A simple atomistic model for the simulation of the gel phase of lipid bilayers

In this paper we present the results of a large-scale numerical investigation of structural properties of a model of cell membrane, simulated as a bilayer of flexible molecules in vacuum. The study was performed by carrying out extensive Molecular Dynamics simulations, in the (NVE) micro-canonical ensemble, of two systems of different sizes ( 2×32 and 2×256 molecules), over a fairly large set of temperatures and densities, using parallel platforms and more standard serial computers. Depending on the dimension of the system, the dynamics was followed for physical times that go from few hundred picoseconds for the largest system to 5-10 nanoseconds for the smallest one. We find that the bilayer remains stable even in the absence of water and neglecting Coulomb interactions in the whole range of temperatures and densities we have investigated. The extension of the region of physical parameters that we have explored has allowed us to study significant points in the phase diagram of the bilayer and to expose marked structural changes as density and temperature are varied, which are interpreted as the system passing from a crystal to a gel phase. Received 6 July 2000 and Received in final form 28 December 2000     

Reaction between [Ru3(CO)10(μ-dppm)] (dppm = Ph2PCH2PPh2) and Te2(C6H4OEt-4)2: X-ray crystal structure of [Ru2(CO)6{μ-C6H4PPh(CH2)PPh}]

Treatment of [Ru₃(CO)₁₀(-dppm)] (1) with the ditelluride Te₂(C₆H₄OEt-4)₂ in refluxing toluene afforded the new aryltellurol bridged complex [Ru₂(CO)₄(-TeC₆H₄OEt-4)₂ (-dppm)] (2) together with three known complexes [Ru₄(CO)₈(-CO)(₄-Te)₂(-dppm)] (3), [Ru₂(CO)₆{-CH₂PPh(C₆H₄)PPh}] (4), and [Ru₂(CO)₆{-C₆H₄PPh(CH₂)PPh}] (5). All the four complexes were characterized by spectroscopic methods, including an X-ray structure determination for 5. Complex 5 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with a = 13.650(2), b = 9.995(2), c = 18.929(3) Å, = 97.49(2)°, V = 2560.4(8) ų, and Z = 4. In this complex the two ruthenium atoms are bridged by the phosphino-phosphide ligand C₆H₄PPh(CH₂)PPh which is attached to one Ru by the C₆H₄ group and a P atom while to the other Ru by both the two P atoms. Both the ruthenium atoms show distorted octahedral geometry. The Ru—Ru bond length is 2.8719(7) Å.     

Production and stabilization of fullerene dispersions in liquid media in the presence of nonionic surfactants

Dispersion of C₆₀ fullerenes in water and ethanol in the presence of nonionic surfactants, ethylene oxide derivatives, was studied. It was found that the quality of the dispersion process and the stability of dispersions depend on the structure, degree of oxyethylation, and concentration of surfactants. The optimal conditions are found in which stable fullerene dispersions are obtained as ingredients of cosmetic preparations with antioxidant properties.     

New Mixed‐Metal Carbonyl Complexes Containing Bridging 2‐Mercapto‐1‐methylimidazole Ligand

Reaction of [Mn₂(CO)₁₀] with 2‐mercapto‐1‐methylimidazole in the presence of Me₃NO at 25 °C afforded two new dimanganese complexes [Mn₂(CO)₆(μ‐SN₂C₄H₅)₂] ( 1 ) and [Mn₂(CO)₇(μ‐SN₂C₄H₅)₂] ( 2 ). Compound 1 consists of two μ‐SN₂C₄H₅ ligands, each bound through the sulfur atom to two Mn atoms and through the nitrogen atom to one Mn atom forming a four‐membered chelate ring. Compound 2 was found to consist of one μ‐SN₂C₄H₅ ligand in a similar bonding mode to 1 but another μ‐SN₂C₄H₅ ligand coordinates through the sulfur atom to one Mn atom and through the nitrogen atom to another Mn atom. Compound 1 was also obtained as the only product from the reaction of [Mn₂(CO)₈(NCMe)₂] with 2‐mercapto‐1‐methylimidazole. In contrast, a similar reaction of [Re₂(CO)₈(NCMe)₂] with 2‐mercapto‐1‐methylimidazole led to the formation of the di‐, tri‐, and tetranuclear complexes [Re₃(CO)₈(μ‐CO)(μ₃‐SN₂C₄H₅)₂(μ‐H)] ( 3 ), [Re₄(CO)₁₂(μ‐SN₂C₄H₅)₄] ( 4 ), and [Re₂(CO)₆(μ‐SN₂C₄H₅)₂] ( 5 ). Compound 3 provides a unique example of a hydrido trirhenium compound. The reaction of [Cr(CO)₃(NCMe)₃] and [Mo(CO)₃(NCMe)₃] with 1 in refluxing THF afforded the mixed metal complexes [CrMn₂(CO)₈(μ‐CO)₂(μ₃‐SN₂C₄H₅)₂] ( 6 ) and [MoMn₂(CO)₈(μ‐CO)₂(μ₃‐SN₂C₄H₅)₂] ( 7 ), respectively, in which two Mn–M (M = Mo, Cr) bonds were formed. In contrast, a similar treatment of [W(CO)₃(NCMe)₃] with 1 yielded two W‐Mn complexes [Mn₂W(CO)₈(μ‐CO)₂(μ₃‐SN₂C₄H₅)₂] ( 8 ) and [Mn₂W(CO)₇(μ‐CO)₂(SN₂C₄H₅)(μ₃‐SN₂C₄H₅)₂] ( 9 ). Treatment of 1 with [Fe₃(CO)₁₂] at 70‐75 °C afforded the trinuclear mixed‐metal complex [FeMn₂(CO)₈(μ‐CO)(μ₃‐SN₂C₄H₅)₂] ( 10 ) and the diiron side product [Fe₂(CO)₆(μ‐S₂N₂C₄H₅)₂] ( 11 ). Compounds 6 ‐ 10 have a bent open structure of three metal atoms linked by two metal‐metal bonds and all, except 9 and 10 , contain a noncrystallographic two‐fold axis of symmetry. Compound 9 is structurally similar to 8 , but it contains a SN₂C₄H₆ ligand, mono coordinated through the exocyclic sulfur atom to the W atom and a Mn–Mn bond instead of a Mn–W bond. Compound 11 comprises two bridging S₂N₂C₄H₅ ligands, which arise from the coupling of 2‐mercapto‐1‐methylimidazole with sulfur.     

