Schiff base

About: Schiff base is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 19713 publications have been published within this topic receiving 326894 citations.

The Enantioselective Synthesis of α-Amino Acids by Phase-Transfer Catalysis with Achiral Schiff Base Esters

Abstract: The development and application of chiral phase-transfer catalysis (PTC) for the enantioselective synthesis of optically active α-amino acid derivatives using achiral Schiff base esters developed in the author's laboratory and by others is reviewed. Phase-transfer catalysts derived from the Cinchona alkaloids have been exploited as inexpensive and attractive organocatalysts in the chiral PTC process. The recent evolution and use of these and other catalytic systems is described.

Crystal structure of metarhodopsin II.

Abstract: Structural studies of active states of the visual pigment rhodopsin, a G protein-coupled receptor, have previously been limited to apoprotein or opsin forms that do not contain the agonist all-trans-retinal. Two groups now report structures that reveal more details of the transformations involved in rhodopsin activation. Choe et al. solve the X-ray crystal structure of the metarhodopsin II intermediate of the photoreceptor rhodopsin, and Standfuss et al. determine the structure of a constitutively active mutant of rhodopsin bound to a peptide derived from the C-terminus of the G protein transducin. Here the X-ray crystal structure of the metarhodopsin II intermediate of the photoreceptor rhodopsin is solved. Comparison of this structure with previously published structures enabled the proposal of how retinal translocation and rotation induce the conformational changes observed in this structure. G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are seven transmembrane helix (TM) proteins that transduce signals into living cells by binding extracellular ligands and coupling to intracellular heterotrimeric G proteins (Gαβγ)1. The photoreceptor rhodopsin couples to transducin and bears its ligand 11-cis-retinal covalently bound via a protonated Schiff base to the opsin apoprotein2. Absorption of a photon causes retinal cis/trans isomerization and generates the agonist all-trans-retinal in situ. After early photoproducts, the active G-protein-binding intermediate metarhodopsin II (Meta II) is formed, in which the retinal Schiff base is still intact but deprotonated. Dissociation of the proton from the Schiff base breaks a major constraint in the protein and enables further activating steps, including an outward tilt of TM6 and formation of a large cytoplasmic crevice for uptake of the interacting C terminus of the Gα subunit3,4,5. Owing to Schiff base hydrolysis, Meta II is short-lived and notoriously difficult to crystallize. We therefore soaked opsin crystals with all-trans-retinal to form Meta II, presuming that the crystal’s high concentration of opsin in an active conformation (Ops*)6,7 may facilitate all-trans-retinal uptake and Schiff base formation. Here we present the 3.0 A and 2.85 A crystal structures, respectively, of Meta II alone or in complex with an 11-amino-acid C-terminal fragment derived from Gα (GαCT2). GαCT2 binds in a large crevice at the cytoplasmic side, akin to the binding of a similar Gα-derived peptide to Ops* (ref. 7). In the Meta II structures, the electron density from the retinal ligand seamlessly continues into the Lys 296 side chain, reflecting proper formation of the Schiff base linkage. The retinal is in a relaxed conformation and almost undistorted compared with pure crystalline all-trans-retinal. By comparison with early photoproducts we propose how retinal translocation and rotation induce the gross conformational changes characteristic for Meta II. The structures can now serve as models for the large GPCR family.

Ruthenium(II) complexes containing bidentate Schiff bases and their antifungal activity

Abstract: The reactions of ruthenium(II) complexes, [RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)2(B)] [B = PPh3, pyridine (py) or piperidine (pip)], with bidentate Schiff base ligands derived by condensing salicylaldehyde with aniline, o-, m- or p-toluidine have been carried out. The products were characterised by analytical, i.r., electronic, 1H-n.m.r. and 31P-n.m.r. spectral studies and are formulated as [RuCl(CO)(L)(PPh3)(B)] (L = Schiff base anion; B = PPh3, py or pip). An octahedral structure has been tentatively proposed for the new complexes. The Schiff bases and the new complexes were tested in vitro to evaluate their activity against the fungus Aspergillus flavus.

Highly stereoelective polymerization of rac-(D,L)-lactide with a chiral schiff's base/aluminium alkoxide initiator

Abstract: A chiral Schiff's base/aluminium alkoxide initiator bearing a ligand derived from R-(+)-1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-diamine was synthesized and used for the stereoelective polymerization of rac-(D,L)-lactide. Rather high stereoelectivity is observed: a polymer with 88% enantiomeric enrichment in D units is obtained at 19% conversion. At high conversions a stereocomplex between D- and L-enriched stereocopolymers is formed. The polymerization reaction shows living type features, and narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn = 1,05–1,30) are obtained up to very high conversions. This indicates that transesterification reactions do not occur significantly with this sterically hindered initiator.