The crystal structure of tris (indenyl)uranium (β,β,β-trifluoroethanolate)

The title compound was obtained by reaction of the methyl tris(indenyl) uranium complex with trifluoroethanol. A crystal structure reveals that there are two symmetrically independent molecules in the unit cell. The coordination geometry about the uranium atom is a flattened tetrahedron with three π-bonded indenyl rings and one σ-bonded trifluoroethanol oxygen atom. The U---O bonds are remarkably short. The U---C distances indicate trihapto mode of bonding of the indenyl rings. Variation of the ligand X in the U(C₉H₇)₃X class of complexes would not affect the stereochemistry about the U atom.     

Estrogenic Activity of Mycoestrogen (3β,5α,22E)-Ergost-22-en-3-ol via Estrogen Receptor α-Dependent Signaling Pathways in MCF-7 Cells

Armillariella tabescens (Scop.) Sing., a mushroom of the family Tricholomataceae, has been used in traditional oriental medicine to treat cholecystitis, improve bile secretion, and regulate bile-duct pressure. The present study evaluated the estrogen-like effects of A. tabescens using a cell-proliferation assay in an estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). We found that the methanol extract of A. tabescens fruiting bodies promoted cell proliferation in MCF-7 cells. Using bioassay-guided fractionation of the methanol extract and chemical investigation, we isolated and identified four steroids and four fatty acids from the active fraction. All eight compounds were evaluated by E-screen assay for their estrogen-like effects in MCF-7 cells. Among the tested isolates, only (3β,5α,22E)-ergost-22-en-3-ol promoted cell proliferation in MCF-7 cells; this effect was mitigated by the ER antagonist, ICI 182,780. The mechanism underlying the estrogen-like effect of (3β,5α,22E)-ergost-22-en-3-ol was evaluated using Western blot analysis to detect the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, and estrogen receptor α (ERα). We found that (3β,5α,22E)-ergost-22-en-3-ol induced an increase in phosphorylation of ERK, PI3K, Akt, and ERα. Together, these experimental results suggest that (3β,5α,22E)-ergost-22-en-3-ol is responsible for the estrogen-like effects of A. tabescens and may potentially aid control of estrogenic activity in menopause.     

Lipophilic Functionalized Cobyrinic-Acid Derivatives. Part 1. Cobester α-monoacids (α,α,α,β,β,β-hexamethyl α-hydrogen Coα, Coβ-dicyanocobyrinates)

The four α,α,α, β,β,β,-hexamethyl α-hydrogen Coα, Coβ-dicyanocobyrinates 2b, d–f , with a free b-, d-, e-, and f-propionic-acid function, respectively, were prepared by partial hydrolysis of heptamethyl Coα, Coβ-dicyanocobyrinate (cobester; 1 ) in aqueous sulfuric acid. The cobester monoacids 2b, d–f were obtained as a ca. 1:1:1:1 mixture which was separated. The monoacids were purified by chromatography and isolated in crystalline form. The position of the free propionic-acid function was determined by an extensive analysis of 2b, d–f using 2D-NMR techniques; an analysis of the C,H-coupling network topology resulted in an alternative assignment strategy for cobyrinic-acid derivatives, based on pattern recognition. Additional information on the structure of the most polar of the four hexamethyl cobyrinates, of the b-isomer 2b , was also obtained in the solid state from a single-crystal X-ray analysis. Earlier structural assignments based on 1D-NMR spectra of the corresponding regioisomeric monoamides 3b, d–f (obtained from crystalline samples of the monoacids 2b, d–f ) were confirmed by the present investigations.     

The x-ray crystal and molecular structure of chloro-α,β,γ,δ-tetraphenylporphinatopyridinegallium(III)

Crystals of the title compound C₄₉H₃₃N₅ClGa·1/2C₅H₅N·1/2C₅H₁₂ [Ga(py)(Cl)(TPP)]·1/2(py)·1/2(n-pen) are monoclinic, P2₁/n, a = 13.162(2), b = 23.422(6), c, = 14.677(2) Å, β = 101.47(1)°, and Z = 4. The crystal structure refined to R = 0.056 for 2249 observed reflections. The coordination polyhedron of the gallium atom is an octahedron, and the distances between the central metal and axial ligands are Ga-Cl = 2.328(1) and Ga-py = 2.274(3) Å. The gallium atom is displaced slightly out of the porphyrin plane towards Cl, 0.14 Å from the 4N plane and 0.16 Å from the mean porphinato plane, with an average Ga-N distance of 2.01 Å. Although the complex is isostructural with the Mn and Co analogs, it is the first reported structure of a monomeric hexacoordinate gallium(III) porphyrin.