Peptide bond formation mediated by 4,5-dimethoxy-2-mercaptobenzylamine after periodate oxidation of the N-terminal serine residue

[reaction in text] A thiol linker-attached peptide was prepared from a nonprotected peptide via an N(alpha)()-alpha-oxoacyl peptide. Selective oxidation of the N-terminal serine with sodium periodate gave the N(alpha)-glyoxyloyl peptide, reductive amination of which with 4,5-dimethoxy-2-(triphenylmethylthio)benzylamine gave an N(alpha)-4,5-dimethoxy-2-mercaptobenzyl glycyl peptide after removal of the trityl group. The N(alpha)-4,5-dimethoxy-2-mercaptobenzyl peptide can be condensed with a peptide thioester, and the linker is removable. This strategy provides a useful method for the synthesis of peptides using recombinant proteins.     

Palladium(0)-catalyzed stereoselective cyclization of allenenes: divergent synthesis of pyrrolidines and 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes from single allenenes

Two novel palladium(0)-catalyzed cyclizations of allenenes are described. Treatment of allenenes such as N-(1-alkyl-2,3-butadienyl)-N-allylsulfonamide with an aryl halide and K(2)CO(3) in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(PPh(3))(4) in dioxane affords 2,3-cis-pyrrolidines in a stereoselective manner. In sharp contrast, cyclization of the same allenenes using catalytic Pd(2)(dba)(3) x CHCl(3) in the presence of allyl methyl carbonate in CH(3)CN leads to stereoselective formation of a 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane framework in moderate yields.     

Photoreactive polyamides having m- or 1-type dimer moiety derived from 4-(3-oxo-3-phenyl-1-propenyl)benzoic acid derivatives

Photoreactive polyamides having m- or 1 -type cyclobutane moiety were prepared via a topochemical photodimerization of 4-(3-oxo-3-phenyl-1-propenyl)benzoic derivatives,⁴ followed by polycondensation of cyclobutane dicarboxylate derivatives with diamines. From the spectral studies of resulted polyamides compared with the corresponding reference diamides, it was concluded that both types of polyamides were depolymerized photochemically to give the same type of amide derivative having chalcone moiety with a small amount of undefined side reaction. The cyclobutane ring of the m-dimer from 4-(3-oxo-3-phenyl-1-propenyl)benzoic acid in crystal is severely twisted presumably because of the enhanced steric repulsions between two pairs of adjacent substituents. The higher quantum yield of the m-dimer for the photocleavege, compared with that of the 1 -dimer, has been interpreted in terms of such steric repulsions by the strained structure of the m-dimer.     

Selective determination of microbial cells by graphite electrode modified with adsorbed 4,4′-bipyridine

The concentrations of microbial cells in suspensions can be measured with a graphite electrode modifed with adsorbed 4,4′-bipyridine, by using cyclic volummetry or differential pulse volummetry. The relationship between the peak current and the cell concentration for Saccharomyces cerevisiae is linear over the range 0.03 × 10⁸—2.0 × 10⁸ cells ml^?1. Yeast, gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria gave different peak potentials, which may be useful for classification purposes. Electron transfer between the microbial cells and the 4,4′-bipyridine-modified electrode is mediated by coenzyme A in the cell wall.     

Photophysical properties of porphyrin tapes

The novel fused Zn(II)porphyrin arrays (Tn, porphyrin tapes) in which the porphyrin macrocycles are triply linked at meso-meso, beta-beta, beta-beta positions have been investigated by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurements along with theoretical MO calculations. The absorption spectra of the porphyrin tapes show a systematic downshift to the IR region as the number of porphyrin pigments increases in the arrays. The fused porphyrin arrays exhibit a rapid formation of the lowest excited states (for T2, approximately 500 fs) via fast internal conversion processes upon photoexcitation at 400 nm (Soret bands), which is much faster than the internal conversion process of approximately 1.2 ps observed for a monomeric Zn(II)porphyrin. The relaxation dynamics of the lowest excited states of the porphyrin tapes were accelerated from approximately 4.5 ps for the T2 dimer to approximately 0.3 ps for the T6 hexamer as the number of porphyrin units increases, being explained well by the energy gap law. The overall photophysical properties of the porphyrin tapes were observed to be in a sharp contrast to those of the orthogonal porphyrin arrays. The PPP-SCI calculated charge-transfer probability indicates that the lowest excited state of the porphyrin tapes (Tn) resembles a Wannier-type exciton closely, whereas the lowest excited state of the directly linked porphyrin arrays can be considered as a Frenkel-type exciton. Conclusively, these unique photophysical properties of the porphyrin tapes have aroused much interest in the fundamental photophysics of large flat organic molecules as well as in the possible applications as electric wires, IR sensors, and nonlinear optical materials.     

