Protonation of reagents and acid-base catalysis in acylation

The kinetic characteristics of the model reaction of electron transfer and the reaction of acylation of aromatic amines by aromatic acid anhydrides were investigated as a function of the concentration of acid catalyst and a correlation was established between the type of this function and the characteristics of protonation of the amines. The rate constants of the catalytic and noncatalytic flows of the forward and reverse reactions in the phthalic anhydride—p-toluidine system were determined as a function of the molarity and proton-acceptor properties of the solvent. The mechanism of acid-base catalysis was examined as a sequence of proton and electron transfer processes.Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199004 St. Petersburg. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 1048–1056, May, 1992.     

Free-Radical-Initiated Copolymerization of A-Methylstyrene with Maleimide

Alternating copolymers of α-methylstyrene (α-MeSt) and maleimide (MI) were prepared by free-radical initiated polymerization at different monomer-to-monomer concentrations in the feed in CHCl₃, as solvent. The equilibrium constant of -MeSt and MI was determined by the transformed Benesi-Hildebrand NMR method in CDCl₃, and has a value of 0.03 L/mol. From the equation R_p = R_p(f) + R_p(CT) proposed by Shirota and coworkers, R_pf) and R_pCT) were calculated, and it was found that the copolymerization of -MeSt with MI proceeds predominantly through participation of the CT complex. Alternating copolymers have a glass transition temperature of 567 K (DSC method). Alternating copolymer decomposes via a one-step reaction at 350°C.     

Protolytic properties of polyamine wasp toxin analogues studied by 13C NMR spectroscopy

Acid-base properties of the natural polyamine wasp toxin PhTX-433 (1) and seven synthetic analogues [PhTX-343 (2), PhTX-334 (3), PhTX-443 (4), PhTX-434 (5), PhTX-344 (6), PhTX-444 (7), and PhTX-333 (8)], each having four protolytic sites, were characterized by 13C NMR spectroscopy. Nonlinear, multiparameter, simultaneous fit of all chemical shift data obtained from the NMR titration curves yielded macroscopic pKa values as well as intrinsic chemical shift data of all differently protonated macrospecies. Analyses of the chemical shift data demonstrated strong interactions between all four sites and provided information about complex relationships between chemical shift values and protonation state. Deprotonation of fully protonated forms starts at the central amino group of the polyamine moiety, and the extent of this trend depends on the distance to the flanking, protonated amino groups. The pKa1 values of 1-8 are in the range 8.2-9.4. Hence, some of the toxins are incompletely protonated at the pH and ionic strength conditions used for assessment of their interactions with ionotropic glutamate and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and the degree of protonation is expected to have pharmacological importance in the ion-channel binding event.     

Ab initio and experimental thermodynamic and kinetic study of proton-assisted bond activation in gaseous hydrocarbons: deconvolution of reaction efficiencies in the case of adamantane

1) Protonation at all possible sites of adamantane (C(10)H(16)) was studied at the MP2/6-311++G(3df,2p)//MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level. This provided values of the changes in the thermodynamic state functions for these processes. Whenever direct comparison was possible, the agreement with experimental data was very good. 2) By the same means, the reaction paths linking the various species obtained in these reactions were analyzed. 3) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) spectroscopy was used to determine the rate constants for proton transfer from 16 protonated reference bases to adamantane in the gas phase. Also, the rate constants for the formation of ionic products in these reactions were determined. 4) The experimental reaction rates were successfully predicted and refined on the basis of a simple mechanistic model based on the reaction profiles indicated above. 5) Our results hint at the potential usefulness of this approach for mechanistic studies.     

Amide-based molecular knots as platforms for fluorescent switches

A series of amide-based molecular knots equipped selectively with fluorescent dansyl and/or pyrenesulfonyl moieties were synthesized from the readily available tris(allyloxy)knotane. UV/Vis absorption spectra, emission spectra, and the emission lifetimes of the fluorescent knotanes were investigated in chloroform at 298 K. The absorption spectra of the knotanes correspond to those of mixtures of their UV-active constituents. The fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes of the dansyl and pyrenesulfonyl moieties are partly quenched by the knotane platform. In the KN(Da)(2)(Py) species, the fluorescent excited state of the dansyl units (lambda(max)=510 nm) lies at lower energy than the fluorescent excited state of the pyrenesulfonyl unit (lambda(max)=385 nm), the emission of which is accordingly quenched with sensitization of the dansyl fluorescence. In the KN(Ao)(2)(Da), KN(Ao)(Da)(2), and KN(Da)(3) species, the addition of acids causes the protonation of their dansyl units with a consequent decrease in the intensity of the dansyl band at 510 nm and appearance of the emission band of the protonated dansyl unit (lambda(max)=340 nm). Each dansyl unit of KN(Ao)(Da)(2) and KN(Da)(3) undergoes the independent protonation. In these incompletely protonated knotanes the fluorescence of the protonated dansyl units is partly quenched by nonprotonated ones. These processes can be quantitatively reversed upon addition of a base. In KN(Da)(2)(Py), an increase of the fluorescence of its pyrenesulfonyl group is observed when the dansyl groups are protonated. The results obtained show that the readily available and easily functionalizable amide-knotanes can be used as an interesting scaffold to obtain fluorescent switches.     

