Virtual screening of protein kinase C inhibitors from natural product library to modulate general anaesthetic effects

Protein kinase C (PKC) plays a key role in neurotransmission in the central nervous system, and targeting PKC domain is considered as a strategy to modulate the anaesthetic effects. In this study, we described a synthetic pipeline to perform high-throughput virtual screening against a large library of 3D structural natural products released recently in order to discover those potential PKC modulators. A total of 100 natural products with top scores were raised, from which 12 promising candidates were tested to determine their inhibitory potencies against PKC. As might be expected, the promiscuous kinase inhibitor staurosporine showed a high PKC inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 64 nM), and other two tested compounds, i.e. fisetin and tetrahydropapaverine, were also highly potent with their activities at nanomolar level (IC₅₀ = 370 and 190, respectively).     

Preliminary selection of clay minerals for the removal of pharmaceuticals,bisphenol A and triclosan in acidic and neutral aqueous solutions

Pharmaceuticals, personal care products and endocrine disruptors demonstrate huge potential to cause adverse ecological health effects at very low concentration in aquatic environment. There is a need to improve current purification technologies used in sewage and drinking-water treatment plants. This article aims at providing new insights into the recent development of natural and modified clay-based sorbents for the removal of aqueous contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products. The removal of six widely used pharmaceuticals: ibuprofen, diclofenac, ketoprofen, carbamazepine, as well as endocrine disrupting chemicals – bisphenol A and a bactericidal agent, triclosan – was examined by sorption onto eight adsorbents. Sorption was performed using natural and modified clay minerals – montmorillonite (Mt), vermiculite (VER), bentonite (B), kaolinite (K), commercial acid activated montmorillonites K10 and K30, and two carbonaceous-mineral nanocomposites, MtG5%T, BAlG3%C. This study showed that among the tested natural clays, vermiculite is the most promising sorbent for the removal of pharmaceuticals in purification processes. Among the modified clay minerals, the best results were achieved for carbonaceous bentonite and two acid activated montmorillonites K10 and K30. However, the removal of acidic pharmaceuticals on montomorillonite K10 and carbonaceous bentonite was strongly dependent on the pH value. In the case of vermiculite and acid-modified montmorillonite K30, the sorption of the selected compounds was not significantly affected by pH, which is crucial in wastewater treatment. The sorption constant divided by the specific surface area (K_d/A) is proposed to assess whether the surface area or chemical properties of the materials control the sorption process. K_d/A values were relatively high in the case of vermiculite, so it should be noticed that individual and specific surface properties of vermiculite were of crucial importance for sorption.     

Four oxoindole‐linked α‐alkoxy‐β‐amino acid derivatives

Four structures of oxoindolyl α‐hydroxy‐β‐amino acid derivatives, namely, methyl 2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐methoxy‐2‐phenylacetate, C₂₄H₂₈N₂O₆, (I), methyl 2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐ethoxy‐2‐phenylacetate, C₂₅H₃₀N₂O₆, (II), methyl 2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐[(4‐methoxybenzyl)oxy]‐2‐phenylacetate, C₃₁H₃₄N₂O₇, (III), and methyl 2‐[(anthracen‐9‐yl)methoxy]‐2‐{3‐[(tert‐butoxycarbonyl)amino]‐1‐methyl‐2‐oxoindolin‐3‐yl}‐2‐phenylacetate, C₃₈H₃₆N₂O₆, (IV), have been determined. The diastereoselectivity of the chemical reaction involving α‐diazoesters and isatin imines in the presence of benzyl alcohol is confirmed through the relative configuration of the two stereogenic centres. In esters (I) and (III), the amide group adopts an anti conformation, whereas the conformation is syn in esters (II) and (IV). Nevertheless, the amide group forms intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds with the ester and ether O atoms in all four structures. The ether‐linked substituents are in the extended conformation in all four structures. Ester (II) is dominated by intermolecular N—H...O hydrogen‐bond interactions. In contrast, the remaining three structures are sustained by C—H...O hydrogen‐bond interactions.     

