Theoretical investigations on the solvation process

A model to facilitate the computation of the most stable conformer of associated M · H₂O (M being a polar molecule) which depends upon the electrostatic interaction energy between the two associated molecules is proposed and tested. SCF electrostatic potentials for the M molecule and a suitable point charge distribution for H₂O were employed in the model computations. Energies predicted by the model are found to be in good agreement with those resulting from an ab initio minimal STO basis SCF treatment of some conformations of the H₂O dimer.

---

Zusammenfassung Ein Modell zur Durchführung der Berechnung des stabilsten Konformeren eines Assoziationskomplexes M · H₂O, wobei M ein polares Molekül ist, wird vorgeschlagen und untersucht. Es basiert auf der elektrostatischen Wechselwirkung zwischen beiden Partnern, und zwar wird für das Molekül M der elektrostatische Anteil seines SCF-Potentials und für H₂O eine angemessene Punktladungsverteilung zugrunde gelegt. Die resultierenden Energien sind in guter Übereinstimmung mit denen, die sich bei einer ab initio Rechnung mit minimaler STO Basis ergeben.

---

---

Work performed with the financial support of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, through its Laboratorio di Chimica Quantistica ed Energetica Molecolare.     

An approximate expression of the electrostatic molecular potential for benzenic compounds

A method for getting approximate but realistic evaluations of the electrostatic molecular potential for benzene derivatives is presented and discussed. The method is based on a partition of the whole molecular observable into directly transferable contributions, which can be calculated without a previous knowledge of the molecular wavefunction. The algorithm, which probably is applicable also to other aromatic compounds, implements a preceding study concerning only unconjugated molecules.     

A representation of the polarization term in the interaction energy between a molecule and a point-like charge

The interaction energy of a molecule M with a point-like charge q can be partitioned into simpler contributions, two of which can be expressed in terms of the charge distribution _M of the sole M. The first term, qV(r), represents the interaction of q with the undistorted charge _M ⁰ of M while the second q ² P(r) gives the additional contributions due to the polarization of _M ⁰ under the influence of the charge q placed at the point r. In this paper we investigate the possibility of getting an inexpensive and sufficiently accurate analytical representation of P(r) over the whole space outside the van der Waals volume of M.     

Synthesis of some dibenzodiazepinone derivatives as potent and m2-selective antimuscarinic compounds

Two series of 5-[[4-[4-(dialkylamino)butyl]-l-cyclohexyl]acetyl], and 5-[(dialkylamino)acyl]-10,11-dihydro-5H- dibenzo[b,e][1,4]diazepin-11-ones were synthesized as potential m2-selective ligands 1,2. Their affinity and selectivity for the muscarinic cholinergic receptor m-AChR subtypes were determined. Replacing a nitrogen with CH in the piperidine ring of 5-[[4-[4-(dialkylamino)butyl]-l-piperidinyl]acetyl]-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo-[b,e][1,4]diazepin-11-ones 3 significantly altered the affinity and selectivity to the muscarinic receptor subtypes.     

A simple procedure for the chromatographic analysis of nanoliter samples

A simple method for the analysis of nanoliter droplets is proposed, which is profitable when larger samples cannot be collected as, for instance, in the case of several biological fluids and particularly in clinical chemistry. A glass capillary associated to a micromanipulator is used to collect submicroliter volumes which are partially transferred into transparent polymeric tubings with known internal diameters (120–178 μm), where the volumes sampled are measured by meniscus collimations with a collimator microscope at suitable magnification. Both ends of these tubings are preliminarily equipped with ferrules and fittings, so as to make them suitable for connection as the loop to a conventional high-pressure injection valve. The reliability of this procedure has been tested for the analysis of Na⁺, K⁺ and Ca²⁺ present in minute synthetic standard samples (10–200 nL) by a conventional ion-chromatographic instrumentation. Relative standard deviations in peak area measurements (5–6%) are discussed in terms of the whole approximation affecting volume measurements, which depends on both the inconstancy of the inner diameter of the polymeric tubings employed and the uncertainty characterizing meniscus collimations. The proposed procedure can be easily extended to the determination of any organic or inorganic species present in very small samples, provided that their detection can be achieved by any chromatographic approach or, more generally, by flow injection analysis. Received: 16 June 1997 / Revised: 12 August 1997 / Accepted: 14 August 1997     

