Knowledge-based scoring functions in drug design: 3. A two-dimensional knowledge-based hydrogen-bonding potential for the prediction of protein-ligand interactions

Hydrogen bonding is a key contributor to the molecular recognition between ligands and their host molecules in biological systems. Here we develop a novel orientation-dependent hydrogen bonding potential based on the geometric characteristics of hydrogen bonds observed in 44,585 protein-ligand complexes. We find a close correspondence between the empirical knowledge and the energy landscape inferred from the distribution of HBs. A scoring function based on the resultant hydrogen-bonding potentials discriminates native protein-ligand structures from incorrectly docked decoys with remarkable predictive power.     

Electrochemical detection of ultratrace nitroaromatic explosives using ordered mesoporous carbon

A sensitive electrochemical sensor has been fabricated to detect ultratrace nitroaromatic explosives using ordered mesoporus carbon (OMC). OMC was synthesized and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements. Glassy carbon electrodes functionalized with OMC show high sensitivity of 62.7 μA cm⁻² per ppb towards 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). By comparison with other materials such as carbon nanotubes and ordered mesoporous silica, it is found that the high performance of OMC toward sensing TNT is attributed to its large specific surface area and fast electron transfer capability. As low as 0.2 ppb TNT, 1 ppb 2,4-dinitrotoluene and 1 ppb 1,3-dinitrobenzene can be detected on OMC based electrodes. This work renders new opportunities to detect ultratrace explosives for applications of environment protections and home securities against chemical warfare agents.     

Tetraaquabis[5‐(3‐pyridyl‐κN)pyrimidine]zinc(II) bis(trifluoromethanesulfonate): a novel cationic complex and three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded network

The title compound, [Zn(C₉H₇N₃)₂(H₂O)₄](CF₃O₃S)₂, contains an octahedral [ZnL₂(H₂O)₄]²⁺ cationic complex with trans geometry (Zn site symmetry ), and each 5‐(3‐pyridyl)pyrimidine (L) ligand is coordinated in a monodentate fashion through the pyridine N atom. In the extended structure, these complexes, with both hydrogen‐bond acceptor (pyrimidine) and donor (H₂O) functions, are linked to each other by intermolecular water–pyrimidine O—H...N hydrogen‐bonding interactions, resulting in a double chain along the crystallographic a axis. The trifluoromethanesulfonate anions are integrated into the chains via O—H...O hydrogen bonds between the coordinated water and sulfonate O atoms. These double chains are associated into a novel three‐dimensional network through interchain water–pyrimidine O—H...N hydrogen bonds. The asymmetric ligand plays an important role in constructing this unusual supramolecular structure.     

非金属催化剂在催化环氧化物和CO2合成环状碳酸酯中的研究进展

随着科学技术的进步和工业化的发展,大量化石燃料被消耗,大气中二氧化碳浓度急剧增加,导致温室效应加剧,严重威胁到人类的生存和发展。基于可持续发展的思想,利用储量丰富且廉价的二氧化碳作为 C1资源替代有毒的气体(如一氧化碳和光气等)制备具有广泛应用的环状碳酸酯,不仅满足“绿色化学”的要求,而且符合“原子经济性”的原则。迄今为止,大量用于催化二氧化碳和环氧化物环加成反应合成环状碳酸酯的催化剂,包括均相催化剂(如金属卤化物、有机碱、离子液体和金属配合物),多相催化剂(如金属氧化物、负载型催化剂、有机聚合物、金属有机框架材料和碳材料等)被报道。其中金属催化剂占主导地位,大多表现出优异的催化活性。然而,目前可供开采的金属矿越来越少,大多数金属的回收再利用率较低,重金属污染日趋严重。因此,开发新型、廉价、绿色、高效、循环性和稳定性好的非金属催化剂具有重要意义。
　　本文主要介绍了近3年以来用于催化二氧化碳和环氧化物环加成反应合成环状碳酸酯的非金属催化剂,主要包括有机碱、离子液体、固载型催化剂、有机聚合物和碳材料等。概括了不同种类催化剂的设计思想及其催化反应机理,重点阐述了分子内以及分子间各种功能基团的协同作用对环加成反应的影响。通过比较发现,具有“C–N=C”结构的有机碱活性相对较高,氢键给体和亲核物质都能与有机碱协同作用提高其催化活性;传统离子液体的活性一般不理想,氢键给体如羟基和羧基的引入有利于促进环加成反应,且多阳离子和多氢键给体功能化的离子液体表现出更高的催化活性;负载型催化剂中,载体和活性组分之间的协同作用有利于加速环加成反应的进行,多种功能基团负载和以共价键方式多层固载能更好地提高催化剂稳定性和催化活性;利用非烯烃化合物制得的活性组分位于主链的多孔有机聚合物,催化活性和稳定性大多高于活性组分位于侧链的烯烃聚合物;碳材料催化剂中,引入不饱和的 N物种(如伯胺和吡啶氮),有利于 CO2的吸附和活化,能促进环加成反应。此外,利用密度泛函的方法,计算模拟催化反应过程,能更好地揭示反应机理,并为设计和制备高效的催化剂提供理论指导。
　　该领域目前面临的重要挑战是研发可以同时实现二氧化碳捕获和转化的新型、环保和高效非金属催化剂,终极目标是利用多孔催化材料在常温和常压下直接捕获工业废气中的二氧化碳,并利用捕获的二氧化碳实现环状碳酸酯的连续生产。基于协同催化的设计思想,利用多种基团功能化的策略合成高效吸附和活化二氧化碳以及开环活化环氧化物的非金属催化剂,有望实现上述目标。     

