Diversity-generation from an allenoate-enone coupling: syntheses of azepines and pyrimidones from common precursors

Amine-catalyzed coupling reactions of allenoate esters and α,β-unsaturated carbonyls lead to a diverse range of α,α′-disubstituted allenoates. With appropriately substituted monomers, intermolecular reactions can lead to pyrimidone products. Alternatively, with amine substituted allenoates, a 7-endo-dig cyclization can be carried out such that a divergent pathway is observed that leads to azepine scaffolds.     

Binding site optimisation for artificial enzymes by diffusion NMR of small molecules

A binding site optimisation protocol for the design of artificial enzymes based on "small molecule-small molecule" binding studies by diffusion NMR is presented. Since the reaction chosen was the hydrolysis of ester 1 ([4-(4-carboxy-1-oxobutyl)-aminobenzyl]-phenethyl ester), an analogous phosphonate ester 2 ([4-(4-carboxy-1-oxobutyl)-aminobenzyl]-phosphonic phenethyl ester) was selected as a suitable transition state analogue (TSA). The key objective of the NMR studies was to find a unit with functional groups capable of binding to the acidic sites of the TSA. Nine dipeptides, mainly with basic and hydroxyl groups, were used and their affinity to the TSA was studied by measuring the change in the diffusion coefficient, D(pep), upon binding by pulse field gradient NMR. The value of D(pep) at 298 K in D(2)O at pD 5, 7 and 10 was measured both in free solution, and mixtures containing one dipeptide and the TSA. As both components are low molecular weight species with M < 500, a TSA-to-dipeptide ratio of 10:1 was used to detect significant changes in D(pep). The results revealed that dipeptides with basic residues show higher affinity to the TSA than those with hydroxyl or aliphatic side chains in aqueous solutions. The dipeptide showing the most significant relative change in D(pep) was H-Arg-Arg-OH, and the binding constant was estimated to be 86 L M(-1) by measuring D(pep) at varying concentrations of the TSA. In addition, binding of the TSA to a new water-soluble polymer with a polyallylamine backbone and randomly distributed Arg-Arg binding sites was examined, and the binding constant was estimated to be > or =1500 L M(-1). As confirmed by further catalytic activity tests, polymers containing Arg-Arg as a binding site are capable of significant rate accelerations in the hydrolysis of ester 1.     

Etude comparative de l'alkylation des tetraphenylporphyrines de l'etain et de leurs formes reduites par les reactifs de grignard

A comparative study of alkylation by Grignard reagents of PSn(OH)₂ (P = tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), tetraphenylchlorine (TPC), tetraphenylisobacteriochlorine (TPiBC)) shows that dialkylstannylisobacteriochlorines are the most easily obtained. The presence of transition metals in the magnesium crystals directs the reaction towards reduction of the macrocycle instead of alkylation on tin. This is supplementary proof for the intervention of a single electron transfer mechanism (SET) in alkylation of a macrocycle by Grignard reagents.These results fit very well with earlier electrochemical experiments and the measurements of the reduction potentials of the Group IVB metalloporphyrins and their reduced forms.     

A new method for gaining insight into the chemistry of drying mineral surfaces using ATR-FTIR

Although it is understood that the chemical environment at a drying surface is likely to be quite different from that at a fully hydrated surface, the difficulty of quantitative measurement has meant that this potentially crucial aspect of surface chemistry has gone largely overlooked. As a result, most of our understanding comes from measurement before and after drying, with a gray region of speculation in between. An interesting natural example is the paradoxical reduction of Mn oxides in moist soils as they dry, because drying is usually considered an oxidative process. This phenomenon indicates that important chemical changes are occurring during drying and an approach is needed to probe the chemistry of drying surfaces. Here we show the suitability of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy for real-time, in situ investigation of the drying solid-water interface, using the change in surface pH as an example. This was achieved by adsorbing thymol blue pH indicator (pK(a)=1.65) onto a natural Mn-rich clay and observing the real-time pH change, which dropped from pH 5 to below pH 1.65 with the removal of free water from the surface.     

