Two new triterpenoids from Gardenia jasminoides fruits

A new cycloartane triterpenoid, named gardenolic acid C (1), a new ursane triterpenoid, named 3β,16β,21β,23,24-pentahydroxy urs-12,18,20-trien-28-oic acid γ-lactone (2), together with three know triterpenoids, gardenolic acid A (3), gardenolic acid B (4), and 3α,16β,23,24-tetrahydroxy-28-nor-ursane-12,17,19,21-tetraen (5) were isolated from the fruits of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by analyses of spectroscopic data. All isolates were evaluated for their neuroprotective effects in vitro.

     

Microbial transformation of isocoronarin D by Cunninghamella echinulata NRRL 1386

The diterpene isocoronarin D (1) is a bioactive major constituent of labdane diterpene from the aerial parts of Curcuma comosa Roxb. (Zingiberaceae), the Thai medicinal plant. Microbial transformation of 1 was performed by the fungus Cunninghamella echinulata NRRL 1386 to yield three new metabolites, 3β-hydroxyisocoronarin D (2), 6α-hydroxyisocoronarin D (3) and 3β,7α-dihydroxyisocoronarin D (4). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques.

     

Myristigranol,a new diarylpropane derivative from the wood of Myristica fragrans

Myristigranol, a new diarylpropane derivative, was isolated from the methanol extract of Myristica fragrans wood along with one diarylpropanoid and three stilbenoids. The isolated constituents were exhaustingly identified using the analyses of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques and comparison of the literatures reported as well. The antioxidant activity was also determined.

     

GC-MS and LC-MS Identification of the Phenolic Compounds Present in the ethyl Acetate Fraction Obtained from Senna tora,L. Roxb. seeds

The aim of this work is to characterize the active constituents present in the ethyl acetate fraction of Senna tora, L. Roxb. seeds. Due to the fact that the main biological activity of S. tora, L seeds is attributed to its phenolic compounds which are mainly isolated from Ethyl acetate fraction, to avoid repetition of work and to save time, it was deemed necessary to confirm the identity of these phenolic compounds. This was done by GC-MS and LC-MS analysis of the ethyl acetate fraction where the structures of the isolated compounds were established on the basis of molecular ion peak and their fragmentation pattern. They were identified as Chrysophanol, Chrysarobin, 10-hydroxy-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1, 4-anthracenedione, Rubrofusarin, Parietin, Griseoxanthone-B, Isotorachrysone, and Cumbiasin B.

     

Susceptibly of Alphitobius diaperinus to Beauveria bassiana extracts

Alphitobius diaperinus is an important pathogen with worldwide distribution that causes severe economic loss of efficiency in broilers. This study evaluates the potential of organic extracts of two strains entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (CG71 and UNI40) as a biocontrol agent on A. diaperinus and promotes the phytochemical investigation. The effective percentages of mortalities were 95.97% (UNI40 methanolic extract), 69.23, 64.64, and 50.39% (CG 71 methanolic, ethyl acetate and butanol extracts). However, there was a decrease in the lesser mealworms susceptibility in relation to the use of insecticides and extracts. The metabolites 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furanoic acid, dipicolinic acid and monomethyl dipicolinate were isolated from ethyl acetate extract, and β-adenosine of butanolic extract of B. bassiana CG 71. In addition, the cyclodepsipeptides were identified in methanolic extracts of the two strains. The insecticide activity results indicated that the B. bassiana extracts are an alternative to A. diaperinus control.

     

Phytotoxic metabolites by nine species of Botryosphaeriaceae involved in grapevine dieback in Australia and identification of those produced by Diplodia mutila,Diplodia seriata,Neofusicoccum australe and Neofusicoccum luteum

Botryosphaeria dieback is one of the main trunk diseases of grapevine caused by several species of Botryosphaeriaceae. Twenty-four fungal isolates representing the eight most widespread and most virulent Botryosphaeriaceae were tested for their ability to produce phytotoxic metabolites. The chromatographic profiles of their culture filtrates organic extracts showed the ability of all isolates to produce several and different metabolites. When tested on grapevine leaves and tomato cuttings the organic extracts phytotoxicity varied among isolates and species. To our knowledge, this is the first study on phytotoxic compounds produced by Botryosphaeriaceae species found in Australian vineyards. The phytotoxic metabolites produced by Diplodia seriata, Diplodia mutila, Neofusicoccum australe and, for the first time, by Neofusicoccum luteum were isolated and chemically identified essentially by spectroscopic methods.

