Relationship between cohesive energy density and hydrophobicity

It has been recently claimed that the large cohesive energy density of water is the ultimate cause of the poor solubility of nonpolar compounds in water. In order to test the validity of this idea, we analyze the difference in solubility between light water and heavy water of several nonpolar compounds. Even though the cohesive energy density of D(2)O is larger than that of H(2)O, nonpolar compounds are slightly more soluble in D(2)O than H(2)O. In such case experimental data do not support the correctness of the large cohesive energy density as the ultimate cause of hydrophobicity. We show that D(2)O is a slightly better solvent than H(2)O for nonpolar compounds because it is slightly less costly to create a cavity in the former liquid. This is because there is slightly more void volume in heavy water than in light water.     

The temperature-induced denaturation of small globular proteins as a first-order phase transition of ‘crystal molecules’

A general feature of temperature-induced reversible denaturation of small globular proteins is its all-or-none character. This strong cooperativity leads to think that protein molecules, possessing only two accessible thermodynamic states, the native and the denatured one, resemble ‘crystal molecules’ that melt at raising temperature. An analysis, grounded on mean field theory, allows to conclude that the two-state transition is a first-order phase transition. The implication of this conclusion are briefly discussed.     

Reactions of ketenes. XX. Phenylketene dimethylacetal as synthon for the introduction of functionalized phenylethyl units

Phenylketene dimethylacetal ( 1 ) reacts with the α-diazoketones to give the dihydrofurans 6 . These compounds, as cyclic ortho esters, can undergo dealcoholation into the furans 2 and hydrolysis into the γ-ketoesters 3 and into the γ-ketoacids 4 . Cyclopropane acetal 8 , obtained starting from acetal 1 and ethyl diazoacetate, by heating leads quantitatively to functionalized ester 9 . These synthetic methods enlarge the sphere of applicability of the electron-rich alkene 1 as synthon in organic synthesis.     

On the origin of quasi-racemic aplysinopsin cycloadducts, (bis)indole alkaloids isolated from scleractinian corals of the family Dendrophylliidae. Involvement of enantiodefective Diels-Alderases or asymmetric induction in artifact processes involving adventitious catalysts?

Reported here are two novel quasi-racemic (bis)indole alkaloids, cycloaplysinopsin A (5) and cycloaplysinopsin B (6), isolated from tropical Indo-Pacific (Comoros, Philippines) scleractinian corals of the family Dendrophylliidae. Although their structures suggest a Diels-Alder cycloaddition origin from aplysinopsin-type precursors, neither experiments, nor theory allowed us to clearly distinguish an enzymatic process with scarce enantioselection from the intrusion of an adventitious catalyst in the coral extracts, where the chiral environment caused a slight asymmetric induction.     

From Epiraikovenal,an Instrumental Niche-Exploitation Sesquiterpenoid of Some Strains of the Marine Ciliated Protist euplotes raikovi,to an unusual intramolecular tele-dienone-olefin [2+2] photocycloaddition

It is shown that strains of the marine ciliate Euplotes raikovi are subtly variable in their production of secondary metabolites. Strains GA8 and 39W from Mediterranean and SB8 from Californian coasts produce the sesquiterpenoid epiraikovenal ( 3 ), while strains GA8 and SB8 also produce secoepiraikovenal ( 4 ), which play an instrumental niche-exploitation role and have also taxonomic significance. Comparison of 3 and 4 with raikovenal ( 2 ) and its putative biogenetic precursor 1 , which have similar roles in the conspecific strain Morl from Casablanca coast in the Atlantic Ocean, inspired us the first case of intramolecular tele-dienone-olefin [2+2] photocycloaddition, exemplified here by the transformation of 1 into ent- 3 . This served also to unequivocally clarify the stereochemical relationship between 3 and 2 .     

Xenicane Diterpenes Revisited: Thermal (E)→(Z) isomerization and conformational motions. A unifying picture

Kinetic and equilibrium studies show that typical xenicanes such as dictyolactone ( 1 ) and 4-hydroxydictyolactone ( 3 ) undergo slow conformation medium-ring flipping between the predominant trans-( 1a or 3a ; Me(20) trans to H–C(3)) and the minor cis-conformers ( 1b or 3b ; Me(20) cis to H–C(3); see Scheme 1). The formation of the latter is inhibited in heterocyclic-ring-opened congeners such as 18-acetoxy-4-hydroxydictyo-19-al ( 7 ). Molecular-mechanics calculations suggest that typical-xenicane cis-conformers are disfavoured by mainly C(4)–C(5) torsional strain. This is confirmed by the observation of two sizably populated cis-and trans-conformers for the unnatural 4-oxoxenicanes 10–12 . Unusually facile thermal (E)→(Z) isomerization of xenicanes 1,3,10–12 , and 7 is also observed (→ 13–17 and 9 , resp.; Scheme 3), reflecting great strain relief in the transition state. Conflicting results in the literature now fit into this scheme which provides a basis for unravelling recognition phenomena with these biologically active systems.     

Bretonin A and Isobretonin A,Unique Glycerol Derivatives Isolated from a Demosponge of Brittany Waters

It is shown that an unidentified marine demosponge of Brittany contains two unique lipids consisting of glycerol etherified by a C₁₂ trienic linear alcohol and esterified by 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. The latter is attached to the secondary position of glycerol in bretonin A (= 3-[((4E, 6E, 8E)-dodeca-4,6,8-trienyl)oxy]-2-(4-hydroxy-benzoyl)propan-1-ol; 1a ), and to the other primary position of glycerol in isobretonin A ( = (+)-3-[((4E, 6E, 8E)-dodeca-4,6,8-trienyl)oxy]-1-(4-hydroxybenzoyl)propan-2-ol; (+) -2 ). The structures are based on NMR and MS data, including the ones of the acetylation product (?)- 1b of 1a .     

Spectrophotometric, EPR and kinetic characterisation of the >N-O* radical from 1-hydroxybenzotriazole, a key reactive species in mediated enzymatic oxidations

Characterisation of the aminoxyl (>N-O*) radical BTNO, generated from 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) by the one-electron oxidant CAN (a Ce(IV) salt), confirms BTNO as the reactive intermediate in oxidations run with the laccase/HBT system.     

Solvation thermodynamics of water in nonpolar organic solvents indicate the occurrence of nontraditional hydrogen bonds

Experimental data for the solvation of water in nonpolar organic solvents indicate that the process is spontaneous under the Ben-Naim standard conditions, due to a large and negative enthalpy change. The process is analyzed by considering that the solvation Gibbs energy change is given by the sum of two opposing terms: the work to create a suitable cavity and the work to turn on the attractive solute-solvent interactions. Basic calculations point out unequivocally that, beyond the van der Waals contributions, additional favorable interactions occur between water and the surrounding solvent molecules. These additional favorable interactions should be nontraditional hydrogen bonds such as those between the delocalized pi-electron cloud of the aromatic ring and the hydrogen atoms of water, and those between the CH groups of both aliphatics and aromatics and the oxygen atom of water.