Daphniglaucins D-H, J, and K, new alkaloids from Daphniphyllum glaucescens

Five new fused-hexacyclic alkaloids, daphniglaucins D (1), E (2), F (3), G (4), and H (5), and two new yuzurimine-type alkaloids, daphniglaucins J (6) and K (7), have been isolated from the leaves of Daphniphyllum glaucescens, and the structures and relative stereochemistry were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and chemical means.     

Montamine, a unique dimeric indole alkaloid, from the seeds of Centaurea montana (Asteraceae), and its in vitro cytotoxic activity against the CaCo2 colon cancer cells

Reversed-phase HPLC analysis of the methanol extract of the seeds of Centaurea montana afforded a flavanone, montanoside (4), six epoxylignans, berchemol (7), berchemol 4′-O-β-d-glucoside (5), pinoresinol (10), pinoresinol 4-O-β-d-glucoside (8), pinoresinol 4,4′-di-O-β-d-glucoside (6), pinoresinol 4-O-apiose-(1→2)-β-d-glucoside (9), two quinic acid derivatives, trans-3-O-p-coumaroylquinic acid (1), cis-3-O-p-coumaroylquinic acid (2), and eight indole alkaloids, tryptamine (3), N-(4-hydroxycinnamoyl)-5-hydroxytryptamine (11), cis-N-(4-hydroxycinnamoyl)-5-hydroxytryptamine (12), centcyamine (16), cis-centcyamine (17), moschamine (13), cis-moschamine (14) and a dimeric indole alkaloid, montamine (15). While the structures of two new compounds, montanoside (4) and montamine (15), were established unequivocally by UV, IR, MS and a series of 1D and 2D NMR analyses, all known compounds were identified by comparison of their spectroscopic data with literature data. The antioxidant properties of these compounds were assessed by the DPPH assay, and their toxicity towards brine shrimps and cytotoxicity against CaCo-2 colon cancer cells were evaluated by the brine shrimp lethality and the MTT cytotoxicity assays, respectively. The novel dimer, montamine (15), showed significant in vitro anticolon cancer activity (IC₅₀=43.9 μM) while that of the monomer, moschamine (13), was of a moderate level (IC₅₀=81.0 μM).     

New phlegmarane-type, cernuane-type, and quinolizidine alkaloids from two species of Lycopodium

Two new phlegmarane-type alkaloids, cermizines A (1) and B (2), three new quinolizidine alkaloids, cermizine C (3) and senepodines G (4) and H (5), and a new C₁₆N₂ type alkaloid consisting of a quinolizidine and a piperidine ring, cermizine D (6), as well as two new cernuane-type alkaloids, cernuine N-oxide (7) and lycocernuine N-oxide (8), have been isolated together with cernuine (9) and lycocernuine (10) from the club moss Lycopodium cernuum and L. chinense. The relative stereochemistry of 1-4 and 6, and the absolute stereochemistry of 5, 7, and 8 were elucidated by combination of NOESY correlations, modified Mosher's method, chemical transformations, and computational methods. Cermizine D (6) might be a biosynthetic intermediate of cernuane-type alkaloids such as 7-10.     

Cytotoxic dimeric sesquiterpenoids from Curcuma parviflora: isolation of three new parviflorenes and absolute stereochemistry of parviflorenes A, B, D, F, and G

Three novel dimeric sesquiterpenoids, named parviflorenes G-I (1-3), have been isolated from Curcuma parviflora (Zingiberaceae), and their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic studies. Absolute stereochemistry of parviflorene G (1) as well as previously isolated related compounds, parviflorenes A (4), B (5), D (6), and F (7), was revealed by CD spectral data and chemical means. Parviflorenes G (1) and I (3) were cytotoxic against HeLa cells, while parviflorenes A (4) and F (7) were cytotoxic against all tested tumor cell lines in the human cancer cell line panel assay.     

A search for kinase inhibitors and antibacterial agents: bromopyrrolo-2-aminoimidazoles from a deep-water Great Australian Bight sponge, Axinella sp.

