The aromatic amino acid constituent of echinocandin B: 3, 4-dihydroxyhomotyrosine (author's transl)]

The aromatic amino acid constituent of Echinocandin B: 3,4-Dihydroxyhomotyrosine. The antifungal antibiotic echinocandin B gave upon treatment of its tetrahydroderivative with anhydrous trifluoroacetic acid and subsequent methanolysis the tripeptide threonyl-(4-hydroxyprolyl)-(4-oxohomotyrosine) methyl ester ( 8 ), which could be hydrolysed to 4-oxohomotyrosine ( 11 ). These facts together with the earlier described hydrolysis of the antibiotic to 1-amino-3-p-hydroxyphenyl-2-propanone ( 6 ) and the reductive hydrolysis to homotyrosine suggested the presence of 3,4-dihydroxyhomotyrosine ( 14 ) as a constituent amino acid of echinocandin B. This was confirmed by a degradation of the intact tetrahydro-polypeptide with perjodate yielding p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and by the isolation of free 3,4-dihydroxyhomotyrosine upon mild acidic treatment of the tetrahydro-polypeptide.     

Metabolites of microorganisms. 143. Echinocandin B, a novel polypeptide-antibiotic from Aspergillus nidulans var. echinulatus: isolation and structural components

From a strain of Aspergillus nidulans var. echinulatus, A 32204, echinocandin, a novel polypeptide antibiotic complex with high and specific anti-yeast activity was isolated. The main component, echinocandin B, was separated by counter-current distribution. A tentative molecular formula C₅₂H₈₁N₇O₁₈ is discussed. The antibiotic is characterized by its IR. and NMR. spectra and by its characteristic hydrolytic degradation products: linoilic acid, L -4-hydroxyproline, L -4-oxoproline, (2S, 3S, 4S)-4-methyl-3-hydroxy-proline, L -threonine (2 mols), and 1-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-3-amino-propan-2-one.     

Synergistic enhancement of the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of luminol by 4-substituted phenylboronic acids

Combinations of 4-substituted phenylboronic acids [phenyl, iodo, bromo, and trans-4-(3-propenoic acid) substituents] have been discovered to have synergistic effects in the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) catalyzed chemiluminescent oxidation of luminol. Three types of effect have been observed: 1. synergistic reduction in the background light emission of a luminol-peroxide assay reagent to a value lower than the background obtained with either enhancer individually; 2. increase in signal to background ratio (S B ) in the presence of HRP to a value higher than the S B obtained with either enhancer individually (synergy) or to a value higher than the combined S B obtained with each enhancer (synergistic enhancement); and 3. for some combinations of enhancers, an increase in signal in the presence of HRP to a value higher than the signal obtained with either enhancer individually (synergy), or to a value higher than the combined signal obtained with each enhancer (synergistic enhancement). The magnitude of the effect was moderate but the synergistic decreases in background and increases in signal produced increases in S B up to four-fold. Examples of synergistic pairs of enhancers included 4-biphenyl and 4-bromophenylboronic acid; 4-biphenyl and 4-iodophenylboronic acid; and trans-4-(3-propenoic acid) and 4-iodophenylboronic acid. Generally, synergy was obtained at several concentrations of all of the combinations of enhancers tested, and at different time points in the reaction due to the different light emission kinetics of the enhanced reactions. The mechanism of this synergistic effect has not been elucidated but may involve the enhancers acting at different points in the complex chemiluminescent peroxidase catalyzed oxidation reaction.     

Studies on Nepalese crude drugs. XXIX. Chemical constituents of Dronapuspi, the whole herb of Leucas cephalotes SPRENG

