A ‘one pot’ microwave-mediated synthesis of the basic canthine skeleton: expedient access to unnatural β-carboline alkaloids

In a ‘one pot’ microwave reaction, an acyl hydrazide-tethered indole underwent a 3-component condensation to form a triazine, followed by an inverse-electron demand Diels-Alder reaction and subsequent chelotropic expulsion of N₂ to deliver novel, unnatural β-carboline alkaloids in good isolated yields.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of spongistatin/altohyrtin analogues: E-ring dehydration and C46 side-chain truncation

Simplified analogues of the potent antimitotic marine macrolide spongistatin 1/altohyrtin A were synthesised and evaluated as growth inhibitory agents against a range of human tumour cell lines, including Taxol-resistant strains, revealing that E-ring dehydration leads to enhanced cytotoxicity at the low picomolar level while truncation of the side-chain at C46 results in a drastic decrease in activity.     

Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of chemical force microscopy

Chemical force microscopy and related force measurement techniques have emerged as powerful tools for studying fundamental interactions central to understanding adhesion and tribology at the molecular scale. However, detailed interpretation of these interactions requires knowledge of chemical and physical processes occurring in the region of the tip-sample junction that experiments cannot provide, such as atomic-scale motions and distribution of forces. In an effort to address some of these open issues, atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were performed modeling a chemical force microscope stylus covered with a planar C12 alkylthiolate self-assembled monolayer (SAM) interacting with a solid wall. A complete loading-unloading sequence was simulated under conditions of near-constant equilibrium, approximating the case of infinitely slow tip motion. In the absence of the solid wall, the stylus film existed in a fluid state with structural and dynamic properties similar to those of the analogous planar SAM at an elevated temperature. When the wall was brought into contact with the stylus and pressed against it, a series of reversible changes occurred culminating with solidification of the SAM film at the largest compressive force. During loading, the chemical composition of the contact changed, as much of the film's interior was exposed to the wall. At all tip heights, the distribution of forces within the contact zone was uneven and subject to large local fluctuations. Analysis using the Johnson-Kendall-Roberts, Derjaguin-Muller-Toporov, and Hertz contacts mechanics models revealed significant deviations from the simulation results, with the JKR model providing best overall agreement. Some of the discrepancies found would be overlooked in an actual experiment, where, unlike the simulations, contact area is not separately known, possibly producing a misleading or incorrect interpretation of experimental results. These shortcomings may be improved upon by using a model that correctly accounts for the finite thickness of the compliant components and nonlinear elastic effects.     

Mass spectral identification and positional mapping of aflatoxin B1—Guanine adducts in oligonucleotides

The biological consequences of a carcinogen—DNA adduct are defined by the structure of the lesion and its position within the genome. Electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI-ITMS) is shown here to be a sensitive and rapid approach capable of defining both of these parameters. Three isomeric oligonucleotides of the sequence 5′-CCGGAGGCC modified by the potent human carcinogen aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) at different guanines were analyzed by ESI-ITMS. All three samples possessed the same molecular ion confirming the presence of an intact aflatoxin moiety in each oligonucleotide. In addition, each sample displayed a characteristic fragmentation pattern that permitted unambiguous identification of the site of modification within the sequence. Furthermore, an AFB₁-modified oligonucleotide was converted under alkaline conditions to its more stable formamidopyrimidine (FAPY) derivative. Analysis of this sample revealed the presence of a molecular ion corresponding to the presence of the FAPY adduct and a distinctive fragmentation pattern that paralleled the known chemical stability of the FAPY metabolite. This approach should be of general use in the determination of not only the nature and site of covalent modifications, but also the chemical stability of DNA adducts.     

Highly conformationally constrained halogenated 6-spiroepoxypenicillins as probes for the bioactive side-chain conformation of benzylpenicillin

