2015, Köhler, Thomas, Huhn, Thomas, Groth, Ulrich

Hexahydroindenes 10 are readily available in 3 steps with an overall yield of 41 – 45 % starting from the Hajos Wiechert ketone 1. Alkylation of the α,β-unsaturated ketone 1 at C-4 has been achieved by thioalkylation of the corresponding zinc dienolate 2 with α-chlorosulfides of type 3. Subsequent in situ reduction and desulfurization of the β-(phenylthio) ketones 4 leads directly to the 4-substituted hexahydroindene-5-ols 6 which can be deoxygenated via their mesylates to the hexahydroindenes 10.

2012-06-11, Immel, Timo, Grützke, Martin, Späte, Anne-Katrin, Groth, Ulrich, Öhlschläger, Peter, Huhn, Thomas

Chelate stabilization of a titanium(IV)–salan alkoxide by ligand exchange with 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (dipic) resulted in heptacoordinate complex 3 which is not redox-active, stable on silica gel and has increased aqueous stability. 3 is highly toxic in HeLa S3 and Hep G2 and has enhanced antitumor efficacy in a mouse cervical-cancer model.

2012, Briechle, Bernd M., Kim, Youngsang, Ehrenreich, Philipp, Erbe, Artur, Sysoiev, Dmytro, Huhn, Thomas, Groth, Ulrich, Scheer, Elke

We report on an experimental analysis of the charge transport through sulfur-free photochromic molecular junctions. The conductance of individual molecules contacted with gold electrodes and the current–voltage characteristics of these junctions are measured in a mechanically controlled break-junction system at room temperature and in liquid environment. We compare the transport properties of a series of molecules, labeled TSC, MN, and 4Py, with the same switching core but varying side-arms and end-groups designed for providing the mechanical and electrical contact to the gold electrodes. We perform a detailed analysis of the transport properties of TSC in its open and closed states. We find rather broad distributions of conductance values in both states. The analysis, based on the assumption that the current is carried by a single dominating molecular orbital, reveals distinct differences between both states. We discuss the appearance of diode-like behavior for the particular species 4Py that features end-groups, which preferentially couple to the metal electrode by physisorption. We show that the energetic position of the molecular orbital varies as a function of the transmission. Finally, we show for the species MN that the use of two cyano end-groups on each side considerably enhances the coupling strength compared to the typical behavior of a single cyano group.

2011-10, Bertini, Enrico, Strobelt, Hendrik, Braun, Joachim, Deussen, Oliver, Groth, Ulrich, Mayer, Thomas U., Merhof, Dorit

We present HiTSEE (High-Throughput Screening Exploration Environment) a visualization tool for the analysis of large chemical screens for the analysis of biochemical processes. The tool supports the analysis of structure-activity relationships (SAR analysis) and, through a flexible interaction mechanism, the navigation of large chemical spaces. Our approach based on the projection of one or few molecules of interest and the expansion around their neighborhood allows for the exploration of large chemical libraries without the need to create an all encompassing overview of the whole library. We describe the requirements we collected during our collaboration with biologists and chemists, the design rationale behind the tool, and two case studies.

2015, Jacobs, Nadine, Lang, Steffen, Panisch, Robin, Wittstock, Gunther, Groth, Ulrich, Nasiri, Hamid R.

The electrochemistry and cytotoxicity of marcanine A were investigated by electrochemical, computational and cellular studies. To enable a structure–toxicity-relationship of the natural product, eleven novel synthetic derivatives with different electrochemical properties were synthesized and tested. Derivative 5 revealed a GI50 in the low μM range, being more active than the actual natural product. A clear correlation was found between the experimental and the calculated data.

2012, Strobelt, Hendrik, Bertini, Enrico, Braun, Joachim, Deussen, Oliver, Groth, Ulrich, Mayer, Thomas U., Merhof, Dorit

We present HiTSEE (High-Throughput Screening Exploration Environment), a visualization tool for the analysis of large chemical screens used to examine biochemical processes. The tool supports the investigation of structure-activity relationships (SAR analysis) and, through a flexible interaction mechanism, the navigation of large chemical spaces. Our approach is based on the projection of one or a few molecules of interest and the expansion around their neighborhood and allows for the exploration of large chemical libraries without the need to create an all encompassing overview of the whole library. We describe the requirements we collected during our collaboration with biologists and chemists, the design rationale behind the tool, and two case studies on different datasets. The described integration (HiTSEE KNIME) into the KNIME platform allows additional flexibility in adopting our approach to a wide range of different biochemical problems and enables other research groups to use HiTSEE.

2012, Gladkov, Eugene S., Gura, Katerina A., Sirko, Svetlana M., Desenko, Sergey M., Groth, Ulrich, Chebanov, Valentin A.

Multicomponent reactions involving polyfunctional 4-amino-5-carboxamido-1,2,3-triazole and cyclic carbonyl-containing CH-acids were studied under conventional thermal heating, microwave and ultrasonic irradiation. The features of the reactions studied were discussed and the optimized procedures for the synthesis of final triazolopyrimidines were elaborated. In contrast to the similar MCRs of numerous other aminoazoles, a change of direction of the heterocyclizations in the case of 4-amino-5-carboxamido-1,2,3-triazole was not observed when microwave or thermal heating was substituted by ultrasonication at ambient temperature.

2012-11-28, Sysoiev, Dmytro, Yushchenko, Tetyana, Scheer, Elke, Groth, Ulrich, Steiner, Ulrich, Exner, Thomas E., Huhn, Thomas

Several difurylperfluorocyclobutenes showing reversible photochromism were synthesized. In comparison to their cyclopentene homologues they show enhanced quantum yields for ring opening but reduced quantum yields for ring closure. X-ray structure analysis and quantum chemical calculations provide a conclusive explanation for such a behaviour.

2012, Kim, Youngsang, Garcia-Lekue, Aran, Sysoiev, Dmytro, Frederiksen, Thomas, Groth, Ulrich, Scheer, Elke

Azobenzene-derivative molecules change their conformation as a result of a cis-trans transition when exposed to ultraviolet or visible light irradiation and this is expected to induce a significant variation in the conductance of molecular devices. Despite extensive investigations carried out on this type of molecule, a detailed understanding of the charge transport for the two isomers is still lacking. We report a combined experimental and theoretical analysis of electron transport through azobenzene-derivative single-molecule break junctions with Au electrodes. Current-voltage and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) measurements performed at 4.2 K are interpreted based on first-principles calculations of electron transmission and IETS spectra. This qualitative study unravels the origin of a slightly higher conductance of junctions with the cis isomer and demonstrates that IETS spectra of cis and trans forms show distinct vibrational fingerprints that can be used for identifying the isomer.

2012-01, Immel, Timo, Grützke, Martin, Batroff, Ellen, Groth, Ulrich, Huhn, Thomas

Controlled hydrolysis of donor-substituted titanium-salan complexes led to the formation of well-defined dinuclear complexes. Structure determination by means of X-ray and NMR-studies revealed the presence of a single My-oxo bridge and one labile alkoxide ligand per titanium center. Concomitant cytotoxicity assays of the isolated dinuclear complexes showed cytotoxicities in the low micro-molar region, surpassing in this respect even their monomeric ancestors, thus making them possible highly active metabolites of titanium-salan anti-cancer drugs.