31P NMR study of the activated radioprotection mechanism of octylphenyl-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethyl phosphine oxide (CMPO) and analogues.

We report a 31P NMR investigation into the activated radioprotection mechanism of octylphenyl-N,N-diisobutyl-carbamoylmethyl phosphine oxide (CMPO) and analogues in the presence of a gamma radiation field. CMPO exhibits significantly enhanced radiation resistance in the presence of high nitric acid concentrations, compared to other ligands proposed for recovery of the trivalent actinides from spent nuclear fuel. The fundamental mechanism behind this activated radioprotection has been investigated using 31P NMR and other supporting analytical techniques (GCMS and LCMS) in conjunction with systematic gamma irradiation studies, covering solvent system formulation and structural effects through the use of the CMPO analogues, dioctylphenylphospine oxide (DOPPO) and trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO). These experiments have demonstrated that the acid-dependent, radioprotection mechanism requires a protonated phenyl-phosphine oxide motif to activate. Further, contacting these three ligand loaded organic phases with a range of mineral acids (nitric, sulfuric, hydrochloric, and perchloric acids) shows specificity for nitric acid (HNO3), and the formation of a distinct [ligand·HNO3] complex for CMPO and DOPPO, as identified by 31P NMR, and predicted by DFT calculations. We propose that this complex is capable of sequential n-dodecane excited state quenching through the conjugated aromatic functionalities on the constituent CMPO and DOPPO molecules.

Kinetic studies of the AOP radical-based oxidative and reductive destruction of pesticides and model compounds in water.

Absolute second-order rate constants for hydroxyl radical (HO) reaction with four organophosphorus pesticides, malathion, parathion, fenthion and ethion, and a suite of model compounds of structure (EtO)2P(S)-X (where X = Cl, F, SH, SEt, OCH2CF3, OEt, NH2, and CH3) were measured using electron pulse radiolysis and transient absorption techniques. Specific values were determined for these four pesticides as k = (3.89 ±â€¯0.28) x 109, (2.20 ±â€¯0.15) x 109, (2.02 ±â€¯0.15) x 109 and (2.93 ±â€¯0.10) x 109 M-1 s-1, respectively, at 20 ±â€¯2 °C. The corresponding Brönsted plot for all these compounds demonstrated that the HO oxidation reaction mechanism for the pesticides was consistent with the model compounds, attributed to initial HO-adduct formation at the P(S) moiety. For malathion, steady-state 60Co radiolysis and 31P NMR analyses showed that hydroxyl radical-induced oxidation produces the far more potent isomalathion, but only with an efficiency of 4.9 ±â€¯0.3%. Analogous kinetic measurements for the hydrated electron induced reduction of these pesticides gave specific rate constants of k = (3.38 ±â€¯0.14) x 109, (1.38 ±â€¯0.10) x 109, (1.19 ±â€¯0.12) x 109 and (1.20 ±â€¯0.06) x 109 M-1 s-1, respectively, for malathion, parathion, fenthion and ethion. Model compound measurements again supported a single reduction reaction mechanism, proposed to be electron addition at the PS bond to form the radical anion. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that the radical-based treatment of organophosphorus contaminated waters may present a potential toxicological risk if advanced oxidative processes are used.

Isoniazid: Radical-induced oxidation and reduction chemistry.

Isoniazid is a potent and selective therapeutic prodrug agent used to treat infections by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although it has been used clinically for over five decades its full mechanism of action is still being elucidated. Essential to its mechanism of action is the activation of isoniazid to a reactive intermediate, the isonicotinyl acyl radical, by the catalase-peroxidase KatG. The isonicotinyl acyl radical then reacts with NAD producing an inhibitor of the NADH-dependent enoyl ACP reductase responsible for mycolic acid synthesis as its primary target. However, the initial oxidation of isoniazid by KatG has also revealed alternative reaction pathways leading to an array of carbon-, oxygen-, and nitrogen-centered radical intermediates. It has also been reported that isoniazid produces nitric oxide in the presence of KatG and hydrogen peroxide. In this study, the temperature-dependent rate constants for the hydroxyl radical oxidation and solvated electron reduction of isoniazid and two model compounds have been studied. Based on these data the initial oxidation of isoniazid by the hydroxyl radical has been shown to predominantly occur at the primary nitrogen of the hydrazyl moiety, consistent with the postulated mechanism for the formation of the isonicotinyl radical. The hydrated electron reduction occurred mostly at the pyridine ring. Concomitant EPR spin-trap measurements under a variety of oxidizing and reducing conditions did not show any evidence of nitric oxide production as had been previously reported. Finally, examination of the transient absorption spectra obtained for hydrated electron reaction with isoniazid demonstrated for the first time an initial reduced transient identified as the isonicotinyl acyl radical produced from isoniazid.

