Asymmetric synthesis of axially chiral benzamides and anilides by enantiotopic lithiation of prochiral arene chromium complexes

Axially chiral benzamides and anilides were prepared by enantiotopic lithiation at the distinguished benzylic methyl of prochiral tricarbonylchromium complexes of N,N-diethyl 2,6-dimethylbenzamide (1) and N-methyl-N-acyl 2,6-dimethylaniline (14 and 21) with a chiral lithium amide base followed by electrophilic substitution in good yields with high optical purity. The resulting axially chiral chromium-complexed benzamides and anilides were oxidized under air to give chromium-free axially chiral benzamides and anilides in an enantiomerically active form without axial bond rotation at room temperature.     

Direct observation of the multistep helix formation of poly-L-glutamic acids

The helix formation dynamics of poly-L-glutamic acids (PGAs) were observed by the microsecond-resolved Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies. The helix formation of 34-residue PGA from random coil at pH (or pD for FTIR) 8.0 was initiated by a pH jump to 4.9 using the rapid solution mixer whose mixing dead time is 50 micros. The amide I' line in the time-resolved FTIR spectra exhibited the fast (<100 micros) increase of the total helical content. The time-resolved CD spectra of the same process also showed the fast (<150 micros) formation of short helical segments (5 +/- 1 residues), which was followed by the slower (<1 ms) elongation of the short helices to longer helices (>10 residues). Similar dynamics were observed for the same pH jump of approximately 190-residue PGA, although there were additional steps that made the helix formation of approximately 190-residue PGA more complex. The observed multistep helix formation is likely caused by the strong hydrogen-bonding interactions between the protonated side chains of PGAs.     

Regioselective lithiation of II-(arene)chromium tricarbonyl complexes

Chromium tricarbonyl complexes of 3-methoxybenzyl alcohol and related compounds were selectively lithiated at the 4-position in contrast to the corresponding metal free arene compounds. The resulting 4-lithio complexes were converted to the 4-substituted arene compounds in moderate to excellent yields through the reactions with proper electrophiles and subsequent demetalation.     

Radical-initiated homopolymerization and copolymerization of ethyl α-hydroxymethylacrylate

Ethyl α-hydroxymethylacrylate (EHMA) was synthesized and homopolymerized in bulk and in solution. The poly(EHMA) is readily soluble in alcohol, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, and methylene chloride at room temperature. Intramolecular lactone formation occurred when poly(EHMA) was heated to 180–230°C. The kinetics of EHMA homopolymerization was investigated in ethyl acetate, using α,α′-azobisisobutylonitrile as an initiator. The rate of polymerization R_p was expressed by R_p = k[AIBN]^0.50[EHMA]^1.4 and the overall activation energy was calculated as 71.9 kJ/mol. Kinetic constants for EHMA polymerization were obtained as follows: k_p/k = 0.17L^0.9mol^?0.9s^?0.5; 2fk_d = 1.5 × 10^?5 s^?1. The relative reactivity ratios of EHMA(M₂) copolymerization with styrene (r₁ = 0.472, r₂ = 0.564) in ethyl acetate were obtained. Applying the Q-e scheme led to Q = 0.84 and e = 0.35 for EHMA.     

Synthesis of optically active cobalt(salen) type complexes and their asymmetric reactivity toward propylene oxide

An optically active Co(I)(salen) type complex, lithium N,N′-bis(salicylaldehyde)-1(R), 2(R)-1,2-trans-cyclohexanediiminatocobalt(I), was prepared by reducing the Co^II complex, N,N′-bis(salicylaldehyde)-1(R),2(R)-1,2-trans-cyclohexanediiminatocobalt(II), with LiAlH₄. The structure of the Co^I complex was determined on the basis of the structure of the corresponding Co^II complex and was confirmed by usual physicochemical methods. Furthermore, characteristics of the absorption and circular dichroism(CD) spectra of the Co^I complex were compared with those of the reported structure of Na⁺[Co(I)(salen)]^?. Highly asymmetric selectivity was found in a resolution reaction of DL-propylene oxide by use of the above optically active lithium cobalt(I) complex as a catalyst.     

DNA sensor: A novel electrochemical gene detection method using carbon electrode immobilized DNA probes

Abstract

The authors have developed a novel, rapid, convenient, and specific gene detection method, named the ‘DNA sensor,’ using a graphite electrode loaded with DNA probes. Synthesized oligonucleotide (5-TGCAGTTCCGGTGGCTGATC-3′) complementary to oncogene v-myc was employed for a model probe. The oligonucleotide was chemically adsorbed on a basal plane pyrolytic graphite (BPPG) electrode. The sensor was able to be applied to a hybridization reaction (40°C) in a linearized pVM623 solution carrying the Pst I fragment of v-myc (1.5 kbp).

After the hybridization reaction, the sensor was immersed into an acridine orange solution (1 μM) and washed with a phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). Acridine orange intercalated between base pairs of the formed double stranded DNAs on the electrode. The anodic peak potential of acridine orange that interacted with the DNAs on the electrode was measured. The positive shift of the peak potential increased in proportional to the pVM623 concentration in the hybridization reaction. 10^?1 g/ml of pVM623 was able to be detected in the buffer solution using the sensor. This gene detection was completed within an hour.     

Carbon-13 NMR studies of the biologically active nor-diterpenoid dilactones from Podocarpus plants

Carbon-13 NMR signals of the biologically active norditerpenoid dilactones from Podocarpus plants were fully assigned by using selective ¹H decoupling, coupling constants (²J_CH), spin-lattice relaxation times (T₁) and correlation of the spectra of more than thirty dilactone congeners. The spectra of five nagilactones, B, C, D, E and F, which constitute representative members of three major structural types of the dilactones: (A) 8:14, 9:11-dienolide (α-pyrone) type, (B) 7α:8α-epoxy-9:11-enolide type, and (C) 7:8,9:11-dienolide type, were extensively analysed. Some characteristic steric interactions for the substituents on the ring system can be demonstrated from the spectral properties.     

Preliminary evaluation of electrochemical PNA array for detection of single base mismatch mutations

We report here a preliminary evaluation of a microfabricated disposable-type peptide nucleic acid (PNA) array, with a 20-channel electrode, for the detection of cancer gene c-Ki-ras. Synthetic 15-mer PNA probes complimentary to ras sequence modified with cysteine were immobilized on the gold electrodes on the array. The electrochemical PNA array was reacted with 20-mer oligonucleotide target or 128 bp PCR product for 1 h. The anodic current derived from an electrochemically active DNA binder Hoechst 33258 was measured using the PNA array in the 50 microL of reaction chamber. The anodic current from Hoechst 33258 increased with increasing the concentration of PCR product of ras gene in the range from 10(11) to 10(15) copy mL(-1). The single base mismatch mutations of c-Ki-ras/61 were also detected using the electrochemical PNA array.