An iterative extended Hückel calculation for some amino acids containing sulphur and selenium

Semiempirical iterative extended Hückel calculations are performed for the dipolar ions of cystine, cysteine, methionine and their selenium analogues. An attempt has been made to interprete the wave function of cysteine in terms of localized molecular orbitals.

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Zusammenfassung Semiempirische iterative Rechnungen wurden nach der erweiterten Hückeltheorie für die dipolaren Ionen Cystin, Cystein, Methionin und ihre Selen-Homologen durchgeführt. Für den Fall des Cysteins wurde die Wellenfunktion auf lokalisierte Orbitale transformiert.

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Résumé On a analisé les ions dipolaires de la cystine, cystéine, methionine et leurs analogues séléniates avec la méthode semiempirique de Hückel étendue itérative. On a cherché à intérpreter la fonction d'onde pour la cystéine dans le schème des orbitales moleculaires localisées.

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Work performed with the financial support of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.     

Smiles rearrangement for the synthesis of 5-amino-substituted [1]benzothieno[2,3-b]pyridine

The Smiles rearrangement was successfully applied to 4-hydroxybenzo[b]thiophene furnishing a facile entry to the 4-amino derivative. The rearrangement was extended to 5-methoxy-4-methoxycarbonyl[1]benzothieno[2,3-b]pyridine obtained via aza-Wittig/electrocyclization reaction of novel N-(4-methoxybenzothiophen-2-yl)iminomethyldiphenylphosphorane with methyl trans-4-oxo-2-pentenoate. The preparation of a novel 5-amino-4-methoxycarbonyl[1]benzothieno[2,3-b]pyridine, which is of interest as a potential secondary peptide structure mimic, was successfully achieved.     

Synthesis, properties and structures of the two “electron rich” cobalt-sulphur clusters [Co6(μ3-S)8(PEt3)6]

The reaction of hydrogen sulphide with [Co(H₂O)₆](BF₄)₂ and triethylphosphine in the presence of sodium tetraphenylborate or tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate gave the paramagnetic clusters [Co₆(μ₃-S)₈(PEt₃)₆](Y) (Y = BPh₄, (1), PF₆, (2)). These compounds can be easily reduced by sodium napthalenide to the diamagnetic species [Co₆(μ₃-S)₈(PEt₃)₆] · 2C₄H₈O (3). The molecular structures of 1 and 3 have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Crystal data: (1) space group P , a = 19.481(9), b = 15.562(7), c = 12.390(b) Å, α = 92.70(8), β = 94.50(7), γ = 94.10(9)°, Z = 2, (3) space group R , a = 11.780(6) Å, α = 92.50(7)°, Z = 1. Both structures were solved by the heavy atom method and refined by full-matrix least-squares techniques to the conventional R factors values of 0.050 for 1 and 0.044 for 3 on the basis of 4251 and 1918 observed reflections, respectively. The two clusters [Co₆(μ₃-S)₈)(PEt₃)₆]^1+,0 are isostructural, the inner core consisting of an octahedron of cobalt atoms with all the faces symmetrically capped by triply bridging sulphur atoms. Each metal centre is additionally linked to a triethylphosphine group so that each cobalt atom is co-ordinated by four sulphur atoms and one phosphorus in a distorted square pyramidal environment. The addition of one electron whilst leaving unchanged the geometry of the inner framework, induces small changes in the structural parameters, the average Co---Co and Co---P distances being 2.794 (3) and 2.162 (2) Å for 1 and 2.817 (3) and 2.138 (2) Å for 3 respectively. Electrochemistry in non-aqueous solvents shows the electron-transfer sequence

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The tricationic species is stable only in the short time of cyclic voltammetric tests.     

Electrochemical behaviour of some polyoxo clusters

We describe the redox behaviour in non-aqueous solvents of some cyclopentadienyl(oxo)titanium derivatives. The derivative [Ti₄{η⁵-C₅H₄(SiMe₃)}₄(μ-O)₆] shows an electrochemically and chemically reversible le reduction process, followed by a multi-electron, chemically complicated reduction at a fairly cathodic potential. On the basis of the overall electrochemical features and the comparison with the redox behaviour of the quasi-planar compound [[Ti{η⁵-C₅H₄(SiMe₃)}Cl(μ-O)]₄] we propose an EECCEE mechanism for the first derivative, where the second electron-transfer induces a cascade of chemical reactions giving rise to irreversible cluster breakdown. The electrochemically induced fragmentation can be viewed as a retrosynthetic pathway. The heterometallic derivative [{Ti(η⁵-C₅H₄Me)₂(μ₂-MoO₄)₂}₂] shows two consecutive reduction processes; the first is chemically reversible, and the second quasi-reversible. The molybdate bridges apparently increase the stability of the electrogenerated anions. However none of these poly-oxo clusters can be considered as good models of electron ‘sinks’.     

