Desulfurization of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides via the sulfur-by-oxygen replacement induced by the hydroxyl radical during negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

While the occurrence of desulfurization of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides in solution is well established, this study represents the first attempt to investigate the basis of the unexpected desulfurization via the net sulfur-by-oxygen (S-O) replacement during negative electrospray ionization (ESI). The current work, facilitated by quantitative mass deconvolution, demonstrates that considerable desulfurization can take place even under common negative ESI operating conditions. The extent of desulfurization is dependent on the molar phosphorothioate oligonucleotide-to-hydroxyl radical ratio, which is consistent with the corona discharge-induced origin of the hydroxyl radical leading to the S-O replacement. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that an increase of the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) flow rate and the on-column concentration of a phosphorothioate oligonucleotide, as well as a decrease of the electrospray voltage reduce the degree of desulfurization. Comparative LC-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) sequencing of a phosphorothioate oligonucleotide and its corresponding desulfurization product revealed evidence that the S-O replacement occurs at multiple phosphorothioate internucleotide linkage sites. In practice, the most convenient and effective strategy for minimizing this P = O artifact is to increase the LC flow rate and the on-column concentration of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides. Another approach to mitigate possible detrimental effects of the undesired desulfurization is to operate the ESI source at a very low electrospray voltage to diminish the corona discharge; however this will significantly compromise sensitivity when analyzing the low-level P = O impurities in phosphorothioate oligonucleotides.

Target-directed synthesis of antibacterial drug candidate GSK966587.

An efficient enantioselective total synthesis of the potent antibiotic GSK966587 was accomplished. Highlights of the synthesis include two innovative Heck reactions, a highly selective zincate base directed ortho-metalation, Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, and a fully convergent final step fragment coupling.

Chiral fluoro ketones for catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes with oxone.

Two structurally dissimilar, chiral fluoro ketones have been prepared and their potential as enantioselective catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation with Oxone has been evaluated. The tropinone-based ketone (-)-5 was easily prepared and showed excellent reactivity but only modest enantioselectivity. The biphenyl-based ketone (-)-6 was prepared in a somewhat lengthy synthesis (along with its monofluoro and geminal fluoro analogues). This ketone exhibited only modest reactivity; 30 mol % of (-)-6 was needed to bring about complete conversion in a reasonable time. The enantioselectivity of this catalyst was generally much higher, but again very substrate dependent.