Cetrimonium Surfactants with Biologically Active Counter Ions as Self-Immolative Drug Delivery Systems

Novel derivatives of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) possessing anions of ibuprofen and naproxen as hydrophobic counterions were synthesized and characterized using Fourier transform infrared and differential electronic absorption spectroscopy. The self-assembly of each surfactant was investigated using surface tensiometry. The self-immolative nature of these compounds was analyzed through study of their behavior in response to trigger such as medium pH. ADMET-SAR (adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity – structure-activity relationship) profiles of synthesized surfactants were generated using admetSAR v. 1.0). The cetrimonium drugs exhibited better profiles than the corresponding pure drugs, save the aqueous solubility which was reduced due to hydrophobicity of counterions.

Anomalous Thermal Characteristics of Poly(Ionic Liquids) Derived from 1-Butyl-2,3-dimethyl-4-vinylimidazolium Salts

The synthesis of 1-butyl-2,3-dimethyl-4-vinylimidazolium triflate, its polymerization, and ion exchange to yield a trio of 1-butyl-2,3-dimethyl-4-vinylimidazolium polymers is described. Irrespective of the nature of the anion, substitution at the 2-position of the imidazolium moiety substantially increases the distance between the anion and cation. The methyl substituent at the 2-position also served to expose the importance of H-bonding for the attractive potential between imidazolium moiety and anions in polymers without a methyl group at the 2-position. The thermal characteristics of poly(1-butyl-2,3-dimethyl-4-vinylimidazolium) salts and corresponding poly(1-ethyl-3-methyl-4-vinylimidazolium) salts were evaluated. While the mid-point glass transition temperatures, Tg-mid, for 1-ethyl-3-methyl-4-vinylimidazolium polymers with CF3SO3−, (CF3SO2)2N− and PF6− counterions, were 153 °C, 88 °C and 200 °C, respectively, the Tg-mid values for 1-butyl-2,3-dimethyl-4vinylimidazolium polymers with corresponding counter-ions were tightly clustered at 98 °C, 99 °C and 84 °C, respectively. This dramatically reduced influence of the anion type on the glass transition temperature was attributed to the increased distance between the center of the anions and cations in the 1-butyl-2,3-dimethyl-4-vinylimidazolium polymer set, and minimal H-bonding interactions between the respective anions and the 1-butyl-2,3-dimethyl-4-vinylimidazolium moiety. It is believed that this is the first observation of substantial independence of the glass transition of an ionic polymer on the nature of its counterion.

Revisiting the Assignment of Innocent and Non-Innocent Counter ions in Lanthanide(III) Solution Chemistry

Lanthanides are found in critical applications from display technology to renewable energy. Often these rare earth elements are used as alloys or functional materials, yet the access to them are trough solution processes. In aqueous solution the rare earths are found predominantly as trivalent ions and charge balance dictates that counter ions are present. The fast ligand exchange and lack of directional bonding in lanthanides complexes has led to questions regarding the speciation of Ln3+ solvates in the presence of various counter ions, and to the distinction between innocent = non-coordinating, and non-innocent = coordinating counter ions. There is limited agreement as to which counter ions that belong to each group, which lead to this report. By using Eu3+ luminescence, it was possible to clearly distinguish between coordinating and non-coordinating ions. To interpret the results it was required to bridge the descriptions of ion pairing and coordination. The da-ta—in form of Eu3+ luminescence spectra and luminescence lifetimes from solutions with varying concentrations of acetate, chloride, nitrate, fluoride, sulfate, perchlorate and triflate—were contrasted to those obtained with ethylenediaminetet-raaceticacid (EDTA), which allowed for the distinction between three Ln3+-anion interaction types. It was possible to con-clude which counter ions are truly innocent (e.g. ClO4- and OTf-), and which clearly coordinate (e.g. NO3- and AcO-). Finally, the considerate amount of data from systems studied under similar conditions allowed the minimum perturbation arising from inner sphere or outer sphere coordination in Eu3+ complexes to be identified.

