Project description:We first explore negative-ion formation in fullerenes C44 to C136 through low-energy electron elastic scattering total cross sections calculations using our Regge-pole methodology. Then, the formed negative ions C44- to C136- are used to investigate the catalysis of water oxidation to peroxide and water synthesis from H2 and O2. The exploited fundamental mechanism underlying negative-ion catalysis involves hydrogen bond strength-weakening/breaking in the transition state. Density Functional Theory transition state calculations found C60- optimal for both water and peroxide synthesis, C100- increases the energy barrier the most, and C136- the most effective catalyst in both water synthesis and oxidation to H2O2.
Project description:This work establishes the cyclopropenium ion as a viable platform for efficient phase-transfer catalysis of a diverse range of organic transformations. The amenability of these catalysts to large-scale synthesis and structural modification is demonstrated. Evaluation of the molecular structure of an optimal catalyst reveals some unique structural features of these systems. Finally, a discussion of electronic charge distribution underscores an important consideration for catalyst design.
Project description:Metal ions at the active site of an enzyme act as cofactors, and their dynamic fluctuations can potentially influence enzyme activity. Here, we use λ-exonuclease as a model enzyme with two Mg2+ binding sites and probe activity at various concentrations of magnesium by single-molecule-FRET. We find that while MgA2+ and MgB2+ have similar binding constants, the dissociation rate of MgA2+ is two order of magnitude lower than that of MgB2+ due to a kinetic-barrier-difference. At physiological Mg2+ concentration, the MgB2+ ion near the 5'-terminal side of the scissile phosphate dissociates each-round of degradation, facilitating a series of DNA cleavages via fast product-release concomitant with enzyme-translocation. At a low magnesium concentration, occasional dissociation and slow re-coordination of MgA2+ result in pauses during processive degradation. Our study highlights the importance of metal-ion-coordination dynamics in correlation with the enzymatic reaction-steps, and offers insights into the origin of dynamic heterogeneity in enzymatic catalysis.
Project description:Why metalloenzymes often show dramatic changes in their catalytic activity when subjected to chemically similar but non-native metal substitutions is a long-standing puzzle. Here, we report on the catalytic roles of metal ions in a model metalloenzyme system, human carbonic anhydrase II (CA II). Through a comparative study on the intermediate states of the zinc-bound native CA II and non-native metal-substituted CA IIs, we demonstrate that the characteristic metal ion coordination geometries (tetrahedral for Zn2+, tetrahedral to octahedral conversion for Co2+, octahedral for Ni2+, and trigonal bipyramidal for Cu2+) directly modulate the catalytic efficacy. In addition, we reveal that the metal ions have a long-range (~10 Å) electrostatic effect on restructuring water network in the active site. Our study provides evidence that the metal ions in metalloenzymes have a crucial impact on the catalytic mechanism beyond their primary chemical properties.
Project description:A metal-free synthetic protocol for azo compound formation by the direct oxidation of hydrazine HN-NH bonds to azo group functionality catalyzed by molecular iodine is disclosed. The strengths of this reactivity include rapid reaction times, low catalyst loadings, use of ambient dioxygen as a stoichiometric oxidant, and ease of experimental set-up and azo product isolation. Mechanistic studies and density functional theory computations offering insight into this reactivity, as well as the events leading to azo group formation are presented. Collectively, this study expands the potential of main-group element iodine as an inexpensive catalyst, while delivering a useful transformation for forming azo compounds.
Project description:We report rapid-freeze-quench X-ray absorption spectroscopy of a dizinc metallo-beta-lactamase (MbetaL) reaction intermediate. The Zn(II) ions in the dinuclear active site of the S. maltophilia Class B3 MbetaL move away from each other, by approximately 0.3 A after 10 ms of reaction with nitrocefin, from 3.4 to 3.7 A. Together with our previous characterization of the resting enzyme and its nitrocefin product complex, where the Zn(II) ion separation relaxes to 3.6 A, these data indicate a scissoring motion of the active site that accompanies the ring-opening step. The average Zn(II) coordination number of 4.5 in the resting enzyme appears to be maintained throughout the reaction with nitrocefin. This is the first direct structural information available on early stage dizinc metallo-beta-lactamase catalysis.
Project description:Most RNA folding studies have been performed under non-physiological conditions of high concentrations (≥10 mM) of Mg2+free, while actual cellular concentrations of Mg2+free are only ~1 mM in a background of greater than 50 mM Mg2+total. To uncover cellular behavior of RNA, we devised cytoplasm mimic systems that include biological concentrations of amino acids, which weakly chelate Mg2+. Amino acid-chelated Mg2+ (aaCM) of ~15 mM dramatically increases RNA folding and prevents RNA degradation. Furthermore, aaCM enhance self-cleavage of several different ribozymes, up to 100,000-fold at Mg2+free of just 0.5 mM, indirectly through RNA compaction. Other metabolites that weakly chelate magnesium offer similar beneficial effects, which implies chelated magnesium may enhance RNA function in the cell in the same way. Overall, these results indicate that the states of Mg2+ should not be limited to free and bound only, as weakly bound Mg2+ strongly promotes RNA function under cellular conditions.
Project description:N,O-Acetals derived from α,β-unsaturated β-aryl substituted aldehydes and (1-aminocyclohexyl)methanol were found to undergo a catalytic enantioselective [2 + 2] photocycloaddition to a variety of olefins (19 examples, 54-96% yield, 84-98% ee). The reaction was performed by visible light irradiation (λ = 459 nm). A chiral phosphoric acid (10 mol %) with an (R)-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (binol) backbone served as the catalyst. The acid displays two thioxanthone groups attached to position 3 and 3' of the binol core via a meta-substituted phenyl linker. NMR studies confirmed the formation of an iminium ion which is attached to the acid counterion in a hydrogen-bond assisted ion pair. The catalytic activity of the acid rests on the presence of the thioxanthone moieties which enable a facile triplet energy transfer and an efficient enantioface differentiation.
Project description:Cyclopropanes are highly useful motifs that are often incorporated into drug candidates to improve potency, metabolic stability, or pharmacokinetic properties. An expedient method for the α-cyclopropanation of ketones using hydrogen borrowing (HB) catalysis is described. The transformation occurs via HB alkylation of a hindered ketone with subsequent intramolecular displacement of a pendant leaving group affording the cyclopropanated product. The leaving group can be installed in either the ketone or alcohol component of the HB system, giving access to α-cyclopropyl ketones via two complementary approaches. Conversion to the corresponding carboxylic acids can be achieved in a simple two-step sequence to afford synthetically useful 1,1-substituted spirocyclopropyl acid building blocks.
Project description:Combining a transition metal with a photocatalyst can drive modern synthetic chemistry. For transformations performed in water, this concept has been largely unexplored. We report the successful merger of a biocompatible flavin photocatalyst with a palladium catalyst to build isotopically enriched peptidomimetics, to mediate conjugate addition and C-H functionalization reactions, and to assemble unprotected proteinogenic and nonproteinogenic peptides, in water. We detail the important role of the ligand and the palladium oxidation state for controlling product selectivity when constructing synthetic peptides.