Synthetic modeling of the active site of native metalloenzymes by trimethylacetatozinc complexes

Synthetic approaches are discussed to a preparation of binuclear trimethylacetatozinc complexes containing an M₂(μ-OOCR)₂L₄ binuclear fragment, which is found in the active site of native metalloenzymes.     

Design and Asymmetric Synthesis of beta-Strand Peptidomimetics

We describe the asymmetric synthesis of non-peptidic compounds that feature rigid backbone conformations and present various side-chain functions. The key step in the synthesis of these compounds is the C-acylation of an appropriate ketone with a suitably protected aspartic acid derivative. The resulting dipeptide modules may be connected to form tetrapeptide mimics. Specifically is described the mimicry of a four-residue segment of CD4, the cellular receptor of HIV-1. The design was based on molecular modeling and the X-ray crystal structures of CD4 and intended to present the most important side chains and backbone elements of the Phe43-Lys46 segment.     

Analysis of chlorinated, sulfochlorinated and sulfonamide derivatives of n-tetradecane by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

The photosulfochlorination of n-tetradecane by sulfuryl chloride leads to a reaction mixture containing unreacted n-tetradecane, chloro n-tetradecanes and n-tetradecanesulfonyl chlorides. Direct and simultaneous GC analysis of the mixture of the sulfochlorinated and chlorinated isomers is followed by mass spectrometry identification of all the components either by electron impact (EI-MS) and by negative and positive chemical ionisation (NCI-MS and PCI-MS). With the goal of performing an accurate quantitative GC analysis, and as n-tetradecanesulfonyl chlorides prone to degrade partially into the corresponding chlorides, the former are converted to N,N-diethylsufonamides, more stable thermally, and then analysed by GC/EI-MS and GC/PCI-MS. The chloro n-tetradecanes, sulfonylchlorides and sulfonamides spectra present strong similarities. However, some differences between terminal and internal isomers are noticed and the peculiar behaviour of sulfonamides is emphasized.     

Synthesis and characterization of active ester-functionalized polypyrrole-silica nanoparticles: application to the covalent attachment of proteins

Novel ester-functionalized polypyrrole-silica nanocomposite particles were prepared by oxidative copolymerization of pyrrole and N-succinimidyl ester pyrrole (50/50% initial concentrations), using FeCl3 in the presence of ultrafine silica nanoparticles (20 nm diameter). The N-succinimidyl ester pyrrole monomer was prepared in aqueous solution using 1-(2-carboxyethylpyrrole) and N-hydroxysuccinimide in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide. The resulting nanocomposites (N-succinimidyl ester polypyrrole-silica) are raspberry-shaped agglomerates of silica sol particles "glued" together by the insoluble poly(pyrrole-co-N-succinimidyl pyrrole). The N-succinimidyl ester polypyrrole-silica particles were characterized in terms of their size, density, copolymer content, and polydispersity. Scanning electron microscopy and disk centrifuge sedimentometry confirmed that the nanocomposite particles had narrow size distributions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated a silica-rich surface and a high surface concentration of N-succinimidyl ester groups. These nanoparticles exhibited good long-term dispersion stability. The chemical stability of the ester functions in aqueous media after several weeks of storage was monitored by FTIR spectroscopy. The functionalized nanocomposites were tested as bioadsorbents of human serum albumin (HSA). The very high amount of immobilized HSA determined by UV-visible spectroscopy is believed to be due to covalent binding. Incubation of the HSA-grafted nanocomposite with anti-HSA resulted in immediate flocculation, an indication that they are alternative candidates for visual diagnostic assays.     

A Nitrite Electrochemical Sensor Based on Boron‐Doped Diamond Planar Electrochemical Microcells Modified with a Monolacunary Silicotungstate Polyoxoanion

A new boron doped diamond microcells (BDD) was modified, for rapid, selective and highly sensitive determination of nitrite, using a coating film of polyoxometalates (POMs), formed by cyclic voltammetry on the molecular p‐phenylenediamine (PPD) functionalized BDD. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique was used to examine the morphology of (PPD/SiW₁₁) modified (BDD) electrode. It was found that (SiW₁₁) layer was uniformly formed on the electrode surface. It was observed that (BDD/PPD/SiW₁₁) showed excellent electrocatalytic activities towards nitrite ion. Under the selected conditions, the anodic peak maximum at ?0.6 V was linear versus nitrite concentration in the 40 µM–4 mM range, and the detection limit obtained was 20 µM. The newly developed electrode has been successfully applied to the determination of nitrite content in real river water samples.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Theoretical Study of the Chemical Reactivity of New Cyclic Sulfamides Linked to Tetrathiafulvalene