Enabling arbitrary wavelength frequency combs on chip

A necessary condition for generation of bright soliton Kerr frequency combs in microresonators is to achieve anomalous group velocity dispersion (GVD) for the resonator modes. This condition is hard to implement in the visible as well as ultraviolet since the majority of optical materials are characterized with large normal GVD in these wavelength regions. We overcome this challenge by borrowing ideas from strongly dispersive coupled systems in solid state physics and optics. We show that photonic compound ring resonators can possess large anomalous GVD at any desirable wavelength, even if each individual resonator is characterized with normal GVD. Based on this concept, we design a mode‐locked frequency comb with thin‐film silicon nitride compound ring resonators in the vicinity of the rubidium D₁ line (794.6 nm) and propose to use this optical comb as a flywheel for chip‐scale optical clocks.

     

Stimulated Raman scattering in natural crystals of fluorapatite,Ca5(PO4)3F

Hexagonal Ca₅(PO₄)₃F, known as natural crystal fluorapatite and oldest host‐crystal for Ln³⁺‐lasant ions, is presented as a Raman‐active material. High‐order Raman‐induced χ⁽³⁾‐nonlinear processes are discovered in natural crystals of fluorapatite under picosecond pumping at 1.064 μm and 0.532 μm wavelength. A multitude of Stokes and anti‐Stokes components is generated in the ultraviolet, visible and near‐infrared spectral region by stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and Raman four‐wave mixing (FWHM), resulting in a frequency comb with a width of 520 THz. The spectral lines are identified and attributed to the ν₁(A_g) vibration mode of the tetrahedral [PO₄] units which is related to a Raman shift of ω_SRS ≈ 965 cm⁻¹. The first Stokes steady‐state Raman gain coefficient in the near‐infrared spectral range is estimated to be >0.38 cm·GW⁻¹. Finally, a short review of SRS‐promoting vibration modes and observed χ⁽³⁾‐ nonlinear interactions in all known SRS‐active natural crystals (minerals) is given.

     

Preparation and characterization of natural zeolite supported nano TiO2 photocatalysts by a modified electrostatic self‐assembly method

Natural zeolite supported nano TiO₂ photocatalysts were prepared by a modified electrostatic self‐assembly (ESA) method. First, γ‐mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane with sulfhydryl (―SH) functional groups was modified on the zeolite powders by using a ‘dry process’. Second, silane with ―SH functional groups was oxidized to sulfonate (―SO₃H) groups by using a hydrogen peroxide/glacial acetic acid mixed solution, and the surface of ―SO₃H silane–zeolite was electronegative charged due to the ionization of ―SO₃H. Third, the hydrolytic titanium polycation from TiCl₄ solution assembled onto the electronegative charged zeolite under electrostatic attraction in the reaction solutions. Finally, zeolite supported nano TiO₂ photocatalysts can be obtained after the above compounds calcined at certain temperature. The samples were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface areas, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF). The photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange in aqueous solution. The results showed that ESA method effectively improved the composite efficiency of zeolite with TiO₂. The photocatalysts prepared by ESA method exhibited higher photocatalytic and recycling activities than that of traditional method. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ti-MWW分子筛吸附H2O和NH3的结构和振动光谱的密度泛函理论计算