From the whole herb of Leucas cephalotes SPRENG., new labdane-, norlabdane- and abietane-type diterpenes named leucasdins A (1), B (2) and C (3), respectively, and two protostane-type triterpenes named leucastrins A (4) and B (5) were isolated, together with a known triterpene, oleanolic acid, five sterols, 7-oxositosterol, 7-oxostigmasterol, 7alpha-hydroxysitosterol, 7alpha-hydroxystigmasterol and stigmasterol, and eight flavones, 5-hydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone, pillion, gonzalitosin I, tricin, cosmosin, apigenin 7-O-beta-D-(6-O-p-coumaroyl)glucopyranoside, anisofolin A and luteolin 4'-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside. The structures of 1--5 were determined as (3S,6R,8R,9R,13S,16S)-9,13,15,16-bisepoxy-3,16-diacetoxy-6-formyloxylabdane, (3S,6R)-3-acetoxy-6-formyloxy-iso-ambreinolide, (4R,9S,12R,13R)-12,13-dihydroxyabiet-7-en-18-oic acid, (3S,17S,20S,24S)-3,20-dihydroxy-24-methylprotost-25-en, and (3S,17S,20S,24S)-3,20,24-trihydroxyprotost-25-en respectively, based on spectral and chemical data.     

Absolute configurations, predominant conformations, and tautomeric structures of enantiomeric tert-butylphenylphosphinothioic acid.

Vibrational absorption and circular dichroism spectra of dextrorotatory, levorotatory, and racemic mixture of tert-butylphenylphosphinothioic acid have been measured in CCl(4) solutions in the 2000-900 cm(-1) region. The conformations for both tautomeric structures of (S)-tert-butylphenylphosphinothioic acid are investigated using the B3LYP functional with the 6-31G* basis set. For the most stable conformation, the absorption and VCD spectra are predicted ab initio using the B3LYP functional with 6-31G*, 6-311G(2d, 2p), 6-31+G, and 6-311G(3df, 3pd) basis sets. A different functional, B3PW91, was also used with the 6-31G* basis set. The predicted spectra are compared to the experimental spectra. The comparison indicates that (-)-tert-butylphenylphosphinothioic acid is of the (S)-configuration and exists in only one tautomeric structure and one conformation in CCl(4) solution.     

Complete stereochemistry of neamphamide A and absolute configuration of the beta-methoxytyrosine residue in papuamide B

The absolute stereochemistry of the three unresolved structural components in neamphamide A (1) was determined to be (R)-beta-methoxy-L-tyrosine, (2R,3R,4S)-4-amino-7-guanidino-2,3-dihydroxyheptanoic acid, and (2R,3R,4R)-3-hydroxy-2,4,6-trimethylheptanoic acid. Stereochemical assignments were made by chemical degradation of 1, derivatization of the resulting products, and then spectroscopic and chromatographic comparison of the derivatives with synthetically prepared standards. Using the same analytical protocol developed for 1, the beta-methoxytyrosine residue in papuamide B (2) was found to be (R)-beta-methoxy-D-tyrosine. This represents a rare example of divergent stereochemistry in an unusual amino acid residue that is present in two closely related classes of peptides.     

锗烯与异硫氰酸反应机理的量子化学研究

采用密度泛函理论B3LYP方法研究了GeH2自由基与HNCS的反应机理,并在B3LYP/6-311++G**水平上对反应物,中间体,过渡态进行了全几何参数优化,通过频率分析和IRC确定中间体和过渡态。为了得到更精确的能量值,用QCISD(T)/6-311++G**方法计算了各个驻点的单点能,计算结果表明单重态的锗烯与异硫氰酸的反应有抽提硫、插入N-H键、抽提亚氨基的路径,而经由三元环中间体的抽提硫反应GeH2+HNCS→IM3→TS2→IM4→TS3→IM5→GeH2S+HNC(P1),反应能垒最低,为主反应通道,甲锗硫醛和异氰氢酸为主产物。锗烯经由四元环中间体抽提硫的反应为竞争反应通道。     

