CAN mediated cyclization of epoxypropyl cinnamyl ethers: a facile stereoselective synthesis of tetrahydropyran derivatives

Cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate in substoichiometric amounts, promotes the intramolecular cyclization of epoxypropyl cinnamyl ethers to the corresponding 3,4,5-trisubstituted tetrahydropyran derivatives in moderate to good yields.     

Engaging thieno[2,3-b]indole-2,3-dione for the efficient synthesis of spiro[indoline-3,4′-thiopyrano[2,3-b]indole] by reaction with N-substituted isatilidenes

A simple and efficient method, proceeding through a new mechanistic pathway, for the synthesis of spiro[indoline-3,4-thiopyrano[2.3-b]indole derivatives have been developed by exploiting the reaction of thieno[2,3-b]indole-2,3-dione with N-substituted isatilidenes. The compounds synthesized have been screened for antibacterial activity. The generality of the reaction and mechanistic rationale are presented.     

Structures and electronic properties of silicene clusters: a promising material for FET and hydrogen storage

Structures and electronic properties of clusters of an all-Si analogue of graphene, silicene, have been studied through quantum chemical calculations. The structures of the six-membered rings show interesting chair like puckering, which for large sheet-like clusters form ordered ripples. Binding energies, HOMO-LUMO gaps and polarizabilities for the silicene clusters show interesting monotonic trends analogous to polyacenes. Stacking of two silicene layers leads to the formation of closed 3D clusters with high symmetry and strong Si-Si bonds. The heat of hydrogenation of silicene to form silicanes is overwhelmingly exothermic and leads to the opening up of the HOMO-LUMO gaps. Thus, analogous to graphanes, silicanes are predicted to be interesting materials for hydrogen storage and for their band engineering properties.     

The multicomponent reaction of dimethoxycarbene, dimethyl butynedioate and electrophilic styrenes: an unprecedented synthesis of highly substituted cyclopentenone acetals

The zwitterionic species generated by the addition of dimethoxycarbene to dimethyl butynedioate is trapped by arylidenemalononitrile to yield cyclopentenone derivatives.     

Urinary excretion study of coenzyme Q10 in rats by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) applying atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in the positive ion mode is developed for the determination of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in rat urine. The assay involves the extraction of crude urine, fast liquid chromatography on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column (1.7 microm, 1.0 x 50 mm), and selected ion monitoring detection using mass transition. The calibration range is found to be 0.05-25 microg/mL, with the lower limit of quantitation of 0.05 microg/mL. Intra- and inter-day precision (relative standard deviation) for CoQ10 in rat urine range from 0.7% to 15%, and accuracy expressed in recovery rates in urine is between 83% and 118%. The recovery of this method is found to be between 80% and 95% at three concentrations. The total cumulative recovery of CoQ10 is 1.16 +/- 1.05% (percentage of dose intake, n = 4) from rat urine collected over 30 h after oral administration of the drug. The UPLC-MS method described allows the quick determination of CoQ10 in rat urine with good precision and accuracy. It is suitable for further excretion studies of CoQ10 in animals.     

Interaction of pyromellitic diimide derivatives with beta-cyclodextrin and anthracene-appended beta-cyclodextrin: rim binding vs inclusion complexation

Complex formation of pyromellitic diimide derivatives with beta-cyclodextrin and anthracene-appended beta-cyclodextrin was studied with use of induced circular dichroism and 1H NMR spectroscopies. It is revealed that pyromellitic diimides form rim-binding type complexes with beta-CD and in these complexes the pyromellitic diimides lie just outside of the narrow rim of the CD. With anthracene-appended beta-CD the pyromellitic diimides form true inclusion complexes. Implications of the formation of rim-binding type complexes are also discussed.     

Sugar radicals formed by photoexcitation of guanine cation radical in oligonucleotides

This work presents evidence that photoexcitation of guanine cation radical (G+*) in dGpdG and DNA-oligonucleotides TGT, TGGT, TGGGT, TTGTT, TTGGTT, TTGGTTGGTT, AGA, and AGGGA in frozen glassy aqueous solutions at low temperatures leads to hole transfer to the sugar phosphate backbone and results in high yields of deoxyribose radicals. In this series of oligonucleotides, we find that G+* on photoexcitation at 143 K leads to the formation of predominantly C5'* and C1'* with small amounts of C3'*. Photoconversion yields of G+* to sugar radicals in oligonucleotides decreased as the overall chain length increased. However, for high molecular weight dsDNA (salmon testes) in frozen aqueous solutions, substantial conversion of G+* to C1'* (only) sugar radical is still found (ca. 50%). Within the cohort of sugar radicals formed, we find a relative increase in the formation of C1'* with length of the oligonucleotide, along with decreases in C3'* and C5'*. For dsDNA in frozen solutions, only the formation of C1'* is found via photoexcitation of G+*, without a significant temperature dependence (77-180 K). Long wavelength visible light (>540 nm) is observed to be about as effective as light under 540 nm for photoconversion of G+* to sugar radicals for short oligonucleotides but gradually loses effectiveness with chain length. This wavelength dependence is attributed to base-to-base hole transfer for wavelengths >540 nm. Base-to-sugar hole transfer is suggested to dominate under 540 nm. These results may have implications for a number of investigations of hole transfer through DNA in which DNA holes are subjected to continuous visible illumination.