The influence of solvent on the equilibrium position of the tautomeric forms of 2,4-pentanedione was studied by calorimetric and nmr spectroscopic techniques. For solvents such as CCl4 and cyclohexane the intramolecular bond of the enol form persists and bulk solvent effects account for the equilibrium enol–keto content. In solvents such as DMSO, disruption of the intramolecular bond occurs and the percentage of enol falls due to unfavorable entropy changes. The enol intramolecular bond is disrupted by the solvents water and methanol. Enol hydrogen bond formation through self-association and with the solvent accounts for the entropy changes upon enolization in these solvents. The thermodynamic parameters for enolization in neat 2,4-pentanedione are rationalized by the disruption of the enol intramolecular hydrogen bond through consequent polymerization of the enol tautomer.
The coordination complex tris(4,7-diphenylphenanthroline)rhodium(III), Rh(DIP)3(3+), binds to and, upon photoactivation, cleaves both DNA strands near the base of a DNA cruciform. Sites of photoinduced double-stranded DNA cleavage by the rhodium complex map to regions containing cruciforms on closed circular pBR322, pColE1 and phi X174 (replicative form) DNAs. Neither cleavage nor binding by the metal complex, assayed using S1 nuclease, is found on the linear plasmid which lacks the extruded cruciform. High resolution mapping experiments reveal that Rh(DIP)3(3+) cleaves at a specific AT-rich site neighboring the stem of the minor cruciform on pBR322. The primary site of cleavage is found at position 3238 on the 3'-strand and 3250 on the 5'-strand and is remarkably specific. The pattern of cleavage, to one side only of the cruciform stem, indicates an asymmetry in the cruciform structure recognized by the complex. These results suggest that Rh(DIP)3(3+) may provide a useful reagent to probe cruciform sites. In addition, the high degree of specificity found in targeting the cruciform structure with this simple metal complex underscores the utility of shape-selection for the recognition of specific sites on a DNA strand.
The proton-donating and -accepting abilities of water and methanol to various nitrogen-containing compounds have been determined by calorimetric analysis. Water is a better proton donor than methanol but methanol is a better proton acceptor than water. The interactions by water and methanol at the nitrogens of the diazines follow trends expected from relative proton affinities, pK's, and theoretical calculations. Electrostatic interactions by the diazine nitrogens with pyridine parallel the interactions found for methanol and water at these nitrogens.
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