Facile synthesis of thermosensitive functional polyaspartamide derivatives by click chemistry

Biodegradable and thermosensitive polyaspartamide derivatives containing pendant azide groups P(Asp‐Az)_X‐HPAs were synthesized from poly(l ‐succinimide) via the ring‐opening reaction with 2‐azidoethylamine (Az) and 5‐hydroxypentylamine (HPA). Then hydrophobic phenethyl (PEA) and imidazole (IMZ) moieties were introduced successfully with very high reaction efficiency above 90% to the side chains of P(Asp‐Az)_X‐HPA by click reaction to obtain thermoresponsive polyaspartamide derivatives containing pendant aromatic rings P(Asp‐Az)_X‐HPA‐PEAs and the thermo/pH‐responsive polyaspartamide derivatives containing pendant imidazole rings P(Asp‐Az)_X‐HPA‐IMZs, respectively. The thermoresponsive behaviors of P(Asp‐Az)_X‐HPA‐PEAs and P(Asp‐Az)_X‐HPA‐IMZs were confirmed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmittance measurements, and the cloud point can be tuned by designed amounts of azide groups and can be further adjusted by the grafting molar percentage of hydrophobic phenethyl or imidazole moieties to the side chains of P(Asp‐Az)_X‐HPA via click chemistry. The pH‐responsive behavior of P(Asp‐Az)_X‐HPA‐IMZs can also be tuned. These results indicate that the obtained polyaspartamide‐based functional polymers can be further functionalized with hydrophilic long PEG chain and/or targeted moieties via click chemistry for drug delivery. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 1296–1303     

Mechanism of Insertion Reactions between Silylenoid H2SiLiF and GeH3R (R =F,OH, NH2): a Theoretical Study

Theoretical investigations on the insertion reaction mechanisms of three- membered-ring silylenoid H2 Si Li F with GeH 3R(R = F, OH, NH2) have been systematically carried out by combined density functional theory(DFT) and ab initio quantum chemical calculations. The geometries of all stationary points for these reactions were optimized using the B3 LYP method and then the QCISD method was used to calculate the single-point energies. The calculated results indicate that, there are one precursor complex(Q), one transition state(TS), and one intermediate(IM) which connect the reactants and the products along the potential energy surface. The insertion reactions of three-membered-ring silylenoid with Ge H3 R proceed in a concerted manner, forming H2RSi-Ge H3 and Li F. The calculated potential energy barriers of the three reactions are 29.17, 30.90, and 54.07 k J/mol, and the reaction energies for the three reactions are –127.05, –116.91, and –103.31 k J/mol, respectively. The insertion reactions in solvents are similar to those in vacuum. Under the same situation, the insertion reactions should occur easily in the following order: GeH 3-F GeH 3-OH GeH 3-NH2. The elucidations of the mechanism of these insertion reactions provided a new mode of silicon-germanium bond formation.     

Pseudopeptide‐Based Hydrogels Trapping Methylene Blue and Eosin Y

We present herein the preparation of four different hydrogels based on the pseudopeptide gelator Fmoc‐l ‐Phe‐d ‐Oxd‐OH (Fmoc=fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl), either by changing the gelator concentration or adding graphene oxide (GO) to the water solution. The hydrogels have been analysed by rheological studies that demonstrated that pure hydrogels are slightly stronger compared to GO‐loaded hydrogels. Then the hydrogels efficiency to trap the cationic methylene blue (MB) and anionic eosin Y (EY) dyes has been analyzed. MB is efficiently trapped by both the pure hydrogel and the GO‐loaded hydrogel through π–π interactions and electrostatic interactions. In contrast, the removal of the anionic EY is achieved in less satisfactory yields, due to the unfavourable electrostatic interactions between the dye, the gelator and GO.     

