Zyzzyanone A, a novel pyrrolo[3,2-f]indole alkaloid from the Australian marine sponge Zyzzya fuliginosa

A new dipyrroloquinone, zyzzyanone A 1, having a pyrrolo[3,2-f]indole-4,8(1H,7H)-dione skeleton, was isolated from the Australian marine sponge Zyzzya fuliginosa, along with the known pyrroloquinoline alkaloids, makaluvamines C, E, G, H, and L, and damirones A and B. The structure of 1 was determined by spectroscopic data. Zyzzyanone A 1 shows moderate cytotoxic activity against mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells (IC₅₀ 25 μg/mL), inhibits the cell division of fertilized sea urchin eggs at a concentration of 25 μg/mL, and exhibits UV-A and UV-B absorbing activity.     

Metabolites from the marine fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eurotium repens</Emphasis>

1,8-Dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-methyl-9,10-anthracenedione (physcion, 1), 3,4-dihydro-3,6,9-trihydroxy-8-methoxy-3-methyl-1(2H)-anthraceneone (asperflavin, 2), and 2,5-dihydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-6-[(1E)-1-heptenyl]-benzaldehyde (tetrahydroauroglaucin, 3) were shown to be the main pigments of the marine isolate of the fungus Eurotium repens. In addition to the pigments, the fungal metabolites included the diketopiperazine alkaloid echinulin (4). The structures of the compounds were identified using NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The cytotoxic activity of 1–3 toward sex cells of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius was determined. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 327–329, July–August, 2007.     

The thermodynamic properties of delta-lactones

The enthalpies of formation of δ-hexanolactone and δ-nonanolactone were determined by combustion calorimetry. Conformational analysis and quantum-chemical calculations of equilibrium structures, fundamental vibrations, moments of inertia, and total energies were performed for δ-pentanolactone (I), δ-hexanolactone (II), and δ-nonanolactone (III) by the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p), B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p), and G3MP2 methods. The experimental IR spectra and calculated vibrational frequencies were used to suggest the assignment of vibrational frequencies of stable conformations. The thermodynamic properties of I–III in the ideal gas state were determined over the temperature range 0–1500 K. A thermodynamic analysis of mutual isomerization in the gas and liquid phases over the temperature range 298.15–900 K and liquid-phase polymerization of γ- and δ-pentanolactones and 4-pentenoic acid over the temperature range 298.15–500 K was performed.     

A new flavonol derivative from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fagopyrum dibotrys</Emphasis>

A new flavonol derivative 3, 8-dihydroxy-10-methoxy-5-H-isochromeno[4, 3-b]chromen-7-one (1) together with four known compounds, glutinone (2), luteolin (3), acacetin 7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl- (1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), and rutin (5) were isolated from the dried roots of Fagopyrum dibotrys. Their structures were determined by UV, IR, MS, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic analysis, including 2D NMR. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 567–568, November–December, 2008.     

Anab initio quantum-chemical study of proton addition to F-, Ch3-, and CF3-substituted ethylene derivatives

Protonated forms of the molecules of ethylene derivatives with the general formula C₂X₂Y₂ (X=Y=H) (1), F (2), CH₃ (3) CH₃ (4); X=F, Y=H:cis-(5)trans- (6)) were calculated by theab initio MP2/6-31 G^* method with full geometry optimization. The minima and saddle points located on the potential energy surface (PES) of the protonated ethylene molecule correspond to the stationary states and transition states of proton migration, respectively. The stationary states are characterized by a nonclassical geometry of carbocations similar to that of π-complexes, whereas the transition states have a classical structure. Unlike1, the carbocations of molecules2–6 have the classical structure. The saddle points on the PES of the ethylene derivatives correspond to the structures of the π-complex type, which are the transition states of proton migration between the C atoms of the ethylene bond. The barrier to rotation about, the C−C bond depends essentially on the substituent nature. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1333–1337, August, 2000.     

A new isoprenyl phenyl ether compound from mangrove fungus

A new isoprenyl phenyl ether, 3-hydroxy-4-(3-methylbut-2-enyloxy)benzoic acid methyl ester (1), together with 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (2), 2-hydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid (3), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid (4) were isolated from Mangrove fungus (No. B60) from the South China Sea. The structures of the compounds were established on the basis of NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data. In the preliminary bioassay, compound 1 exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activities. Compound 1 also inhibited cytotoxicity to the hepG2 cell line with an IC₅₀ value of 10.0 μg/mL. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 313–314, July–August, 2007.     

Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry of Palladium(II) Quinolinylaminophosphonate Complexes

The mass spectrometric behavior of palladium(II) halide complexes of three types of quinolinylaminophosphonates, diethyl and dibutyl esters of [α-anilino-(quinolin-2-yl)methyl]phosphonic (L1, L2), [α-anilino-(quinolin-3-yl)methyl]phosphonic (L3, L4), and [α-(quinolin-3-ylamino)-N-benzyl]phosphonic acid (L5, L6), was investigated under positive ion electrospray ionization conditions. Each type of ligand forms complexes with different metal–ligand interactions. Mononuclear dihalide adducts cis-[Pd(L1/L2)X₂] (1–4) and trans-[Pd(L3/L4)₂X₂] (5–8) as well as dinuclear tetrahalide complexes [Pd₂(L5/L6)₃X₄] (9–12) (X = Cl, Br) are formed by metal bonding either through the quinoline or both the quinoline and amino nitrogen atoms. The sodiated molecule [M + Na]⁺ is observed in the mass spectra of all the complexes, and its abundance as well as the fragmentation pathway depend on the type of the complex. In the cis complexes (1–4) the initial decomposition goes under two fragmentation routes: those in which the sodium molecular adduct sequentially loses halides HX/NaX and those in which this loss is in the competition with the loss of dialkyl phosphite. The predominant pathways for decomposition of trans dihalide (5–8) and tetrahalide (9–12) complexes include three competitive reactions; the loss of halides, dialkyl phosphites and the intact phosphonate ligand molecule and its fragments formed by ester dissociation or complete loss of the phosphonate ester moiety. A series of acetonitrile adducts and cluster ions derived from dimolecular clusters [2M + Na]⁺ were also detected. The most important fragmentation patterns are rationalized and supported by the MS ⁿ studies.     

Hammett constants and NMR shifts of α-acyloxy carboxamide derivatives

Geometrical structures, Hammett constants, ¹H and ¹³C chemical shift values, molecular electrostatic potential maps, and several thermodynamic parameters of α-acyloxy carboxamide derivatives (4a–o) were calculated using HF and DFT/B3LYP methods with 6-31G(d) basis set. The optimized structures were compared with analogous compound. The ¹H and ¹³C NMR shielding tensors were computed with the Gauge-Independent Atomic Orbital (GIAO) method. Comparison of the experimental ¹H and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of 4a–o molecules with the theoretical data indicates good agreement.     

Experimental and theoretical studies on the reactions of 1-amino-5-benzoyl-4-phenyl-1<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-pyrimidine-2-one/-thione compounds with ethyl acetoacetate

The reaction of 1-amino-5-(4-methylbenzoyl)-4-(4-methylphenyl)pyrimidin-2(1H)-one/-thione (1a,b) with ethyl acetoacetate (EA) afforded moderate to good yields (59–63%) of ethyl 2-methyl-4-(4-methylbenzoyl)-5-(4-methylphenyl)-7-oxo/-thioxo-3,3a-dihydropyrazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine-3-carboxylate (2a,b). The newly synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental analyses, IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectral data. All were compared with their previous analogues. The reaction mechanism of 1 with EA was studied by means of the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) method. In addition, for reactants Fukui functions were performed using the data calculated with the Becke3–Lee–Yang–Parr (B3LYP) hybrid function.     

Structural studies of seven homoisoflavonoids, six thiohomoisoflavonoids, and four structurally related compounds

¹H and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts have been determined and assigned based on PFG ¹H, ¹³C HMQC, and HMBC experiments for 3-(4′-X-benzyl)-4-chromenones (Ia, X = CN and Ib, X = NO₂), 3-(4′-X-benzyl)-4-thiochromenones (IIa, X = Cl and IIb, X = Br), (E)-3-(4′-X-benzylidene)-4-chromanones (IIIa–IIIe, X = OCH₃, CH₃, Cl, N(CH₃)₂, Br), (Z)-3-(4′-X-benzylidene)4-thiochromanones (IVa–IVd, X = Cl, Br, F, OCH₃), 2-benzyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-naphthol (V), 2-benzyl- and (E)-2-benzylidene-1-tetralones (VI and VII), and (E)-2-benzylidene-1-benzosuberol (VIII). The crystal structures have been determined for the following seven compounds: derivatives of 4-chromanones (IIIa–IIId), 1-tetrahydronaphtol (V), and 1-tetralones (VI and VII). The molecular features and intermolecular interactions in crystal state have been discussed.     

