Catalytic activities of Schiff base aquocomplexes of copper(II) towards hydrolysis of amino acid esters

Summary Solid aquo Cu^II complexes of Schiff bases derived from amino acids have been prepared and characterized. Using a pH-stat method, the kinetics of base hydrolysis of the amino acid esters H₂NCH₂CO₂Me·HCl (GE), (HO)-C₆H₄CH₂(NH₂)CO₂Me·HCl (TE), MeS(CH₂)₂CH(NH₂)-CO₂Me·HCl (ME), HSCH₂CH(NH₂)CO₂Et·HCl (CE), C₃H₃N₂CH₂CH(NH₂)CO₂Me·2HCl (HE) and [—SCH₂-CH(NH₂)CO₂Me]₂·2HCl (CysE) have been studied. The complexes enhanced the rate of hydrolysis substantially, the values of the second-order rate constants being some 10–50 times greater than those obtained in the presence of the simple Cu^II ion.     

Synthesis of thionato(trimethylphosphine)gold(I) complexes

Summary New compounds of formula [AuL(PMe₃)]Cl [L = imidazolidine-2-thione (Imt), 1,3-diazinane-2-thione (Diaz), 1,3-diazepine-2-thione (Diap) and their derivatives] have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, and i.r., ¹³C- and ³¹P-n.m.r. spectroscopies. The Diap ligand, which incorporates the thione in a seven-membered heterocyclic ring, binds more strongly to Au^I compared to its Diaz (six-membered ring) and Imt (five-membered ring) analogues.     

O-Protected 3-hydroxy-oxazolidin-2,4-diones: novel precursors in the synthesis of alpha-hydroxyhydroxamic acids

O-Protected 3-hydroxyoxazolidin-2,4-diones have been prepared in a novel one-pot reaction by subsequent treatment of cyanohydrins with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole and O-protected hydroxylamines followed by acidic hydrolysis of the intermediate 4-imino-oxazolidin-2-ones. Decarbonylation of O-protected 3-hydroxyoxazolidin-2,4-diones by catalytic amounts of sodium methoxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and caesium carbonate in methanol afforded O-protected alpha-hydroxyhydroxamic acids in excellent yields. Their deprotection provided a series of novel alpha-hydroxyhydroxamic acids.     

Deoxy-nitrosugars. 17th communication. Synthesis of ketose-derived nucleosides from 1-deoxy-1-nitroribose

A new approach to ketose-derived nucteosides is described. It is based upon a chain elongation of 1-deoxy-1-nitroaldoses, followed by activation of the nitro group as a leaving group, and introduction of a pyrimidine or purine base. Thus, the nitroaldose 7 was prepared from 3 by pivaloylation (→ 4 ), synthesis of the anomeric nitrones 5/6 , and ozonolysis of 6 (Scheme 1). Partial hydrolysis of 4 yielded 8/9 , which were characterized as the acetates 10/11 and transformed into the nitrones 12/13 . Ozonolysis of 12/13 gave 14/15 , which were acetylated to 16/17 . Henry reaction of 7 lead to 19 and 20 , which were acetylated to 21 and 22 (Scheme 2). Michael addition of 7 to acrylonitrile and to methyl propynoate yielded the anomers 23/24 and 25/26 , respectively. Similar reactions of 16/17 were prevented by a facile β-elimination. Therefore, the nitrodiol 15 was transformed into the orthoesters 27 and then, by Henry reaction, partial hydrolysis, and acetylation, into 28 and 29 (Scheme 2). The structure of 19 was established by X-ray analysis. It was the major product of the kinetically controlled Henry reaction of 7 . Similarly, the β-D-configurated nitroaldoses 23 and 25 were the major products of the Michael addition. This indicates a preferred ‘endo’-attack on the nitronate anion derived from 7 . AMI calculations for this anion indicate a strong pyramidalization at C(1), in agreement with an ‘endo’-attack. Nucleosidation of 21 by 31 afforded 32 and 33 . Yields depended strongly upon the nature and the amount of the promoter and reached 77% for 33 , which was transformed into 34 , 35 , and the known ‘psicouridine’ ( 36 ; Scheme 3). To probe the mechanism, the trityl-protected 30 was nucleosidated yielding 37 , or 37 and 38 , depending upon the amount of FeCl₃. Nucleosidation of the nitroacetate 28 was more difficult, required SnCl₂ as a promoter, and yielded 39 and 40 . The β-D-anomer 40 was transformed into 36 . Nucleosidation of 23 (SnCl₄) yielded the anomers 41 and 42 , which were transformed into 43 and 44 , and hence into 45 and 46 (Scheme 4). Similarly, nucleosidation of 25 yielded 47 and 48 , which were deprotected to 49 and 50 , respectively. The nucleoside 49 was saponified to 51 . Nucleosidation of 21 by 52 (SnCl₂) afforded the adenine nucleosides 53 and 54 (Scheme 5). The adenine nucleoside 53 was deprotected (→ 55 → 56 ) to ‘psicofuranine’ (1), which was also obtained from 58 , formed along with 57 by nucleosidation of 28 . The structure and particularly the conformation of the nitroaldoses, nitroketoses, and nucleosides are examined.     

