One-pot three-component reaction for the synthesis of pyran annulated heterocyclic compounds using DMAP as a catalyst

The one-pot three-component reaction for the synthesis of pyran annulated heterocycles is reported by condensing aromatic aldehydes, ethyl cyanoacetate, or malononitrile and C-H activated acidic compounds in the presence of catalytic amount of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) in ethanol under reflux conditions. The significant features of the present protocol are simple, environmentally benign, high yields, non-aqueous work-up procedure, no chromatographic separation and recyclability of the catalyst.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial studies of bis(O,O′‐dialkyl and alkylene dithiophosphoric acid) adducts of diphenyl diselenide

Dialkyl and alkylene dithiophoshoric acids react with diphenyl diselenide in a 1:2 molar ratio in refluxing benzene to yield Ph₂Se₂·2HS₂P(OR)₂ (R = Et, Pr‐n, Pr‐i, Bu‐i and Ph) and , where G = ‐CH₂CMe₂CH₂‐, ‐CH₂CEt₂CH₂‐ and ‐CMe₂CMe₂‐. The complexes are yellow solids (in the cyclic chain) and yellow sticky solids (in the open chain), are soluble in common organic solvents and are monomeric in nature. They were characterized on the basis of elemental analyses, molecular weight determinations, IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ³¹P). The spectral data revealed addition of dithiophosphate moieties to the diselenide. Studies were conducted to assess the growth‐inhibiting potential of some of the synthesized complexes against various bacterial strains. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bacteriocin release protein-mediated secretory expression of recombinant chalcone synthase in Escherichia coli

Flavonoids are secondary metabolites synthesized by plants shown to exhibit health benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects. Thus, due to the importance of this compound, several enzymes involved in the flavonoid pathway have been cloned and characterized in Escherichia coli. However, the formation of inclusion bodies has become a major disadvantage of this approach. As an alternative, chalcone synthase from Physcomitrella patens was secreted into the medium using a bacteriocin release protein expression vector. Secretion of P. patens chalcone synthase into the culture media was achieved by co-expression with a psW1 plasmid encoding bacteriocin release protein in E. coli Tuner (DE3) plysS. The optimized conditions, which include the incubation of cells for 20 h with 40 ng/ml mitomycin C at OD₆₀₀ induction time of 0.5 was found to be the best condition for chalcone synthase secretion.     

Reductive Alkylation Causes the Formation of a Molten Globule-Like Intermediate Structure in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Geobacillus zalihae</Emphasis> Strain T1 Thermostable Lipase

A thermostable lipase from Geobacillus zalihae strain T1 was chemically modified using propionaldehyde via reductive alkylation. The targeted alkylation sites were lysines, in which T1 lipase possessed 11 residues. Far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectra of both native and alkylated enzyme showed a similar broad minimum between 208 and 222 nm, thus suggesting a substantial amount of secondary structures in modified enzyme, as compared with the corresponding native enzyme. The hydrolytic activity of the modified enzymes dropped drastically by nearly 15-fold upon chemical modification, despite both the native and modified form showed distinctive α-helical bands at 208 and 222 nm in CD spectra, leading us to the hypothesis of formation of a molten globule (MG)-like structure. As cooperative unfolding transitions were observed, the modified lipase was distinguished from the native state, in which the former possessed a denaturation temperature (T _m) in lower temperature range at 61 °C while the latter at 68 °C. This was further supported by 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) probed fluorescence which indicated higher exposure of hydrophobic residues, consequential of chemical modification. Based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis, a small number of lysine residues were confirmed to be alkylated.     