Reaction kinetics and efficiencies for the hydroxyl and sulfate radical based oxidation of artificial sweeteners in water.

Over the past several decades, the increased use of artificial sweeteners as dietary supplements has resulted in rising concentrations of these contaminants being detected in influent waters entering treatment facilities. As conventional treatments may not quantitatively remove these sweeteners, radical-based advanced oxidation and reduction (AO/RP) treatments could be a viable alternative. In this study, we have established the reaction kinetics for both hydroxyl ((•)OH) and sulfate (SO(4)(•-)) radical reaction with five common artificial sweeteners, as well as their associated reaction efficiencies. Rate constants for acesulfame K, aspartame, rebaudioside A, saccharin, and sucralose were <2 × 10(7), (2.28 ± 0.02) × 10(9), (2.1 ± 0.1) × 10(8), <2 × 10(7), and (1.7 ± 0.1) × 10(8) M(-1) s(-1) for the sulfate radical, and (3.80 ± 0.27) × 10(9), (6.06 ± 0.05) × 10(9), (9.97 ± 0.12) × 10(9), (1.85 ± 0.01) × 10(9), and (1.50 ± 0.01) × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) for the hydroxyl radical, respectively. These latter values have to be combined with their corresponding reaction efficiencies of 67.9 ± 0.9, 52.2 ± 0.7, 43.0 ± 2.5, 52.7 ± 2.9, and 98.3 ± 3.5% to give effective rate constants for the hydroxyl radical reaction that can be used in the modeling of the AOP based removal of these contaminants.

Radical-based destruction of nitramines in water: kinetics and efficiencies of hydroxyl radical and hydrated electron reactions.

In support of the potential use of advanced oxidation and reduction process technologies for the removal of carcinogenic nitro-containing compounds in water reaction rate constants for the hydroxyl radical and hydrated electron with a series of low molecular weight nitramines (R(1)R(2)-NNO(2)) have been determined using a combination of electron pulse radiolysis and transient absorption spectroscopy. The hydroxyl radical reaction rate constant was fast, ranging from 0.54-4.35 × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1), and seen to increase with increasing complexity of the nitramine alkyl substituents suggesting that oxidation primarily occurs by hydrogen atom abstraction from the alkyl chains. In contrast, the rate constant for hydrated electron reaction was effectively independent of compound structure, (k(av) = (1.87 ± 0.25) × 10(10) M(-1) s(-1)) indicating that the reduction predominately occurred at the common nitramine moiety. Concomitant steady-state irradiation and product measurements under aerated conditions also showed a radical reaction efficiency dependence on compound structure, with the overall radical-based degradation becoming constant for nitramines containing more than four methylene groups. The quantitative evaluation of these efficiency data suggest that some (~40%) hydrated electron reduction also results in quantitative nitramine destruction, in contrast to previously reported electron paramagnetic measurements on these compounds that proposed that this reduction only produced a transient anion adduct that would transfer its excess electron to regenerate the parent molecule.

Synchrotron Radiation Provides a Plausible Explanation for the Generation of a Free Radical Adduct of Thioxolone in Mutant Carbonic Anhydrase II.

Thioxolone acts as a prodrug in the presence of carbonic anhydrase II (CA II), whereby the molecule is cleaved by thioester hydrolysis to the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, 4-mercaptobenzene-1,3-diol (TH0). Thioxolone was soaked into the proton transfer mutant H64A of CA II in an effort to capture a reaction intermediate via X-ray crystallography. Structure determination of the 1.2 Å resolution data revealed the TH0 had been modified to a 4,4'-disulfanediyldibenzene-1,3-diol, a product of crystallization conditions, and a zinc ligated 2,4-dihydroxybenzenesulfenic acid, most likely induced by radiation damage. Neither ligand was likely a result of an enzymatic mechanism.

Free radical-induced redox chemistry of Nedaplatin and Satraplatin under physiological conditions.

Temperature-dependent kinetics for the reactions of hydroxyl radicals and hydrated electrons with the anti-cancer drug nedaplatin have been determined using a combination of electron pulse radiolysis and absorption spectroscopy. Under physiological pH and chloride concentrations, the kinetics was well described by the equations [Formula: see text]and [Formula: see text]corresponding to Arrhenius activation energies of 15.88 +/- 1.16 and 14.14 +/- 1.41 kJ mol(-1) for hydroxyl radical oxidation and hydrated electron reduction, respectively. Through a comparison of spectral and kinetic literature it is believed that the oxidation reaction gives predominantly an intermediate Pt(III) species, whereas reduction gives a Pt(I) moiety. Analogous hydrated electron measurements for the Pt(IV) drug satraplatin showed multiple-component decays at higher temperatures (>20 degrees C), indicating that significant thermal degradation of this chemical occurs. From double-exponential curve fitting, the satraplatin reduction kinetics was found to be well described by the equation [Formula: see text]giving an activation energy of 22.78 +/- 1.78 kJ mol(-1) for this reaction. This measured temperature dependence was consistent with several model Pt(IV) compounds also investigated in this study, with all these data suggesting that the metal ion reduction to give Pt(III) was the dominant reaction occurring.

