Floccosic Acid,a New Triterpenic Acid from Nepeta floccosa

The isolation and structure elucidation of a new triterpenic acid named floccosic acid ( 1 ) is reported on the basis of the 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR assignments. This secondary metabolite was isolated as a new constituent, along with the known triterpenoids, betulinic acid and β‐amyrin. All these compounds were purified by repeated column chromatography of the MeOH extract of Nepeta floccosa. The structure elucidation of the new compound was accomplished by the combined mass spectrometry (MS), infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectroscopy, one‐ (¹H‐ and ¹³C‐) and two‐dimensional (H? C correlations; HMBC and HSQC) NMR techniques. The known compounds were identified by comparison of their physical and spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature.     

Studies on the Enzymatic Acylation of Quinic Acid,Shikimic Acid,Shikimic Acid,and Their Derivatives in Organic Solvents

Quinic acid ( 1a ), shikimic acid ( 2 ), and their derivatives were acylated in organic solvents by several lipases and by the protease subtilisin Carlsberg. The most satisfactory results were obtained with methyl (or benzyl) quinate ( 7a (or 8a )) and lipase from Chromobacterium viscosum adsorbed on Celite, which showed an overshelming preference towards the acylation of OH–C(4). Under optimized conditions, the syntehtically useful 4-O -acetylquinate 8d was isolated in ca. 90% yield. On the other hand, acylation of methyl shikimate ( 10a ) showed no regioselectivity with any of the enzymes tested. A possible rationale for the different behavior of Chromobacterium viscosum lipase towards 7a and 10a is given, comparing the conformations of these two molecules, as deducted from ¹H-NMR and molecular-mechanics calculation.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Thiophenetriptyeene-8-sulfenic Acid

Abstract:

Reaction of the trilithium salt, prepared by treatment of 1,1,1-tris(2-bromo-5-methyl-3-thienyl)ethane, with O,O′-diethyl thiocarbonate gave thiophenetriptycene-8-thiol in 42% yield. The thiol was not oxidized with m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (MCPBA). However, treatment of the thiol with NaH in THF followed by oxidation with MCPBA gave thiophenetriptycene-8-sulfenic acid in 70% yield. The structure of the sulfenic acid was determined by spectroscopic means and X-ray single-crystal analysis.     

Synthesis and Protein Binding of (4‐Carboxybutyl)carbamoyl‐ Substituted Taxoids

(4‐Carboxybutyl)carbamates 5 and 6 , as well as 10 , derived from 10‐O‐deacetylbaccatin III ( 1 ) and paclitaxel ( 2 ), respectively, were synthesized by reaction of unprotected 1 and 2′‐O‐(methoxyacetyl)paclitaxel ( 8 ), respectively, with trimethylsilyl 5‐isocyanatopentanoate in good yields. The carbamoyl‐taxoids were conjugated to bovine‐serum albumin and analyzed by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry.     

Aminotenuazonic Acid: Isolation,Structure Elucidation,Total Synthesis and Herbicidal Activity of a New Tetramic Acid from Fruiting Bodies of Laccaria Species

(5S,6S)-Aminotenuazonic acid, a new 3-acyltetramic acid, related to the well-known mycotoxin tenuazonic acid has been isolated from fruiting bodies of Laccaria bicolor. Its structure was mostly established by analysis of its 2D NMR and HR-(+)-ESI-MS spectra. A total synthesis starting from N-Boc-l -isoleucine gave (5S,6S)-aminotenuazonic acid in 8 % yield over nine steps (67 % de). The key steps of the total synthesis are a light-initiated Hofmann–Löffler–Freytag radical chain reaction and a Dieckmann cyclisation. The relative and absolute configurations of the natural product were determined by comparison of its NMR and CD spectra with those of the corresponding enantiopure synthetic compounds. Metabolic profiling of crude extracts of different mushrooms showed that aminotenuazonic acid is present in all four of the investigated Laccaria species. Aminotenuazonic acid shows phytotoxic activities against the root and shoot growth of Lepidium sativum, Pinus sylvestris and Arabidopsis thaliana comparable to those of tenuazonic acid.     

