Complete Dehalogenation Research Articles

Degradation of 2-chloroallylalcohol by a Pseudomonas sp

Three Pseudomonas strains capable of utilizing 2-chloroallylalcohol (2-chloropropenol) as the sole carbon source for growth were isolated from soil. The fastest growth was observed with strain JD2, with a generation time of 3.6 h. Degradation of 2-chloroallylalcohol was accompanied by complete dehalogenation. Chloroallylalcohols that did not support growth were dechlorinated by resting cells; the dechlorination level was highest if an alpha-chlorine substituent was present. Crude extracts of strain JD2 contained inducible alcohol dehydrogenase activity that oxidized mono- and dichloroallylalcohols but not trichloroallylalcohol. The enzyme used phenazine methosulfate as an artificial electron acceptor. Further oxidation yielded 2-chloroacrylic acid. The organism also produced hydrolytic dehalogenases converting 2-chloroacetic acid and 2-chloropropionic acid.

Synthesis of 5-cyclopropyluracil and 5-cyclopropylcytosine by the Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling reaction

5-Cyclopropyluracil and cyclopropylcytosine were prepared by the Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling reaction of 5-bromo-2,4-di(trimethylsilyloxy)pyrimidine and 5-bromo-2,4-O,N-bis-trimethylsilylcytosine with tributylstan-nylcyclopropane. The reactions also gave dehalogenated pyrimidine bases as by-products. Attempts to use 2,4-O,N-bis-trimethylsilyl-5-iodocytosine as the halide gave complete dehalogenation.

Anaerobic biotransformations of pollutant chemicals in aquifers

Anaerobic microbial communities sampled from either a methanogenic or sulfate-reducing aquifer site have been tested for their ability to degrade a variety of groundwater pollutants, including halogenated aromatic compounds, simple alkyl phenols and tetrachloroethylene. The haloaromatic chemicals were biodegraded in methanogenic incubations but not under sulfate-reducing conditions. The primary degradative event was typically the reductive removal of the aryl halides. Complete dehalogenation of the aromatic moiety was required before substrate mineralization was observed. The lack of dehalogenation activity in sulfatereducing incubations was due, at least in part, to the high levels of sulfate rather than a lack of metabolic potential. In contrast, the degradation of cresol isomers occurred in both types of incubations but proved faster under sulfate-reducing conditions. The requisite microorganisms were enriched and the degradation pathway forp-cresol under the latter conditions involved the anaerobic oxidation of the aryl methyl group. Tetrachloroethylene was also degraded by reductive dehalogenation but under both incubation conditions. The initial conversion of this substrate to trichloroethylene was generally faster under methanogenic conditions. However, the transformation pathway slowed when dichloroethylene was produced and only trace concentrations of vinyl chloride were detected. These results illustrate that pollutant compounds can be biodegraded under anoxic conditions and a knowledge of the predominant ecological conditions is essential for accurate predictions of the transport and fate of such materials in aquifers.

Dehalogenation and ring saturation by tritium atoms

During excitation labeling with tritium of halogenated alkanes such as iodohexane and iodocyclohexane, dehalogenation occurs without accumulation of labeled side products. When halogenated benzenes and toluenes were similarly treated, the labeled products were a combination of products from ring saturation and dehalogenation. To a small extent, intermediates and products of chain scission and polymerization are also formed. As the ease of dehalogenation depends on the bond strength of the carbon-halogen bond, the CF bond being the strongest shows the least dehalogenation and the CI bond being the weakest undergoes practically complete dehalogenation. The CCl and CBr bonds with intermediate bond strengths undergo partial dehalogenation under similar conditions. Formation of tritium-labeled products in halogenated benzenes and toluenes can be explained on this basis. Ring saturation occurs readily and may be affected by additives.