In-Depth Molecular Dynamics Study of All Possible Chondroitin Sulfate Disaccharides Reveals Key Insight into Structural Heterogeneity and Dynamism

GAGs exhibit a high level of conformational and configurational diversity, which remains untapped in terms of the recognition and modulation of proteins. Although GAGs are suggested to bind to more than 800 biologically important proteins, very few therapeutics have been designed or discovered so far. A key challenge is the inability to identify, understand and predict distinct topologies accessed by GAGs, which may help design novel protein-binding GAG sequences. Recent studies on chondroitin sulfate (CS), a key member of the GAG family, pinpointing its role in multiple biological functions led us to study the conformational dynamism of CS building blocks using molecular dynamics (MD). In the present study, we used the all-atom GLYCAM06 force field for the first time to explore the conformational space of all possible CS building blocks. Each of the 16 disaccharides was solvated in a TIP3P water box with an appropriate number of counter ions followed by equilibration and a production run. We analyzed the MD trajectories for torsional space, inter- and intra-molecular H-bonding, bridging water, conformational spread and energy landscapes. An in-house phi and psi probability density analysis showed that 1→3-linked sequences were more flexible than 1→4-linked sequences. More specifically, phi and psi regions for 1→4-linked sequences were held within a narrower range because of intra-molecular H-bonding between the GalNAc O5 atom and GlcA O3 atom, irrespective of sulfation pattern. In contrast, no such intra-molecular interaction arose for 1→3-linked sequences. Further, the stability of 1→4-linked sequences also arose from inter-molecular interactions involving bridged water molecules. The energy landscape for both classes of CS disaccharides demonstrated increased ruggedness as the level of sulfation increased. The results show that CS building blocks present distinct conformational dynamism that offers the high possibility of unique electrostatic surfaces for protein recognition. The fundamental results presented here will support the development of algorithms that help to design longer CS chains for protein recognition.

Manganese distribution in the Mn-hyperaccumulator Grevillea meisneri from New Caledonia

New Caledonian endemic Mn-hyperaccumulator Grevillea meisneri is useful species for the preparation of ecocatalysts, which contain Mn–Ca oxides that are very difficult to synthesize under laboratory conditions. Mechanisms leading to their formation in the ecocatalysts are unknown. Comparing tissue-level microdistribution of these two elements could provide clues. We studied tissue-level distribution of Mn, Ca, and other elements in different tissues of G. meisneri using micro-X-Ray Fluorescence-spectroscopy (μXRF), and the speciation of Mn by micro-X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (µXANES), comparing nursery-grown plants transplanted into the site, and similar-sized plants growing naturally on the site. Mirroring patterns in other Grevillea species, Mn concentrations were highest in leaf epidermal tissues, in cortex and vascular tissues of stems and primary roots, and in phloem and pericycle–endodermis of parent cluster roots. Strong positive Mn/Ca correlations were observed in every tissue of G. meisneri where Mn was the most concentrated. Mn foliar speciation confirmed what was already reported for G. exul, with strong evidence for carboxylate counter-ions. The co-localization of Ca and Mn in the same tissues of G. meisneri might in some way facilitate the formation of mixed Ca–Mn oxides upon preparation of Eco-CaMnOx ecocatalysts from this plant. Grevillea meisneri has been successfully used in rehabilitation of degraded mining sites in New Caledonia, and in supplying biomass for production of ecocatalysts. We showed that transplanted nursery-grown seedlings accumulate as much Mn as do spontaneous plants, and sequester Mn in the same tissues, demonstrating the feasibility of large-scale transplantation programs for generating Mn-rich biomass.

Luminescent Complexes of Europium (III) with 2-(Phenylethynyl)-1,10-phenanthroline: The Role of the Counterions

New antenna ligand, 2-(phenylethynyl)-1,10-phenanthroline (PEP), and its luminescent Eu(III) complexes, Eu(PEP)2Cl3 and Eu(PEP)2(NO3)3, are synthesized and characterized. The synthetic procedure applied is based on reacting of europium salts with ligand in hot acetonitrile solutions in molar ratio 1 to 2. The structure of the complexes is refined by X-ray diffraction based on the single crystals obtained. The compounds [Eu(PEP)2Cl3]∙2CH3CN and [Eu(PEP)2(NO3)3]∙2CH3CN crystalize in monoclinic space group P21/n and P21/c, respectively, with two acetonitrile solvent molecules. Intra- and inter-ligand π-π stacking interactions are present in solid stat and are realized between the phenanthroline moieties, as well as between the substituents and the phenanthroline units. The optical properties of the complexes are investigated in solid state, acetonitrile and dichloromethane solution. Both compounds exhibit bright red luminescence caused by the organic ligand acting as antenna for sensitization of Eu (III) emission. The newly designed complexes differ in counter ions in the inner coordination sphere, which allows exploring their influence on the stability, molecular and supramolecular structure, fluorescent properties and symmetry of the Eu (III) ion. In addition, molecular simulations are performed in order to explain the observed experimental behavior of the complexes. The discovered structure-properties relationships give insight on the role of the counter ions in the molecular design of new Eu (III) based luminescent materials.