Biological screening of a deep-water Great Australian Bight marine sponge, Axinella sp., detected inhibition against the neurodegenerative disease kinase targets CDK5/p25, CK1δ, and GSK3β, as well as significant levels of antibacterial activity. Chemical fractionation returned 18 secondary metabolites identified by detailed spectroscopic analysis as three new bromopyrrolo-2-aminoimidazoles, 14-O-sulfate massadine (1), 14-O-methyl massadine (2), and 3-O-methyl massadine chloride (3), together with the known metabolites massadine chloride (4), massadine (5), stylissadine B (6), axinellamines A-C (7-9), hymenin (10), stevensine (also known as odiline) (11), tauroacidin A (12), hymenidin (13), taurodispacamide A (14), oroidin (15), debromohymenialdisine (16), hymenialdisine (17), and aldisin (18). Armed with this focused natural product chemical diversity library, we re-established that 16 and 17 were nM kinase inhibitors, and determined that 3, 6, and 12-15 were sub μM antibacterials.     

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of chalcones bearing prenyl or geranyl groups from Angelica keiskei

Chalcones bearing prenyl or geranyl groups from Angelica keiskei, such as 4-hydroxyderricin (1a), xanthoangelol (1e), xanthoangelol F (1f), xanthoangelol H (2), deoxyxanthoangelol H (3), and deoxydihydroxanthoangelol H (4) and their derivatives were synthesized. From the evaluation of antibacterial activity of the synthesized chalcones, 1a, isobavachalcone (1b), 1e, 1f, bavachalcone (5a), and broussochalcone B (5b) were found to inhibit Gram-positive bacteria.     

Syntheses, structures and luminescent properties of a series of 3D lanthanide coordination polymers with tripodal semirigid ligand

Reactions of the tripodal bridging ligand 5-(4-carboxy-phenoxy)-isophthalic acid (abbreviated as H₃cpia) with lanthanide salts lead to the formation of a family of different coordination polymers, that is, [Ln(cpia)(H₂O)₂]_n·nH₂O (Ln=Ce (1), Pr (2), Nd (3), Sm (4), Eu (5), Gd (6), Dy (7), Er (8), Tm (9) and Y (10)) in the presence of formic acid or diethylamine, which are characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectrum, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), XRPD spectrum and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1-10 are isostructural and exhibit three-dimensional microporous frameworks. Furthermore, the photoluminescent properties of 4, 5 and 7 have been studied in detail.     

Halichonadins A-D, new sesquiterpenoids from a sponge Halichondria sp.

A new dimeric sesquiterpenoid with two eudesmane skeletons through a urea linkage, halichonadin A (1), as well as three new eudesmane sesquiterpenoids having a carbamate, an isonitrile, or an amino functionality, halichonadins B (2), C (3), and D (4), respectively, have been isolated from a marine sponge Halichondria sp., and the gross structures and relative stereochemistry of 1-4 were elucidated on the basis of spectral data and chemical means.     

Syntheses, structures and catalytic activity of copper(II) complexes bearing N,O-chelate ligands

Copper complexes [Cu(Lⁿ)₂] 1-4 bearing N,O-chelating β-ketoamine ligands Lⁿ based on condensation products of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazolone with aniline (L¹), α-naphthylamine (L²), o-methylaniline (L³), and p-nitroaniline (L⁴), respectively, were synthesized and characterized by IR, ¹H NMR and X-ray crystallography (except 2). They were shown to catalyze the vinyl polymerization of norbornene when activated by methylaluminoxane (MAO). Both steric and electronic effects are important and influential factors contributing to the catalytic activity of the complexes with the order of 2 > 4 > 3 > 1.     

Tabularisins A-D, phragmalin ortho esters with new skeleton isolated from the seeds of Chukrasia tabularis

Tabularisins A-D (1-4), a new class of phragmalins incorporating a cyclopropanyl ring, were isolated from Chukrasia tabularis. Compounds 1 and 2 are also the first examples of phragmalins with an 8,9,11-ortho ester. The structures of 1 and 3 were confirmed by single crystal X-ray studies. The absolute configuration of 2 was determined by CD exciton chirality method on its benzoate (2a), and those of 1, 3, and 4 were proposed by correlating with 2 chemically and biogenetically.     

Isolation, structural elucidation, and chemical transformation of interconvertible 8,12-hemiketal germacranolide sesquiterpenoids from Salvia castanea Diels f. tomentosa Stib.

