Oxyethyl hydrazides as potential flotation agents

Physicochemical (acid-base, solubility, stability against oxidation and hydrolysis) and surface-active (wetting angles, surface tension, foaming) properties of N′-oxyethyl hydrazides of aliphatic carboxylic acids were studied. The data obtained are analyzed in terms of the main requirements imposed on flotation agents.     

Sulfonyl hydrazides as sulfonyl sources in organic synthesis

While sulfonyl hydrazides are widely utilized in organic synthesis, it is only in recent years that they have emerged as powerful sulfonyl sources. The hydrazinyl group can be readily removed from sulfonyl hydrazides under thermal, basic, oxidative, radical, and/or transition metal-catalyzed conditions, and subsequently, the remaining sulfonyl groups are able to form carbon-sulfur, sulfur-nitrogen, sulfur-halogen, sulfur-sulfur, and sulfur-selenium bonds with a wide variety of organic compounds, providing alternative approaches to the preparation of sulfones, sulfonamides, sulfonyl halides, thiosulfonates, and selenosulfonates. Moreover, some of the carbon-sulfur bond-forming reactions have been successfully applied to the construction of carbocycles, heterocycles, and stereogenic centers.     

Amidoximes as Effective Acceptors of Acyl Group

A detailed analysis of the kinetic behavior of amidoximes in acyl transfer reactions was undertaken in terms of the Brönsted relationship. The reactivity of amidoximate anions is comparable with the reactivity of typical -nucleophiles (oximate ions). The anomalously high nucleophilicity of neutral amidoximes can be explained by the formation of a cyclic transition state, including two types of promoting action – general acid and base catalysis. This type of -nucleophile secures effective cleavage of water-stable substrates not only in alkaline but also in neutral and acidic media.     

Cyclic hydrazides

A series of dimethyl esters and cyclic hydrazides of quinoline-2,3-dicarboxylic acid has been synthesized with different substituents in the benzene ring.Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga LV-1006, Merz and Co., 111353, 60048 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 86–100, January, 1998.     

Acyl pyruvates as synthons in the Biginelli reaction

Chlorotrimethylsilane-promoted Biginelli-type reaction of ethyl 2,4-dioxo-4-phenylbutanoate, benzaldehyde, and various (thio)ureas is explored. The outcome of the reaction depends on the structure of the (thio)urea used and is strongly affected by the acceptor electronic properties of the COOEt substituent in the molecule of the starting β-dicarbonyl compound. The di- and tetrahydropyrimidine derivatives obtained possess two functional groups with orthogonal reactivity, and thus represent promising building blocks for drug discovery.     

N-Naphthyl peptoid foldamers exhibiting atropisomerism

We introduce peptoid oligomers incorporating N-(1)-naphthyl glycine monomers. Axial chirality was established due to restricted rotation about the C-N(aryl) bond. Atropisomerism of both linear and cyclic peptoids was investigated by computational analysis, dynamic HPLC, and X-ray crystallographic studies.     

Expanded polyglutamine-binding peptoid as a novel therapeutic agent for treatment of Huntington's disease

Polyglutamine(polyQ)-expanded proteins are potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of polyQ expansion disorders such as Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3). Here, we used an amino-terminal fragment of a mutant Huntingtin protein (Htt-N-82Q) as bait in an unbiased screen of a 60,000 peptoid library. Peptoid HQP09 was selected from the isolated hits and confirmed as a specific ligand of Htt-N-82Q and Atxn3-77Q mutant proteins in biochemical experiments. We identified three critical residues in the HQP09 sequence that are important for its activity and generated a minimal?derivative, HQP09_9, which maintains the specific polyQ-binding activity. We demonstrated that HQP09 and HQP09_9 inhibited aggregation of Htt-N-53Q in?vitro and exerted Ca(2+)-stabilizing and neuroprotective effects in experiments with primary striatal neuronal cultures derived from HD mice. We further demonstrated that intracerebroventricular delivery of HQP09 to an HD mouse model resulted in reduced accumulation of mutant Huntingtin aggregates and improved motor behavioral outcomes. These results suggest that HQP09 and similar peptoids hold promise as novel therapeutics for developing treatments for HD, SCA3, and other polyglutamine expansion disorders.     

Substituted hydroxycarboxylic hydrazides

The ethyl ester of oxalic acid piperylhydrazide has been synthesized, and its reactions with organomagnesium compounds investigated. The piperylhydrazides of diaryl-, dialkyl-, and dithienylglycolic acids have been obtained, and their properties examined. The IR and UV spectra of the compounds obtained, and the spectra of the halochromic salts and the basicity of the diaryl- and dithienylglycolic piperylhydrazides, were studied.For part LI, see [1].     

Synthesis pathway to carbohydrate-derived salicylidene hydrazides as ligands for oxovanadium complexes

Salicylidene hydrazides represent important ligands forming oxovanadium complexes. Carbohydrate-derived chiral salicylidene hydrazides as ligands for metal ion complexation were synthesized for the first time. The pathway of the mild and selective synthesis starts from commercial saccharides like methyl-α-d-glucopyranoside and methyl-α-d-mannopyranoside. All synthesized carbohydrate-derived salicylidene hydrazides are able to form oxovanadium complexes. The mononuclear structure proposed for the complex of 1,2,3,4-tetra-O-methyl-α-d-glucopyranuronic acid salicylidene hydrazide is consistent with the analytical data (NMR, IR and MS).     

Conformational rearrangements by water-soluble peptoid foldamers

Peptoids are a family of N-substituted glycine oligomers that are capable of forming stable helical structures. We seek peptoid monomers that can establish a strong folding propensity in aqueous conditions. Here we utilize L-phenylalanine tert-butyl ester as a readily available reagent for the synthesis of (S)-N-(1-carboxy-2-phenylethyl)glycine oligomers. The products form stable secondary structures in aqueous solution in which the conformation is dramatically responsive to variations in pH and solvent composition.     

