Photophysical properties of borondipyrromethene analogues in solution

The photophysical properties of seven new 8-(p-substituted)phenyl analogues of 4,4-difluoro-3,5-dimethyl-8-(aryl)-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (derivatives of the well-known fluorophore BODIPY) in several solvents have been studied by means of absorption and steady-state and time-resolved fluorimetry. For each compound, the fluorescence quantum yield and lifetime are lower in solvents with higher polarity owing to an increase in the rate of nonradiative deactivation. Increasing the electron withdrawing strength of the p-substituent on the phenyl group in position 8 also leads to lower fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes. When the p-substituent on the phenyl group in position 8 is a tertiary amine [8-(4-piperidinophenyl), 8-(4-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl), and 8-(4-morpholinophenyl)], the low quantum yields of these compounds in more polar solvents can be rationalized by the inversion of the energy levels of an apolar, highly fluorescent and a polar, nonfluorescent excited state, where charge transfer from the tertiary amine to the BODIPY unit occurs. These amine analogues can be protonated at low pH in aqueous solution. Fluorescence titrations yielded pK(a) values of their conjugate ammonium salts which are in agreement with the electron donating tendency of the amine group: piperidino (4.15) > dimethylamino (2.37) > morpholino (1.47), with the pK(a) values in parentheses. The rate constant of radiative deactivation (k(f)) is the same for all compounds in all solvents studied (k(f) = 1.4 x 10(8) s(-1)).     

On the use of the Bayliss-McRae dispersion model in NMR solvent effects

The use of the Bayliss-McRae theory on the solvent induced electronic frequency shifts for NMR dispersion shifts is criticized. It is suggested that the NMR shifts should actually be proportional to the square of the Bayliss-McRae function. It is shown that the methane gas-to-liquid shifts in eleven halo-methanes as solvents are indeed proportional to this squared function; ?σ_m(CH₄) = 9.62 (n₂²?1)²/(2n₂²+1)² ppm, where n₂ is the refractive index of the solvent. The relation between this solvent factor and several existing continuum models for NMR medium shifts is discussed.     

Synthesis of 1H-imidazo[1,2-a]imidazole

The synthesis and structure analysis of the unknown 1H-imidazo[1,2-a]imidazole ( 1 ) is described. The preparation involves alkylation of 2-aminoimidazole with bromoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal and subsequent hydrolysis and cyclization with hydrochloric acid. The structure was characterized by mass spectrometry and by ¹H-, ¹⁵N- and ¹³C-nmr of 1 and by ¹H-nmr of its 1-benzyl derivative 8 . An independent synthesis of 8 was accomplished via cyclization of 2-(N-dichloroethyl-N-benzyl)aminoimidazole ( 11 ).     

The analysis of C4–C11 hydrocarbons in naphtha and reformate with a new apolar fused silica column

This paper deals with the separation of alkanes, naphthenes, and aromatic compounds in naphtha and reformate, on a newly developed apolar high resolution GC column. The selectivity of this apolar phase has been compared with those of squalane, DB-1, and SE-30. A total of 95 hydrocarbons were reliably identified, mostly by GC-MS. Repeated measurements of Kováts retention indices are presented as evidence for the reproducible manufacture of fused silica columns coated with this phase.     

A novel four-component reaction for the synthesis of functionalised dihydropyrimidines

In a multi-component reaction (MCR) of a phosphonate, nitriles, aldehydes and isocyanates, N3-functionalised dihydropyrimidines can be synthesised efficiently via a Horner-Emmons/aza Diels-Alder pathway.     

