Microwave-assisted rapid deprotection of oligodeoxyribonucleotides.

A novel method for the deprotection of oligodeoxyribonucleotides under microwave irradiation has been developed. The oligodeoxynucleotides having base labile, phenoxyacetyl (pac), protection for exocyclic amino functions were fully deprotected in 0. 2 M sodium hydroxide (methanol:water : : 1:1, v/v) = A and 1 M sodium hydroxide (methanol:water : : 1:1, v/v) = B using microwaves in 4 and 2 min, respectively. The deprotection of oligodeoxyribonucleotides carrying conventional protecting groups, dAbz, dCbzand dGpac, for exocyclic amino functions was achieved in 4 min in B without any side product formation. The deprotected oligonucleotides were compared with the oligomers deprotected using standard deprotection conditions (29% aq. ammonia, 16 h, 55 degrees C) with respect to their retention time on HPLC and biological activity.     

Rapid conditions for the cleavage of oligodeoxyribonucleotides from cis-diol-bearing universal polymer supports and their deprotection

Two sets of deprotection conditions have been evolved for the deprotection of oligodeoxyribonucleotides and their cleavage from commercially available cis -diol group-bearing universal polymer supports. In the first case, oligodeoxyribonucleotides anchored on the universal support were subjected to one of the standard deprotection conditions followed by treatment with aqueous 0.5 M sodium chloride + 0.2 M sodium hydroxide solution for 30 min at room temperature. In the second case, oligonucleotides bound to the universal support were treated with methanolic sodium hydroxide solution under microwave radiation to obtain fully deprotected oligomers within 4 min. Under both conditions, the cleavage of oligonucleotides from the support and their deprotection occurred quantitatively without any side product formation. The cleaved oligonucleotides were found to be identical in all respects (retention time on HPLC and biological activity in PCR) to the corresponding standard oligo-nucleotides.     

Facile and Rapid Deprotection Conditions for the Cleavage of Synthetic Oligonucleotides from 1,4-Anhydroerythritol-Based Universal Polymer Support

In our previous report [Kumar, P.; Dhawan, G.; Chandra, R.; Gupta, K.C. Polyamine-assisted rapid and clean cleavage of oligonucleotides from cis-diol bearing universal support. Nucl. Acids Res. 2002, 30, e130 (1-8)], we demonstrated polyamine-mediated deprotection of oligonucleotides from cis-diol group bearing universal polymer support (I). However, vulnerability of the conventional dC^bz to modifications under these conditions compelled us to employ dC^ac during synthesis of oligonucleotide using conventional synthons. Here, a new set of simple and rapid deprotection conditions has been developed for the complete cleavage of oligonucleotides from the 1,4-anhydroerythritol-based universal polymer support employing conventional dC^bz synthon. Using manganese-imidazole complex in aqueous ammonium hydroxide (～30%), fully deprotected oligonucleotide sequences were obtained in 40 min, which were analyzed on reverse phase-HPLC and compared with the standard oligomers in terms of their retention time. Finally, their biological compatibility was established by analyzing PCR amplified products of npsA gene of N. meningitidis.     

Extracting fumonisins from maize: efficiency of different extraction solvents in multi-mycotoxin analytics

