Molecular modeling of cytochrome P450 3A4

The three-dimensional structure of human cytochrome P450 3A4 was modeled based on crystallographic coordinates of four bacterial P450s: P450 BM-3, P450cam, P450terp, and P450eryF. The P450 3A4 sequence was aligned to those of the known proteins using a structure-based alignment of P450 BM-3, P450cam, P450terp, and P450eryF. The coordinates of the model were then calculated using a consensus strategy, and the final structure was optimized in the presence of water. The P450 3A4 model resembles P450 BM-3 the most, but the B helix is similar to that of P450eryF, which leads to an enlarged active site when compared with P450 BM-3, P450cam, and P450terp. The 3A4 residues equivalent to known substrate contact residues of the bacterial proteins and key residues of rat P450 2B1 are located in the active site or the substrate access channel. Docking of progesterone into the P450 3A4 model demonstrated that the substrate bound in a 6-orientation can interact with a number of active site residues, such as 114, 119, 301, 304, 305, 309, 370, 373, and 479, through hydrophobic interactions. The active site of the enzyme can also accommodate erythromycin, which, in addition to the residues listed for progesterone, also contacts residues 101, 104, 105, 214, 215, 217, 218, 374, and 478. The majority of 3A4 residues which interact with progesterone and/or erythromycin possess their equivalents in key residues of P450 2B enzymes, except for residues 297, 480 and 482, which do not contact either substrate in P450 3A4. The results from docking of progesterone and erythromycin into the enzyme model make it possible to pinpoint residues which may be important for 3A4 function and to target them for site-directed mutagenesis.     

The crystal structures of two Mercury Perrhenates

The mercury perrhenates with the empirical formulas HgReO₄ and Hg₂ReO₅ were prepared by annealing powdered mixtures of mercury(II)oxide and mercury(II)metaperrhenate Hg(ReO₄)₂ in sealed silica tubes. Their crystal structures were determined from single-crystal X-ray data. HgReO₄ crystallizes dimeric with nearly linear O₃Re? O? Hg? Hg? O? ReO₃ molecular units and Hg₂ReO₅ has a solid state structure, where Hg(I) and Hg(II) together with oxygen atoms form 14-membered rings, which are condensed to two-dimensionally infinite polycationic nets of composition (Hg₂²⁺ · 2 HgO)_n. These nets are separated from each other by tetrahedral ReO₄^? anions.     

Strukturen aus AIB2− und BaAl4−analogen Einheiten. I Die Verbindungen Sr4Pd5P5 und Sr2Pd3P3

Structures with AIB₂? and BaAl₄?type Units. I The Compounds Sr₄Pd₅P₅ and Sr₂Pd₃P₃ Sr₄Pd₅P₅ (Cmcm, a = 4.177(1) Å, b = 31.377(5) Å, c = 8.581(2) Å, Z = 4) und Sr₂ Pd₃P₃(Pmmm, a = 4.199(1) Å, b = 4.212(1) Å, c = 34.227(4) Å, Z = 4) have been prepared by heating the elements. Both structures contain exclusively units characteristic for the AIB_2? and BaAl₄?type. The ratio between isolated P-atoms and P₂?pairs is interpreted with an ionic splitting of the formulas.     

2-[6-Alkyl-3-hetaryl-4-oxo-9,10-dihydro-4H,8H-chromeno-[8,7-<Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis>][1,3]oxazin-9-yl]acetic acids

The interaction has been studied of a series of substituted 3-hetaryl-7-hydroxychromones with amino acids and formaldehyde (reactants ratio 1: 1: 2 respectively). In the case of glycine and Het = 3-isoxazolyl the product of aminomethylation at position 8 of the chromone was obtained, and with other Het (including Het = 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl) 2-[6-alkyl-3-hetaryl-4-oxo-9,10-dihydro-4H,8H-chromeno[8,7-e][1,3]-oxazin-9-yl]acetic acids were formed. With β-alanine and Het = 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl the corresponding β-substituted propionic acid was synthesized, but proline did not participate in the reaction, leading to bis(6-ethyl-3-hetaryl-7-hydroxychromon-8-yl)methane. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 683–689, May, 2007.     

The electronic structure of molecules by a many-body approach

The vertical valence ionization potentials of cyclopropane, ethylene oxide and ethylene imine are calculated by a many-body Green's function method. For C₃H₆ the ordering of the ionization potentials is 2e(), 1e(), 2a₁(), 1a₂(), 1e(). The assignment of the 2a₁ and the 1a₂ ionization potentials which has been controversial is thus clarified. The ordering is in agreement with the result obtained via Koopmans' theorem. For ethylene oxide and ethylene imine Koopmans' theorem fails in predicting the correct order of ionic states. For C₂H₄O the ordering of the ionization potentials is 2b ₁(), 4a ₁, 1a ₂(), 2b ₂,3a ₁, 1b ₁(), 1b ₂, 2a ₁ and for C₂H₅N 6a, 5a, 3a, 2a, 4a, 3a, 1a, 2a. The agreement of the computed ionization potentials with the experimental values is very satisfactory.     

