A Self‐Immobilizing and Fluorogenic Probe for β‐Lactamase Detection

The spread of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria has become one of the major concerns to public health. Improved monitoring of drug resistance is of high importance for infectious disease control. One of the major mechanisms for bacteria to overcome treatment of antibiotics is the production of β‐lactamases, which are enzymes that hydrolyze the β‐lactam ring of the antibiotic. In this study, we have developed a self‐immobilizing and fluorogenic probe for the detection of β‐lactamase activity. This fluorogenic reagent, upon activation by β‐lactamases, turns on a fluorescence signal and, more importantly, generates a covalent linkage to the target enzymes or the nearby proteins. The covalent labeling of enzymes was confirmed by SDS‐PAGE analysis and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. The utility of this structurally simple probe was further confirmed by the fluorescent labeling of a range of β‐lactamase‐expressing bacteria.     

Fluorogenic Probes/Inhibitors of β‐Lactamase and their Applications in Drug‐Resistant Bacteria

β‐Lactam antibiotics are generally perceived as one of the greatest inventions of the 20^th century, and these small molecular compounds have saved millions of lives. However, upon clinical application of antibiotics, the β‐lactamase secreted by pathogenic bacteria can lead to the gradual development of drug resistance. β‐Lactamase is a hydrolase that can efficiently hydrolyze and destroy β‐lactam antibiotics. It develops and spreads rapidly in pathogens, and the drug‐resistant bacteria pose a severe threat to human health and development. As a result, detecting and inhibiting the activities of β‐lactamase are of great value for the rational use of antibiotics and the treatment of infectious diseases. At present, many specific detection methods and inhibitors of β‐lactamase have been developed and applied in clinical practice. In this Minireview, we describe the resistance mechanism of bacteria producing β‐lactamase and further summarize the fluorogenic probes, inhibitors of β‐lactamase, and their applications in the treatment of infectious diseases. It may be valuable to design fluorogenic probes with improved selectivity, sensitivity, and effectiveness to further identify the inhibitors for β‐lactamases and eventually overcome bacterial resistance.     

A Mild Isomerization Reaction for β,γ‐Unsaturated Ketone to α,β‐Unsaturated Ketone

A series of β,γ‐unsaturated ketones were isomerized to their corresponding α,β‐unsaturated ketones by the introduction of DABCO in iPrOH at room temperature. The endo‐cyclic double bond (β,γ‐position) on ketone was rearranged to exo‐cyclic double bond (α,β‐position) under the reaction conditions.     

Real‐Time Monitoring of New Delhi Metallo‐β‐Lactamase Activity in Living Bacterial Cells by 1H NMR Spectroscopy

Disconnections between in vitro responses and those observed in whole cells confound many attempts to design drugs in areas of serious medical need. A method based on 1D ¹H NMR spectroscopy is reported that affords the ability to monitor the hydrolytic decomposition of the carbapenem antibiotic meropenem inside Escherichia coli cells expressing New Delhi metallo‐β‐lactamase subclass 1 (NDM‐1), an emerging antibiotic‐resistance threat. Cell‐based NMR studies demonstrated that two known NDM‐1 inhibitors, L ‐captopril and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), inhibit the hydrolysis of meropenem in vivo. NDM‐1 activity in cells was also shown to be inhibited by spermine, a porin inhibitor, although in an in vitro assay, the influence of spermine on the activity of isolated NDM‐1 protein is minimal. This new approach may have generic utility for monitoring reactions involving diffusible metabolites in other complex biological matrices and whole‐cell settings, including mammalian cells.     

