations appropriate to in vitro cell studies to those present in in vivo studies, which has deep implications for in vitro-in vivo extrapolations and will require some consideration in the future.     

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for stable isotope tracer investigations

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has now been developed for application to stable isotope tracer investigations of several minerals/trace elements. Use of this method for such purposes requires an understanding of a number of fundamental issues: analytical chemistry performance of the method of isotopic analysis, relationship of the level of enriched isotope administered to the subject with background level of the isotope already present, the issues of cost, and finally the specific details of the biological issues to be explored.In this paper, a brief discussion of these issues is presented. As an example, the discussion is presented in relation to selected aspects of metabolism of selenium, employing the three stable isotopes⁷⁴Se,⁷⁷Se, and⁸²Se in the rat as the biological model.Analytical performance of hydride generation/ICP-MS is discussed for the required analyses of selenium isotopes. It is shown that for solutions containing 10 ng/ml Se of natural isotopic composition, optimized signal/background ratios greater than 40/1 can be obtained, resulting in worst-case detection limits (ng Se) of 2 (⁷⁴Se), and 0.6 (^77,82Se). The precision and accuracy of isotope ratio measurements for the method used routinely in biological studies is 1%. The accuracy of the method for quantitative isotopic analysis is compared with hydride generation/atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HG/AAS). The following results are given (g Se/g or ml; mean + 1 SD,n = 3–5; first HG/ICP-MS, second HG/AAS): SRM 1577a [bovine liver] 0.697 ± 0.002 versus 0.69 ± 0.01; human blood plasma 0.098 ± 0.001 versus 0.135 ± 0.008; human red cells 0.211 ± 0.002 versus 0.216 ± 0.012; and human urine 0.0473 ± 0.0003 versus 0.0489 ± 0.0003.An experiment is described with the rat to show the feasibility of the method for studies of selenium metabolism. Rats were placed on Se-free diet for eight weeks, given their Se requirements in the drinking water in the form of⁷⁶SeO ₃ ^2– and a single-day (day 3) replacement of their water with that containing highly enriched⁷⁴SeO ₃ ^2– . Isotopic analysis of carcass and selected organs revealed a high degree of isotopic enrichment with respect to⁷⁴Se during the entire eight weeks of the experiment, indicating the feasibility of this approach for detailed investigations of selenium metabolism in the rat.Presented in part at the 1989 European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry, Reutte, Austria     

Two‐dimensional coordination polymeric structures in caesium complexes with ring‐substituted phenoxyacetic acids

The two‐dimensional polymeric structures of the caesium complexes with the phenoxyacetic acid analogues (4‐fluorophenoxy)acetic acid, (3‐chloro‐2‐methylphenoxy)acetic acid and the herbicidally active (2,4‐dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4‐D), namely poly[[μ₅‐(4‐fluorophenoxy)acetato][μ₄‐(4‐fluorophenoxy)acetato]dicaesium], [Cs₂(C₈H₆FO₃)₂]_n, (I), poly[aqua[μ₅‐(3‐chloro‐2‐methylphenoxy)acetato]caesium], [Cs(C₉H₈ClO₃)(H₂O)]_n, (II), and poly[[μ₇‐(2,4‐dichlorophenoxy)acetato][(2,4‐dichlorphenoxy)acetic acid]caesium], [Cs(C₈H₅Cl₂O₃)(C₈H₆Cl₂O₃)]_n, (III), are described. In (I), the Cs⁺ cations of the two individual irregular coordination polyhedra in the asymmetric unit (one CsO₇ and the other CsO₈) are linked by bridging carboxylate O‐atom donors from the two ligand molecules, both of which are involved in bidentate chelate O_carboxy,O_phenoxy interactions, while only one has a bidentate carboxylate O,O′‐chelate interaction. Polymeric extension is achieved through a number of carboxylate O‐atom bridges, with a minimum Cs...Cs separation of 4.3231 (9) Å, giving layers which lie parallel to (001). In hydrated complex (II), the irregular nine‐coordination about the Cs⁺ cation comprises a single monodentate water molecule, a bidentate O_carboxy,O_phenoxy chelate interaction and six bridging carboxylate O‐atom bonding interactions, giving a Cs...Cs separation of 4.2473 (3) Å. The water molecule forms intralayer hydrogen bonds within the two‐dimensional layers, which lie parallel to (100). In complex (III), the irregular centrosymmetric CsO₆Cl₂ coordination environment comprises two O‐atom donors and two ring‐substituted Cl‐atom donors from two hydrogen bis[(2,4‐dichlorophenoxy)acetate] ligand species in a bidentate chelate mode, and four O‐atom donors from bridging carboxyl groups. The duplex ligand species lie across crystallographic inversion centres, linked through a short O—H...O hydrogen bond involving the single acid H atom. Structure extension gives layers which lie parallel to (001). The present set of structures of Cs salts of phenoxyacetic acids show previously demonstrated trends among the alkali metal salts of simple benzoic acids with no stereochemically favourable interactive substituent groups for formation of two‐dimensional coordination polymers.     