含碳硼烷半夹心型钴硫16电子化合物与二炔烃的反应性研究

含双硫取代碳硼烷二齿配体的半夹心型钴16电子化合物CpCo[S2C2(B10H10)](Co16e)分别与1,4-二乙炔基苯(L1)、(S)-2,2′-二乙酰氧基-6,6′-二乙炔基-1,1′-联萘(L2)、2-溴-5-乙炔基噻吩(L3)和2,5-二乙炔基噻吩(L4)反应,分别得到18电子单核化合物CpCo(S2C2B10H9)(H2CCPhC≡CH)(1),CpCo(S2C2B10H9)[H2CC(C24H16O4)C≡CH](2),CpCo(S2C2B10H9)[H2CC(C4H2S)Br](3),和CpCo(S2C2B10H9)[H2CC(C4H2S)C≡CH](4)。化合物1～4的结构中都发生了金属诱导B-H键活化并生成了新的C-B键。在Co16e与L4的反应中,还得到了两分子炔烃以头对头二聚插入到金属中心的18电子化合物CpCo(S2C2B10H9)[HC≡C(C4H2S)C=CH-CH=C(C4H2S)C≡CH](5)。上述化合物通过NMR、IR、MS、元素分析等方法进行表征。     

A computational study of the hydroxy-group directivity in the peroxyformic acid epoxidation of the chiral allylic alcohol (Z)-3-methyl-3-penten-2-ol: control of threo diastereoselectivity through allylic strain and hydrogen bonding

Eight transition structures for the epoxidation of the chiral allylic alcohol (Z)-3-methyl-3-penten-2-ol (1) with peroxyformic acid have been computed by the B3LYP density functional method with 6-31G(d) and 6-31G(d,p) basis sets. The four lowest-energy transition structures and their respective pre-reaction clusters were fully re-optimized by employing 6-311+G(d,p) and correlation-consistent polarized valence triple-zeta cc-pZTV basis sets. The relative energies of the transition structures were found to be highly sensitive to the basis set applied. The transition state for threo product formation, anti-(2S,3R,4S)-TS-3f, with the lowest total energy (at B3LYP/611+G(d,p) and B3LYP/AUG-cc-pZTV) of all the TSs examined, has a planar peracid moiety and is a precursor for the 1,4 migration of the peracid hydrogen atom Ha to the peroxy oxygen atom O4. The use of different basis sets does not affect markedly the geometry of the anti-(2S,3R,4S)-TS-3f transition structure. The transition state for erythro epoxidation, syn-(2R,3R,4S)-TS-3a, is 0.9 kcal/mol higher in energy and possesses a nonplanar peracid approaching the C=C bond in a manner intermediate between spiro and planar. The relative energy and nonplanarity of this syn transition structure is highly sensitive to the basis set applied. With the smaller basis set, 6-31G(d,p), it is actually the lowest-energy TS and the peracid moiety is significantly skewed. The contribution of the four lowest energy transition stuctures 3a, 3b, 3e, and 3f to the threo/erythro product ratio has been assessed through an extended Curtin-Hammet principle analysis of this multi-transition state reaction. It has been found that this approach agrees well with the experimental threo/erythro product ratio, in particular when the corrections for a solvent effect are made within the self-consistent isodensity polarized continuum model (SCI-PCM).     

Experimental and theoretical studies of the photophysical properties of 2- and 2,7-functionalized pyrene derivatives

Pyrene derivatives substituted at the 2- and 2,7-positions are shown to display a set of photophysical properties different from those of derivatives substituted at the 1-position. It was found that, in the 2- and 2,7-derivatives, there was little influence on the S(2) ← S(0) excitation, which is described as "pyrene-like", and a strong influence on the S(1) ← S(0) excitation, which is described as "substituent-influenced". In contrast, the 1-substituted derivatives display a strong influence on both the S(1) ← S(0) and the S(2) ← S(0) excitations. These observations are rationalized by considering the nature of the orbitals involved in the transitions. The existence of a nodal plane passing through the 2- and 7-positions, perpendicular to the molecular plane in the HOMO and LUMO of pyrene, largely accounts for the different behavior of derivatives substituted at the 2- and 2,7-positions. Herein, we report the photophysical properties of a series of 2-R-pyrenes {R = C(3)H(6)CO(2)H (1), Bpin (2; pin = OCMe(2)CMe(2)O), OC(3)H(6)CO(2)H (3), O(CH(2))(12)Br (4), C≡CPh (5), C(6)H(4)-4-CO(2)Me (6), C(6)H(4)-4-B(Mes)(2) (7), B(Mes)(2) (8)} and 2,7-R(2)-pyrenes {R = Bpin (9), OH (10), C≡C(TMS) (11), C≡CPh (12), C≡C-C(6)H(4)-4-B(Mes)(2) (13), C≡C-C(6)H(4)-4-NMe(2) (14), C(6)H(4)-4-CO(2)C(8)H(17) (15), N(Ph)-C(6)H(4)-4-OMe (16)} whose syntheses are reported elsewhere. Furthermore, we compare their properties to those of several related 1-R-pyrene derivatives {R = C(3)H(6)CO(2)H (17), Bpin (18), C≡CPh (19), C(6)H(4)-4-B(Mes)(2) (20), B(Mes)(2) (21)}. For all derivatives, modest (0.19) to high (0.93) fluorescence quantum yields were observed. For the 2- and 2,7-derivatives, fluorescence lifetimes exceeding 16 ns were measured, with most being ca. 50-80 ns. The 4-(pyren-2-yl)butyric acid derivative (1) has a long fluorescence lifetime of 622 ns, significantly longer than that of the commercially available 4-(pyren-1-yl)butyric acid (17). In addition to measurements of absorption and emission spectra and fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes, time-dependent density functional theory calculations using the B3LYP and CAM-B3LYP functionals were also performed. A comparison of experimental and theoretically calculated wavelengths shows that both functionals were able to reproduce the trend in wavelengths observed experimentally.     

