Simple Thiols Research Articles

Peptide Alkyl Thioester Synthesis from Advanced Thiols and Peptide Hydrazides.

Peptide alkyl thioesters are versatile reagents in various synthetic applications, commonly generated from peptide hydrazides and thiols. However, a notable limitation is the need for a substantial excess of the thiol reagent, restricting the usage to simple thiols. Here, we introduce an adapted procedure that significantly enhances thioester production with just a minimal thiol excess, facilitating the use of advanced thiol nucleophiles.

Uncovering low-frequency vibrations in surface-enhanced Raman of organic molecules

Accessing the terahertz (THz) spectral domain through surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is challenging and opens up the study of low-frequency molecular and electronic excitations. Compared to direct THz probing of heterogenous ensembles, the extreme plasmonic confinement of visible light to deep sub-wavelength scales allows the study of hundreds or even single molecules. We show that self-assembled molecular monolayers of a set of simple aromatic thiols confined inside single-particle plasmonic nanocavities can be distinguished by their low-wavenumber spectral peaks below 200 cm−1, after removal of a bosonic inelastic contribution and an exponential background from the spectrum. Developing environment-dependent density-functional-theory simulations of the metal-molecule configuration enables the assignment and classification of their THz vibrations as well as the identification of intermolecular coupling effects and of the influence of the gold surface configuration. Furthermore, we show dramatically narrower THz SERS spectra from individual molecules at picocavities, which indicates the possibility to study intrinsic vibrational properties beyond inhomogeneous broadening, further supporting the key role of local environment.

Thiol-Specific Silicon-Containing Conjugating Reagent: β-Silyl Alkynyl Carbonyl Compounds.

Site-specific modification of thiol-containing biomolecules has been recognized as a versatile and powerful strategy for probing our biological systems and discovering novel therapeutics. The addition of lipophilic silicon moiety opens up new avenues for multi-disciplinary research with broad applications in both the medicinal and material sciences. However, adhering to the strict biocompatibility requirements, and achieving the introduction of labile silicon handle and high chemo-selectivity have been formidable. In this paper, we report silicon-based conjugating reagents including β-trialkylsilyl and silyl ether-tethered alkynones that selectively react with thiols under physiological conditions. The pH-neutral, metal-free and additive-free reaction yields stable products with broad substrate compatibility and full retention of silicon handles in most cases. Besides simple aliphatic and aromatic thiols, this approach is applicable in the labeling of thiols present in proteins, sugars and payloads, thereby expanding the toolbox of thiol conjugation.

Thiol‐Specific Silicon‐Containing Conjugating Reagent: β‐Silyl Alkynyl Carbonyl Compounds

AbstractSite‐specific modification of thiol‐containing biomolecules has been recognized as a versatile and powerful strategy for probing our biological systems and discovering novel therapeutics. The addition of lipophilic silicon moiety opens up new avenues for multi‐disciplinary research with broad applications in both the medicinal and material sciences. However, adhering to the strict biocompatibility requirements, and achieving the introduction of labile silicon handle and high chemo‐selectivity have been formidable. In this paper, we report silicon‐based conjugating reagents including β‐trialkylsilyl and silyl ether‐tethered alkynones that selectively react with thiols under physiological conditions. The pH‐neutral, metal‐free and additive‐free reaction yields stable products with broad substrate compatibility and full retention of silicon handles in most cases. Besides simple aliphatic and aromatic thiols, this approach is applicable in the labeling of thiols present in proteins, sugars and payloads, thereby expanding the toolbox of thiol conjugation.

Synthesis of (E)‐β‐Iodovinyl Sulfones via Photoredox Catalyzed Difunctionalization of Terminal Alkynes

AbstractA photoredox mediated approach enabling the synthesis of (E)‐β‐iodovinyl sulfones at room temperature using simple alkynes and thiols as the coupling partners in the presence of TBAI as iodine source is reported. The direct conversion of thiols into sulfones following the tandem introduction of C−I and C−S bonds is achieved using SeO2 as an oxidizing agent. The method is viable with a wide range of alkynes and thiols at room temperature, employs mild conditions, and has good yields. Besides, we could also use β‐iodovinyl sulfones as the starting material to access different β‐functionalized sulfone derivatives.