From the aerial parts of Salvia castanea Diels f. tomentosa Stib., four new hemiketal germacranolide sesquiterpenoids, castanins C-F (1-4), were obtained as two pairs of interconvertible forms along with their acetates, 5 and 6. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and X-ray analysis of the uninterconvertible isomeric acetates, 5 and 6. The computational study explained that the ratios of 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and their acetates (5 and 6) in the mixtures were 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3, respectively. In addition, the semisynthesis of castanins C (1) and D (2) was conducted by the photooxidation of castanin B (8), the major constituent of this plant. Compounds 5, 6, and 8 were also tested for their inhibitory activity toward MCF-7, HeLa, and HepG2 cell lines.     

Ammonium hexafluorosilicate salts

The preparation and characterization of the ammonium hexafluorosilicate salts, 2[R]⁺ [SiF₆]²⁻ (where R=piperidinium (2), methylammonium (3), quinolinium (4), acridinium (5), 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinium (6), and propylammonium (7)) is described.The salts were prepared from the reaction of the corresponding alkylammonium fluoride with silica gel. The compounds were characterized by NMR, IR, mass spectrometry and in the case of 1 (piperidinium fluoride), 2-4 by X-ray crystallography. Compounds 1-3 crystallize in the orthorhombic crystal system (space groups Iba2, Fdd2, and Pnnm, respectively), with Z=8, 14, and 4, respectively. Compound 4 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1, with Z=2. Compounds 1-4 exhibit hydrogen bonding.     

Novel regiochemistry in the aqueous singlet oxygen ene reactions of carboxylic acid salts: a comparison of substrate structure

The singlet oxygen (¹Δ_g) photooxidations of angelic acid salt (1), tiglic acid salt (2), 2,3-dimethyl-2-butenoic acid salt (3), 3-ethoxycarbonyl-5,6-dihydro-2-methyl-4H-pyrane acid salt (4), cis-3-hexenoic acid salt (5), and trans-3-hexenoic acid salt (6) were conducted in deuterated water. The major and minor ene allylic hydroperoxide products were quantified and indicate that the allylic hydrogen geminal to the carboxylate group is preferentially abstracted in 1-4, whereas the allylic hydrogen α to the carboxylate is slightly favored for 5 and 6. We have attributed the observed regiochemistry in 1-4 to stabilizing hydrogen bonding interactions between the solvent and the perepoxide, which leads to the major ene product.     

Antimicrobial sesquiterpenes from the Chinese medicinal plant, Chloranthus angustifolius

Two new eudesmane-type sesquiterpenes, 9α-hydroxycurcolonol (1) and 3α-hydroxy-4-deoxy-5-dehydrocurcolonol (2), along with nine known sesquiterpenes (3–11), were isolated from the roots of Chloranthus angustifolius. The antimicrobial activities of compounds 1–11 were evaluated against five bacteria and six fungal strains. Compounds 6–11 showed potent activities against Candida albicans with MIC values ranging from 4 to 8 μg/mL. The structures of the two new compounds 1 and 2 were established by a detailed analysis of their NMR and mass spectroscopic data.     

Two lignans,one alkaloid,and flavanone from the twigs of Feroniella lucida

Four new compounds, two lignans; lucidenal and lucidanin (1 and 2), one alkaloid (3), and one flavanone (4) together with 26 known compounds (5–30), were isolated from the twigs of Feroniella lucida. The structures of the new compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. Lucidenal 1 showed cytotoxicity against HuCCA-1, A549, MOLT-3 and HepG2 cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 4.27, 9.59, 2.31, and 6.50 μg/mL, respectively. A plausible biosynthetic pathway of 1 was proposed.     

New polyesters from Talaromyces flavus

Six new polyesters, talapolyesters A–F (1–4, 14, and 16), together with 11 known ones 15G256ν (5), 15G256ν-me (6), 15G256π (7), 15G256β-2 (8), 15G256α-2 (9), 15G256α-2-me (10), 15G256ι (11), 15G256β (12), 15G256α (13), 15G256α-1 (15), and 15G256ω (17), were isolated from the wetland soil-derived fungus Talaromyces flavus BYD07-13, and their structures were determined by NMR and MS spectroscopic data. Among them, 1–4 and 16 were assembled in a different manner from that of the known 256 polyesters. All the polyesters are composed of (R)-2,4-dihydroxy-6-(2-hydroxypropyl)benzoic acid and (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid/(S)-3,4-dihydroxybutyric acid residues. The absolute configurations of the residues were determined by alkaline hydrolysis. The cytotoxicity against five tumor cell lines of these compounds was examined, and a tight structure–activity relationship is proposed.     