Analysis of host-assisted guest protonation exemplified for p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene--towards enzyme-mimetic pKa shifts

The pD dependence of the complexation of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene (CX4) with the azoalkanes 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene (1), 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (2), 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.3]non-2-ene (3), and 1-methyl-4-isopropyl-2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (4) in D(2)O has been studied. The pD-dependent binding constants, determined by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, were analyzed according to a seven-state model, which included the CX4 tetra- and penta-anions, the protonated and unprotonated forms of the azoalkanes, the corresponding complexes, as well as the complex formed between CX4 and the deuteriated hydronium ion. The variation of the UV absorption spectra, namely the hypsochromic shift in the near-UV band of the azo chromophore upon protonation, was analyzed according to a four-state model. Measurements by independent methods demonstrated that complexation by CX4 shifts the pK(a) values of the guest molecules by around 2 units, thereby establishing a case of host-assisted guest protonation. The pK(a) shift can be translated into improved binding (factor of 100) of the protonated guest relative to its unprotonated form as a result of the cation-receptor properties of CX4. The results are discussed in the context of supramolecular catalytic activity and the pK(a) shifts induced by different types of macrocyclic hosts are compared.     

New insights into the mechanism of proton transfer to hydride complexes: kinetic and theoretical evidence showing the existence of competitive pathways for protonation of the cluster [W3S4H3(dmpe)3]+ with acids

The reaction of the hydride cluster [W3S4H3(dmpe)3]+ (1, dmpe = 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphanyl)ethane) with acids (HCl, CF3COOH, HBF4) in CH2Cl2 solution under pseudo-first-order conditions of excess acid occurs with three kinetically distinguishable steps that can be interpreted as corresponding to successive formal substitution processes of the coordinated hydrides by the anion of the acid (HCl, CF3COOH) or the solvent (HBF4). Whereas the rate law for the third step changes with the nature of the acid, the first two kinetic steps always show a second-order dependence on acid concentration. In contrast, a single kinetic step with a first-order dependence with respect to the acid is observed when the experiments are carried out with a deficit of acid. The decrease in the T1 values for the hydride NMR signal of 1 in the presence of added HCl suggests the formation of an adduct with a W-H...H-Cl dihydrogen bond. Theoretical calculations for the reaction with HCl indicate that the kinetic results in CH2Cl2 solution can be interpreted on the basis of a mechanism with two competitive pathways. One of the pathways consists of direct proton transfer within the W-H...H-Cl adduct to form W-Cl and H2, whereas the other requires the presence of a second HCl molecule to form a W-H...H-Cl...H-Cl adduct that transforms into W-Cl, H2 and HCl in the rate-determining step. The activation barriers and the structures of the transition states for both pathways were also calculated, and the results indicate that both pathways can be competitive and that the transition states can be described in both cases as a dihydrogen complex hydrogen-bonded to Cl- or HCl2(-).     

分子动力学模拟研究质子化态在HIV-1 Protease-Indinavir复合物中的作用

I 型人体免疫缺陷病毒(HIV-1)蛋白酶中Asp25/Asp25'的质子化对于理论研究HIV-1 蛋白酶和抑制剂的作用机制
以及氨基酸变异对抗药性的影响有重要意义. 分别对Protease-Indinavir (PR-IDV)复合物的六种可能的质子化态进行了
5 ns 的分子动力学模拟, 分析了不同状态对动力学特征和结构的影响, 用molecular mechanics/Possion-Boltzman surface
area (MM-PBSA)方法计算了PR 和IDV 在各种状态下的结合自由能. 计算结果说明A 链Asp25 的OD2 的质子化是最
为可能的状态. 对PR-IDV 复合物中起到媒介作用的水分子与PR-IDV 复合物形成的氢键进行了分析, 分析结果说明不
同的质子化态对水分子在PR-IDV 复合物中所起的媒介作用没有影响, 这一结果与我们先前对PR-BEA369 复合物的研
究不同. 我们的研究结果为更高效的PR 抑制剂的设计以及PR 氨基酸变异对药物抗药性的研究提供了理论上的指导.