The complete extraction of analytes is of utmost importance when analyzing matrix samples for mycotoxins. Mycotoxins consist of substances with widely different physicochemical properties; therefore, the loss of toxins that occurs in multi-mycotoxin methods due to compromises in the extraction solvent is currently a topic under discussion. With regard to fumonisins, several extractants from recently published multi-mycotoxin methods were investigated when analyzing unprocessed and processed maize matrices. All extractants were tested in a validated on-site method and the extraction yields were compared to those of an HPLC-FLD reference method (EN 14352). Most of the compared multi-mycotoxin methods that have been published were only for analyzing fumonisins in maize or maize-meal; we have applied the extractants of these methods to processed, complex maize matrices for the first time. Our results show that, for extractions with aqueous acetonitrile mixtures with the addition of acid, e.g. MeCN/H₂O/acetic acid (79/20/1, v/v/v), higher extraction yields are obtained than with MeCN/H₂O (80/20, v/v), in both spiked and naturally contaminated maize matrices. But compared to the results of the reference method EN 14352, the two extractants did not show a similar extraction efficiency. Overall, the extractant MeCN/MeOH/H₂O (1/1/2, v/v/v) turned out to be the most appropriate extractant applied in all experiments, obtaining the best and most comparable extraction yields and recoveries. Furthermore, our investigations showed that, with some of the tested extraction solvents, e.g. MeCN/H₂O (75/25) containing 50 mmol/l formic acid, stark differences occur when analyzing spiked and naturally contaminated matrices. With spiked matrices, recoveries of approximately 80–110 % were obtained, but with naturally contaminated matrices no results comparable to the EN method have been achieved. In contrast, a double extraction with MeCN/H₂O/formic acid (80/19,9/0,1, v/v/v), followed by a second polar extraction step with MeCN/H₂O/formic acid (20/79,9/0,1, v/v/v), led, for most naturally contaminated samples, to comparable results with the EN method. However, for spiked samples, the same extractant led to raised recoveries of between 120 and 140 %. For some processed matrices, like taco-chips, all tested extractants showed a poor extraction efficiency for fumonisins. By extending the extraction time from 1 to 15 min, a result comparable to that of the reference method could also be obtained for the extractant using MeCN/MeOH/H₂O (1/1/2, v/v/v). As this extractant has been used in our recently published method (Trebstein et al. Mycotoxin Res 25:201, 2009), this work also presents an update on this method with respect to the extended extraction time.     

Microbial synthesis of 2H-labelled L-phenylalanine with different levels of isotopic enrichment by a facultative methylotrophic bacterium Brevibacterium methylicum with RuMP assimilation of carbon

Using the L-phenylalanine secreting strain of Gram-negative aerobic facultative methylotrophic bacteria Brevibacterium methylicum, assimilating methanol via the ribulose-5-monophosphate (RuMP) cycle of carbon assimilation, as an example, we have continued studies on the use of methylotrophic bacteria for the preparative microbial synthesis of amino acids labeled with stable isotopes, including deuterium (²H), suitable for biomedical applications and clinical diagnostics. Here we demonstrate the data on adaptation of the methylotrophic bacterium B. methylicum to the maximal concentration of deuterium in the growth medium with 98% (v/v) ²H₂O and 2% (v/v) [²H]MeOH, and biosynthesis of deuterium labeled L-phenylalanine with different levels of isotopic enrichment. The strain was adapted to ²H₂O by means of plating of initial cells on solid (2% agarose) minimal growth media M9 with an increasing gradient of ²H₂O concentration from 0, 24.5, 49.0, 73.5 up to 98% (v/v) ²H₂O and subsequent selection of individual colonies stable to the action of ²H₂O, which were capable to produce L-phenylalanine. L-phenylalanine was extracted from the growth medium with isopropanol followed by subsequent crystallization in ethanol (output 0.65 g/L). Using the developed method of microbial synthesis it is possible to obtain deuterated L-phenylalanine with different levels of isotopic enrichment, depending on concentration of ²H₂O in growth media, from 17% (the growth medium with 24.5% (v/v) ²H₂O) right up to 75% (the growth medium with 98% (v/v) ²H₂O) of deuterium as evidenced by results of the electron impact (EI) mass-spectrometry analysis of methyl ethers of N-dimethylamino(naphthalene)-5-sulfonyl chloride (dansyl) phenylalanine isolated from growth media under different experimental conditions.     