Beilschmiedic Acids F and G,Further Endiandric Acid Derivatives from Beilschmiedia anacardioides

Two new endiandric acid derivatives, beilschmiedic acid F ( 1 ) and beilschmiedic acid G ( 2 ), together with three known constituents, beilschmiedic acid A, beilschmiedic acid C, and sitosterol 3‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside, were isolated from the stem bark of Beilschmiedia anacardioides. Their structures were elucidated mainly by using a combination of 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR techniques. The structure and relative configuration of beilschmiedic acid G ( 2 ) was also confirmed by X‐ray crystallographic analysis.     

Sesquiterpene and Aristolochic Acid Derivatives from Thottea hainanensis

One new sesquiterpene named thotteodiol ( 1 ) with a novel skeleton and one new derivative of aristolochic acid named 7‐hydroxyaristolochic acid III methyl ester ( 2 ), together with 20 known compounds, were isolated from the stems and roots of Thottea hainanensis. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods.     

Epoxidation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Double Bonds by Dioxirane Reagent: Regioselectivity and Lipid Supramolecular Organization

The use of dimethyldioxirane (DMD) as the epoxidizing agent for polyunsaturated fatty acids was investigated. With fatty acid methyl esters, this is a convenient method for avoiding acidic conditions, using different solvents, and simplifying the isolation procedures, with less contamination due to by‐products. The reagent was also tested with free fatty acids in water. In this case, the supramolecular organization of fatty acids influenced the reaction outcome, and the epoxidation showed interesting regioselective features. The C?C bonds closest to the aqueous‐micelle interface is the most favored for the interaction with dimethyldioxirane. The preferential epoxidation of linoleic acid (= (9Z,12Z)‐octadeca‐9,12‐dienoic acid) to the 9,10‐monoepoxy derivative was achieved, with a high yield and 65% regioselectivity. In case of arachidonic acid (= (5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)‐eicosa‐5,8,11,14‐tetraenoic acid) micelles, the regioselective outcome with formation of the four possible monoepoxy isomers was studied under different conditions. It resulted to be a convenient synthesis of ‘cis‐5,6‐epoxyeicosatrienoic acid’ (= 3‐[(2Z,5Z,8Z)‐tetradeca‐2,5,8‐trienyl]oxiran‐2‐butanoic acid), whereas in reverse micelles, epoxidation mostly gave ‘cis‐14,15‐epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (= (5Z,8Z,11Z)‐13‐(3‐pentyloxiran‐2‐yl)trideca‐5,8,11‐trienoic acid).     

Paclitaxel Hydrogelator Delays Microtubule Aggregation

Paclitaxel (PTX) is one of the most efficient anticancer drugs for the treatment of cancers through β-tubulin-binding. Our previous work indicated that a PTX-derivative hydroge-lator Fmoc-Phe-Phe-Lys(paclitaxel)-Tyr(H₂PO₃)-OH (1)could promote neuron branching but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Using tubulin assembly-disassembly assay, in this work, we found that compound 1 obviously delayed more microtubule aggregation than PTX did. Under the catalysis of alkaline phosphatase, Fmoc-Phe-Phe-Lys(paclitaxel)-Tyr(H₂PO₃)-OH could self-assemble into nanofiber Fmoc-Phe-Phe-Lys(paclitaxel)-Tyr-OH with width comparable to the size of αβ-tubulin dimer. Therefore, we proposed in this work that nanofiber Fmoc-Phe-Phe-Lys(paclitaxel)-Tyr-OH not only inhibits the αβ-tubulin dimer binding to each other but also interferes with the plus end aggregation of microtubule. This work provides a new mechanism of the inhibition of microtubule formation by a PTX-derivative hydrogelator.     

