A new color of the synthetic chameleon methoxyallene: synthesis of trifluoromethyl-substituted pyridinol derivatives: an unusual reaction mechanism, a remarkable crystal packing, and first palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions

Addition of lithiated methoxyallene to pivalonitrile afforded after aqueous workup the expected iminoallene 1 in excellent yield. Treatment of this intermediate with silver nitrate accomplished the desired cyclization to the electron-rich pyrrole derivative 2 in moderate yield. Surprisingly, trifluoroacetic acid converted iminoallene 1 to a mixture of enamide 3 and trifluoromethyl-substituted pyridinol 4 (together with its tautomer 5). A plausible mechanism proposed for this intriguing transformation involves addition of trifluoroacetate to the central allene carbon atom of an allenyl iminium intermediate as crucial step. Enamide 3 is converted to pyridinol 4 by an intramolecular aldol-type process. A practical direct synthesis of trifluoromethyl-substituted pyridinols 4, 10, 11, and 12 starting from typical nitriles and methoxyallene was established. Pyridinol 10 shows an interesting crystal packing with three molecules in the elementary cell and a remarkable helical supramolecular arrangement. Trifluoromethyl-substituted pyridinol 4 was converted to the corresponding pyridyl nonaflate 13, which is an excellent precursor for palladium-catalyzed reactions leading to pyridine derivatives 14-16 in good to excellent yields. The new synthesis of trifluoromethyl-substituted pyridines disclosed here demonstrates a novel reactivity pattern of lithiated methoxyallene which is incorporated into the products as the unusual tripolar synthon B.     

Direct calculation of interconversion barriers in dynamic chromatography and electrophoresis: Isomerization of captopril

Dynamic capillary electrophoresis (DCE) and direct calculation of the rate constants of isomerization has been applied to determine the cis-trans isomerization barriers of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril. The separation of the rotational cis-trans isomeric drug has been performed in an aqueous 50 mM borate buffer at pH 9.3. Interconversion profiles featuring plateau formation, peak-broadening, and peak coalescence were observed. To determine the rate constants of the forward and backward reaction (k(cis-->trans) and k(trans-->cis)) of the isomerization process in dynamic capillary electrophoresis, a novel straightforward calculation method using the experimental parameters plateau height, h(plateau), peak width at half height w(h), the total migration times of the cis-trans isomers t(R) and the electroosmotic break-through time t(0) as well as the peak ratio of the cis-trans isomers is presented for the first time. From temperature dependent measurements the rate constants k(cis-->trans) and k(trans-->cis) and the kinetic activation parameters DeltaG( not equal), DeltaH( not equal), and DeltaS( not equal) of the cis-trans isomerization of captopril were obtained. From the activation parameters the isomerization barriers of captopril at 37 degrees C under basic conditions were calculated to be DeltaG( not equal) (cis-->trans) = 90.3 kJ.mol(-1)and DeltaG( not equal) (trans-->cis) = 90.0 kJ.mol(-1*).     

Atomistic Simulation Study of Calcium,Phosphate and Fluoride Ion Association to the Teleopeptide‐Tails of Collagen – Initial Steps to Biomineral Formation

The attachment of single ions to putative adsorption sites in the tails of collagen fibers is investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulations and discussed with respect to the very early steps of apatite/collagen biomineral formation. Our studies clearly demonstrate an increased flexibility of the tails of the triple‐helical collagen protein. Apart from the termini of the backbone, several side chains were also observed to be freely accessible to ion attachment from aqueous solution. The teleopeptide was systematically scanned for suitable adsorption sites for calcium, phosphate and fluoride ions. Association of these ions was then explored from potential of mean force calculations. The resulting energy profiles reveal a variety of favorable protein‐ion bonds and hint at the suitability of the collagen tails to promote apatite aggregation.     

Phase Transition and Crystal Structure of the Monomeric Europium(II) Thiolate Eu(SC36H49)2

Single crystal X‐ray diffraction of Eu(SC₃₆H₄₉)₂ has revealed a first order phase transition at a temperature of 119 K, that involves a reduction of the specific volume by 1 %. The transition corresponds to a doubling of the unit cell, as it is the result from reorientations of isopropyl groups that appear at peripheral sites of the organic ligands. It is argued that a denser packing is achieved at the expense of a less favourable conformation of one of the two crystallographically‐independent complexes in the low‐temperature phase. The Bond‐Valence method is used to show that interactions of equal strengths are present between europium and both sulphur atoms and both coordinating phenyl rings.     