Coarse-Grained Modeling of The Calcium, Sodium, Magnesium And Potassium Cations Interacting With Proteins

Metal ions play important biological roles e.g.: activation or deactivation of enzymatic reactions and signal transduction. Moreover, they can stabilize protein structure, or even be actively involved in the protein folding process. Therefore, accurate treatment of the ions is crucial to model and investigate biological phenomena properly. In this work the coarse-grained UNRES (UNited RESidue) force field was extended to include the interactions between proteins and four alkali or alkaline earth metal cations of biological significance, i.e. calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. Additionally, chloride anions were introduced as counter-ions. Parameters were derived from all-atom simulations and incorporate water in an implicit manner. The new force field was tested on the set of the proteins and was able to reproduce the ion-binding preferences.

Isostructural rubidium and caesium 4-(3,5-dinitropyrazol-4-yl)-3,5-dinitropyrazolates: crystal engineering with polynitro energetic species

In the structures of the title salts, poly[[μ4-4-(3,5-dinitropyrazol-4-yl)-3,5-dinitropyrazol-1-ido]rubidium], [Rb(C6HN8O8)] n , (1), and its isostructural caesium analogue [Cs(C6HN8O8) n , (2), two independent cations M1 and M2 (M = Rb, Cs) are situated on a crystallographic twofold axis and on a center of inversion, respectively. Mutual intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the conjugate 3,5-dinitopyrazole NH-donor and 3,5-dinitropyrazole N-acceptor sites of the anions [N...N = 2.785 (2) Å for (1) and 2.832 (3) Å for (2)] governs the self-assembly of the translation-related anions in a predictable fashion. Such one-component modular construction of the organic subtopology supports the utility of the crystal-engineering approach towards designing the structures of polynitro energetic materials. The anionic chains are further linked by multiple ion–dipole interactions involving the 12-coordinate cations bonded to two pyrazole N-atoms [Rb—N = 3.1285 (16), 3.2261 (16) Å; Cs—N = 3.369 (2), 3.401 (2) Å] and all of the eight nitro O-atoms [Rb—O = 2.8543 (15)–3.6985 (16) Å; Cs—O = 3.071 (2)–3.811 (2) Å]. The resulting ionic networks follow the CsCl topological archetype, with either metal or organic ions residing in an environment of eight counter-ions. Weak lone pair–π-hole interactions [pyrazole-N atoms to NO2 groups; N...N = 2.990 (3)–3.198 (3) Å] are also relevant to the packing. The Hirshfeld surfaces and percentage two-dimensional fingerprint plots for (1) and (2) are described.

Tetraammonium μ-ethylenediaminetetraacetato-1κ3 O,N,O′:2κ3 O′′,N′,O′′′-bis[trioxidotungstate(VI)] tetrahydrate

The title compound, (NH4)4[W2(C10H12N2O8)O6]·4H2O, was obtained from a mixture of tungstic acid, ammonia and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (H4edta) in a 2:4:1 ratio. The anion of the complex contains two WO3 units and one bridging edta4− ligand. Each central metal atom is tridentately coordinated by nitrogen and two carboxylate groups of the edta4− ligand, together with the three oxido ligands, producing a distorted octahedral coordination environment around each tungsten atom. The center of the carbon–carbon bond of the ethylene bridge represents a crystallographic inversion center. The crystal structure consists of a three-dimensional supramolecular framework built up by the dinuclear cations, the ammonium counter-ions and the solvent water molecules via hydrogen bonds of the N—H...O and O—H...O type.