     

Gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for the screening of adulterants in seized captagon™ tablets

Background: Amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) are the second most popular illegal drugs used worldwide, after cannabis. The production of ATS has increased across the world, including the Middle East. Fenethylline (Captagon?), amphetamine derivative, sold as a street drug usually contains several adulterants and diluents. In Saudi Arabia, like other countries, samples of illicit ATS are submitted to laboratories to test for the adulterated compounds.

Objective: The objective of the proposed study was to apply gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for fenethylline profiling of seized samples collected from the Saudi market (n?=?55).

Methodology: The GC/MS analysis was performed on a general purpose column (30?m?×?0.25?mm i.d) coated with 0.25?µm cross bond, 5% diphenyl dimethyl polysiloxane (Rtx-5MS). The mass was operated in the electron impact mode.

Results and discussion: Analyzed samples gave positive results for amphetamine in the concentration range between 1.35% and 37.32% of the powder, caffeine in the range between 22.74 and 44.92%, in addition to different concentrations of levoglucosenone, theophylline, D-allose, lidocaine, methamphetamine, dextromethorphan, and other adulterants. Finally, the presence of other substances in fenethylline street samples could result in intoxication. This significantly contributes to the potential risk of drug addiction among public.     

HPTLC coupled to ESI-Tandem MS for identifying phospholipids associated to membrane proteins in photosynthetic purple bacteria

High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)-densitometry was directly combined with electrospray (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry for obtaining rapid and relevant structural identification of phospholipids (PL) species associated to membrane proteins (MP), in non-sulfur, purple bacteria having photosynthetic activity. Thus, species belonging to phosphatidylcholines (PC), phosphatidylethanolamines (PE), cardiolipins (CL) and phosphatidylglycerols (PG) associated to MP were investigated in bacterial membrane extracts from Rhodobacter (Rb.) blasticus, Rhodospirillum (R.) rubrum and Rhodobaca (Rbc.) bogoriensis, as well as those which are bound to a purified MP-photosynthetic complex from Rbc. bogoriensis.

PL-classes were separated using a 7-step gradient-solvent sequence with a previous acid plate preconditioning, using Automated Multiple Development. Band zones of the plate corresponding to PL classes were selected to ensure their direct transfer to ion-trap MS equipment through an elution-based interface.

Under the studied conditions, ESI⁺-MS spectra of PC and CL mostly showed sodium adducts ([M?+?Na]⁺) and [M-2H?+?3Na]⁺, respectively, when recorded from the plate. The respective sodium adducts were fragmented in the ion-trap, and sodium remained as the charge of the fragment ions, thus being useful for their structural identification through MS/MS. ESI^--MS and MS/MS spectra of CL were also obtained as [M-2H]^2?, as well as those of PE and PG species as [M-H]^- and [M]^?, respectively.

In this way, relative composition profiles of each studied PL-class by ESI-MS, and further identification of individual PL and the molecular species belonging to each of them by MS/MS were obtained.     

Efficient Synthesis of Some New 2,3-Dimethylquinoxaline-1-oxides Using Bis(acetoxy)phenyl-λ 3-iodane as an Oxidant

A series of 2-(arylimino)-3-(hydroxyimino)butanes 3a–g, easily accessed by the condensation of variously substituted anilines 1a–g with biacetyl monoxime 2, were efficiently cyclized to afford 2,3-dimethylquinoxaline-1-oxides 4a–g using bis(acetoxy)phenyl-λ ³-iodane as an oxidant. This methodology utilizes a commercially available and environmental benign oxidant to achieve the title compounds in excellent yields under mild conditions.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]     

5-Ethoxymethylidene-4-thioxo-2-thiazolidinone as Versatile Building Block for Novel Biorelevant Small Molecules with Thiopyrano[2,3-d][1,3]thiazole Core

5-Ethoxymethylidene-4-thioxo-2-thiazolidinone was studied as versatile core building block in the synthesis of new thiopyrano[2,3-d]thiazole derivatives relevant for medicinal chemistry purposes under hetero-Diels–Alder reaction conditions. Promising compounds (6, 10) were identified among synthesized series with high antitumor and moderate antiviral activity.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]     

Development of new and robust LC-MS method for simultaneous quantification of polyphenols from Sambucus ebulus fruits

A new and simple LC-MS method for analysis of flavonoids from Sambucus ebulus berry extracts was developed and validated. Successfully were quantitated seven polyphenols: epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, rutin, resveratrol, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol.

