Molecular Recognition and Crystal Energy Landscapes: An X‐ray and Computational Study of Caffeine and Other Methylxanthines

We introduce a new approach to crystal‐packing analysis, based on the study of mutual recognition modes of entire molecules or of molecular moieties, rather than a search for selected atom–atom contacts, and on the study of crystal energy landscapes over many computer‐generated polymorphs, rather than a quest for the one most stable crystal structure. The computational tools for this task are a polymorph generator and the PIXEL density sums method for the calculation of intermolecular energies. From this perspective, the molecular recognition, crystal packing, and solid‐state phase behavior of caffeine and several methylxanthines (purine‐2,6‐diones) have been analyzed. Many possible crystal structures for anhydrous caffeine have been generated by computer simulation, and the most stable among them is a thermodynamic, ordered equivalent of the disordered phase, revealed by powder X‐ray crystallography. Molecular recognition energies between two caffeine molecules or between caffeine and water have been calculated, and the results reveal the largely predominant mode to be the stacking of parallel caffeine molecules, an intermediately favorable caffeine–water interaction, and many other equivalent energy minima for lateral interactions of much less stabilization power. This last indetermination helps to explain why caffeine does not crystallize easily into an ordered anhydrous structure. In contrast, the mono‐ and dimethylxanthines (theophylline, theobromine, and the 1,7‐isomer, for which we present a single‐crystal X‐ray study and a lattice energy landscape) do crystallize in anhydrous form thanks to the formation of lateral hydrogen bonds.     

计算机模式识别法对甲状腺机能亢进症微量元素谱的研究

据Mahlanobis距离判别法，利用计算机多元统计判别程序，对14例甲亢思者和21例健康人的血清中锌、铁、铜、锰、镁和锶等元素浓度差异进行分类判别研究。选择锌、铁、钙、锶作判别特征参量时，患者和健康人的分类准确率为100％，服碘前与服碘后的甲亢患者分类准确率为92.7％，分类研究指出，甲亢患者血清中的铁和锶浓度高于健康人，经服碘治疗后，患者血清中上述元素浓度降低与健康人相近。     

Visual recognition of melamine in milk via selective metallo-hydrogel formation

A novel protocol allowing convenient and highly selective visual recognition of melamine in raw milk via selective metallo-hydrogel formation at a concentration as low as 10 ppm without any tedious pretreatment has been developed.     

New chemosensor for larger guests based on modified cyclodextrin bearing seven hydrophobic chains each with a hydrophilic end group

A new chemosensor for larger guests was prepared. The new chemosensor bears hydrophobic units at the primary hydroxy side and a dansyl unit at the secondary hydroxy side of β-cyclodextrin. Due to the hydrophobic units, the new chemosensor is sensitive to large or slender guests such as SDS and insensitive to 1-adamantanol, which is a good guest for the natural β-CD.     

Crystal Structures of 1,5,9,18,22,26-Hexaaza[11.11]-p-cyclophane Adducts; Two-dimensional Supramolecular Networks

Two newly identified supramolecular structures arise from self-assembly of the macrocyclic 1,5,9,18,22,26- hexaaza[11.11]-p-cyclophane salts with o-nitrophenol (C₂₈H₅₀N₆)⁴⁺·4(C₆H₄NO₂O)⁻ (1) and with HCl (C₂₈H₅₂N₆)⁶⁺·6Cl^-·4H₂O (2). In both cases two-dimensional supramolecular sheets are formed.     

Signaling molecularly imprinted polymers: molecular recognition-based sensing materials

Molecular imprinting is a template polymerization technique that can easily provide synthetic polymers capable of molecular recognition for given target molecules. In addition to their highly specific recognition ability, we are attempting to introduce signaling functions to molecularly imprinted polymers, enabling them to respond according to specific binding events. Some of our work regarding such signaling molecularly imprinted polymers is presented here, including molecularly imprinted polymers that induce spectral shifts of target compounds because of binding. Such compounds include hydrogen-bonding-based fluorescent imprinted polymers and metalloporphyrin-based signaling molecularly imprinted polymers.     