Kinetic study of aroxyl radical-scavenging action of vitamin E in membranes of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine vesicles

Vitamin E is localized in membranes and functions as an efficient inhibitor of lipid peroxidation in biological systems. In this study, we measured the reaction rates of vitamin E (α-, β-, γ-, δ-tocopherols, TocH) and tocol with aroxyl radical (ArO) as model lipid peroxyl radicals in membranes by stopped-flow spectrophotometry. Egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EYPC) vesicles were used as a membrane model. EYPC vesicles were prepared in the aqueous methanol solution (MeOH:H₂O = 7:3, v/v) that gave the lowest turbidity in samples. The second-order rate constants (k_s) for α-TocH in MeOH/H₂O solution with EYPC vesicles were apparently 3.45 × 10⁵ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, which was about 8 times higher than that (4.50 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) in MeOH/H₂O solution without EYPC vesicles. The corrected k_s of α-TocH in vesicles, which was calculated assuming that the concentration of α-TocH was 133 times higher in membranes of 10 mM EYPC vesicles than in the bulk MeOH/H₂O solution, was 2.60 × 10³ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, which was one-seventeenth that in MeOH/H₂O solution because of the lower mobility of α-TocH in membranes. Similar analyses were performed for other vitamin E analogues. The k_s of vitamin E in membranes increased in the order of tocol < δ-TocH < γ-TocH ∼ β-TocH < α-TocH. There was not much difference in the ratios of reaction rates in vesicles and MeOH/H₂O solution among vitamin E analogues [k_s(vesicle)/k_s (MeOH/H₂O) = 7.7, 10.0, 9.5, 7.4, and 5.1 for α-, β-, γ-, δ-TocH, and tocol, respectively], but their reported ratios in solutions of micelles and ethanol were quite different [k_s(micelle)/k_s(EtOH) = 100, 47, 41, 15, and 6.3 for α-, β-, γ-, δ-TocH, and tocol, respectively]. These results indicate that the reaction sites of vitamin E analogues were similar in vesicle membranes but depended on hydrophobicity in micelle membranes, which increased in the order of tocol < δ-TocH < γ-TocH ∼ β-TocH < α-TocH.     

Fluoride-cleavable biotinylation phosphoramidite for 5'-end-labeling and affinity purification of synthetic oligonucleotides

A fluoride-cleavable phosphoramidite for biotinylation was designed, synthesized and coupled efficiently to the 5′-end of DNA on an automatic synthesizer. The diisopropylsilyl acetal functionality was used to link the biotin moiety through a tertiary hydroxide group to the 5′-end of DNA. This linkage proved to be completely stable under certain post-synthetic DNA cleavage/deprotection conditions [0.05 M K₂CO₃ in MeOH, room temperature, 24 h and MeNH₂ (~40%)/NH₄OH (~29%), 1:1 v/v, 65°C, 30 min] while it can be readily broken by fluoride ion, releasing unmodified DNA. To demonstrate the use of this DNA biotinylation method, we applied this method in affinity purification of synthetic DNA. As revealed by HPLC analysis, biotinylated full-length DNA can be efficiently attached to NeutrAvidin™ coated microspheres, and failure sequences can be readily removed. Subsequent treatment of the microspheres with pyridine/HF released high quality full-length unmodified DNA in good yield.     

Inclusion complex of 2-chlorobenzophenone with cyclomaltoheptaose (β-cyclodextrin): temperature, solvent effects and molecular modeling

A thermodynamic study of the inclusion process between 2-chlorobenzophenone (2ClBP) and cyclomaltoheptaose (β-cyclodextrin, β-CD) was performed using UV–vis spectroscopy, reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and molecular modeling (PM6). Spectrophotometric measurements in aqueous solutions were performed at different temperatures. The stoichiometry of the complex is 1:1 and its apparent formation constant (K_c) is 3846 M⁻¹ at 30 °C. Temperature dependence of K_c values revealed that both enthalpy (ΔH° = −10.58 kJ/mol) and entropy changes (ΔS° = 33.76 J/K mol) are favorable for the inclusion process in an aqueous medium. Encapsulation was also investigated using RP-HPLC (C18 column) with different mobile-phase compositions, to which β-CD was added. The apparent formation constants in MeOH–H₂O (K_F) were dependent of the proportion of the mobile phase employed (50:50, 55:45, 60:40 and 65:35, v/v). The K_F values were 419 M⁻¹ (50% MeOH) and 166 M⁻¹ (65% MeOH) at 30 °C. The thermodynamic parameters of the complex in an aqueous MeOH medium indicated that this process is largely driven by enthalpy change (ΔH° = −27.25 kJ/mol and ΔS° = −45.12 J/K mol). The results of the study carried out with the PM6 semiempirical method showed that the energetically most favorable structure for the formation of the complex is the ‘head up’ orientation.     

