An efficient and chemoselective method for protection of thiols catalyzed by aluminumdodecatungstophosphate (AlPW12O40), as a highly water tolerant Lewis acid catalyst

Protection of various thiols with diphenylmethanol was achieved in high yields at room temperature using catalytic amounts of AlPW₁₂O₄₀ in CH₂Cl₂. In the presence of this catalyst, protection of SH versus OH was achieved with high chemoselectivity and yields. The catalyst can be easily recovered and reused. Deprotection of DPM thioethers was also achieved using molecular iodine at reflux in CH₂Cl₂ in high yields.     

Adsorptive stripping voltammetric analysis of 2,4,6-tri(2′pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine at a mercury electrode

The redox behaviour of adsorbed species of 2,4,6-tri(2-pyridyl)-1,3-5-triazine (TPTZ) at the surface of a mercury electrode was examined using cycling voltammetry. Based on the adsorption and accumulation of TPTZ at the charged mercury surface cathodic adsorptive stripping voltammetry (CSV) is applied for the trace determination of TPTZ using a differential pulse (DP) technique. Experimental and operational parameters for the quantitative analysis of TPTZ are optimized and the detection limit was found to be 3×10^–9 mol/l. The effect of some interferences, e.g. organic compounds, cations and anions, are investigated.     

A New ent‐Kaurane Diterpene from Stems of Alibertia macrophylla K. Schum. (Rubiaceae)

Phytochemical investigations of the stems of a specimen of Alibertia macrophylla led to the isolation and characterization of the new diterpene ent‐kaurane‐2β,3α,16α‐triol ( 1 ), along with triterpenes 2 – 8 , iridoids 9 – 12 , and phenolic acids 13 – 15 . The structure of 1 was established based on spectroscopic studies (¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, IR, and HR‐ESI‐MS). This is the first report of the isolation of a diterpene from the Alibertia genus in Rubiaceae.     

Synthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-1-(Indanyloxymethyl) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-1-(4-Hydroxybut-2-enyloxymethyl) Analogues of the HIV Drugs Emivirine and GCA-186

Summary. A series of Emivirine and GCA-186 analogues substituted at N-1 with indan-1-yloxymethyl (6a–6c) and indan-2-yloxymethyl (6d–6f) were synthesized by reaction of the corresponding bis(indanyloxy)methans with uracils having 5-ethyl or 5-isopropyl and 6-benzyl or 6-(3,5-dimethylbenzyl) substituents. A route to the corresponding N-1 substituted 4-hydroxybut-2-enyloxymethyl analogue was also devised. All newly synthesized compounds showed potent activity against wild-type HIV-1, the most active compound being 5-ethyl-1-(indan-1-yloxymethyl)-6-(3,5-dimethylbenzyl)uracil (6b), which was 50-fold more active than Emivirine.Present address: Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, EgyptA research center funded by The Danish National Research Foundation for studies on nucleic acid chemical biology     

The role of charge distribution on the antimalarial activity of artemisinin analogues

In this work the calculated nuclear quadrupole coupling constants (NQCC; chi) of 17O in artemisinin and some of its derivatives and the effects of charge density due to the nature of ligands on NQCC of 17O were investigated. All calculations were performed at the HF/3-21G level using the Gaussian 98 program. The results show that the O-O linkage has a characteristic role in the antimalarial activity of artemisinin. In addition, various substitutions on C4 change the charge density on these oxygens and consequently change the pharmaceutical effect of artemisinin. Our results suggest that due to a larger charge density on O1, the heme iron approaches the endoperoxide moiety at the O1 position with preference to the O2 position.     