Further studies of tetrakis(N,N′-dialkylbenzamidinato)diruthenium(III) chloro and alkynyl compounds: molecular engineering of metallayne monomers

Three diruthenium(III) compounds Ru₂(L)₄Cl₂, where L is mMeODMBA (N,N′-dimethyl-3-methoxybenzamidinate, 1a), DiMeODMBA (N,N′-dimethyl-3,5-dimethoxy benzamidinate, 1b), or DEBA (N,N′-diethylbenzamidinate, 1c), were prepared from the reactions between Ru₂(OAc)₄Cl and respective HL under reflux conditions. Metathesis reactions between 1 and LiC₂Y resulted in bis-alkynyl derivatives Ru₂(L)₄(C₂Y)₂ [Y=Ph (2), SiMe₃ (3), SiⁱPr₃ (4) and C₂SiMe₃ (5)]. The parent compounds 1 are paramagnetic (S=1), while bis-alkynyl derivatives 2-5 are diamagnetic and display well-solved ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectra. Molecular structures of compounds 1b, 1c, 2c, 3c and 4b were established through single crystal X-ray diffraction studies, which revealed RuRu bond lengths of ca. 2.32 Å for parent compounds 1 and 2.45 Å for bis-alkynyl derivatives. Cyclic voltammograms of all compounds feature three one-electron couples: an oxidation and two reductions, while the reversibility of observed couples depends on the nature of axial ligands.     

Stereochemical studies—XIII: Cyclic aminoalcohols and related compounds—VI synthesis of the four 2-amino-4-t-butylcyclopentanol isomers

From diethyl 3-t-butyladipate (5), via cis- and trans-4-t-butylcyclopentene-1,2-oxide (31, 32) as key compounds, the syntheses of cis-2-amino-cis-4-t-butylcyclopentanol (1), cis-2-amino-trans-4-t-butylcyclopentanol (2), trans-2-amino-cis-4-t-butylcyclopentanol (3) and trans-2-amino-trans-4-t-butylcyclopentanol (4) have been achieved. 1, 3 and 4 were also synthesized from the corresponding 2-hydroxy-4-t-butylcarboxylic acids by Curtius degradation of the hydrazides (11, 18, 19). The steric course of process leading to the above compounds is discussed.     

Syntheses,crystal structures,and magnetic and luminescent properties of a series of lanthanide coordination polymers with chelidamic acid ligand

A series of lanthanide(III) complexes with chelidamic acid ligand, [Ln(C₇H₂NO₅)·3H₂O]_n·nH₂O (Ln = La (1), Y (2), Sm (3), and Nd (4)), [Gd₂(C₇H₂NO₅)₃·4H₂O]_n·2nH₂O (5) and [Ce(C₇H₂NO₅)·1.5H₂O]_n (6), have been synthesized by hydrothermal method and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complexes 1–4 are isostructural and possess 2D framework. Complex 5 contains two different Gd(III) ions linked through carboxylate group to form a 2D framework. Complex 6 exhibits a (4⁴) topology 2D network. The variable-temperature magnetic properties of 3 and 5 have been investigated. Furthermore, the photoluminescent properties of 1, 2, 3, and 5 at room temperature were also studied.     

Halichonadins G-J, new sesquiterpenoids from a sponge Halichondria sp.

Three new dimeric sesquiterpenoids, halichonadins G-I (1-3), and one new eudesmane sesquiterpenoid possessing a 1-phenethyl urea moiety, halichonadin J (4), were isolated from a marine sponge Halichondria sp. Halichonadins G (1) and H (2) are homo-dimers of eudesmane sesquiterpenoid, linked through a methyl 2-{1-(2-amino-2-oxoethyl)ureido}acetate fragment and a 2-hydroxymalonamide fragment, respectively, while halichonadin I (3) is a new hetero-dimer of eudesmane sesquiterpenoid linked through a urea fragment. The structures of 1-4 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data.