A phenolate-induced trans influence: crystallographic evidence for unusual asymmetric coordination of an alpha-diimine in ternary complexes of iron(III) possessing biologically relevant hetero-donor N-centered tripodal ligands

Three mononuclear ternary complexes of iron(III) with an alpha-diimine (bipy or phen) and a derivative of N,N-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)glycinate (L3-) have been synthesized and characterized by magnetic susceptibility measurements, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, and electronic absorption spectroscopy. Single-crystal X-ray structure determinations of the pseudo-octahedral complexes [Fe(bipy)L] x MeCN [L = (3,5-Br2)-L3- or (5,3-Cl,Me)-L3-] revealed a considerable and consistent distortion in the coordination of bipy to iron(III) attributable largely to electronic effects. In both crystal structures, the Fe-N(pyridyl) bond trans to the phenolate oxygen is 0.133 A longer than the other one positioned trans to the tertiary amine nitrogen, a relatively weaker donor. This coordination behavior of bipy is of structural interest and has not been observed previously for iron(III). The electronic and EPR spectra of the compounds [Fe(L'-L')L] x MeCN (L'-L' = bipy or phen) are consistent with the spin state of the central metal atom (S = 5/2). The charge-transfer transitions arising from the strong interactions of the phenolate moieties with the ferric ion have been identified as phenolate (p(pi)) --> iron(III) (d(pi*)) (lambda(max) approximately 500 nm, epsilon approximately 3000 M(-1) cm(-1)) and phenolate (p(pi)) --> iron(III) (d(sigma*) (lambda(max) approximately 320 nm, epsilon approximately 5200 M(-1) cm(-1)). The presence of the phenolate moieties in the quadridentate hetero-donor tripodal ligands, H3L, lends these iron(III) ternary complexes the potential to model the specific metal-coordination, metal-substrate interactions, and physicochemical behaviors of several iron-tyrosinate proteins.     

A simple method for the determination of uranium and thorium by delayed neutron counting

A simple method for the determination of uranium and thorium by delayed neutron counting is described. One portion of the sample is irradiated in a reactor and the delayed neutrons are counted. Another portion of the sample is mixed with B₄ C powder absorbing the thermal neutrons, and irradiated in the same position. From those data, both uranium and thorium can be calculated when a quantitative calibration has been made beforehand. The detection limits for the pure elements are 0.07 ppm for uranium and 2 ppm for thorium with the minimum analyzing time being 2 min. The accuracy of the method is investigated by comparing results obtained by the method described here with results obtained by epithermal activation analysis.     

An improved clean-up strategy for simultaneous analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in fatty food samples

The study and extension of a simple automated clean-up method for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) to a broad range of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) is described. The isolation of seven PCDD, ten PCDF, and three coplanar PCB (cPCB) is extended to eight monoortho substituted PCB and seven so-called "marker PCB" (Aroclor 1260) for fatty food samples. This enables quantification of 35 compounds - including all congeners with a WHO toxic equivalent factor (TEF)--in a single extraction and single purification step. The chromatographic behaviour of mono-ortho PCB and marker PCB on a variety of adsorbents, including basic alumina, has been studied. Partitioning of analytes through multi-column sequences is described and correlated with their structural and electronic properties, by use of molecular modelling calculations. The fractionation process available with the Power-Prep automated clean-up system enables rapid independent analysis of the different groups of compounds. Gas chromatography with high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) is used for the PCDD/F and cPCB fraction and quadrupole ion-storage tandem in time mass spectrometry (GC-QISTMS) for analysis of the remaining PCB. A comparison study was performed on quality-control samples and real fatty food samples to evaluate the robustness of the new strategy compared with a reference method. On the basis of this simultaneous clean-up, a rapid simplified strategy for PCDD/F and selected PCB analysis determination is proposed for fatty food samples.     

Simple tricyclohexylphosphine-palladium complexes as efficient catalysts for the Stille coupling of deactivated aryl chlorides

Simple, inexpensive tricyclohexylphosphine adducts of palladium show the highest activity yet observed in the Stille coupling of non-activated and deactivated aryl chlorides.     

Local completeness I

An infinite algebra is locally complete if its local closure is the set of all finitary operations. We give a local completeness criterion in terms of a system R of finitary relations on A such that the polymorph Pol of each R is locally incomplete and for every locally incomplete algebra A; F we have F Pol for some R. This system consists of (i) certain natural relations whose polymorphs are best possible in the sense that they are co-atoms in the lattice of locally closed incomplete algebras, (ii) five types of binary relations, (iii) one type of ternary relations and (iv) at least ternary totally reflexive and symmetric relations that are not locally central.Presented by K. A. Baker.