Smiles rearrangement for the synthesis of 5-amino-substituted [1]benzothieno[2,3-b]pyridine

The Smiles rearrangement was successfully applied to 4-hydroxybenzo[b]thiophene furnishing a facile entry to the 4-amino derivative. The rearrangement was extended to 5-methoxy-4-methoxycarbonyl[1]benzothieno[2,3-b]pyridine obtained via aza-Wittig/electrocyclization reaction of novel N-(4-methoxybenzothiophen-2-yl)iminomethyldiphenylphosphorane with methyl trans-4-oxo-2-pentenoate. The preparation of a novel 5-amino-4-methoxycarbonyl[1]benzothieno[2,3-b]pyridine, which is of interest as a potential secondary peptide structure mimic, was successfully achieved.     

Affinity capillary electrophoresis study of the linkage existing between proton and zinc ion binding to bacitracin A1

Measurements by capillary electrophoresis (CE) of bacitracin A(1) effective mobility at different pH values permitted to estimate the five acidic dissociation constants and the Stokes radii at different protonation stages of the macrocyclic dodecapeptide. The pK(a) values were 3.6 and 4.4 for the two carboxylic groups of the lateral chains of D-Asp-11 and D-Glu-4, respectively, 6.4 for the aza-atom of the imidazole ring of His-10, 7.6 for the amino group of N-terminal Ile-1 and 9.7 for the delta-amino group of D-Orn-7, very close to the values obtained by other researchers by titration experiments. In agreement with a rigid macrocyclic structure the Stokes radii of different protonated forms ranged only between 14.3 and 14.8 A. Best fitting procedures performed on experimental mobility measured at two different pH values (5.50 and 6.72) in the presence of increasing Zn(+2) concentration allowed confirming the model that assumes the binding of Zn(+2) to P(0) peptide form with a 1.5 x 10(3) M(-1) intrinsic association constant. Following to Zn(+2) binding, the pK(a) of the amino group of N-terminal Ile-1 is shifted from 7.6 to 5.9 and the Stokes radius is reduced of about 3 A. The mean charge of the bacitracin A(1)-Zn(+2) complex resulted +1.67 and +1.12 at pH 5.50 and 6.72, respectively. These results suggest that the amino group of N-terminal Ile-1 is not essential for Zn(+2) binding.     

Configuration-interaction calculations for the ground state of OF2, NO 2 − , CN−: Canonical orbitals and exclusive orbitals

The C.I. method is applied to already published double- SCF wave functions for OF₂, NO ₂ ^– and CN^–. All doubly excited configurations are considered. The second order approximation values presented for those cases are compared with the exact energy values in some minor cases. An attempt has been made to improve the rate of convergency of the process by transforming the canonical SCF occupied orbitals into localized ones and the virtual canonical orbitals into a particular type of localized orbitals. These latter show also an intuitively acceptable spatial conformation.

---

Zusammenfassung Die CI Methode wird auf bereits bekannte Doppel-Zeta-SCF-Wellenfuntionen für die Systeme OF₂, NO ₂ ^– und CN^– angewandt. Dabei werden alle doppelt angeregten Konfigurationen berücksichtigt. Um die Konvergenz zu verbessern, werden versuchsweise die kanonischen und besetzten SCF-Orbitale in lokalisierte Orbitale und die virtuellen kanonischen Orbitale in einen besonderen Typ von lokalisierten Orbitalen transformiert. Die letzteren zeigen eine besonders geeignete räumliche Anpassung.

---

Résumé Pour un calcul de intéraction de configurations, comprenant toutes le configurations à double excitation, on a employé des fonctions d'onde SCF sur une base doublée. Pour le calcul complet on a essayé des formules d'approximation, qu'on a pu vérifier avec le calcul exact sur des cas réduits.Pour améliorer la vélocité de convergence du procés on a transformé les orbitales canoniques SCF en orbitales localisées et aprés on a construit, selon un procedé particulier, des orbitales virtuelles localisées qui montrent une conformation dans l'espace qui est intuitivement satisfaisante.

---

---

Work supported by the Consiglio Nazionale delie Ricerche.