Layered supramolecular hydrogels from thioglycosides.

Low molecular weight hydrogels are made of small molecules that aggregate noncovalent interactions. Here, comprehensive characterization of the physical and chemical properties of hydrogels made from thioglycolipids of the disaccharides lactose and cellobiose with simple alkyl chains is reported. While thiolactoside hydrogels are robust, thiocellobioside gels are metastable, precipitating over time into fibrous crystals that can be entangled to create pseudo-hydrogels.

Vibrational Control of Covalency Effects Related to the Active Sites of Molybdenum Enzymes.

A multitechnique spectroscopic and theoretical study of the CpM(benzenedithiolato) (M = Ti, V, Mo; Cp = η-CH) series provides deep insight into dithiolene electronic structure contributions to electron transfer reactivity and reduction potential modulation in pyranopterin molybdenum enzymes. This work explains the magnitude of the dithiolene folding distortion and the concomitant changes in metal-ligand covalency that are sensitive to electronic structure changes as a function of d-electron occupancy in the redox orbital. It is shown that the large fold angle differences correlate with covalency, and the fold angle distortion is due to a pseudo-Jahn-Teller (PJT) effect.

From Oxiranes to Oligomers: Architectures of U.S. FDA Approved Pharmaceuticals Containing Oxygen Heterocycles.

Oxygen heterocycles are the second most common type of heterocycles that appear as structural components of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pharmaceuticals.

Development of Macrocyclic Peptidomimetics Containing Constrained α,α-Dialkylated Amino Acids with Potent and Selective Activity at Human Melanocortin Receptors.

We report the development of macrocyclic melanocortin derivatives of MT-II and SHU-9119, achieved by modifying the cycle dimension and incorporating constrained amino acids in ring-closing. This study culminated in the discovery of novel agonists/antagonists with an unprecedented activity profile by adding pieces to the puzzle of the melanocortin receptor selectivity. Finally, the resulting 19- and 20-membered rings represent a suitable frame for the design of further therapeutic ligands as selective modulators of the melanocortin system.

Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding Restricts Gd-Aqua-Ligand Dynamics.

Aqua ligands can undergo rapid internal rotation about the M-O bond. For magnetic resonance contrast agents, this rotation results in diminished relaxivity. Herein, we show that an intramolecular hydrogen bond to the aqua ligand can reduce this internal rotation and increase relaxivity.

Protecting Triazabutadienes To Afford Acid Resistance.

Recent work on triazabutadienes has shown that they have the ability to release aryl diazonium ions under exceptionally mild acidic conditions. There are instances that require that this release be prevented or minimized. Accordingly, a base-labile protection strategy for the triazabutadiene is presented.

Light-Activated Triazabutadienes for the Modification of a Viral Surface.

Chemical crosslinking is a versatile tool for the examination of biochemical interactions, in particular host-pathogen interactions. We report the critical first step toward the goal of probing these interactions by the synthesis and use of a new heterobifunctional crosslinker containing a triazabutadiene scaffold. The triazabutadiene is stable to protein conjugation and liberates a reactive aryl diazonium species upon irradiation with 350 nm light.

Sticking with the Pointy End? Molecular Configuration of Chloro Boron-Subphthalocyanine on Cu(111).

In this combined low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) study, we investigate self-assembly of the dipolar nonplanar organic semiconductor chloro boron-subphthalocyanine (ClB-SubPc) on Cu(111). We observe multiple distinct adsorption configurations and demonstrate that these can only be understood by taking surface-catalyzed dechlorination into account. A detailed investigation of possible adsorption configurations and the comparison of experimental and computational STM images demonstrates that the configurations correspond to "Cl-up" molecules with the B-Cl moiety pointing toward the vacuum side of the interface, and dechlorinated molecules.

Design synthesis and structure-activity relationship of 5-substituted (tetrahydronaphthalen-2yl)methyl with N-phenyl-N-(piperidin-2-yl)propionamide derivatives as opioid ligands.

