Ligand discrimination in the reaction of nitrones with [PtCl2(PhCN)2]. Selective formation of mono-oxadiazoline and mixed bis-oxadiazoline complexes under thermal and microwave conditions

[2+3] Cycloaddition of nitrones to the nitrile ligands in the complexes cis- or trans-[PtCl2(PhCN)2] occurs under ligand differentiation and allows for selective synthesis of complexes of the type cis- or trans-[PtCl2(oxadiazoline)(PhCN)]. Microwave irradiation enhances the reaction rates of the cycloaddition considerably and further favours the selectivity towards the mono-cycloadduct with respect to thermal conditions, because the first cycloaddition is accelerated to a higher extent than the second one. Reaction of the trans-substituted mono-oxadiazoline complexes with a nitrone different from the one used for the first cycloaddition step gives access to mixed bis-oxadiazoline compounds of the composition trans-[PtCl2(oxadiazoline-a)(oxadiazoline-b)]. The corresponding cis-configured complexes, however, do not undergo further cycloaddition. All reactions described occur without isomerisation of the stereochemistry around the platinum center, independently of whether thermal or microwave heating is applied.     

Discrimination between peptide 3(10)- and alpha-helices. Theoretical analysis of the impact of alpha-methyl substitution on experimental spectra

Detailed spectral simulations based on ab initio density functional theory computations of the amide I and II infrared (IR) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra for Ac-(Ala)(4)-NH(2), Ac-(Aib-Ala)(2)-NH(2), and Ac-(Aib)(4)-NH(2) constrained to 3(10)- and alpha-helical conformations are presented. Parameters from these ab initio calculations are transferred onto corresponding larger oligopeptides to simulate the spectra for dodecamers. The differences between conformations and for different Aib substitution patterns within a conformation are reflected in observable spectral patterns where data are available. Simulated IR spectra show small frequency shifts in the amide I maxima between 3(10)- and alpha-helices, but the same magnitude shifts occur within one conformation upon Aib substitution. Thus, from a computational basis, the frequency of the amide I maximum does not discriminate between the 3(10)- or alpha-helical conformations. Calculated VCD band shapes for 3(10)-helices showed more significant changes in amplitude, with change in the fraction of Aib, than those for alpha-helices. Generally, with increasing Aib content, the overall amide I VCD intensity becomes weaker and the amide I couplet becomes more conservative, while the amide II VCD is less affected. Although the detailed band shape is shown to be sensitive to alpha-Me substitution, the basic pattern of amide I and II relative VCD intensities still differs between alpha- and 3(10)-helices and, as a consequence, successfully discriminates between them. These predictions are all borne out in experimental spectra of Aib, mixed Aib-Ala, and Ala-based helical peptides, where available.     

Analysing fluorobenzoate tracers in groundwater samples using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A tool for leaching studies and hydrology

A sensitive LC-MS-MS method for the direct determination and quantification of 15 fluorobenzoic acids (FBAs) was developed. FBAs are used as conservative tracers for hydrological modelling of water flow and in studies of pesticides and other xenobiotic compounds. The use of FBAs is discussed in relation to other tracers (bromide, chloride, uranine). The method covers mono-substituted fluorobenzoic acid, difluorobenzoic acid, trifluorobenzoic acid, and tetrafluorobenzoic acid. The general detection limit in ground water was 1 microg/l using electrospray ionisation and 20 microg/l using atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation. Analysis time was less than 10 min, small sample volumes were needed and no clean-up was required.     

Aqueous cholesteric liquid crystals using uncharged rodlike polypeptides

The aqueous, lyotropic liquid-crystalline phase behavior of the alpha-helical polypeptide, poly(N(epsilon)-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]acetyl-lysine) (1), has been studied using optical microscopy and X-ray scattering. Solutions of optically pure 1 were found to form cholesteric liquid crystals at volume fractions that decreased with increasing average chain length. At very high volume fractions, the formation of a hexagonal mesophase was observed. The pitch of the cholesteric phase could be varied by a mixture of enantiomeric samples L-1 and D-1, where the pitch increased as the mixture approached equimolar. The cholesteric phases could be untwisted, using either magnetic field or shear flow, into nematic phases, which relaxed into cholesterics upon removal of field or shear. We have found that the phase diagram of 1 in aqueous solution parallels that of poly(gamma-benzyl glutamate) in organic solvents, thus providing a useful system for liquid-crystal applications requiring water as solvent.     

