Biomedical subjects

Joseph M Mahoney

Publications and source records attributed to Joseph M Mahoney.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Molecular recognition of trigonal oxyanions using a ditopic salt receptor: evidence for anisotropic shielding surface around nitrate anion.

A ditopic, macrobicyclic receptor with adjacent anion and cation binding sites is able to extract a range of monovalent salts into chloroform solution. The structures of the receptor complexed with KAcO, LiNO(3), NaNO(3), KNO(3), and NaNO(2) are characterized in solution by NMR spectroscopy and in the solid state by X-ray crystallography. The sodium and potassium salts are bound to the receptor as contact ion-pairs, with the metal cation located in the receptor's crown ether ring and the trigonal oxyanion hydrogen bonded to the receptor NH residues. The solid-state structure of the LiNO(3) complex has a bridging water molecule between the cation and anion. In all solid-state structures, the trigonal oxyanion is not located symmetrically inside the receptor cavity. It appears that anion orientation is controlled by a complex interplay of steric factors, coordination bonding to the metal cation, and hydrogen bonding with the receptor NH residues. An important feature with this latter effect is the fact that hydrogen bonds directed toward the oxygen lone pairs on a trigonal oxyanion are stronger than hydrogen bonds to the pi-electrons. In solution, the (1)H NMR spectra of the nitrate and nitrite salt complexes are noteworthy because several receptor signals, including the NH protons, undergo unusual upfield movements in chemical shift upon complexation. This is a reflection of the diamagnetic anisotropy of these trigonal oxyanions. The magnetic shielding surface for the NO(3)(-) anion is calculated using density functional theory and shown to have a shielding region directly above the central nitrogen.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Bronsted acid-promoted olefin aziridination and formal anti-aminohydroxylation.

A straightforward synthesis of aziridines is reported from an electron-rich azide (alkyl or aryl azide), electron-deficient olefin, and triflic acid in cold acetonitrile. The only coproduct of the reaction is dinitrogen (N2). Active ester substrates bearing a nucleophilic carbonyl engage the putative protonated aziridine intermediate to produce the product of olefin aminohydroxylation in which the nitrogen is benzyl protected and the oxygen is acylated. The possibility that a triazoline need not be an intermediate in aziridine production is advanced.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Selective solid-liquid extraction of lithium halide salts using a ditopic macrobicyclic receptor.

A ditopic salt receptor that is known to bind and extract solid NaCl, KCl, NaBr, and KBr into organic solution as their contact ion pairs is now shown by NMR and X-ray crystallography to bind and extract solid LiCl and LiBr as water-separated ion pairs. The receptor can transport these salts from an aqueous phase through a liquid organic membrane with a cation selectivity of K+ > Na+ > Li+. However, the selectivity order is strongly reversed when the receptor extracts solid alkali metal chlorides and bromides into organic solution. For a three-component mixture of solid LiCl, NaCl, and KCl, the ratio of salts extracted and complexed to the receptor in CDCl3 was 94:4:2, respectively. The same strong lithium selectivity was also observed in the case of a three-component mixture of solid LiBr, NaBr, and KBr where the ratio of extracted salts was 92:5:3. This observation is attributed to the unusually high solubility of lithium salts in organic solvents. The study suggests that ditopic receptors with an ability to extract solid salts as associated ion pairs may have application in separation processes.

Bromides↗

PubMed2004

Transport of alkali halides through a liquid organic membrane containing a ditopic salt-binding receptor.

A ditopic receptor is shown to have an impressive ability to recognize and extract the ion pairs of various alkali halides into organic solution. X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that the salts are bound in the solid state as contact ion pairs. Transport experiments, using a supported liquid membrane and high salt concentration in the source phase, show that the ditopic receptor can transport alkali halide salts up to 10-fold faster than a monotopic cation or anion receptor and 2-fold faster than a binary mixture of cation and anion receptors. All transport systems exhibit the same qualitative order of ion selectivity; that is, for a constant anion, the cation selectivity order is K+ > Na+ > Li+, and for a constant cation, the anion transport selectivity order is I- > Br- > Cl-. The data suggest that with a ditopic receptor, the polarity of the receptor-salt complex can be lowered if the salt is bound as an associated ion pair, which leads to a faster diffusion through the membrane and a higher maximal flux.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Molecular recognition of alkylammonium contact ion-pairs using a ditopic receptor.

A ditopic, macrobicyclic receptor with adjacent anion and cation binding sites is able to distinguish between various monoalkylammonium salts by binding them as contact ion-pairs. The affinity for linear n-propylammonium chloride is at least 2 orders of magnitude greater than that for n-propylammonium acetate, n-propylammonium p-toluenesulfonate, and branched isopropylammonium chloride. An X-ray structure of the receptor complexed with methylammonium chloride illuminates the basis of the molecular recognition.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Facilitated transport of sodium or potassium chloride across vesicle membranes using a ditopic salt-binding macrobicycle.

A synthetic receptor, with an ability to bind sodium or potassium chloride as a contact ion-pair, is shown to effectively transport either salt across vesicle membranes. Significant transport is observed even when the transporter: phospholipid ratio is as low as 1:2500. Chloride efflux from unilamellar vesicles is monitored using a chloride selective electrode. Mechanistic studies indicate that the facilitated efflux is due to the uncomplexed transporter diffusing into the vesicle and the transporter-salt complex diffusing out. Vesicle influx experiments are also reported, where the facilitated influx of chloride and sodium ions into vesicles is observed directly by 35Cl and 23Na NMR, respectively.

Biological Transport↗

PubMed2002

Templated conversion of a crown ether-containing macrobicycle into [2]rotaxanes.

A crown ether-containing macrobicycle was used as the wheel component in a templated synthesis of a [2]rotaxane with an acetal-containing axle. The molecular structures of the macrobicycle and the [2]rotaxane were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The chloride-binding ability of the macrobicycle, either free in solution or when it is part of a [2]rotaxane, is quite weak as determined by NMR titration experiments. A second analogous [2]rotaxane, with a longer axle, was synthesized, and its solvent-dependent co-conformation was characterized by 2D NMR spectroscopy. The position of the wheel along the axle can be controlled by the solvent polarity, however, attempts to use metal cations such as Na(+), K(+), Ba(2+), and Ag(+) to switch the wheel position in polar solvents were unsuccessful.

Journal Article↗