Hexafluorosilicates of bis(carboxypyridinium) and bis(2-carboxyquinolinium)

The preparation and characterization of three isomeric carboxypyridinium and carboxyquinolinium hexafluorosilicate salts is described. The salts of the general formulas (LH)₂[SiF₆] (I-III, L = 2-carboxypyridine, 3-carboxypyridine, 4-carboxypyridine) and (LH)₂[SiF₆]·2H₂O (IV, L = 2-carboxyquinoline) were prepared from the protonation reaction of the corresponding pyridine carbonic acid by the fluorosilicic acid. The compounds were characterized by IR, mass-spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis, solubility data, and in the case of III by X-ray crystallography. The relationship between the salts solubility and the H-bonding system was analysed.     

Gas phase synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of supramolecular networks with bromocorannulene: Similarities and differences with their corannulene analogs

The reactivity of bowl-shaped mono-bromocorannulene (C₂₀H₉Br) has been examined and compared with that of corannulene (C₂₀H₁₀). Although bromination of corannulene was shown to flatten the bowl and change its electronic properties, it has not affected the outcome of coordination reactions toward the avid Lewis acidic [Rh₂(O₂CCF₃)₄] complex. Two new products have the same composition [{Rh₂(O₂CCF₃)₄}_m · (C₂₀H₉Br)_n] where m:n = 1:1 (1) and 3:2 (2), as the corresponding corannulene-based analogs. The X-ray diffraction studies of 1 and 2 revealed 1D chain and 2D layered structures built on η²-coordination of rhodium(II) to rim carbon sites of the C₂₀H₉Br-bowl, similar to those of C₂₀H₁₀. While no essential difference is found in 2D structures, the local coordination environments of the [Rh₂(O₂CCF₃)₄] unit differ in their 1D complexes.     

Transfer of Electrophilic NH Using Convenient Sources of Ammonia: Direct Synthesis of NH Sulfoximines from Sulfoxides

A new system for NH transfer is developed for the preparation of sulfoximines, which are emerging as valuable motifs for drug discovery. The protocol employs readily available sources of nitrogen without the requirement for either preactivation or for metal catalysts. Mixing ammonium salts with diacetoxyiodobenzene directly converts sulfoxides into sulfoximines. This report describes the first example of using of ammonia sources with diacetoxyiodobenzene to generate an electrophilic nitrogen center. Control and mechanistic studies suggest a short‐lived electrophilic intermediate, which is likely to be PhINH or PhIN⁺.     

Synthesis,structure, electrochemistry,and photophysics of 2,5-dibenzylidenecyclopentanones containing in benzene rings substituents different in polarity

A series of cross-conjugated dienones was synthesized to study the dependence of physicochemical characteristics on the nature of substituents in the aromatic groups of symmetric cyclopentanone dibenzylidene derivatives. The structure of compounds was established by electronic, IR, and NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction study. All the compounds obtained possess the E,E-geometry. In the crystalline state, the arrangement of the dienone molecules is unfavorable for the intermolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition to take place. The low-temperature phases transition for unsubstituted diphenyl derivative of cyclopentanone was detected using variable-temperature X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. Oxidation and reduction potentials of the dienones were measured by cyclic voltammetry. Their dependence on the nature and placement of substituents in the benzene rings was demonstrated. A linear correlation (R = 0.9343) between the difference of electrochemical oxidation and reduction potentials and the energy of the long-wavelength absorption maximum was found, that allows us to recommend the use of the data obtained in the correlation analysis of other compounds of this class.     

