Subtilisin-catalyzed resolution of N-acyl arylsulfinamides

We report the first biocatalytic route to sulfinamides (R-S(O)-NH2), whose sulfur stereocenter makes them important chiral auxiliaries for the asymmetric synthesis of amines. Subtilisin E did not catalyze hydrolysis of N-acetyl or N-butanoyl arylsulfinamides, but did catalyze a highly enantioselective (E > 150 favoring the (R)-enantiomer) hydrolysis of N-chloroacetyl and N-dihydrocinnamoyl arylsulfinamides. Gram-scale resolutions using subtilisin E overexpressed in Bacillus subtilis yielded, after recrystallization, three synthetically useful auxiliaries: (R)-p-toluenesulfinamide (42% yield, 95% ee), (R)-p-chlorobenzenesulfinamide (30% yield, 97% ee), and (R)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzenesulfinamide (30% yield, 99% ee). Molecular modeling suggests that the N-chloroacetyl and N-dihydrocinnamoyl groups mimic a phenylalanine moiety and thus bind the sulfinamide to the active site. Molecular modeling further suggests that enantioselectivity stems from a favorable hydrophobic interaction between the aryl group of the fast-reacting (R)-arylsulfinamide and the S1' leaving group pocket in subtilisin E.     

Hydrogen-bonded anionic rosette networks assembled with guanidinium and C3-symmetric oxoanion building blocks

Two premeditated anionic rosette-layer architectures have been constructed using guanidinium and ubiquitous C3-symmetric oxoanions that carry unequal charges, employing bulky organic cations as interlayer templates. The undulate guanidinium-carbonate network occurs in 4[(C2H5)4N+].8[C(NH2)3+].3(CO3)2-.3(C2O4)2-.2H2O, in which the disordered (C2H5)4N+ guests are accommodated in pouches and channels within a complex three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded host framework. In [(C2H5)4N+]2.[C(NH2)3+].[1,3,5-C3H3(COO-)3].6H2O, ordered (C2H5)4N+ cations are sandwiched between planar guanidinium-trimesate host layers whose honeycomb cavities are tightly fitted with flattened-chair (H2O)6 clusters of symmetry 2.     

Efficient batch and continuous flow Suzuki cross-coupling reactions under mild conditions, catalysed by polyurea-encapsulated palladium (II) acetate and tetra-n-butylammonium salts

Suzuki cross-coupling reactions are effected in both conventional organic solvents, under continuous flow conditions at 70 degree C, and in batch mode in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2), at temperatures as low as 40 degrees C in the presence of palladium(II) acetate microencapsulated in polyurea [PdEnCat] and tetra-n-butylammonium salts.     

Acousto-mechanical and thermal properties of clotted blood

The efficacy of ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis as an adjunct treatment of ischemic stroke is being widely investigated. To determine the role of ultrasound hyperthermia in the process of blood clot disruption, the acousto-mechanical and thermal properties of clotted blood were measured in vitro, namely, density, speed of sound, frequency-dependent attenuation, specific heat, and thermal conductivity. The amplitude coefficient of attenuation of the clots was determined for 120 kHz, 1.0 MHz, and 3.5 MHz ultrasound at room temperature (20 +/- 2 degrees C). The attenuation coefficient ranged from 0.10 to 0.30 Np/cm in porcine clots and from 0.09 to 0.23 Np/cm in human clots. The experimentally determined values of specific heat and thermal conductivity for porcine clotted blood are (3.2 +/- 0.5) x 10(3) J/kg x K and 0.55 +/- 0.13 W/m x K, respectively, and for human clotted blood are (3.5 +/- 0.8) x 10(3) J/kg x K and 0.59 +/- 0.11 W/m x K, respectively. Measurements of the acousto-mechanical and thermal properties of clotted blood can be helpful in theoretical modeling of ultrasound hyperthermia in ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis and other high-intensity focused ultrasound applications.     

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy of Ag films: the effect of periodic versus quasiperiodic modulation

By using scanning tunneling spectroscopy to probe a silver thin film that contains both periodic and quasiperiodic modulation, and by using Fourier analysis, we unravel the influences of individual Fourier components of the scattering potential (periodic versus quasiperiodic) on the electronic structure of a one-dimensional quasiperiodically modulated thin Ag film. Along the periodically modulated direction, a Bragg reflection-induced energy gap is observed in k space. On the other hand, the exotic E vs k spectrum with many minigaps was observed along the quasiperiodic direction.     