Solvent coordination in changing dimensionality of lead benzoate coordination polymers

The reaction of lead (II) nitrate with sodium benzoate at low temperature gives one dimensional coordination polymer with composition [Pb(Ben)₂(MeOH)₂]_n (where Ben = benzoate, MeOH = methanol). This one dimensional polymer on heating in aqueous solution results in the formation of a two dimensional polymer having composition [Pb(Ben)₂(H₂O)]_n. Similar reaction of lead (II) nitrate with 2-methylbenzoic acid in the presence of sodium hydroxide in methanol at low temperature gives a coordination polymer having composition [Pb(o-TOL)₂(MeOH)₂]_n (where o-TOL = 2-methylbenzoate); which on re-dissolution in aqueous methanol or keeping in water, at room temperature leads to another coordination polymer having a composition of [Pb(o-TOL)₂(H₂O)]_n.     

Reaction of a rhodium(I) carbonyl complex of a para-dimethylaminophenyl substituted diphosphine with methyl iodide and hydrogen iodide

Reaction of [Rh(CO)₂](μ-Cl)]₂ with bis-1,2-(di{4-dimethylaminophenyl)phosphino-ethane (L) gives the monomeric Rh(I) complex of type cis-[RhCl(L)(CO)] that was separated from a side product of type [Rh(L)₂]Cl, and characterised by X-ray crystallography. This complex reacts with methyl iodide at high temperature to give the Rh(III) acetyl complex, [Rh(I)₂(C(O)Me)(L)], which was also structurally characterised by X-ray crystallography. There is no sign of quaternisation of the dimethylamino groups under these conditions. This complex is soluble in organic solvent and insoluble in the polar media used in methanol carbonylation (AcOH/H₂O/MeOH). However, in the presence of HI, this complex is readily soluble in AcOH/H₂O/MeOH, in contrast to [Rh(I)₂(C(O)Me)(dppe)] and most other Rh-acetyl complexes of diphosphine ligands.     

F420H2 oxidase (FprA) from Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus, a coenzyme F420-dependent enzyme involved in O2 detoxification

Cell suspensions of Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus catalyzed the reduction of O₂ with H₂ at a maximal specific rate of 0.4 U (mol/min) per mg protein with an apparent K _m for O₂ of 30 M. The reaction was not inhibited by cyanide. The oxidase activity was traced back to a coenzyme F₄₂₀-dependent enzyme that was purified to apparent homogeneity and that catalyzed the oxidation of 2 F₄₂₀H₂ with 1 O₂ to 2 F₄₂₀ and 2 H₂O. The apparent K _m for F₄₂₀ was 30 M and that for O₂ was 2 M with a V _max of 240 U/mg at 37°C and pH 7.6, the pH optimum of the oxidase. The enzyme did not use NADH or NADPH as electron donor or H₂O₂ as electron acceptor and was not inhibited by cyanide. The 45-kDa protein, whose gene was cloned and sequenced, contained 1 FMN per mol and harbored a binuclear iron center as indicated by the sequence motif H–X–E–X–D–X₆₂–H–X₁₈–D–X₆₀–H. Sequence comparisons revealed that the F₄₂₀H₂ oxidase from M. arboriphilus is phylogenetically closely related to FprA from Methanothermobacter marburgensis (71% sequence identity), a 45-kDa flavoprotein of hitherto unknown function, and to A-type flavoproteins from bacteria (30–40%), which all have dioxygen reductase activity. With heterologously produced FprA from M. marburgensis it is shown that this protein is also a highly efficient F₄₂₀H₂ oxidase and that it contains 1 FMN and 2 iron atoms. The presence of F₄₂₀H₂ oxidase in methanogenic archaea may explain why some methanogens, e.g., the Methanobrevibacter species in the termite hindgut, cannot only tolerate but thrive under microoxic conditions.Dedicated to Hans Schlegel on the occasion of his 80th birthday.     

