Identifying aspirin polymorphs from combined DFT-based crystal structure prediction and solid-state NMR

A combined experimental and computational approach was used to distinguish between different polymorphs of the pharmaceutical drug aspirin. This method involves the use of ab initio random structure searching (AIRSS), a density functional theory (DFT)-based crystal structure prediction method for the high-accuracy prediction of polymorphic structures, with DFT calculations of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) parameters and solid-state NMR experiments at natural abundance. AIRSS was used to predict the crystal structures of form-I and form-II of aspirin. The root-mean-square deviation between experimental and calculated ¹H chemical shifts was used to identify form-I as the polymorph present in the experimental sample, the selection being successful despite the large similarities between the molecular environments in the crystals of the two polymorphs.     

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in single-crystal Co<Subscript>50</Subscript>Pt<Subscript>50</Subscript>/MgO(100) films

The crystal structure and hysteretic magnetic properties of equiatomic single-crystal CoPt films applied on MgO substrates by magnetron sputtering, as well as modification of these properties by thermal annealing, are studied. Heat-treated films of thickness in the range 2<d≤16 nm exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. A correlation between the crystalline anisotropy constant of the CoPt films and the order parameter of the LI₀ superstructure in these alloys is found. The effect of a single-crystalline MgO substrate on the structure and magnetic properties of equiatomic CoPt films is revealed.     

Sorption and Catalytic Activity of Adsorbent-Catalyst Based on Montmorillonite Modified with Cr(III) and Cu(II) Mixed Oxides

The sorption properties of mixed adsorbent-catalyst based on high-silica zeolite and montmorillonite modified with mixed oxides of Cr(III) and Cu(II) with respect to organic compounds of various classes were studied, and the optimal dynamic conditions of its operation were determined.     

Fluoroquinolone Antimicrobials: Singlet Oxygen, Superoxide and Phototoxicity

The fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents possess photo-sensitizing properties that lead to phototoxic responses in both human and animal subjects. The phototoxicity order reported in humans is: fleroxacin > lomefloxacin, pefloxacin > ciprofloxacin ? enoxacin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin. Studies both in vivo and in vitro have related this phototoxicity to the generation of reactive oxygen species including hydrogen peroxide and the hydroxyl radical. We determined the quantum yields of singlet oxygen generation (φ_Δ,) by detection of the singlet oxygen (¹O₂) luminescence at 1270 tun for several fluoroquinolones, naphthyridines and other structurally related compounds. All the fluoroquinolones examined have low φ_Δ values ranging from 0.06 to 0.09 in phosphate buffer at pD 7.5. We also determined the ¹O₂ quenching constants for these compounds and their values were on the order of 10⁶M^?1 s¹, except for lomefloxacin whose rate constant was 1.8 × 10⁷M^?1 s^?1. The φ_Δ values were significantly decreased in a solvent of lower polarity such as methanol (0.007 ≤φ_Δ≤ 0.02). The production of ¹O₂ by these antibiotics did not correlate with the order reported for their phototoxicity. We also measured the photogeneration (λ > 300 nm) of superoxide by these antibacterials in dimethylsulfoxide using electron paramagnetic resonance and the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-l-pyrroiine N-oxide. Although there is not a one-to-one correspondence between the relative rates of superoxide generation and the phototoxicity ranking of the fluoroquinolones, the more phototoxic compounds tended to produce superoxide at a faster rate. Nevertheless, the magnitudes of the observed differences do not appear sufficient to explain the range of fluoroquinolone phototoxicity potencies in human and animal subjects in general and the high activity of fleroxacin and lomefloxacin in particular. For these latter drugs the photoinduced loss of the F₈ atom as fluoride and the concomitant generation of a highly reactive carbene at C-8 provide a more plausible mechanism for their potent phototoxic and photocarcinogenic properties.     

PHOTOINACTIVATION OF CATALASE

Abstract— Inactivation of catalase with visible light (>400nm) has been studied in purified bovine liver catalase and in peroxisomal catalase in the mitochondrial fraction of rat liver. Light corresponding to that of maximal absorbance of the heme site (405 nm) was most effective in inactivation. Although photoinactivation is O₂ dependent, scavengers of OH radical, ¹O₂ and O⁻₂ did not protect against loss of activity in either system. Superoxide dismutase partially protected purified catalase added into the mitochondrial fraction system. However, complete protection of catalase was afforded by low concentrations of substrates such as formic acid or methanol which rapidly convert Compound I to Ferricatalase.     

Crystal structure of LiHo3[GeO4]2F2

Institute Crysallography, Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 173–175, July–August, 1991.     