Summary The halogenated 6-spiroepoxypenicillins are a series of novel semisynthetic-lactam compounds with highly conformationally restricted side chains incorporating an epoxide. Their biological activity profiles depend crucially on the configuration at position C-3 of that epoxide. In derivatives with aromatic-containing side chains, e.g., anilide, the 3R-compounds possess notable Gram-positive antibacterial activity and potent-lactamase inhibitory properties. The comparable 3S-compounds are antibacterially inactive, but retain-lactamase inhibitory activity.Using the molecular simulation programs COSMIC and ASTRAL, we attempted to map a putative, lipophilic accessory binding site on the PBPs that must interact with the side-chain aromatic residue. Comparative computer-assisted modelling of the 3R, and 3S-anilides, along with benzylpenicillin, indicated that the available conformational space at room temperature for the side chains of the 3R and the 3S-anilides was mutually exclusive. The conformational space for the more flexible benzylpenicillin could accommodate the side chains ofboth the constrained penicillin derivatives. By a combination of van der Waals surface calculations and a pharmacophoric distance approach, closely coincident conformers of the 3R-anilide and benzylpenicillin were identified. These conformers must be related to the antibacterial, bioactive conformer for the classical-lactam antibiotics. From these proposed bioactive conformations, a model for the binding of benzylpenicillin to the PBPs relating the three-dimensional arrangement of a putative lipophilic S₂-subsite, specific for the side-chain aromatic moiety, and the 3-carboxylate functionality is presented.This work has been reported in preliminary form at the 4th Royal Society of Chemistry International Symposium on Recent Advances in the Chemistry of-lactam Antibiotics, Churchill College, Cambridge, U.K., 3–6 July 1988.     

Reactions of amines with a dimer of hexafluoropropene and with a perfluorovinyl sulfide prepared with hexafluoropropene

Some reactions of amines with a perfluorovinylsulfide, (CF₃)₂CFSC(CF₃)CFCF(CF₃)₂, prepared from hexafluoropropene (HFP) and sulfur [1] are compared to reactions of the same amines with the thermodynamic dimer of HFP, (CF₃)₂CCFCF₂CF₃. Many new ketenimines, eneamines, amidines, nitriles, and quinoline derivatives are reported.     

9,9-diphenyl-1,9,10,10a-tetrahydro-2H-phenaleno[1,9-bc]pyrans

Reaction between some naphtho[2,1-b]pyrans and 1,1-diphenylethene affords 9,9-diphenyl-1,9,10,10a-tetrahydro-2H-phenaleno[1,9-bc]pyrans.     

High-pressure adsorption of CO2 on NaY zeolite and model prediction of adsorption isotherms

Supercritical carbon dioxide is an efficient solvent for adsorptive separations because it can potentially be used as both the carrier solvent for adsorption and the desorbent for regeneration. Recent results have demonstrated an anomalous peak or "hump" in the adsorption isotherm near the bulk critical point when the adsorption isotherm is plotted as a function of bulk density. This work presents new data for the adsorption and desorption of carbon dioxide in the near-critical region on a crystalline, well-structured adsorbent (NaY zeolite). The results indicate a strong affinity for CO(2) as well as a significant hump near the critical point. The lattice model previously developed by Aranovich and Donohue is applied to analyze the adsorption.     

A heterocyclic peptide nanotube

An open-ended hollow tubular structure is designed based on hydrogen-bond-directed self-assembly of a chimeric cyclic peptide subunit comprised of alternating alpha- and epsilon-amino acids. The design features a novel 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazole epsilon-amino acid and its utility as a peptide backbone substitute. The N-Fmoc-protected epsilon-amino acid was synthesized in high yield and optical purity in three steps from readily available starting materials and was employed in solid-phase peptide synthesis to afford the desired cyclic peptide structure. The cyclic peptide self-assembly has been studied in solution by (1)H NMR and mass spectrometry and the resulting tubular ensemble characterized in the solid state by X-ray crystallography.     

Synthesis and evaluation of duocarmycin and CC-1065 analogues incorporating the 1,2,9,9a-tetrahydrocyclopropa[c]benz[e]-3-azaindol-4-one (CBA) alkylation subunit

An efficient eight-step synthesis (53% overall) and the evaluation of 1,2,9,9a-tetrahydrocyclopropa[c]benz[e]-3-azaindol-4-one (CBA) and its derivatives containing an aza variant of the CC-1065/duocarmycin alkylation subunit are detailed. This unique deep-seated aza modification provided an unprecedented 2-aza-4,4-spirocyclopropacyclohexadienone that was characterized chemically and structurally (X-ray). CBA proved structurally identical with CBI, the carbon analogue, including the stereoelectronic alignment of the key cyclopropane, its bond lengths, and the bond length of the diagnostic C3a-N2 bond, reflecting the extent of vinylogous amide (amidine) conjugation. Despite these structural similarities, CBA and its derivatives were found to be much more reactive toward solvolysis and hydrolysis, much less effective DNA alkylating agents (1000-fold), and biologically much less potent (100- to 1000-fold) than the corresponding CBI derivatives.