Exiguolide, a new macrolide from the marine sponge Geodia exigua

A new 20-membered macrolide designated exiguolide has been isolated from the marine sponge Geodia exigua, and its structure determined by interpretation of spectroscopic data. Exiguolide specifically inhibited fertilization of sea urchin (Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus) gametes but not embryogenesis of the fertilized egg.     

Ion chromatography–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry determination of arsenic species in marine samples

Arsenic speciation analysis in marine samples was performed using ion chromatography (IC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) detection. The separation of eight arsenic species, viz. arsenite, monomethyl arsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, arsenate, arsenobetaine, tetramethylarsine oxide, arsenocholine and tetramethylarsonium ion was achieved on a Dionex AS4A (weaker anion exchange column) by using a nitric acid pH gradient eluent (pH 3.3 to 1.3). The entire separation was accomplished in 12 min. The detection limits for the eight arsenic species by IC–ICP‐MS were in the range 0.03–1.6 µ g l^?1, based on 3σ of the blank response (n = 6). The repeatability and day‐to‐day reproducibility were calculated to be less than 10% (residual standard deviation) for all eight species. The method was validated by analyzing a certified reference material (DORM‐2, dogfish muscle) and then successfully applied to several marine samples, e.g. oyster, fish muscle, shrimp and marine algae. The low power microwave digestion was employed for the extraction of arsenic from seafood products. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spectrophotometric determination of copper(II) with carbon disulfide,a secondary amine and triton X-100

Copper(II) is determined by non-extractive spectrophotometry as a complex of butylene dithiocarbamate formed in situ by reaction between carbon disulfide and pyrrolidine in aqueous Triton X-100 medium. This method is similar to that with butylene dithiocarbamate as starting material in the sense of simplicity, sensitivity, precision and accuracy. Pyrrolidine is the best of seven secondary amines tested in this way for copper determinations.     

Electron microscope study of viscoelastic cationic surfactant systems

Some cationic surfactants such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) show a very spectacular viscoelasticity in solution, in even very diluted states, with some aromatic substances added, such as salicylic acid. Formerly, the authors established that the remarkable solution behaviour was the result of the entanglement of such enormously elongated giant micelles, based on recognition of the existence of large aggregates, through direct observation of them as substantial images under the electron microscope.In this report, we further confirm the relation between micelle length and solution viscoelasticity after arbitrarily obtaining different size aggregates by altering the media pH, or by admixing shorter chain length surfactants than CTAB, which alone did not induce viscoelasticity.     

The alkaloids from the fruits of the plant Daphniphyllaceae

Six alkaloids have been isolated from the fruits of the plant Daphniphyllaceae. Two of them are new alkaloids, namely methyl homodaphniphyllate (1) and daphnilactone-B (2). The structure of the former was deduced by chemical transformation from daphniphylline (3). The structure of daphnilactone-B was estimated by the exhaustive spectral analysis as well as by chemical evidences, and finally determined by an X-ray crystallographic analysis of the free base.     

Studies on cardiotonic agents. V. Synthesis of 1-(6,7-dimethoxy-4-quinazolinyl)piperidine derivatives carrying various 5-membered heterocyclic rings at the 4-position

A series of 1-(6,7-dimethoxy-4-quinazolinyl)piperidines carrying various 5-membered heterocycles at the 4-position was synthesized and examined for cardiotonic activity in anesthesized dogs. The (4-oxo-2-thioxo-3-imidazolindinyl)amino derivatives showed the most potent inotropic activity. Marked loss of activity was observed in the 2,4-dihydro-3-thioxo-3H-1,2,4-triazolyl, the 2,4-dihydro-3-oxo-3H-pyrazolyl and the (2,3-dihydro-2-thioxo-3H-1,3,4-thiadiazol-5-yl)amino derivatives. The synthesis and structure-activity relationships are discussed.     

Chemical studies on nitrogen heterocyclic skeleton of the Daphniphyllum alkaloids

From a biogenetic point of view, a great variety of related alkaloids isolated from the plant Daphniphyllaceae are related to one another by bond formation or fission. Thus, daphnialcohol acetate (6), a derivative of the degradation products of daphniphylline (1), was subjected to von Braun degradation followed by acid-catalyzed recyclization to give an isomer (8) of daphnialcohol, which has a new type of nitrogen heterocyclic skeleton. Furthermore, daphnilactone-B (3) was converted into a daphniphylline-type compound (19) via a plausible intermediate (21).     

Studies on palytoxins

The complete structure of palytoxin (1) was elucidated by us in 1982.¹ Our continuous interests in palytoxin led us to examine minor constituents of Okinawan Palythoa tuberculosa. In this paper, we describe successful isolation and structural elucidation of four minor toxins, which were named homopalytoxin (2), bishomopalytoxin (3), neopalytoxin (4) and deoxypalytoxin (5).     

Small angle X-ray scattering study of an extremely elongated micelle system of CTAB-p-toluidine solution

Whenp-toluidine is added to an aqueous solution of CTAB, a remarkable increase of viscosity is accompanied by a spectacular elasticity. We detected the existence of extremely elongated rod-like micelles in electron micrographs. SAXS measurements indicate a closely packed array of cylindrical rod-like micelles, brought about when solutions flow through a thin capillary. A scattering maximum ofd=160 Å almost corresponds to the distance between the nearest neighbours of the cylindrical rod-like micelles. This value agrees with the diameter measured on electron micrographs. The second broad peak (d=75 Å) is assigned to a subsidiary maximum of the shape function of the cylinder with infinite length.