Iron(III) Located in the Dinuclear Metallo‐β‐Lactamase IMP‐1 by Pseudocontact Shifts

Heterodinuclear metalloenzymes are an important class of metalloproteins, but determining the location of the different metal ions can be difficult. Herein we present a new NMR spectroscopy method that uses pseudocontact shifts (PCS) to achieve this without assumptions about the coordinating ligands. The approach is illustrated with the dinuclear [FeZn] complex of IMP‐1, which is a prototypical metallo‐β‐lactamase (MβL) that confers resistance to β‐lactam antibiotics. Results from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction were compromised by degradation during crystallization. With [GaZn]‐IMP‐1 as diamagnetic reference, the PCSs unambiguously identified the iron binding site in fresh samples of [FeZn]‐IMP‐1, even though the two metal centers are less than 3.8 Å apart and the iron is high‐spin Fe³⁺, which produces only small PCSs. [FeZn]‐MβLs may be important drug targets, as [FeZn]‐IMP‐1 is enzymatically active and readily produced in the presence of small amounts of Fe³⁺.     

Synthesis of β‐Haloketones by β‐Addition Reactions of α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones with BX3 (X = Br,Cl) as Halide Source

A series of β‐bromoketones and β‐chloroketones were synthesized by the addition reactions of α,β‐unsaturated ketones under BX₃ (X = Br, Cl) and ethylene glycol reaction system. The α,β‐unsaturated ester also was successfully converted to its corresponding β‐bromoester under the reaction condition.     

Synthesis of new optically active α,α′,β‐trisubstituted‐β‐lactones as monomers for stereoregular biopolyesters

Various optically active (4R)‐alkyloxycarbonyl‐3,3‐dialkyl‐2‐oxetanones as monomers were synthesized from L‐(S)‐malic acid in six steps to prepare a new family of stereopolyesters for biomedical applications. The synthesis began with an esterification followed of a dialkylation in the aim to introduce hydrophobic groups as methyl or reactive group as allyl. Then, a saponification has permitted to obtain the corresponding diacids that reacted with appropriate alcohols to furnish different monoesters. The last and most important step was activation of hydroxyl group of monoesters with the asymmetric carbon configuration inversion according to the Mitsunobu reaction. Thus, this reaction has provided lactones from monoesters with 100% enantiomeric excess which was confirmed by ¹H NMR and by the synthesis of corresponding isotactic and semicrystalline homopolyesters. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 2586–2597     

Studies on the Mass Spectra of N‐Aryl α,β‐Unsaturated γ‐Lactams

The mass spectra of a series of N‐aryl α,β‐unsaturated γ‐lactams were studied. Besides the molecular ion, the three characteristic fragments such as [M⁺‐29], [M⁺‐55], and [M⁺‐82] were commonly found in a series of N‐Aryl α,β‐unsaturated γ‐lactams in EI/MS. Further more the mechanism for the interpretation of these fragments is also de scribed.     

Capillary electrophoresis‐based enzyme assays for β‐lactamase enzymes

Generic in‐capillary as well as offline CE‐based enzyme assays were developed for serine‐β‐lactamases and metallo‐β‐lactamases. The hydrolysis of benzylpenicillin to benzylpenicilloic acid was analyzed using 100 mM sodium phosphate solution, pH 6.0, as a background electrolyte. In‐capillary assays employed an uncoated as well as a polyethylene oxide‐coated capillary, while the offline assays employing long end and short end injection were performed in an uncoated capillary. Using procaine hydrochloride or 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid as internal standard, the respective assays were validated with regard to linearity, LOD and LOQ, repeatability, precision, and accuracy. The assays were applied to the determination of the Michaelis‐Menten parameters K_m and V_max of Bacillus cereus penicillinase as well as New Delhi metallo‐β‐lactamase 1 and Verona integrin‐encoded metallo‐β‐lactamase 2. Furthermore, the inhibition of the enzymes by irreversible and competitive inhibitors was evaluated. Comparable data were obtained with all assays. The use of a simple substrate ensured broad applicability to the various types of β‐lactamases.     

Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis of β‐Lactams and Cyclo‐β‐dipeptides

Different cyclo‐β‐dipeptides were prepared from corresponding N‐substituted β‐alanine derivatives under mild conditions using PhPOCl₂ as activating agent in benzene and Et₃N as base. To evaluate β³‐substituent influence, the amino acids 7 – 26 were synthesized, and a β‐lactam formation reaction was carried out instead of cyclo‐β‐dipeptide formation. The crystal structures of three derivatives of cyclo‐β‐peptides and one β‐lactam are presented.     