Cyclopeptid-Antibiotika aus Aspergillus-Arten. Struktur der Echinocandine C und D

Cyclopeptide antibiotics from Aspergillus species. Structure of echinocandins C and D The echinocandins B, C and D are antifungal antibiotics produced by a strain of Aspergillus rugulosus. All three metabolites are closely related representing cyclic oligopeptides composed of six amino acids and a linolic acid residue in an amide linkage. The complete structure of echinocandin B ( 1 ) has recently been established by X-ray analysis. Structural assignments to the new minor metabolites C and D have now been made by hydrolytic and oxidative cleavage reactions, formation of N-acyl-α-aminoethers as well as by chemical correlations and extensive NMR. examinations. Echinocandin C ( 2 ), C₅₂H₈₁N₇O₁₅, contains 3-hydroxyhomotyrosine in the place of 3, 4-dihydroxyhomotyrosine present in 1 . Echinocandin D ( 3 ), C₅₂H₈₁N₇O₁₃, differs in two amino acids: 3, 4-dihyroxyhomotyrosine and 4, 5-dihydroxyornithine, unusual units of 1 being replaced by 3-hydroxyhomotyrosine and ornithine.     

Syntheses and structures of heterometallic clusters by the reaction of o-carboranyl cobaltadichalcogenolato complexes

Metalladichalcogenolate cluster complexes [Cp'Co{E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))}]{Co2(CO)5} [Cp' = eta5-C5H5, E = S(3a), E = Se(3b); Cp' = eta5-C5(CH3)5, E = S(4a), E = Se(4b)], {CpCo[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]}(2)Mo(CO)2] [E = S(5a), Se(5b)], Cp*Co(micro2-CO)Mo(CO)(py)2[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))] [E = S(6a), Se(6b)], Cp*Co[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]Mo(CO)2[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))] [E = S(7a), Se(7b)], (Cp'Co[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]W(CO)2 [E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))] [Cp' = eta5-C5H5, E = S(8a), E = Se(8b); Cp' = eta5-C5(CH3)5, E = S(9a), E = Se(9b)], {CpCo[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]}(2)Ni [E = S(10a), Se(10b)] and 3,4-(PhCN(4)S)-3,1,2-[PhCN(4)SCo(Cp)S(2)]-3,1,2-CoC(2)B(9)H(8) 12 were synthesized by the reaction of [Cp'CoE(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))] [Cp' = eta5-C5H5, E = S(1a), E = Se(1b); Cp' = eta5-C5(CH3)5, E = S(2a), E = Se(2b)] with Co2(CO)8, M(CO)3(py)3 (M = Mo, W), Ni(COD)2, [Rh(COD)Cl]2, and LiSCN4Ph respectively. Their spectrum analyses and crystal structures were investigated. In this series of multinuclear complexes, 3a,b and 4a,b contain a closed Co3 triangular geometry, while in complexes 5a-7b three different structures were obtained, the tungsten-cobalt mixed-metal complexes have only the binuclear structure, and the nickel-cobalt complexes were obtained in the trinuclear form. A novel structure was found in metallacarborane complex 12, with a B-S bond formed at the B(7) site. The molecular structures of 4a, 5a, 6a, 7b, 9a, 9b, 10a and 12 have been determined by X-ray crystallography.     

