Structural variations of N-acetylneuraminic acid,part 19: Synthesis of both epimeric pairs of the 4-C-methyl- and 4-deoxy-4-C-methyl- as well as of the β-methylketoside of 4-deoxy-4-C-methylene-N-acetylneuraminic acid

Summary While the reaction of the 4-oxo-Neu 5 Ac derivative2 a with tributoxy methyl zirconate led exclusively to equatorial 4-C-methyl derivative3 a, the analogous reaction with tetramethyl zirconate yielded a 3:2 mixture of both diastereoisomeres3 a and4 a. After removal of protecting groups the 5-acetamido-3,4-dideoxy-4-C-methyl-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulosonic acid5 a and 5-acetamido-3,4-dideoxy-4-C-methyl-D-glycero-D-talo-2-nonulosonic acid6 a were obtained. The 4-C-methylene derivative was prepared by treatment of the same 4-oxo-derivative with CH₂I₂/Zn/Cp ₂ZrCl₂. Subsequent hydrogenation led to both epimeric 4-deoxy-4-C-methyl derivatives8 a and9 a. Final removal of protecting groups gave the 5-acetamido-3,4,5-trideoxy-4-C-methyl-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulosonic acid10 a respectively the 5-acetamido-2,7-anhydro-4-C-methyl-3,4,5-trideoxy-D-glycero-D-talo-2-nonulosonic acid11 a. The -methylketosides of the 4-deoxy-4-C-methyl- (16) and 4-C-methylene-Neu 5 Ac (15) were prepared via the peracetylated derivatives to obtain modell substrates for enzymatic studies. Thus all free acids were tested for inhibition of CMP-sialate synthease. Only the 4-C-methylene compound15 showed most unexpectedly a strong competitive inhibition of this enzyme.

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Strukturelle Abwandlungen an N-Acetylneuraminsäure, 19. Mitt.: Synthese der beiden Epimerenpaare der 4-C-Methyl- und 4-Deoxy-4-C-methyl- sowie des -Methylketosids der 4-Deoxy-4-C-methylen-N-acetylneuraminsäure. Verhalten gegenüber CMP-Sialat-Synthase

Zusammenfassung Während die Umsetzung des 4-Oxoderivates2 a mit (BuO)₃ MeZr ausschließlich zur equatorialen 4-C-Methylverbindung3 a führt, wurde bei der Reaktion mitMe ₄Zr ein 3:2-Gemisch der beiden Diastereomeren3 a und4 a erhalten. Das 4-C-Methylenderivat7 a wurde durch Reaktion derselben 4-Oxoverbindung mit CH₂I₂/Zn/Cp ₂ZrCl₂ erhalten. Eine anschließende Hydrierung (H₂-Pd/C) führte zu einem trennbaren Germisch der beiden 4-Deoxy-4-C-methylderivative8 a und9 a. Diese Verbindungen konnten durch das Entfernen der Schutzgruppen einerseits in die 5-Acetamido-3,4,5-trideoxy-4-C-methyl-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulosonsäure10 a und 5-Acetamido-2,7-anhydro-4-C-methyl-3,4,5-tridoxy-D-glycero-D-talo-2-nonulosonsäure11 a umgewandelt werden. Die Verbindungen Methyl-5-acetamido-4-C-methylen-3,4,5-trideoxy--D-manno-2-nonulopyranosidonat (15) und Methyl-5-acetemido-4-C-methyl-3,4,5-tridoxy--D-glycero-D-talo-2-nonulopyranosidonat (16) wurden als Modellverbindungen für enzymatische Untersuchungen über peracetylierte Zwischenstufen hergestellt. Überraschenderweise zeigte nur die 4-C-Methylenverbindung15 eine starke kompetitive Hemmung gegenüber CMP-Sialat-Synthase.

