Total synthesis of (-)-nakadomarin A

A concise diastereoselective total synthesis of (-)-nakadomarin A has been completed in 21 steps from D-pyroglutamic acid. Key steps include an enecarbamate Michael addition/furan-N-acyliminium ion cascade cyclization to provide the tetracyclic core and ring-closing alkyne and alkene metatheses to construct the fifteen- and eight-membered azacycles, respectively.     

Generation of N-acyliminium ions via intramolecular conjugate addition reactions: a strategy for the total synthesis of nakadomarin A

[reaction: see text] The rapid construction of the tetracyclic core ring system of nakadomarin A via a tandem enecarbamate Michael addition/N-acyliminium ion cyclization is described.     

Cytokine production after helium-neon laser irradiation in cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

The effects of laser light on the immune system have not been extensively characterized. Low-power laser sources, such as the helium-neon (He-Ne) laser with a wavelength of 632.8 nm, have been found to produce photobiological effects with evidence of interference with immunological functions. We have investigated the effects of He-Ne laser irradiation on Ficoll-Hypaque-isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Cultured cells were irradiated for various times at two selected intensities and then stimulated with different mitogens. The rate of incorporation of 3H-thymidine into the DNA of stimulated cells decreased with increasing energy density. The levels of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in supernatants of the cultures were determined (irradiated either before or after stimulation). When stimulating cells after irradiation, significantly increased levels of all cytokines were detected after 30 min of irradiation (18.9 J cm-2), whereas after 60 min of irradiation (37.8 J cm-2) cytokine levels were found to be significantly decreased.     

Total synthesis of (±)-cortistatin J from furan

A concise, diastereoselective total synthesis of (±)-cortistatin J has been completed in 20 steps from furan. Key steps include an intramolecular [4 + 3] cyclization of a disubstituted furan with a (Z)-2-(trialkylsilyloxy)-2-enal to construct the tetracyclic core and a (Z)-vinylsilane/iminium ion cyclization to form the A ring.     

Investigation of secondary structure elements by IR/UV double resonance spectroscopy: analysis of an isolated beta-sheet model system

An isolated beta-sheet model system is investigated in a molecular beam experiment by means of mass- and isomer-selective IR/R2PI double resonance spectroscopy as well as ab initio and DFT calculations. As the exclusive intermolecular assembly, a beta-sheet motif is formed by spontaneous dimerization of two isolated peptide molecules. This secondary structure is produced from the tripeptide model Ac-Val-Tyr(Me)-NHMe without any further environment to form the binding motif which is analyzed by both the characteristic amide A and I vibrations. The experimental and theoretical investigations yield the assignment to an antiparallel beta-sheet model. The result of this detailed spectroscopic analysis on an isolated beta-sheet model indicates that there are intrinsic properties of a beta-sheet structure which can be formed without a solvent or a peptidic environment.     

Fluorescence properties of 2-aryl-3-hydroxyquinolin-4(1H)-one-carboxamides

The fluorescence properties of 2-aryl-3-hydroxyquinolin-4(1H)-one-carboxamides (3HQCs) with carboxylic alkylamide groups at positions 6, 7 or 8 (3HQ6Cs, 3HQ7Cs, and 3HQ8Cs) have been studied to evaluate their potential as molecular probes.     

Full-scale anaerobic bioremediation of trinitrotoluene (TNT) contaminated soil

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - An anaerobic bioremediation process for the degradation of nitroaromatic compounds in soil was demonstrated. Thisex situ process was demonstrated full-scale...     

Indol-2-one intermediates: mechanistic evidence and synthetic utility. Total syntheses of (+/-)-flustramines A and C

A variety of 3,3-disubstituted 2-indolinones have been prepared by treatment of 3-bromo-3-alkyl-2-indolinones with dienophiles/nucleophiles in the presence of cesium carbonate. Application of this general strategy has facilitated the total syntheses of the reverse prenylated marine natural products (+/-)-flustramine A and (+/-)-flustramine C. [Structure: see text]     

6-Bromomethyl-4H-1,3-dioxin: a versatile bromomethyl vinyl ketone equivalent for heterocycle and carbocycle construction

6-Bromomethyl-4H-1,3-dioxin has been prepared in three steps from allyl iodide. A variety of enolates were then alkylated with this bromide. The resulting 6-alkyl-4H-1,3-dioxins were either subjected to further multistep transformations and/or heated to effect facile retrocycloaddition reactions. The resulting enones smoothly participated in novel endo-conjugate addition reactions with both carbon and nitrogen nucleophiles. For example, several bicyclo[4.3.1]decan-3,10-diones, the carbon framework of the CP compounds, were constructed using this novel annulation strategy. In another natural product study, a benzazocine related to the heterocyclic framework of the ring-opened tautomeric form of FR-900482 was also prepared using this methodology. Finally, a piperidin-4-one obtained from a 6-endo conjugate addition was converted to the naturally occurring (2S,4R)-4-hydroxypipecolic acid. Collectively, these examples document the synthetic equivalency of dioxin 1 with bromomethyl vinyl ketone and, moreover, delineate a strategy for accomplishing the sequential reactions with nucleophiles at the alpha' followed by the beta electrophilic sites.