A highly stable quadruply hydrogen-bonded heterocomplex useful for supramolecular polymer blends

The butyl urea of guanosine (UG) presents an ADDA hydrogen-bonding array that is complementary to the DAAD array of 2,7-diamido-1,8-naphthyridine (DAN). The stability of the DAN.UG complex was measured by fluorimetry using the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the naphthyridine ring to a coumarin 343 moiety linked covalently to the UG unit. The quadruply hydrogen-bonded complex is extremely stable with a measured association constant, Kassoc, of 3 x 108 M-1. Unlike related hydrogen-bonding modules, the guanosine urea, UG, contains a relatively fixed tautomeric form and only weakly self-associates (Kdimer = ca. 200 M-1). The DAN unit was linked to a styrene-based monomer and copolymerized with styrene to form a polymer (PS-DAN) containing a controlled number of the DAAD recognition units. Likewise, a methacrylate monomer containing the UG unit was copolymerized with butyl methacrylate to form a polymer (PBMA-UG). Blends formed from PS-DAN and PBMA-UG were characterized by DSC, SEC, and viscometry. The importance of selective heterocomplexation and weak self-association in forming the blended networks was demonstrated by using a ureidopyrimidinone (UPy) unit, which also forms strong heterocomplexes with DAN but is able to strongly self-associate.     

Highly selective entry to the azadirachtin skeleton via a Claisen rearrangement/radical cyclization sequence

[formula: see text] A highly diastereoselective, microwave-induced Claisen rearrangement of an appropriately substituted propargylic enol ether allows the formation of the sterically congested C8-C14 bond of azadirachtin. When combined with a radical-mediated cyclization of the corresponding allene, this sequence offers rapid entry to the framework of azadirachtin.     

Oxidation Kinetics of the Potent Insulin Mimetic Agent Bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV) (BMOV) in Water and in Methanol

The kinetics of oxidation of bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV), BMOV or VO(ma)(2), by dioxygen have been studied by UV-vis spectroscopy in both MeOH and H(2)O media. The VO(ma)(2):O(2) stoichiometry was 4:1. In aqueous solution, the pH-dependent rate of the VO(ma)(2)/O(2) reaction to generate cis-[VO(2)(ma)(2)](-) is attributed to the deprotonation of coordinated H(2)O, the deprotonated species [VO(ma)(2)(OH)](-) being more easily oxidized (k(OH) = 0.39 M(-)(1) s(-)(1), 25 degrees C) than the neutral form VO(ma)(2)(H(2)O) (k(H)()2(O) = 0.08 M(-)(1) s(-)(1), 25 degrees C). The activation parameters for the two second-order reactions in aqueous solution were deduced from variable temperature kinetic measurements. In MeOH, VO(ma)(2) was oxidized by dioxygen to cis-VO(OMe)(ma)(2), whose structure was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction; the crystals were monoclinic, C2/c, with a = 28.103(1) ?, b = 7.721(2) ?, c = 13.443(2) ?, beta = 94.290(7) degrees, and Z = 8. The structure was solved by Patterson methods and was refined by full-matrix least-squares procedures to R = 0.043 for 1855 reflections with I >/= 3sigma(I). The kinetic results are consistent with a mechanism involving an attack of O(2) at the V(IV) center, followed by the formation of radicals and H(2)O(2) as transient intermediates.     

2 + 2] cross coupling of benzene and tropylium ligands in reductively activated piano stool complexes of Mn,Cr, and W

We have established cation/anion coupling reactions between the tropylium ligand in [M(eta7-C7H7)(CO)3]+ (M = Cr, W) and the reductively activated eta4-benzene ligand in [Mn(eta4-C6H6)(CO)3]- (3-) to form [M(CO)3(mu2-eta6:eta5-C7H7-C6H6)Mn(CO)3]; [Cr(CO)3(mu2-eta6:eta5-C7H7-C6H6)Mn(CO)3] can be further reduced to [Cr(CO)3(mu2-eta5:eta4-C7H7-C6H6)Mn(CO)3]2-, in which the tropylium and benzene ligands have undergone a [2 + 2] cross coupling reaction.     