     

Assessment of corrosion resistance of surface-coated galvanized steel by analysis of the AC impedance spectra measured on the salt-spray-tested specimen

In the present work, corrosion resistance of surface-coated galvanized steel was quantitatively determined by an analysis of the alternating current (AC) impedance spectra measured on the salt-spray-tested specimen. To evaluate the corrosion resistance of the surface-coated galvanized steel, AC impedance spectroscopy was performed on the salt-spray-tested specimen previously exposed to salt-sprayed corrosive environment. From the analysis of the impedance spectra, the area fraction transient of white rust θ ₂(t) was theoretically derived from the equivalent circuit equation by using two fitting parameters. The values of the two fitting parameters were determined by fitting the empirical transient equations to the area fraction of the resin coating layer and to the total resistance obtained from the impedance spectra measured, respectively. From the analyses of θ ₂(t) for four kinds of surface-coated galvanized steels with various resin coating layers, it is indicated that as the values of the two fitting parameters decrease in the order of CP, GI, OD and OM (commercial trade names) specimens, the corrosion resistance increases in that order as well. Furthermore, from the quantitative comparison of the two fitting parameters with the polarization resistance of the upper resin coating layer R _p determined from the potentiodynamic polarization curve, it is suggested that the two fitting parameters decrease in value as well with increasing R _p.     

Second Dissociation Constant of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>Te and the Absorption Spectra of HTe<Superscript>–</Superscript>, Te<Superscript>2–</Superscript> and Te<Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>2–</Superscript> in Aqueous Solution

We have measured the second acid dissociation constant, K _2a , at several ionic strengths for hydrogen telluride (H₂Te) using the Charge Transfer to Solvent (CTTS) uv spectra of its anions HTe⁻ and Te²⁻. Since it is produced in our solutions, we have also determined the spectra of Te₂ ²⁻ both in the uv and in the visible regions. At 25 ^∘C, K _2a = (1.28 ± 0.02) × 10⁻¹² by extrapolation to zero ionic strength. Its value at an ionic strength equal to 0.5 mol.dm^-3 was estimated to be (8.7 ± 0.2) × 10⁻¹². The solution thermodynamics of these species are also discussed and comparisons are made to related acids.     

Standard molar enthalpy of formation of CH<Subscript>3</Subscript>(CH<Subscript>3</Subscript>SCH<Subscript>2</Subscript>)SO,methyl methylthiomethyl sulfoxide

Summary The standard molar enthalpy of formation of methyl methylthiomethyl sulfoxide, CH₃(CH₃SCH₂)SO, at T=298.15 K in the liquid state was determined to be -199.4±1.5 kJ mol^-1 by means of oxygen rotating-bomb combustion calorimetry.     

Photocontrol of DNA binding specificity of a miniature engrailed homeodomain

Control of DNA binding of HDH-3, a 18-residue polypeptide based on the recognition helix of the Q50K engrailed homeodomain, has been achieved. HDH-3 was linked to an azobenzene cross-linker through two cysteine residues in an i, i + 11 spacing. For the thermodynamically stable trans configuration of the cross-linker, the dark-adapted peptide (dad-HDH-3) adopted a mainly alpha-helical structure as judged by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. After irradiation with light of 360 nm, the helical content of the peptide (irrad-HDH-3) was reduced significantly and the CD spectrum of the irradiated peptide resembled that of the largely unstructured, unalkylated peptide. Despite lacking helices-1 and -2 and the N-terminal arm of Q50K engrailed, dad-HDH-3 bound to its natural DNA target sequence TAATCC (QRE) with high affinity (K(D) = 7.5 +/- 1.3 nM). The binding affinity for the mutant DNA sequence, TAATTA (ERE), was reduced significantly (K(D) = 140 +/- 11 nM). Unlike irrad-HDH-3, which like the unalkylated parent peptide displayed only marginal DNA binding specificity, dad-HDH-3 specified base pairs 5 and 6 of QRE with an accuracy rivaling that of the intact wild-type Q50K engrailed homeodomain, making dad-HDH-3 the most specific designed DNA binding miniature homeodomain reported to date. Moreover, DNA binding affinity and specificity of HDH-3 could be controlled externally by irradiation with light.     

