Sergio L. Laurella

The evidence for the occurrence of tautomeric structures for selected aldehydes and thioaldehydes

Mass spectra of selected aldehydes and thioaldehydes have been analyzed and specific fragmentation assignments have been done to keto and enol tautomers, although many peaks can be assigned to both forms (i.e. mass spectra are superimposed on one another). The enolization rate for aldehydes is generally favored by the increase in the steric effect caused by α substitution to the carbonyl group. The analysis of the corresponding mass spectra has allowed to establishing an acceptable correlation between selected ion abundances ratios and approximate enolization equilibrium constants (carried out by means of DFT calculations). The influence of temperature on the enol/keto selected fragments abundance ratios (for different aldehydes and thioaldehydes and for different pair of ions of the same compound whenever possible) is studied in order to estimate the enthalpy difference for the tautomeric equilibria. The results indicate that the thioketo-thioenol equilibrium can be studied by mass spectrometry and the ionization in the ion source have negligible effect on the position of that equilibrium.

Determination of heats of tautomerization nitrile-ketenimine by mass spectrometry.

Tautomerism of some nitriles has been studied by mass spectrometry. The analysis of the corresponding mass spectra has allowed some fragmentations to specific tautomers to be assigned and the heats of tautomerization to be determined through temperature effects and electron energy studies. Experimental determinations are supported by theoretical calculations. The joint analysis of mass spectrometry and DFT-B3LYP data indicate that this tautomeric equilibrium can be studied by the experimental spectrometric strategy employed.

Analysis of Tautomerism in β-Ketobuanamides by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance: Substituent, Temperature and Solvent Effects

ketoamides are versatile intermediates for the synthesis of several heterocycles and they are also relevant compounds in biological systems, with their tautomeric equilibria being a crucial aspect to be studied in order to understand their chemical and biological behaviour. Tautomeric equilibria of a series of � -ketobutanamides were analyzed by means of 1 HNMR, determining that ketoamide and Z-enolamide are the main tautomeric species in solution, both presenting internal hydrogen bonds. Keto-enol equilibrium predominates over other possible tautomerisms (e.g. amide-imidol). The enol tautomer appears to be favoured by electron withdrawing substituents and non-protic solvents. Thermodynamic parametersH andS were determined in CDCl3 and DMSO-d6, showing that the keto-enol equilibria are exothermic and require a molecule order increase.

Spectrometric Study of the Nitrile-Ketenimine Tautomerism

Mass spectrometry is used to evaluate the occurrence of the nitrile-ketenimine tautomerism. Mass spectra of two differently substituted nitriles, ethyl-4,4-dicyano-3-methyl-3-butenoate and diethyl-2-cyano-3-methyl-2-pentenodiate are examined looking for common mass spectral behaviors. Ion fragmentation assignments for specific tautomers allow to predict the presence of the corresponding structures. Additionally, the mass spectrum and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of ethyl-4,4-dicyano-2,2-diethyl-3-methyl-3-butenoate and that of the corresponding amination product support the occurrence of the ketenimine tautomer in the equilibrium.

Comment on “Structural and vibrational studies on 1-(5-Methyl- [1,3,4] thiadiazol-2-yl)-pyrolidin-2-ol” [Spectrochimica Acta Part A, 152 (2016) 252–261]. The importance of intramolecular OH ⋯ N hydrogen bonding in the conformational properties of thiadiazol-pyrrolidin-2-ol bearing species

The title paper [1] reports a study on the spectroscopic and physicochemical properties of 1-(5-methyl- [1,3,4]thiadiazol-2-yl)-pyrrolidin-2-ol (MTPN) based on experimental and theoretical data. The latter ones are based on the computed molecular structure for a rather unusual conformer. Here, after a careful analysis of the conformational space of MTPN, the most stable conformation was determined for the molecule isolated in a vacuum, which results to be 21.9kJ/mol more stable than the conformer reported previously. Our study also includes the closely related species 1-(5-trifluoromethyl- [1,3,4]thiadiazol-2-yl)-pyrrolidin-2-ol (FMTPN). An intramolecular OH⋯N hydrogen bond determines the conformational behavior of the [1,3,4]thiadiazol-2-yl)-pyrrolidin-2-ol group as demonstrated by Natural Bond Orbital population analysis.

Reactive Oxygen Species-mediated Degradation of Antidiabetic Compounds: Cytotoxic Implications of Their Photodegradation Products

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been described in their double physiological function, helping in the maintenance of health as well as contributing to oxidative stress. Diabetes mellitus is a chronical disease nearly related to oxidative stress, whose treatment (in type II variant) consists in the administration of antidiabetic compounds (Andb) such as Gliclazide (Gli) and Glipizide (Glip). In this context, as Andb may be exposed to high ROS concentrations in diabetic patients, we have studied the potential ROS‐mediated degradation of Gli and Glip through photosensitized processes, in the presence of Riboflavin (Rf) vitamin. We found that singlet oxygen (O2(1∆g)) participated in the Rf‐sensitized photodegradation of both Andb, and also superoxide radical anion in the case of Gli. Two principal products derived from O2(1∆g)‐mediated degradation of Gli were identified and their chemical structures characterized, through HPLC mass spectrometry. O2(1∆g)‐mediated degradation products and their toxicity was assayed on Vero cell line. These studies demonstrated that neither Gli nor its photoproducts caused cytotoxic effect under the experimental conditions assayed. Our results show strong evidences of ROS‐mediated Andb degradation, which may involve the reduction or loss of their therapeutic action, as well as potential cytotoxicity derived from their oxidation products.

Tautomerism of uracil and related compounds: A mass spectrometry study:

It has been demonstrated that uracil has a preponderant tautomeric form, but it is also known that different tautomers co-exist in this equilibrium. In this work, mass spectrometry is used as a helpful tool to analyse the equilibria, using derivative compounds to forbid the presence of some tautomers and ion trap mass spectrometry to follow relevant fragmentation pathways. Theoretical calculations were performed to confirm tautomers abundance by energy minimization in gas phase. Analysis of mass spectra of uracil, three methyl-substituted uracils, 2-thiouracil and three benzouracils suggest that uracil exists mainly as three tautomers in gas phase: one major structure that corresponds to the classical structure of uracil (pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione) bearing two carbonyls and two NH moieties, and two minor enolic forms (4-hydroxypyrimidin-2(1H)-one and 2-hydroxypyrimidin-4(1H)-one). Such tautomeric distribution is supported by theoretical calculations, which show that they are the three most stable tautomers.