Detailed investigation of the radical-induced destruction of chemical warfare agent simulants in aqueous solution.

The persistence of delivered chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in a variety of environmental matrices is of serious concern to both the military and civilian populations. Ultimately understanding all of the degradation pathways of the various CWAs in different environmental matrices is essential for determining whether native processes would offer sufficient decontamination of a particular material or if active chemical decontamination is required. Whereas much work on base-promoted chemical degradation has been reported, additional remediation strategies such as the use of advanced oxidation or reduction process free radical treatments may also be a viable option. We have examined here the primary kinetics and reaction mechanisms for an extensive library of chemical warfare agent simulants with the oxidizing hydroxyl radical and reducing hydrated electrons in water. From these values, it is seen that the reductive destruction occurs primarily through a single mechanism, consisting of hydrated electron capture at the phosphorus group with subsequent elimination, whereas hydroxyl radical oxidation shows two separate reaction mechanisms, dependent on the aqueous pK(a) of the leaving group.

Inhibition of carbonic anhydrase II by thioxolone: a mechanistic and structural study.

This paper examines the functional mechanism of thioxolone, a compound recently identified as a weak inhibitor of human carbonic anhydrase II by Iyer et al. (2006) J. Biomol. Screening 11, 782-791 . Thioxolone lacks sulfonamide, sulfamate, or hydroxamate functional groups that are typically found in therapeutic carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitors, such as acetazolamide. Analytical chemistry and biochemical methods were used to investigate the fate of thioxolone upon binding to CA II, including Michaelis-Menten kinetics of 4-nitrophenyl acetate esterase cleavage, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), oxygen-18 isotope exchange studies, and X-ray crystallography. Thioxolone is proposed to be a prodrug inhibitor that is cleaved via a CA II zinc-hydroxide mechanism known to catalyze the hydrolysis of esters. When thioxolone binds in the active site of CA II, it is cleaved and forms 4-mercaptobenzene-1,3-diol via the intermediate S-(2,4-thiophenyl)hydrogen thiocarbonate. The esterase cleavage product binds to the zinc active site via the thiol group and is therefore the active CA inhibitor, while the intermediate is located at the rim of the active-site cavity. The time-dependence of this inhibition reaction was investigated in detail. Because this type of prodrug inhibitor mechanism depends on cleavage of ester bonds, this class of inhibitors may have advantages over sulfonamides in determining isozyme specificity. A preliminary structure-activity relationship study with a series of structural analogues of thioxolone yielded similar estimates of inhibition constants for most compounds, although two compounds with bromine groups at the C1 carbon of thioxolone were not inhibitory, suggesting a possible steric effect.

Free radical-induced redox chemistry of platinum-containing anti-cancer drugs.

Arrhenius parameters for the reactions of oxidizing hydroxyl radicals and reducing hydrated electrons with cisplatin, transplatin and carboplatin in aqueous solution have been determined using pulsed electron radiolysis and absorption spectroscopy techniques. Under physiological pH and chloride concentration conditions, hydroxyl radical reaction rate constants of (9.99 +/- 0.20) x 10(9), (8.38 +/- 0.55) x 10(9), and (6.03 +/- 0.08) x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) at 24.0, 20.7 and 24.0 degrees C, respectively, with corresponding activation energies of 12.79 +/- 0.57, 13.88 +/- 1.14, and 14.35 +/- 0.56 kJ mol(-1) for these three reactions, were determined. These oxidations of cisplatin and transplatin to form a Pt(III) transient are significantly faster than reported previously at room temperature. The lower rate constant for carboplatin is consistent with hydroxyl radical reaction partitioning between reaction at the platinum center and the cyclobutanedicarboxylate ligand. The equivalent reductive hydrated electron reaction rate constants measured were (1.99 +/- 0.04) x 10(10) (24.0 degrees C), (1.77 +/- 0.08) x 10(10) (22.0 degrees C), and (8.92 +/- 0.06) x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) (24.0 degrees C), with corresponding activation energies of 15.75 +/- 1.00, 19.74 +/- 1.82, and 19.99 +/- 0.34 kJ mol(-1). Again, the values determined for cisplatin and transplatin are faster than reported; however, all three values are consistent with direct reduction of the platinum center to form a Pt(I) moiety.

Free radical chemistry of advanced oxidation process removal of nitrosamines in water.