Abstract

The synthesis of the title compounds has been carried out by condensation via a Wittig-type reaction of a pyridinium hexafluorophosphate with a phosphonate ester to give the desired (4-nitrophenyl)tetrathiafulvalene the nitro group of which was reduced to an amino group. Reaction of the amine with chlorosulfonyl isocyanate and subsequently with tert-butyl alcohol gave the corresponding open-chain sulfamide. Cyclization under basic conditions and de-protection led to 2-[4-(4′,5′-dipropyltetrathiafulvalen-4-yl)]phenyl-1,2,6-thiadiazinane 1,1-dioxide. Finally, N-alkylated and N-acylated cyclic sulfamides linked to tetrathiafulvalene were obtained. Their electron donor ability was measured by cyclic voltammetry. A detailed DFT study based on B3LYP/6–31G (d,p) of electronic properties is also presented. The calculated molecular electrostatic potential shows that, the negative charge covers the nitro and sulfamide function, while positive charge is located at the hydrogen atoms of the amine and sulfamide rings. The calculated HOMO and LUMO energy reveals that charge transfer occurs within the molecule. The chemical reactivity parameters reveal that tetrathiafulvalene 1 is highly reactive, which facilitates the desired formation of the cyclic sulfamide. The first hyperpolarizability β_tot shows that compounds 1 and 5 are good candidates as a NLO material.     

New π-Extended Donors: Synthesis,Characterization, Electrochemical and Electrical Conductivity Studies

A new series of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) molecules with extended π-system was prepared by using a Wittig reaction to generate the TTF key. The process of deprotection-alkylation of thiolates provided access to a wide variety of molecules. The study of their reducing power was carried out by cyclic voltammetry. Charge transfer complexes have also been chemically prepared by using TCNQ as an electron acceptor; the electrical conductivity of their compressed powders shows insulator behavior. The IR spectra of the TCNQ salts were recorded and used to characterize and estimate the degree of charge transfer of these complexes.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT      

Synthesis of Novel Semiconducting Aromatic Polyesteramids Containing Pyridine: Characterization of Nanometer-Sized Rod-Like Analogues and their Copper (II) Complexes

In this paper, new thermally stable isomeric unsubstituted polyesteramides have been successfully prepared by condensation of aromatic acids chlorides namely; isophthaloyl, pyridine-3,5-dicarbonyl and pyridine-2,6-pyridine-dicarbonyl dichlorides with the aminophenol isomers in NMP. Conducting the reaction in NMP/H₂O (90/10 v/v) followed by centrifugal separation furnished the desired polymers as rod-like nanoparticles. The morphology of obtained nanoparticles were studied by SEM. Mixing NMP with H₂O was essential for controlling the particles morphology and as a reaction accelerator.

Pyridine-containing polymers exhibit semi-conducting nature as their conductivities increase with increasing temperature, while no variation of the conductivity with the temperature was observed for their corresponding phenylene analogues. Introduction of the nitro group into the polymer backbone led to a red shift in the absorption and the obtained polymers have a bright yellow color, which is unusual with this polymer group. Copper (II) ions were complexed the polyesteramides-containing nitro group in a (1:1) ratio. Complexes of pyridine-containing polymers exhibit semiconducting nature changed to metallic characters on heating and their conductivities increased tens of magnitudes than their corresponding ligands. These new types of polymeric materials and their nano-sized rods may have numerous applications in nanotechnology and their properties can be tuned for specific applications such as conducting adhesives and coating materials.     

New series of acridines and phenanthrolines: synthesis and characterization

New series of acridines and phenanthrolines have been prepared from β-chlorovinyl aldehydes and various aniline derivatives allowing the installation of valuable substituents, such as ketone, nitro or amino groups at the heterocyclic core. X-ray analyses confirmed the structures of acridines and phenanthrolines as well as the presence of partially hydrogenated rings and their crucial impact on the overall shape of the acridine-based architectures. ¹H NMR revealed the helical behaviour of several acridine motives. Comparison of UV data between architectures and influence of number of partially hydrogenated rings is also described.     

Optimal control applied on an HIV‐1 within‐host model

The treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major challenge, even if significant progress has been made in infection treatment by ‘drug cocktails’. Nowadays, research trend is to minimize the number of pills taken when treating infection. In this paper, an HIV‐1 within host model where healthy cells follow a simple logistic growth is considered. Basic reproduction number of the model is calculated using next generation matrix method, steady states are derived; their local, as well as global stability, is discussed using the Routh–Hurwitz criteria, Lyapunov functions and the Lozinskii measure approach. The optimal control policy is formulated and solved as an optimal control problem. Numerical simulations are performed to compare several cases, representing a treatment by Interleukin2 alone, classical treatment by multitherapy drugs alone, then both treatments at the same time. Objective functionals aim to (i) minimize infected cells quantity; (ii) minimize free virus particles number; and (iii) maximize healthy cells density in blood. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.