Accurate values for the nonrelativistic energies of the lowest singlet and triplet S-states of the4He-Isotop

Accurate lower and upper bounds for the nonrelativistic lowest energies¹ E ₀ and³ E ₀ of the singlet and triplet-system of the⁴He-Isotop are calculated with the linearized method of variance minimization. The same was done for¹ E ₁ the energy of the first excitedS-state 2¹ S. The results especially for¹ E ₀ and³ E ₀ in a.u. are −2.9033076997₅ ≤¹ E ₀ ≤ −2.9033076921₈ −2.1749324263₇ ≤³ E ₀ ≤ −2.1749324245₉ i.e. the values are determined with an absolute error smaller than 0.00167 cm⁻¹ for¹ E ₀ and 0.00039 cm⁻¹ for³ E ₀.     

Subsolidus phase relations and crystal structure of compounds in the PrOx-CaO-CuO system

The subsolidus phase relations of the PrO_x-CaO-CuO pseudo-ternary system sintered at 950-1000°C have been investigated by X-ray powder diffraction. In this system, there exist one compound Ca₁₀Pr₄Cu₂₄O₄₁, one Ca₂Pr₂Cu₅O₁₀-based solid solution, seven three-phase regions and two two-phase regions. The crystal structures of Ca₁₀Pr₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ and Ca₂Pr₂Cu₅O₁₀-based solid solution have been determined. Compound Ca₁₀Pr₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ crystallizes in an orthorhombic cell with space group D_2h²⁰−Cccm, Z=4. Its lattice parameters are a=11.278(2) Å, b=12.448(3) Å and c=27.486(8) Å. The crystal structure of Ca₂Pr₂Cu₅O₁₀-based solid solution is an incommensurate phase based on the orthorhombic NaCuO₂ type subcell. The lattice parameters of the subcell of the Ca_2.4Pr_1.6Cu₅O₁₀ are a₀=2.8246(7) Å, b₀=6.3693(5) Å, c₀=10.679(1) Å, and those of the orthorhombic superstructure are with a=5a₀, b=b₀, c=5c₀. The Ca_2.4Pr_1.6Cu₅O₁₀ structure can also be determined by using a monoclinic supercell with space group C_2h⁵−P2₁/c, Z=4, a=5a₀, b=b₀, and β=104.79(1)° or 136.60(1)°, V=5a₀b₀c₀.     

In-capillary micro solid-phase extraction and capillary electrophoresis separation of heterocyclic aromatic amines with nanospray mass spectrometric detection

A miniaturised technique to analyse and detect heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAs) using micro solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled on-line (in-capillary) to capillary electrophoresis (CE) separation with nanospray (nESI) mass spectrometry (MS) detection has been developed. HAs are mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds formed at low levels in protein-rich food during cooking. Due to the low concentrations of HAs and the high complexity of the matrix in which they exist, sensitive and selective analytical methods are required for quantification. SPE was performed on a packed bed of C₁₈ particles inside the CE capillary, which minimised the dead volume. The on-line coupling of SPE, CE and nESI-MS reduced the time for extraction and identification to less than half an hour, which will allow for screening of several samples per day. The new technique provides short analysis time, low sample and solvent consumption, and HAs in standard solutions were easily detected at 12–17 fmol injections, and in spiked urine samples at 750–810 fmol injections.     

Investigation of m-nitroaniline formation during the Zimmermann reaction

The Zimmermann reaction for the determination of 17-ketosteroids was tested under both room-temperature and steam-distillation reaction conditions. meta-Nitroaniline was isolated from the residue of the steam distillation by ether extraction and thin-layer chromatography. Conclusive identification was by infrared spectroscopy. In contrast, m-nitroaniline was not formed under room-temperature reaction conditions, even when allowed to react for 24 hr. Similar results were also obtained for the reaction between acetone and m-dinitrobenzene under alkaline conditions. In conclusion, the results indicate that m-nitroaniline formation cannot account for the conversion of structure I to structure II under room-temperature reaction conditions as investigated herein.     

Recent syntheses and reactions of cyclic imidic esters

Δ²-Oxazolines and 4H-5,6-dihydrooxazines are readily obtainable from carboxylic acids and 2- or 3-amino alcohols by gas-phase dehydration, and 4H-dihydrooxazines can also be obtained by condensation of N-(hydroxymethyl) carboxamides with olefins. These cyclic imidic esters undergo reactions in which the ring is cleaved; these reactions include a new type of polymerization. The behavior of alkyl groups in position 2 and the cyclodditions in the 2,3-position also have been studied. Reactions in side chains on position 2 and addition experiments on the sulfur analogues of the cyclic imidic esters are also reported. A table shows the principal infrared bands of substituted Δ²-oxazolines.