Mixed ligand complexes of [Pd(terpy)(H2O)]2+ with some selected amino acids,peptides, DNA and related ligands

Stability constants of the ternary palladium(II) complexes of triamine 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (terpy) and some amino acids, peptides, DNA constituents or thiols were determined at 25 °C and at constant 0.1 mol dm⁻³ ionic strength, adjusted using NaNO₃. The coordination sites are pH-dependent. The results show the formation of binuclear species, 210. The speciation diagrams of various complex species were evaluated as a function of pH. Good correlations were found between the stability constants of the complexes and basicity of ligands.     

A fresh look into background electrolyte selection for capillary electrophoresis‐laser induced fluorescence of peptides and proteins

This study reports a reinvestigation of background electrolyte selection strategy for performance improvement in CE‐LIF of peptides and proteins. This strategy is based on the employment of high concentrations of organic species in BGE possessing high buffer capacity and low specific conductivity in order to ensure excellent stacking preconcentration and separation resolution of fluorescently tagged peptides and proteins. Unlike universal UV detection, the use of such BGEs at high concentrations does not lead to degradation of LIF detection signals at the working excitation and emission wavelengths. At the same buffer ionic strength, pH and electric field, an “inorganic‐species‐free” BGE (or ISF BGE) for CE‐LIF of fluorescently labeled beta amyloid peptide Aβ 1–42 (a model analyte) offered a signal intensity and peak efficiency at least three‐times higher than those obtained with a conventional BGE normally used for CE‐LIF, while producing an electric current twice lower. Good peak performance (in terms of height and shape) was maintained when using ISF BGEs even with samples prepared in high‐conductivity phosphate buffer saline matrix. The advantageous features of such BGEs used at high concentrations over conventional ones in terms of high separation resolution, improved signal intensities, tuning of EOF magnitudes and minimization of protein adsorption on an uncoated fused silica capillary are demonstrated using Alexa‐488‐labelled trypsin inhibitor. Such BGE selection approach was applied for investigation of separation performance for CE‐LIF of ovalbumin labelled with different fluorophores.     

Preparation of the β2‐Homoselenocysteine Derivatives Fmoc‐(S)‐β2hSec(PMB)‐OH and Boc‐(S)‐β2hSec(PMB)‐OH for Solution and Solid‐Phase Peptide Synthesis

Fmoc‐β²hSer(^tBu)‐OH was converted to Fmoc‐β²hSec(PMB)‐OH in five steps. To avoid elimination of HSeR, the selenyl group was introduced in the second last step (Fmoc‐β²hSer(Ts)‐OAll→Fmoc‐β²hSec(PMB)‐OAll). In a similar way, the N‐Boc‐protected compound was prepared. With the β²hSe‐derivatives, 21 β²‐amino‐acid building blocks with proteinogenic side chains are now available for peptide synthesis.     

Bioelectrochemistry for sensing amino acids,peptides, proteins and DNA interactions

Oxidative damage to peptides, proteins and DNA is considered to be one of the major causes of cancer and age-related diseases. The interaction of biomolecules, peptides, proteins, nucleic acids and pharmaceuticals with solid electrode surfaces is not only a fundamental phenomenon but also a key to important and novel analytical sensing applications in biosensors, biotechnology, medical devices and drug-delivery schemes. Electrochemical methods can provide insight into the redox mechanisms and the electron-transfer reactions of a variety of fundamental biological processes.     

Numerical Simulation of the Pressure Denaturation of a Helical β‐Peptide Heptamer Solvated in Methanol

The effect of elevated pressure on the conformational behavior of a β‐peptide heptamer ( 1 ) in MeOH solution was considered. The response of the peptide to elevated pressure was probed by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and described in atomic terms. The most‐striking features of the response are that the region of the ‘unfolded’ state of the peptide accessible at elevated pressure is narrow, and that thermal and pressure denaturation produce similar ‘unfolded’ states in the case of 1 .     

Rearrangements in Model Peptide‐Type Radicals via Intramolecular Hydrogen‐Atom Transfer