Speciation studies of ternary complexes of some essential divalent metal ions with L-histidine and L-glutamic acid in DMSO-water mixtures

Abstract

Chemical speciation of ternary complexes of Ca(II), Mg(II) and Zn(II) ions with L-histidine as the primary ligand (L) and L-glutamic acid as the secondary ligand (X) has been studied pH metrically in the concentration range of 0.0-60.0% v/v DMSO-water mixtures maintaining an ionic strength of 0.16 mol L^-1 using sodium chloride at 303.0 K. Titrations were carried out in different relative concentrations (M:L:X = 1.0:2.5:2.5, 1.0:2.5:5.0, 1.0:5.0:2.5) of metal (M) to L-histidine to L-glutamic acid with sodium hydroxide. Stability constants of ternary complexes were refined with MINIQUAD75. The best-fit chemical models were selected based on statistical parameters and residual analysis. The predominant species detected for Ca(II), Mg(II) and Zn(II) are ML₂XH₂, MLXH₂ and MLX₂. Extra stability of ternary complexes compared to their binary complexes was explained to be due to electrostatic interactions of the side chains of ligands, charge neutralisation, chelate effect, stacking interactions and hydrogen bonding. The species distribution with pH at different compositions of DMSO and the plausible equilibria for the formation of species are discussed.     

Introduction of 5′-Terminal Amino and Thiol Groups into Synthetic Oligonucleotides

Abstract

Oligonucleotides terminating in a 5′-primary amine group are synthesized using solid phase phosphoramidite chemistry. The 5′-terminal amine group in the deprotected oligonucleotide is further derivatized with N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate (SPDP) followed by treatment with dithiothreitol (DTT) to produce 5′-thiol terminated oligonucleotides. Introduction of 5′-thiol group is further confirmed by reading the absorbance of the released chromophore, pyridine-2-thione at 343 nm; ?₃₄₃=8080/M.     

Formation and confirmation of binary complexes of calcium(II), magnesium(II ) and zinc(II) with L-histidine in dioxan-water media

Abstract

A computer assisted pH-metric investigation has been carried out on the speciation of binary complexes of Ca(II), Mg(II) and Zn(II) with L-histidine. The titrations are carried out with sodium hydroxide in varying concentrations (0–60% v/v) of dioxan-water mixtures at an ionic strength of 0.16 mol L^-1 and at a temperature of 303 K. Ca(II), Mg(II) and Zn(II) form the binary complexes of ML₂H₄, ML₂H₃, ML₂H₂, ML₂H and ML₂ in dioxan-water mixtures. The effect of systematic errors in the concentrations of the substances on the stability constants is in the order acid > alkali > ligand > metal> Log F. The effect of solvent, dielectric constant of the medium and the electrostatic interactions between the complex species on the stability of the complexes are discussed.     

Chemical speciation of ternary complexes of L-dopa and 1,10-phenanthroline with Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) in low dielectric media

Abstract

A computer assisted pH-metric investigation has been carried out on the speciation of complexes of Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) with L-dopa and 1,10-phenanthroline. The titrations were performed in the presence of different relative concentrations (M:L:X = 1.0:2.5:2.5; 1.0:2.5:5.0; 1.0:5.0:2.5) of metal (M) to L-dopa (L) and 1,10-phenanthroline (X) with sodium hydroxide in varying concentrations (0-60% v/v) of 1,2-propanediol-water mixtures at an ionic strength of 0.16 mol L^-1 and at a temperature of 303.0 K. Stability constants of the ternary complexes were refined using MINIQUAD75. The species MLXH, MLX, ML₂X and MLX₂H for Co(II) and Cu(II) and MLXH, MLX and MLX₂H for Ni(II) were detected. The extra stability of ternary complexes compared to their binary complexes was believed to be due to electrostatic interactions of the side chains of ligands, charge neutralisation, chelate effect, stacking interactions and hydrogen bonding. The species distribution with pH at different compositions of 1, 2-propanediol-water mixtures and plausible equilibria for the formation of species were also presented. The bioavailability of the metal ions is explained based on the speciation.     

