Hydroxyl radical probe of the calmodulin-melittin complex interface by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The calcium-dependent interaction of calmodulin and melittin is studied through the application of a radical probe approach in which solutions of the protein and peptide and protein alone are subjected to high fluxes of hydroxyl and other oxygen radicals on millisecond timescales. These radicals are generated by an electrical discharge within an electrospray ion source of a mass spectrometer. Condensation of the electrosprayed droplets followed by proteolytic digestion of both calmodulin and melittin has identified residues in both which participate in the interaction and/or are shielded from solvent within the protein complex. Consistent with other theoretical models and available experimental data, the tryptophan residue of melittin at position 19 is shown to be critical to the formation of the complex with the C-terminal domain of peptide enveloped by and protected from oxidation upon binding to the protein. Furthermore, the N-terminal domain (to residue 36) and tyrosine at position 99 in calmodulin are significantly protected from limited oxidation upon the binding of melittin while exposing the phenylalanine residue at position 92 of the flexible loop domain. The N-terminus (through residue 36) of calmodulin is shown to lie in closer proximity to the melittin helix than its C-terminal counterpart (residues 127-148) based upon the protection levels measured at reactive residues within these segments of the protein.     

New polycyclic diamine scaffolds from dimerization of 3-alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines in acidic medium

[reaction: see text] 3-Alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines dimerize in acidic medium, at low temperature, to give polycyclic imminium salts derivatives that were reduced to afford new polycyclic diamine scaffolds. The reaction can be extended to enantiopure series starting from R-(+)- or S-(-)-1-phenylethylamine. Long exposure of the polycyclic imminium salt intermediates to air moisture at 20 degrees C resulted in formation of new amide derivatives. This is probably due to the addition of water followed by an intramolecular oxido-reduction process.     

Improved synthesis of functionalized 5,6-dihydro-pyrimido[4,5-b][1,4]oxazepines

Novel synthetic approaches toward 5,6-dihydro-pyrimido[4,5-b][1,4]oxazepines were reported that led to successful introduction of poorly reactive anilines and various 2-hydroxybenzaldehydes to this therapeutically relevant scaffold. More extensive SAR studies on this scaffold hence became possible.     

On radial weighting effects in gaussian expansions of self-consistent field atomic orbitals

Gaussian expansions of the SCF functions for the first row atoms, boron through fluorine, in ground and low-lying electronic states have been generated under a wide range of radial weighting conditions by a full least-squares procedure. Typical results are presented and the quality of the wavefunctions obtained are analyzed in terms of regional electron densities and a variety of expectation values including energies. A novel method for recursive evaluation of repeated integrals of the error function, F _l (,), is adopted and analyzed. These integrals are central quantities in the least-squares procedure employed.

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Zusammenfassung Entwicklungen nach Gaußfunktionen für SCF-Funktionen von Elementen der ersten Reihe (Bor bis Fluor) wurden für den Grundzustand und niedrige angeregte Zustände einer Methode der kleinsten Quadrate berechnet, wobei eine Reihe von radialen Gewichtsfaktoren benutzt wurden. Einige typische Ergebnisse werden mitgeteilt und die Qualität der erhaltenen Wellenfunktion wird mit Hilfe von regionalen Elektronendichten und einer Reihe von Erwartungswerten sowie der Energie geprüft. Eine neue Methode für die rekursive Auswertung der mehrfachen Integrale der Fehlerfunktion F _l (, ) wird angewendet und analysiert. Diese Integrale sind von zentraler Bedeutung in der benutzten Methode der kleinsten Quadrate.

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Résumé Engendrement de représentations gaussiennes des fonctions SCF pour les atomes de la première ligne, du bore au fluor, dans les états électroniques fondamentaux et faiblement excités, avec un large éventail de conditions de pondération radiale obtenues par une procédure de moindres carrés. Des résultats typiques sont présentés et les qualités des fonctions d'onde obtenues sont analysées en fonction des densités électroniques par régions et de différentes valeurs moyennes dont les énergies. Adoption et analyse d'une nouvelle méthode pour l'évaluation récursive d'intégrales répétées de la fonction d'erreur F _l (,). Ces intégrales sont des quantités centrales dans les procédures de moindres carrés utilisées.

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Research performed under the auspices of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

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Summer student program participant, 1971, from Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pa.     