Intramolecular H‐atom transfer in model peptide‐type radicals was investigated with high‐level quantum‐chemistry calculations. Examination of 1,2‐, 1,3‐, 1,5‐, and 1,6[C ? N]‐H shifts, 1,4‐ and 1,7[C ? C]‐H shifts, and 1,4[N ? N]‐H shifts (Scheme 1), was carried out with a number of theoretical methods. In the first place, the performance of UB3‐LYP (with the 6‐31G(d), 6‐31G(2df,p), and 6‐311+G(d,p) basis sets) and UMP2 (with the 6‐31G(d) basis set) was assessed for the determination of radical geometries. We found that there is only a small basis‐set dependence for the UB3‐LYP structures, and geometries optimized with UB3‐LYP/6‐31G(d) are generally sufficient for use in conjunction with high‐level composite methods in the determination of improved H‐transfer thermochemistry. Methods assessed in this regard include the high‐level composite methods, G3(MP2)‐RAD, CBS‐QB3, and G3//B3‐LYP, as well as the density‐functional methods B3‐LYP, MPWB1K, and BMK in association with the 6‐31+G(d,p) and 6‐311++G(3df,3pd) basis sets. The high‐level methods give results that are close to one another, while the recently developed functionals MPWB1K and BMK provide cost‐effective alternatives. For the systems considered, the transformation of an N‐centered radical to a C‐centered radical is always exothermic (by 25 kJ ? mol^?1 or more), and this can lead to quite modest barrier heights of less than 60 kJ ? mol^?1 (specifically for 1,5[C ? N]‐H and 1,6[C ? N]‐H shifts). H‐Migration barriers appear to decrease as the ring size in the transition structure (TS) increases, with a lowering of the barrier being found, for example when moving from a rearrangement proceeding via a four‐membered‐ring TS (e.g., the 1,3[C ? N]‐H shift, CH₃? C(O)? NH^. → ^.CH₂? C(O)? NH₂) to a rearrangement proceeding via a six‐membered‐ring TS (e.g., the 1,5[C ? N]‐H shift, ^.NH? CH₂? C(O)? NH? CH₃ → NH₂? CH₂? C(O)? NH? CH₂^.).     

Synthesis and characterization of new heptacyclic helicenes

New helically chiral substituted heptacyclic systems have been prepared from a simple phenanthrene building block in good yields and purity, via a four-step sequence involving palladium-catalysed Heck coupling and oxidative photocyclization. X-ray crystal structure analysis indicated that the conformation resembled that of the unsubstituted heptahelicene. The optical properties of these heptacyclic helicenes were investigated and show interesting behaviour.     

Nanoscale organization of ionic liquids and their interaction with peptides probed by C NMR spectroscopy

An NMR study of 10 l-alanine- and l-valine-containing peptides was carried out in the native [C₂MIM][Cl], [C₄MIM][Cl], [C₆MIM][Cl], [C₄MIM][BF₄], [C₄MIM][PF₆], and [C₄Py][BF₄] ionic liquid media. A unique high sensitivity of the ionic liquid system to the nature of peptide and ability to tune solvent–solute interactions were observed in contrast to regular organic solvents. The l-valine peptides can be selectively dissolved in [C₄MIM][Cl] and [C₆MIM][Cl], whereas their solubility in [C₂MIM][Cl] and other ionic liquids was dramatically lower. In spite of structural similarity between the amino acids, a distinct behavior was observed for the l-alanine peptides. Solvent–solute interactions with an ionic liquid impose significant changes, and NMR spectroscopy is a useful probe for the molecular-level and nanoscale organization of the studied systems. An even/odd effect of the number of amino acids in the peptide on molecular interactions in ionic liquids was observed. Enhancement of chemical properties of peptides in ionic liquids and application of ionic liquids in the separation of peptides are the areas of practical interest in the studied systems.     

Participation of compact planar 1,3,5-tri(buta-2,3-dien-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazinane-2,4,6-trione in Pd(0) catalysed seven component cascade reactions delivers novel tunable molecular architecture

We report the spatially controlled, protecting group free, catalytic assembly of a library of nineteen 7-component cascade products generated from a novel planar trisallenyl 1,3,5-triazinane-2,4,6-trione core in combination with aryl iodides and amines with excellent regio and good stereoaselectivity for Z,Z,Z-isomers.     

Asymmetric polymerization of N-vinylcarbazole with optically active anionic initiators

The anionic polymerization of N-vinylcarbazole(NVC) by using optically active anionic initiators such as the lithium salts of(S)-1-(9H-fluoren-2-yl)-4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrooxazole((S)-1-FIDH) and(S)-2-(9H-fluoren-2-yl)-4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrooxazole((S)-2-FIDH) and complexes of(-)-Sparteine with n-butylithium(n-Bu Li-(-)-Sp) or fluorenyl lithium(FILi-(-)-Sp) was achieved. The yield and specific rotation of poly(N-vinylcarbazole)s(poly(NVC)s) were considerably affected by the molar ratio of(S)-FIDH to NVC. The highest yield and specific rotation were obtained with Li-(S)-1-FIDH as an initiator, with a molar ratio of monomer and initiator [M]/[I] = 10/1. The effects of the chiral initiators, type of solvent and the polymerization temperature were investigated. The obtained optical activity of polymers was attributed to asymmetric induction of the chiral initiators.