The synthesis of [2,3,4-C3]glycitein

Glycitein is one of the soy isoflavones which have attracted considerable interest in recent years due to their possible beneficial effects on human health. However, glycitein has been much less studied than other members of this family due to the lack of good methods for its synthesis. Herein we report a short high yielding synthesis of a multiply ¹³C-labelled glycitein derivative, [2,3,4-¹³C₃]glycitein, which has been employed as an internal standard in LC–MS analysis. A key feature is a rapid and efficient synthesis of 2,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-[1′,2′-¹³C₂]acetophenone via acetylation of isovanillin with [¹³C₂]acetyl chloride followed by a Baeyer–Villiger reaction, selective hydrolysis and finally a BF₃ catalysed Fries rearrangement. An aldol reaction using 4-benzyloxy-[carbonyl-¹³C]benzaldehyde gave a chalcone and then thallium(III) mediated oxidative rearrangement, deprotection and cyclisation provided the [2,3,4-¹³C₃]glycitein. The overall yield for the 8 step reaction sequence, based on [¹³C₂]acetyl chloride, was 57%.     

A total synthesis of 11-O-methyldebenzoyltashironin

A concise total synthesis of 11-O-methyldebenzoyltashironin is reported in which oxidative dearomatization-IMDA-RCM triad constitutes the key ring forming steps, while an unorthodox DIBAL-H mediated stereo- and regioselective reductive epoxide openings and implementation of the vinyl bromide-carbonyl equivalency concept were pivotal to the success of this endeavor.     

A potential glucuronate glycosyl donor with 2-O-acyl-6,3-lactone structure: efficient synthesis of glycosaminoglycan disaccharides

Development of β-selective glucuronylation reaction using phenyl 2,4-di-O-acetyl-1-thio-β-d-glucopyranosidurono-6,3-lactone was described. Glycosylations of this glycosyl donor with hexosamine derivatives proceeded with excellent yield and β-stereoselectivity to afford glycosaminoglycan-type disaccharides.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of 13-O-brefeldin A

An enantioselective route to the title compound, a heteroatom substituted close analogue of natural brefeldin A, is described. As a key step in the whole synthesis, concatenation of the lower chain and the cyclopentanone-upper chain moiety was achieved using a Rh-catalyzed Michael addition of a vinyl boronic acid to an enone, which effectively eliminated the problems encountered with the corresponding cuprate protocol and exemplified the potential of the strategy in synthesizing similar analogues.     

Determination of isoflavones and coumestrol in river water and domestic wastewater sewage treatment plants

Phytoestrogens activate a biological response in vertebrata where they can mime or modulate the action of endogenous estrogens. For this reason they have been subjected to several studies about their physiological effects on humans and many analytical methodologies for their determination in food matrices and physiological fluids have been developed. On the contrary, little information can be found in literature about the presence of isoflavones and coumestrol in the environment, even if it is known that this may have significance. In the present study we investigated the presence of nine selected free and conjugated phytoestrogens in environmental water. A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based analytical methodology was developed and employed for detection of target compounds in surface water and wastewater.The methodology uses solid-phase extraction, followed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry using an electrospray (ESI) interface operating in positive ion mode (LC-ESI-MS/MS). The extraction was made with 200 mg, 6 mL OASIS HLB^® cartridges. Recoveries for the selected compounds were in the 67-97% range for all the considered analytes. The method was employed for environmental monitoring. Samples of river water and wastewater collected over a 4-month period were analyzed with the developed procedure. Results showed the presence of isoflavones in most of the samples analyzed. Average concentration of target analytes found in wastewater sewage treatment plant influent ranged from 454 to 12 ng/L. In effluent water and river water the analytes were present at lower concentration.     

A concise synthesis of 4′-O-methyl honokiol

A concise and protecting group free synthesis of the naturally occurring neolignan 4′-O-methyl honokiol is developed. The key biaryl bond is constructed by 1,2-addition of an aryl Grignard reagent to a dienone followed by rearrangement.     

Synthesis of [3,4,8-C3]daidzein

The biological effects of the soy isoflavones have attracted considerable interest in recent years leading to numerous studies on dietary intake and epidemiology. Such studies require accurate and reproducible analytical methods. Herein we report the first synthesis of a multiply ¹³C-labelled daidzein derivative, [3,4,8-¹³C₃]daidzein, which has been employed as an internal standard in LC-MS and GC-MS analysis. The synthesis includes an improved three-step method for the synthesis of [2-¹³C]resorcinol as one building block.     

Selectivity between N-1 and N-7 nucleosides: regioselective synthesis of BMK-Y101, a potent cdk7 and 9 inhibitor

BMK-Y101 is a new pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based potent cdk7 and 9 inhibitor, which is characterized by an intriguing structural feature of N-1 nucleoside, departing from previously reported N-7 nucleoside Cdk inhibitor, xylocydine. Though N-1 nucleosides have appeared in the literature, they have often been considered as kinetic products and thus intermediates of N-7 glycosylation. In the course of the synthetic studies of xylocydine derivatives, we have developed a highly regioselective method to obtain the N-1 nucleoside. The origin of the selectivity is apparently based on the reactivity of the silylated nucleobase and the stability of the resulting N-1 nucleoside. The choice of BSA as a silylating agent was critical in securing the N-1 nucleoside, BMK-Y101. On the other hand, proper selection of reaction conditions promoting transglycosylation provides an efficient route to N-7 nucleosides.     