Methods in sulfide and persulfide research

Sulfides and persulfides/polysulfides (R-Sn-Rʹ, n > 2; R-Sn-H, n > 1) are endogenously produced metabolites that are abundant in mammalian and human cells and tissues. The most typical persulfides that are widely distributed among different organisms include various reactive persulfides—low-molecular-weight thiol compounds such as cysteine hydropersulfide, glutathione hydropersulfide, and glutathione trisulfide as well as protein-bound thiols. These species are generally more redox-active than are other simple thiols and disulfides. Although hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been suggested for years to be a small signaling molecule, it is intimately linked biochemically to persulfides and may actually be more relevant as a marker of functionally active persulfides. Reactive persulfides can act as powerful antioxidants and redox signaling species and are involved in energy metabolism. Recent evidence revealed that cysteinyl-tRNA synthetases (CARSs) act as the principal cysteine persulfide synthases in mammals and contribute significantly to endogenous persulfide/polysulfide production, in addition to being associated with a battery of enzymes including cystathionine β-synthase, cystathionine γ-lyase, and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase, which have been described as H2S-producing enzymes. The reactive sulfur metabolites including persulfides/polysulfides derived from CARS2, a mitochondrial isoform of CARS, also mediate not only mitochondrial biogenesis and bioenergetics but also anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions. The physiological roles of persulfides, their biosynthetic pathways, and their pathophysiology in various diseases are not fully understood, however. Developing basic and high precision techniques and methods for the detection, characterization, and quantitation of sulfides and persulfides is therefore of great importance so as to thoroughly understand and clarify the exact functions and roles of these species in cells and in vivo.

Reactions of OH and OD radicals with simple thiols and sulfides studied by infrared chemiluminescence of isotopic water products: Reaction OH + CH3SH revisited

AbstractVibrational excitation of the H2O, HOD, and D2O product molecules from the reactions of OH and OD radicals with CH3SH, CH3C(O)SH, (CH3)3CSH, H2S, and CH3SCH3 was determined by modeling the infrared emission spectra using a renovated and extended set of model spectroscopic bands. Using the deuterated reactant, CH3SD, it was possible to separate spectra of abstraction from C‐ and S‐sites, which allowed measurement of branching fractions and kinetic isotope effects for individual channels. For the OH + CH3SH reaction, branching fractions of 0.13 ± 0.03 (C─H) and 0.87 ± 0.03 (S─H) were obtained. The vibrational energy released to water from abstraction of H‐atoms from the C─H and S─H sites of the reactant molecules is described. The results reported in this paper take precedence over an earlier study of CH3SH. The vibrational energy partitioning between the stretch and bend modes of water molecules from the reactions of the thiols and related reactions of H2S and CH3SCH3 are discussed. The mechanism for the OH + CH3SSCH3 reaction was confirmed to be addition followed mainly by decomposition to CH3SH and CH3SO.

Single-Molecule Observation of Intermediates in Bioorthogonal 2-Cyanobenzothiazole Chemistry.

We report a single‐molecule mechanistic investigation into 2‐cyanobenzothiazole (CBT) chemistry within a protein nanoreactor. When simple thiols reacted reversibly with CBT, the thioimidate monoadduct was approximately 80‐fold longer‐lived than the tetrahedral bisadduct, with important implications for the design of molecular walkers. Irreversible condensation between CBT derivatives and N‐terminal cysteine residues has been established as a biocompatible reaction for site‐selective biomolecular labeling and imaging. During the reaction between CBT and aminothiols, we resolved two transient intermediates, the thioimidate and the cyclic precursor of the thiazoline product, and determined the rate constants associated with the stepwise condensation, thereby providing critical information for a variety of applications, including the covalent inhibition of protein targets and dynamic combinatorial chemistry.

Single‐Molecule Observation of Intermediates in Bioorthogonal 2‐Cyanobenzothiazole Chemistry

AbstractWe report a single‐molecule mechanistic investigation into 2‐cyanobenzothiazole (CBT) chemistry within a protein nanoreactor. When simple thiols reacted reversibly with CBT, the thioimidate monoadduct was approximately 80‐fold longer‐lived than the tetrahedral bisadduct, with important implications for the design of molecular walkers. Irreversible condensation between CBT derivatives and N‐terminal cysteine residues has been established as a biocompatible reaction for site‐selective biomolecular labeling and imaging. During the reaction between CBT and aminothiols, we resolved two transient intermediates, the thioimidate and the cyclic precursor of the thiazoline product, and determined the rate constants associated with the stepwise condensation, thereby providing critical information for a variety of applications, including the covalent inhibition of protein targets and dynamic combinatorial chemistry.

