Studies on antiallergic agents. I. Synthesis and antiallergic activity of novel pyrazine derivatives.

Various pyrazine derivatives were synthesized and their antiallergic activity was examined. The inhibitory activity on allergic histamine release of the compounds bearing a 5-tetrazolyl group was more potent than that of the corresponding carboxyl derivatives. The introduction of -CONH- or -NHCO- between the pyrazine ring and the 5-tetrazolyl group as a spacer greatly enhanced the activity. N-(1H-Tetrazol-5-yl)-2-pyrazinecarboxamide (I-3) was estimated to exhibit nearly the same potency as disodium cromoglycate (DSCG). The structure-activity relationship among various derivatives modified by introducing some substituents onto the 3-, 5- or 6-position of the pyrazine ring of I-3 was investigated. The activity remained unchanged or was reduced when such substituents as methyl, chloro, methoxy, methylamino and dimethylamino were introduced at the 3- or 5-position. In contrast, 6-substitution with various alkylamino groups more or less increased the activity. Among them, the 6-dimethylamino (I-17c) and 6-(1-pyrrolidinyl) (I-34) derivative were proved to be most potent. The IC50 values (concentration which produces 50% inhibition of the allergic histamine release) of I-17c and I-34 were determined to be 4.7 x 10(-10) and 4.6 x 10(-10) M, respectively. These two compounds produced a potent inhibitory activity on passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in rat, not only by the intravenous route (ED50 = 0.0096 mg/kg for both compounds) but also by the oral route (ED50 = 0.19 and 0.18 mg/kg, respectively). On the other hand, when the pyrazine ring of some representative compounds was replaced with a pyridine ring, the inhibitory activity on histamine release was significantly reduced.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type dipeptide isosteres by organocopper-mediated anti-S(N)2' reaction

[reaction: see text] Acyclic psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- and psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-type dipeptide isosteres were efficiently synthesized. In a key reaction, alpha-alkylation of gamma-mesyloxy-beta-methyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters with organocyanocuprates in diethyl ether or tetrahydrofuran preferentially afforded the psi[(E)-CH=CMe]- or psi[(Z)-CH=CMe]-isomer, respectively, via anti-S(N)2' mechanism.     

Alkenyl- and aryl[2-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl]dimethylsilanes: an entry to tetraorganosilicon reagents for the silicon-based cross-coupling reaction

Alkenyl- and aryl[2-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl]dimethylsilanes, highly stable tetraorganosilicon reagents, are found to react with aryl and alkenyl iodides in the presence of a palladium catalyst and K2CO3 as a base, significantly milder conditions compared with those ever reported for the silicon-based cross-coupling reactions. The reaction tolerates a wide range of functional groups, including silyl protectors, and allows a gram-scale synthesis to recover and reuse the silicon residue.     

A [2]rotaxane capped by a cyclodextrin and a guest: formation of supramolecular [2]rotaxane polymer

A [2]rotaxane capped by a beta-cyclodextrin and a 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl group has been prepared by dissolving 6-aminocinnamoyl beta-cyclodextrin in water with 1-adamantane carboxylic acid and complexation with alpha-cyclodextrin followed by the reaction with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid sodium salt. The [2]rotaxane has been found to form supramolecular polymers by host-guest interactions.     

Interpretation of structure formation during the sol-gel transition of a resorcinol-formaldehyde solution by population balance

Growth of colloidal particles formed during the sol-gel transition of a resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) solution was simulated based on the population balance equation by using the discrete-sectional model (DSM). During the early stage of the sol-gel transition, the transient change of sizes of colloidal particles estimated by this method agreed well with the previous experimental observation by dynamic light scattering (DLS), which confirmed the influence of the catalyst concentration of a starting RF solution on the growth rate of the particles. From the size distribution of colloidal particles predicted at the gelation time, the surface area of a RF hydrogel after the completion of the sol-gel transition was estimated, which coincided with the BET surface area of a RF aerogel because the porous structure of a hydrogel was maintained and few micropores were formed during supercritical drying.     

Liquid crystalline gel with refractive index gradient of curdlan

Curdlan dissolved in aqueous sodium hydroxide was dialyzed to aqueous calcium chloride to form a gel. Transparent and turbid concentric layers observed in the gel cross section perpendicular to the long axis of the dialysis tube were identified as liquid crystalline gels with refractive index gradient and amorphous gels, respectively. The thickness of each layer was proportional to the diameter of the dialysis tube, and the gelation proceeded in proportion to the root of time. The unique pattern formation was attributed to the change of curdlan conformation and calcium-induced cross-linking resulting from a diffusion of calcium cations and hydroxide anions through the dialysis tube. It is suggested that the orderedness of the curdlan molecules decreases by the increase of the curvature of the concentric liquid crystal layers as the layer comes toward the center of the dialysis tube.     

A practical procedure for the synthesis of esonarimod, (R,S)-2-acetylthiomethyl-4-(4-methylphenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid,an antirheumatic agent (part 1)

An efficient and practical procedure for the synthesis of esonarimod, (R,S)-2-acetylthiomethyl-4-(4-methylphenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid (1), a new antirheumatic drug, has been developed. The intermediate, 2-methylene-4-(4-methylphenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid (2), was prepared by Friedel-Crafts acylation of toluene with itaconic anhydride (3) in the presence of aluminum trichloride and nitrobenzene in 63% yield without silica gel column purification. Compound 1 was prepared by Michael addition of 2 with thioacetic acid (4) in 74% yield. Overall, 1 was obtained in 47% yield from 3. The structures and synthetic mechanisms of by-products (five compounds) of 2 were also clarified.     

The dependence of cyclopolymerizability of acrylic and methacrylic anhydrides on various conditions: New interpretation of temperature dependency of cyclization constant in radical cyclopolymerization of nonconjugated dienes

The cyclization constant K_c in the radical cyclopolymerization of acrylic and methacrylic anhydrides was evaluated in detail under various conditions. No linear relationship between in K_c and 1/T was observed; cyclization was acceleratively enhanced at elevated temperatures. The K_c values also increased with decreased monomer concentration and increased solvent polarity. These increasing dependencies of K_c are ascribed to the increased significance of depropagation, demonstrating a new interpretation of the temperature dependence of the cyclization constant in the radical cyclopolymerization of nonconjugated dienes.     

Effect of HF addition on the microwave-assisted acid-digestion for the determination of metals in coal by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

The microwave-assisted acid-digestion for the determination of metals in coal by ICP-AES was investigated, especially focusing on the necessity of adding HF. By testing five certified reference materials, BCR-180, BCR-040, NIST-1632b, NIST-1632c, and SARM-20, it was found that the two-stage digestion without HF (HNO₃ + H₂O₂ was used) was very effective for the pretreatment of ICP-AES measurement. Both major metals (Al, Ca, Fe, and Mg) and minor or trace metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in coal gave good recoveries for their certified or reference values. The possibility of ‘HF-memory effect’ was cancelled by the use of a set of vessels which had been never contacted with HF. Twenty-four Japanese standard coals (SS coals) were analyzed by the present method, and the concentrations of major metals measured by the present method provided very high accordance with those from the authentic JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) method.