Bioactive aromatic derivatives from endophytic fungus, Cytospora sp

Two new benzyl gamma-butyrolactone analogues, (R)-5-((S)-hydroxy(phenyl)-methyl)dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one (1) and its 6-acetate (2), and a new naphthalenone derivative (8), together with eight additional known aromatic derivatives, (S)-5-((S)-hydroxy(phenyl)-methyl)dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one (3), (S)-5-benzyl-dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one (4), 5-phenyl-4-oxopentanoic acid (5), gamma-oxo-benzenepentanoic acid methyl ester (6), 3-(2,5-dihydro-4-hydroxy-5-oxo-3-phenyl-2-furyl)propionic acid (7), (3R)-5-methylmellein (9), integracins A (10) and B (11) were isolated from Cytospora sp., an endophytic fungus isolated from Ilex canariensis from Gomera. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis, comparison with reported data, and chemical interconversion. The absolute configurations of the new compounds (1, 2, 8) were established on the basis of optical rotation or CD spectra analysis. Preliminary studies showed antimicrobial activity of these compounds against the fungi Microbotryum violaceum, Botrytis cinerea and Septoria tritici, the alga Chlorella fusca, and the bacterium Bacillus megaterium.     

Assignment of the photoelectron spectra of FeS3(-) by density functional theory, CASPT2, and RCCSD(T) calculations

The geometric structures of FeS(3) and FeS(3)(-) with spin multiplicities ranging from singlet to octet were optimized at the B3LYP level, allowing two low-lying conformations for these clusters to be identified. The planar D(3h) conformation contains three S(2-) atomic ligands (S(3)Fe(0/-)), whereas the C(2v) structure contains, in addition to an atomic S(2-) ligand, also a S(2)(2-) ligand that is side-on-bound to the iron cation: an η(2)-S(2)FeS conformation. Subsequently, energy differences between the various states of these conformations were estimated by carrying out geometry optimizations at the multireference CASPT2 level. Several competing structures for the ground state of the anionic cluster were recognized at this level. Relative stabilities were also estimated by performing single-point RCSSD(T) calculations on the B3LYP geometries. The ground state of the neutral complex was unambiguously found to be (5)B(2). The ground state of the anion is considerably less certain. The 1(4)B(2), 2(4)B(2), (4)B(1), and (6)A(1) states were all found as low-lying η(2)-S(2)FeS(-) states. Also, (4)B(2) of S(3)Fe(-) has a comparable CASPT2 energy. In contrast, B3LYP and RCCSD(T) mutually agree that the S(3)Fe(-) state is at a much higher energy. Energetically, the bands of the photoelectron spectra of FeS(3)(-) are reproduced at the CASPT2 level as ionizations from either the (4)B(2) or (6)A(1) state of η(2)-S(2)FeS. However, the Franck-Condon factors obtained from a harmonic vibrational analysis at the B3LYP level show that only the (4)B(2)-to-(5)B(2) ionization, which preserves the η(2)-S(2)Fe-S conformation, provides the best vibrational progression match with the X band of the experimental photoelectron spectra.     

Flavusides A and B, antibacterial cerebrosides from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus flavus

Flavusides A (1) and B (2), two new antibacterial cerebroside derivatives, and the previously described phomaligol A (3), kojic acid (4), methyl kojic acid (5), and dimethyl kojic acid (6) have been isolated from the extract of a marine isolate of the fungus Aspergillus flavus. The structure and absolute stereochemistry of two cerebrosides were assigned on the basis of NMR and Tandem FAB-MS/MS experiments. Compounds 1, 2, and 3 exhibited a mild antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, and multidrug-resistant S. aureus. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for each strain are as follows: compounds 1 and 2 showed 15.6 μg/ml for S. aureus and 31.2 μg/ml for methicillin-resistant S. aureus and multidrug-resistant S. aureus, and compound 3 exhibited 31.2 μg/ml for S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus and 62.5 μg/ml for multidrug-resistant S. aureus.     

