3-Butyl-1-methylimidazolinium borohydride ([bmim][BH4])—a novel reducing agent for the selective reduction of carbon-carbon double bonds in activated conjugated alkenes

A novel ionic reducing reagent, 3-butyl-1-methylimidazolium borohydride ([bmim][BH₄]), was synthesized and successfully used for the selective reduction of carbon-carbon double bonds in conjugated alkenes as well as the α,β-carbon-carbon double bonds in highly activated α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated alkenes. The reagent can be regenerated and reused several times without losing its activity.     

Ac2O/K2CO3/DMSO: an efficient and practical reagent system for the synthesis of nitriles from aldoximes

The transformation of aldoximes to nitriles using acetic anhydride as dehydration agent under mild reaction conditions is reported. The reaction, which proceeds under weak alkaline condition, allows for the conversion of a range of aldoximes including aromatic aldoximes, alphatic aldoximes, and heterocyclic aldoximes in good to excellent yields. This method has also been successfully applied to the synthesis of calcium channel blocker nilvadipine in pilot scale.     

1,4-Dihydropyridine/BF3OEt2 for the reduction of imines: Influences of the amount of added BF3OEt2 and the substitution at N-1 and C-4 of the dihydropyridine ring

We have evaluated four 1,4-dihydropyridines (DHPs 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d) as reducing agents, which presented free (hydrogenated) or phenyl-substituted N-1 and C-4 positions of the DHP ring. Reactions combining each of the DHP and different amounts of BF₃OEt₂ were evaluated for the reduction of imine 2a (N-benzylideneaniline). DHP simultaneously substituted at N-1 and C-4 (1a), and DHP substituted at C-4 (1b) gave lower yields for reduction of 2a in comparison with DHPs 1c and 1d (both unsubstituted at the C-4 position). By evaluating the amount of added BF₃OEt₂ to the reaction mixture, we have found that DHP 1c (substituted at N-1) provided its best yield for amine 3a (82%) when associated with stoichiometric amounts BF₃OEt₂, while DHP 1d (N-1- and C-4-unsubstituted derivative) was more effective (90% yield) with catalytic quantities of the Lewis acid. The reaction system using DHP 1c under stoichiometric BF₃OEt₂ could also be successfully applied with additional imine examples and under reductive amination conditions.     

Study of proton adsorption at heterogeneous oxide/electrolyte interface. Prediction of the surface potential using Monte Carlo simulations and 1-pK approach

Adsorption of protons on a heterogeneous solid surface is modeled using the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation method. The surface of an oxide is assumed to consist of adsorption sites with pK assigned according to a quasi-Gaussian distribution. The influence of the electrostatic interactions combined with the energetic heterogeneity of the surface is examined and the MC results are compared with the predictions of the analytical 1-pK approach. The surface potential behavior is examined using both "experimental" MC results and "theoretical" results obtained from the application of 1-pK model. The results are compared qualitatively with experimental determination of the surface potential of metal oxide surfaces. They confirm that the relation between the surface potential and the pH of bulk solution should not be described by the Nernst equation but by the equation with the parameter linearly reducing Nerstian potential. The values of this parameter are examined with respect to degree of surface energetic heterogeneity and site density of the surface.     

BH分子X 1Σ+、A 1Π和B 1Σ+ 态的势能函数

利用SAC/SAC-CI方法，使用D95++、6-311++g及cc-PVTZ等基组，对BH分子的基态(X ¹Σ⁺)、第一简并激发态(A ¹Π)及第二激发态(B ¹Σ⁺)的平衡结构和谐振频率进行了优化计算． 通过对三个基组计算结果的比较，得出了cc-PVTZ基组为三个基组中的最优基组的结论；使用cc-PVTZ基组，利用SAC的GSUM(group sum of operators)方法对基态(X ¹Σ⁺)， SAC-CI的GSUM方法对激发态(A ¹Π 和B ¹Σ⁺)进行单点能扫描计算, 用正规方程组拟合Murrell-Sorbie函数，得到了相应电子态的完整势能函数；从得到的势能函数计算了与基态(X ¹Σ⁺)、第一简并的激发态(A ¹Π)和第二激发态(X ¹Σ⁺)相对应的光谱常数(Be、αe、ωe 和ωeχe)，结果与实验数据较为一致． 其中基态、第一激发态与实验数据吻合得较好．     

Theoretical study of the νO–H IR spectra for the hydrogen bond dimers from the polarized spectra of glutaric and 1-naphthoic acid crystals: Fermi resonances effects

A full quantum theoretical model is proposed to study the ν_O–H experimental IR line shapes of polarized crystalline glutaric and 1-naphthoic acid dimer crystals at room and liquid nitrogen temperatures. This work is an application of a previous model [M. E-A. Benmalti, D. Chamma, P. Blaise, and O. Henri-Rousseau, J. Mol. Struct. 785 (2006) 27–31] by accounting for Fermi resonances. The approach is dealing with the strong anharmonic coupling, Davydov coupling, multiple Fermi resonances between the first harmonics of some bending modes and the first excited state of the symmetric combination of the two ν_O–H modes and the quantum direct and indirect relaxation.Numerical results show that mixing of all these effects allows to reproduce satisfactorily the main features of the experimental IR line shapes of crystalline hydrogenated and deuterated glutaric and 1-naphthoic acid crystals and are expected to provide efficient of Fermi resonances effects.     

