Cyclization of methyl 6,7-epoxycitronellate to methylcyclopentane derivatives : Alkoxide induced conversion of γ-lactones to γ,δ-unsaturated acids

The reaction of sodium hydride or potassium t-butoxide with methyl epoxycitronellate (1) in dimethylformamide affords a mixture of cis,cis-puleganolide (2) and cis,trans-puleganolide (3) in high yield. When the cyclization is conducted at 110°, the isomeric 2-isopropenyl-5-methylcyclopentanecarboxylic acids (8a–d) become the major products. It is demonstrated that γ-lactones undergo alkoxide-induced elimination to afford γ,δ-unsaturated acids.     

Total synthesis of (+)-kalkitoxin

The neurotoxic lipopeptide (+)-kalkitoxin was synthesized by a route which employed asymmetric organocopper conjugate addition followed by in situ enolate alkylation to install the anti,anti-1,2,4-trimethyl relationship of the toxin; the synthesis of kalkitoxin required sixteen steps and proceeded in 3% overall yield.     

EFFICACY OF PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY ON ORIGINAL AND RECURRENT RAT MAMMARY TUMORS

Abstract— Photodynamic therapy has demonstrated efficacy toward primary, metastatic and recurrent human tumors. Here, we investigated the ability of photodynamic therapy, using Photofrin, to inhibit growth of R3230AC mammary adenocarcinomas when tumors were treated as original implants and again as lesions recurring at the initial treatment site. The results demonstrate that both initial implants and lesions recurring after the first photodynamic treatment respond similarly to the same photodynamic therapy protocol, with mean tumor volume doubling times of ˜ 11 days in both cases. Cells cultured from original tumor implants or tumors that recurred after photodynamic treatment accumulate equivalent amounts of [¹⁴C]polyhematoporphyrin. Single cell suspensions prepared from either original or recurrent tumors from animals administered 5 mg/kg Photofrin and exposed to light in vitro displayed comparable phototoxicity. Additionally, examination of tumors by light microscopy revealed no morphological differences between the original tumor implants and the recurrent lesions. Taken together, these data indicate that lesions which recurred at the site of the initial photodynamic treatment were not resistant to a second identical course of photodynamic therapy.     

Shot noise sets the limit of quantification in electrochemical measurements

Detection of single molecules, particles, and rapid redox events is a challenge of electrochemical investigations and requires either an amplification strategy or significant averaging for the electrochemical current to exceed the noise level. We consider the minimum number of electrons required to reach the limit of quantification in these electrochemical measurements. A survey of the literature indicates that the state-of-the-art limit in current detection for different types of measurements (e.g. voltammetry, single-molecule redox cycling, ion channel recordings of single molecules, metal nanoparticle collision, and phase nucleation) is independent of the nature of the measurement and increases linearly with reciprocal response time, Δt^?1, over ～5 orders of magnitude (from ～10 to ～10⁶ s^?1). We demonstrate that the practical limit of quantification requires cumulative measurement of ～2100 electrons during Δt and is determined by statistics of counting electrons, that is, the shot noise in the current.     

Pyridine N-alkylation by lithium, magnesium, and zinc alkyl reagents: synthetic, structural, and mechanistic studies on the bis(imino)pyridine system

The 2,6-bis(alpha-iminoalkyl)pyridines 2,6-[ArNC(CR(3))](2)C(5)H(3)N [R = H, D; Ar = 2,6-i-Pr(2)C(6)H(3) (DIPP), 2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3) (DMP)] react with MeLi in Et(2)O to give a binary mixture of products: the pyridine N-methylated species 2,6-[ArNC(CR(3))](2)C(5)H(3)N(Me)Li(OEt(2)) and the deprotonated/dedeuterated species 2-[ArNC(CR(3))],6-[ArNC(=CR(2))]C(5)H(3)NLi(OEt(2)). For R = D, the product ratio is 2:1 in favor of the N-methylated product, while, for R = H, the deprotonated product is favored by 5:1, increasing to 8:1 in toluene solvent. Warming solutions of the N-methylated species leads to clean conversion to the thermodynamically preferred deprotonated species. Crossover experiments show that MeLi is re-formed and dissociates from the terdentate ligand before deprotonating the ketimine methyl unit. For MgR(2) (R = Et, i-Pr) and ZnR(2) (R = Et) reagents, N-alkylation products are formed exclusively, but derivatives containing bulky aryl substituents are found to undergo further rearrangement to 2-alkylated species, arising by migration of the alkyl group of the N-alkyl moiety to the adjacent ring carbon atom. The reversibility of the N-alkylation process has been probed using deuterio-labeled Mg alkyl reagents and mixed alkyl zinc species. A cationic zinc derivative is shown to undergo "reverse" alkyl migration, from the heterocycle nitrogen atom to the zinc center. EPR spectroscopy reveals a paramagnetic intermediate in which the unpaired electron is delocalized over the heterocycle and di-imine moieties of the ligand, indicating that the N-alkylation reactions proceed via single electron-transfer processes.     