Influence of chirality of the preceding acyl moiety on the cis/trans ratio of the proline peptide bond

We report that the cis/trans ratio of the proline peptide bond can be strongly influenced by the chirality of the acyl residue preceding proline. Acyl moieties derived from (2S)-2,6-dimethyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-2-carboxylic acid (8) and (2R)-3-methoxy-2-methyl-2-(4-methyl-2-nitrophenoxy)-3-oxopropanoic acid (5) in acyl-Pro molecules influence isomerization of the proline peptide bond constraining the omega dihedral angle to the trans orientation. Structures of benzyl (2S)-1-([(2S)-2,6-dimethyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-2-yl]carbonyl)-2-pyrrolidinecarboxylate (3) derived from 2D (1)H NMR conformational analysis and crystallographic data exhibit only the trans conformation of proline peptide bond. On the other hand the diastereomer 4, which contains an (R) acyl moiety, exhibits two sets of signals in (1)H NMR spectra. The signals were assigned to trans (72%) and cis (28%) conformers. Crystallographic analysis of 4 showed that only the cis conformation is present in the crystalline state. The (1)H NMR chemical shift pattern of three sets of signals observed in 2 was observed also in benzyl (2S)-1-[(2R/S)-3-methoxy-2-methyl-2-(4-methyl-2-nitrophenoxy)-3-oxopropanoyl]-2-pyrrolidinecarboxylate. (R)-Carboxylic acid 5, after coupling with (S)-ProOBn, yielded benzyl (2S)-1-[(2R)-3-methoxy-2-methyl-2-(4-methyl-2-nitrophenoxy)-3-oxopropanoyl]-2-pyrrolidinecarboxylate (6), which in DMSO-d(6) exhibited only the trans conformation of the proline peptide bond. These results suggest that in these particular cases acyl-Pro peptide bond isomerization is strongly influenced by the stereochemistry of the acyl residue preceding proline. (2S)-2,6-Dimethyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-2-carboxylic acid (8) and (2R)-3-methoxy-2-methyl-2-(4-methyl-2-nitrophenoxy)-3-oxopropanoic acid (5) are promising chiral peptidomimetic building blocks that can be used as acyl moieties to force the proline peptide bond into the trans conformation in a variety of acyl-Pro molecules.     

N2O…HOCl复合物结构和性质的理论研究

分别在DFT-B3LYP和MP2/6-311++G**水平上求得HOCl + N2O复合物势能面上的六种(S1, S2, S3, S4, S5和S6)和四种(S1, S2, S4和S5)构型. 频率分析表明,其中的S1和S3为过渡态,其它为稳定构型. 在复合物S3, S5 和S6中,HOCl 单体的σ*(5O-6H)作为质子供体,与N2O单体中作为质子受体的3O原子相互作用,形成氢键结构,而在氢键复合物S2中, 质子受体为N2O单体中的端1N原子;复合物S1中,HOCl分子的σ*(5O-4Cl)作为质子供体与N2O分子中的端1N原子(质子受体)相互作用,形成卤键结构,而复合物S4中的卤键结构的质子受体为N2O分子中的端3O原子. 经B3LYP/6-311++G**水平上的计算,考虑了基组重叠误差(BSSE)校正的单体间相互作用能在-1.56 ~ -8.73 kJ·mol-1之间. 采用自然键轨道理论(NBO)对两种单体间相互作用的本质进行了考查,并通过分子中原子理论(AIM)分析了复合物中氢键和卤键键鞍点处的电子密度拓扑性质.     

