Distinguishing Isomeric Cyclobutane Thymidine Dimers by Ion Mobility and Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Irradiation of the major conformation of duplex DNA found in cells (B form) produces cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) from adjacent pyrimidines in a head-to-head orientation (syn) with the C5 substituents in a cis stereochemistry. These CPDs have crucial implications in skin cancer. Irradiation of G-quadruplexes and other non-B DNA conformations in vitro produces, however, CPDs between nonadjacent pyrimidines in nearby loops with syn and head-to-tail orientations (anti) with both cis and trans stereochemistry to yield a mixture of six possible isomers of the T=T dimer. This outcome is further complicated by formation of mixtures of nonadjacent CPDs of C=T, T=C, and C=C, and successful analysis depends on development of specific and sensitive methods. Toward meeting this need, we investigated whether ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMMS) and MS/MS can distinguish the cis,syn and trans,anti T=T CPDs. Ion mobility can afford baseline separation and give relative mobilities that are in accord with predicted cross sections. Complementing this ability to distinguish isomers is MS/MS collisional activation where fragmentation also distinguishes the two isomers and confirms conclusions drawn from ion mobility analysis. The observations offer early support that ion mobility and MS/MS can enable the distinction of DNA photoproduct isomers.

Fast Protein Footprinting by X-ray Mediated Radical Trifluoromethylation.

Synchrotron radiolysis generates hydroxyl radicals (•OH) that are successful footprinting reagents. Here, we describe a new reagent for the synchrotron platform, the trifluoromethyl radical (•CF3). The radical is produced by •OH displacement of •CF3 from sodium triflinate (Langlois reagent). Upon X-ray beam exposure, the reagent labels proteins extensively without any additional chemicals on a millisecond or shorter time scale. The •CF3 is comparably reactive to •OH and produces footprinting information that complements that of •OH alone. This reagent in combination with •OH should enable novel chemistry for protein footprinting on the synchrotron platform.

Protonated N-Alkyl-2-nitroanilines Undergo Intramolecular Oxidation of the Alkyl Chain upon Collisional Activation.

The collisional activation of protonated N-propyl-2-nitroaniline obtained by electrospray ionization shows two major competitive dissociation pathways: the elimination of the elements of propionic acid, [M + H - C3H6O2]+ to give an m/z 107 ion, and of the elements of ethanol, [M + H - C2H6O]+ to give an m/z 135 ion. The mechanistic study reported here addresses these unusual fragmentations to reveal that both occur via a common intermediate formed by the transfer of an oxygen atom from the nitro group to the first carbon atom of the propyl group, allowing elimination of propionic acid and (H2O + ethene), respectively. The corresponding loss of CH4O does not occur when the propyl group is replaced by an ethyl group, but elimination of the elements of propanol does occur when propyl is replaced by a butyl group. Further, the product ions of m/z 107 and 135 are also formed when the propyl chain is replaced with a hexyl group.

McLafferty-type rearrangement of protonated N-[nicotinoyl]phenylethyl amines and consequent elimination of styrene.

RATIONALE: McLafferty rearrangements occur in radical cations of molecules containing a carbonyl group and a γ hydrogen atom but are not common in the [M+H](+) ions of carbonyl compounds. We propose to investigate the collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the [M+H](+) ions of nicotinoyl and picolinoyl amides of 1- and 2-phenylethylamines to explore the possibility of McLafferty-type rearrangement. METHODS: The compounds for study were synthesized by the reaction of methyl nicotinate or methyl picolinate with 1- and 2-phenylethylamines. The CID mass spectra of electrospray ionization (ESI)-generated protonated molecules were obtained using a QSTAR XL quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) mass spectrometer, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations using the B3LYP method were employed to elucidate the fragmentation mechanisms. The total electronic and thermal energies of intermediate transition states (TSs) and product ions are reported relative to those of the [M+H](+) ions. RESULTS: CID of the [M+H](+) ions of N-[nicotinoyl]-2-phenylethylamine (1) yielded product ions of m/z 105 (1-phenylethyl cation) and 123 ([M+H-styrene](+) cation). The competitive formation of the ions of m/z 123 and 105 is proposed to involve a McLafferty-type rearrangement. Similarly, the [M+H](+) ions of the isomeric compound 2 and the N-[picolinoyl] phenylethyl amines (3 and 4) dissociate to yield ions of m/z 123 and 105. CONCLUSIONS: A molecule of styrene was eliminated from the ESI-generated [M+H](+) ions of N-[nicotinoyl]phenylethylamines and the isomeric N-[picolinoyl]phenylethylamines, through a mechanism involving a McLafferty-type 1,5-H shift. The transition state energy for the 1,5-H shift is less for the amides of 1-phenylethylamine than for the amides of 2-phenylethylamine. The process occurs as a charge remote process and the presence of the pyridine ring is essential for the process.