Adenine complexes with divalent 3d metal chlorides

Upon refluxing 2:1 mixtures of adenine (adH) and divalent 3d metal chloride hydrates in a 7:3 (v/v) mixture of ethanol-triethyl orthoformate for several days, partial substitution of ad^? for Cl^? ligands occurs, and solid complexes of the M(ad)Cl· 2H₂0 (M = Mn, Zn), Fe₂(ad)(adH)₂Cl₃·2H₂O, M(ad)- (adH)Cl·H₂O (M = Co, Cu) and Ni₂(ad)₃Cl·6H₂O types are eventually isolated [1]. It is probably of interest that during analogous previous synthetic work, involving interaction of ligand and salt in refluxing ethanol, no substitution reactions between Cl^? and ad^? took place, and MCl₂ adducts with neutral adH were reportedly obtained. Characterization studies suggest that the new complexes reported are linear chainlike polymeric species, involving single adenine bridges between adjacent M²⁺ ions. Terminal chloro, adenine and aqua ligands complete the coordination around each metal ion. The new Ni²⁺ complex is hexacoordinated, whilst the rest of the complexes are pentacoordinated. Most likely binding sites are considered to be N(9) for terminal unidentate and N(7), N(9) for bridging bidentate adenine [1].     

Quantitative β-elimination-reduction of O-glycosyl linkages in chondroitin sulfates

The chondroitin 4-sulfate-peptide from whale cartilage contains serine, xylose, and galactose in ～1:1:2 molar ratio. Deamination with nitrous acid showed that about 50% of the serine is at the amino terminus. Various conditions of β-elimination-reduction were employed with the preparation to provide quantitative data on the linkage region between protein and carbohydrate. The optimal conditions used, 0.4m sodium hydroxide in the presence of 0.3m sodium borohydride and 0.01m PdCl₂·2H₂O for 24 h at 25°, resulted in an increase of alanine content and concomitant decrease of serine and conversion of xylose into xylitol, all in equimolar amounts. Furthermore, substitution of both the terminal amino and carboxyl groups, and elimination-reduction, brought about cleavage of most of the linkages; over 90% of the amino acids originally present were lost after re-isolation of the polymer fraction. These results indicate that β-elimination-reduction alone, under the optimal conditions, allows the mode of linkage to be quantitatively determined as an O-xylosylserine linkage. Under these optimal conditions, the linkage region between protein and a chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfate hybrid (1:1) from bovine tracheal cartilage was determined to be Gal-Gal-Xyl-O-Ser, thus being similar to that found in chondroitin 4-sulfate-peptide.     

Cooperative catalysis of a trinuclear ruthenium(II) complex in transfer hydrogenation of ketones by formic acid

A novel TPA derivative (TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) having two 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) moieties via amide linkage was synthesized and this ligand reacted with [Ru(hmb)Cl₂]₂ (hmb: hexamethylbenzene) to give a trinuclear Ru(II) complex, [RuCl(TPA-{phenRuCl(hmb)}₂-H⁺)](PF₆)₂ (1-Cl), in a moderate yield. The complex involves a deprotonated and oxygen-coordinated amide linkage, which exhibits reversible protonation-deprotonation equilibrium. The chlorido complex was converted to be an aqua complex, [Ru(H₂O)(TPA-{phenRu(H₂O)₂(hmb)}₂-H⁺)](SO₄)_5/2 (1-H₂O), by the reaction of 1-Cl with Ag₂SO₄ in H₂O. Transfer hydrogenation of ketones was examined by using 1-Cl as a catalyst and HCOONa as a hydride source in H₂O/CH₃OH (1:1 v/v) at 50 °C under Ar. The time-course of the transfer hydrogenation of cyclohexanone to give cyclohexanol revealed that 1-Cl showed a cooperative effect on the catalytic reactivity as compared with that of mononuclear [RuCl(hmb)(phen)] (3-Cl) and [RuCl((1-Naph)₂-TPA)]PF₆ in H₂O/CH₃OH (1:2 v/v) under the same conditions. The detailed kinetic study has revealed that the catalytic transfer hydrogenation proceeds via the formato complex, which interacts with a substrate rather than via the hydrido complex. The two Ru centers placed at close proximity in 1-H₂O enhanced the interaction of the formato complex with a substrate, resulting in an increase in the catalytic reactivity as compared with the mononuclear complex.     