Syntheses,spectroscopic and crystallographic characterizations of 4-nitrobenzyloxy derivatives and benzofurans from <Emphasis Type="Italic">ortho</Emphasis>-substituted benzaldehydes and 4-nitrobenzyl bromide

A series of benzyloxybenzaldehyde derivatives (1–3) were prepared by the reactions of 4-nitrobenzyl bromide with 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (vanillin), 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (o-vanillin) and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde. When the reaction time is quite long, benzofuran derivatives (4 and 5) were obtained by the reactions of ortho-hydroxyaldehydes with the 4-nitrobenzyl bromide. Condensation reactions among the three benzyloxybenzaldehyde derivatives (1–3) with 2-aminomethylfuran (furfurylamine) yielded the new imine compounds (6–8). The structures of these aldehydes (1–3), benzofuran derivatives (4 and 5) and imine compounds (6–8) were confirmed on the basis of elemental analyses, IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR and mass spectroscopy. The solid-state structures of compounds 4–6 were determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.     

Syntheses,spectroscopic study and crystal structures of some new <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-benzoylphosphoric triamides

The reaction of N-benzoylphosphoramidic dichloride with amines afforded some new N-benzoylphos-phoric triamides with formula C₆H₅C(O)NHP(O)(X)₂, X=NH–CH(CH₃)₂ (1), NH–CH₂–CH(CH₃)₂ (2), NH–CH₂–CH(OCH₃)₂ (3), N(CH₃)[CH₂CH(OCH₃)₂] (4) and N(CH₃)(C₆H₁₁) (5) that were characterized by ¹H,¹³C,³¹P NMR, IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The structures have been determined for compounds 4 and 5 by X-ray crystallography. These compounds contain one amidic hydrogen atom and form centrosymmetric dimmers via intermolecular –P–O⋯H–N–hydrogen bonds besides weak C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds that lead to three-dimensional polymeric clusters in the crystalline lattice.     

Comparative quantum chemical investigation of structures and properties of diazocyclopropane and other diazoalkanes

The electronic structures and dissociation energies of diazocyclopropane (1), diazomethane (2), 2-diazopropane (3), and diazocyclobutane (4) were calculated at the density functional B3LYP and the ab initio MP2 levels using the 6-31G(d) basis set and at the G2(MP2,SVP)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. Distinctive features of diazocyclopropane 1 are the low energy of dissociation with loss of the nitrogen molecule; ΔE = 18.7 kcal mol⁻¹, B3LYP; 9.2 kcal mol⁻¹, G2 at 0 K) and a nonplanar structure, in which the C=N bond forms an angle of 115.7° with the plane of the cyclopropane ring. The behavior of molecules 1 and 2 in the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to ethylene (5), acrylonitrile (6), and methyl acrylate (7) was studied. The reactions of 1 with 6 and 7 have very low activation barriers (ΔE _a = 4.7 and 4.4 kcal mol⁻¹, respectively; at the B3LYP level). For these reactions, the G2 method gives even smaller activation parameters (1.8 and 0.3 kcal mol⁻¹, respectively). The results of our calculations provide a good explanation for high reactivity of diazocyclopropane 1. Dedicated to Academician N. K. Kochetkov on the occasion of his 90th birthday. __________ Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 1072–1076, May, 2005.     

Synthesis of lomazarin and norlomazarin, pigments from Lomandra hastilis

5,8-Dihydroxy-2,3,6-trimethoxy-7-ethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (1) was used to synthesize in high yield 5,8-dihydroxy-7(1′-hydroxyethyl)-2,3,6-trimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (lomazarin, 3), a pigment from Lomandra hastilis. Alkaline hydrolysis of lomazarin produced mainly 5,6,8-trihydroxy-2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (9) through a retro-aldol decomposition of the 6-keto-form of 5,6,8-trihydroxy-7(1′-hydroxyethyl)-2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (13b) formed during the reaction. 2,5,8-Trihydroxy-7(1′-hydroxyethyl)-3,6-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (norlomazarin, 4a), a pigment of L. hastilis, and its 3,5,8-trihydroxy-7(1′-hydroxyethyl)-2,6-dimethoxy isomer 4b were formed as a difficultly separable mixture in addition to quinone 9. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 581–584, November–December, 2008.     