New cholinesterase inhibiting steroidal alkaloids from the leaves of Sarcococca coriacea of Nepalese origin

From the leaves of Sarcococca coriacea two new steroidal alkaloids, epoxynepapakistamine-A [(20S)-20-(N-methylamino)-3beta-(tigloylamino)-5alpha-pregna-16alpha,17alpha-epoxy-2beta,4beta-di-O-acetate] (1), and epoxysarcovagenine-D [(20S)-20-(N-methylamino)-3beta-(tigloylamino)-5alpha-pregna-2-en-16alpha,17alpha-epoxy-4-one] (2), and two known compounds funtumafrine C [(20S)-20-(N,N-dimethylamino)-5alpha-pregna-3-one] (3) and N-methylfuntumine (4) were isolated. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectral properties. The compounds 1, 3 and 4 were found to have cholinesterase inhibitory activity when tested for the inhibition of electric eel acetylcholinesterase and horse serum butyrylcholinesterase. They inhibited both enzymes in a concentration dependent fashion.     

Synthesis and ESCA surface studies of octadecyl chain-extended polyurethanes

Poly(ether urethane)s as biomaterials display certain favorable mechanical and biocompatibility properties. Earlier studies suggest that improved blood compatibility might be attained by introducing hydrocarbon groups at the surface. We synthesized and characterized a series of polyurethanes in which a N-2,3-dihydroxypropyl-N′-octadecyl urea chain extender (ODCE) was incorporated into the poly(tetramethylene glycol) (PTMO)/4,4′-methylenebis(phenylene isocyanate) (MDI) system. Molecular weights of the polymers varied between 40,000 and 250,000. An electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) study of the ODCE polyurethane surface revealed a substantially enhanced hydrocarbon concentration compared to a control PTMO/MDI/ethylene diamine (ED) polyurethane surface. Also, bulk composition analyses and ESCA data of the ODCE polymers indicated that the percentage of carbon was higher in the surface region than in the bulk. Thus, the ODCE polymer showed a marked increase in hard-segment concentration in the surface region compared to the bulk region and to the ED polymer.     

Chlorobiphenyls in sewage sludge; comparison of extraction methods

Six extraction methods for the analysis of PCBs (CB-28, CB-52, CB-101, CB-118, CB-138, CB-153 and CB-180) in sewage sludge were tested. A certified reference material (CRM 392) was used for the evaluation of the performance of the methods. Soxhlet-Dean-Starch with toluene as solvent, Soxhlet with hexane:acetone (2:3), cold digestion/saponification with 2 mol/L KOH in methanol followed by partition with hexane, and sonicated liquid-solid extraction with hexane:acetone (1:1) produced accurate results (97%, 93%, 104%, and 88%, respectively) with acceptable precisions (6.2%, 6.8%, 15% and 12%, respectively). Results in close agreement with the certified value for all congeners were obtained by treatment with BF₃-methanol prior to partition with dichloromethane. However, this is a tedious procedure and involves the use of hazardous compounds. Cyclic steam distillation produced results with an accuracy of around 80% and a good precision (5.2%). The very low consumption of solvents and other expensive chemicals by this technique and the possibility of analyzing the extract directly without clean-up make it an interesting alternative to the more sophisticated methods. Column elution with dichloromethane was found to be less efficient (61%), but it is a rapid, direct method with a low consumption of solvents and it may therefore serve as screening method. Received: 29 April 1997 / Revised: 30 July 1997 / Accepted: 6 August 1997     

Isoflavonoid Glycosides from the Rhizomes of Iris germanica

Five new di‐ and triglycosides, irigenin 7‐[O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside] ( 1 ), 6‐hydroxygenistein 4′‐[O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside] ( 2 ), nigricin 4′‐[O‐β‐D ‐glucopyanosyl‐(1→6)‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside] ( 3 ), nigricin 4′‐[O‐β‐D ‐glucopyanosyl‐(1→2)‐O‐[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→6)]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside] ( 4 ), and 7‐{4′‐{[2″‐O‐(4′′′′‐acetyl‐2′′′′‐methoxyphenyl)‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl]oxy}‐3′‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)phenyl]‐9‐methoxy‐8H‐1,3‐dioxolo[4,5‐g]‐[1 benzopyran‐8‐one‐] ( 5 ), along with a known compound, nigricin 4′‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranoside) ( 6 ), were isolated from the rhizomes of Iris germanica. The structures of these compounds were established by spectroscopic methods, including 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques.     

Microbial Transformation of Isolongifolen‐4‐one

The microbial transformation of (+)‐isolongifolen‐4‐one ( 4 ) by a number of fungi by means of a standard two‐stage fermentation technique afforded (7R)‐12‐hydroxyisolongifolen‐4‐one ( 5 ), (7S)‐13‐hydroxyisolongifolen‐4‐one ( 6 ), (11R)‐11‐hydroxyisolongifolen‐4‐one ( 7 ), (10R)‐10‐hydroxyisolongifolen‐4‐one ( 8 ), and (9R)‐9‐hydroxyisolongifolen‐4‐one ( 9 ) (Scheme). All five metabolites were found to be new, and metabolites 6 and 9 showed potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity (Table 1). The metabolites and their derivatives were characterized on the basis of spectroscopic and single‐crystal X‐ray‐diffraction techniques.