Thermokinetics on the reaction of formation of Dy[(C<Subscript>5</Subscript>H<Subscript>8</Subscript>NS<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript>(C<Subscript>12</Subscript>H<Subscript>8</Subscript>N<Subscript>2</Subscript>)]

The enthalpy change of formation of the reaction of hydrous dysprosium chloride with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC) and 1,10-phenanthroline (o-phen?H₂O) in absolute ethanol at 298.15 K has been determined as (-16.12 ± 0.05) kJ?mol^-1 by a microcalormeter. Thermodynamic parameters (the activation enthalpy, the activation entropy and the activation free energy), rate constant and kinetics parameters (the apparent activation energy, the pre-exponential constant and the reaction order) of the reaction have also been calculated. The enthalpy change of the solid-phase reaction at 298.15 K has been obtained as (53.59 ± 0.29) kJ?mol^t-1 by a thermochemistry cycle. The values of the enthalpy change of formation both in liquid-phase and solid-phase reaction indicated that the complex could only be synthesized in liquid-phase reaction.     

Controlling the DNA binding specificity of bHLH proteins through intramolecular interactions

Reversible control of the conformation of proteins was employed to probe the relationship between flexibility and specificity of the basic helix-loop-helix protein MyoD. A fusion protein (apaMyoD) was designed where the basic DNA binding helix of MyoD was stablized by an amino-terminal extension with a sequence derived from the bee venom peptide apamin. The disulfide-stabilized helix from apamin served as a nucleus for a helix that extended for a further ten residues, thereby holding apaMyoD's DNA recognition helix in a predominantly alpha-helical conformation. The thermal stability of the DNA complexes of apaMyoD was increased by 13 degrees C relative to MyoD-bHLH. Measurements of the fluorescence anisotropy change on DNA binding indicated that apaMyoD bound to E-box-containing DNA sequences with enhanced affinity relative to MyoD-bHLH. Consequently, the DNA binding specificity of apaMyoD was increased 10-fold.     

Period-doubling and chaotic oscillations in the ferroin-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction in a CSTR

The ferroin-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinsky(BZ) reaction,the oxidation of malonic acid by acidic bromate,is the most commonly investigated chemical system for understanding spatial pattern forma-tion. Various oscillatory behaviors were found from such as mixed-mode and simple period-doubling oscillations and chaos on both Pt electrode and Br-ISE at high flow rates to mixed-mode oscillations on Br-ISE only at low flow rates. The complex dynamic behaviors were qualitatively reproduced with a two-cycle coupling model proposed initially by Gy?rgyi and Field. This investigation offered a proper medium for studying pattern formation under complex temporal dynamics. In addition,it also shows that complex oscillations and chaos in the BZ reaction can be extended to other bromate-driven nonlinear reaction systems with different metal catalysts.     

Eu<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-fluorescence properties in nano-crystallized SnO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> glass-ceramics

Fluorescence and spectral hole burning properties of Eu³⁺ ions were studied in nanocrystals-precipitated SnO₂-SiO₂ glasses. The glasses were prepared to contain various amount of Eu₂O₃ using the sol-gel method, in which SnO₂ nanocrystals were precipitated by heating in air. In the glasses containing Eu₂O₃ less than 1%, the Eu³⁺ ions were preferentially doped in the SnO₂ nanocrystals and their fluorescence intensities were enhanced by the energy transfer due to the recombination of electrons and holes excited in SnO₂ crystals. The SnO₂ nanocrystals-precipitated glasses exhibited the persistent spectral holes with the depth of ∼25% of the total fluorescence intensities of the Eu³⁺ ions. With the increasing Eu₂O₃ concentration, the amount of SnO₂ nanocrystals decreased and the Sn⁴⁺ ions formed the random glass structure together with the silica network. This structure change induced the fluorescence intensities and the hole depth to decrease.     

Mesoporous amorphous MnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> as electrode material for supercapacitor

A kind of novel mesoporous, electrochemical active material, amorphous MnO₂ has been synthesized by an improved reduction reaction and using supramolecular as template. The synthesized sample was characterized physically by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurement, respectively. Electrochemical characterization was performed using cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometry in 2 mol/l KOH aqueous solution electrolyte. The results of BET and TEM analysis indicated that supramolecular template plays an important role in the process of big specific surface area mesoporous material forming. After sintering at 200 °C, the sample still remained an amorphous structure, and its specific capacitance reached 298.7 F/g and presented a very stable capacitance after 500 cycles. In addition, the electrochemical process, such as ion transfer and electrical condition, was also investigated with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.