Vibrational sum-frequency generation study of molecular structure, sterical constraints and nonlinear optical switching contrast of mixed alkyl-azobenzene self-assembled monolayers

AbstractSelf-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of azobenzene (AB) functionalized alkyl thiols on gold diluted with simple alkyl thiols provide a straightforward way to photochromic surfaces with high and tunable photoswitching efficiency.Trans-cisisomerization of the AB molecule changes the physical properties of the surface, including the nonlinear optical (NLO) response. Vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy as a nonlinear type of laser spectroscopy offers surface- and orientation-sensitive insight into the molecular structure of mixed SAMs. In this study, VSFG as well as ultraviolet-visible (UV/Vis) spectroscopy has been employed to investigate the morphology, molecular structure, and NLO response of mixed SAMs with systematically varied surface composition. Methylazobenzene (MeAB) has been used as the molecular switch with the methyl substituent serving as orientational VSFG marker. Both short-chain and long-chain alkyl thiol co-ligands have been used to gain insight into the interplay between SAM structure and sterical constraints that are known to limit the free switching volume. Underlining the dominating role of sterical effects for controlling photochromic properties, a strong inhibition of the photoswitching efficiency and NLO response has been observed for the SAMs with an alkyl thiol co-ligand long enough to spatially extend into the layer of the MeAB chromophore. Overall, with <12% signal change, the relative NLO switching contrasts remained low in all cases. VSFG spectral trends clearly revealed that the presumably higher photoswitching efficiency upon dilution with the co-ligand is counteracted by a loss of structural order of the chromophore.

Manganese Porphyrin-Based SOD Mimetics Produce Polysulfides from Hydrogen Sulfide.

Manganese-centered porphyrins (MnPs), MnTE-2-PyP5+ (MnTE), MnTnHex-2-PyP5+ (MnTnHex), and MnTnBuOE-2-PyP5+ (MnTnBuOE) have received considerable attention because of their ability to serve as superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetics thereby producing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and oxidants of ascorbate and simple aminothiols or protein thiols. MnTE-2-PyP5+ and MnTnBuOE-2-PyP5+ are now in five Phase II clinical trials warranting further exploration of their rich redox-based biology. Previously, we reported that SOD is also a sulfide oxidase catalyzing the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to hydrogen persulfide (H2S2) and longer-chain polysulfides (H2Sn, n = 3–7). We hypothesized that MnPs may have similar actions on sulfide metabolism. H2S and polysulfides were monitored in fluorimetric assays with 7-azido-4-methylcoumarin (AzMC) and 3′,6′-di(O-thiosalicyl)fluorescein (SSP4), respectively, and specific polysulfides were further identified by mass spectrometry. MnPs concentration-dependently consumed H2S and produced H2S2 and subsequently longer-chain polysulfides. This reaction appeared to be O2-dependent. MnP absorbance spectra exhibited wavelength shifts in the Soret and Q bands characteristic of sulfide-mediated reduction of Mn. Taken together, our results suggest that MnPs can become efficacious activators of a variety of cytoprotective processes by acting as sulfide oxidation catalysts generating per/polysulfides.

A NaI/H2O2-Mediated Sulfenylation and Selenylation of Unprotected Uracil and Its Derivatives.

An efficient iodide-catalyzed/hydrogen peroxide mediated sulfenylation and selenylation of unprotected uracil and its derivatives with simple thiols and diselenides was established. This coupling tolerates a broad variety of functional groups to provide diverse 5-sulfur/selenium-substituted uracil derivatives in good to excellent yields (up to 93%).

Reactions of Rh2(CH3COO)4 with thiols and thiolates: a structural study.

The structural differences between the aerobic reaction products of Rh2(AcO)4 (1; AcO- = CH3COO-) with thiols and thiolates in non-aqueous media are probed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. For this study, ethanethiol, dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA; a dithiol) and their sodium thiolate salts were used. Coordination of simple thiols to the axial positions of Rh2(AcO)4 with Rh-SH bonds of 2.5-2.6 Å keeps the RhII-RhII bond intact (2.41 ± 0.02 Å) but leads to a colour change from emerald green to burgundy. Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations were performed to explain the observed shifts in the electronic (UV-vis) absorption spectra. The corresponding sodium thiolates, however, break up the Rh2(AcO)4 framework in the presence of O2 to form an oligomeric chain of triply S-bridged Rh(III) ions, each with six Rh-S (2.36 ± 0.02 Å) bonds. The RhIII...RhIII distance, 3.18 ± 0.02 Å, in the chain is similar to that previously found for the aerobic reaction product from aqueous solutions of Rh2(AcO)4 and glutathione (H3A), {Na2[Rh2III(HA)4]·7H2O}n, in which each Rh(III) ion is surrounded by about four Rh-S (2.33 ± 0.02 Å) and about two Rh-O (2.08 ± 0.02 Å). The reaction products obtained in this study can be used to predict how dirhodium(II) tetracarboxylates would react with cysteine-rich proteins and peptides, such as metallothioneins.