Ti-MWW分子筛具有10元环(10MR)孔道体系和12MR超笼以及外表面杯状空穴,在以H2O2水溶液为氧化剂的催化氧化反应中表现出不同于其他钛硅分子筛的特殊溶剂效应和立体选择性.已有的实验和密度泛函理论(DFT)计算研究表明,骨架Ti(IV)可能分布在10MR孔道和12MR超笼中.最近,我们采用DFT计算研究了Ti-MWW分子筛中骨架钛落位,通过比较Ti/Si替代能和红外振动光谱,提出Ti(IV)最可能落位在T1和T3位,并以[Ti(OSi)4]形态存在,显示960 cm–1钛特征振动峰.[Ti(OSi)4]物种水解时Ti–O键发生选择性断裂,生成具有翻转Ti–OH的[Ti(OSi)3OH]物种.由于Ti中心具有Lewis酸性,与配体分子络合后使Ti(IV)的配位状态改变. Ti-MWW分子筛中不同的骨架Ti(IV)落位和形态可能呈现不同的催化选择性.本文应用DFT研究了Ti-MWW分子筛中T1和T3位上不同钛物种与H2O和NH3的吸附作用,考察了其几何结构、吸附能以及红外振动光谱性质,为深入理解骨架Ti(IV)的微观结构及实验红外光谱表征提供参考数据.计算采用36T簇模型,从MWW分子筛晶体结构中分别以T1和T3为中心截取七层骨架原子,末端设为Si–H键并固定为1.46?.结构优化时松弛内部四层骨架原子并固定最外三层骨架原子.所有计算在B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)理论水平完成,计算的吸附能都经过BSSE校正,计算的频率以约化因子0.961校正.所有计算在Gaussian 09软件包完成.计算结果表明,四配位的[Ti(OSi)4]和[Ti(OSi)3OH]物种都能与H2O或NH3分子作用生成三角双锥的五配位络合物. H2O或NH3分子有选择性地进攻Ti–O键的Ti端,形成近乎直线的L–Ti–O键, L–Ti距离可达2.2–2.4?. T1位钛物种的Lewis酸性比T3位的略高.对于[Ti(OSi)3OH]物种, Ti–OH的存在使得Ti(IV)的酸性大大增强,表现出很强的吸附作用.此外,[Ti(OSi)3OH]物种也能通过Ti–OH基团与H2O和NH3形成氢键络合物,但是其吸附能比形成配位络合物的能量更小,说明配体分子更趋向于吸附在Ti中心形成配位络合物.自然键轨道分析表明, Ti(IV)中心的Lewis酸性归因于Ti的空4p轨道接受配体提供的孤对电子,并且属于LUMO+3.所有吸附络合物的特征振动频率分布在两个区域,即钛特征振动区域和羟基振动区域. T1和T3位的[Ti(OSi)4]物种的钛特征振动频率都在960 cm–1,与H2O形成五配位的吸附络合物之后,钛特征振动频率位移到970 cm–1.[Ti(OSi)3OH]物种的钛特征振动频率分别为990 cm–1(T1位)和970 cm–1(T3位),吸附H2O分子后都位移到980 cm–1.相应的NH3吸附络合物的钛特征振动峰频率都高出5 cm–1.分析表明,钛特征振动模式归属于Ti–O–Si键的不对称伸缩振动的协同振动.在羟基伸缩振动区域,气相H2O、末端Si–OH基团以及Ti–OH基团的羟基伸缩振动在3600–3760 cm–1.吸附H2O后,羟基伸缩振动移到3460–3150 cm–1区域.[Ti(OSi)3OH]物种与NH3和H2O形成氢键络合物后,钛羟基的伸缩振动频率分别红移500和1100 cm–1,出现在2700和3200 cm–1区域.吸附分子的O–H和N–H的伸缩振动频率略微蓝移,这反映了Ti物种具有Lewis酸性.     

Guapsidial A and Guadials B and C: Three New Meroterpenoids with Unusual Skeletons from the Leaves of Psidium guajava

A novel sesquiterpene‐based Psidium meroterpenoid, possessing an unusual coupling pattern, and two new monoterpene‐based meroterpenoids with unprecedented skeletons were isolated from the leaves of Psidium guajava. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic, X‐ray diffraction, and computational methods. The plausible biosynthetic pathway of these meroterpenoids as well as their cytotoxicities toward HepG2 and HepG2/ADM cells were also discussed.     

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of ent‐Pyripyropene A

An asymmetric total synthesis of ent‐pyripyropene A was achieved by a convergent synthetic route. We used our originally developed Ti^III‐catalyzed radical cyclization to construct an AB‐ring portion that consisted of a trans‐decalin skeleton with five contiguous stereogenic centers. The coupling between the AB‐ring and the DE‐ring portions, and a subsequent C‐ring cyclization, led to the total synthesis of ent‐pyripyropene A. An evaluation of the insecticidal activity of ent‐pyripyropene A against two aphid species revealed that ent‐pyripyropene A was 35–175 times less active than naturally occurring pyripyropene A. This result indicated that the biological target of pyripyropene A recognizes the absolute configuration of pyripyropene A.     

Diastereoselective Synthesis of Cyclopentanoids: Applications to the Construction of the ABCD Tetracyclic Core of Retigeranic Acid A

A concise and efficient approach for the construction of the tetracyclic carbon skeleton of retigeranic acid A is described. The key transformations include a novel Rh‐catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition of enyol to afford cyclopentanoid E , bearing two contiguous quaternary stereocenters at the bridgehead positions, and an intramolecular Pauson–Khand reaction to construct the advanced tetracyclic core structure of retigeranic acid A.