Synthesis and self-assembly of an amphiphilic poly(phenylene ethynylene) ionomer

We have synthesized a conjugated amphiphilic polyelectrolyte, a poly(phenylene ethynylene) (PPE), and the structurally analogous neutral polymer. The solution-phase aggregation of the uncharged PPE can be reversibly controlled by varying the solvent polarity and concentration, while the charged polymer appears to self-assemble at any concentration in compatible solvents. These conclusions are based on a combination of absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. Photoinduced absorption spectroscopy was also employed to investigate interchain electronic communication and the photoinduced production of free charge carriers. The uncharged PPE had a relatively high polaron yield, indicating pi-stacking of adjacent PPE chains and efficient exciton splitting, while the charged polymer did not produce polarons, indicating that the polymers are not pi-stacked despite their tendency to form aggregates. This is most likely due to the presence of the cationic trimethylammonium side chains which force neighboring polymer chains too far apart to achieve effective pi-orbital overlap. Polarons were observed in both polymers after chemical doping with iodine. The ability to control aggregation and interchain electronic communication could be a useful tool in designing nanostructured electronic materials.     

Spontaneous formation of annular structures observed in molecular dynamics simulations of polyglutamine peptides

Annular structures have been observed experimentally in aggregates of polyglutamine-containing proteins and other proteins associated with diseases of the brain. Here we report the observation of annular structures in molecular-level simulations of large systems of model polyglutamine peptides. A system of 24 polyglutamine chains 16 residues long at a concentration of 5 mM spontaneously formed large beta sheets which curved to form tube-like annular structures that resemble beta barrels. This work was accomplished by extending the PRIME model to polyglutamine. PRIME is an off-lattice, unbiased, intermediate-resolution protein model based on an amino acid representation of between three and seven united atoms depending on the residue being modeled. Our results are interesting not only because of the recent discovery of tubular protofibrils in experiments on aggregation of mutant huntingtin fragments containing expanded polyglutamine tracts but also because Perutz predicted that polyglutamine forms water filled nanotubes.     

Novel carbazole/fluorene hybrids: host materials for blue phosphorescent OLEDs

[reaction: see text] A series of carbazole/fluorene (CBZm-Fn) hybrids were effectively synthesized through Friedel-Crafts-type substitution of the carbazole rings. These compounds were thermally and morphologically stable host materials for OLED applications. Efficient blue phosphorescent OLEDs were obtained when employing CBZ1-F2 as the host and FIrpic as the guest.     

Real-time analysis of enzymatic surface-initiated polymerization using surface plasmon resonance (SPR)

The kinetics of enzymatic surface-initiated polymerization of PHB on gold surface has been examined by SPR and the resultant polymer layers characterized by AFM and FT-IR spectrometry. The immobilized enzyme catalyzed surface-initiated polymerization of 3HB-CoA, resulting in the formation of a polymer brush on the surface. The rate of polymer growth from the surface was monitored by SPR in real-time. Polymer growth as measured by the increase in the resonance angle showed no apparent lag phase during the polymerization reaction. SPR analysis also revealed that the thickness of the polymer film could be controlled by varying the initial enzyme density on the surface. The average thicknesses of the PHB film after polymerization reaction were 95, 45 and 15 nm for the surfaces that were treated with 0.5, 0.3 and 0.1*10(-6) M of enzyme, respectively. The binding of PHA synthase at different concentration to the mixed SAMs and subsequent polymerization.     

Lithium ion induced stabilization of the liquid crystalline DNA

A comparative study of the effects of alkali metal ions Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Rb(+), and Cs(+) on the liquid crystalline organization of high-molecular-weight calf thymus DNA using polarized light microscopy was performed. Major differences in the behavior of Li(+) as compared to the other ions were found. Critical DNA concentration expected to exhibit anisotropic behavior was found to be the same for all the monovalent ions, except for Li(+). DNA initially showed cholesteric textures, which later changed to higher ordered columnar phase for all ions, with the cholesteric-columnar transition facilitated upon increasing the size of the counterion. For Li(+) ion, a nematic schlieren-like texture was formed initially, which after a few days changed to a highly stable (for more than 2 months) biphasic cholesteric-columnar arrangement. The observed differences between Li(+) and other alkali metal ions could be rationalized on the basis of the higher number of hydration water molecules of Li(+) and its complexation behavior. Highly stable DNA mesophases may find applications in the field of nanoelectronics, in designing biosensing units, and in DNA chips.