Stereoretentive C( sp3)-S Cross-Coupling.

We report a stereoretentive cross-coupling reaction of configurationally stable nucleophiles with disulfide and N-sulfenylsuccinimide donors promoted by Cu(I). We demonstrate the utility of this method in the synthesis of thioglycosides derived from simple alkyl and aryl thiols, thioglycosides, and in the glycodiversification of cysteine residues in peptides. These reactions operate well with carbohydrate substrates containing common protective groups and reagents with free hydroxyl and secondary amide functionalities under standardized conditions. Competition experiments in combination with computational DFT studies established that the putative anomeric intermediate is an organocopper species that is configurationally stable and resistant to epimerization due to its short lifetime. The subsequent reductive elimination from the Cu(III) intermediate is rapid and stereoretentive. Taken together, the glycosyl cross-coupling is ideally suited for late stage glycodiversification and bioconjugation under highly controlled installation of the aliphatic carbon-sulfur bonds.

The reaction of cinnamaldehyde and cinnam(o)yl derivatives with thiols

Spurred by the alleged relevance of the thia-Michael reaction in the bioactivity of various classes of cinnam(o)yl natural products and by the development of a quick NMR assay to study this reaction, we have carried out a systematic study of the “native” reactivity of these compounds with dodecanethiol and cysteamine as models, respectively, of simple thiols and reactive protein thiols that can benefit from iminium ion catalysis in Michael reactions. Cinnamoyl esters and amides, as well as cinnamyl ketones and oximes, did not show any reactivity with the two probe thiols, while cinnamaldehyde (1a) reacted with cysteamine to afford a mixture of a thiazoline derivative and compounds of multiple addition, and with aliphatic thiols to give a single bis-dithioacetal (6). Chalchones and their vinylogous C5-curcuminoid derivatives were the only cinnamoyl derivatives that gave a thia-Michael reaction. From a mechanistic standpoint, loss of conjugation in the adduct might underlie the lack of a native Michael reactivity. This property is restored by the presence of another conjugating group on the carbonyl, as in chalcones and C5-curcuminoids. A critical mechanistic revision of the chemical and biomedical literature on cinnamaldehyde and related compounds seems therefore required.

Visible-light photoredox-catalyzed desulfurization of thiol- and disulfide-containing amino acids and small peptides.

A scalable protocol for the desulfurization of cysteine by using visible light, the photocatalyst Ir(dF(CF3 )ppy)2 (dtb-bpy)PF6 and triethylphosphite under biphasic reaction conditions has been developed. The loading of the catalyst can be as low as 0.01mol%, which can be efficiently removed during the workup (≤0.3ppm), giving rise to the corresponding desulfurized product in high yields. This method has been applied also to cystine, penicillamine, and reduced and oxidized glutathione. The desulfurization has been found to be pH sensitive, with an optimal pH value of 6.5 and 7.0 for the cysteine derivatives and glutathione, respectively. In addition, during the desulfurization of a decapeptide containing cysteine and methionine, concurrent oxidation of the two sulfur-containing residues to disulfide and sulfoxide has been observed. Therefore, whereas the presented protocol allows a straightforward visible light-mediated desulfurization of simple thiols by using very low catalyst loading and a cost-effective trialkylphosphite as thiyl radical trapping agent, its application to complex substrates needs to be carefully validated. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An acrylated isocyanonaphthalene based solvatochromic click reagent: Optical and biolabeling properties and quantum chemical modeling

The optical and biolabeling properties of a novel molecule 1-(2-acryloyloxy-3-chloro-prop-1-yl)-amino-5-isocyanonaphthalene (ACAIN) is reported. In addition to being a real solvatochromic fluorophore it reacts quantitatively and rapidly with simple thiols in a thiol-ene click reaction. DFT calculations revealed a dark nonfluorescent state of ACAIN due to a close energy triplet state where electron transition can happen between the acrylic double bond and the aromatic core through an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the NH and CO moieties. The hydrothiolation reaction is accompanied by a 1.5–19 fold increase in fluorescence intensity depending on the solvent used owing to the saturation of the acrylic group. The quantum yield and reactivity of the molecules were found to be largely dependent on the substituent of the acryl moiety.The biolabeling properties were investigated in detail by fluorometry and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry using cysteine, KAC as a simple tripeptide and BSA as a model protein.