Mononuclear oxovanadium complexes of tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine

Mononuclear oxovanadium(IV) and dioxovanadium(V) complexes of tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (tpa) have been prepared for the first time. Crystal structure determinations of three oxovanadium(IV) complexes, [VO(SO4)(tpa)], [VOCl(tpa)]PF6, or [VOBr(tpa)]PF6, and a dioxovanadium(v) complex [V(O)2(tpa)]PF6 disclosed that the tertiary nitrogen of the tpa ligand always occupies the trans-to-oxo site. The structures of an oxo-peroxo complex [VO(O2)(tpa)]Cl that was prepared previously and of a mu-oxo vanadium(III) complex [{VCl(tpa)}2(mu-O)](PF6)2 have also been determined. The tertiary nitrogen is located at a trans site to the peroxo and chloride ligands, respectively. The total sums of the four V-N bond lengths from the tpa ligand are remarkably similar among the six complexes, indicating that the vanadium oxidation states become less influential in tpa bonding due primarily to the coordination of electron-donating oxo ligand(s). Absorption spectra of [VOCl(tpa)]+ in acetonitrile showed a significant change upon addition of p-toluenesulfonic acid and HClO4, but not on addition of benzoic acid. Protonation at the oxo ligand by the former two acids is suggested. Cyclic voltammetric studies in acetonitrile verified the proton-coupled redox behavior of the V(III)/V(IV) process involving the oxo ligand for the first time. From the dependence of the added p-toluenesulfonic acid to the CV, redox potentials for the following species have been estimated: [V(IV)OCl(tpa)]+/[V(III)OCl(tpa)](E1/2=-1.59 V vs. Fc+/Fc), [V(IV)(OH)Cl(tpa)]2+/[V(III)(OH)Cl(tpa)]+(Epc=-1.34 V), [V(IV)(OH2)Cl(tpa)]3+/[V(III)(OH2)Cl(tpa)]2+(Epa=-0.49 V), and [V(IV)Cl2(tpa)]2+/[V(III)Cl2(tpa)]+(E1/2=-0.89 V). The reduction of [V(V)(O)2(tpa)]+ in 0.05 M [(n-Bu)4N]PF6 acetonitrile showed a major irreversible reduction wave V(V)/(IV) at -1.48 V. The metal reduction potentials of the oxovanadium(IV) and dioxovanadium(V) species are very close, reinforcing the significant influence of the oxo ligand(s).     

Enantioselective ester synthesis in the presence of optically active polymers

Enantiomer-differentiating ester syntheses from acid salts, chlorides, and an anhydride were studied in the presence of optically active polyamines. Enantiomer selection occurred in reactions of a racemic salt with an achiral alkyl bromide and vice versa, which is good evidence of the importance of activation of the carboxylate group by complexation of the counterion and activation of alkyl bromide by the formation of a quaternary salt with polyamine under solid–liquid, phase-transfer reaction conditions. Only small optical activity was observed in the products of acid anhydride or chloride with alcohol.     

Convenient synthetic routes to α-oligosiloxanylacrylonitriles

Novel 1,4-elimination reaction of C,N-bis(trimethylsilyl)-C- trimethylsiloxymethylketenimine and retro Diels-Alder reaction of 2-oligosiloxanyl-5-norbornene-2-carbonitrile cleanly gave α-oligosiloxanylacrylonitriles in excellent yield.     

Capillary electrophoretic determination of Ga(III) based on the formation of a heteropolyoxomolybdate complex

A novel capillary electrophoretic (CE) method was developed for the determination of Ga(III). The so-called Anderson-type [GaMo6O24H6]3- complex was readily formed by the reaction of Mo(VI) with Ga(III) in 0.050 M monochloroacetate buffer (pH 2.0) and the precolumn complex-formation reaction was applied to the CE determination of Ga(III) with direct UV detection at 240 nm. The peak area was linearly dependent on the concentration of Ga(III) in the range of 5.0 x 10(-7)-5.0 x 10(-5) M. Owing to the high molar absorptivity of the Anderson anion, a detection limit of 2.0 x 10(-7) M (signal-to-noise ratio=3) was achieved. The advantage of the present method is that the presence of large excesses of Al(III) and In(III) does not cause interference.     

Fundamental equilibrium analysis on the ion-pair extraction of dibenzo-18-crown-6 complex of alkali metal ions with picrate ion into 1,2-dichloroethane

The ion-pair extraction equilibria of dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) complexes of Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺ and Cs⁺ (M⁺) with picrate ion (Pic⁻) into 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE) have been studied at 25.0°C. In the case of the Rb⁺ and Cs⁺ systems, the extraction results were interpreted by taking into consideration the formation of a (DB18C6)₂ -M⁺ complex in 1,2-DCE. The thermodynamic constants of extraction, , and ion-pair formation in 1,2-DCE, , of ion pairs of the DB18C6-M⁺ complexes with Pic⁻ were determined. By using the distribution coefficient of M⁺·Pic⁻ the thermodynamic formation constants of the DB18C6-M⁺ complexes in 1,2-DCE, , were evaluated. Consequently the component equilibrium constants of the ion-pair extraction were completely determined and a contribution of these constants to the difference of value was discussed. The value in 1,2-DCE is quite high compared with that in solvating solvents and log decreases linearly with increasing Gutmann donor number of solvents.