Mechanistic implications for the formation of the diiron cluster in ribonucleotide reductase provided by quantitative EPR spectroscopy

The small subunit of Escherichia coli ribonucleotide reductase (R2) is a homodimeric (betabeta) protein, in which each beta-peptide contains a diiron cluster composed of two inequivalent iron sites. R2 is capable of reductively activating O(2) to produce a stable tyrosine radical (Y122*), which is essential for production of deoxyribonucleotides on the larger R1 subunit. In this work, the paramagnetic Mn(II) ion is used as a spectroscopic probe to characterize the assembly of the R2 site with EPR spectroscopy. Upon titration of Mn(II) into samples of apoR2, we have been able to quantitatively follow three species (aquaMn(II), mononuclear Mn(II)R2, and dinuclear Mn(2)(II)R2) and fit each to a sequential two binding site model. As previously observed for Fe(II) binding within apoR2, one of the sites has a greater binding affinity relative to the other, K(1) = (5.5 +/- 1.1) x 10(5) M(-)(1) and K(2) = (3.9 +/- 0.6) x 10(4) M(-)(1), which are assigned to the B and A sites, respectively. In multiple titrations, only one dinuclear Mn(2)(II)R2 site was created per homodimer of R2, indicating that only one of the two beta-peptides of R2 is capable of binding Mn(II) following addition of Mn(II) to apoR2. Under anaerobic conditions, addition of only 2 equiv of Fe(II) to R2 (Fe(2)(II)R2) completely prevented the formation of any bound MnR2 species. Upon reaction of this sample with O(2) in the presence of Mn(II), both Y122* and Mn(2)(II)R2 were produced in equal amounts. Previous stopped-flow absorption spectroscopy studies have indicated that apoR2 undergoes a protein conformational change upon binding of metal (Tong et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 2107-2108). On the basis of these observations, we propose a model for R2 metal incorporation that invokes an allosteric interaction between the two beta-peptides of R2. Upon binding the first equiv of metal to a beta-peptide (beta(I)), the aforementioned protein conformational change prevents metal binding in the adjacent beta-peptide (beta(II)) approximately 25 A away. Furthermore, we show that metal incorporation into beta(II) occurs only during the O(2) activation chemistry of the beta(I)-peptide. This is the first direct evidence of an allosteric interaction between the two beta-peptides of R2. Furthermore, this model can explain the generally observed low Fe occupancy of R2. We also demonstrate that metal uptake and this newly observed allosteric effect are buffer dependent. Higher levels of glycerol cause loss of the allosteric effect. Reductive cycling of samples in the presence of Mn(II) produced a novel mixed metal Fe(III)Mn(III)R2 species within the active site of R2. The magnitude of the exchange coupling (J) determined for both the Mn(2)(II)R2 and Fe(III)Mn(III)R2 species was determined to be -1.8 +/- 0.3 and -18 +/- 3 cm(-)(1), respectively. Quantitative spectral simulations for the Fe(III)Mn(III)R2 and mononuclear Mn(II)R2 species are provided. This work represents the first instance where both X- and Q-band simulations of perpendicular and parallel mode spectra were used to quantitatively predict the concentration of a protein bound mononuclear Mn(II) species.     

Salen Supported Molecular Borosilicates

Various Salen ligands (Salen( ^t Bu)H₂=N, N-ethylenebis(3,5-di-tertbutyl(2-hydroxy)benzylidenimine) were used to prepare borosilyl and -O bridged borosilyl compounds having the formula, L{B(OSiMe₃)₂}₂ (L=Salen( ^t Bu) (1), Salpen( ^t Bu) (2), Salben( ^t Bu) (3), Salhen( ^t Bu) (4) and L(BOSiMe₃)₂(-O) (L=Salen( ^t Bu) (5) and Salben( ^t Bu) (6)). In the case of 5 and 6 the formation of the B–O–B linkage takes precedence over the formation of a B–O–Si linkage. All of the compounds were characterized by Mp, elemental analysis, ¹H and ¹¹B NMR, IR, MS and in the case of 1, 2, and6 by X-ray crystallography.     

Functionalizable polycyclic aromatics through oxidative cyclization of pendant thiophenes

We present a general strategy for obtaining large sulfur-containing polycyclic aromatics from thienyl precursors through iron(III) chloride mediated oxidative cyclizations. By placing thienyl moieties in close proximity to adjacent arenes, we have directed the oxidized intermediates into controlled cyclization pathways, effectively suppressing polymer formation. Utilizing these cyclized compounds and their thienyl precursors, we have studied cyclization/polymerization pathways of polymers such as poly(2). The unsubstituted positions alpha to the sulfur atoms within these aromatic cores allowed for efficient halogenation and further functionalization. As a demonstration, we prepared a series of arylene-ethynylene polymers with varying degrees of chromophore aromatization and used them to probe the effects of synthetically imposed rigidity on polymer photophysical behavior. The symmetries and effective conjugation pathways within the monomers play a key role in determining photophysical properties. We observed that rigid, aromatized chromophores generally led to increased excited-state lifetimes by decreasing radiative rates of fluorescence decay.     

The chemistry of (1-azabuta-1,3-diene)tricarbonyliron(0) complexes

In this review, an overview of synthetic and structural aspects of 1-azabuta-1,3-diene complexes of iron is given and the reactivity of these complexes is discussed with regard to inorganic, organometallic, organic and stereochemical aspects of their chemistry. Their application in the synthesis of organic and organometallic target compounds, or as transfer reagents of the tricarbonlyiron(0) moiety is demonstrated.     

Synthesis of a short-chain fullerene dimer

The synthesis of a short-chain fullerene dimer via bifunctional cycloaddition is demonstrated. A mono-functionalised C₆₀ species is isolated, and has the potential for further organic functionalisation.