LC Enantioseparation of β-Lactam and β-Amino Acid Stereoisomers and a Comparison of Macrocyclic Glycopeptide- and β-Cyclodextrin-Based Columns

Direct reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic methods were developed for the separation of the enantiomers of tricyclic β-lactams, cis-3,4-benzo-6-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptan-7-one, cis-4,5-benzo-7-azabicyclo[4.2.0]-octan-8-one, cis-5,6-benzo-8-azabicyclo[5.2.0]nonan-9-one and new bicyclic β-amino acids, the six- and seven-membered homologues of cis-1-amino-4,5-benzocyclopentane-2-carboxylic acid (benzocispentacin), cis-1-amino-5,6-benzocyclohexane-2-carboxylic acid and cis-1-amino-6,7-benzocycloheptane-2-carboxylic acid. The direct separations of the analytes were performed on chiral stationary phase (CSP) columns containing the macrocyclic glycopeptide antibiotic teicoplanin (Chirobiotic T), teicoplanin aglycone (Chirobiotic TAG), vancomycin (Chirobiotic V), vancomycin aglycone (Chirobiotic VAG), ristocetin A (Chirobiotic R) or a new dimethylphenyl carbamate-derivatized β-cyclodextrin-based Cyclobond DMP. The results achieved with the different methods were compared in systematic chromatographic examinations. The effects of an organic modifier and of the mobile phase composition on the separation and the separation efficiency of different columns were investigated. The difference in enantioselective free energy between the aglycone CSP and the teicoplanin CSP for these β-lactams and β-amino acids ranged between 0.3 and −1.1 kJmol⁻¹. Better enantioseparations were attained in most cases on the aglycone CSP.

     

Synthesis and Biological Properties of N-Acetyl-4-deoxy-D-neuraminic Acid

N-Acetylneuraminic acid ( 1 ) can be transformed into the methyl α-D -ketoside 2 which, by reaction with methanesulfonyl chloride, yields the corresponding 4-O-mesylate 3 and the 4,7-di-O-mesylate 4 as a by-product. Compound 3 reacts with Nal giving the 4-deoxy-4-iodo compound 5 with equatorial orientation of the I-atom. As second product, the dihydrooxazole 6 is produced. Catalytic hydrogenation of 5 is followed by ester cleavage and removal of the isopropylidene group yielding the methyl α-D -ketoside 8 which affords the title compound, N-acetyl-4-deoxyneuraminic acid ( 9 ), by reaction with fowl plague virus sialidase. Further biochemical activities of 8 and 9 are reported.     

Total Synthesis and Structure Elucidation of JBIR‐39: A Linear Hexapeptide Possessing Piperazic Acid and γ‐Hydroxypiperazic Acid Residues

The total synthesis and stereochemical structural elucidation of JBIR‐39, containing four nonproteinogenic piperazic acid (Piz) residues, is reported. The synthesis includes Sc(OTf)₃‐catalyzed acylation of a Piz(γ‐OTBS) derivative with piperazic acid chloride, providing the desired Piz‐Piz(γ‐OTBS) dipeptide in high yield without epimerization. After assembling two additional Piz moieties and (S)‐isoleucic acid at the N‐terminus, amidation with the (R)‐α‐methylserine ester at the C‐terminus, and deprotection afforded the desired (2R,8S)‐hexapeptide, which is the assumed structure of JBIR‐39. Although the spectral data of the (2R,8S)‐hexapeptide was not identical to JBIR‐39, further synthesis of three stereoisomers confirmed the stereochemical structure of JBIR‐39 to be (2S,6S,8S,11R,16S,21R,26S,27S).     

An Ethylenedioxy Flavonoid Carboxylic Acid from Limnophila Indica

The hexane extract of the aerial parts and roots of Limnophila indica yielded a new flavone, 3′,4′‐ethylenedioxy‐5‐hydroxy‐3‐(1‐hydroxy‐1‐methylethyl)‐6,7‐dimethyl‐5′‐methoxyflavone‐8‐carboxylic acid ( 1 ), characterized by spectral studies.     

