Synthesis and X-ray structural analysis of a unique Co-crystallization complex of [NaSal]2DB24C8 and [KSal]2DB24C8

Sodium salicylate (NaSal where Sal=2-hydroxybenzoate), when mixed with dibenzo-24-crown-8 (DB24C8) yields a bimetallic complex [NaSal]₂DB24C8 in most polar organic media, while potassium salicylate (KSal) under similar conditions shows a tendency to yield 11 or 21 complexes depending upon medium or synthesis. However, the presence of both NaSal and KSal together results in a unique mixed cation complex of composition NaKSal₂DB24C8. This product melts sharply (190-92°C) without decomposition, displays IR spectral characteristics comparable to those of [Na(Sal)]₂DB24C8, and is stable in aqueous media as shown by the detectable cation effect on the UV absorption bands of Sal and DB24C8. Single crystal X-ray analysis of NaK(Sal)₂DB24C8 reveals that the system represents a co-crystallization complex of individual (KSal)₂DB24C8 and (NaSal)₂DB24C8 molecules. The crystals are monoclinic,P2₁/c,a=19.976(2) Å,b=9.031(1) Å,c=25.541(5) Å,=122.065(9)°, ų,T=298 K,Z=2+2, CuK =1.5418 Å, and 2 (2.5°–100°). FinalR factor for the 3012 observed reflections (F>3) is 0.092. Both the Na₂- and K₂-molecules possess crystallographic centers of symmetry with one metal and its associated anion on each side of the crown ring. However, the conformations of the crowns are very different in the two molecules, with the K₂-crown being nearly planar and the Na₂-crown being quite puckered. Four oxygen atoms from the DB24C8 (KO, 2.680–2.908 Å) and three carboxyl oxygen atoms (KO, 2.472–2.708 Å) from separate salicylate ions coordinate with each potassium. Three oxygens from the crown (NaO, 2.536–2.65 Å) and three carboxyl oxygens (NaO, 2.31–2.563 Å) coordinate with each sodium. The salicylate ions lie on opposite sides and nearly perpendicular (77.2°, Na₂-molecule; 82.7° K₂-molecule) to each crown but coordinate to both of the metal ions within a molecule. The K⁺K⁺ and Na⁺Na⁺ distances in the respective molecules are 3.95 and 3.34 Å. Supplementary Data relating to this article are deposited with the British Library as Supplementary Publication No. SUP 82044 (18 pages).     

A model for short alpha-neurotoxin bound to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica: comparison with long-chain alpha-neurotoxins and alpha-conotoxins

Short-chain alpha-neurotoxins from snakes are highly selective antagonists of the muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). Although their spatial structures are known and abundant information on topology of binding to nAChR is obtained by labeling and mutagenesis studies, the accurate structure of the complex is not yet known. Here, we present a model for a short alpha-neurotoxin, neurotoxin II from Naja oxiana (NTII), bound to Torpedo californica nAChR. It was built by comparative modeling, docking and molecular dynamics using 1H NMR structure of NTII, cross-linking and mutagenesis data, cryoelectron microscopy structure of Torpedo marmorata nAChR [Unwin, N., 2005. Refined structure of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at 4A resolution. J. Mol. Biol. 346, 967-989] and X-ray structures of acetylcholine-binding protein (AChBP) with agonists [Celie, P.H., van Rossum-Fikkert, S.E., van Dijk, W.J., Brejc, K., Smit, A.B., Sixma, T.K., 2004. Nicotine and carbamylcholine binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors as studied in AChBP crystal structures. Neuron 41 (6), 907-914] and antagonists: alpha-cobratoxin, a long-chain alpha-neurotoxin [Bourne, Y., Talley, T.T., Hansen, S.B., Taylor, P., Marchot, P., 2005. Crystal structure of Cbtx-AChBP complex reveals essential interactions between snake alpha-neurotoxins and nicotinic receptors. EMBO J. 24 (8), 1512-1522] and alpha-conotoxin [Celie, P.H., Kasheverov, I.E., Mordvintsev, D.Y., Hogg, R.C., van Nierop, P., van Elk, R., van Rossum-Fikkert, S.E., Zhmak, M.N., Bertrand, D., Tsetlin, V., Sixma, T.K., Smit, A.B., 2005. Crystal structure of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor homolog AChBP in complex with an alpha-conotoxin PnIA variant. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 12 (7), 582-588]. In complex with the receptor, NTII was located at about 30 A from the membrane surface, the tip of its loop II plunges into the ligand-binding pocket between the alpha/gamma or alpha/delta nAChR subunits, while the loops I and III contact nAChR by their tips only in a 'surface-touch' manner. The toxin structure undergoes some changes during the final complex formation (for 1.45 rmsd in 15-25 ps according to AMBER'99 molecular dynamics simulation), which correlates with NMR data. The data on the mobility and accessibility of spin- and fluorescence labels in free and bound NTII were used in MD simulations. The binding process is dependent on spontaneous outward movement of the C-loop earlier found in the AChBP complexes with alpha-cobratoxin and alpha-conotoxin. Among common features in binding of short- and long alpha-neurotoxins is the rearrangement of aromatic residues in the binding pocket not observed for alpha-conotoxin binding. Being in general very similar, the binding modes of short- and long alpha-neurotoxins differ in the ways of loop II entry into nAChR.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Two One—dimensional Chain Copper Complexes [Cu（TTA）2（4,4‘’—azpy）] and [Cu（TTA）2（3,3‘’—azpy）

