Synthesis and Reactivity of the First Isolated Hydrogen‐Bridged Silanol–Silanolate Anions

We report on the first examples of isolated silanol–silanolate anions, obtained by utilizing weakly coordinating phosphazenium counterions. The silanolate anions were synthesized from the recently published phosphazenium hydroxide hydrate salt with siloxanes. The silanol–silanolate anions are postulated intermediates in the hydroxide‐mediated polymerization of aryl and alkyl siloxanes. The silanolate anions are strong nucleophiles because of the weakly coordinating character of the phosphazenium cation, which is perceptible in their activity in polysiloxane depolymerization.     

Ab initio predictions of zeolite structures and Si NMR chemical shifts

A recent shell-model potential parameterized on ab initio data is used for predicting the all-silica structures of zeolites MFI, MEI, MTW, TON, FAU and of α-quartz. Cluster models are defined around each site and the ²⁹Si NMR shielding constants are calculated by ab initio techniques (GIAO-HF). Good agreement with observed ²⁹Si NMR chemical shifts is found. Comparison is made with shifts calculated for observed structures. The structures predicted by the ab initio shell-model potential prove as accurate as the observed ones when judged on the quality of the calculated ²⁹Si NMR spectra.     

Crossover from BCS-superconductivity to Bose-condensation

Starting from a model of free Fermions in two dimensions with an arbitrary strong effective interaction, we derive a Ginzburg-Landau theory describing the crossover from BCS-superconductivity to Bose-condensation. We find a smooth crossover from the standard BCS-limit to a Gross-Pitaevski type equation for the order parameter in a Bose superfluid. The mean field transition temperature exhibits a maximum at a coupling strength, where the behaviour crosses over from BCS to Bose like with corresponding values of 2 Δ₀/T_c ≈ 5 which are characteristic for high T_c superconductors.     

Multiparametric microsensor chips for screening applications

The identification of drug targets for pharmaceutical screening can be greatly accelerated by gene databases and expression studies. The identification of leading compounds from growing libraries is realized by high throughput screening platforms. Subsequently, for optimization and validation of identified leading compounds studies of their functionality have to be carried out, and just these functionality tests are a limiting factor. A rigorous preselection of identified compounds by in vitro cellular screening is necessary prior to using the drug candidates for the further time consuming and expensive stage, e.g. in animal models. Our efforts are focused to the parallel development, adaptation and integration of different microelectronic sensors into miniaturized biochips for a multiparametric, functional on-line analysis of living cells in physiologically environments. Parallel and on-line acquisition of data related to different cellular targets is required for advanced stages of drug screening and for economizing animal tests.     

1.2-Bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)tetrachlorodisilane and its reduction to decamethylsilicocene

Reaction of pentamethylcyclopentadienyl(pentachloro)disilane (2), prepared from hexachlorodisilane and potassium pentamethylcyclopentadienide (Cp^*K), with a further equivalent of Cp^*K leads selectively to the title compound Cp^* ₂ Si ₂ Cl ₄ (3) which was characterized by NMR and X-ray structural data. Dehalogenation of 3 with four equivalents of sodium naphthalenide offers an alternative route for the synthesis of decamethylsilicocene (1). Dedicated to Professor Mitsuo Kira on the occasion of being honoured with the Wacker Silicon Award 2005.     

Concerning the Thermal Diastereomerization of the Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore

Summary. Two model compounds for the green fluorescent protein chromophore were prepared. One of them incorporates the natural 4-hydroxybenzylidene group of the natural tyrosin derived chromophore, the other one bears a methyl group instead of the hydroxy group. Whereas the photochemically prepared (E)-diastereomer of the first compound very effectively reverted thermally (room temperature) to the thermodynamically stable (Z)-diastereomer, the (E)-diastereomer of the second derivative proved to be stable even at elevated temperatures for more than a day. This finding can be rationalized by constructing the appropriate resonance structures showing that only in the first case an effective delocalization enables partial single bond character of the benzylidene double bond. From the standpoint of chemical etiology, only Nature’s choice of the tyrosin derived chromophore of the green fluorescent protein provides an efficient radiationless thermal relaxation channel for the unwanted photo-diastereomerization product formed after excitation besides the dominating fluorescence channel of its chromophore.     

Lanthanoid-nickel-phosphides with ThCr2Si2-type structure

The new compounds YNi₂P₂ and LnNi₂P₂ (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm) were prépared by sintering the elemental components in silica tubes. Well-developed crystals were obtained using tin as a flux. They crystallize with the ThCr₂Si₂ (CeGa₂Al₂)-type structure which was refined from single-crystal X-ray data for EuNi₂P₂ to a conventional R value of 0.049 for 118 unique structure factors. While the P atoms in formally isotypic EuCo₂P₂ are isolated from each other, they form pairs in EuNi₂P₂. This results in a different $\text{c}\text{a}$ ratio and an entirely different bonding situation. A comparison of cell volumes shows that Eu in EuNi₂P₂ has an intermediate valence.     

Solid-Phase Synthesis of a Sialyl-Tn-Glycoundecapeptide of the MUC1 Repeating Unit

The synthesis of glycopeptides carrying tumour-associated antigens is of interest for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Here, a very efficient route lo disaccharide threonine building block 8 is presented which allows the introduction of the sialyl-Tn antigen into a peptide. The syntheses of the undecapeptide and the sialyl-Tn-containing glycoundecapeptide, which are a part of the repeating unit of MUC1, were performed by solid-phase synthesis with an allylic anchor cleavable under neutral conditions. After detachment from the resin, the peptide and the glycopeptide arc completely deprotected giving the target compounds 13 and 15 , respectively.     

Advanced approaches for the characterization of a de novo designed antiparallel coiled coil peptide

We report here an advanced approach for the characterization of the folding pattern of a de novo designed antiparallel coiled coil peptide by high-resolution methods. Incorporation of two fluorescence labels at the C- and N-terminus of the peptide chain as well as modification of two hydrophobic core positions by Phe/[15N,13C]Leu enable the study of the folding characteristics and of distinct amino acid side chain interactions by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and NMR spectroscopy. Results of both experiments reveal the antiparallel alignment of the helices and thus prove the design concept. This finding is also supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICR-MS) in combination with NMR experiments was used for verification of the oligomerization equilibria of the coiled coil peptide.