Continuum formulation of the Scheutjens-Fleer lattice statistical theory for homopolymer adsorption from solution

Homopolymer adsorption from a dilute solution on an interacting (attractive) surface under static equilibrium conditions is studied in the framework of a Hamiltonian model. The model makes use of the density of chain ends n(1,e) and utilizes the concept of the propagator G describing conformational probabilities to locally define the polymer segment density or volume fraction phi; both n(1,e) and phi enter into the expression for the system free energy. The propagator G obeys the Edwards diffusion equation for walks in a self-consistent potential field. The equilibrium distribution of chain ends and, consequently, of chain conformational probabilities is found by minimizing the system free energy. This results in a set of model equations that constitute the exact continuum-space analog of the Scheutjens-Fleer (SF) lattice statistical theory for the adsorption of interacting chains. Since for distances too close to the surface the continuum formulation breaks down, the continuum model is here employed to describe the probability of chain configurations only for distances z greater than 2l, where l denotes the segment length, from the surface; instead, for distances z < or = 2l, the SF lattice model is utilized. Through this novel formulation, the lattice solution at z = 2l provides the boundary condition for the continuum model. The resulting hybrid (lattice for distances z < or = 2l, continuum for distances z > 2l) model is solved numerically through an efficient implementation of the pseudospectral collocation method. Representative results obtained with the new model and a direct application of the SF lattice model are extensively compared with each other and, in all cases studied, are found to be practically identical.     

Slow internal dynamics in proteins: application of NMR relaxation dispersion spectroscopy to methyl groups in a cavity mutant of T4 lysozyme

Recently developed carbon transverse relaxation dispersion experiments (Skrynnikov, N. R.; et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 4556-4566) were applied to the study of millisecond to microsecond time scale motions in a cavity mutant of T4 lysozyme (L99A) using methyl groups as probes of dynamics. Protein expressed in E. coli cells with (13)CH(3)-pyruvate as the sole carbon source contained high levels of (13)C enrichment at a total of 80 Val gamma, Leu delta, Ile gamma (2), Ala beta, and Met epsilon methyl positions with little extraneous incorporation. Data for 72 methyl groups were available for analysis. Dispersion profiles with large amplitudes were measured for many of these residues and were well fit to a two-state exchange model. The interconversion rates and populations of the states, obtained from fitting relaxation dispersion profiles of each individual probe, were remarkably homogeneous and data for nearly all methyl groups in the protein could be collectively fit to a single cooperative conformational transition. The present study demonstrates the general applicability of methyl relaxation dispersion measurements for the investigation of millisecond time scale protein motions at a large number of side-chain positions. Potential artifacts associated with the experiments are described and methods to minimize their effects presented. These experiments should be particularly well suited for probing dynamics in high molecular weight systems due to the favorable NMR spectroscopic properties of methyl groups.     

LIGHT-INDUCIBLE ABSORBANCE CHANGES AND VANADATE-SENSITIVE ATPase ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRESUMPTIVE PLASMA MEMBRANE FRACTION FROM CAULIFLOWER INFLORESCENCES

Sucrose density gradient centrifugation of a microsomal membrane fraction of cauliflower inflorescences showed a strong correlation between a blue light mediated cytochrome b reduction (LIAC) and an ion stimulated nitrate-insensitive but a vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity at 38-40% sucrose. LIAC activity and vanadate-sensitive ATPase might be assigned to the same type of membrane different from ER, Golgi, tonoplast and mitochondria. The Mg²⁺-dependent ATP-hydrolytic activity obtained after purification of the microsomal fraction on an aqueous polymer two phase system was partially characterized. Temperature optimum (40°C), pH optimum (pH 7.0), vanadate inhibition (I₅₀ at 20 μ M ), substrate kinetics ( K _m= 1.37 m M Mg.ATP) and inhibitor studies all point to the presence of the frequently described plasma membrane ATPase. Potassium and Na⁺ stimulated the enzyme activity (20-40%). In general our data arc strongly in favour of the hypothesis that LIAC activity is localized on the plant plasma membrane. The cytochrome b involved in the light reaction has a midpoint potential near +150 mV. This cytochrome which has been previously shown in a cauliflower microsomal fraction is a constituent of the plasma membrane.