Here, we report the design, synthesis and structure activity relationship of novel small molecule opioid ligands based on 5-amino substituted (tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl)methyl moiety with N-phenyl-N-(piperidin-2-yl)propionamide derivatives. We synthesized various molecules including amino, amide and hydroxy substitution on the 5th position of the (tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl)methyl moiety. In our further designs we replaced the (tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl)methyl moiety with benzyl and phenethyl moiety.

Discovery of Novel Multifunctional Ligands with μ/δ Opioid Agonist/Neurokinin-1 (NK1) Antagonist Activities for the Treatment of Pain.

Multifunctional ligands with agonist bioactivities at μ/δ opioid receptors (MOR/DOR) and antagonist bioactivity at the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) have been designed and synthesized. These peptide-based ligands are anticipated to produce better biological profiles (e.g.

Design and synthesis of novel bivalent ligands (MOR and DOR) by conjugation of enkephalin analogues with 4-anilidopiperidine derivatives.

We describe the design and synthesis of novel bivalent ligands based on the conjugation of 4-anilidopiperidine derivatives with enkephalin analogues. The design of non-peptide analogues is explored with 5-amino substituted (tetrahydronaphthalen-2yl) methyl containing 4-anilidopiperidine derivatives, while non-peptide-peptide ligands are explored by conjugating the C-terminus of enkephalin analogues (H-Xxx-DAla-Gly-Phe-OH) to the amino group of 4-anilidopiperidine small molecule derivatives with and without a linker. These novel bivalent ligands are evaluated for biological activities at μ and δ opioid receptors.

Disrupted Attosecond Charge Carrier Delocalization at a Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Semiconductor Interface.

Despite significant interest in hybrid organic/inorganic semiconductor interfaces, little is known regarding the fate of charge carriers at metal oxide interfaces, particularly on ultrafast time scales. Using core-hole clock spectroscopy, we investigate the ultrafast charge carrier dynamics of conductive ZnO films at a hybrid interface with an organic semiconductor. The adsorption of C60 on the ZnO surface strongly suppresses the ultrafast carrier delocalization and increases the charge carrier residence time from 400 attoseconds to nearly 30 fs.

PM-IRRAS Determination of Molecular Orientation of Phosphonic Acid Self-Assembled Monolayers on Indium Zinc Oxide.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of phosphonic acids (PAs) on transparent conductive oxide (TCO) surfaces can facilitate improvement in TCO/organic semiconductor interface properties. When ordered PA SAMs are formed on oxide substrates, interface dipole and electronic structure are affected by the functional group properties, orientation, and binding modes of the modifiers. Choosing octylphosphonic acid (OPA), F13-octylphosphonic acid (F13OPA), pentafluorophenyl phosphonic acid (F5PPA), benzyl phosphonic acid (BnPA), and pentafluorobenzyl phosphonic acid (F5BnPA) as a representative group of modifiers, we report polarization modulation-infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) of binding and molecular orientation on indium-doped zinc oxide (IZO) substrates.

Analysis of the structural diversity, substitution patterns, and frequency of nitrogen heterocycles among U.S. FDA approved pharmaceuticals.

Nitrogen heterocycles are among the most significant structural components of pharmaceuticals. Analysis of our database of U.S.

Beyond C, H, O, and N! Analysis of the elemental composition of U.S. FDA approved drug architectures.

The diversity of elements among U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pharmaceuticals is analyzed and reported, with a focus on atoms other than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.

Pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of (33)S-labeled molybdenum cofactor in catalytically active bioengineered sulfite oxidase.

Molybdenum enzymes contain at least one pyranopterin dithiolate (molybdopterin, MPT) moiety that coordinates Mo through two dithiolate (dithiolene) sulfur atoms. For sulfite oxidase (SO), hyperfine interactions (hfi) and nuclear quadrupole interactions (nqi) of magnetic nuclei (I ≠ 0) near the Mo(V) (d(1)) center have been measured using high-resolution pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) methods and interpreted with the help of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. These have provided important insights about the active site structure and the reaction mechanism of the enzyme.

Data-mining for sulfur and fluorine: an evaluation of pharmaceuticals to reveal opportunities for drug design and discovery.