Versuche mit markierten Atomen über den Mechanismus der Vermehrung von Tabakmosaikvirus in Nicotiana tabacum

Zusammenfassung Tabakmosaikvirus hoher spezifischer Aktivität, das am Phosphor und/oder Kohlenstoff markiert war, wurde biosynthetisch hergestellt. Damit wurde jeweils ein Blatt einer Pflanze von Nicotiana tabacum infiziert und der etwaige Transport von intaktem Virus durch das Leitungssystem der Pflanzen dadurch weitgehend unterbunden, daß die Leitgefäße des behandelten Blattes durchtrennt wurden.Das aus den unbehandelten Blättern der Pflanze nach 17 1/2, 48 und 72 Stdn. isolierte Virus wies im Vergleich zum eingesetzten TMV einen viel geringeren Anteil an Gesamtradiokohlenstoff im Protein auf. Dies deutet darauf hin, daß das Virus der unbehandelten Blätter höchstens zu einem sehr geringen Teil aus intakt transportiertem TMV bestehen könnte.Die nicht im TMV enthaltenen Polynukleotide der unbehandelten Blätter enthalten 7 Stdn. nach der Infektion verhältnismäßig viel³²P, doch tritt derselbe innerhalb 70 Stdn. zum allergrößten Teil in niedermolekulare Verbindungen über.Die in Puffer unlöslichen Polynukleotide der unbehandelten Blätter (Blattnukleinsäure) weisen ein mit der Zeit abnehmendes Verhältnis von³²P/¹⁴C auf. Auch innerhalb der Nukleinsäure (NS) des TMV dieser Blätter nimmt dieses Verhältnis zunächst ab, steigt aber später wieder an.Die angeführten Ergebnisse stehen mit der Vorstellung im Einklang, daß das Virus NS abspaltet und sowohl die systemische Infektion der Pflanze wie auch die Virusvermehrung mindestens zum Teil durch diese freie NS bewirkt wird. Die aus dem Virus stammende freie NS unterliegt zum großen Teil lebhaftem Abbau, wobei ihre Komponenten wahrscheinlich dem Aufbau normaler Blattbestandteile dienen.Mit 3 Abbildungen     

Ammoxidation of methylpyrazine over phosphorus-modified vanadium-titanium catalysts

Vanadium-titanium catalysts modified with phosphorus additives (1-15 wt.% of P₂O₅) have been studied in methylpyrazine ammoxidation. Introduction of high amounts of the additive (≥ 10 wt.% of P₂O₅) results in a decrease in activity and selectivity of the catalysts due to formation of low active phase - a ternary compound with the component ratio V : P : Ti ≈ 1 : 1 : 1 with only one type of slightly distorted tetrahedral vanadium (5+) bound via oxygen to phosphorus (5+). The nature of the active sites of the samples modified with 1-5 wt.% of P₂O₅, similarly to that in the V-Ti-O catalyst, was found to include the V⁵⁺ cations strongly bound with TiO₂ and located in the significantly distorted octahedral oxygen environment. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Methylpyrazine Ammoxidation over Binary Oxide Systems: V. Effect of Phosphorus Additives on the Physicochemical and Catalytic Properties of a Vanadium–Titanium Catalyst in Methylpyrazine Ammoxidation

Oxide vanadium–titanium catalysts modified by phosphorus additives (20V₂O₅–(80 –n)TiO₂–nP₂O₅, n = 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 wt %) are studied in methylpyrazine ammoxidation. Two regions of compositions are found corresponding to radically different catalytic properties, namely, catalysts with a low (5 wt % P₂O₅) and high (10 wt % P₂O₅) concentration of the additive. In the first case, the introduction of phosphorus is accompanied by a gradual increase in the activity. In the second case, an increase in the additive concentration results in a decrease in the activity and selectivity to the target product, pyrazineamide, and a simultaneous increase in the selectivities to by-products, pyrazine and carbon oxides. The catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, differential dissolution, IR, and NMR spectroscopic data. As in the binary system, the active sites of the samples with a low concentration of phosphorus contain V⁵⁺ cations in a strongly distorted octahedral oxygen environment, which are strongly bound to a support due to the formation of V–O–Ti bonds. The catalytic properties of the samples containing 10 wt % P₂O₅ are due to the presence of the phase of a triple V–P–Ti compound with an atomic ratio V : P : Ti approximately equal to 1 : 1 : 1. The V⁵⁺ cations in this compound occur in a weakly distorted tetrahedral oxygen environment and are bound to the tetrahedral P⁵⁺ cations.     

Hydrolysis of 1,2-disubstituted imidazolines in aqueous media

The kinetics of hydrolysis of 1,2-disubstituted imidazolines in aqueous media was studied (pH 2.0—12.5, T = 25—90 °C) by UV spectroscopy. The hydrolysis products were identified. The introduction of a branched substituent into position 2 of the imidazoline ring increases the hydrolytic stability of the compounds. The effect of the pH on the hydrolysis rate of imidazolines is discussed.