Protonated N-benzyl- and N-(1-phenylethyl)tyrosine amides dissociate via ion/neutral complexes.

RATIONALE: The collisional-induced dissociations (CID) of the [M+H]+ ions of molecules having benzyl groups attached to N-atoms have been proposed to involve migration of the benzyl group through the intermediacy of ion/neutral complexes (INCs). We report the investigation of the mechanism of dissociation of protonated N-benzyl- and N-(1-phenylethyl)tyrosine amides by electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. METHODS: The amides were synthesized from the corresponding amino acids and amines. The ESI-MS/MS spectra were recorded using an Agilent QTOF 6540 mass spectrometer. The DFT calculations were performed by using Gaussian 09 software. The structures of the [M+H]+ ions, intermediates, products and transition states (TS) were optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. RESULTS: CID of the [M+H]+ ions of N-benzyltyrosine amide yields two product ions due to rearrangements: (i) the [M+H-74]+ ion (m/z 197) due to benzyl migration to the hydroxyphenyl ring and (ii) the [M+H-45]+ ion (m/z 226) due to benzyl migration to the NH2 group. DFT calculations suggest that the rearrangements occur through an INC in which the benzyl cation is the cation partner. The [M+H]+ ion of N-(1-phenylethyl)tyrosine amide rearranges to an INC of the 1-phenylethyl cation. Subsequent elimination of styrene occurs by transfer of a proton from the 1-phenylethyl cation to the neutral partner. CONCLUSIONS: The [M+H]+ ions of both N-benzyl (1) and N-(1-phenylethyl) (2) tyrosine amide rearrange into INCs. The dissociation of [M+H]+ ion of 1 yields the benzyl cation and [M+H-74]+ and [M+H-45]+ due to benzyl migration to the hydroxyphenyl ring and NH2 group, respectively. However, the formation of the [M+H-74]+ ion is not observed when the aromatic ring is deactivated. The [M+H]+ ion of 2 either dissociates to form the 1-phenylethyl cation or [M+H-styrene]+ . Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exploring the Catalytic Potential of ZIF-90: Solventless and Co-Catalyst-Free Synthesis of Propylene Carbonate from Propylene Oxide and CO2.

Reported is the application of ZIF-90, which is a highly porous zeolitic imidazolate framework, as a novel catalyst for the cycloaddition of propylene oxide (PO) with CO2 in the absence of co-catalysts and solvents under moderate reaction conditions. The effects of various reaction parameters were investigated. The activity of ZIF-90 was compared with that of various metal-organic-framework (MOF)-based catalysts for the cycloaddition of PO with CO2 . Density functional theory calculations elucidated the role of ZIF-90 in creating a favorable environment for the PO-CO2 cycloaddition reaction. A reaction mechanism for the ZIF-90-catalyzed PO-CO2 cycloaddition on the basis of DFT calculations is proposed and the regeneration of ZIF-90 is discussed.

Constructive effects of long alkyl chains on the electroluminescent properties of cationic iridium complex-based light-emitting electrochemical cells.

A series of cationic iridium complexes (1-6) were synthesized using alkylated imidazole-based ancillary ligands, and the photophysical and electrochemical properties of these complexes were subsequently evaluated. Light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) were fabricated from these complexes, and the effects of the alkyl chain length on the electroluminescent properties of the devices were investigated. The LECs based on these complexes resulted in yellow emission (complexes 1, 3, and 5) and green emission (complexes 2, 4, and 6) with Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.49, 0.50) and (0.33, 0.59), respectively. Our results indicate that the luminance and efficiency of the LECs can consistently be enhanced by increasing the alkyl chain length of the iridium complexes as a result of suppressed intermolecular interaction and self-quenching. Subsequently, a high luminance of 7309 cd m(-2) and current efficiency of 3.85 cd A(-1) were achieved for the LECs based on complex 5.

Simple and efficient synthesis of cyclic carbonates using quaternized glycine as a green catalyst.

Microwave-assisted quaternization of glycine (GLY) resulted in the synthesis of an efficient catalyst, quaternized glycine (QGLY), for the solventless synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO2 under mild reaction conditions. Density functional theory was used to simulate the synergistic influence of the COOH group and the halide ion of QGLY in enhancing the catalytic activity.

Infarction of spleen in typhoid fever.

Ultrasonography and computed tomography scan with hypo echoic areas diagnosed a splenic infarction in a Salmonella typhi infected 30-year-old man with painful hypochondrium and epigastrium. An antibiotic recipe of ceftriaxone and amikacin resulted in recovery. Imaging techniques contribute remarkably to a rapid diagnosis and rational management of the extra intestinal lesions attributable to the Salmonella typhi/paratyphi group of organisms.