Two detectors, working in parallel, were used: photodiode-array and single quadrupole mass-detector. The mass detection was used for identification and quantification of the analytes, while the diode-array detector was as confirmation tool. The following m/z were tracked: 457.15 (epigallocatechin gallate); 289.06 (epicatechin); 609.13 (rutin); 227.05 (resveratrol); 317.0 (myricetin); 301.02 (quercetin); 285.02 (kaempferol). For optimization the chromatographic separation three wavelengths 205?nm, 305?nm, 272?nm were monitored. The method was capable to detect in one run compounds with no UV or fluorescence chromophore and with very similar structures, such as plant polyphenols. The linearity was from 0.05?mg/L to 50?mg/L (R² 0.9962–0.9987). The recoveries for all tested analytes were between 81.6% and 104.7%.

The method was applied for analysis of crude extract of Sambucus ebulus ripe fruits. Three major polyphenols – epicatechin (0.84?mg/100gFW), quercetin (0.15?mg/100gFW) and kaempferol (0.05?mg/100gFW) were identified and quantified.

The proposed method could be successfully used for routine analysis of epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin, rutin, resveratrol, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol in Sambucus ebulus extracts.     

Synthesis of 2-Tert-butylimino-3-hepta-O-benzoyl-β-D-lactosylimino-4-S-benzyl-6-arylimino-2,3-dihydro-1,3,5-thiadiazines

A new series of synthesis of 2-tert-butylimino-3-hepta-O-benzoyl-β-D-lactosylimino-4-S-benzyl-6-arylimino-2,3-dihydro-1,3,5-thiadiazines (hydrochloride) were synthesized by the interaction of 1-aryl-5-hepta-O-benzoyl-β-D-lactosyl-2-S-benzyl-2,4-isodithiobiurets with tert-butyl isocyanodichloride. The identities of these newly synthesized N-lactosides have been established on the basis of usual chemical transformations and infrared, ¹H NMR, and mass spectral analysis.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]     

Saccharin as an Organocatalyst for Quinoxalines and Pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazines Syntheses

A room-temperature procedure using saccharin as catalyst has been described for the cyclocondensation of different 1,2-arylenediamines with various 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds, yielding either quinoxalines or pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazines. The reactions proceed in very short reaction times in methanol, and the target heterocycles are isolated in quantitative yields after addition of water, filtration, and drying. Substituted pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazines can also be reached regioselectively by reacting α-ketoaldehydes with 2,3-diaminopyridine.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]     

New Synthetic Route to (1S)-4,5-Dimethoxy-1-[(methylamino)methyl] Benzocyclobutane,a Key Intermediate of Ivabradine

An efficient process for the preparation of (1S)-4,5-dimethoxy-1-[(methylamino)methyl] benzocyclobutane (S)-3 as ivabradine intermediate, which was obtained in 56% yield, is described. The salient feature of this process is the racemization of the undesired (1R)-4,5–dimethoxy-1,2-dihydrocyclobutabenzene-1-carboxylic acid (R)-12, and the overall yield of (S)-12 was improved to 70% by three resolutions of the racemized acid with R-(α)-phenylethanamine. The reduction of amide (S)-13 was achieved with NaBH₄-I₂ in refluxing tetrahydrofuran, giving the corresponding amine (S)-3 in 90% yield. The improved synthetic route described herein is cost-efficient, environmentally friendly and feasibile for scale-up production.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]     

Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Thermal Decomposition of [HGdP2O7 · 2 H2O] · NH3 Electric properties of HGdP2O7 and Gd2P4O13

A new gadolinium diphosphate [HGdP₂O₇ · 2 H₂O] · NH₃ was synthesized via a soft chemistry route from evaporation of aqueous solution. It crystallizes in the space group Pī with Z = 2 and the following unit cell dimensions: a = 6.4609(2), b = 6.9810(2), c = 9.813(4) ?, α = 81.345(3), β = 80.547(3), γ = 88.430(3)°. IR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of P-OH group, and both ammonia and water molecule in the studied material.