Paclitaxel‐Loaded β‐Cyclodextrin‐Modified Poly(Acrylic Acid) Nanoparticles through Multivalent Inclusion for Anticancer Therapy

A nanoassembled drug delivery system for anticancer treatment, formed by the host–guest interactions between paclitaxel (PTX) and β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) modified poly(acrylic acid) (PCDAA), is successfully prepared. After such design, the aqueous solubility of PTX is greatly increased from 0.34 to 36.02 μg mL^?1, and the obtained PCDAA‐PTX nanoparticles (PCDAA‐PTX NPs) exhibit a sustained PTX release behavior in vitro. In vitro cytotoxicity finds that PCDAA‐PTX NPs can accumulate significantly in tumor cells and remain the pharmacological activity of PTX. The in vivo real‐time biodistribution of PCDAA‐PTX NPs is investigated using near‐infrared fluorescence imaging, indicating that the PCDAA‐PTX NPs can effectively target to the tumor site by the enhanced permeability and retention effect in H22 tumor‐bearing mice. Through in vivo antitumor examination, PCDAA‐PTX NPs exhibit superior efficacy in impeding the tumor growth compared to the commercially available Taxol®.

     

trans-Tetradec-2-enoic Acid in Impatiens glandulifera

Purification of the hydrophobic extracts of the flowers and seed pods of Impatiens glandulifera(Himilayan balsam) yielded 2-methoxy-[1,4]-naphthoquinone 1, 1-hydroxyeicosan-3-one 16, and an unusual unsaturated fatty acid, trans-tetradec-2-enoic acid 6. Mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated that the latter compound (6) was isolated as a mixture with linolenic acid 8 and saturated acids 7, 9, and 10 (chain lengths C-16, 18, and 20). Its structure was subsequently proven by independent chemical synthesis.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® to view the free supplemental file.     

Supramolecular Assemblies in Salts of 2,2＇-Biimidazole with 5-Sulfosalicylic Acid and 3,4,5-Trihydroxybenzoic Acid

Supramolecular assemblies of 2,2＇-biimidazole with 5-sulfosalicylic acid and 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid, have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Both the two proton-transfer compounds of 2,2＇-biimidazole with 3-carboxy-4-hydroxybenzenesulfonic acid （5-sulfosalicylic acid, 5-SSA） [namely bis（2-（2-1H-imidazolyl）-1H-imidazolium） 4-hydroxybenzene-3-carboxylate-1-sulfonate monohydrate, 2（C6HTN4）^＋· CTH4068^2-.H2O, （Ⅰ）] and 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid [namely 2,2＇-bi-1H-imidazolium bis（3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate） tetrahydrate, C6H8N4^2＋ ·2（C7H5O5）^-·4（H20）, （Ⅱ）] feature extensively hydrogen-bonded three-dimensional network structures having significant interlayer n-n interactions between the cation and anion species. In Ⅰ, a 5-SSA^2- dianionic species results from deprotonation of both the sulfonic and the carboxylic acid groups, all available O-atom acceptors interact with all cation and water molecule donors by hydrogen bonds. In Ⅱ, the formula unit displays a crystallographic inversion symmetry. The structural information about the two complexes between 2,2＇-biimidazole compound and benzenecarboxylic acids obtained in this work will be particularly important for the rational design of supramolecular organic functional materials.     

New Quinic Acid Derivatives from Hepatoprotective Inula crithmoides Root Extract

Fractionation directed by hepatoprotective activity of Inula crithmoides L. root resulted in the isolation of two new quinic acid derivatives, 3,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid 1‐methyl ether ( I ; caffeoyl=(E)‐3‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)prop‐2‐enoyl; quinic acid=1,3,4,5‐tetrahydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid) and 4,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid 1‐methyl ether ( II ), in addition to the well‐known hepatoprotective compound, 1,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid ( III ). The hepatoprotective effect was indicated by the significant decrease in the level of four measured serum biochemical parameters (SGOT, SGPT, ALP, and bilirubin) in experimental rats. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by analyses of 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic data.     

