Studies in polyphenol chemistry and bioactivity. 4.(1) Synthesis of trimeric,tetrameric, pentameric,and higher oligomeric epicatechin-derived procyanidins having all-4beta,8-interflavan connectivity and their inhibition of cancer cell growth through cell cycle arrest

We report an improved synthesis of bis(5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzyl)epicatechin 4beta,8-dimer (3) from 5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzylepicatechin (1) and 5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzyl-4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)epicatechin (2) by replacing the previously employed Lewis acid, titanium tetrachloride, with the clay mineral Bentonite K-10. Under the same conditions, the benzyl-protected all-4beta,8-trimer, -tetramer, and -pentamer were obtained regioselectively from their lower homologues, albeit in rapidly decreasing yields. Reaction of 2 with an organoaluminum thiolate generated from 2-mercaptobenzothiazole and trimethylaluminum followed by acetylation produced 3-O-acetyl-4-[(2-benzothiazolyl)thio]-5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzylepicatechin (12). Medium-sized protected oligomers with 4beta,8-interflavan linkages are obtained in improved yields by using this compound as the electrophile and silver tetrafluoroborate as activator and are isolated by reversed-phase HPLC. Their deprotection by ester saponification followed by hydrogenolysis yielded the free procyanidins, which were characterized as their peracetates. The synthetic procyanidins are identical by normal-phase HPLC with fractions isolated from cocoa. The principle of chain extension by two members was demonstrated using a dimeric electrophile obtained by self-condensation of compound 12. Both the synthetic and natural pentamer 32 inhibit the growth of several breast cancer cell lines. Using the MDA MB 231 line, it was established that this outcome is based on the induction of cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. Subsequent cell death is more likely necrotic rather than apoptotic. Control experiments demonstrate that the polyphenol itself, rather than hydrogen peroxide potentially formed by its autoxidation, is the causative agent.     

Thermal behaviourof complexes of antipyrine derivatives Part III.

The thermal behaviour of the mixed-ligand complexes of cobalt(II) and copper(I) ions with antipyrine derivatives of 1,2-ethanediamine or piperazine (BAMP and TAMEN), with water and with 2-mercapto-benzothiazole (Hmbt) was investigated. The complexes contain 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (Hmbt, in the case of cobalt(II) ion) or dimercaptobenzothiazine (mbt–mbt, in the case of copper(I) ion) molecules as ligands and perchlorate (ClO₄^–) or thiocyanate (SCN – ) ion as counterion. By heating, water and ligands release the solid phase at lower temperature. At higher temperatures process of different organic reactions of ligands (e.g. polymerization, polycondensation) could be suggested to interpret the relative high final mass values.     

Alkylation of β-diketones through their co(II), co(III) and zn(II) complexes. 1-Bromoadamantane as alkylating agent.

α-(1-adamantyl)-β-diketones are now accessible by the alkylation of Co(II) complexes of β-diketones with 1-bromoadamantane. The intermediacy of adamantyl cation is proposed. Co(II), Co(III) and Zn(II) complexes of pentane-2,4-dione react with alkyl halides precursors of stabilized carbenium ions, to give 3-alkylpentane-2,4-diones.     

Characterization of aquatic humic substances and their metal complexes by immobilized metal-chelate affinity chromatography on iron(III)-loaded ion exchangers

The analytical fractionation of aquatic humic substances (HS) by means of immobilized metal-chelate affinity chromatography (IMAC) on metal-loaded chelating ion exchangers is described. The cellulose HYPHAN, loaded with different trivalent ions, and the chelate exchanger Chelex 100, loaded to 90% of its capacity with Fe(III), were used. The cellulose HYPHAN, loaded with 2% Fe(III), resulted in HS distribution coefficients Kd of up to 10(3.7) mL/g at pH 4.0 continuously decreasing down to 10(1.5) at pH 12, which were appropriate for HS fractionation by a pH-depending chromatographic procedure. Similar distribution coefficients Kd were obtained for HS sorption onto Fe(III)-loaded Chelex 100. On the basis of Fe-loaded HYPHAN both, a low-pressure and high-pressure IMAC technique, were developed for the fractionation of dissolved HS applying a buffer-based pH gradient for their gradual elution between pH 4.0 and 12.0. By coupling the Chelex 100 column under high-pressure conditions with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer an on-line characterization of HS metal species could be achieved. Using these fractionation procedures a number of reference HS were characterized. Accordingly, the HA (humic acids) and FA (fulvic acids) studied could be discriminated into up to 6 fractions by applying cellulose HYPHAN, significantly differing in their Cu(II) complexation capacity but hardly in their substructures assessed by conventional FTIR. In the case of using Chelex 100 exchanger resin two major UV active HS fractions were obtained, which significantly differ in their complexation properties for Cu(II) and Pb(II), respectively.     