The thermal decomposition of [HGdP₂O₇ · 2 H₂O] · NH₃, as investigated by Controlled Rate Thermal Analysis, took place in three stages between -23 and 600 °C leading to the anhydrous salt HGdP₂O₇. The calcination of the synthesized product at 850 °C in a static air furnace allowed us to obtain the tetraphosphate Gd₂P₄O₁₃. X-ray powder diffraction and infrared spectroscopy were used to identify these materials.

The electrical properties of HGdP₂O₇ and Gd₂P₄O₁₃ were investigated through impedance complex analysis. Modest conductivity has been observed in both materials at relatively medium temperature range. Activation energies of 0.62 and 1.21 eV, were deduced from the Arrhenius plots for HGdP₂O₇ and Gd₂P₄O₁₃, respectively.     

Novel,Recyclable, and Thermally Stable Task-Specific Ionic Liquid (TBA Acetate) Medium/Catalyst for the Synthesis of Indolylidinecyclic-1,3- and -1,4-diketones

A simple and efficient synthesis of indolylidinethiazolidnediones (3) and indolylidinecyclic-1,3-diketones (5) has been developed by reaction of indole-3-aldehyde (1) with thiazolidinedione (2) or cyclic-1,3-diketones (4) using tetra butyl ammonium acetate (TBAA) melt as novel, cost-effective, and recyclable ionic liquid under solvent-free green conditions at 100 °C for 15–20 min without additional use of catalyst.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]     

Construction of Pyrrolidinyl Spirooxindoles via a 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reaction of (E)-N-Boc-3-Alkylidene-Indolin-2(3H)ones with Azomethine Ylides

A mild and efficient method for the construction of pyrrolidinyl spirooxindoles via a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of (E)-N-Boc-3-alkylidene-indolin-2(3H)ones with azomethine ylides has been established. The presence of an N-Boc group in the indolin-2(3H)ones obviously increased the activity and stereoselectivity of the reaction, affording the desired pyrrolidinyl spirooxindoles 4 with up to 85% yield and up to >99/1 dr value. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of these compounds against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC-25825) has been tested at minimum concentration, and some of them exhibit moderate antibacterial activity.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]     

TiCl4 Dissolved in Ionic Liquid Mixtures from Аb Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations

To gain a deeper understanding of the TiCl4 solvation effects in multi-component ionic liquids, we performed ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [C4C1Im]+, tetrafluoroborate [BF4]−, chloride [Cl]− both with and without water and titanium tetrachloride TiCl4. Complex interactions between cations and anions are observed in all investigated systems. By further addition of water and TiCl4 this complex interaction network is extended. Observations of the radial distribution functions and number integrals show that water and TiCl4 not only compete with each other to interact mainly with [Cl]−, which strongly influences the cation-[BF4]− interaction, but also interact with each other, which leads to the fact that in certain systems the cation-anion interaction is enhanced. Further investigations of the Voronoi polyhedra analysis have demonstrated that water has a greater impact on the nanosegregated system than TiCl4 which is also due to the fact of the shear amount of water relative to all other components and its higher mobility compared to TiCl4. Overall, the polar network of the IL mixture collapses by including water and TiCl4. In the case of [Cl]− chloride enters the water continuum, while [BF4]− remains largely unaffected, which deeply affects the interaction of the ionic liquid (IL) network.     

Effect of natamycin on the physicochemical properties of corn starch based films and their effect on Penicillium spp. activity

The incorporation of antimicrobials in foods by means of the use of films where they are entrapped collaborates to decrease their diffusion rate. In this work, the physicochemical properties of starch-based films loaded with 1% wt. natamycin were analyzed, and the antifungal activity of these films was evaluated against Penicillium spp..

Variations in the properties of films with 1% natamycin were minimal, leading to the conclusion that this material could be applied to avoid mold development on the surface semi-hard cheeses. Corn starch-based films containing natamycin at 1% w/w inhibited the Penicillium spp. growth in a solid matrix.