o-quinone methides 2. Stereoselectivity in cycloaddition reactions of o-quinone methides with vinyl ethers

Cycloaddition reactions between vinyl ethers 3 and $\text{o}$-quinone methides 2, thermally generated from 2-hydroxybenzyl alcohols 1, have been studied. The structure and conformational preferences of the 4-substituted 2-ethoxy-(2,3)-dihydro-2$\text{H}$-benzopyrans 4–9 obtained, which show new interesting features, are discussed together with competitive kinetic data. The cycloaddition process is concerted and involves $\text{o}$-quinone methides in the $\text{E}$-configuration. The OEt-$\text{endo}$ transition state seems to be preferred with ethyl vinyl ether and $\text{Z}$-1-propenyl ethyl ether, whereas with $\text{E}$-1-propenyl ethyl ether the stereoselectivity of the cycloaddition process depends on substituents on the methylene group of the starting alcohol 1. These results are discussed in terms of $\text{endo}$ and $\text{exo}$ preference of the propenyl ether methyl group.     

New taxane derivatives: synthesis of baccatin[14,1-d]furan-2-one nucleus and its condensation with the norstatine side chain

New taxanes 15 and 18, containing the unsaturated and saturated baccatin[14,1-d]furan-2-one nucleus, respectively, were prepared starting from the readily available 13-oxo-7-Tes-baccatin III (3). Sequential formation of the enolate of 3 and reaction with ethyl glyoxylate gave the 13-oxo-7-Tes-baccatin[14,1-d]-3,4-dehydrofuran-2-one 4. The reduction of 4 can result in the formation of a mixture of compounds corresponding to 13-hydroxy alcohol 5 and 13-enol derivative 6. Both 5 and 6 were transformed into 13-oxo-7-Tes-baccatin[14,1-d]furan-2-one 8 by treatment with a base. Further reduction of 8 gave 13-hydroxy compound 9. Esterification of 6 and 9 with N,O-protected norstatine 12, followed by deprotection, gave the new promising anticancer taxanes 15 and 18, respectively.     

Mass spectrometry of substituted 1,3-dihydro-2H-imidazole-2-thiones

The electron impact mass spectra of the 4-formyl-1, 3-dihydro-2H-imidazole-2-thione, its six 1-methyl(n-propyl, n-hexyl)-3-methyl(phenyl)-disubstptuted derivatives, and the 1,3-dihydro-1-phenyl-2H-imidazole-2-thiome are discussed. The fragmentation pattern is strongly influenced by the alkyl or phenyl N-substituents, as well as by the length of the alkyl chain. The odd-electron ions containing an N-phenyl substituent, but not a propyl or hexyl group, eject a hydrogen atom from the phenyl ring, while the presence of a long alkyl chain greatly enhances the loss of the sulphyhydryl radical and facilitates the expulsion of several alkenes, and alkyl and alkenyl radicals.     

Biocompatible polymers for antibody support on gold surfaces

The elimination or minimization of non-specific protein adsorption from serum is critical for the use of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors for in vitro and in vivo analysis of complex biological solutions. The ultimate goals in this application are to minimize non-specific adsorption of protein and to maximize analyte signal. A reduction of the non-specific protein adsorption from serum of up to 73% compared to carboxymethylated-dextran 500 kDa (CM-dextran) was achieved following a survey of eight biocompatible polymers and 10 molecular weights of CM-dextran. These coatings minimize non-specific adsorption on the sensor while also serving as immobilization matrices for antibody fixation to the probes. Polymers including polysaccharides: CM-dextrans, CM-hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid, and alginic acid were investigated. Humic acid, polylactic acid, polyacrylic acid, orthopyridyldisuldfide–polyethyleneglycol–N-hydroxysuccinimide (OPSS–PEG–NHS), and a synthesized polymer; polymethacrylic-acid-co-vinyl-acetate (PMAVA) were also used. The non-specific protein adsorption reduction was measured over a 14 day period at 0 °C for each polymer. Calibration curves using some of these polymers were constructed to show the performance and low detection limit possibilities of these new antibody supports. For many of the polymers, this is the first demonstration of employment as an antibody support for an optical or surface active sensor. CM-dextran is the polymer offering the largest signal for the antigen detection. However, the biocompatible polymers demonstrate a greater stability to non-specific binding in serum. These biocompatible polymers offer different alternatives for CM-dextran.     

Selective synthesis of 14β-amino taxanes

The base induced deprotonation of H-14 of 7-triethylsilyl- (7-TES-) and 7-tert-butoxycarbonyl- (7-BOC-) protected 13-oxo-baccatins gave the corresponding enolates, which were selectively aminated with electrophilic nitrogen donors, such as azodicarboxylates and tosyl azide. In particular, tosyl azide gave the corresponding 7-BOC- and 7-TES-13-oxo-14β-azido-baccatin III. Alternatively, the last compound was prepared via NaN₃ induced azidation of the 13-silyl enol ether of 7-TES-13-oxo-baccatin III under oxidative (cerium ammonium nitrate) conditions. The 13-silyl enol ether was obtained in a multistep process by DBU induced silylation of 7-TES-13-oxo-baccatin III. The 7-TES-13-oxo-14β-azido-baccatin III was used as a key intermediate for the synthesis of a new family of antitumour taxanes containing amino based functional groups at the C-14 position, such as: 14β-azido, 14β-amino, 14β-amino 1, 14-carbamate, 14β-amino 1, 14-thiocarbamate, and 14β-amino N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-1,14-carbamate.     