Deformed phthalocyanines: synthesis and characterization of zinc phthalocyanines bearing phenyl substituents at the 1-, 4-, 8-, 11-, 15-, 18-, 22-, and/or 25-positions

The synthesis of a series of zinc phthalocyanines partially phenyl-substituted at the 1-, 4-, 8-, 11-, 15-, 18-, 22-, and/or 25-positions (the so-called alpha-positions) is reported. Macrocycle formation based on 3,6-diphenylphthalonitrile, o-phthalonitrile, and zinc acetate predominantly yielded the near-planar disubstituted complex and opposite tetrasubstituted isomer, while the lithium method yielded the sterically hindered hexasubstituted complex and adjacent tetrasubstituted isomer. All compounds have been characterized by 1H NMR, MALDI-TOF-MS, and elemental analysis methods. In addition, crystal structures have been solved for the di-, hexa-, and octasubstituted complexes and the adjacent tetrasubstituted isomer. DFT geometry optimization calculations predict more highly deformed structures than those observed in the crystals. The packing force of the crystals cannot therefore be ignored, particularly for the less phenyl-substituted derivatives. The crystal structures have revealed that overlap of the phenyl groups causes substantial deformation of the phthalocyanine (Pc) ligands within the crystals, while strong pi-pi stacking in the remainder of the Pc moiety lacking phenyl substituents can suppress the impact of the deformation. Absorption spectra show sizable red shifts of the Q-band with increasing number of phenyl groups. Analysis of the results of absorption spectra and electrochemical measurements reveals that a substantial portion of the red shift is attributable to the ring deformations. Molecular orbital calculations lend further support to this conclusion. A moderately intense absorption band emerging at around 430 nm for highly deformed octaphenyl-substituted zinc Pc can be assigned to the HOMO-->LUMO+3 transition, which is parity-forbidden for planar Pcs, but becomes allowed since the ring deformations remove the center of symmetry.     

Total synthesis of HM-1 and HM-2, aromatic sesquiterpenes isolated from the phytopathogenic fungus Helicobasidium mompa. Structure revision of HM-2

The structure assigned to the sesquiterpene HM-2 was found to be incorrect by total synthesis. A ring-closing metathesis based strategy was developed for the total synthesis of the aromatic sesquiterpene HM-1, which on functional group transformation established the structure of HM-2 as 23, a cuparene derivative.     

Radical cyclisation approach for the synthesis of (+)dihydrocanadensolide, (+)dihydrosporothriolide and their C-3 epimers from d-xylose

Intramolecular radical cyclisation protocol on 5-hexenyl systems derived from d-xylose, was utilized for the synthesis of (+)dihydrocanadensolide, (+)-dihydrosporothriolide and their C-3 epimers, wherein a study on the impact of C-2′ stereocentre on radical cyclisation was conducted.     

Comparison of different extraction methods for the determination of essential oils and related compounds from aromatic plants and optimization of solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography

Different extraction methods for the subsequent gas chromatographic determination of the composition of essential oils and related compounds from marjoram (Origanum majorana L.), caraway (Carum carvi L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) have been compared. The comparison was also discussed with regard to transformation processes of genuine compounds, particularly in terms of expenditure of time. Hydrodistillation is the method of choice for the determination of the essential oil content of plants. For investigating the composition of genuine essential oils and related, aroma-active compounds, hydrodistillation is not very useful, because of discrimination and transformation processes due to high temperatures and acidic conditions. With cold solvent extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction, discrimination of high and non-volatile aroma-active components as well as transformation processes can be diminished, but non-aroma-active fats, waxes, or pigments are often extracted, too. As solid-phase microextraction is a solvent-free fully automizable sample preparation technique, this was the most sparing to sensitive components and the most time-saving method for the rapid determination of the aroma compounds composition in marjoram, caraway, sage, and thyme. Finally, solid-phase microextraction could be successfully optimized for the extraction of the aroma components from the plants for their subsequent gas chromatographic determination.     