Reaktionen an komplexgebundenen liganden: XXXVI. Synthese und oxidationsverhalten von M(CO)5-komplexen (M = Cr,Mo, W) mit amin- und benzochinondiimin-liganden

The oxidation of yellow Cr(CO)₅NH₂R complexes (NH₂R = aniline, m-toluidine, 3,5-xylidine, m-anisidine) with Pbac₄ gives deep blue to deep purple coloured compounds, which have been identified as the respective [Cr(CO)₅(N-phenyl-1,4-benzochinon-diimine)] complexes. Oxidation of the p-phenylenediamine complex yields [(OC)₅CrHNC₆H₄NHCr(CO)₅], which is also deep blue. The binuclear blue complex [{Cr(CO)₅}₂HNC₆H₄NC₆H₅] is obtained by treating Cr(CO)₅THF with the free ligand in THF/hexane; it dissociates rapidly in acetone to form [Cr(CO)₅HNC₆H₄NC₆H₅] and Cr(CO)₅. Analogous Mo(CO)₅ and W(CO)₅ complexes could not be obtained. The oxidation of [W(CO)₅(m-anisidine)] by I₂ yields [W(CO)₄I]₂. All the compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods as well as by elemental analysis.     

ESR.-Spektrum von Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH)

The ESR. sprectra of DPPH in mixed organic solvents have been measured with a K-band superheterodyne spectrometer and self-locking magnetometer with high precision. Approximately 150 lines have been resolved in the spectra. Both the zero and first order derivative spectra were analyzed by a line shape analysis program for determination of the coupling constants. The smallest coupling constant was found to be 377 ± 5 mG, all other coupling parameter are multiples of this constant. A set of most probable coupling constants is given. The two nitrogen coupling constants are found to be equal within experimental error, and there exist several rotational relations and several possible assignments.     

Thermal and photochemical studies with stilbene oxides intramolecular trapping of carbonyl ylide intermediates

The annelated tetrahydrofuran derivatives 14 and 15, resp., are formed in moderate yield by intramolecular trapping reaction of the carbonyl ylide intermediates 9, which are generated either by thermal ring opening of the trans-stilbene oxides 7t/8t or by photolysis of the cis-isomers 7c/8c.     

Second-order nonlinear optical properties of the Ag(111)/electrolyte interface in the presence of self-assembled monolayers containing conjugated pi systems. I. Alpha-functionalized terthiophene films on Ag(111)

The nonlinear optical properties of self-assembled monolayers obtained from bonding two different alpha-functionalized terthiophenes (alpha-T3) to (111) silver electrode surfaces have been investigated using second harmonic generation (SHG). The two (alpha-T3) compounds used were functionalized with alkane chains of different lengths (C8 and C4), and each was terminated with a thiol anchoring group. A nitrile group was attached to the terminal thiophene ring of the (alpha-T3) compound with the C4 chain. The orientation of the polarization of the incident beam was changed systematically and gradually between "p" and "s" orientation and the SH signal (isotropic and anisotropic contributions) analyzed in both directions ("P" and "S"). The symmetry of the system was reduced by the presence of the adlayers from C3v to C3. The dependence on the applied potential and the incident wavelength has also been studied. The relative magnitudes and phases of the various second-order tensor elements have been estimated and compared with the values for a bare surface. A resonance process in the (alpha-T3) pi moiety has been investigated, and from this, the effective "band-gap" energies of the organic semiconductor SAMs (i.e., the energy difference between the pi-pi bands) have been estimated.     

Amorphous-amorphous transition in glassy polymers subjected to cold rolling studied by means of positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy

In this study, polycarbonate (PC) and polystyrene (PS) are subjected to plastic deformation by means of cold rolling and the resulting variation of the free volume and its subsequent time evolution after rolling is investigated by means of positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). The value of the long lifetime component that is attributed to the decay of ortho-positronium (tau(o-Ps)) and its intensity (I(o-Ps)) are used to characterize, respectively, the size and the concentration of the free-volume holes. In addition to the PALS experiments, the effect of plastic deformation on the dynamic tensile modulus is investigated. The PALS results show that both for well-aged PC and PS an increase of tau(o-Ps) and a decrease of I(o-Ps) occur upon plastic deformation. During the subsequent aging, tau(o-Ps) tends to return to the value assumed before plastic deformation, while I(o-Ps) remains constant with time. These results corroborate the idea of an amorphous-amorphous transition, rather than that of a "mechanical rejuvenation" as proposed in the past to explain the ability of plastic deformation to reinitiate physical aging. Finally, a linear relation between the size of the free-volume holes and the dynamic tensile modulus is found, which suggests that the stiffness of amorphous glassy polymers is fully determined by their nanoscopic structure.     

Anisotropic muon Knight shift in the HCP single crystals of Cd,Zn and Be

In single crystal samples of Zn, Cd and Be (hcp structure) stroboscopicSR measurements successfully revealed anisotropies in the muon Knight shift (K). An anisotropic K can provide information on the amount of non s-electrons screening the charge of the muon implanted in these metals as a light hydrogen isotope. In Cd, the anisotropic part depends strongly on the temperature and shows a change in sign at roughly 110 K. In Zn, the anisotropic part below 10 K turns out to comprise 4th order contributions in the direction cosines of the external field. This can be understood on the basis of an anisotropicg-factor of the conduction electrons or spin-orbit coupling, respectively.