Visible-Light Photoredox-Catalyzed Acyl Lactonization of Alkenes with Acyl Chlorides

A photocatalytic acyl lactonization of unsaturated carboxylic acids using simple and inexpensive acyl chlorides has been developed for a modular synthesis of acyl lactones. Significantly, the simple protocol could allow an efficient construction of biologically important phthalide framework. The transformation could be extended to a wide variety of unsaturated carboxylic acids, including substituted 2-vinyl benzoic acids and different types of alkenoic acids. Moreover, a series of aroyl, heteroaroyl chlorides could serve as coupling partners. Notably, functional groups including MeO, F, Cl and Br could survive. It is believed that acyl radicals generated from acyl chlorides under photoredox catalysis reacted with alkenes via atom-transfer radical addition (ATRA) and triggered subsequent lactonization in the process. Preliminary mechanistic investigations revealed that the transformation probably proceeded through a free radical pathway.     

Helical peptoid mimics of magainin-2 amide

A series of peptoid oligomers were designed as helical, cationic, and facially amphipathic mimics of the magainin-2 amide antibacterial peptide. We used circular dichroism spectroscopy to determine the conformation of these peptoids in aqueous buffer and in the presence of bacterial membrane-mimetic lipid vesicles, composed of a 7:3 mol ratio of POPE:POPG. We found that certain peptoids, which displayed characteristically helical CD in buffer and lipid vesicles, exhibit selective (nonhemolytic) and potent antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In contrast, peptoids that exhibit weak CD, reminiscent of that of a peptide random coil, were ineffective antibiotics. In a manner similar to the natural magainin peptides, we find a correlation between peptoid lipophilicity and hemolytic propensity. We observe that a minimum length of approximately 12 peptoid residues may be required for antibacterial activity. We also see evidence that a helix length between 24 and 34 A may provide optimal antibacterial efficacy. These results provide the first example of a water-soluble, structured, bioactive peptoid.     

Lipase-Catalyzed Synthesis of Carboxylic Amides: Nitrogen Nucleophiles as Acyl Acceptor

Summary.  The lipase-catalyzed aminolysis of carboxylic esters is a fairly general reaction that has been performed with a wide range of esters and amines, generally in anhydrous organic media to avoid undesirable hydrolysis of the ester. Alternatively, carboxylic amides can be synthesized by lipase mediated condensation of carboxylic acids and amines if an excess of either reactant is avoided. Chiral carboxylic esters have been resolved by lipase-catalyzed aminolysis. In the majority of these resolutions, Candida antarctica lipase B has been employed as the catalyst. A range of chiral amines has been resolved by lipase mediated acylation, using mainly the lipases from C. antarctica (B type) and Pseudomonas species. The enantiorecognition was frequently found to depend critically on the acylating agent and the reaction medium. Received December 20, 1999. Accepted January 1, 2000     

Helical peptoid mimics of lung surfactant protein C

Among the families of peptidomimetic foldamers under development as novel biomaterials and therapeutics, poly-N-substituted glycines (peptoids) with alpha-chiral side chains are of particular interest for their ability to adopt stable, helical secondary structure in organic and aqueous solution. Here, we show that a peptoid 22-mer with a biomimetic sequence of side chains and an amphipathic, helical secondary structure acts as an excellent mimic of surfactant protein C (SP-C), a small protein that plays an important role in surfactant replacement therapy for the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. When integrated into a lipid film, the helical peptoid SP mimic captures the essential surface-active behaviors of the natural protein. This work provides an example of how an abiological oligomer that closely mimics both the hydrophobic/polar sequence patterning and the fold of a natural protein can also mimic its biophysical function.     

Lipase-Catalyzed Synthesis of Carboxylic Amides: Nitrogen Nucleophiles as Acyl Acceptor

 The lipase-catalyzed aminolysis of carboxylic esters is a fairly general reaction that has been performed with a wide range of esters and amines, generally in anhydrous organic media to avoid undesirable hydrolysis of the ester. Alternatively, carboxylic amides can be synthesized by lipase mediated condensation of carboxylic acids and amines if an excess of either reactant is avoided. Chiral carboxylic esters have been resolved by lipase-catalyzed aminolysis. In the majority of these resolutions, Candida antarctica lipase B has been employed as the catalyst. A range of chiral amines has been resolved by lipase mediated acylation, using mainly the lipases from C. antarctica (B type) and Pseudomonas species. The enantiorecognition was frequently found to depend critically on the acylating agent and the reaction medium.     

Synthesis of Rapeseed Biodiesel Using Short-Chained Alkyl Acetates as Acyl Acceptor

In this study, we conducted experiments using a response surface methodology to determine the optimal reaction conditions for the enzymatic synthesis of biodiesel from rapeseed oil and short-chained alkyl acetates, such as methyl acetate or ethyl acetate, as the acyl acceptor at 40 °C. Based on our response surface methodology experiments, the optimal reaction conditions for the synthesis of biodiesel were as follows: methyl acetate as acyl acceptor, catalyst concentration of 16.50%, oil-to-methyl acetate molar ratio of 1:12.44, and reaction time of 19.70 h; ethyl acetate as acyl acceptor, catalyst concentration of 16.95%, oil-to-ethyl acetate molar ratio of 1:12.56, and reaction time of 19.73 h. The fatty acid ester content under the above conditions when methyl acetate and ethyl acetate were used as the acyl acceptor was 58.0% and 62.6%, respectively. The statistical method described in this study can be applied to effectively optimize the enzymatic conditions required for biodiesel production with short-chained alkyl acetates.