Stereochemistry of the Inhibition of δ-Chymotrypsin with Optically Active Bicyclic Organophosphates: 31P-NMR studies

The inhibition of δ-chymotrypsin with optically active, axially and equatorially substituted trans-3-(2,4-dini-trophenoxy)-2,4-dioxa-3λ⁵-phospbubicyclo[4.4.0]decan-3-ones ( = hexahydro-4H-1,3,2-benzodioxaphosphorin 3-oxides) was investigated. Their inhibitory power was determined by kinetic measurements, and the stereochemical course of the reaction of stoichiometric amounts of the enzyme and inhibitor was monitored with ³¹P-NMR spectroscopy at pH 7.8. The irreversible inhibitors show significant enantioselectivity (the (S_p)-enantiomer reacting faster) and yield diastereoisomeric, covalently phosphorylated derivatives of δ-chymotrypsin. ³¹P-NMR Spectroscopic studies of the inhibition by the axially substituted inhibitor revealed for the racemic (±) -2a first a resonance at –4.4 ppm and later, while inhibition proceeded, a second one at –4.5 ppm. The reaction with optically active (+) -2a showed only one signal at –4.4 ppm and its enantiomer (–) -2a only one signal at –4.5 ppm. Using the equatorially substituted racemic epimer (±) -2b , we observed the main resonance at –5.3 ppm and two minor ones at –4.4 and –4.5 ppm. The optically active compound (+) -2b showed two peaks at –4.5 and –5.3 ppm, whereas its antipode (–) -2b revealed two signals at –4.4 and –5.3 ppm. Comparing the ³¹P chemical shifts of the corresponding covalent phosphoserine derivatives 4a (-5.7 ppm, axial) and 4b (-4.5 ppm, equatorial) shows the inhibition with the axial compounds 2a to proceed via neat inversion of the configuration at the P-atom, whereas the equatorial epimers 2b with a higher conformational flexibility seem to follow a different stereochemical pathway which results in both inversion and retention.     

Synthesis of Glycopeptides,Partial Structures of Biological Recognition Components [New Synthetic Methods (67)]

Glycopeptides are partial structures of the connecting regions of glycoproteins and, like these, always contain glycosidic bonds between the carbohydrate and peptide parts. Glycoproteins are not only widely distributed but are also decisive factors in post-translational biological selectivity, especially in biological recognition. Targeted syntheses of glycopeptides require stereoselective formation of the glycosidic bonds between the carbohydrate and the peptide parts and protective group methods that enable selective deblocking of only one functional group in these polyfunctional molecules. These heavy demands have been met by the well-established use of benzylic protective groups, which can be removed by hydrogenolysis, combined with the use of base-labile 2-phosphonioethoxycarbonyl (Peoc) or 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) protective groups or of bromoethyl esters, which can be removed under neutral conditions. The acidolysis of tert-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) groups and of tert-butyl esters has also been successfully used, although, under acidic conditions, anomerization or rupture of the glycosidic bonds may occur, especially when nucleophiles are present. The stable, two-stage 2-(pyridyl)ethoxycarbonyl (Pyoc) protective groups allow a more reliable synthesis of complex glycopeptides since they can be removed, after modifications, under mild conditions. Particularly suitable for the synthesis of sensitive glycopeptides are the stable allyl protective groups. They can be removed from the complex glycopeptides in a highly selective and effective manner by means of noble-metal catalysts under practically neutral conditions. These methods have been employed to synthesize glycopeptides corresponding to partial structures of interesting glycoproteins. Deprotected glyopeptides representing tumor-associated antigen structures can be coupled to bovine serum albumin, which serves as a biological carrier molecule, without the necessity of using an artificial coupling component (spacer).     

Colloidal synthesis of organic-capped ZnO nanocrystals via a sequential reduction-oxidation reaction

A nonhydrolytic route to quantum-sized (d < 9 nm) ZnO nanocrystals in homogeneous organic solutions is presented. Nearly spherical ZnO nanocrystals were grown in a surfactant mixture of hexadecylamine and oleic acid (OLEA) by means of a two-step chemical process, based on the hot reduction (at 180-250 degrees C) of a zinc halide by superhydride (LiBEt3H) followed by oxidation of the resulting product. The experimental results suggested that the controlled growth of ZnO in the nanosized regime depended both on the OLEA-assisted generation of intermediate metallic nanoparticles and on the adjustment of their oxidation conditions by using a mild oxidant, trimethylamine-N-oxide, rather than molecular oxygen. The present synthetic approach demonstrates to be particularly suitable to prepare organic-soluble ultra-small ZnO nanocrystals of low size dispersion and of stable size, which are appealing for optoelectronic, catalytic, and sensing purposes.     

Structural,luminescence, and NMR studies of the reversible binding of acetate,lactate, citrate,and selected amino acids to chiral diaqua ytterbium,gadolinium, and europium complexes

The nature of the ternary complexes formed in aqueous media at ambient pH on reversible binding of acetate, lactate, citrate, and selected amino acids and peptides to chiral diaqua europium, gadolinium, or ytterbium cationic complexes has been examined. Crystal structures of the chelated ytterbium acetate and lactate complexes have been defined in which the carboxylate oxygen occupies an "equatorial" site in the nine-coordinate adduct. The zwitterionic adduct of the citrate anion with [EuL1] was similar to the chelated lactate structure, with a 5-ring chelate involving the apical 3-hydroxy group and the alpha-carboxylate. Analysis of Eu and Yb emission CD spectra and lifetimes (H2O and D2O) for each ternary complex, in conjunction with 1H NMR analyses of Eu/Yb systems and 17O NMR and relaxometric studies of the Gd analogues, suggests that carbonate, oxalate, and malonate each form a chelated (q = 0) square-antiprismatic complex in which the dipolar NMR paramagnetic shift (Yb, Eu) and the emission circular polarization (gem for Eu) are primarily determined by the polarizability of the axial ligand. The ternary complexes with hydrogen phosphate, with fluoride, and with Phe, His, and Ser at pH 6 are suggested to be monoaqua systems with Eu/Gd with an apical bound water molecule. However, for the ternary complexes of simple amino acids with [YbL1]3+, the enhanced charge demand favors a chelate structure with the amine N in an apical position. Crystal structures of the Gly and Ser adducts confirm this. In peptides and proteins (e.g. albumin) containing Glu or Asp residues, the more basic side chain carboxylate may chelate to the Ln ion, displacing both waters.     

Pentafluorsulfanylamine und Sulfanylammonium-Salze

Pentafluorosulfanylamines and Sulfanylammonium Salts . From the addition of HF to sulfurtetrafluorideimides N-alkylpentafluorosulfanylamines RNHSF₅(2a, 2b: R=CH₃, C₂H₅) are obtained in quantitative yield. N, N-dialkylpentafluorosuIfanylamines Et₂NSF₅(5a) and pip-SF₅ (5b) are isolated from the reaction of the appropriate sulfurdifluoronitridearnides NSF₂NR₂ and HF/SF₄. Protonation of the amines with the superacidic system HF/AsF₅ gives stable pentafluorosulfanyl-ammonium salts SF₅NHRR′_. AsF₆ (12: R = R′ = CH₃; 14: R=R′=H; 10: R=CH₃, R′ = H). Under the same conditions the adduct AsF₅· NSF₂CF(CF₃)₂ (15) forms a cation with hexacoordinated sulfur (trans-H₃NSF₄CF(CF₃)₂^?AsF₆⁶: 16), while with Asp₅ · NSF₂NMe₂ (17) the reaction stops at tetracoordination (HNSF₂NMe₂⁺AsF₆ : 18).