Simple syntheses, structural diversity, and Tishchenko reaction catalysis of neutral homoleptic rare earth(II or III) 3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazolates--the structures of

The homoleptic rare-earth pyrazolate complexes [Sc(tBu2pz)3], [Ln2(tBu2pz)6] (Ln = La, Nd, Sm, Lu), [Eu4(tBu2pz)8] and the mixed oxidation state species [Yb2(tBu2pz)5] (tBu2pz = 3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazolate) have been prepared by a simple reaction between the corresponding rare-earth metal and 3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazole, in the presence of mercury, at elevated temperatures. In addition, [Yb2(tBu2pz)6] was prepared by redox transmetallation/ligand exchange between ytterbium, diphenylmercury(II) and tBu2pzH in toluene, whilst the same reactants in toluene under different conditions or in diethyl ether gave [Yb2(tBu2pz)5]. The complexes of the trivalent lanthanoids display dimeric structures [Ln2(tBu2pz)6] (Ln = La, Nd, Yb, Lu) with chelating eta2-terminal and eta2:eta2-bridging pyrazolate coordination. The considerably smaller Sc3+ ion forms monomeric [Sc(tBu2pz)3] of putative D3h molecular symmetry, with pyrazolate ligands solely eta2-bonded. [Eu4(tBu2pz)8] is a structurally remarkable tetranuclear EuII complex with two types of europium centres in a linear array. The outer two are bonded to one terminal and two bridging pyrazolates, and the inner two are coordinated by four bridging ligands. Unprecedented mu-eta5:eta2 pyrazolate ligation is observed, with each outer Eu2+ sandwiched between two eta5-bonded pyrazolate groups, which are also eta2-linked to an inner Eu2+. The two inner Eu2+ ions are linked together by two equally occupied components of each of two symmetry related, disordered pyrazolate groups with one component eta4:eta2 bridging and one eta3:eta2 bridging. [La2(tBu2pz)6] has also been shown to be a Tishchenko reaction catalyst with several organic substrates.     

Self-complementary

Three [3]catenanes with cavities large enough to accommodate aromatic guests have been designed and synthesized (yields = 5-20 %) by means of kinetically controlled self-assembly processes. The X-ray structural analysis of one of three [3]catenanes confirmed the presence of a rectangular cavity (dimensions = 7 x 11 A) lined by pi-electron-rich recognition sites and hydrogen-bond acceptor groups. In spite of their apparently ideal recognition features, none of these [3]catenanes bind guests incorporating a pi-electron-deficient bipyridinium unit. However, the template-directed syntheses of the [3]catenanes also produce, in yields of 2-23%, [2]catenanes incorporating a 1,5-dioxynaphtho[38]crown-10 interlocked with a bipyridinium-based tetracationic cyclophane. The X-ray structural analyses of two of these [2]catenanes revealed that a combination of [pi...pi] and [C-H...pi] interactions is responsible for the formation of supramolecular homodimers in the solid state. 1H NMR spectroscopic investigations of the four [2]catenanes demonstrated that supramolecular homodimers are also formed (Ka= 17-31M(-1), T= 185 K) in (CD3)2CO solutions. Dynamic 1H NMR spectroscopy revealed that the 1,5-dioxynaphtho[38]crown-10 and tetracationic cyclophane components in the four [2]catenanes and in the three [3]catenanes circumrotate (deltaGc(not equal to) = 9-14 kcal mol(-1)) through each other's cavity in (CD3)2CO. Similarly, the 1,5-dioxynaphthalene and the bipyridinium ring systems rotate (deltaGc(not equal to) =10-14 kcal mol(-1)) about their [O...O] and [N...N] axes, respectively, in solution.     

SEASONAL TRENDS IN ERYTHEMAL and CARCINOGENIC ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION AT MID-SOUTHERN LATITUDES1989–1991

A network of solar carcinogenic/erythemal ultraviolet radiometers has been established in New Zealand. Daily integrated irradiances of this biologically harmful ultraviolet radiation for 1989, 1990 and 1991 are reported from radiometers located at Wellington (41°S) and Christchurch (43.5°S) and for 1990 and 1991 from the Auckland (37°S) radiometer. Although the monitoring program has not been running sufficiently long to discern any long-term changes in levels of solar ultraviolet radiation, shorter term trends are apparent, which are attributed to a seasonal cycle in levels of ozone at midlatitudes and changes in atmospheric aerosols.     

Direct conversion of macrocyclic furans into macrocyclic isothiazoles

The first calixhetarenes with more than one heteroatom in the constituent rings are prepared in one step by treatment of calix[4]furan 1a and calix[6]furan 1b with ethyl carbamate, thionyl chloride and pyridine to give 2, 3, 4 and 5, 6, 7 respectively; these products have been characterised by X-ray crystallography which reveals that in 2 all eight heteroatoms lie on one face of the macrocyle.     

Structural Consequences of S → Se Substitution in some Symmetrical [M(S2CNR2)3] Complexes

The consequences of replacement of the symmetrically chelate ligands in [M(E₂CNR₂)₃] (E = S, Se) complexes of potential 32 symmetry by analogous mixed S,Se unsymmetrical chelates are explored for both small (M = Co) and large (M = In) metal atoms, and R = primary (Et) and secondary (ⁱPr) alkyl substituents by way of low‐temperature single crystal X‐ray studies of [(Co(SSeCNEt₂)₃] ([Co(Se₂CNEt₂)₃] also determined as datum), and [In(SSeCNR₂)₃], R = Et, ⁱPr. The structure of [(ⁱPr₂N·CS·Se)₂] is also recorded.