The side-chain and backbone dynamics of two model polyamines, polylysine (PL) and poly(allylamine) (PAM), were examined with time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy (TRFA) in aqueous solution and when the polyamines were entrapped into sol−gel derived silica. Both polyamines were ionically labeled with fluorescein, causing the rotational characteristics of the probe to be interconnected to the dynamics of the polyamine chain. TRFA studies of the probe−polyamine complex could be fit to two rotational components reflecting motions of the side chains (ps component) and short segments (ns component), respectively. The rate and amplitude of these motions were reproducibly higher for PL than PAM, indicative of a higher conformational flexibility in PL relative to PAM. This result was supported by molecular mechanics optimizations, which showed a much larger variance in the distance between adjacent amino groups in PL relative to PAM, consistent with more degrees of freedom in the more dynamic polyamine. When entrapped into sodium silicate (SS)-derived hydrogels, PL unexpectedly showed a high degree of segmental flexibility, while PAM experienced a significant damping of all detectable motions, accompanied by a large increase in the residual anisotropy. Since the random coil of PL can be considered as a model of flexible or denatured proteins with a high affinity toward the silica surface, we would expect the presence of segmental motions in such proteins when entrapped into a SS network, even if these are bound to the silica surface, in agreement with previous studies of such proteins entrapped in sol−gel glasses. On the other hand, PAM provides a useful model of more rigid proteins, such as antibodies, which show significant losses in dynamic motion upon entrapment in silica. The results show that the dynamics of proteins entrapped in silica materials must be viewed with caution, as it is possible to have significant dynamic motion even when proteins interact with the matrix.

Continuous flow chemo-enzymatic Baeyer−Villiger oxidation in the presence of exceptionally active Candida antarctica lipase B immobilized via simple physical adsorption on multiwalled carbon nanotubes has been investigated. The nanobiocatalyst was used to generate peracid in situ from ethyl acetate and 30 wt % aq. hydrogen peroxide as the primary oxidant. Application of the highly stable and active nanobiocatalyst in the Baeyer−Villiger oxidation of 2-methylcyclohexanone to 6-methyl-ε-caprolactone after 8 h at 40 °C led to a high product yield (87%) and selectivity (>99%). Environmentally friendly ethyl acetate was applied as both solvent and the peracid precursor. To determine the most favorable reaction conditions, a series of experiments using various parameters was performed. The main contribution of this work is that it describes the first application of the nanobiocatalyst in a chemo-enzymatic Baeyer−Villiger oxidation in a flow system. Since the process was performed in a flow reactor, many improvements were achieved. First of all, substantially shorter reaction times as well as a significant increase in the product yield were obtained as compared to the batch process. Since peracids are unstable, a large increase in the safety of the process was demonstrated under mild conditions in this work. In summary, this work shows a particularly efficient upgrade in the studied processes by transfer from a batch to a flow system.

2,2-Dimethoxy-3,3-dicyanospiro[cyclopropane-1,9'-[9H]fluorene] reacted fast with methanol to afford 9-trimethoxymethyl-9-dicyanomethyl-9H-fluorene. Reaction with benzaldehydes also gave products of cyclopropane ring opening. Strong electron-donor p-substituents or a strong attractor enhanced the rate. Ring opening of the cyclopropane to a zwitterion that recloses or reacts with an aryl aldehyde, to form either a CO or a CC bond first, can explain the result. The former mode of closure is sensitive to p-substituents because they are directly conjugated to the positive charge at the benzylic carbon of the former aldehyde. The latter mode is sensitive to the ground-state electrophilicity of the carbonyl carbon of the former aldehyde. Thus, reaction of the cyclopropane with p-substituted aldehydes is accelerated by either electron-donor or -acceptor substituents. [reaction: see text].

Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy (TRFA) is widely used to study dynamic motions of biomolecules in a variety of environments. However, depolarization due to rapid side chain motions often complicates the interpretation of anisotropy decay data and interferes with the accurate observation of segmental motions. Here, we demonstrate a new method for two-point ionic labeling of polymers and biomolecules that have appropriately spaced amino groups using the fluorescent probe 8-hydroxyl-1,3,6-trisulfonated pyrene (pyranine). TRFA analysis shows that such labeling provides a more rigid attachment of the fluorophore to the macromolecule than the covalent or single-point ionic labeling of amino groups, leading to time-resolved anisotropy decays that better reflect the backbone motion of the labeled polymer segment. Optimal coupling of pyranine to biomolecule dynamics is shown to be obtained for appropriately spaced Arg groups, and in such cases the ionic binding is stable up to 150 mM ionic strength. TRFA was used to monitor the behavior of pyranine-labeled poly(allylamine) (PAM) and poly-d-lysine (PL) in sodium silicate derived sol-gel materials and revealed significant restriction of backbone motion upon entrapment for both polymers, an observation that was not readily apparent in a previous study with entrapped fluorescein-labeled PAM and PL. The implications of these findings for fluorescence studies of polymer and biomolecule dynamics are discussed.

2-Acetoxy-2-methoxy-5,5-dimethyl-Δ3-1,3,4-oxadiazoline undergoes two competitive 1,3-dipolar cycloreversions at 110 °C. It loses N2, presumably to afford a short-lived carbonyl ylide that fragments to acetone and acetoxy(methoxy)carbene. It also forms 2-diazopropane and the appropriate mixed anhydride. It is the only currently known source of acetoxy(methoxy)carbene. Key words: acetoxy(methoxy)carbene, 2-diazopropane, 1,3-dipolar cycloreversion.