Synthesis of substituted 3-iodopyrroles by cycloisomerization of propargylic aziridines with iodine

The electrophilic cyclizations of N-substituted propargylic aziridines are described. 3-Iodopyrroles having a variety of substituents at the 2- and 3-positions were synthesized by reacting propargylic aziridines with iodine. Whereas N-tosyl-substituted substrates require a platinum catalyst to promote the reaction, the iodine-promoted cycloisomerizations proceed when N-benzyl-substituted substrates are employed.     

Liquid-phase parallel synthesis of combinatorial libraries of substituted 6-carbamoyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[1,4]thiazines

In this work, we explored several original combinatorial derivatization patterns for the 3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzothiazine scaffold. The synthesis begins with commercially available 4-chloro- and 4-fluoro-3-nitrobenzoates and employs a sequence of moderate and high-yielding reactions that display a relatively high substituent tolerance. Simple manual techniques for parallel reactions were coupled with easy workup and purification procedures to give high-purity final products. The developed approach was easily adaptable for parallel synthesis of more than 2600 novel 2H-benzo[1,4]thiazine-6-carboxylic acid amides, which were efficiently prepared in a semiautomatic fashion using special CombiSyn synthesizers.     

Vertical distribution of <Superscript>210</Superscript>Pb and <Superscript>226</Superscript>Ra and their activity ratio in marine sediment core of the East Malaysia coastal waters

Marine sediment cores were collected from two stations at East Malaysia coastal waters on June 2004. Activity concentrations of ²¹⁰Pb in sediment core were ranged from 11 Bqkg⁻¹ to 84 Bqkg⁻¹ dry wt. for SR 01 and 4 Bqkg⁻¹ to 66 Bqkg⁻¹ dry wt. for SB 03. Meanwhile, activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra in sediment core were varied significantly depending on the sampling location of SR 01 and SB 03 with ranged 17–26 Bqkg⁻¹ dry wt. and 8–11 Bqkg⁻¹ dry wt., respectively. The activity ratios of ²¹⁰Pb/²²⁶Ra were no significantly different at all sampling stations with an average of 1.78. Refer to the entire results; the activities of ²¹⁰Pb and ²²⁶Ra were higher at station SR 01 than station SB 03, but contrast with ratio of ²¹⁰Pb/²²⁶Ra. The reasons of different ²¹⁰Pb and ²²⁶Ra activity concentration and distribution of their ratios were strictly related to their half lives, environment origin, potential sources and behavior.     

Quantum Coherence in Loopless Superconductive Networks

Measurements indicating that planar networks of superconductive islands connected by Josephson junctions display long-range quantum coherence are reported. The networks consist of superconducting islands connected by Josephson junctions and have a tree-like topological structure containing no loops. Enhancements of superconductive gaps over specific branches of the networks and sharp increases in pair currents are the main signatures of the coherent states. In order to unambiguously attribute the observed effects to branches being embedded in the networks, comparisons with geometrically equivalent—but isolated—counterparts are reported. Tuning the Josephson coupling energy by an external magnetic field generates increases in the Josephson currents, along the above-mentioned specific branches, which follow a functional dependence typical of phase transitions. Results are presented for double comb and star geometry networks, and in both cases, the observed effects provide positive quantitative evidence of the predictions of existing theoretical models.