Effect of Pyramidalization of the M2(SR)2 Center: The Case of (C5H5)2Ni2(SR)2

The effects of simple thiolates vs chelating dithiolates on M–M bonding, redox potentials, and synthetic outcomes have been probed experimentally and computationally. Nickelocene (Cp2Ni) has long been known to react with simple thiols to give diamagnetic Cp2Ni2(SR)2 with planar Ni2S2 cores and long Ni- - -Ni distances. Ethane- and propanedithiol (edtH2 and pdtH2, respectively) instead give di-, tri-, and pentanickel complexes, with nonplanar Ni2S2 cores. The 36e Cp2Ni2(pdt) (1pdt) adopts a symmetrical butterfly Ni2S2 structure. Variable-temperature NMR spectra indicate that 1pdt possesses a thermally accessible triplet state (ΔG = 2.65(5) kcal/mol) in equilibrium with a diamagnetic ground state. DFT calculations indicate that the singlet–triplet gap is highly sensitive to the nonplanarity of the Ni2S2 core. The calculations further reveal that only the high-spin form of 1pdt features Ni–Ni bonding, which is unprecedented. Cp2Ni3(pdt)2 (2pdt), which derives from 1pdt, crystallized as cis and trans isomers, both with a central Ni(pdt)22– unit that is S,S-chelated to two CpNi+ centers. Reaction of Cp2Ni with 1,2-ethanedithiol (H2edt) and 1,2-benzenedithiol (bdtH2) exclusively gave the trinickel species 2edt and 2bdt, which are structurally analogous to cis-2pdt. Solutions of 2edt are unstable, depositing crystals of Cp2Ni5(edt)4 (3edt). Cyclic voltammetric studies show that the Ni2 species oxidize readily to give the mixed-valence cations [1pdt]+ and [1edt]+. Crystallographic and EPR analyses indicate that these cations are delocalized mixed-valence Ni(II)–Ni(III) species. Oxidation of Cp2Ni2(SEt)2, which features a planar Ni2S2 core, afforded a mixed-valence cation, showing the pyramidal Ni2S2 core observed in [1pdt]0/+ and [1edt]0/+. Although not obtained from the Cp2Ni/H2edt reaction, the neutral complex 1edt was obtained by reduction of [1edt]+. Variable-temperature NMR measurements and DFT calculations indicate that the triplet is further stabilized in this highly pyramidalized species.

Determination of total antioxidant capacity of milk by CUPRAC and ABTS methods with separate characterisation of milk protein fractions.

Most milk-applied antioxidant assays in literature are based on the isolation and quantification of individual antioxidative compounds, whereas total antioxidant capacity (TAC) gives a more holistic picture due to cooperative action of antioxidants. Recently, the cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) method has been modified to measure the antioxidant capacities of thiol-containing proteins, where the classical ammonium acetate buffer - that may otherwise precipitate proteins- was replaced with concentrated urea buffer (able to expose embedded thiol groups of proteins to oxidative attack) adjusted to pH 7.0. Thus, antioxidant capacity of milk was investigated with two competing TAC assays, namely CUPRAC and ABTS (2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid))/persulphate, because only these assays were capable of evaluating protein contribution to the observed TAC value. As milk fat caused turbidity, experiments were carried out with skim milk or defatted milk samples. To determine TAC, modified CUPRAC method was applied to whole milk, separated and redissolved protein fractions, and the remaining liquid phase after necessary operations. Both TAC methods were investigated for their dilution sensitivity and antioxidant power assessment of separate milk fractions such as casein and whey. Proteins like β-lactoglobulin and casein (but not simple thiols) exhibited enhanced CUPRAC reactivity with surfactant (SDS) addition. Addition of milk protein fractions to whole skim milk produced significant 'negative-biased' deviations (up to -26% relative standard error) from TAC absorbance additivity in the application of the ABTS method, as opposed to that of the CUPRAC method less affected by chemical deviations from Beer's law thereby producing much smaller deviations from additivity (i.e. the property of additivity is valid when the measured TAC of a mixture is equal to the sum of individual antioxidant capacities of its constituents).

Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 74, Revision 3 (FGE.74Rev3): Consideration of Simple Aliphatic Sulphides and Thiols evaluated by the JECFA (53rd and 61st meeting) Structurally related to Aliphatic and Alicyclic Mono‐, Di‐, Tri‐, and Polysulphides with or without Additional Oxygenated Functional Groups from Chemical Group 20 evaluated by EFSA in FGE.08Rev5 (2012)

Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 74, Revision 3 (FGE.74Rev3): Consideration of Simple Aliphatic Sulphides and Thiols evaluated by the JECFA (53rd and 61st meeting) Structurally related to Aliphatic and Alicyclic Mono‐, Di‐, Tri‐, and Polysulphides with or without Additional Oxygenated Functional Groups from Chemical Group 20 evaluated by EFSA in FGE.08Rev5 (2012)