title: Imidodiphosphate and pyrophosphate: possible biological significance of similar structures.
abstract: The structure of sodium imidodiphosphate has been determined by single crystal x-ray diffraction. The P-N-P bond angle (127.2 degrees) and P-N bond distance (1.68 angstroms) are remarkably similar to newly refined values for the P-O-P bond angle (128.6 degrees) and the bridging P-O bond distance (1.63 angstroms) of sodium pyrophosphate. This close similarity may explain why P-N-P linkages in algal "polyphosphates" escaped detection until recently and why adenosine triphosphate analogs with this linkage mimic adenosine triphosphate so closely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman 99163, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willett
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Yount
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D011756:Diphosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical
chemical_list: D011756:Diphosphates; D004164:Diphosphonates; C016514:imidodiphosphonic acid; C027474:methylene diphosphonate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; C003319:sodium pyrophosphate