Three-coordinate [Cu(II)X(3)](-) (X=Cl, Br), trapped in a molecular crystal

Mixtures of [Ph(3)PNPPh(3)](+)Cl(-) with CuBr(2) (or CuBr(2)+CuCl(2)) in ethanol/dichloromethane yield crystals containing three-coordinate copper(II) with mixed chloride and bromide ligands, namely [Ph(3)PNPPh(3)](+)[CuCl(0.9)Br(2.1)](-) (1) and [Ph(3)PNPPh(3)](+)[CuCl(2.4)Br(0.6)](-) (2). The trigonal-planar coordination of copper(II) is angularly distorted but unambiguous, as there is no other halide ligand within 6.7 A of the copper atom. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on planar [CuClBr(2)](-) show that the energy surface for angle bending is very soft. Crystallisation in the presence of CH(3)CN yields [Ph(3)PNPPh(3)](+)[CuCl(0.7)Br(2.3)(NCCH(3))](-) (3), in which there is additional secondary coordination by NCCH(3) (Cu-N 2.44 A). DFT calculations of the potential energy surface for this secondary coordination show that it is remarkably flat (<3 kcal mol(-1) for a variation of Cu-N by 0.8 A). The crystal packing in 1, 2 and 3, which involves multiple phenyl embraces between [Ph(3)PNPPh(3)](+) ions and numerous C-H...Cl and C-H...Br motifs, is associated with intermolecular energies that are larger than the variations in intramolecular energies. For reference, the crystal structures of [Ph(3)PNPPh(3)(+)](2)[Cu(2)Cl(6)](2-) (4) and [Ph(3)PNPPh(3)(+)](2)[Cu(2)Br(6)](2-) (5) are described. We conclude 1) that three-coordinate copper(II) with monatomic halide ligands, although uncommon, can be regarded as normal, 2) that steric control by ligands is not necessary to enforce three-coordination, 3) that a hydrophobic aryl environment stabilises [Cu(Cl/Br)(3)](-), and 4) that the energy change in the transition from three- to four-coordinate copper(II) is very small (ca 5 kcal mol(-1)).     

Methods for Studying Endocytotic Pathways of Herpesvirus Encoded G Protein-Coupled Receptors

Endocytosis is a fundamental process involved in trafficking of various extracellular and transmembrane molecules from the cell surface to its interior. This enables cells to communicate and respond to external environments, maintain cellular homeostasis, and transduce signals. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute a family of receptors with seven transmembrane alpha-helical domains (7TM receptors) expressed at the cell surface, where they regulate physiological and pathological cellular processes. Several herpesviruses encode receptors (vGPCRs) which benefits the virus by avoiding host immune surveillance, supporting viral dissemination, and thereby establishing widespread and lifelong infection, processes where receptor signaling and/or endocytosis seem central. vGPCRs are rising as potential drug targets as exemplified by the cytomegalovirus-encoded receptor US28, where its constitutive internalization has been exploited for selective drug delivery in virus infected cells. Therefore, studying GPCR trafficking is of great importance. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of endocytic and cell localization properties of vGPCRs and methodological approaches used for studying receptor internalization. Using such novel approaches, we show constitutive internalization of the BILF1 receptor from human and porcine γ-1 herpesviruses and present motifs from the eukaryotic linear motif (ELM) resources with importance for vGPCR endocytosis.     

Microscale prediction of deformation in an austenitic stainless steel under uniaxial loading

In this study, the deformation behaviour of polycrystalline austenitic 316H stainless steel under uniaxial loading is investigated by means of in-situ neutron diffraction (ND) measurement and crystal plasticity-based finite element (FE) modelling. Data have been obtained for the macroscopic stress–strain response and the lattice strain evolution in the longitudinal and transverse direction relative to the uniaxial loading axis. Comparison between the model predictions and the ND measurements suggests that in most cases the FE model can predict the lattice strain evolution at the microscale and capture the general trends observed in the experiments. Both ND measurements and FE modelling simulations identify little effect of micromorphology effect on the longitudinal lattice strain evolution, while the transverse lattice strain response appears to be sensitive to the microstructure, in particular the initial crystallographic orientation of the material.     

Octahedral and tetrahedral configuration changes of nickel(II) chloro complexes from spectrophotometric studies in aprotic solvents

Four NiII chloro complexes were identified spectrophotometrically in aprotic media such as DMSO, DMF and propylene carbonate for the first time. An original multiwavelength numerical treatment, based on a Marquardt method, results in the determination of the individual electronic spectra of the mononuclear chloro complexes and of their stability constants, the values of which indicate the presence of rather weak complexes in DMSO and DMF, much stronger in the less solvating propylene carbonate solvent. The overall stability constants calculated for the NiII chloro complexes are: 1=52, 2=140, 3=160, 4=210 in DMSO, 1=60, 2=110, 3=900, 4=15000 in DMF, 1=1.6×109, 2=6.4×1015, 3=2.7×1021, 4= 5.1×1026 in PC.The solvent effect is discussed in terms of the quantitative results obtained from this spectrophotometric study and reveals that the stability of the complexes is an inverse function of the donor properties of the solvent. This result illustrates the general behavior of complex formation in dipolar aprotic solvents, i.e. the substitution of one solvent molecule in the inner coordination sphere by the ligand is easier if the solvation strength of the solvent is lower. The solvent effect is also described in terms of the variation of shifts of the calculated absorption maxima for the individual electronic spectra of the chloro complexes. This result is used to identify clearly at which step of coordination the octahedral configuration of the nickel ion changes to the tetrahedral configuration, by comparison with the well-known structural properties of these complexes in the solid state.     

Comparison of a range of rhodium-based catalysts for the hydroformylation of selected alkenes

Four rhodium-based catalyst systems 1, 2, 3, and [Rh(OAc)₂]₂/PPh₃ have been used in the hydroformylation of 1-hexene, styrene and some phosphino-, amino- and amido-alkenes. In general the catalysts showed very similar reactivity and selectivity.     

Methodologies for detection of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers

Blood substitutes based on hemoglobin or hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) are oxygen-carrying therapeutic agents developed for use in operations and emergencies in place of donated blood. Increased oxygen-carrying capacity through the use of blood substitutes could help elite athletes to lengthen endurance capacity and improve their performance. As blood substitutes become more readily available, it is essential that a qualitative detection method for their abuse in sport is available. Ideally, such a method would be simple and inexpensive. This study investigates methods that could be used as screening procedures to easily detect HBOCs in plasma and develops tests that can unequivocally confirm their presence. The investigation into the screening method indicates that the direct visual screening of plasma discoloration is the most appropriate with detection limits of less than 1% HBOC in plasma. Two methods are shown to confirm the presence of exogenous hemoglobin in plasma samples, size-exclusion chromatography with photodiode array detection and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of enzymatic digests with detection by electrospray mass spectrometry. This work emphasizes the need for cooperation between drug developers and sports testing laboratories to ensure that methods for the detection of putative doping agents are available prior to product release.     

Rapid screening method for diuretics in doping control using automated solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

A new method has been developed for the routine detection of diuretics in urine samples collected from athletes. The method developed uses automated solid phase extraction (SPE) with analysis of the extracts by high performance liquid chromatography using electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry. It requires only one injection per sample and is currently capable of detecting 35 diuretics and related compounds at the rate of five samples per hour. All parent compounds can be detected at urinary concentrations significantly below 100 ng/ml with the recovery of most analytes being greater than 80%.