Modeling of overloaded gradient elution of nociceptin/orphanin FQ in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

The Reversed-phase (RP) gradient elution chromatography of nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ), a neuropeptide with many biological effects, has been modeled under linear and non-linear conditions. In order to do this, the chromatographic behavior has been studied under both linear and nonliner conditions under isocratic mode at different mobile phase compositions--ranging from 16 to 19% (v/v) acetonitrile (ACN) in aqueous trifluoracetic acid (TFA) 0.1% (v/v)-on a C-8 column. Although the range of mobile phase compositions investigated was quite narrow, the retention factor of this relatively small polypeptide (N/OFQ is a heptadecapeptide) has been found to change by more than 400%. In these conditions, gradient operation resulted thus to be the optimum approach for non-linear elution. As the available amount of N/OFQ was extremely reduced (only a few milligrams), the adsorption isotherms of the peptide, at the different mobile phase compositions examined, have been measured through the so-called inverse method (IM) on a 5 cm long column. The adsorption data at different mobile phase compositions have been fitted to several models of adsorption. The dependence of the isotherm parameters on the mobile phase composition was modeled by using the linear solvent strength (LSS) model and a generalized Langmuir isotherm that includes the mobile phase composition dependence. The overloaded gradient separation of N/OFQ has been modeled by numerically solving the equilibrium-dispersive (ED) model of chromatography under a selected gradient elution mode, on the basis of the previously determined generalized Langmuir isotherm. The agreement between theoretical calculations and experimental overloaded band profiles appeared reasonably accurate.     

Anisotropic contributions in the ligand polarization model for the f-f transition probabilities of Eu(III) complexes

The intensities of the ΔM = ± 1 component of the ⁷f_o→ ⁵D₂ transition in D₃ complexes containing the [ EuO₉] cluster, and of other d-d or f-f transitions in D₃ complexes with the yz- and xz-components of the electric quadrupole as the leading moment, are found to be dependent upon the polarizability anisotropy of the ligands. The expectation is supported by determinations of the single-crystal absorption intensities of Na₃ [Eu(diglycollate)₃]·2NaClO₄·6H₂O and [Eu(H₂O)₉] (C₂H₅SO₄)₃.     

Effects of variable selection on CoMFA coefficient contour maps in a set of triazines inhibiting DHFR

Summary An example of a CoMFA study is described with the aim to discuss one of the major problems of this 3D QSAR method: lack of variable selection. It is shown that the use of nonrelevant energy parameters might produce CoMFA contour maps which poorly reflect the actual nature of the binding site and are in part statistical artefacts. The data set employed in our analysis comparises triazine inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), isolated from chicken liver, which have already been the object of a QSAR study by other authors. Since three-dimensional structures of triazine-DHFR complexes are known, it was possible not only to reduce ambiguities in the superimposition of the ligands, but also to compare the resulting CoMFA contour maps with the enzyme active site.Supplementary material available: The Cartesian coordinates and the atomic charges of the PM3-optimized structures used in the CoMFA study are available as MOL2 files upon request.To whose memory this paper is dedicated.     

Simultaneous determination of yohimbine and boldine by first-derivative synchronous spectrofluorimetry

A method for the simultaneous determination of yohimbine and boldine in mixtures by first-derivative synchronous spectrofluorimetry has been developed. The method is based on their native fluorescence in 0.1N sulphuric acid medium. The constant wavelength difference chosen to optimize the determination was =_em -_em=82 nm. Yohimbine was measured at _ex//_em= 285/367 nm, and boldine at _ex/_em=272/354 nm. The range of application is 10–500 g/l for yohimbine and 1–50 g/l for boldine. The method was applied to the determination of yohimbine and boldine in synthetic mixtures and pharmaceuticals, with errors generally 2%. Relative standard deviations were about 2%.Dedicated to Professor Fermin Capitán on his 72th birthday     

Ferrocene-containing carbohydrate dendrimers

Aliphatic amines, incorporating one or three (branched) acylated beta-D-glucopyranosyl residues, were coupled with the acid chloride of ferrocenecarboxylic acid and with the diacid chloride of 1,1'-ferrocenedicarboxylic acid to afford four dendrimer-type, carbohydrate-coated ferrocene derivatives in good yields (54-92%). Deprotection of the peracylated beta-D-glucopyranosyl residues was achieved quantitatively by using Zemplén conditions, affording four water-soluble ferrocene derivatives. When only one of the two cyclopentadienyl rings of the ferrocene unit is substituted, strong complexes are formed with beta-cyclodextrin in H2O, as demonstrated by liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry (LSIMS), 1H NMR spectroscopy, electrochemical measurements, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Molecular dynamics calculations showed that the unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl ring is inserted through the cavity of the toroidal host in these complexes. The electrochemical behavior of the protected and deprotected ferrocene-containing dendrimers was investigated in acetonitrile and water, respectively. The diffusion coefficient decreases with increasing molecular weight of the compound. The potential for oxidation of the ferrocene core, the rate constant of heterogeneous electron transfer, and the rate constant for the energy-transfer reaction with the luminescent excited state of the [Ru(bpy)3]2+ complex (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) are strongly affected by the number (one or two) of substituents and by the number (one or three) of carbohydrate branches present in the substituents. These effects are assigned to shielding of the ferrocene core by the dendritic branches. Electrochemical evidence for the existence of different conformers for one of the dendrimers in aqueous solution was obtained.     

Five-coordinate low-spin cobalt(II) complexes with benzeneseleninato ions and ethylenediamine as ligands

Summary Five-coordinate bis(benzeneseleninato)tris(ethylenediamine) cobalt (II)complexes are obtained by reaction of Co(H₂O)₂ (XC₆ H4 SeO₂)2 complexes (X = H, p-Cl, m-CI, p-Br, ni-Br, p-Me,p-NO₂) with ethylenediamine. The diaquo complexes (one mole)react with ethylenediamine (three moles)to form O-seleninato derivatives. Spectral and magnetic properties show that the complexes are low-spin (s = 1/2) and,on the basis of the electronic spectra a distorted trigonal geometry,D _3h , is suggested. Assignments for the electronic spectra are proposed. Conductivity data indicate that these derivatives are nonelectrolytes. Both ethylenediamine and [RSeO₂ ]^– behave as monodentate ligands.