The first bis-cyanoxime: synthesis and properties of a new versatile and accessible polydentate bifunctional building block for coordination and supramolecular chemistry.

A new multidentate bifunctional organic ligand ­ di-N,N'-(2-cyano-2-oximinoacetyl)piperazine ­ was synthesized in high yield using a two-step procedure carried out under ambient conditions. At first, the reaction of piperazine and neat methylcyanoacetate led to the di-N,N'-(cyanoacetyl)piperazine (1), which then was converted into bis-cyanoxime, di-N,N'-(2-cyano-2-oximinoacetyl)piperazine (HL, 2) using a room temperature nitrosation reaction with gaseous methylnitrite. Synthesized bis-cyanoxime was characterized by 1H, 13C NMR, UV-visible, IR spectroscopy and the X-ray analysis. The ligand 2 exists as a mixture of three diastereomers arising from the syn- and anti-geometry of the cyanoxime group. The prolonged crystallization of 2 from an ethanol­water mixture leads to the formation of: (a) colorless crystals that according to the X-ray analysis contain a 51.2:48.8% co-crystallized mixture of both isomers that have the same H-bonding motif (minority), and (b) a white amorphous material that represents an almost pure anti-isomer (majority). The deprotonation of 2 leads to the formation of a yellow dianion that demonstrated pronounced solvatochromism of its n → π* transition in the nitroso-chromophore. The disodium salt Na2L·4H2O (3) was obtained from 2 using NaOC2H5 in ethanol. The new bis-cyanoxime 2 reacts with Tl2CO3 and AgNO3 in aqueous solutions with the formation of light-stable, sparingly soluble yellow precipitates of M'2L·xH2O composition (M' = Tl, Ag; Tl = 4, x = 0; Ag = 5, x = 2). The reaction of 3 with Ni2+ or K2M''Cl4 (M'' = Pd, Pt) in aqueous solutions leads to NiL·4H2O (6), PdL·4H2O (7) and PtL·5H2O (8). The crystal structure of 4 was determined and revealed the formation of a 3D-coordination polymeric complex in which the bis-cyanoxime acts as a dianionic, bridging, formally decadentate ligand. Each Tl(I) center has two bonds (2.655, 2.769 Å), shorter than the sum of ionic radii Tl­O (oxime group), and three longer, >2.89 Å, mostly electrostatic Tl···O contacts, involving oxygen atoms of the amide-group and the oxime-group of neighboring units. Among several possible binding modes, the coordination of the bis-cyanoxime dianion of 2 adopted in complex 4 is unusual, and evidenced its great potential as a versatile building block for coordination and supramolecular chemistry.

Direct NMR resonance assignments of the active site histidine residue in Escherichia coli thioesterase I/protease I/lysophospholipase L1.

Owing to the hydrogen-bond interaction and rapid exchange rate with the bulk water, the transverse relaxation time for the N(delta1)-H proton of the catalytic histidine in Escherichia coli thioesterase I/protease I/lysophospholipase L1 (TEP-I) is rather short. Because of its catalytic importance, it is desirable to detect and assign this proton resonance. In this paper, we report the first direct NMR correlation between the short-lived N(delta1)-H proton and its covalently attached N(delta1)-nitrogen of the catalytic His157 residue in E. coli thioesterase/protease I. We have used gradient-enhanced jump-return spin-echo HMQC (GE-JR SE HMQC) to obtain a direct correlation between the short-lived N(delta1)-H proton and its covalently attached N(delta1)-nitrogen. The sensitivity of detection for the short-lived N(delta1)-H proton was enhanced substantially by improved water suppression, in particular, the suppression of radiation damping via pulsed field gradients.

Sequential structural changes of Escherichia coli thioesterase/protease I in the serial formation of Michaelis and tetrahedral complexes with diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate.

Escherichia coli thioesterase/protease I (TEP-I) belongs to a new subclass of lipolytic enzymes of the serine hydrolase superfamily. Here we report the first direct NMR observation of the formation of the Michaelis complex (MC) between TEP-I and diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate (DENP), an active site directed inhibitor of serine protease, and its subsequent conversion to the tetrahedral complex (TC). NMR, ESI-MS, and kinetic data showed that DENP binds to TEP-I in a two-step process, a fast formation of MC followed by a slow conversion to TC. NMR chemical shift perturbation further revealed that perturbations were confined mainly to four conserved segments comprising the active site. Comparable magnitudes of chemical shift perturbations were detected in both steps. The largest chemical shift perturbation occurred around the catalytic Ser(10). In MC, the conformation of the mobile Ser(10) was stabilized, and its amide resonance became observable. From the large chemical shift perturbation upon conversion from MC to TC, we propose that the amide protons of Ser(10) and Gly(44) serve as the oxyanion hole proton donors that stabilize the tetrahedral adduct. The pattern of residues perturbed in both steps suggests a sequential, stepwise structural change upon binding of DENP. The present study also demonstrates the important catalytic roles of conserved residues in the SGNH family of proteins.

NMR studies of the hydrogen bonds involving the catalytic triad of Escherichia coli thioesterase/protease I.

Escherichia coli thioesterase/protease I (TEP-I) is a lipolytic enzyme of the serine protease superfamily with Ser(10), Asp(154) and His(157) as the catalytic triad residues. Based on comparison of the low-field (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of two mutants (S10G and S12G) and two transition state analogue complexes we have assigned the exchangeable proton resonances at 16.3 ppm, 14.3 ppm, and 12.8 ppm at pH 3.5 to His(157)-N(delta1)H, Ser(10)-O(gamma)H and His(157)-N(epsilon2)H, respectively. Thus, the presence of a strong Asp(154)-His(157) hydrogen bond in free TEP-I was observed. However, Ser(10)-O(gamma)H was shown to form a H-bond with a residue other than His(157)-N(epsilon2).