Simultaneous quantitation of free and conjugated phytoestrogens in Leguminosae by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Phytoestrogens are diphenolic compounds that are present in several edible plants and are particularly abundant in soybeans. Because of their estrogenical, antriestrogenical, anticarcinogenic and antioxidant activities in animal and humans, they became of great interest. Dietary factors are considered important in determination of risks, in fact, studies have revealed beneficial or protective effects of the consumption of vegetables, in particular soy and soybean products. So that in the present paper the simultaneous determination of eight isoflavones and coumestrol in vegetables is reported.The quantitative analysis has been made by means of LC separation combined with tandem mass spectrometry. In particular, a new simple and fast extraction methodology and a clean-up, based on cold aided de-fatting, is proposed. Method performance was evaluated by comparison with a reference procedure.The developed procedure was then used for a survey of phytoestrogens concentration in some selected vegetables.     

Heterocycles. 7. A facile synthesis of 6,7-dihydroxs-1,4-dithiepins

Ring expansion by dehydration of 1,3-dithian-2-ylmethanols gives 6,7-dihydro-5H-1,4-dithiepins.     

A facile synthesis of cyclotriveratrylene

Cyclotriveratrylene (CTV) can be readily synthesized by chloromethylation or bromomethylation of dimethoxybenzene with halomethyloctyl ether in the presence of SnCl₄. The reaction provides the trimer exclusively and in high yield. Recrystallizations from benzene or CHCl₃ yielded the solvent inclusion complexes and did not remove other inclusion impurities. Flash chromatography on silica yielded the pure CTV.¹³C NMR shows only five signals and no impurities.     

A facile sulfonylation method enabling direct syntheses of per(2-O-sulfonyl)-β-cyclodextrins

Cs₂CO₃ was found to efficiently catalyze the reaction of β-cyclodextrin and N-tosylimidazole. Stirring β-cyclodextrin and N-tosylimidazole in 1/1.2 molar ratio in DMF in the presence of catalytic amount of Cs₂CO₃ at rt for 1.5 h afforded 2^A-mono(O-tosyl)-β-cyclodextrin in 32% yield. The 2^A,2^B-, 2^A,2^C- and 2^A,2^D-ditosylates were isolated in ca. 6-7% yields, respectively, when β-cyclodextrin and N-tosylimidazole were used in 1/2.5 molar ratio. The charge of excess (10 equiv) of N-tosylimidazole ensured a one-step direct (protection-free) synthesis of the per(2-O-tosyl)-β-cyclodextrin in 5% isolated yield. N-(m-Nitrobenzenesulfonyl)imidazole even allowed a much faster access to the corresponding persulfonate in only 1 h reaction.     

A facile synthesis of polyfoluoroalkyl-lactonization

2(-Benzoxazolyl substituted cyclopropane derivatives were synthesized in the yield of 73-89% from the reaction of telluronium ylides with chalcones.     

A facile synthesis of N-sulfinylaldimines

A simple and efficient procedure for the synthesis of N-sulfinylaldimines (sulfinimines) from sulfinamides and aldehydes is described. The reaction was carried out in the presence of t-BuOK or NaOH. The method is applicable for the synthesis of optically active sulfinimines.     

A facile synthesis of muscimol

The psychoactive isoxazole muscimol $\text{10}$ has been synthesized in three steps from propargyl chloride.     

A facile synthesis of cyclononatripyrroles

A facile synthesis of a functionalized cyclononatripyrrole derivative is described. It involves the iodine-catalyzed cyclotrimerization of ethyl 3,3-dimethyl-5,7-dihydro[1,3]dioxepino[5,6-c]pyrrole-6-carboxylate in methanol. The product obtained in this way exists solely in the crown conformation typical of cyclononatripyrroles. However, in contrast to previously reported compounds of this class, it possesses three labile methoxymethyl arms that can be further functionalized under acidic conditions.     

A facile synthesis of cyanophenothiazines

A one-pot synthesis of 1, 3 and 4-cyanophenothiazines and a two-step approach to 2-cyanoisomer have been developed. The condensation of 2-aminobenzenethiol and 2,3 or 3,4-dihalogenobenzonitriles followed by Smiles rearrangement or by intramolecular aromatic substitution gave the desired ring systmes.     

A facile synthesis of ulicyclamide

Ulicyclamide (1), a cytotoxic cyclic peptide from a marine tunicate, has been efficiently synthesized by the solid-phase method using diethyl phosphorocyanidate for the coupling and trimethylsilyl triflate for the final deprotection.