Combined NMR and UV-Vis Spectroscopic Studies of Models for the Hydrogen Bond System in the Active Site of Photoactive Yellow Protein: H-Bond Cooperativity and Medium Effects.

Intramolecular hydrogen bonds in aprotic media were studied by combined (simultaneous) NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy. The species under investigation were anionic and featured single or coupled H-bonds between, for example, carboxylic groups and phenolic oxygen atoms (COO···H···OC), among phenolic oxygen atoms (CO···H···OC), and hydrogen bond chains between a carboxylic group and two phenolic oxygen atoms (COO···H···(OC)···H···OC). The last anion may be regarded as a small molecule model for the hydrogen bond system in the active site of wild-type photoactive yellow protein (PYP) while the others mimic the corresponding H-bonds in site-selective mutants.

An efficient Perkin synthesis of C-labelled cinnamic acids from acetic acid as the source of the rare isotope.

A variation of the Perkin reaction using a nonenolizable anhydride as the condensation agent allows for the effective conversion of valuable carboxylic acids to the corresponding cinnamates.

Reversible Spatial Control in Aqueous Media by Visible Light: A Thioindigo Photoswitch that is Soluble and Operates Efficiently in Water.

Aiming to extend the scope of indigoid photoswitches to polar protic environments, we have synthesized a sulfonated thioindigo derivative highly soluble in water. Studies by UV/Vis absorption, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopy indicate that, despite aggregation effects at micromolar concentrations, the novel dye offers satisfactory performance in aqueous solution in the absence of solvation aides. Enrichment of the metastable cis isomer by irradiation may exceed 65 % and its half-life at room temperature may exceed several hours.

Correlating photoacidity to hydrogen-bond structure by using the local O-H stretching probe in hydrogen-bonded complexes of aromatic alcohols.

To assess the potential use of O-H stretching modes of aromatic alcohols as ultrafast local probes of transient structures and photoacidity, we analyze the response of the O-H stretching mode in the 2-naphthol-acetonitrile (2N-CH3CN) 1:1 complex after UV photoexcitation. We combine femtosecond UV-infrared pump-probe spectroscopy and a theoretical treatment of vibrational solvatochromic effects based on the Pullin perturbative approach, parametrized at the density functional theory (DFT) level. We analyze the effect of hydrogen bonding on the vibrational properties of the photoacid-base complex in the S0 state, as compared to O-H stretching vibrations in a wide range of substituted phenols and naphthols covering the 3000-3650 cm(-1) frequency range.

Proton transfer in a short hydrogen bond caused by solvation shell fluctuations: an ab initio MD and NMR/UV study of an (OHO)(-) bonded system.

We present a joint experimental and quantum chemical study on the influence of solvent dynamics on the protonation equilibrium in a strongly hydrogen bonded phenol-acetate complex in CD2Cl2. Particular attention is given to the correlation of the proton position distribution with the internal conformation of the complex itself and with fluctuations of the aprotic solvent. Specifically, we have focused on a complex formed by 4-nitrophenol and tetraalkylammonium-acetate in CD2Cl2.

Solvent and H/D isotope effects on the proton transfer pathways in heteroconjugated hydrogen-bonded phenol-carboxylic acid anions observed by combined UV-vis and NMR spectroscopy.

Heteroconjugated hydrogen-bonded anions A···H···X(-) of phenols (AH) and carboxylic/inorganic acids (HX) dissolved in CD2Cl2 and CDF3/CDF2Cl have been studied by combined low-temperature UV-vis and (1)H/(13)C NMR spectroscopy (UVNMR). The systems constitute small molecular models of hydrogen-bonded cofactors in proteins such as the photoactive yellow protein (PYP). Thus, the phenols studied include the PYP cofactor 4-hydroxycinnamic acid methyl thioester, and the more acidic 4-nitrophenol and 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol which mimic electronically excited cofactor states.

N-H stretching excitations in adenosine-thymidine base pairs in solution: pair geometries, infrared line shapes, and ultrafast vibrational dynamics.