Asymmetric diosmium sawhorse complexes

Three asymmetric diosmium(I) carbonyl sawhorse complexes have been prepared by microwave heating. One of these complexes is of the type Os₂(μ‐O₂CR)(μ‐O₂CR′)(CO)₄L₂, with two different bridging carboxylate ligands, while the other two complexes are of the type Os₂(μ‐O₂CR)₂(CO)₅L, with one axial CO ligand and one axial phosphane ligand. The mixed carboxylate complex Os₂(μ‐acetate)(μ‐propionate)(CO)₄[P(p‐tolyl)₃]₂, ( 1 ), was prepared by heating Os₃(CO)₁₂ with a mixture of acetic and propionic acids, isolating Os₂(μ‐acetate)(μ‐propionate)(CO)₆, and then replacing two CO ligands with two phosphane ligands. This is the first example of an Os₂ sawhorse complex with two different carboxylate bridges. The syntheses of Os₂(μ‐acetate)₂(CO)₅[P(p‐tolyl)₃], ( 3 ), and Os₂(μ‐propionate)₂(CO)₅[P(p‐tolyl)₃], ( 6 ), involved the reaction of Os₃(CO)₁₂ with the appropriate carboxylic acid to initially produce Os₂(μ‐carboxylate)₂(CO)₆, followed by treatment with refluxing tetrahydrofuran (THF) to form Os₂(μ‐carboxylate)₂(CO)₅(THF), and finally addition of tri‐p‐tolylphosphane to replace the THF ligand with the P(p‐tolyl)₃ ligand. Neutral complexes of the type Os₂(μ‐O₂CR)₂(CO)₅L had not previously been subjected to X‐ray crystallographic analysis. The more symmetrical disubstituted complexes, i.e. Os₂(μ‐formate)₂(CO)₄[P(p‐tolyl)₃]₂, ( 8 ), Os₂(μ‐acetate)₂(CO)₄[P(p‐tolyl)₃]₂, ( 4 ), and Os₂(μ‐propionate)₂(CO)₄[P(p‐tolyl)₃]₂, ( 7 ), as well as the previously reported symmetrical unsubstituted complexes Os₂(μ‐acetate)₂(CO)₆, ( 2 ), and Os₂(μ‐propionate)₂(CO)₆, ( 5 ), were also prepared in order to examine the influence of axial ligand substitution on the Os—Os bond distance in these sawhorse molecules. Eight crystal structures have been determined and studied, namely μ‐acetato‐1κO:2κO′‐μ‐propanoato‐1κO:2κO′‐bis[tris(4‐methylphenyl)phosphane]‐1κP,2κP′‐bis(dicarbonylosmium)(Os—Os) dichloromethane monosolvate, [Os₂(C₂H₃O₂)(C₃H₅O₂)(C₂₁H₂₁P)₂(CO)₄]·CH₂Cl₂, ( 1 ), bis(μ‐acetato‐1κO:2κO′)bis(tricarbonylosmium)(Os—Os), [Os₂(C₂H₃O₂)₂(CO)₆], ( 2 ) (redetermined structure), bis(μ‐acetato‐1κO:2κO′)pentacarbonyl‐1κ²C,2κ³C‐[tris(4‐methylphenyl)phosphane‐1κP]diosmium(Os—Os), [Os₂(C₂H₃O₂)₂(C₂₁H₂₁P)(CO)₅], ( 3 ), bis(μ‐acetato‐1κO:2κO′)bis[tris(4‐methylphenyl)phosphane]‐1κP,2κP‐bis(dicarbonylosmium)(Os—Os) p‐xylene sesquisolvate, [Os₂(C₂H₃O₂)₂(C₂₁H₂₁P)₂(CO)₄]·1.5C₈H₁₀, ( 4 ), bis(μ‐propanoato‐1κO:2κO′)bis(tricarbonylosmium)(Os—Os), [Os₂(C₃H₅O₂)₂(CO)₆], ( 5 ), pentacarbonyl‐1κ²C,2κ³C‐bis(μ‐propanoato‐1κO:2κO′)[tris(4‐methylphenyl)phosphane‐1κP]diosmium(Os—Os), [Os₂(C₃H₅O₂)₂(C₂₁H₂₁P)(CO)₅], ( 6 ), bis(μ‐propanoato‐1κO:2κO′)bis[tris(4‐methylphenyl)phosphane]‐1κP,2κP‐bis(dicarbonylosmium)(Os—Os) dichloromethane monosolvate, [Os₂(C₃H₅O₂)₂(C₂₁H₂₁P)₂(CO)₄]·CH₂Cl₂, ( 7 ), and bis(μ‐formato‐1κO:2κO′)bis[tris(4‐methylphenyl)phosphane]‐1κP,2κP‐bis(dicarbonylosmium)(Os—Os), [Os₂(CHO₂)₂(C₂₁H₂₁P)₂(CO)₄], ( 8 ).     