Concentrated reverse micelles in a random graft block copolymer system: structure and in-situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles

The structure and rheological properties of a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-graft-poly(oxyethylene) copolymer at high concentrations in block-selective solvents were studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and rheometry. Analysis of SAXS data indicates that quasispherical, reverse micellar aggregates (with no ordered packing) are present in concentrated solutions of the copolymer in nonpolar solvents, and that upon addition of water, the size of such aggregates increases due to the solubilization inside the micellar cores. The viscosity of concentrated polymer solutions increases exponentially as water is added, and finally, viscoelastic, gel-like behavior is found in the vicinity of the phase separation limit. It was found that small silver nanoparticles with an average diameter of ≈3 nm can be synthesized inside the copolymer aggregates without the need of a reducing agent; namely, particles embedded in a viscoelastic matrix are obtained. The synthesis seems to follow first-order kinetics. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Structural and spectroscopic properties of N-benzenesulphonylglycine complexes with copper (II)

In this paper are reported structural and spectroscopic properties of (N-benzenesulphonylglycinato) triaquacopper (II) (complex I) and dipotassium bis (N-benzenesulphonylglycinato) cuprate (II) (complex II). The crystals of (I) are monoclinic, space groupP2₁/c,Z=4, with=12.736(4),b=10.292(3),c=10.402(3) Å,=109.41(2)° while those of complex (II) are orthorhombic, space groupPbca, witha=23.333(8),b=10.508(4),c=16.989(5) Å. In both complexes the aminoacid molecules act as bidentatevia carboxylic oxygen and the amide nitrogen atom; in (I) three water molecules complete the coordination to tetragonal pyramidal, while in (II) coordination is square planar, tetrahedrally distorted involving two ligand molecules. The structure (I) was refined to a finalR index of 0.0596 and (II) toR=0.0466.     

Regularity of solutions and interfaces of a generalized porous medium equation inR N

Summary We consider the Cauchy problem for the generalized porous medium equation u_t=(u) where u=u(x, t), xRⁿ and t>0, and the initial datum u(x, 0) is assumed to be nonnegative, integrable mid to nave compact support. The nonlinearity (u) is a C¹ function defined for uO which grows like a power of u. Our assumptions generalize the porous medium case, (u)=u^m, m>1, and also include the equation of the Marshak waves. This problem has finite speed of propagation. We estimate the rate of growth of the support of the solution with precise estimates for t 0 and t. Our main result deals with the regularity of the solutions. We show that after a certain time t₀ the pressure, defined by v=(u), with (u)=(u)/u and (0)=0, is a Lipschitz-continuous function of x and t and the interface is a Lipschitz-continuous surface in R^N+1; the solution u is Hölder continuous for all times t> 0.Both authors partially supported by CAICYT, Project 2805-83. The second author also supported by USA-Spain Joint Research Grant CCB-8402023.     

Synthesis of chiral β-3-amino-2-hydroxyalkanoates and 3-alkyl-3-hydroxy-β-lactams by double asymmetric induction

Reactions of chiral (2S)-enolates of dioxolan-4-ones, derived from lactic, mandelic, and phenyllactic acids, with aliphatic (S_S)- and (S_R)-tert-butylsulfinyl aldimines afforded conformationally restrained C2-disubstituted N,O-orthogonally protected 3-amino-2-hydroxyalkanoates in the form of N-sulfinyl protected 1′-aminodioxolan-4-ones. The product distribution showed that there is significant kinetic selectivity, due to the presence of ‘matched’ and ‘mismatched’ components, between the (S)- or (R)-tert-butylsulfinyl aldimines and the (2S)-enolates of the 1,3-dioxolan-4-ones. Selective methoxide-induced removal of the acetal group of the N-sulfinyl-1′-aminodioxolanones yielded the corresponding N-sulfinyl protected methyl alkanoates. In addition, the selective acid-induced removal of the sulfinyl group of the N-sulfinyl-1′-aminodioxolanones provided the corresponding N-unprotected 1′-aminodioxolanones, whose base-induced cyclization afforded the corresponding β-lactams.     

Playing with the weakest supramolecular interactions in a 3D crystalline hexakis[60]fullerene induces control over hydrogenation selectivity

Weak forces can play an essential role in chemical reactions. Controlling such subtle forces in reorganization processes by applying thermal or chemical stimuli represents a novel synthetic strategy and one of the main targets in supramolecular chemistry. Actually, to separate the different supramolecular contributions to the stability of the 3D assemblies is still a major challenge. Therefore, a clear differentiation of these contributions would help in understanding the intrinsic nature as well as the chemical reactivity of supramolecular ensembles. In the present work, a controlled reorganization of an hexakis[60]fullerene-based molecular compound purely governed by the weakest van der Waals interactions known, i.e. the dihydrogen interaction – usually called sticky fingers – is illustrated. This pre-reorganization of the hexakis[60]fullerene under mild conditions allows a further selective hydrogenation of the crystalline material via hydrazine vapors exposure. This unique two-step transformation process is monitored by single-crystal to single-crystal diffraction (SCSC) which allows the direct observation of the molecular movements in the lattice and the subsequent solid–gas hydrogenation reaction.

Weak forces play an essential role in chemistry. Controlling these supramolecular interactions will contribute to the creation dynamic absorbent materials with a variety of technological applications as chemosensors and environmental remediation.