Self-Immolative Activation of β-Galactosidase-Responsive Probes for In Vivo MR Imaging in Mouse Models.

Our lab has developed a new series of self-immolative MR agents for the rapid detection of enzyme activity in mouse models expressing β-galactosidase (β-gal). We investigated two molecular architectures to create agents that detect β-gal activity by modulating the coordination of water to Gd . The first is an intermolecular approach, wherein we designed several structural isomers to maximize coordination of endogenous carbonate ions.

Targeted inhibition of Snail family zinc finger transcription factors by oligonucleotide-Co(III) Schiff base conjugate.

A transition metal complex targeted for the inhibition of a subset of zinc finger transcription factors has been synthesized and tested in Xenopus laevis. A Co(III) Schiff base complex modified with a 17-bp DNA sequence is designed to selectively inhibit Snail family transcription factors. The oligonucleotide-conjugated Co(III) complex prevents Slug, Snail, and Sip1 from binding their DNA targets whereas other transcription factors are still able to interact with their target DNA.

Stereoselective synthesis of alpha-silylamines by the direct addition of silyl anions to activated imines.

[reaction: see text] A highly efficient stereoselective synthesis of unusual alpha-silylamines via a direct silyl anion addition reaction is reported. This approach is convergent and avoids any problematic aza-Brook shifts of the anionic intermediates. The use of enantiopure tert-butanesulfinyl imines as the electrophiles affords exceedingly high levels of diastereocontrol for the newly formed stereogenic carbon.

Chemistry of the aromatic 9-germafluorenyl dianion and some related silicon and carbon species.

Dipotassio-9-germafluorenyl dianion (3b) was synthesized by reduction of 9,9-dichloro-9-germafluorene (4b) with sodium/potassium alloy in tetrahydrofuran. The X-ray crystal structure of 3b, like that for the analogous silicon compound 3a, shows C-C bond length equalization in the five-membered metallole rings and C-C bond length alternation in the six-membered benzenoid rings, indicating aromatic delocalization of electrons into the germole ring of 3b. Calculated nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS) values indicate that the five-membered ring is more aromatic than the six-membered rings in 3a and 3b.

Structure and chemistry of 1-silafluorenyl dianion, its derivatives, and an organosilicon diradical dianion.

1-Silafluorene dianion was synthesized by potassium reduction of 1,1-dichloro-1-silafluorene in refluxing THF. The X-ray structure of 1,1-dipotassio-1-silafluorene (3b) shows C-C bond length equalization in the five-membered silole ring and C-C bond length alternation in the six-membered benzene rings, indicating aromatic delocalization of electrons in the silole ring. The downfield (29)Si chemical shift at 29.