A new route for the preparation of the 22,23-dioxocholestane side chain from diosgenin and its application to the stereocontrolled construction of the 22R,23S-diol function

The new (22R,23S,25R)-3β,16β,26-triacetoxy-cholest-5-ene-22,23-diol (11a) was synthesized from diosgenin (3) through a synthetic route based on chemoselective RuO₄ oxidation of (25R)-3β,16β-diacetoxy-23-ethyl-23¹,26-epoxycholesta-5,23(23¹)-dien-22-one (9) that afforded (20S,25R)-3β,16β,26-triacetoxycholest-5-ene-22,23-dione (10) which was stereoselectively reduced using NaBH₄. Compound 9 was obtained from the known isomeric 22,26-epoxycholest-5-ene steroidal skeleton 8b by treatment with p-TsOH in toluene, amberlyst-15 or directly from diosgenin by treatment with BF₃·OEt₂/Ac₂O. Chemoselective reduction of the 23-keto group of 10, was attained using NaBH₄/ZnCl₂ at −70 °C to give 23S-14. The NMR spectra of all compounds were unambiguously assigned based on one and two dimensional experiments and the C-22 and C-23 stereochemistry in the diacetate derivative 11b, as well as the structure of epoxycholestene 9 were further established by X-ray diffraction analyses. The new route for the functionalization of the side chain of diosgenin can find application in the synthesis of norbrassinosteroid analogues.     

Method development for the analysis of particle phase substituted methoxy phenols and aromatic acids from biomass burning using capillary electrophoresis/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (CE/ESI-MS)

A method is developed for the determination of substituted methoxy phenols and aromatic acids in biomass burning aerosol using capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled to an electrospray ionization mass spectrometer. Background electrolytes (BGEs) containing ammonium acetate, ammonium hydroxide and 10% (v/v) methanol at pH 9.1 and ammonium hydroxide at pH 11 are investigated for their suitability. A good linearity is found for all analytes in the range of 1-50 microM for the ammonium acetate based BGE and 1-40 microM for the ammonium hydroxide BGE. The detection limit ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 microM for the ammonium acetate based BGE and 0.3 to 0.7 microM for the ammonium hydroxide BGE. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) is typically less than 0.5% (ammonium acetate based BGE) and 4.2% (ammonium hydroxide BGE) for the migration time and 3-9% (ammonium acetate based BGE) and 2.5-8% (ammonium hydroxide BGE) for the peak area (n = 5). The analytical time was less than 10 min for both methods. The proposed methods are fast, sensitive and quantitative and can be applied to the analysis of complex biomass burning aerosol samples without complex pre-treatment. The results from the analysis of real biomass burning samples demonstrate the suitability of the proposed methods to the analysis of low concentration water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) in biomass burning samples. The fast analytical time and high sensitivity of the proposed methods enables the analysis of a large number of size segregated impactor samples from biomass burning aerosols.     

Hydrogen atom transfer methodology for the synthesis of C-22, C-23, and C-25 stereoisomers of cephalostatin north 1 side chain from spirostan sapogenins

A simple synthesis of all eight C-22, C-23, and C-25 diastereoisomers of the cephalostatin north 1 side chain has been accomplished from (25R)-5α-spirostan-3β-ol (tigogenin). The synthesis involves selective hydroxylations at C-23 and C-25 and reductive opening of the 1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane spirostan system to give a conveniently protected 5α-furostan-3β,23,25,26-tetrol. The construction of the required 1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonane system entailed an intramolecular hydrogen abstraction reaction promoted by the C-25 alkoxyl radical as the key step. Acid-catalyzed isomerization of the spiroketal unit suggested that 22R isomers are the thermodynamic products while the 22S isomers are the result of kinetic control. The acid-catalyzed equilibrium between 1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonane and 1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane systems was also studied. In the 1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonane units, the observed ³J_23,24 coupling constants suggest that the five-membered puckered ring-F undergoes substantial conformational changes on going from 22S to 22R isomers.     

A simple and practical method for the stereoselective synthesis of (Z)-1-iodo-1-alkenes from 1,1-diiodo-1-alkenes

Treatment of the 1,1-diiodo-1-alkenes 8, prepared from the corresponding aldehydes with CI₄/PPh₃, with ZnCu/AcOH in THF-MeOH gave the (Z)-1-iodo-1-alkenes 9, selectively, in good yields.     

A novel method for the synthesis of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazole from oxime and sodium azide

A simple and efficient protocol is developed for the synthesis of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles from various oximes and sodium azide (NaN₃) by using copper acetate as a catalyst.     