Among carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, sulfur and fluorine are both leading constituents of the pharmaceuticals that comprise our medicinal history. In efforts to stimulate the minds of both the general public and expert scientist, statistics were collected from the trends associated with therapeutics spanning 12 disease categories (a total of 1969 drugs) from our new graphical montage compilation: disease focused pharmaceuticals posters. Each poster is a vibrant display of a collection of pharmaceuticals (including structural image, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval date, international nonproprietary name (INN), initial market name, and a color-coded subclass of function) organized chronologically and classified according to an association with a particular clinical indication.

(Z)-N-tert-Butyl-2-(4-meth-oxy-anilino)-N'-(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)-2-phenyl-acetimidamide.

In the crystal of the title compound, C26H31N3O2, pairs of N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link molecules, forming inversion dimers, which enclose an R 2 (2)(20) ring motif. One N atom does not form hydrogen bonds and lies in a hydro-phobic pocket with closest inter-molecular contacts of 4.196 (2) and 4.

A PM-IRRAS investigation of monorhamnolipid orientation at the air-water interface.

The rhamnolipid biosurfactants have been considered as possible "green" alternatives to synthetic surfactants due to their greater compatibility with the environment and excellent surface active properties. In order to understand the molecular orientation of rhamnolipids at the air-water interface, a new monorhamnolipid with two octadecyl chains, Rha-C18-C18, has been studied at the air-water interface with polarization modulated-infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS). Since rhamnolipids possess a carboxylic acid, and hence exhibit pH-dependent properties, their water surface orientation is studied in solutions of pH 2, 5, and 8.

Directing the deposition of ferromagnetic cobalt onto Pt-tipped CdSe@CdS nanorods: synthetic and mechanistic insights.

A methodology providing access to dumbbell-tipped, metal-semiconductor and metal oxide-semiconductor heterostructured nanorods has been developed. The synthesis and characterization of CdSe@CdS nanorods incorporating ferromagnetic cobalt nanoinclusions at both nanorod termini (i.e.

Pharmaceutical structure montages as catalysts for design and discovery.

Majority of pharmaceuticals are small molecule organic compounds. Their structures are most effectively described and communicated using the graphical language of organic chemistry. A few years ago we decided to harness this powerful language to create new educational tools that could serve well for data mining and as catalysts for discovery.

A comprehensive panel of turn-on caspase biosensors for investigating caspase specificity and caspase activation pathways.

Caspases play a central role in apoptosis, differentiation, and proliferation, and represent important therapeutic targets for treating cancer and inflammatory disorders. Toward the goal of developing new tools to probe caspase substrate cleavage specificity as well as to systematically interrogate caspase activation pathways, we have constructed and investigated a comprehensive panel of caspase biosensors with a split-luciferase enabled bioluminescent read out. We first interrogated the panel of caspase biosensors for substrate cleavage specificity of caspase 1-10 in widely utilized in vitro translation systems, namely, rabbit reticulocyte lysate (RRL) and wheat germ extract (WGE).

Improving metabolic stability by glycosylation: bifunctional peptide derivatives that are opioid receptor agonists and neurokinin 1 receptor antagonists.

In order to obtain a metabolically more stable analgesic peptide derivative, O-beta-glycosylated serine (Ser(Glc)) was introduced into TY027 (Tyr-d-Ala-Gly-Phe-Met-Pro-Leu-Trp-NH-3',5'-Bzl(CF(3))(2)) which was a previously reported bifunctional compound with delta/micro opioid agonist and neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist activities and with a half-life of 4.8 h in rat plasma. Incorporation of Ser(Glc) into various positions of TY027 gave analogues with variable bioactivities.

A synchrotron study of (2R,5'S)-5'-benzyl-5-bromo-6-methoxyspiro[indane-2,2'-piperazine]-3',6'-dione dimethylformamide solvate.

Synchrotron radiation was used to study the structure of the title compound, C(20)H(19)BrN(2)O(3).C(3)H(7)NO, which was obtained as fine fragile needle-shaped crystals by recrystallization from dimethylformamide (DMF), one molecule of which is incorporated per asymmetric unit into the crystal. The compound adopts a compact closed conformation with the orientation of the benzyl group such that the aryl ring is positioned over the piperazinedione ring, resulting in a C(spiro).