Screening for library-assisted identification and fully validated quantification of 22 beta-blockers in blood plasma by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

A liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric assay with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LC-APCI-MS) is presented for screening for, library-assisted identification (both in scan mode) and quantification (selected-ion mode) of the beta-blockers acebutolol, diacetolol, alprenolol, atenolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol, bupranolol, carazolol, carteolol, carvedilol, celiprolol, esmolol, labetalol, metoprolol, nadolol, nebivolol, oxprenolol, penbutolol, propranolol, sotalol, talinolol and timolol in blood plasma after mixed-mode (HCX) solid-phase extraction (SPE) and separation by reverse-phase liquid chromatography with gradient elution. The validation data were within the required limits. The assay was successfully applied to authentic plasma samples allowing confirmation of diagnosis of overdose situations as well as monitoring of patients' compliance.     

Assessing weak intramolecular donor-acceptor interactions using 1H-117Sn J-HMQC spectroscopy

It is demonstrated that long-range nJ(1H,117Sn) coupling constants down to 0.3 Hz, can be accurately quantified from non-linear fitting of the sine modulation of the associated 1H-117Sn correlation cross-peak intensities sampled as a function of the heteronuclear antiphase coherence preparation time in the 1H-117Sn J-HMQC pulse sequence. The contribution of additional, undesired modulations is illustrated and assessed using the product operator formalism, and is traced back to contributions that arise from miss-setting of the wandering 180 degrees pulse angle in the constant time period. The power of the method and its use in the characterization of weak intramolecular donor-acceptor interactions are illustrated by the determination of long-range nJ(1H,117Sn) coupling constants of bis[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]tin derivatives, [Me2N(CH2)3]2SnR2 (', R = Me; 3, R = Ph; 4, R = t-Bu). By comparing these with the values found for the corresponding bis(4-methylpentyl)tin derivatives, [Me2CH(CH2)3]2SnR2 (2', R = Me; 3', R = Ph), which lack such interactions, the use of long-range coupling constants to detect intramolecular donor-acceptor interactions is evaluated. It is concluded that nJ(1H,117Sn) couplings up to six bonds through an organic carbon chain can be quantified, whether donor-acceptor interactions are present or not. Furthermore, evidence is presented that, when two scalar coupling pathways co-exist, the pathway involving an intramolecular donor-acceptor interaction can have opposite sign, thus decreasing the overall coupling constant to a value smaller than that actually measured in the absence of a donor-acceptor interaction, where only one coupling pathway is active. There is nevertheless clear numerical value discrimination in the series of compounds investigated between long-range couplings in derivatives without weak intramolecular donor-acceptor interactions and those where such interactions can exist.     

Adrenaline recognition in water

Host molecule 1 displays a high affinity in water towards catecholamines and especially related structures such as beta-blockers with extended aromatic pi-faces (up to 7x10(3) M(-1) for each single complexation step or 5x10(7) M(-2) for both steps). The amphiphilic structural design leads to an extensive self-association of host molecules through their aromatic flanks. Above a cmc (critical micelle concentration) of 3x10(-4) M, host 1 forms micelles that produce a favorable microenvironment for hydrophobic interactions with the included guest molecules. Electrostatic attraction of the ammonium alcohol by the phosphonate anions is thus combined with hydrophobic contributions between the aromatic moieties. Ionic hydrogen bonds with polar OH or NH groups of the guest enforce the non-covalent interactions, and finally lead to increased specificity. Both its affinity and its selectivity towards adrenergic receptor substrates are greatly enhanced if the receptor molecule 1 is transferred from water into a lipid monolayer. Catecholamines and beta-blockers lead to drastically different effects at concentrations approaching the micromolar regime. Especially beta-blockers with minute structural changes can be easily distinguished from each other. In both cases, extensive hydrophobic interactions with a self-associated and/or self-organized microenvironment are largely responsible for the observed high efficiency and specificity.     

Cellular logic with orthogonal ribosomes

The creation and use of unnatural molecules to control cellular function is a long standing goal of the chemical community, but in general, these efforts have been directed at finding molecules to inhibit or activate a particular molecular target or function, or to elicit a particular phenotype. Here we show that multiple unnatural molecules (orthogonal ribosomes) can be used combinatorially, in a single cell, to program Boolean logic functions. These experiments show how attention to the molecular specificity of noncovalent interactions between unnatural macromolecules allows the synthesis of complex function from the "bottom-up" in living matter.