Measurement of the barrier to inversion of configuration in acyclic phosphite triesters

Synthesis of three acyclic chiral phosphites is reported, in the form of dithymidine phosphite triesters. These diastereomerically pure P-stereogenic phosphites undergo epimerization at a measurable rate at 150 °C. When the alcohols on the deoxyribose moieties are protected as acyls, decomposition is minimized and by computer fitting, rate constants for epimerization can be extracted. These allow for the first time calculation of the barrier to inversion of configuration in phosphite triesters, giving ΔG^†(150 °C) = 33.0 ± 0.2 kcal mol⁻¹, comparable to the inversion barrier seen for phosphines.     

A ferromagnetically coupled copper(II) trinuclear secondary building unit as precursor for the preparation of molecule-based magnets

The compounds 3D-{(Ph₄P)₂[ZnCu₃(Hmesox)₃Cl]·2.5H₂O} (1) and 3D-{(Ph₄P)₂[NiCu₃(Hmesox)₃Cl]·2.5H₂O} (2) have been prepared and their structure and magnetic properties investigated (H₄mesox = mesoxalic acid, 2-dihydroxymalonic acid). The compounds are obtained by means of the same procedure followed to prepare 3D-{(Ph₄P)₂[MnCu₃(Hmesox)₃Cl]·3.5H₂O}and 3D-{(Ph₄P)₂[CoCu₃(Hmesox)₃Cl]}, to which 1 and 2 are isostructural as deducted from the X-ray powder diffraction patterns and IR spectra. During the synthesis the {Cu₃(Hmesox)₃Cl}⁴⁻ unit is generated which acts as ferromagnetically coupled secondary building unit (SBU) to give 3D chiral networks with (10,3)-a topology, the [Zn{Cu₃(C₃HO₆)₃Cl}]²ⁿ⁻ and [Ni{Cu₃(C₃HO₆)₃Cl}]²ⁿ⁻, in 1 and 2, respectively. The tetraphenylphosphonium cations are located in the voids of the 3D anion framework giving a supramolecular 3D cation net with the same (10,3)-a topology as the anion framework and both can be thought of forming interpenetrating supramolecular and covalent (10,3)-a nets. Because of the different nature of the interpenetrated 3D (10,3)-a frameworks a single crystal of 1 and 2 is chiral and enantiopure. The analysis of the magnetic properties in 1 by means of the isotropic spin Hamiltonian, H = −J(S₁S₂ + S₂S₃ + S₁S₃), reveal a ferromagnetic coupling with J = +11.2 cm⁻¹ in the copper(II) trinuclear unit of 1. Compound 2 exhibits long-range magnetic ordering with a T_c of 7.0 K due to a ferrimagnetic coupling between the ferromagnetically coupled copper(II) ions of the trinuclear unit, antiferromagnetically coupled to the Ni(II) ions.     

Tuning one dimensional chiral channel interior in mixed ligand Cu(II) complexes of l-histidine derivative and substituted pyridine

Four pentacoordinated square-pyramidal Cu(II) complexes with the general formula [Cu(L)(X)], where L is a l-histidine derived tetradentate ligand and X is either 3-hydroxypyridine or 2-methylpyridine, has been synthesized. Structural analysis showed that the presence of water filled one dimensional chiral channel in the lattices. The interiors of the channels were varied using aromatic ring substitution on the ligand as well as on the monodentate ligand. The dimensions of the channels range from ∼7 to 9 Å.     

Reversible color changes of chiral double salts of d-(+)-camphoric diammonium and transition-metal sulfates via gain and loss of crystalline and coordination water molecules

Six novel chiral double salts (1-6) composed of d-(+)-camphoric diammonium (LH₂) and transition-metal sulfates, formulated as {[M(SO₄)₂(H₂O)₄](LH₂)}·2H₂O [M = Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II)], have been prepared and fully characterized including single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectral investigations. Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) compounds 2-4 exhibit reversible color changes between 20 and 140 °C via gain and loss of two crystalline and four coordination water molecules, which can be proved by their thermogravimetric (TG) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analyses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on chiral double salts showing chromotropism properties.     

Phenolic analogs of the N,C-coupled naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid ancistrocladinium A, from Ancistrocladus cochinchinensis (Ancistrocladaceae), with improved antiprotozoal activities

The first N,8′-coupled naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids with free phenolic OH groups, 4′-O-demethylancistrocladinium A and 6,4′-O-didemethylancistrocladinium A, have been isolated from the leaves and bark of the Vietnamese liana Ancistrocladus cochinchinensis, along with its known, non-phenolic parent compound, ancistrocladinium A, and four C,C-coupled representatives. The structure elucidation was achieved by chemical, spectroscopic, and chiroptical methods. The mono-phenolic alkaloid showed excellent activities in particular against the pathogen causing Chagas’ disease, Trypanosoma cruzi.     