Two copper complexes [Cu(TTA)₂(4,4′‐azpy)] (1) and [Cu‐(TTA)₂(3,3′‐azpy)] (2) (HTTA = 1,1,1‐trifluoro‐3‐(2‐thenoyl)‐acetone, 4,4′‐azpy = 4,4′‐azobispyridine, 3,3′‐azpy = 3,3′‐azobispyridine) were synthesized and characterized. The crystal structures were determined by X‐ray diffraction analysis. The crystal 1 belongs to triclinic with space group P1 , a = 0.8515(2) nm, b = 0.9259(2) nm, c = 0.9468(2) nm, a = 66.126(9)°, β = 79.667(9)°, γ = 90.13(1)°, Z = 1, V = 0.6692(2) nm³, D_c = 3.425 g/cm³, γ = 2.113 mm^?1, F(000) = 694, R₁ = 0.0594, wR₂ = 0.1499. The crystal 2 belongs to monoclinic with space group P2₁/c, a = 1.0661(2) nm, b = 1.4296(3) ran, c = 1.0041(3) nm, β = 114.50(3)°, V = 1.3926(5) nm³, Z = 2, D_c = 1.646 g/ cm³, μ = 1.015 mm^?1, F(000) = 694, R₁, = 0.0535, wR₂ = 0.1113. In the crystals of complexes 1 and 2, the copper atoms have distorted octahedral symmetry. The two compounds possess very similar one‐dimensional linear chains linked through the rodlike 4,4′‐azpy ligands or 3,3′‐azpy ligands.     

Dynamics of end-grafted polystyrene brushes in theta solvents

The dynamics of the concentration fluctuations in end-grafted polystyrene brushes in a theta solvent (cyclohexane) are probed by evanescent wave dynamic light scattering at different wavevectors q and temperatures. When the solvent quality changes from marginal to poor, the relaxation function C(q, t) exhibits strong effects as compared with the smooth variation of the brush density profile. From a single exponential above 50 °C, C(q, t) becomes a two-step decay function. The fast decay is still assigned to the cooperative diffusion albeit slower than in the good solvent regime whereas the slow nonexponential and nondiffusive process might relate to microsegragated and/or chain dynamics in the present polydisperse brush. The relaxation function of the present three brushes with different grafting density reveals similarities and disparities between wet brushes and semidilute polymer solutions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 3590–3597, 2006     

Thermochemistry of rare earth complexes [Ln(Ala)2(Im)(H2O)](ClO4)3 (Ln=Pr, Gd)

The two complexes, [Ln(Ala)₂(Im)(H₂O)](ClO₄)₃ (Ln=Pr, Gd), were synthesized and characterized. Using a solution-reaction isoperibol calorimeter, standard enthalpies of reaction of two reactions: LnCl₃⋅6H₂O(s)+2Ala(s)+Im(s)+3NaClO₄(s)=[Ln(Ala)₂(Im)(H₂O)](ClO₄)₃(s)+3NaCl(s)+5H₂O(l) (Ln=Pr, Gd), at T=298.15 K, were determined to be (39.26±0.10) and (5.33±0.12) kJ mol^–1 , respectively. Standard enthalpies of formation of the two complexes at T=298.15 K, Δ_fH^Θ_m {[Ln(Ala)₂(Im)(H₂O)](ClO₄)₃(s)} (Ln=Pr, Gd), were calculated as –(2424.2±3.3) and –(2443.4±3.3) kJ mol^–1 , respectively.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the hydrolysis of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (Na-CMC) by a cellulase complex

TheSomogyi-Nelson colorimetric method is applied in a new manner more suitable for evaluating the kinetics of the enzyme hydrolysis of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (Na-CMC) catalyzed by the cellulase complex. By means of selective inhibition of a chosen enzyme from the cellulase complex it became possible to trace the effect of the other enzymes included in its composition.

