Determination of the enantiomeric excess of α-hydroxy acids

This work describes a convenient and accurate method for optical purity determination of α-hydroxy acids. Their derivatization with commercially available valine methyl ester affords diastereoisomers easily separable by HPLC using achiral C₁₈ columns.     

Demetallation of α,β,γ,δ-tetrakis(p-sulfophenyl) porphiniron(III) in mineral acid–alcohol–water media

Demetallation rates of α,β,γ,δ-tetrakis(p-sulfophenyl)porphiniron(III) in hydrochloric acid–ethanol–water, perchloric acid–ethanol–water, and sulfuric acid–alcohol–water media were determined. For a given acidity value H₀ the order of the rates for the three acids was HCl > H₂SO₄ > HClO₄. This is also the order for complex formation between acid anion and iron(III). Consequently ligands as well as protons are involved in the breaking of bonds between the metal and the porphyrin leading to the formation of the activated complex. The log k values for HCl and HClO₄ media were not linearly related to the Hammett acidity function as they were for sulfuric acid–ethanol–water media. The average ΔH? and ΔS?values for the HCl media were 18.4 ± 1.4 kcal/mol and ? 19 ± 3 cal K mol, respectively, in very close agreement with those for H₂SO₄ media despite the difference in H ₀ dependence. For H₂SO₄–alcohol–water media the order of the rates was butanol > propanol > ethanol with little difference between isomeric alcohols.     

Fluorescent P-Hydroxyphosphole for Peptide Labeling through P-N Bond Formation

Synthesis of fluorescent P-hydroxybinaphtylphosphole-oxide or -sulfide was achieved by trapping a binaphtyl dianion with methyl dichlorophosphite or P-(N,N-diethylamino)dichlorophosphine, followed by oxidation or sulfuration of the P-center. After saponification or acid hydrolysis, the P-hydroxyphospholes were coupled to peptides using the coupling agent BOP, under the conditions required for the synthesis in solution or on a solid support. This new method was illustrated by the labeling of the JMV2959, a potent antagonist of the Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor type 1a (GHS−R1a). The labeled conjugates were used to characterize GHSR ligands by competition assays, based on Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). Such P-hydroxyphosphole-oxide or -sulfide constitute a promising new class of compact fluorophores with large Stokes shift, for labeling biomolecules by grafting through the phosphorus atom.     

Comparison of collisionally activated dissociation mass spectra for the identification of cyclopeptides and cyclodepsipeptides

Collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) spectra of protonated molecules of cyclopeptides and cyclodepsipeptides obtained with two different mass spectrometry systems were compared. Fragmentations were obtained either from collisions induced in the ion source of an electrospray mass spectrometer fitted with a single quadrupole by increasing the extracting cone voltage or from collisions with an inert gas in a free-field area of a fast-atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometer. Similar fragmentation pathways were produced with the two configurations even though actual tandem mass spectrometry experiments with magnetic and electric sectors provided more information than cone-induced dissociations. However, only the latter mode allowed us to perform mass spectrometric analyses coupled to liquid chromatography (LC/ESI-MS) at low cost on commercially widespread instruments. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A silaproline‐containing dipeptide

The silaproline‐containing dipeptide N‐(3,3‐di­methyl‐1‐pivaloyl‐1‐aza‐3‐sila‐5‐cyclo­pentyl­carbonyl)‐l ‐alanine iso­propyl­amide, C₁₇H₃₃N₃O₃Si, has two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit and each adopts a β‐II folded conformation, where the amide on the terminal C interacts intramolecularly with the pivaloyl O atom. The five‐membered silaproline ring is C^β‐puckered, an infrequent conformation for the homol­ogous proline ring.     

Analysis of ochratoxin A in grapes,musts and wines by LC–MS/MS: First comparison of stable isotope dilution assay and diastereomeric dilution assay methods

Ochratoxin A (OTA) exhibits potent nephrotoxic, carcinogenic and teratogenic effects and its maximum level in wines has been set to 2 μg L⁻¹ by regulation. Consequently, the analytical procedures for OTA determination in wines have to be both very sensitive and reliable. In this paper, we compared two quantification methods: the stable isotope dilution assay (SIDA) and the diastereomeric dilution assay (DIDA). For this purpose, non-natural analogues of OTA were synthesized: the labeled OTA (OTA-d₄) as a diastereomeric mixture for the SIDA and one non-natural OTA’s diastereomer (OTA-dia) for the DIDA. To quantify OTA in red grapes, musts or wines, the sample preparation was optimized using immunoaffinity column extraction and the analysis was performed by LC–MS/MS in Multiple Reaction Monitoring mode. A validation procedure in agreement with the International Organization of Vine and Wine recommendations was conducted. It appeared that SIDA quantification exhibited excellent sensitivity (LOD < 1 ng L⁻¹), accuracy (recovery = 98%), repeatability (RSD < 3%) and intermediate reproducibility (RSD < 4%) compared to quantification by DIDA. Indeed, DIDA method did not provide satisfactory results demonstrating that immunoaffinity extraction is exclusively selective for the natural OTA and not for its diastereomer, which therefore cannot be considered as a good internal standard for this particular method.     

Continuous Consecutive Reactions with Inter‐Reaction Solvent Exchange by Membrane Separation

Pharmaceutical production typically involves multiple reaction steps with separations between successive reactions. Two processes which complicate the transition from batch to continuous operation in multistep synthesis are solvent exchange (especially high‐boiling‐ to low‐boiling‐point solvent), and catalyst separation. Demonstrated here is membrane separation as an enabling platform for undertaking these processes during continuous operation. Two consecutive reactions are performed in different solvents, with catalyst separation and inter‐reaction solvent exchange achieved by continuous flow membrane units. A Heck coupling reaction is performed in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) in a continuous membrane reactor which retains the catalyst. The Heck reaction product undergoes solvent exchange in a counter‐current membrane system where DMF is continuously replaced by ethanol. After exchange the product dissolved in ethanol passes through a column packed with an iron catalyst, and undergoes reduction (>99 % yield).     

Experimental study of the response of a flexible plate to a harmonic forcing in a flow

Most aquatic animals propel themselves by flapping flexible appendages. To gain insight into the effect of flexibility on the swimming performance, we have studied experimentally an idealized system. It consists of a flexible plate whose leading edge is forced into a harmonic heave motion, and which is immersed in a uniform flow. As the forcing frequency is gradually increased, resonance peaks are evidenced on the plate's response. In addition to the forcing frequency, the Reynolds number, the plate rigidity and the forcing amplitude have also been varied. In the range of parameters studied, the main effect on the resonance is due to the forcing amplitude, which reveals that non-linearities are essential in this problem.     

Deracemization of silyl enol ethers

The deracemization by enantioselective protonation of silyl enol ethers was tested using 2,2-dimethyl 5-phenyl 1,3-dioxolan 4-one 1. The results obtained, especially with pantolactone as a chiral proton donor, are better than when the deracemization is carried out with the lithium enolate of 1.     

Towards a selective Boc deprotection on acid cleavable Wang resin

Deprotection of the Boc group of an amino acid attached to the Wang resin has been investigated. Several conditions, including bases, solvents and reaction time, were studied. Quantitative yield of Boc deprotection was achieved with less than 10% loss of resin loading with trimethylsilyltriflate. This reagent allows the replacement of tert-butyl to TMS group, leading to a new temporary urethane protection readily hydrolyzed.