One-dimensional azido-bridged chiral copper(II) coordination polymers: Syntheses, structures and magnetic studies

Two new one-dimensional azido-bridged chiral copper(II) coordination polymers, [(μ-1,1,3-N₃)₂{Cu₂(R-L)₂(N₃)₂}]_n (1) (R-L = R-2-(N-(2-hydroxybutyl)carbaldimino) pyridine) and [(μ-1,1,3-N₃)₂{Cu₂(S-L)₂(N₃)₂}]_n (2) (S-L = S-2-(N-(2-hydroxybutyl)carbaldimino)pyridine) have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Complexes 1 and 2 crystallize in the monoclinic chiral space group P2₁. For 1, with a = 6.9565(17) Å, b = 20.675(5) Å, c = 9.859(2) Å, β = 105.944(5)° and Z = 2. In the case of compound 2, a = 6.9650(17) Å, b = 20.705(5) Å, c = 9.878(2) Å, β = 105.941(4)° and Z = 2. Both complexes consist of one-dimensional chiral structures in which the copper(II) ions with a distorted octahedral geometry are interlinked by the unusual μ-1,1,3 azido ligands. Circular dichroism spectra demonstrate that 1 and 2 are a pair of enantiomers. Their magnetic properties have been studied. Fitting of the susceptibility data for 1 and 2 using the Bleany-Bowers expression derived from the isotropic spin-exchange Hamiltonian H = −2JS₁S₂ leads to the parameters g = 2.21, J = −2.06 cm⁻¹, zJ′ = −0.0309 cm⁻¹ and R = 4.0 × 10⁻⁴.     

Engineering the phenylacetaldehyde reductase mutant for improved substrate conversion in the presence of concentrated 2-propanol

Phenylacetaldehyde reductase (PAR) from Rhodococcus sp. ST-10 is useful for chiral alcohol production because of its broad substrate specificity and high stereoselectivity. The conversion of ketones into alcohols by PAR requires the coenzyme NADH. PAR can regenerate NADH by oxidizing additional alcohols, especially 2-propanol. However, substrate conversion by wild-type PAR is suppressed in concentrated 2-propanol. Previously, we developed the Sar268 mutant of PAR, which can convert several substrates in the presence of concentrated 2-propanol. In this paper, further mutational engineering of Sar268 was performed to achieve higher process yield. Each of nine amino acid positions that had been examined for generating Sar268 was subjected to saturation mutagenesis. Two novel substitutions at the 42nd amino acid position increased m-chlorophenacyl chloride (m-CPC) conversion. Moreover, several nucleotide substitutions identified from libraries of random mutations around the start codon also improved the PAR activity. E. coli cells harboring plasmid pHAR1, which has the integrated sequence of the top clones from the above selections, provided greater conversion of m-CPC and ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate than the Sar268 mutant, with very high optical purity of products. This mutant is a promising novel biocatalyst for efficient chiral alcohol production.     

Synthesis of chiral α-hydroxy amides by two sequential enzymatic catalyzed reactions

Enantiomerically pure α-hydroxy amides have been prepared from the corresponding α-oxo esters by the use of a double sequence reaction involving in a first step the highly enantioselective Saccharomyces cerevisiae bioreduction and then in a second step, the resulting α-hydroxy esters followed a non-enantiospecific lipase catalyzed aminolysis with n-butylamine reaction. In the first non-organic solvent process, the moistened baker’s yeast reduced seven α-oxo esters with high conversions degree (93% for one substrate and >99% for the others) and high enantioselectivities [>99% for all the substrates except for ketopantoyl lactone, which gave 88% of enantiomeric excess (ee)]. At the same way, the isolated resulting chiral α-hydroxy esters were subjected to the second Candida antarctica lipase fraction B (CAL-B) catalyzed aminolysis in dioxane conducting to the corresponding chiral α-hydroxy amides with high conversions degree, between 88 and 99%. Both processes were carried out at 28–30°C.     

Enantioseparation of some chiral flavanones using microbial cyclic beta-(1-->3),(1-->6)-glucans as novel chiral additives in capillary electrophoresis

Cyclic beta-(1-->3),(1-->6)-glucans, microbial cyclooligosaccharides produced by Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110, were used as novel chiral additives for the enantiomeric separation of some flavanones such as eriodictyol, homoeriodictyol, hesperetin, naringenin, and isosakuranetin in capillary electrophoresis (CE). Among the flavanones, eriodictyol was separated with the highest resolution (R(s) 5.66) and selectivity factor (alpha 1.18) when 20mM cyclic beta-(1-->3),(1-->6)-glucans were added to the background electrolyte (BGE) at pH 8.3.     

Osmoprotective effect of ubiquinone in lipid vesicles modelling the E. coli plasma membrane

Bacteria need to be able to adapt to sudden changes in their environment, including drastic changes in the surrounding osmolarity. As part of this adaptation, the cells adjust the composition of their cytoplasmic membrane. Recent studies have shown that ubiquinones, lipid soluble molecules involved in cell respiration, are overproduced by bacteria grown in hyperosmotic conditions and it is thus believed that these molecules can provide with osmoprotection. Hereby we explore the mechanisms behind these observations. Liposomes with a lipid headgroup composition mimicking that of the cytoplasmic membrane of E. coli are used as suitable models. The effect of ubiquinone-10 (Q10) on water transport across the membranes is characterized using a custom developed fluorescence-based experimental approach to simultaneously determine the membrane permeability coefficient and estimate the elastic resistance of the membrane towards deformation. It is shown that both parameters are affected by the presence of ubiquinone-10. Solanesol, a molecule similar to Q10 but lacking the quinone headgroup, also provides with osmoprotection although it only improves the resistance of the membrane against deformation. The fluorescence experiments are complemented by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy studies showing that the E. coli membrane mimics tend to flatten into spheroid oblate structures when osmotically stressed, suggesting the possibility of lipid segregation. In agreement with its proposed osmoprotective role, the flattening process is hindered by the presence of Q10.