Expression and kinetic analysis of the substrate specificity of modules 5 and 6 of the picromycin/methymycin polyketide synthase

Picromycin synthase (PICS) is a multifunctional, modular polyketide synthase (PKS) that catalyzes the conversion of methylmalonyl-CoA to narbonolide and 10-deoxymethynolide, the macrolide aglycone precursors of the antibiotics picromycin and methymycin, respectively. PICS modules 5 and 6 were each expressed in Escherichia coli with a thioesterase domain at the C-terminus to allow release of polyketide products. The substrate specificity of PICS modules 5+TE and 6+TE was investigated using N-acetylcysteamine thioesters of 2-methyl-3-hydroxy-pentanoic acid as diketide analogues of the natural polyketide chain elongation substrates. PICS module 5+TE could catalyze the chain elongation of only the syn diketide (2S,3R)-4, while PICS module 6+TE processed both syn diastereomers, (2S,3R)-4 and (2R,3S)-5, with a 2.5:1 preference in k(cat)/K(m) for 5 but did not turn over either of the two anti diketides. The observed substrate specificity patterns are in contrast to the 15-100:1 preference for 4 over 5 previously established for several modules of the closely related erythromycin PKS, 6-deoxyerythronolide B synthase (DEBS).     

Amino-imino tautomerization reaction of the 4-aminopyrimidine/acetic acid system

The amino-imino tautomerization of the 4-aminopyrimidine (4APM)/acetic acid (AcOH) system through dual hydrogen bonding in n-hexane at room temperature was investigated using UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies, fluorescence time-profile measurements, and molecular orbital calculations, with those of the imino-model compound of 3-methyl-4(1H)-pyrimidinimine (3M4PMI). From the experimental results, it was confirmed that the imino-tautomer was formed in the first excited singlet state (S1) state through the double-proton transfer of the dual hydrogen-bonded complex of 4APM with AcOH. The fluorescences of the free 4APM monomer (band maximum at 353nm), imino-tautomer (at 414nm), and 3M4PMI monomer (at 437nm) exhibit the single-exponential decays of 98, 73, and 19ps time constants, respectively. The shorter decay time of the imino-tautomer fluorescence compared with the free monomer one is suggestive of the low activation energy process in the S1 state. From the result of the shortest decay time of the 3M4PMI fluorescence, it can be deduced that 3M4PMI has a non-planar structure in the S1 state. The theoretical calculations on the S0 and S1 state double-proton transfer for the 4APM/AcOH dual hydrogen-bonded system were performed with the use of formic acid (FoOH) in place of AcOH for the sake of simplicity. Only one peak of transition state was resolved in the S0 and S1 states. The energy barrier for the S1 state double-proton transfer of the 4APM/FoOH complex-->3H-4(1H)-pyrimidinimine/FoOH tautomer was estimated to be approximately 2kJmol(-1) using the CIS/6-31G(d) methods. On the other hand, the energy barrier for the S0 state reverse proton transfer of the 3H-4(1H)-pyrimidinimine/FoOH tautomer-->4APM/FoOH complex was estimated to be almost zero kJmol(-1) at B3LYP/6-31G(d) level.     

Five new nortropane alkaloids and six new amino acids from the fruit of Morus alba LINNE growing in Turkey

Investigation of the constituents of the fruits of Morus alba LINNE (Moraceae) afforded five new nortropane alkaloids (1-5) along with nor-psi-tropine (6) and six new amino acids, morusimic acids A-F (7-12). The structures of the new compounds were determined to be 2alpha,3beta-dihydroxynortropane (1), 2beta,3beta-dihydroxynortropane (2), 2alpha,3beta,6exo-trihydroxynortropane (3), 2alpha,3beta,4alpha-rihydroxynortropane (4), 3beta,6exo-dihydroxynortropane (5), (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-[(1S,4S)-4-[(1S)-1-hydroxyethyl]-pyrrolidin-1-yll-dodecanoic acid-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-[(1S,4S)-4-[(1S)-1-hydroxyethyl]-pyrrolidin-1-yll-dodecanoic acid (8), (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-1(1R,4R,5S)-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-piperidin-1-yll-dodecanoic acid-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (9), (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-[(1R,4R,5S)-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-piperidin-1-yll-dodecanoic acid (10), (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-[(1R,4R,5S)-4-hydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-piperidin-1-yl]-dodecanoic acid-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (11), and (3R)-3-hydroxy-12-[(1R,4S,5S)-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-piperidin-1-yl]-dodecanoic acid (12) on the basis of spectral and chemical data.