Ellagic acid glycosides from the stem bark of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aphananthe aspera</Emphasis>

Five ellagic acid glycosides were isolated from Aphananthe aspera and their structures were identified as 3-O-methylellagic acid-4′-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (1), 3-O-methylellagic acid-4′-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (2), 3,3′-di-O-methylellagic acid-4′-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (3), 3,3′, 4-tri-O-methylellagic acid-4′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), and 3,3′-di-O-methylellagic acid-4′-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (5) on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 is new, and all the compounds were isolated for the first time from the title plant. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 458–459, September–October, 2007.     

New coumarin glucoside from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Angelica dahurica</Emphasis>

A new linear furanocoumarin glycoside named dahurin B (1) was isolated from the fresh roots and rhizomes of Angelica dahurica. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by spectral techniques including ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, as well as HSQC, HMBC, and COSY. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 330–331, July–August, 2007.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Raman</Emphasis> Spectroscopy and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ab-Initio</Emphasis> Model Calculations on Ionic Liquids

Summary. A review of the recent developments in the study and understanding of room temperature ionic liquids are given. An intimate picture of how and why these liquids are not crystals at ambient conditions is attempted, based on evidence from crystallographical results combined with vibrational spectroscopy and ab-initio molecular orbital calculations. A discussion is given, based mainly on some recent FT-Raman spectroscopic results on the model ionic liquid system of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C₄ mim][X]) salts. The rotational isomerism of the [C₄ mim]⁺ cation is described: the presence of anti and gauche conformers that has been elucidated in remarkable papers by Hamaguchi et al. Such presence of a conformational equilibrium seems to be a general feature of the room temperature liquids. Then the “localized structure features” that apparently exist in ionic liquids are described. It is hoped that the structural resolving power of Raman spectroscopy will be appreciated by the reader. It is of remarkable use on crystals of known different conformations and on the corresponding liquids, especially in combination with modern quantum mechanics calculations. It is hoped that these interdisciplinary methods will be applied to many more systems in the future. A few examples will be discussed.     

Synthesis from geraniol of (2<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>,6<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>,10<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>,14<Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>)-16-hydroxygeranylgeraniol and some of its derivatives

Several α,ω-bifunctional derivatives of E,E,E-geranylgeraniol were prepared via convergent synthesis starting with geraniol (8), which was converted in three steps into the tetrahydropyranyl ether of 8-chlorogeraniol (9) and 8-hydroxygeranylphenylsulfone (10). Combination of synthons 9 and 10 with subsequent reductive removal of the phenylsulfonyl group produced the tetrahydropyranyl ether of ω-hydroxygeranylgeraniol (5), hydrolysis of which gave exclusively trans-ω-hydroxygeranylgeraniol (1). Derivatives 5–7 of geranylgeraniol were synthesized using standard methods. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 231–234, May–June, 2007.     

Carboxylic Acids from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phyllanthus urinaria</Emphasis>

Five compounds, terephthalic acid mono-[2-(4-carboxy-phenoxycarbonyl)-vinyl] ester (1), (E)-3-(5′-hydroperoxy-2,2′-dihydroxy[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-2-propenoic acid (2), 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid (3), succinic acid (or butanedioic acid) (4), and 2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxybenzoic acid (5), were isolated from Phyllanthus urinaria. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by means of spectral techniques including IR, MS, and 1D/2D NMR. 1 and 2 are new compounds.__________Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 14–17, January–February, 2005.     

Structural analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">w</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">w</Emphasis> multiple emulsions by means of DSC

Summary The properties of the inner and the external aqueous phases, were studied in w/o/w multiple emulsions with light microscopic image analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The importance of multiple emulsions lies in the presence of these aqueous phases, making them available for sustained, controlled drug delivery systems. Differentiation of these two aqueous phases, studying the effect of manufacturing technology on droplet structure, quantitative determination of phase volumes and any changes occurring during storage are essential when planning w/o/w emulsions. The present study uses microscopic observations combined with DSC measurements in order to identify the formed structure, at developmental stage in case of different components, preparation methods, and stirring rates. These tools are beneficial during manufacturing as in process controls, or to ensure product quality.     

Glucofructans from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cousinii radians</Emphasis> roots

Structures of glucofructans isolated from Cousinii radians roots were studied by methylation, periodate oxidation, and IR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies. It was found that fructofuranose units were bonded to each other by inulin-type β-(2→1)-gylcoside bonds. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 3–5, January–February, 2007.