Synthesis and biomimetic rearrangement of a chiral diterpene dioxide

As pan of a biomimetic approach towards me marine triterpene teurilene (2), the synthesis of the chiral diepoxide 3 is described. Aiming at the synthesis of the squalene tetraepoxide 1, double Sharpless epoxidation led to the intermediate bisglycidic alcohol 7 being subject to a stereochemical analysis.     

Novel polyesteramide-based di- and triblock copolymers: From thermo-mechanical properties to hydrolytic degradation

Two types of biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone (CLo))-co-poly(ε-caprolactam (CLa)) copolymers were prepared by catalyzed hydrolytic ring-opening polymerization. For the first type of materials, the respective cyclic comonomers were added simultaneously in the reaction medium leading to the formation of copolymers having a random distribution of co-units within the polyesteramide sequence, as evidenced by ¹H and ¹³C NMR. For the second type of copolymers, the cyclic comonomers were added sequentially in the reaction medium yielding diblock polyesteramides, again evidenced by NMR. The thermal and thermo-mechanical properties of the copolymers were investigated by DSC and DMA and correlated with the copolymer topology and composition. The copolymers were characterized by a storage modulus and α transition temperature intermediate to the modulus and T_g of the corresponding homopolymers. The chemical composition and molecular weight of the copolymers proved to have only a limited effect on the thermo-mechanical properties of the materials. The hydrolytic degradation of random copolymers was studied in a phosphate buffer at 60 °C and discussed in terms of chemical composition and molecular weight of the copolymers.     

PHOTOOXIDATION PRODUCTS OF MEROCYANINE 540 FORMED UNDER PREACTIVATION CONDITIONS FOR TUMOR THERAPY

In order to gain insight into the preactivation of merocyanine 540 (MC540) 1 for the photodynamic therapy (Gulliya et al., 1990a, Photochem. Photobiol. 52, 831-838) its photo-oxidation was investigated. After irradiation of MC540 1 on a preparative scale three main photodegradation products were isolated with 16-20% yields. They turned out to be derivatives of benzoxazole, thiouracil and thiohydantoin with the structures 4, 5 and 6, respectively. It may be possible that they contribute to the cytostatic and antiviral activity of preactivated MC540 1.     

An efficient way to 1,7-enynes and ethyl 8-yn-2-enoates from aldohexoses and to polyhydroxylated 1-vinylcyclohexenes

In this paper, we report the synthesis of carbohydrate-derived 1,7-enynes and subsequent metathesis to yield polyhydroxylated 1-vinylcyclohexenes. For example, we converted D-glucose 2 to the (6,7)-dideoxy-D-gluco-hept-6-ene-pyranose 7, which led to the desired 1,7-enyne 16. The ring-closing metathesis of this 1,7-enyne 16 with the second generation Grubbs catalyst, under Mori's conditions, gave the corresponding polyhydroxylated 1-vinylcyclohexene 25 in 76% yield. The conversion of several aldohexoses into polyhydroxylated 1-vinylcyclohexenes was carried out with satisfying yields. We report also the synthesis of two carbohydrate-derived ethyl 8-yn-2-enoates from D-glucose derivatives.     

Improved straightforward chemical synthesis of dihydroxyacetone phosphate through enzymatic desymmetrization of 2,2-dimethoxypropane-1,3-diol

Dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) was synthesized in high purity and yield in four steps starting from dihydroxyacetone dimer (DHA) (47% overall yield). DHA was converted into 2,2-dimethoxypropane-1,3-diol, which was desymmetrized by acetylation with lipase AK. The alcohol function was phosphorylated to give dibenzyl phosphate ester 4. From 4, two routes were investigated for large-scale synthesis of DHAP. First, acetate hydrolysis was performed prior to hydrogenolysis of the phosphate protective groups. The acetal hydrolysis was finally catalyzed by the phosphate group itself. Second, acetate and acetal hydrolysis were performed in one single step after hydrogenolysis.     

Efficient synthesis of various acycloalkenyl derivatives of pyrimidine using cross-metathesis and Pd(0) methodologies

Novel acyclonucleosides (9a-d, 10a-d, 18a,b and 19a,b) have been prepared using Pd(0) and cross-metathesis methodologies. The allylic N-alkylation under Tsuji-Trost conditions was used to introduce the nucleobase, while the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction afforded C-5 substituted uracil analogues. The cross-metathesis performed with a ruthenium catalyst was used to provide new acycloalkenyl nucleosides. The antiviral activities of all final compounds have been evaluated.     

Evaluation of the potential of Raman microspectroscopy for prediction of chemotherapeutic response to cisplatin in lung adenocarcinoma

The study of the interaction of anticancer drugs with mammalian cells in vitro is important to elucidate the mechanisms of action of the drug on its biological targets. In this context, Raman spectroscopy is a potential candidate for high throughput, non-invasive analysis. To explore this potential, the interaction of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin) with a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) was investigated using Raman microspectroscopy. The results were correlated with parallel measurements from the MTT cytotoxicity assay, which yielded an IC(50) value of 1.2 ± 0.2 μM. To further confirm the spectral results, Raman spectra were also acquired from DNA extracted from A549 cells exposed to cisplatin and from unexposed controls. Partial least squares (PLS) multivariate regression and PLS Jackknifing were employed to highlight spectral regions which varied in a statistically significant manner with exposure to cisplatin and with the resultant changes in cellular physiology measured by the MTT assay. The results demonstrate the potential of the cellular Raman spectrum to non-invasively elucidate spectral changes that have their origin either in the biochemical interaction of external agents with the cell or its physiological response, allowing the prediction of the cellular response and the identification of the origin of the chemotherapeutic response at a molecular level in the cell.     

Allenylzincs and tert-butylsulfinylimines: a fruitful marriage for synthesis

The stereoselective synthesis of alkynyl 1,2-amino alcohols by the addition of 3-chloro- and 3-methoxymethoxy- allenylzincs to chiral tert-butylsulfinylimines is described. The methodology is applicable to the preparation of alkynyl 2-amino-1,3-diols (O,N,O stereotriads) using α-alkoxy tert-butylsulfinylimines as chiral starting materials. The scope and limitations of the methodology along with recent applications to the efficient asymmetric syntheses of natural and/or bioactive alkaloids and polyhydroxylated alkaloids are presented.