Optimization of the fractional precipitation of paclitaxel from a Taxus chinensis cell culture using response surface methodology and its isolation by consecutive high‐speed countercurrent chromatography

A consecutive preparation method for the isolation and purification of paclitaxel from the Taxus Chinensis cell culture was developed in this study. The process involved alkaline Al₂O₃ chromatography, fractional precipitation, and high‐speed countercurrent chromatography. The original cell culture materials were first extracted with methanol using ultrasound‐assisted extraction, and then the extract (the content of paclitaxel is 1.5%) was separated by alkaline Al₂O₃ column chromatography. Subsequently, fractional precipitation was used to obtain paclitaxel. In particular, response surface methodology was used to optimize the factors of fractional precipitation (methanol concentration, material‐to‐solvent ratio, and precipitating time were optimized as 48.14%, 8.85 mg/mL, and 48.71 h, respectively) and the yield of fractional precipitation product was 30.64 ± 0.60 mg (the content of paclitaxel is 89.3%, 27.37 ± 0.54 mg) from a 100 mg fraction by Al₂O₃ column separation (the content of paclitaxel is 32.4%). Then, the product was used for further isolation by high‐speed countercurrent chromatography. About 1.00 g paclitaxel (200 ± 2 mg in each loading) with a purity up to 99.61% was isolated from 1.25 g of fractional precipitation product with a solvent system of n‐hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (1.2:1.8:1.5:1.5, v/v/v/v) in one run of five consecutive sample loadings without exchanging a new solvent system.     

Leiopathic Acid,a Novel Optically Active Hydroxydocosapentaenoic Acid,and related compounds,from the black coral Leiopathes sp. of Saint Paul Island (S. Indian Ocean)

The antipatharian Leiopathes sp., collected around Saint Paul Island, is shown here to contain, in relatively high amounts, the novel fatty acid leiopathic acid ( = (+)-(10R,7Z,11E,13Z,16Z,19Z)-10-hydroxy-7,11,13,16,19-docosapentaenoic acid; (+)- 1 ), besides (+)-(8R,5Z,9E,11Z,14Z,17Z)-8-hydroxy-5,9,11,14,17-icosapentaenoic acid ((+)- 11 ) and (+)-(8R,5Z,9E,11Z,14Z,)-8-hydroxy-05,9,11,14-icosatetraenoic acid ((+)- 16 ) and their ethyl ester (+)- 2 , (+)- 12 , and (+)- 17 .     

Two New Octulosonic Acid Derivatives and a New Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acid Derivative from Erigeron bonariensis L.

The AcOEt‐soluble part of a MeOH extract from the whole plant of Erigeron bonariensis yielded two new rare‐class octulosonic acid derivatives, rel‐methyl (1R,2S,3S,5R)‐3‐(trans‐caffeoyloxy)‐7‐[(trans‐caffeoyloxy)methyl]‐2‐hydroxy‐6,8‐dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane‐5‐carboxylate ( 1 ) and 5,8‐di[O‐trans‐caffeoyl]‐3‐deoxy‐β‐D ‐gluco‐oct‐2‐ulopyranosonosyl 4,8‐di[O‐trans‐caffeoyl]‐3‐deoxy‐β‐D ‐gluco‐oct‐2‐ulopyranosidonic acid ( 2 ) along with a cyclohexanecarboxylic acid derivative, (1α,3β,4β,5β)‐1,4‐di‐3,5‐dihydroxy‐bis(trans‐caffeoyloxy)cyclohexanecarboxylic acid ( 3 ). The structures of these compounds were elucidated through ESI‐MS, and 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic techniques including ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, HMQC or HSQC, and HMBC experiments.