Photolysis of α,β‐Epoxyketones: A Green Synthesis of β‐Hydroxyenones through Tandem H‐Abstraction,Ring Cleavage and Isomerisation

The photochemical behavior of various substituted epoxycarbonyl compounds consisting of more than one possible photo‐labile site (i.e. δ‐hydrogen, β‐hydrogen and epoxide ring) has been investigated. These compounds on photo‐irradiation produced the β‐hydroxyenones in an eco‐friendly green approach. Mechanistically, these photo‐transformations have been envisaged to occur via an intramolecular β‐hydrogen abstraction by the carbonyl group of benzoyl moiety to generate the 1,3‐biradical followed by epoxide ring opening that isomerizes into the photoproducts. The photolysis of the probed epoxy ketones didn’t furnish any photoproduct through δ‐hydrogen abstraction, whatsoever. This exclusive preference for β‐H abstraction over δ‐H abstraction by carbonyl group has been vindicated by the MM2 energy mini‐ mized program for the investigated photochemical substrates. The structures of these photoproducts were established from the analysis of their spectral parameters (IR, ¹H/¹³C NMR and Mass) and single crystal X‐ray crystallography data.     

Radical‐initiated polymerization of β‐methyl‐α‐methylene‐γ‐butyrolactone

β‐Methyl‐α‐methylene‐γ‐butyrolactone (MMBL) was synthesized and then was polymerized in an N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) solution with 2,2‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) initiation. The homopolymer of MMBL was soluble in DMF and acetonitrile. MMBL was homopolymerized without competing depolymerization from 50 to 70 °C. The rate of polymerization (R_p) for MMBL followed the kinetic expression R_p = [AIBN]^0.54[MMBL]^1.04. The overall activation energy was calculated to be 86.9 kJ/mol, k_p/k_t^1/2 was equal to 0.050 (where k_p is the rate constant for propagation and k_t is the rate constant for termination), and the rate of initiation was 2.17 × 10^?8 mol L^?1 s^?1. The free energy of activation, the activation enthalpy, and the activation entropy were 106.0, 84.1, and 0.0658 kJ mol^?1, respectively, for homopolymerization. The initiation efficiency was approximately 1. Styrene and MMBL were copolymerized in DMF solutions at 60 °C with AIBN as the initiator. The reactivity ratios (r₁ = 0.22 and r₂ = 0.73) for this copolymerization were calculated with the Kelen–Tudos method. The general reactivity parameter Q and the polarity parameter e for MMBL were calculated to be 1.54 and 0.55, respectively. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1759–1777, 2003     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Carbonylative α‐Arylation to β‐Ketonitriles

A carbonylative α‐arylation process employing unactivated nitriles for the first time is described. The reaction tolerates a range of (hetero)aryl iodides and several nitrile coupling partners. No prefunctionalization of the nitriles is necessary and the resulting β‐ketonitriles are obtained in good to excellent yields. The methodology also allows for a convenient ¹³C‐labelling of the generated carbonyl moiety.     

TBAF‐Mediated Dimerization Reaction of β,γ‐Unsaturated Arylketones

A simple and high‐yield method for the synthesis of several 1,5‐diaryl‐1,5‐dicarbonyl compounds has been established starting from TBAF‐mediated isomerization and dimerization reaction of β,γ‐unsaturated arylketones (allyl arylketones) with mono‐, di‐, and tri‐methoxy groups, which is derived from allylation of commercially available different benzaldehydes and followed by oxidation of the resulting secondary alcohols.     

Ligand‐free CuI‐catalyzed coupling and cyclization of β‐bromo‐α,β‐unsaturated amides with formamide leading to pyrimidinones

β‐Bromo‐α,β‐unsaturated amides were coupled and cyclized with formamide in DMF at 100°C in the presence of a catalytic amount of a copper(I) salt along with a base to give the corresponding pyrimidinones in good yields. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.