Prepatellamide A, a new cyclic peptide from the ascidian Lissoclinum patella

A new cyclic peptide, prepatellamide A (1), along with three known cyclic peptides (2)— (4), was isolated from the ascidianLissoclinum patella. The structure of prepatellamide A was determined from one- and two-dimensional¹H and¹³C NMR spectra. The known cyclic peptides were identified as patellamides A (2), B (3) and C (4).     

New anti-bacterial halogenated tricyclic sesquiterpenes from Bornean Laurencia majuscula (Harvey) Lucas

Three new halogenated tricyclic sesquiterpenes, omphalaurediol (1), rhodolaurenones B (2) and C (3) were isolated together with nine known haloganated sesquiterpenes such as rhodolaurenone A (4), rhodolaureol (5), isorhodolaureol (6), (?)-laurencenone D (7), elatol (8), (+)-deschloroelatol (9), cartilagineol (10), (+)-laurencenone B (11) and 2-chloro-3-hydroxy-α-chamigren-9-one (12) from a population of Bornean red algae Laurencia majuscula. The structures of three new metabolites were determined based on their spectroscopic data (IR, 1D and 2D NMR, and MS). These compounds showed antibacterial activity against three human pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Vibrio cholera).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">iso</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>-Cyclopiazonic acid,a new natural product isolated from the marine-derived fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus flavus</Emphasis> C-F-3

A new natural product, iso-α-cyclopiazonic acid (1), together with its isomer α-cyclopiazonic acid (2); three mycotoxins: aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) (3), aflatoxin Q₁ (AFQ₁) (4), and O-methylsterigmatocystin (OMST) (5); two diketopiperazine alkaloids: ditryptophenaline (6) and 3-[(1H-indol-3-yl)methyl]-6-benzylpiperazine-2,5-dione (7), were isolated from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus flavus. Their structures were determined by analysis of spectroscopic data. The cytotoxicities of compounds 1 and 2 were studied using HL-60, MOLT-4, A-549, and BEL-7402 cell lines.     

Supramolecular systems of amphiphilic derivatives of calix[4]resorcinarenes and surfactants in chloroform

Aggregation of amphiphilic calix[4]resorcinarenes (CRA) modified by carboxymethyl (1), 2-hydroxyethyl (2), methylamino acetal (3), and aminomethyl (4) fragments and their interaction with some synthetic (5, 6) and natural (7, 8) surfactants in the low-polarity solvent (chloroform) were studied by permittivity measurements and FT-IR spectroscopy. Compounds 1–4 and surfactants form aggregates at critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of 2.0·10⁻⁵–7.5·10⁻⁵ and 1.7·10⁻⁵–2.0·10⁻³ mol L⁻¹, respectively. The CMC values of CRA—surfactant mixed aggregates depend on the surfactant structure and the structure and concentration of CRA. Analysis of the IR spectra of solutions of a series of amphiphilic CRA (2–4, 9, 10) and their mixtures with the cationic surfactant N-cetyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium bromide (5) showed that an increase in the concentration of the solutions in individual and mixed systems is accompanied by a decrease in the molar integral intensities and intensities in the maxima of the absorption bands of the O—H and C—H bonds down to the CMC point, after which these values change slightly. The discovered effect, which is differently pronounced for all systems studied, indicates that both the polar “head” groups and nonpolar fragments of CRA and surfactant are involved in the formation of supramolecules of the reverse micelle type in all cases. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 459–466, March, 2007.     

Transformation of tricyclic makaluvamines from the marine sponge Zyzzya fuliginosa into damirones

Makaluvamines H and C isolated from the marine sponge Zyzzya fuliginosa were transformed into damirones A and B, respectively, by alkaline hydrolysis. The crystal structure of damirone A was established by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Reactions ofo-tosylaminobenzaldehyde withp-aminobenzenesulfonamides. Synthesis and structures of 13-(4-aminosulfonylphenyl)-6,12-epimino-5,11-ditosyl-5,6,11,12-tetrahydrodibenzo[b,f]-1,5-diazocine and itsN-substituted derivatives

The reactions ofo-tosylaminobenzaldehyde (1) withp-aminobenzenesulfonamides (2a-c) yielded 13-(p-RNHSO₂C₆H₄)-6,12-epimino-5,11-ditosyl-5,6,11,12-tetrahydrodibenzo[b f]-1,5-diazocines (3a-c) (R=H (a); 2-thiazolyl (b); or 2,6-dimethoxy-4-pyrimidinyl 2,6-dimethoxy-4-pyrimidinyl (c). The structure of compound3c was confirmed by X-ray diffurction study. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2035–2039, November, 1997.