The Donor-Acceptor-Acceptor Purine Analog: Transformation of 5-aza-7-deaza-1H-isoguanine (=4-aminoimidazo-[1,2-a]-1,3,5-triazin-2(1H)-one) to 2′-deoxy-5-aza-7-deaza-isoguanosine using purine nucleoside phosphorylase

A new synthesis is reported for 4-aminoimidazo[1,2-a]-1,3,5-triazin-2(1H)-one ( =5-aza-7-deaza-isoguanosine; 8 ), a purine analog that, when incorporated into an oligonucleotide chain, presents a H-bond donor-acceptor-acceptor pattern to a complementary pyrimidine analog. A protected ribose derivative was coupled to 8 to yield 4-amino-8-(β-D -ribofuranosyl)imidazo[1,2-a]-1,3,5-triazin-2(8H)-one ( =5-aza-7-deaza-isoguanosine; 11 ) after deprotection, Alternatively, direct synthesis of both the ribo derivative 11 and the corresponding deoxyribo derivative 17 as the β-D -anomers was achieved using the enzyme purine nucleoside phosphorylase in a one-pot reaction. This adapts a known synthetic approach to yield a new strategy for obtaining diastereoisomerically pure deoxyribonucleoside analogs on 1-gram scales.     

Syntheses of perfluorinated epoxides,diepoxides, and a novel rearrangement

t-Butylhydroperoxide/butyl-lithium is a good reagent for synthesis of epoxides and diepoxides from polyfluorinated-alkenes and-polyenes. This reagent and calcium hypochlorite both give a novel diepoxide 5 from perfluoro-3,4-dimethyl-2,4-diene 1; diepoxide 5 undergoes a novel rearrangement, at 200°C, to the corresponding 1,4-dioxine derivative 18. Possible mechanisms are discussed.     

Catalytic asymmetric carbohydroxylation of alkenes by a tandem diboration/Suzuki cross-coupling/oxidation reaction

[reaction: see text] Chiral nonsymmetric 1,2-diboron adducts are generated by catalytic enantioselective diboration. Oxidation of these adducts provides 1,2-diols in good yield. Alternatively, 1,2-diboron compounds may be reacted, in situ, with aryl halides wherein the less hindered C-B bond participates in cross-coupling. The remaining C-B bond is then oxidized in the reaction workup thereby allowing for net asymmetric carbohydroxylation of alkenes in a tandem one-pot diboration/Suzuki coupling/oxidation sequence.     

Minicomputer-controlled,background-subtracted anodic stripping voltammetry: evaluation of parameters and performance

A new minicomputer-controlled anodic stripping voltammetry technique is described. The technique uses differential voltammetry at one electrode, and uses a rapid data-averaging algorithm to avoid the need for scan averaging; this allows excellent sensitivities and short analysis times, with adequate reproducibilities. Both linear-scan and staircase waveforms are discussed in conjunction with the technique, and the approximate Roe—Toni theory for linear-scan voltammetry is shown to apply. The system response is investigated for film thickness, scan rate, deposition time, electrode rotation rate, and metal concentration. Results were used to optimize the sensitivity of the technique. The metal ions Cd, Pb and Cu could be determined in solutions as dilute as 1–10 pg/ml^-1 in 15 min. The viability of the technique in solutions showing a large background is also discussed, and a comparison is made with scan-averaged techniques.     

Trajectory studies of energy transfer: CH3NC with He,Xe, H2 and N2

A trajectory program was used to simulate the collisions of CH₃NC with He, Xe, H₂ and N₂. Calculated energy transfer is in accord with experiment. The pattern of CH₃NC vibrational mode energization is found to be noticeably non-random. The approximate sampling methods used in thermal unimolecular trajectory studies produce a more uniform state distribution.     

Mapping the binding site topology of amyloid protein aggregates using multivalent ligands

A key process in the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer''s and Parkinson''s diseases is the aggregation of proteins to produce fibrillary aggregates with a cross β-sheet structure, amyloid. The development of reagents that can bind these aggregates with high affinity and selectivity has potential for early disease diagnosis. By linking two benzothiazole aniline (BTA) head groups with different length polyethylene glycol (PEG) spacers, fluorescent probes that bind amyloid fibrils with low nanomolar affinity have been obtained. Dissociation constants measured for interaction with Aβ, α-synuclein and tau fibrils show that the length of the linker determines binding affinity and selectivity. These compounds were successfully used to image α-synuclein aggregates in vitro and in the post-mortem brain tissue of patients with Parkinson''s disease. The results demonstrate that multivalent ligands offer a powerful approach to obtain high affinity, selective reagents to bind the fibrillary aggregates that form in neurodegenerative disease.

Multivalent ligands offer a powerful approach to obtain high affinity reagents to bind the aggregates that form in neurodegenerative disease. Selectivity for different proteins was achieved by using different linkers to connect the head groups.