A multifunctional Pasteurella multocida sialyltransferase: a powerful tool for the synthesis of sialoside libraries

A multifunctional sialyltransferase has been cloned from Pasteurella multocida strain P-1059 and expressed in E. coli as a truncated C-terminal His6-tagged recombinant protein (tPm0188Ph). Biochemical studies indicate that the obtained protein is (1) an alpha2,3-sialyltransferase (main function), (2) an alpha2,6-sialyltransferase, (3) an alpha2,3-sialidase, and (4) an alpha2,3-trans-sialidase. The recombinant tPm0188Ph is a powerful tool in the synthesis of structurally diverse sialoside libraries due to its relaxed substrate specificity, high solubility, high expression level, and multifunctionality.     

Palladium-catalyzed carbon-carbon bond-forming 1,2-ligand migration of organoalanes

A one-pot, two-step process that transforms terminal alkynes into ethyl methyl-substituted benzylic quaternary carbon centers is described. (E)-2,2-Disubstituted-1-alkenyldimethylalanes have been shown to participate in 1,2-alkyl migration from aluminum to carbon with concomitant arylation at the 2-position to furnish ethyl methyl-substituted benzylic quaternary carbon centers, when reacted intramolecularly with aryl halides and triflates in the presence of a Pd(0) catalyst. The protocol is initiated with Cp2ZrCl2-catalyzed methylalumination of terminal alkynes followed by palladium-catalyzed intramolecular arylation of the resulting (E)-2,2-disubstituted-1-alkenyldimethylalanes, leading to 1,2-methyl shift from aluminum to carbon. In that sequence, a total of three new C-C single bonds are made, and two of the three alkyl groups on Me3Al transferred to the substrate on vicinal carbons. This method was applied to a variety of substrates, and the mechanism was investigated by deuterium-labeling experiments, which revealed that protodealumination of the final dialkylaluminum triflate or halide intermediates by CH3CN results in the formation of the fourth bond in the course of the transformation.     

Synthesis and electronic characterization of bipyridine dithiolate rhodium(III) complexes

Five new mixed diimine 1,1'-dithiolate or dithiocarbamate ligand complexes of the form [Rh(bpy)2(SS)][PF6]n, where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine and SS = various substituted dialkyldithiocarbamates or 1,1'-dithiolates, were synthesized from cis-[Rh(bpy)2(OTf)2][OTf]. The triflate ligands are easily displaced by other ligands and allow these syntheses to proceed in high yields (80-90% overall) under relatively mild reaction conditions and to give high purity products. Electrochemistry shows irreversible two-electron reduction of Rh(III) to Rh(I) and a concomitant loss of one bipyridine ligand; this is followed by reversible one-electron reduction of the remaining 2,2'-bipyridine ligand. The electronic characterizations of these complexes are consistent with significant delocalization of the sulfur electron density onto the empty metal d orbitals. The 1,1'-dithiolate ligands induce larger red shifts in the absorption and emission spectra than the dithiocarbamates as the 1,1'-dithiolates have a more extensive conjugation system.     

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Coherent neutron inelastic scattering intensifies for two low-frequency Γ₄ internal modes in anthracene-d₁₀ have been measured at several different Brillouin zone centres. These intensifies have been used to determine the eigenvectors of the two modes involved. It is shown that the motion in both cases is a combination of a butterfly motion (B) and a twisting motion (T). The energy proportions in these two modes are 0.97B and 0.03T (±0.01) for the mode at 3.16 THz and 0.94T and 0.06B (±0.04) for the mode at 4.60 THz. This experimental result strengthens our reliance on model calculations for the assignment of phonon frequencies measured by neutron coherent inelastic scattering.     

Gold nanoshell bioconjugates for molecular imaging in living cells

Advances in scattering-based optical imaging technologies offer a new approach to noninvasive point-of-care detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of cancer. Emerging photonics technologies provide a cost-effective means to image tissue in vivo with high resolution in real time. Advancing the clinical potential of these imaging strategies requires the development of optical contrast agents targeted to specific molecular signatures of disease. We describe the use of a novel class of contrast agents based on nanoshell bioconjugates for molecular imaging in living cells. Nanoshells offer significant advantages over conventional imaging probes including continuous and broad wavelength tunability, far greater scattering and absorption coefficients, increased chemical stability, and improved biocompatibility. We show that nanoshell bioconjugates can be used to effectively target and image human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), a clinically relevant biomarker, in live human breast carcinoma cells.     

Determination of nicotine and its metabolites accumulated in fish tissue using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

The determination of nicotine and its major metabolites (cotinine and anabasine) in fish tissue was performed using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Marine and freshwater fish were purchased from local grocery stores and were prepared based on a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe sample preparation protocol. To determine the highly polar compounds, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography was also used. There were modest suppressions on measured nicotine signals (10%) due to the matrix effects from marine fish but no obvious effects on freshwater fish signals. Method validation was incorporated with internal standards and carried out with matrix‐matched calibration. The detection limits for nicotine, cotinine, and anabasine were 9.4, 3.0, and 1.5 ng/g in fish, respectively. Precision was quite acceptable returning less than 8% RSD at low, medium, and high concentrations. Acceptable and reproducible extraction recoveries (70–120%) of all three compounds were achieved, except for anabasine at low concentration (61%). The method was then applied to define nicotine bioaccumulation in a fathead minnow model, which resulted in rapid uptake with steady state internal tissue levels, reached within 12 h. This developed method offers a fast, easy, and sensitive way to evaluate nicotine and its metabolite residues in fish tissues.     

Direct conversion of benzylic and allylic alcohols to phosphonates

Benzyl phosphonate esters often serve as reagents in Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reactions. In most cases, they can be prepared from benzylic alcohols via formation of the corresponding halide followed by an Arbuzov reaction. To identify a more direct synthesis of phosphonate esters, we have developed a one-flask procedure for conversion of benzylic and allylic alcohols to the corresponding phosphonates through treatment with triethyl phosphite and ZnI(2).