High-throughput screening assay for the quantification of Cer d18:1/16:0, d18:1/24:0, d18:1/24:1, d18:1/18:0, d18:1/14:0, d18:1/20:0, and d18:1/22:0 in HepG2 cells using RapidFire mass spectrometry

Ceramides are known to be involved in various biological processes with their physiological levels elevated in various disease conditions such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, atherosclerosis. To facilitate the rapid screening of Cer d18:1/16:0, d18:1/24:0, d18:1/24:1, d18:1/18:0, d18:1/14:0, d18:1/20:0, and d18:1/22:0 inhibition in HepG2 cells, a RapidFire coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (RF–MS/MS) method has been developed. The RF platform provides an automated solid-phase extraction system that gave a throughput of 12.6 s per sample to an MS/MS system using electrospray ionization under the positive ion mode. Chromatographic separation of Cer d18:1/16:0, d18:1/24:0, d18:1/24:1, d18:1/18:0, d18:1/14:0, d18:1/20:0, and d18:1/22:0 was achieved using a ternary gradient on C₈ type E cartridge. The MS/MS ion transitions monitored were 538.2 → 264.2, 650.7 → 264.2, 648.6 → 264.2, 566.4 → 264.2, 510.4 → 264.2, 594.4 → 264.2, 622.5 → 264.2, and 552.3 → 250.2 for Cer d18:1/16:0, d18:1/24:0, d18:1/24:1, d18:1/18:0, d18:1/14:0, d18:1/20:0, d18:1/22:0, and the internal standard (Cer d17:1/18:0), respectively. The RF–MS/MS methodology showed an excellent performance with an average Z′ value of 0.5–0.7. This is the first report of an RF–MS/MS assay for screening of ceramides which is amenable for high-throughput screening.     

Direct arylation for the synthesis of 2-arylquinolines from N-methoxyquinoline-1-ium tetrafluoroborate salts and arylboronic acids

A rapid and direct arylation reaction of N-methoxyquinoline-1-ium tetrafluoroborate derivatives and arylboronic acids with high regioselectivety at room temperature was discovered. The reaction shows exceptional functional group tolerance and broad substrate scope regarding both the quinoline derivatives and the arylboronic acids.     

1-乙基-3-甲基咪唑磷酸二甲酯盐+K3PO4/K2HPO4/K2CO3+H2O离子液体双水相体系在T=298.15 K时相图数据的测量和相关性

实验测定了1-乙基-3-甲基咪唑磷酸二甲酯盐(1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dimehtyl phosphate,[Emim]DMP)+盐(K3PO4,K2HPO4和K2CO3)+H2O体系在298.15 K的双节点数据.用3个经验方程与双节点数据关联,发现Merchuk方程简便并且准确性好.不同盐的分相能力顺序为K3PO4>K2HPO4>K2CO3,这与水合离子Gibbs自由能(ΔhydG)有关.用Othmer-Tobias方程、Bancroft方程和二元参数方程计算此方法和相应系线数据的可靠性.[Emim]DMP是常见的离子液体,广泛用于萃取石油燃料中的硫.报道了[Emim]DMP+盐+H2O体系的相图数据.     

Cloning, sequencing and analysis of the enterocin biosynthesis gene cluster from the marine isolate ‘Streptomyces maritimus’: evidence for the derailment of an aromatic polyketide synthase

Background: Polycyclic aromatic polyketides, such as the tetracyclines and anthracyclines, are synthesized by bacterial aromatic polyketide synthases (PKSs). Such PKSs contain a single set of iteratively used individual proteins for the construction of a highly labile poly-β-carbonyl intermediate that is cyclized by associated enzymes to the core aromatic polyketide. A unique polyketide biosynthetic pathway recently identified in the marine strain ‘Streptomyces maritimus’ deviates from the normal aromatic PKS model in the generation of a diverse series of chiral, non-aromatic polyketides.Results: A 21.3 kb gene cluster encoding the biosynthesis of the enterocin and wailupemycin family of polyketides from ‘S. maritimus’ has been cloned and sequenced. The biosynthesis of these structurally diverse polyketides is encoded on a 20 open reading frames gene set containing a centrally located aromatic PKS. The architecture of this novel type II gene set differs from all other aromatic PKS clusters by the absence of cyclase and aromatase encoding genes and the presence of genes encoding the biosynthesis and attachment of the unique benzoyl-CoA starter unit. In addition to the previously reported heterologous expression of the gene set, in vitro and in vivo expression studies with the cytochrome P-450 EncR and the ketoreductase EncD, respectively, support the involvement of the cloned genes in enterocin biosynthesis.Conclusions: The enterocin biosynthesis gene cluster represents the most versatile type II PKS system investigated to date. A large series of divergent metabolites are naturally generated from the single biochemical pathway, which has several metabolic options for creating structural diversity. The absence of cyclase and aromatase gene products and the involvement of an oxygenase-catalyzed Favorskii-like rearrangement provide insight into the observed spontaneity of this pathway. This system provides the foundation for engineering hybrid expression sets in the generation of structurally novel compounds for use in drug discovery.