Direct Observation of an Oxepin from a Bacterial Cytochrome P450‐Catalyzed Oxidation

The cytochromes P450 are hemoproteins that catalyze a range of oxidative C?H functionalization reactions, including aliphatic and aromatic hydroxylation. These transformations are important in a range of biological contexts, including biosynthesis and xenobiotic biodegradation. Much work has been carried out on the mechanism of aliphatic hydroxylation, implicating hydrogen atom abstraction, but aromatic hydroxylation is postulated to proceed differently. One mechanism invokes as the key intermediate an arene oxide (and/or its oxepin tautomer). Conclusive isolation of this intermediate has remained elusive and, currently, direct formation of phenols from a Meisenheimer intermediate is believed to be favored. We report here the identification of a P450 [P450_cam (CYP101A1) and P450_cin (CYP176A1)]‐generated arene oxide as a product of in vitro oxidation of tert‐butylbenzene. Computations (CBS‐QB3) predict that the arene oxide and oxepin have similar stabilities to other arene oxides/oxepins implicated (but not detected) in P450‐mediated transformations, suggesting that arene oxides can be unstable terminal products of P450‐catalyzed aromatic oxidation that can explain the origin of some observed metabolites.     

A novel synthetic route to rac-(Z)-recifeiolide from cyclooctanone and acetaldehyde

A novel synthetic approach to (±)-Z-recifeiolide 6, a 12-membered-ring lactone which can be selectively isomerized into (E)-recifeiolide, a natural antibiotic product isolated from fungus (Cephalosporium recifei) is reported. The synthesis is accomplished in five steps starting from readily available cyclooctanone and acetaldehyde based on the Lewis acid-catalyzed TMS-directed oxy-2-oxonia-Cope rearrangement. The work represents a novel strategy to assemble related macrolides.     

Simultaneous quantification of leukotrienes and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids in cell culture medium using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Leukotrienes (LTs) and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) are important bioactive lipid mediators that participate in various pathophysiological processes. To advance understanding of the mechanisms that regulate these mediators in physiological and pathological processes, an analytical method using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for the simultaneous quantification of LTB₄, LTC₄, LTD₄, LTE₄, 5‐HETE_, 8‐HETE, 12‐HETE and 15‐HETE in cell culture media was developed. A Supel?‐Select HLB solid‐phase extraction cartridge was used for sample preparation. The compounds were separated on a C₁₈ column using gradient elution with acetonitrile–water–formic acid (20:80:0.1, v/v/v) and acetonitrile–formic acid (100:0.1, v/v). The calibration curves of LTB₄, LTD₄, LTE₄ and HETEs were linear in the range of 0.025–10 ng/mL, and the calibration curve of LTC₄ was linear in the range of 0.25–10 ng/mL. Validation assessment showed that the method was highly reliable with good accuracy and precision. The stability of LTs and HETEs was also investigated. Using the developed method, we measured LTs and HETEs in the culture supernatant of the human mast cell line HMC‐1. The present method could facilitate investigations of the mechanisms that regulate the production, release and signaling of LTs and HETEs. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

One-pot,solvent-free and efficient synthesis of 2,4,6-triarylpyridines catalyzed by nano-titania-supported sulfonic acid as a novel heterogeneous nanocatalyst

Nano titania-supported sulfonic acid (n-TSA) has found to be a highly efficient, eco-friendly and recyclable heterogeneous nanocatalyst for the solvent-free synthesis of 2, 4, 6-triarylpyridines through one-pot three-component reaction of acetophenones, aryl aldehydes and ammonium acetate. This reported method illustrates several advantages such as environmental friendliness reaction conditions, simplicity, short reaction time, easy work up, reusability of catalyst and high yields of the products. One new compound is reported too. Furthermore, the catalyst could be recycled after a simple work-up, and reused at least six times without substantial reduction in its catalytic activity.     

Specific Design of Titanium(IV) Phenolato Chelates Yields Stable and Accessible,Effective and Selective Anticancer Agents

Octahedral titanium(IV) complexes of phenolato hexadentate ligands were developed and showed very high stability for days in water solutions. In vitro cytotoxicity studies showed that, whereas tetrakis(phenolato) systems are generally of low activity presumably due to inaccessibility, smaller bis(phenolato)bis(alkoxo) complexes feature high anticancer activity and accessibility even without formulations, also toward a cisplatin‐resistant cell line. An all‐aliphatic control complex was unstable and inactive. A leading phenolato complex also revealed: 1) high durability in fully aqueous solutions; accordingly, negligible loss of activity after preincubation for three days in medium or in serum; 2) maximal cellular accumulation and induction of apoptosis following 24–48 h of administration; 3) reduced impact on noncancerous fibroblast cells; 4) in vivo efficacy toward lymphoma cells in murine model; 5) high activity in NCI‐60 panel, with average GI₅₀ of 4.6±2 μm . This newly developed family of Ti^IV complexes is thus of great potential for anticancer therapy.