Role of axial ligand on the electronic structures of active intermediates in cytochrome P-450, peroxidase and catalase

DFT method (B3LYP) with 6-31G^* basis set was utilized in the computation of a fully optimized structure, net atomic charges and spin densities of the intermediate of cytochrome P-450-oxoiron(IV) porphyrin cation radical, compound I – in the presence of axial ligand such as thiolate (SMe⁻) imidazole (IM), phenoxide (OPh⁻), methoxide (OMe⁻) and chloride (Cl⁻). The results show doublet states in compound I are about 2–4 kcal/mol more stable than quartet states for all aforementioned ligands, and the doublet state is the ground state in all cases. However, electron donor ability of the ligands are in the order of SMe⁻ > IM > OMe⁻ > OPh⁻ > Cl⁻. Also the active oxidant intermediate of cytochrome P-450 between different mesomeric structures select sulfur oxygen radical type structure and can be viewed as (RS^↓)Fe^↑(IV)(O^↑)(Por). In horseraddish peroxidase (HRP) and peroxidase with histidine axial ligand π cation radical character of porphyrin ring is preferred (Im)Fe^↑(IV)(O^↑)(Por^↓). For the ligands such as OMe⁻, OPh⁻ and Cl⁻ oxidation mainly took place on the iron and the active intermediate can be viewed as (L)Fe^↑(V)(O)(Por) with one unpaired electron localized on the iron.     

A new diphenylphosphinite ionic liquid (IL-OPPh2) as reagent and solvent for highly selective bromination, thiocyanation or isothiocyanation of alcohols and trimethylsilyl and tetrahydropyranyl ethers

A new diphenylphosphinite ionic liquid (IL-OPPh₂) is introduced. This ionic liquid is used as both a reagent and a solvent to convert alcohols and trimethylsilyl and tetrahydropyranyl (THP) ethers into their corresponding alkyl bromides, thiocyanates or isothiocyanates in the presence of Br₂ and SCN⁻ at 80 °C. In this ionic liquid, bromination and thiocyanation of alcohols occurs highly selectively in the presence of trimethylsilyl and THP-ethers and also between different classes of alcohols. The use of this ionic liquid allows easy separation of the desired products from the phosphinate by-product.     

A novel synthesis of bis-(α-hydroxyalkyl)phosphinic acids involving microwave irradiation

A simple, efficient, and general method has been developed for the synthesis of bis-(α-hydroxyalkyl)phosphinic acids from hypophosphorous acid using microwave irradiation. Bis-(α-hydroxyalkyl)phosphinic acids were obtained in high yield under mild conditions by reaction of hypophosphorous acid with aldehydes under microwave irradiation.     

A study on the intermolecular hydrogen bonds of alpha-glycylglycine in its actual crystalline phase using ab initio calculated 14N and 2H nuclear quadrupole coupling constants

alpha-Glycylglycine in its actual crystalline phase is studied by ab initio calculated nuclear quadrupole coupling constants. These physical quantities are computed for 2H and 14N in the hydrogen bonds. The type of hydrogen bond is the N-H...O type. The computations are performed with the RHF and B3LYP methods and 6-31++G** and 6-311++G** basis sets using the Gaussian 98 program. Values of the calculated nuclear quadrupole coupling constants are shown in Tables 1-3. The aim of this work is the study of 2H and 14N quadrupole coupling constants which contribute in the CON2H...O=CN2H type of hydrogen bond. The computed nuclear quadrupole coupling constants of 2H nuclei meet the related experimental values. In addition, the computed chi value of 14N belonging to the -CO-14NH- group agrees well with values obtained experimentally. However, there are some discrepancies between calculated 14N chi values of the N+H3 residue and experiments. Also, the values of these physical parameters are calculated for >C2H2 of alpha-glycylglycine in its crystalline phase. Calculations for these parameters are carried out in a single molecule using X-ray diffraction coordinates, too.     

FTIR study of CO adsorption on molybdena-alumina catalysts for surface characterization

CO adsorption at low temperature has been used to probe Lewis acid sites created upon dehydroxylation of γ-Al₂O₃ and reduction of Mo/Al₂O₃ catalysts, using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Carbon-monoxide adsorption on γ-Al₂O₃ and Mo/Al₂O₃ catalysts dehydroxylated and reduced at different temperatures was studied at 78 K by IR spectroscopy. However, our results indicate that there is an approximately linear correlation between the increase either of dehydroxylation or the extent of reduction of the catalysts and the increasing absorbance of CO due to CO adsorption on Lewis acid sites created upon dehydroxylation of γ-Al₂O₃ and reduction of Mo/Al₂O₃.