Synthesis and supramolecular properties of trimethylene-bridged clips

The novel trimethylene-bridged clips 3 and 4 have been synthesized by using repetitive stereoselective Diels-Alder reactions of the benzo- and naphthobismethylenenorbornenes 8 and 19 as dienes and norbornadiene 9 as bisdienophile, and subsequent dehydrogenation of the primary cyclobisadducts 10 and 20 by using 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ). Clips 3 and 4 serve as receptors for a variety of electron-deficient neutral and cationic aromatic substrates, comparable to the molecular tweezers 1 and 2. The thermodynamic parameters of the complex formation, K(a) and DeltaG, were determined by (1)H NMR titration experiments and, in the case of the highly stable complex TCNB 32@4, by the use of isothermal titration microcalorimetry. The finding that clip 4 forms more stable complexes than 3 can be explained by the larger van der Waals contact surfaces of the naphthalene sidewalls in 4 compared to the corresponding benzene systems in 3. In the complexes with 4 as receptor, the plane of each aromatic substrate molecule is calculated to be oriented almost parallel to the naphthalene sidewalls. However, in the complexes of tweezers 2, the substrate is usually oriented parallel to the central naphthalene spacer unit. Due to the more open topology of 4, most complexes were calculated to consist of two or more equilibrating noncovalent conformers.     

Adrenaline recognition in water

Host molecule 1 displays a high affinity in water towards catecholamines and especially related structures such as beta-blockers with extended aromatic pi-faces (up to 7x10(3) M(-1) for each single complexation step or 5x10(7) M(-2) for both steps). The amphiphilic structural design leads to an extensive self-association of host molecules through their aromatic flanks. Above a cmc (critical micelle concentration) of 3x10(-4) M, host 1 forms micelles that produce a favorable microenvironment for hydrophobic interactions with the included guest molecules. Electrostatic attraction of the ammonium alcohol by the phosphonate anions is thus combined with hydrophobic contributions between the aromatic moieties. Ionic hydrogen bonds with polar OH or NH groups of the guest enforce the non-covalent interactions, and finally lead to increased specificity. Both its affinity and its selectivity towards adrenergic receptor substrates are greatly enhanced if the receptor molecule 1 is transferred from water into a lipid monolayer. Catecholamines and beta-blockers lead to drastically different effects at concentrations approaching the micromolar regime. Especially beta-blockers with minute structural changes can be easily distinguished from each other. In both cases, extensive hydrophobic interactions with a self-associated and/or self-organized microenvironment are largely responsible for the observed high efficiency and specificity.     

Synthetic receptors based on calix[4]arene functionalized at the lower rim in molecular recognition of dicarboxylic, α-hydroxycarboxylic,and α-amino acids

New calix[4]arenes, di- and tetrasubstituted at the lower rim, with different functional groups were synthesized. They were studied as carriers of a series of dicarboxylic and -hydroxycarboxylic acids through a liquid impregnated membrane. The calix[4]arenes under study are capable of molecular recognition of oxalic acid in the series of structurally similar dicarboxylic and -hydroxycarboxylic acids. The regularities found make it possible to change purposefully the receptor ability of 1,3-disubstituted calix[4]arenes by variation of the nature of substituents.     

改性环糊精气相色谱手性固定相拆分对映体的选择性及拆分机理的讨论

改性环糊精气相色谱手性固定相拆分对映体的选择性及拆分机理的讨论周昕，万宏，欧庆瑜（中国科学院兰州化学物理研究所兰州７３００００）１前言自１９８８年Ｋｏｎｉｇ￣［１］等人成功地将改性环糊精用于毛细管气相色谱固定相拆分对映体以来，环糊精衍生物以其高选择性...