Evaluation of the pH- and thermal stability of the recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the presence of sodium chloride

The thermal stability of recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFP) in sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions at different concentrations, pH, and temperatures was evaluated by assaying the loss of fluorescence intensity as a measure of denaturation. GFP, extracted from Escherichia coli cells by the three-phase partitioning method and purified through a butyl hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) column, was diluted in water for injection (WFI) (pH 6.0-7.0) and in 10 mM buffer solutions (acetate, pH 5.0; phosphate, pH 7.0; and Tris-EDTA, pH 8.0) with 0.9-30% NaCl or without and incubated at 80-95 degrees C. The extent of protein denaturation was expressed as a percentage of the calculated decimal reduction time (D-value). In acetate buffer (pH 4.84+/-0.12), the mean D-values for 90% reduction in GFP fluorescence ranged from 2.3 to 3.6 min, independent of NaCl concentration and temperature. GFP thermal stability diluted in WFI (pH 5.94+/-0.60) was half that observed in phosphate buffer (pH 6.08+/-0.60); but in both systems, D-values decreased linearly with increasing NaCl concentration, with D-values (at 80 degrees C) ranging from 3.44, min (WFI) to 6.1 min (phosphate buffer), both with 30% NaCl. However, D-values in Tris-EDTA (pH 7.65+/-0.17) were directly dependent on the NaCl concentration and 5-10 times higher than D-values for GFP in WFI at 80 degrees C. GFP pH- and thermal stability can be easily monitored by the convenient measure of fluorescence intensity and potentially be used as an indicator to monitor that processing times and temperatures were attained.     

Single-triggered AB6 self-immolative dendritic amplifiers

Self-immolative dendrimers are a unique class of molecules that are able to disassemble upon undergoing a specific triggering reaction through domino-like fragmentations. We have designed and synthesized a novel AB(6) self-immolative dendritic adaptor that amplifies a single cleavage event into the release of six reporter units. The disassembly mechanism is based on a specifically triggered cleavage event followed by elimination of a cyclic urea derivative and six consecutive quinone methide eliminations. The system was disassembled under both organic and aqueous conditions by either chemical or enzymatic triggering. Various reporter molecules and triggering groups were introduced onto the dendritic adaptor to obtaining sensor molecules with enhanced properties for diagnostics and imaging.     

Understanding the meaning of accuracy,trueness and precision

Clear definitions of basic terms, used to describe the quality of measurements, is essential for communication among scientists as well as when reporting measurement results to clients. Even if appropriate definitions are given in international standards and guidelines, the understanding of some basic terms sometimes proves difficult. The reasons for this are various, e.g., the same words being defined rather differently in encyclopaedias and in international standards as well as concepts, well established in some languages, that may be relatively new in other national communities and at large in the international one. Here we present a matrix intended to clarify the relationships between the type of error affecting an analytical measurement, the respective qualitative concepts (performance characteristics) and their quantitative expression.

Aggregation behaviour of a dirhamnolipid biosurfactant secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in aqueous media

The process of micelle formation, along with the formation of higher order aggregates, is described for a dirhamnolipid extracellular biosurfactant secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. As determined by surface tension measurements, at pH 7.4 the CMC of dirhamnolipid is 0.110 mM, whereas at pH 4.0 it falls to 0.010 mM, indicating that the negatively charged diRL has a much higher CMC value than the neutral species. Centrifugation and dynamic light scattering measurements show formation of larger aggregates at concentrations above the CMC. These aggregates have been shown by electron microscopy to be mainly multilamellar vesicles of heterogeneous size. X-ray scattering gave a value of 32 A for the interlamellar repeat distance of these vesicles. Taking into account the experimental data, a molecular modelling of the dirhamnolipid moiety has been carried out, which details the size of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions, and suggests the possible intermolecular interactions responsible for the stabilisation of dirhamnolipid aggregates. The relevance of this aggregation behaviour is discussed with respect to the molecular basis of its activities.     

Regioselectivity and mechanism of dihalocarbene addition to benzocyclopropene

Dihalocarbenes add regioselectively to aryl-substituted benzocyclopropenes to produce dihalobenzocyclobutenes. The regioselectivity of addition is not due to steric effects but depends on the electronic donor or acceptor ability of the substituent. B3LYP/6-31G* calculations show preferential :CCl2 addition to substituted benzocyclopropene through electrophilic attack on the benzocyclopropene pi-system (Ea = 1.1-2.4 kcal/mol) rather than C-C sigma-bond insertion into the cyclopropenyl moiety (Ea = 5-24 kcal/mol). pi-Addition proceeds regioselectively through a single transition state to xylylene intermediates or directly to benzocyclobutene products.