Photocontrolled manipulation of a microscale object: a rotational or translational mechanism

In this paper the photocontrolled manipulation of solid materials on the surface of a liquid crystalline thin film is described. Three different types of films namely cholesteric liquid crystal (ChLC), compensated nematic liquid crystal (NLC) and nematic LC were used. The rotational and translational manipulation of the microscale solid object was induced by irradiation of light and mode of manipulation (either translational or rotational) was changed by changing the isomer of the azobenzene compound used to make the film. Rotational motion of the object was observed on the ChLC and compensated NLC films containing chirally pure azobenzene compound. The direction of rotational motion was controlled either by changing the optical isomer of the chiral azobenzene or by changing the irradiating light (from ultraviolet to visible). When racemic mixture of the chiral azobenzene compound was used, a translational motion of the object was observed. Even though the direction of the translational motion can be controlled by controlling irradiation position, more facile and precise manipulation of the objects was possible by spatially controlled irradiation of Ar(+) laser and diode UV laser.     

Application of Liquid-Liquid Microextraction-High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography for Preconcentration and Determination of Phenolic Compounds in Aqueous Samples

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A novel liquid-phase microextraction method coupled with high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) for preconcentration,...     

Single component and binary diffusion of n-heptane and toluene in SBA-15 materials

In this work, the diffusion properties of single component n-heptane and toluene as well as their binary mixtures in two SBA-15 samples with different structural characteristics were studied by the standard Zero Length Column (ZLC) technique under three different concentration levels. A theoretical ZLC desorption model considering the Generalized Maxwell-Stefan (GMS) formulation was developed. Using the independently measured single component equilibrium and kinetic parameters, the model was able to reasonably predict experimental binary ZLC desorption curve for countercurrent diffusion of toluene in the presence of n-heptane. However, there was a significant deviation between model prediction results and experimental data for countercurrent desorption of n-heptane in the presence of toluene. The diffusion of n-heptane is reduced by the presence of toluene, regardless of the relative content of micropores in the intrawall pores, while that of toluene is virtually unaffected by the counter-diffusion of n-heptane. The observed phenomena cannot be addressed by the simple model considering the cross term diffusion effect. The structural property of material and the molecular characteristics of probe molecules were used to account for the difference in the behavior between n-heptane and toluene.     

Synthesis of Iridium Oxide Nanotubes by Electrodeposition into Polycarbonate Template: Fabrication of Chromium(III) and Arsenic(III) Electrochemical Sensor

For the first time iridium oxide (IrO₂) nanotubes are synthesized by electrodeposition in a polycarbonate (PC) template. Potential cycling (90 cycles) between 0.0 and 0.9 V is used for the preparation of IrO_x nanotubes onto the PC template with a pore diameter of 100 nm. Field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images show, that IrO₂ nanotubes with uniform diameters of 110±10 nm and an estimated length of 1–3 µm are formed. The electrochemical properties and the electrocatalytic activity of a glassy carbon‐IrO_x nanotube modified electrode toward Cr³⁺ and As³⁺ oxidation are investigated. Finally, the modified electrode is used for micromolar detection of the proposed analytes using differential pulse voltammetry.     

Development and validation of an HPLC stability-indicating method for identification and assay of elemental iron(II) in pharmaceutical drug products using reversed-phase HPLC

Ferrous sulfate tablets are a supplementary iron source for people who suffer from iron deficiency anemia. A simple, fast, and QC-friendly HPLC method was developed and validated to determine elemental iron in ferrous sulfate drug products. A TSK-GEL Super octadecylsilyl column (50 x 4.6 mm id, 2 microm particle size) with a mobile phase consisting of 0.06 M methanesulfonic acid in water-acetonitrile (40 + 60, v/v) and UV detection at 282 nm were used for this method. Separation of the elemental iron peak from the matrix was achieved within 5 min. This method was successfully validated according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines, and shown to be stability-indicating for the shelf-life samples of ferrous sulfate tablets, as well as selective for the analyte of interest.     

Chemical constituents of Jordanian propolis

Seventeen compounds, including a new lanostane triterpenoid, 24(Z)-1β-3β-dihydroxyeupha-7,24-dien-26-oic acid, have been isolated from the methanolic extracts of two samples of Jordanian propolis collected from two different places with different dominant flora. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by spectral methods including IR, UV, MS and 1- and 2-D NMR.