Cyclic heterotetrameric and low‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded polymeric structures in the morpholinium salts of ring‐substituted benzoic acid analogues

The morpholinium (tetrahydro‐2H‐1,4‐oxazin‐4‐ium) cation has been used as a counter‐ion in both inorganic and organic salt formation and particularly in metal complex stabilization. To examine the influence of interactive substituent groups in the aromatic rings of benzoic acids upon secondary structure generation, the anhydrous salts of morpholine with salicylic acid, C₄H₁₀NO⁺·C₇H₅O₃⁻, (I), 3,5‐dinitrosalicylic acid, C₄H₁₀NO⁺·C₇H₃N₂O₇⁻, (II), 3,5‐dinitrobenzoic acid, C₄H₁₀NO⁺·C₇H₃N₂O₆⁻, (III), and 4‐nitroanthranilic acid, C₄H₁₀NO⁺·C₇H₅N₂O₄⁻, (IV), have been prepared and their hydrogen‐bonded crystal structures are described. In the crystal structures of (I), (III) and (IV), the cations and anions are linked by moderately strong N—H…O_carboxyl hydrogen bonds, but the secondary structure propagation differs among the three, viz. one‐dimensional chains extending along [010] in (I), a discrete cyclic heterotetramer in (III), and in (IV), a heterotetramer with amine N—H…O hydrogen‐bond extensions along b, giving a two‐layered ribbon structure. With the heterotetramers in both (III) and (IV), the ion pairs are linked though inversion‐related N—H…O_carboxylate hydrogen bonds, giving cyclic R₄⁴(12) motifs. With (II), in which the anion is a phenolate rather than a carboxylate, the stronger assocation is through a symmetric lateral three‐centre cyclic R₁²(6) N—H…(O,O′) hydrogen‐bonding linkage involving the phenolate and nitro O‐atom acceptors of the anion, with extension through a weaker O—H…O_carboxyl hydrogen bond. This results in a one‐dimensional chain structure extending along [100]. In the structures of two of the salts [i.e. (II) and (IV)], there are also π–π ring interactions, with ring‐centroid separations of 3.5516 (9) and 3.7700 (9) Å in (II), and 3.7340 (9) Å in (IV).     

Reswelling of polyelectrolyte hydrogels by oppositely charged surfactants

The interactions between charged alkylacrylamide gels of varying hydrophobicity and charge density and the oppositely charged surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium (C16TA+) have been investigated to determine the conditions necessary to induce excess surfactant binding (beyond charge neutralization) and resolubilization of the polymer-surfactant complex. In all cases, an initial gel collapse occurred due to neutralization of the charges in the gel, and the volume of the collapsed gel was smaller than that of the corresponding neutral gel at the same surfactant concentration, as a result of the formation of interchain micellar cross-links. For gels containing neutral repeating units that were found previously to bind C16TA+, a subsequent sharp reswelling of the gel network occurred, beginning at a critical surfactant concentration called the cac(2). The reswelling is due to binding of excess surfactant, which results in the gels becoming recharged. For gels whose neutral repeating units do not bind C16TA+, there was no reswelling behavior (no cac(2)), but there was a gradual increase of the swelling back to that of the equivalent neutral gel with increasing surfactant concentration. The results are interpreted in terms of the expected surfactant binding isotherm.