Absolute rate constants and degradation efficiencies for hydroxyl radical reactions with seven low-molecular-weight nitrosamines in water have been evaluated using a combination of electron-pulse radiolysis/absorption spectroscopy and steady-state radiolysis/GCMS measurements. The hydroxyl radical oxidation rate constants were found to depend upon nitrosamine size and to have a very good linear correlation with the number of methylene groups in these compounds. This correlation, given by In(k x OH) = (19.72 +/- 0.14) + (0.424 +/- 0.033) (#CH2), suggests that hydroxyl radical oxidation predominantly occurs by hydrogen atom abstraction from constituent methylene groups in each of these nitrosamines. In contrast, the hydrated electron reduction rate constants measured for these compounds were remarkably consistent, with an average value of (1.67 +/- 0.22) x 10(10) M(-1) s(-1). These reduction kinetic data are consistent with this predominantly diffusion-controlled reaction occurring at the N-NO moiety in these carcinogens. From steady-state radiolysis measurements under aerated conditions, specific hydroxyl radical degradation efficiencies for each nitrosamine were evaluated. For larger nitrosamines, the efficiency was constant at 100%; however, for the smaller alkyl substituted species, the efficiency was significantly lower, with a minimum value of only 80% determined for N-nitrosodimethylamine. The reduced efficiency is attributed to radical repair reactions competing with the slow peroxyl radical formation.

Flow injection analysis of H2O2 in natural waters using acridinium ester chemiluminescence: method development and optimization using a kinetic model.

Chemiluminescence (CL) of acridinium esters (AE) has found widespread use in analytical chemistry. Using the mechanism of the reaction of H2O2 with 10-methyl-9-(p-formylphenyl)acridinium carboxylate trifluoromethanesulfonate and a modified flow injection system, the reaction rates of each step in the mechanism were evaluated and used in a kinetic model to optimize the analysis of H2O2. Operational parameters for a flow injection analysis system (reagent pH, flow rate, sample volume, PMT settings) were optimized using the kinetic model. The system is most sensitive to reaction pH due to competition between AE hydrolysis and CL. The optimized system was used to determine H2O2 concentrations in natural waters, including rain, freshwater, and seawater. The lower limit of detection varied in natural waters, from 352 pM in open ocean seawater (mean, 779 pM +/- 15.0%, RSD) to 58.1 nM in rain (mean, 6,340 nM +/- 0.92%, RSD). The analysis is specific for H2O2 and is therefore of potential interest for atmospheric chemistry applications where organoperoxides have been reported in the presence of H2O2.

Kinetics and mechanisms of the reactions of hydroxyl radicals and hydrated electrons with nitrosamines and nitramines in water.

Absolute rate constants for hydroxyl radical, *OH, and hydrated electron, e(aq)(-), reactions with low-molecular-weight nitrosamines and nitramines in water at room temperature were measured using the techniques of electron pulse radiolysis and transient absorption spectroscopy. The bimolecular rate constants obtained, k (M(-1) s(-1)), for e(aq)(-) and *OH reactions, respectively, were as follows: methylethylnitrosamine, (1.67 +/- 0.06) x 10(10) and (4.95 +/- 0.21) x 10(8); diethylnitrosamine, (1.61 +/- 0.06) x 10(10) and (6.99 +/- 0.28) x 10(8); dimethylnitramine, (1.91 +/- 0.07) x 10(10) and (5.44 +/- 0.20) x 10(8); methylethylnitramine, (1.83 +/- 0.15) x 10(10) and (7.60 +/- 0.43) x 10(8); and diethylnitramine, (1.76 +/- 0.07) x 10(10) and (8.67 +/- 0.48) x 10(8), respectively. MNP/DMPO spin-trapping experiments demonstrated that hydroxyl radical reaction with these compounds occurs by hydrogen atom abstraction from an alkyl group, while the reaction of the hydrated electron was to form a transient radical anion. The latter adduct formation implies that the excess electron could subsequently be transferred to regenerate the parent chemical, which would significantly reduce the effectiveness of any free-radical-based remediation effort on nitrosamine/nitramine-contaminated waters.

Synthesis and binding affinity of neuropeptide Y at opiate receptors.

Neuropeptide Y and several metabolic fragments were synthesized and evaluated for binding affinity at non-selective opiate receptors. Neuropeptide Y and several C-terminal fragments were shown to bind to non-selective opiate receptors with an affinity similar to that of Leu-enkephalin.

Microwave-accelerated ruthenium-catalyzed olefin metathesis.

[reaction: see text]. Microwave heating is an efficient method for the acceleration of ring-closing metathesis reactions using ruthenium-based catalysts. The reaction can be rapidly conducted in either ionic liquids, such as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmim), or in a microwave transparent solvent (MTS) such as dichloromethane.