两种谷胱甘肽亲和层析介质的制备及其对谷胱甘肽转移酶融合蛋白的纯化

以国产交联琼脂糖6FF为基质,分别以环氧氯丙烷(ECH)、1,4-丁二醇二缩水甘油醚(BDGE)为活化剂,偶联谷胱甘肽(GSH)得到两种连接臂长度不同的GSH亲和层析介质,并以两种自制介质对融合蛋白GST-ADAM15进行了纯化。结果表明:GSH-ECH-琼脂糖凝胶和GSH-BDGE-琼脂糖凝胶的配基密度分别达到了30～35μmol/mL和15～18μmol/mL,经两种介质纯化后的GST融合蛋白,纯度均达到95%以上,BDGE活化对目标蛋白的回收率占总蛋白26%,ECH活化为13%。相对而言,由于连接臂长度的不同,BDGE活化的介质纯化效果优于ECH。     

Post‐Synthetic Polymerization of UiO‐66‐NH2 Nanoparticles and Polyurethane Oligomer toward Stand‐Alone Membranes for Dye Removal and Separation

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are widely used as porous materials in the fields of adsorption and separation. However, their practical application is largely hindered by limitations to their processability. Herein, new UiO‐66‐Urea‐based flexible membranes with MOF loadings of 50 ( 1 ), 60 ( 2 ), and 70 wt % ( 3 ) were designed and prepared by post‐synthetic polymerization of UiO‐66‐NH₂ nanoparticles and a polyurethane oligomer under mild conditions. The adsorption behavior of membrane 3 towards four hydrophilic dyes, namely, eosin Y (EY), rhodamine B (RB), malachite green (MG), and methylene blue (MB), in aqueous solution was studied in detail. It exhibits strong adsorption of EY and RB but weak adsorption of MG and MB in aqueous solution. Owing to the selective adsorption of these hydrophilic dyes, membrane 3 can remove EY and RB from aqueous solution and completely separate EY/MB, RB/MG, and RB/MB mixtures in aqueous solution. In addition, the membrane is uniformly textured, easily handled, and can be reused for dye adsorption and separation.     

Inhibitory study of two cephalosporins on <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. coli</Emphasis> by microcalorimetry

The microcalorimetric method has been used to study the effects of cefpiramide and ceftizoxime sodium on the E. coli growth. The results revealed that these two cephalosporins may alter the metabolic way of the E. coli. Moreover, the lethal doses of cefpiramide and ceftizoxime sodium are 2.000 and 0.2000 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. Combining with the relationships between growth rate constant (k), the maximum power output (P _m ), the time corresponding to the maximum power output (t _m ) and cephalosporins concentration (C), one can draw the conclusion that the ceftizoxime sodium has a stronger inhibition effects on the growth of E. coli than that of cefpiramide and they both have the possibility to induce the drug fever.     

Sol–gel nanocoating on commercial TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanopowder using ultrasound

The surface of commercial titania particles was coated by a layer of silica by a two-step process which involved a power ultrasound initiated sol–gel reaction. In the first step of this solution process, aminosilane, i.e. organosilane with amino functional group, was used to modify the surface of pristine nanoparticles. Subsequent silica nanocoating was initiated and sustained under power ultrasound agitation in a mixture of surface modified particles and epoxysilane. As a result, a homogenous coverage of silica on the nanoparticles’ surface, with thickness controllable from one to several nanometers, was obtained. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and particle surface zeta potential measurements were employed to follow steps in the process and to confirm the reaction mechanism.