Cyclic and acyclic compartmental Schiff bases, their reduced analogues and related mononuclear and heterodinuclear complexes

[1+1] macrocyclic and [1+2] macroacyclic compartmental ligands (H₂L), containing one N₂O₂, N₃O₂, N₂O₃, N₄O₂ or O₂N₂O₂ Schiff base site and one O₂O_n (n=3, 4) crown-ether like site, have been prepared by self-condensation of the appropriate formyl- and amine precursors. The template procedure in the presence of sodium ion afforded Na₂(L) or Na(HL) · nH₂O. When reacted with the appropriate transition metal acetate hydrate, H₂L form M(L) · nH₂O, M(HL)(CH₃COO) · nH₂O, M(H₂L)(X)₂ · nH₂O (M=Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺; X=CH₃COO⁻, Cl⁻) or Mn(L)(CH₃COO) · nH₂O according to the experimental conditions used. The same complexes have been prepared by condensation of the appropriate precursors in the presence of the desired metal ion. The Schiff bases H₂L have been reduced by NaBH₄ to the related polyamine derivatives H₂R, which form, when reacted with the appropriate metal ions, M(H₂R)(X)₂ (M= Co²⁺, Ni²⁺; X=CH₃COO⁻, Cl⁻), Cu(R) · nH₂O and Mn(R)(CH₃COO) · nH₂O. The prepared ligands and related complexes have been characterized by IR, NMR and mass spectrometry. The [1+1] cyclic nature of the macrocyclic polyamine systems and the site occupancy of sodium ion have been ascertained, at least for the sodium (I) complex with the macrocyclic ligand containing one N₃O₂ Schiff base and one O₂O₃ crown-ether like coordination chamber, by an X-ray structural determination. In this complex the asymmetric unit consists of one cyclic molecule of the ligand coordinated to a sodium ion by the five oxygen atoms of the ligand. The coordination geometry of the sodium ion can be described as a pentagonal pyramid with the metal ion occupying the vertex. In the mononuclear complexes with H₂L or H₂R the transition metal ion invariantly occupies the Schiff base site; the sodium ion, on the contrary, prefers the crown-ether like site. Accordingly, the heterodinuclear complexes [MNa(L)(CH₃COO)_x] (M=Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni², x=1; M=Mn³⁺, x=2) have been synthesised by reacting the appropriate formyl and amine precursors in the presence of M(CH₃COO)_n · nH₂O and NaOH in a 1:1:1:2 molar ratio. The reaction of the mononuclear transition metal complexes with Na(CH₃COO) · nH₂O gives rise to the same heterodinuclear complexes. Similarly [MNa(R)(CH₃COO)_x] have been prepared by reaction of the appropriate polyamine ligand H₂R with the desired metal acetate hydrate and NaOH in 1:1:2 molar ratio.     

InCl3-catalyzed asymmetric aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction of indoles with imines generated from O-pivaloylated β-d-galactosylamine

The highly diastereoselective InCl₃-catalyzed aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction of substituted indoles with aldimines generated from Kunz’s amine was studied. The reaction afforded the desired product in good to high yields with up to >19:1 diastereoselective ratios. The O-pivaloylated β-d-galactosyl moiety could not be cleaved under the traditional acidic conditions. It was removed successfully after unmasking of the O-pivaloyl groups using MeOH/NaOMe and treatment with HOAc/H₂O subsequently, to yield the 3-indolyl aryl methanamine derivatives in high optical purity.