<Emphasis Type="Italic">peri</Emphasis>-hydroxy acenaphthoyl compounds

Reactions of peri-hydroxyacenaphthaldehyde and its O-methyl derivative with amines, aryl methyl ketones, and malononitrile gave the corresponding Schiff bases, chalcones, and arylidenemalononitrile. The latter underwent heterocyclization on heating in trifluoroacetic acid to produce 2-oxoacenaphtho[5,6-bc]-oxepine-3-carbonitrile. The condensation of 5-acetyl-6-hydroxyacenaphthene with aromatic aldehydes afforded chalcones, their mixtures with heterocyclization products, or 2-arylacenaphtho[5,6-bc]oxepin-4-one, depending on the substituent in the aromatic ring.     

New functionalization opportunities for <Emphasis Type="Italic">peri</Emphasis>-hydroxynaphthoyl and <Emphasis Type="Italic">peri</Emphasis>-fused heterocyclic compounds

A capability was studied of hydrogenated α-pyrone heterocycle in 7-methoxy-4-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[h]chromen-2-one to undergo aminolysis under the treatment with hydrazine hydrate, primary and secondary aliphatic and aromatic amines. A new approach was developed to the preparation of perihydroxyketone of naphthalene series containing a specific functional substituent in the ortho-position with respect to hydroxy group. The effect was revealed of an acetyl group in the position 9 of 7-methoxy-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[h]chromen-2-one on the reaction of this compound with aliphatic amines and hydrazine hydrate. 9-Methoxy-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-3H-benzo[de]pyrido[3,2,1-if]cinnolin-3-one [9-methyl-6-methoxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-10,10a-diazapyren-1-one] was obtained, a new bis-peri-fused heteroaromatic system.     

Spectral and quantum-chemical investigation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">ortho</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">peri</Emphasis>-hydroxy-substituted mono- and diformyl derivatives of 1,5-naphthalenediol

Spectral and quantum-chemical investigation of ortho- and peri-hydroxy-substituted aldehydes, 1,5-naphthalenediol derivatives, was carried out. An unusual spin-spin coupling through an intramolecular hydrogen bond was discovered in the molecule of 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene-4,8-dicarbaldehyde. It was shown that this dialdehyde is involved into the ring-chain tautomerism. The position of this equilibrium was examined depending on the temperature and the solvent polarity. The effect of the solvent polarity on the benzoid-quinoid tautomerism in the dihydroxynaphthalene-2,6-dicarbaldehyde was established. By the method of quantum-chemical calculations the relative energy stability and conformational structure of dialdehydes were revealed.     

New synthetic approach to <Emphasis Type="Italic">peri</Emphasis>-hydroxy-substituted carbonyl acenaphthene derivatives

A new approach to the synthesis of peri-hydroxyacenaphthoyl compounds has been developed on the basis of acylation (formylation) of 5-acyloxyacenaphthenes. The reactions are accompanied by formation of the corresponding 3- and 8-acyl-substituted isomers. In some cases, the latter can be isolated and identified by ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">peri</Emphasis>-Amino ketones of the acenaphthene and acenaphthylene series

peri-Amino-substituted methyl and aryl ketones of the acenaphthene and acenaphthylene series were subjected to protonation and acylation at the nitrogen atom, dehydrogenation, and reactions with aldehydes. Conformations of substituents in the peri positions and probability for their participation in intra- and intermolecular transformations were determined on the basis of spectral data and quantum-chemical calculations.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">peri</Emphasis>-cyclization of 11-aroylmethyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro[1,3]-diazepinobenzimidazoles into 2-aryl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2a,6a,10b-triazabenzo[<Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis>]cyclopenta[<Emphasis Type="Italic">cd</Emphasis>]azulenium bromides

11-Aroylmethyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro[1,3]diazepinobenzimidazoles at heating in conc. HBr suffer a peri-cyclization with the closure of an additional imidazole ring involving the carbonyl group of ketone and the nitrogen atom of the diazepine ring affording previously unknown 2-aryl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2a,6a,10btriazabenzo[a]cyclopenta[cd]azulenium bromides.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis>-and <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>-conformers of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-chloroacetylcytisine

N-Chloroacetylcytisine was synthesized by acylation of (–)-cytisine. Stable Z- and E-conformers with respect to rotational isomerism around the N-12–CO bond were found in PMR spectra at room temperature. The point at which PMR resonances of the Z- and E-conformers coalesced upon heating was measured. The transition barrier between the conformers was estimated.     