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Kinetik und Mechanismus der Hydrolyse von Natriumcarboxymethylcellulose (Na-CMC) durch einen Cellulase-Komplex

Zusammenfassung Die kolorimetrische Methode nachSomogyi undNelson wird nach einem neuen Verfahren zur Verfolgung der Kinetik der hydrolytischen Spaltung von Natriumcarboxymethylcellulose (Na-CMC), katalysiert durch den Cellulase-Komplex, angewandt. Durch selektive Inhibierung eines bestimmten Enzyms des Cellulase-Komplexes kann man die Wirkung der anderen zu seiner gesamten Zusammensetzung gehörenden Enzyme verfolgen.

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Symbols Used E enzyme (E—cellulase;E—exo-cellobiohydrolase;E—-glucosidase) - [E] _w weight concentration of enzymeE - S substrate (Na-CMC—sodium carboxymethylcellulose) - [S]₀ weight concentration of substrateS - I inhibitor (I—lactose;I—calcium chloride;I—condurrite-B-epoxide) - P product (P—oligosaccharides;P—cellobiose;P—D-glucose) - P end product (K , K , K ) - DP degree of polymerization - DS degree of substitution - ES enzyme-substrate complex (E S, E S, E S) - EP enzyme-product complex (E P, E P) - EI enzyme-inhibitor complex (E I, E I, E I) - M _s molecular mass of substrateS - K _s substrate constant (K _s , K _s , K _s ) - K _I inhibitor constant (K _I , K _I , K _I ) - K _m Michaelis-Menten constant - k ₊₁,k ₊₂ (k ₊₂ ,k ₊₂ ,k ₊₂ ) forward rate constants - k _–1 reverse rate constant - ₀ initial rate of reaction - V maximal reaction rate - A change in absorbance - molar absorption coefficient - wavelength Herrn Prof. Dr.Hans Tuppy zum 60. Geburtstag herzlichst gewidmet.     

Cation-crown ether complex formation in water. II. Alkali and alkaline earth cations and 12-crown-4, 15-crown-5, and 18-crown-6

The stability constants and the partial molal volume and isentropic partial molal compressibility changes of complex formation between cations and crown ethers in water at 25°C are presented. The cations involved are Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺, Ca²⁺, and Ba²⁺, and the crown ethers are 12-crown-4, 15-crown-5, and 18-crown-6. Values of V of complex formation have been discussed in terms of two simple models, one based on the scaled particle theory, and the others on the Drude-Nernst continuum model. The results indicate that the charge of the potassium cation in 18-crown-6 is especially well screened from the water. On this basis hydration numbers of complexed cations have been calculated. This shows that the size of the cation compared to the crown ether hole is important for the contacts between complexed cations and water.     

次级键与晶体中锑(III)螯合物配位多面体研究

考虑立体活性孤对电子附近次级键配位原子的贡献, 对文献报道的三十个氨基多羧酸锑(III)螯合物的晶体结构中配位多面体描述进行了全面的修正. 配位多面体的几何构型指定采用了单位球内截多面体的两面角判据及其相关的ANVPDA程序. 所有配位多面体几何构型的修正均得到了键价计算的有力支持.     

次级键与晶体中锑(III)螯合物配位多面体研究

考虑立体活性孤对电子附近次级键配位原子的贡献,对文献报道的三十个氨基多羧酸锑(III)螯合物的晶体结构中配位多面体描述进行了全面的修正.配位多面体的几何构型指定采用了单位球内截多面体的两面角判据及其相关的ANVPDA程序.所有配位多面体几何构型的修正均得到了键价计算的有力支持.     

POLYMER NETWORK-POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL)COMPLEXES WITH SHAPE MEMORY EFFECT

The complexes of poly(methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) network with poly(ethylene glycol) stabilized byhydrogen bonds were prepared. By introducing the poly(ethylene glycol), a large difference in storage modulus below andabove the glass transition temperature occurred and the complexes exhibited shape memory behaviors. The morphology ofcomplexes was studied by using DSC, WAXD, and DMA. The results indicate that the fixed phase of this kind of novelshape memory materials is the network, and the reversible phase is the amorphous state of PEG:PMAA complex phase. Theshape recoverability almost reaches 100%. This type of complexes can be regarded as a novel shape memory network.