Molecular structures of two unexpected metal complexes obtained from additions of coordinated phosphines to acetylenes

The syntheses and structures of two new compounds are reported. The first compound, [Cr(CO)₄]₂[C₄F₂(PPh₂)₄], obtained from Cr(CO)₄(PPh₂H)₂ and CF₃CCF₃ in the presence of one equivalent of BuLi has a structure with the ligand 1,2,3,4-tetrakis(diphenylphosphino)-1,4-difluorobutadiene chelating to two Cr(CO)₄ groups via the 1,4 and 2,3 phosphine groups. A mechanism for the formation of this compound is suggested which involves sequential deprotonation of a phosphine, nucleophilic attack on the fluorocarbon, and fluoride ion elimination. The second compound, CrC₃₆H₂₈P₂O₇, arises from a similar base promoted reaction of Cr(CO)₄-(PPhH₂)₂ and PhCCCOOEt. Here the expected initial product from cyclization of these reactants acts as a nucleophile to attack a second equivalent of the acetylene. The intermediate carbanion from this reaction can undergo a ring closure by displacement of OEt^-, giving the observed product.     

Vibrational spectrum of I(H2O)

The infrared spectrum of the ionic cluster I⁻(H₂O) was recorded from 3170 to 3800 cm⁻¹ by vibrational predissociation spectroscopy. A strong multiplet observed at 3415 cm⁻¹ and a narrow band at 3710 cm⁻¹ were assigned as a hydrogen-bonded OH stretch and free OH stretch respectively, indicating that H₂O forms a single hydrogen bond with the iodide anion. Ab initio vibrational frequencies and intensities were computed at the second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) level for the minimum energy configuration, a nearly linear hydrogen-bonded isomer, and for a low-lying saddlepoint, a symmetric C_2v bridged isomer. The spectrum predicted for the hydrogen-bonded isomer agreed well with experiment.     

Solvent-assisted catalysis mechanism on Keto–enol tautomerism of cyameluric acid

The keto–enol tautomerism of cyameluric acid, both in gas phase and in water and methanol solution, has been studied at the B3LYP/6-31++g(d,P) level of theory in this paper. The harmonic frequencies of all the structures are calculated. The results show that the transition states of the tautomerism are 4-membered ring conformations in gas phase, whereas 6-membered ring conformations in solution. In the first proton transfer, activation energy ΔE^# is 56.4 and 50.9 kJ/mol for water and methanol solution, respectively, which is much lower than that in gas phase (163.2 kJ/mol). Solvent molecules (water and methanol) produce an important catalytic effect in the tautomerism, especially for methanol-solvated system. NBO analysis shows that there is a strong interaction between cyameluric acid and solvent molecules in transition states. AIM charge analysis indicates that the keto–enol tautomerism shows a certain degree of proton transfer character. From the reaction enthalpy and reaction rate point of view, keto–enol tautomerism in water-solvated and methanol-solvated system is easier than that in gas phase. The keto–enol tautomerisms are endothermic both in gas phase and in solution, so the enol forms are less stable than the keto ones.     

Ultraviolet protection factors for clothing: an intercomparison of measurement systems

In recent years the need to standardize measurement protocols for quantifying the degree of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) protection provided by clothing has led to the introduction of a number of standards around the world. To date, these standards have specified spectral measurements of UVR transmission by clothing and fabrics. Development of a standard test method has become an important part of the testing process, and this article presents results from an intercomparison involving 10 independent testing laboratories and 11 different UVR transmission measurement instruments. In addition to comparing the measured ultraviolet protection factors (UPF), this intercomparison also incorporates detailed scan results from all 10 laboratories and highlights differences in performance of the various instruments in different wavelength regions. Careful examination of these differences can indicate where changes to the systems could be made to allow improvements both in equipment performance and in agreement of the final results. The variability in the measurements of UPF in this study suggest that the protection categories in standards may need to be broadened.     

The preparation and characterization of a platinum ether complex

The reaction of [Pt((F₃C)CCH(CF₃))(P(C₂H₅)₃)₂CH₃OH]PF₆ with allene in methanol affords a novel metallocyclic ethereal complex [$\text{Pt((F}{}_3\text{C)CHC(CF}{}_3\text{)C(CH}{}_3\text{)CH}{}_2\text{O}$CH₃)(P(C₂H₅)₃)₂]PF₆, which has been characterized by ¹H, ²H, ¹⁹F and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. Its structure has also been determined by a single crystal X-ray analysis. The crystal are monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, with cell dimensions a 20.012(5), b 17.222(5), c 8.902(3) Å and β 91.54(5)°. The structure was refined by full matrix least-squares methods on F, using 3097 unique observations collected by automated four circle diffractometer. Refinement converged at R  0.066. The Pt atom has a distorted square-planar coordination geometry, with cis P atoms, and PtP distances of 2.219(4) Å (trans to O) and 2.324(4) Å (trans to C). These results show the ethereal group is a weak ligand to platinum(II) but because of the chelating effect, its displacement by other ligands is thermodynamically not favorable. The mechanism of formation of the ethereal complex is also discussed.