We explore the N-H stretching vibrations of adenosine-thymidine base pairs in chloroform solution with linear and nonlinear infrared spectroscopy. Based on estimates from NMR measurements and ab initio calculations, we conclude that adenosine and thymidine form hydrogen bonded base pairs in Watson-Crick, reverse Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen, and reverse Hoogsteen configurations with similar probability. Steady-state concentration and temperature dependent linear FT-IR studies, including H/D exchange experiments, reveal that these hydrogen-bonded base pairs have complex N-H/N-D stretching spectra with a multitude of spectral components.

Hydrogen bond geometries and proton tautomerism of homoconjugated anions of carboxylic acids studied via H/D isotope effects on 13C NMR chemical shifts.

Ten formally symmetric anionic OHO hydrogen bonded complexes, modeling Asp/Glu amino acid side chain interactions in nonaqueous environment (CDF(3)/CDF(2)Cl solution, 200-110 K) have been studied by (1)H, (2)H, and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, i.e. intermolecularly H-bonded homoconjugated anions of acetic, chloroacetic, dichloroacetic, trifluoroacetic, trimethylacetic, and isobutyric acids, and intramolecularly H-bonded hydrogen succinate, hydrogen rac-dimethylsuccinate, hydrogen maleate, and hydrogen phthalate.

N-H stretching modes of adenosine monomer in solution studied by ultrafast nonlinear infrared spectroscopy and ab initio calculations.

The N-H stretching vibrations of adenine, one of the building blocks of DNA, are studied by combining infrared absorption and nonlinear two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy with ab initio calculations. We determine diagonal and off-diagonal anharmonicities of N-H stretching vibrations in chemically modified adenosine monomer dissolved in chloroform. For the single-quantum excitation manifold, the normal mode picture with symmetric and asymmetric NH(2) stretching vibrations is fully appropriate.

Reaction pathways of proton transfer in hydrogen-bonded phenol-carboxylate complexes explored by combined UV-vis and NMR spectroscopy.

Combined low-temperature NMR/UV-vis spectroscopy (UVNMR), where optical and NMR spectra are measured in the NMR spectrometer under the same conditions, has been set up and applied to the study of H-bonded anions A··H··X(-) (AH = 1-(13)C-2-chloro-4-nitrophenol, X(-) = 15 carboxylic acid anions, 5 phenolates, Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), and BF(4)(-)). In this series, H is shifted from A to X, modeling the proton-transfer pathway. The (1)H and (13)C chemical shifts and the H/D isotope effects on the latter provide information about averaged H-bond geometries.

Trimethylglycine complexes with carboxylic acids and HF: solvation by a polar aprotic solvent.

A series of strong H-bonded complexes of trimethylglycine, also known as betaine, with acetic, chloroacetic, dichloroacetic, trifluoroacetic and hydrofluoric acids as well as the homo-conjugated cation of betaine with trifluoroacetate as the counteranion were investigated by low-temperature (120-160 K) liquid-state NMR spectroscopy using CDF(3)/CDF(2)Cl mixture as the solvent. The temperature dependencies of (1)H NMR chemical shifts are analyzed in terms of the solvent-solute interactions. The experimental data are explained assuming the combined action of two main effects.

Geometries and tautomerism of OHN hydrogen bonds in aprotic solution probed by H/D isotope effects on (13)C NMR chemical shifts.

The (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of 17 OHN hydrogen-bonded complexes formed by CH(3)(13)COOH(D) with 14 substituted pyridines, 2 amines, and N-methylimidazole have been measured in the temperature region between 110 and 150 K using CDF(3)/CDF(2)Cl mixture as solvent. The slow proton and hydrogen bond exchange regime was reached, and the H/D isotope effects on the (13)C chemical shifts of the carboxyl group were measured. In combination with the analysis of the corresponding (1)H chemical shifts, it was possible to distinguish between OHN hydrogen bonds exhibiting a single proton position and those exhibiting a fast proton tautomerism between molecular and zwitterionic forms.

Photochemistry of anthracene-9,10-endoperoxide.

The wavelength dependence of the photochemistry of anthracene-9,10-endoperoxide (APO) in acetonitrile was quantitatively investigated at 5 degrees C, with excitation varied from 240 to 450 nm. Anthracene (AC) and a diepoxide (DE) were identified as the main primary photoproducts. After short exposure times DE was at all wavelengths the dominating photoproduct, while AC was only formed for lambda View Article and Find Full Text PDF