Constantin Czekelius

Anion‐Induced Enantioselective Cyclization of Diynamides to Pyrrolidines Catalyzed by Cationic Gold Complexes

Only chiral anions do the job! Optically active gold complexes derived from substituted binol hydrogen phosphate catalyze the desymmetrizing cyclization of 1,4-diynamides. This reaction provides access to synthetically useful, chiral methylene pyrrolidines with an all-carbon-substituted quaternary stereocenter.

Reversal of Selectivity in Gold-Catalyzed Cyclizations of 3,3-Disubstituted 1,4-Diynes

A general synthetic access to 3,3-disubstituted 1,4-diynes bearing a quaternary carbon center from acetylacetone was developed. The compounds were cyclized to the corresponding enol ethers by cationic gold complexes. The reactions occur in complete exo-selectivity in contrast to compounds incorporating an alkoxy substituent in the 3-position. A mechanistic rationale for this reversal of selectivity is provided.

Fluorinated amino acids in amyloid formation: a symphony of size, hydrophobicity and α-helix propensity

Fluorinated amino acids can have dramatic effects on protein stability and protein–protein interactions due to the unique stereoelectronic properties of fluorine. Previous approaches to assessing their properties have mainly focused on helical systems, even though fluoro-amino acids are known to exhibit lower intrinsic helix propensities than their hydrocarbon analogues. Fluorination of specific β-sheet positions within globular proteins has been shown to have a stabilizing effect, suggesting that fluorinated amino acids may generally be well suitable for modulating non-helical structures. Still, fluorinated amino acids have rarely been studied in amyloid forming peptides, which take on a characteristically high cross-β-sheet content. Here, we examine the substitution of natural amino acids within an amyloid forming model peptide by amino acids that contain different stoichiometries of fluorine in their side chains. This approach enables a systematic evaluation of the impact of fluorine on amyloid formation. We have investigated the impact of size, hydrophobicity and secondary structure propensities of the fluorinated amino acids on the amyloid formation process. The structure of the model peptide is based on an engineered coiled coil folding motif that was designed to provide an α-helical starting structure that can fold into β-sheet rich amyloids under controlled conditions. Substitution with fluorinated amino acids was accomplished for two neighboring valine residues that play a key role in the structural transition. The resulting peptides show an unexpected folding behavior as a consequence of the interplay of stereoelectronic effects, helix propensity, hydrophobicity and position of the particular substitution within the amyloid forming system.

Iron porphyrin molecules on Cu(001): Influence of adlayers and ligands on the magnetic properties

The structural and magnetic properties of Fe octaethylporphyrin molecules on Cu(001) have been investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) methods and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The molecules have been adsorbed on the bare metal surface and on an oxygen-covered surface, which shows a root 2 x 2 root 2R45 degrees reconstruction. In order to allow for a direct comparison between magnetic moments obtained from sum-rule analysis and DFT, we calculate the spin dipolar term 7T (theta), which is also important in view of the magnetic anisotropy of the molecule. The measured x-ray magnetic circular dichroism shows a strong dependence on the photon incidence angle, which we could relate to a huge value of 7T (theta), e. g., on Cu(001), 7T (theta) amounts to -2.07 mu(B) for normal incidence leading to a reduction of the effective spin moment (m(s) + 7T (theta)). Calculations have also been performed to study the influence of possible ligands such as Cl and O atoms on the magnetic properties of the molecule and the interaction between molecule and surface because the experimental spectra display a clear dependence on the ligand, which is used to stabilize the molecule in the gas phase. Both types of ligands weaken the hybridization between surface and porphyrin molecule and change the magnetic spin state of the molecule, but the changes in the x-ray absorption are clearly related to residual Cl ligands.

Diastereoselective Bromocyclization of O-Allyl-N-tosyl-hydroxylamines

The intramolecular bromoamination of O-allyl-N-tosyl-hydroxylamines results in the formation of isoxazolidines via selective 5-endo-tet cyclization. This process occurs trans-selectively in high yield and diastereoselectivity. The obtained bromo-isoxazolidines provide access to other useful building blocks, such as 2-azido-aminoalcohols, diaminoalcohols, and aziridines.

Synthesis of enantiomerically pure (2S,3S)-5,5,5-trifluoroisoleucine and (2R,3S)-5,5,5-trifluoro-allo-isoleucine

Summary A practical route for the stereoselective synthesis of (2S,3S)-5,5,5-trifluoroisoleucine (L-5-F3Ile) and (2R,3S)-5,5,5-trifluoro-allo-isoleucine (D-5-F3-allo-Ile) was developed. The hydrophobicity of L-5-F3Ile was examined and it was incorporated into a model peptide via solid phase peptide synthesis to determine its α-helix propensity. The α-helix propensity of 5-F3Ile is significantly lower than Ile, but surprisingly high when compared with 4’-F3Ile.

Conformational adaptation and manipulation of manganese tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin molecules on Cu(111)

Porphyrins are highly flexible molecules and well known to adapt to their local environment via conformational changes. We studied the self-assembly of manganese meso-tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin (Mn-TPyP) molecules on a Cu(111) surface by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (ATM). We observe molecular chains along the ⟨11¯0⟩ direction of the substrate. Within these chains, we identify two molecular conformations, which differ by the orientation of the upward bending of the macrocycle. Using density functional theory, we show that this saddle shape is a consequence of the rotation and inclination of the pyridyl groups towards Cu adatoms, which stabilize the metal-organic chains. The molecular conformations obey a strict alternation, reflecting the mutual enforcement of conformational adaptation in densely packed structures. Tunneling electrons from the STM tip can induce changes in the orientation of the pyridyl endgroups. The switching behaviour varies with the di...

Magnetic anisotropy in surface-supported single-ion lanthanide complexes

Single-ion lanthanide-organic complexes can provide stable magnetic moments with well-defined orientation for spintronic applications on the atomic level. Here, we show by a combined experimental approach of scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy that dysprosium-tris(1,1,1-trifluoro-4-(2-thienyl)-2,4butanedionate) (Dy(tta)

Total Synthesis of (+)-Mesembrine Applying Asymmetric Gold Catalysis.

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Small-Molecule Inhibitors of AF6 PDZ-Mediated Protein–Protein Interactions

) complexes deposited on a Au(111) surface undergo a molecular distortion, resulting in distinct crystal field symmetry imposed on the Dy ion. This leads to an easy-axis magnetization direction in the ligand plane. Furthermore, we show that tunneling electrons hardly couple to the spin excitations, which we ascribe to the shielded nature of the