Molecular properties of the copolymers of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-diallyl-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-dimethylammonium chloride and maleic acid

The hydrodynamic and conformational properties of molecules of poly(N,N-diallyl-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride) and N,N-diallyl-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride-maleic acid copolymers of different compositions in solutions with various ionic-strength and pH values, as well as of the polyelectrolyte complex based on the copolymer with dodecyl sulfate anions in chloroform, are studied. For poly(N,N-diallyl-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride) molecules in a 1 M NaCl solution, the Kuhn segment length and the hydrodynamic diameter of the chain are estimated as A = 3.9 nm and d = 0.48 nm, respectively. In acidic solutions with pH 3.5, the copolymers demonstrate behavior typical for polyelectrolytes. In an alkaline solution with pH 13, when 1 M NaCl is added to the solution of the copolymer containing 29 mol % maleic acid units, there is an antipolyelectrolyte effect that manifests itself as an increase in the intrinsic viscosity of the copolymer and in the hydrodynamic radius of its molecules. It is found that an increase in the fraction of maleic acid units in the copolymer from 12 to 42 mol % brings about a reduction in the equilibrium rigidity of its macromolecules from 4.1 to 2.2 nm. The equilibrium rigidity of polyelectrolyte-complex molecules is higher than that of initial copolymer molecules owing to steric interactions arising between the aliphatic chains of dodecyl sulfate anions. In an electric field, the molecules of the complex are oriented owing to the induced dipole moment resulting from the displacement of dodecyl sulfate anions along the chain contour.     

Analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> nicotinate mononucleotide adenylyltransferase mutants <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

Background  

Adenylation of nicotinate mononucleotide to nicotinate adenine dinucleotide is the penultimate step in NAD⁺ synthesis. In Escherichia coli, the enzyme nicotinate mononucleotide adenylyltransferase is encoded by the nadD gene. We have earlier made an initial characterization in vivo of two mutant enzymes, NadD72 and NadD74. Strains with either mutation have decreased intracellular levels of NAD⁺, especially for one of the alleles, nadD72.     

Synthesis of substituted dibenz[<Emphasis Type="Italic">b,f</Emphasis>]oxepines from 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene

1,3-Dinitro[b,f]dibenzoxepine undergoes nucleophilic substitution with O-and S-nucleophiles, the nitro group at position 1 (peri-nitro group) being selectively replaced. The factors responsible for the selectivity of the reaction are discussed.     

Molecular structure of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-(<Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>-and <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-hydroxybenzyl)cytisine

The molecular structures of N-(o-and p-hydroxybenzyl)cytisine were investigated by NMR spectroscopy, x-ray structure analysis, and molecular modeling. It was found that NMR resonances of the OH and aromatic protons in N-(o-hydroxybenzyl)cytisine were doubled because of the presence of two conformers in solution. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 165–168, March–April, 2008.     

Isolation and characterization of the cellulose synthase genes <Emphasis Type="Italic">PpCesA6</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">PpCesA7</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Physcomitrella patens</Emphasis>

Analysis of cellulose biosynthesis using molecular approaches has been successful in identifying genes in many cellulose-producing organisms, yet the mechanism of cellulose biosynthesis still remains to be understood. We are interested in developing the moss Physcomitrella patens as a useful system for the study of cellulose biosynthesis. This moss affords a number of advantages including a haploid dominated gametophyte and a very high efficiency of homologous recombination in its nuclear DNA for constructing gene knockouts. In addition, P. patens has only a primary cell wall unlike Arabidopsis thaliana, which has both a primary and a secondary cell wall. We identified two full-length cellulose synthase (CesA) genes of P. patens, PpCesA6 and PpCesA7 from an EST database and have analyzed the genomic sequences. PpCesA6 and PpCesA7 show high similarity to each other, both at the cDNA and genomic DNA levels. Single and double knockouts of PpCesA6 and PpCesA7 were generated and screened for phenotypic changes. While the PpCesA6 and PpCesA7 single knockouts did not show any obvious phenotypic differences from the wild-type, the double knockout had significantly reduced stem length. These results suggest that PpCesA6 and PpCesA7 probably have a very similar role in cellulose biosynthesis and their functions may be redundant. Additionally, their roles may overlap with the other P. patens CesAs as observed for CesAs involved in primary cell wall biosynthesis in A. thaliana.     

Synthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis>)-carborane-containing azomethines

A method of preparative synthesis of o(m)-carborane-containing azomethines via the condensation of o(m)-carboranyl-C-methylene-4-formylbenzoates with aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, and aromatic amines was developed.     

Synthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N,N</Emphasis>-disubstituted (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis>)-<Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>-methylnicotinamide oximes

A number of (Z)-N,N-dialkyl- and (Z)-N-acyl-N-alkyl-O-methylnicotinamide oximes was synthesized. Their configuration was confirmed by the NOESY experiment. Evaluation of fungicidal activity of compounds obtained was performed.     

Synthesis of new 1<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-pyridazine derivatives <Emphasis Type="Italic">peri</Emphasis>-annelated with acenaphthene and acenaphthylene

The reaction of 6-acetyl-5-hydroxyacenaphthene with methylhydrazine afforded 1,3-dimethyl-1H-6,7-dihydroacenaphtho[5,6-de]pyridazine. Its dehydrogenation with chloranil gave 1,3-dimethyl-1H-acenaphtho[5,6-de]pyridazine, which is a heteroaromatic compound with an essentially new topology of the ρsystem. The reaction of 3-methyl-1H-6,7-dihydroacenaphtho[5,6-de]pyridazine with 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone yielded a dimer containing the acenaphthene and acenaphthylene moieties of peri-annelated 1H-1,2-diazines connected in positions 1′ and 9.__________Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 777–780, March, 2005.     

New lignans from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Syringa reticulata</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">mandshurica</Emphasis>

In the search for platelet-activating-factor (PAF) antagonists, two new lignan compounds were isolated from the leaves of Syringa reticulata Hara var. mandshurica. Their structures were elucidated as (7R,8S, 8'S)-3,4,3',4'-dimethylenedioxy-8,9-dihydroxy-8.8', 7-O-9'-lignan (mandshuricol A) and (7R,8S,8'S)-3',4'methylenedioxy-4-methoxy-3,8,9-trihydroxy-8.8', 7-O-9'-lignan (mandshuricol B), Mandshuricol A and B showed antagonistic activity on PAF in the [³H] PAF receptor binding assay with IC₅₀ values of 4.8 × 10^–5 M and 3.5 × 10^–5 M, respectively.     

Molecular Cloning and Expression Analysis of an <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mn</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">SOD</Emphasis> Gene from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nelumbo nucifera</Emphasis>

A rapid amplification cDNA end (RACE) assay was established to achieve the complete sequence of mitochondrial manganese-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) cDNA in Nelumbo nucifera. The obtained full-length cDNA of Mn-SOD was 926 bp and contained a 699-bp open reading frame encoding an Mn-SOD precursor of 233 amino acids. The recombinant of Mn-SOD expressed by PET-32a vector in Escherichia coli BL21 was confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting assays. A 3D structural model of the Mn-SOD was constructed by homology modeling. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that Mn-SOD mRNA was expressed in young leaves, blossom, stems, and terminal buds during reproductive stage but with the highest expression in young leaves. This significant difference demonstrated the differential expression of Mn-SOD in various organs of N. nucifera.     

4<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis><Superscript>2</Superscript> resonances in photoionization from 4<Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis>4<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> levels in neutral zinc

In neutral zinc the 4p ² configuration lies above the 3d ¹⁰4s ionization limit and its levels become perturbers in the continuum. Lines have been identified in the Zn I spectrum for the multiplet, whereas no lines have been found for transitions to 4p ^{2 1} D or ¹ S. In this paper, cross sections for photoionization from 4s4p levels are reported that reveal the positions and widths of the 4p ² resonances. Calculations were performed using the multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock (MCHF) and B-spline R-matrix (BSR) method. Results from Breit–Pauli calculations that ignore the background continua are also presented. Included in the latter are energies for the levels and transition data (transition energies, line strengths, f-values, and A-rates) for all E1 transitions between these levels. Transition energies and the agreement in the length and velocity values, particularly for allowed transitions, indicate the accuracy of the computational model. Line widths are compared with other estimates. Contribution to the Serafin Fraga Memorial Issue.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">seco</Emphasis>-Kaurane skeleton diterpenoids from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Croton oblongifolius</Emphasis>

A new seco-kaurane type diterpenoid, ent-3,4-seco-17-oxo-kaur-4(19),15(16)-dien-3-oic acid, and a known compound, ent-3,4-seco-kaur-4(19),16(17)-dien-3-oic acid, were isolated from the stem bark of Croton oblongifolius. The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic data.     

Antioxidant flavonoids from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tamus communis</Emphasis> ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">cretica</Emphasis>

A new flavonoid, kaempferol-3,4′-di-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (1), and three known flavonoids (2–4) were isolated from the aerial parts of T. communis L. The structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ 187.151 ± 0.821 μM, and 92.079±0.513 μM, respectively), whereas compounds 3 and 4 showed moderate activity in DPPH free radical scavenging assays. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 295–297, May–June, 2009.