New butenolides in plantlets of Virola surinamensis (Myristicaceae)

A phytochemical investigation in plantlets of the Brazilian medicinal tree Virola surinamensis resulted in the isolation and structural determination of four new compounds: 3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-(11'-piperonyl-n-undecyl)-butenolide; 3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-(7'-piperonyl-n-heptyl)-butanolide; 9'-(3,4-methylenedioxy-phenyl)-nonanoic acid and 13'-(3,4-methylene-dioxyphenyl)-tridecanoic acid. Thirteen compounds previously isolated from seeds and adult plants were also reported.     

Sample enrichment by using monolithic precolumns in microcolumn liquid chromatography

An on-line sample enrichment system was designed using monolithic precolumns in microcolumn LC. The monolithic ODS capillary columns were prepared via in situ sol-gel processes. The enrichment efficiency of the monolithic columns was tested by using phthalates as the analytes. The relative standard deviations (n = 6) for the retention time, peak area and peak height were between 0.4 and 1.2%, 0.9 and 5.5% and 0.4 and 3.9%, respectively. The system was linear (R2 > 0.99) within the working sample concentration and sample volume ranges. Comparing to 0.2 microl injection with a typical sample injector, the theoretical plate number of a same separation column was increased by 3-6-fold when the precolumn unit was used for sample injection. The recoveries of the analytes were between 88 and 120%, and the sample volume that could be injected into the system was increased up to 5000-fold. The limits of detection were improved by more than 2000-fold and were between 0.21 and 0.87 ng ml(-1) even with a UV absorbance detector. This system was applied to the determination of phthalates contained in laboratory distilled water and tap water samples.     

A Complex Pyrrolo-oxazinone and Its Iodo Derivative Isolated from a Tunicate

Two cytotoxic triphenylpyrrolo-oxazinones were isolated from a tunicate and their structures elucidated by spectral methods. Lukianol A ( = 3,7,8-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]oxazin-1 (1H)-one; 1 ) had MIC of 1 μg/ml in KB cytotoxicity tests; MIC value for 2 was 100 μg/ml.     

Stereoselective synthesis of procyanidin B3-3-O-gallate and 3,3″-di-O-gallate, and their abilities as antioxidant and DNA polymerase inhibitor

A simple method for the synthesis of procyanidin B3 substituted with a galloyl group at the 3 and 3″ position is described. Condensation of a benzylated catechin-3-O-gallate electrophile with a nucleophile, catechin and catechin-3-O-gallate, proceeded smoothly and stereoselectively to afford the corresponding dimer gallates, procyanidin B3-3-O-gallate and procyanidin B3-3,3″-di-O-gallate, in good yields. Further, their antioxidant activities on UV-induced lipid peroxide formation, DPPH radical scavenging activity and inhibitory activity of DNA polymerase were also investigated. Among three procyanidin B3 congeners (procyanidin B3, 3-O-gallate and 3,3″-di-O-gallate), the 3,3″-di-O-gallate derivative showed the strongest antioxidant and radical scavenging activity. Interestingly, the 3-O-gallate derivative was the strongest inhibitor of mammalian DNA polymerase with IC₅₀ value of 0.26 μM, although it showed the weakest antioxidant and radical scavenging activity. It became apparent that the presence of a galloyl group at the C-3 position in the proanthocyanidin oligomer was very important for biological activity, however, the antioxidant activity of these compounds was not parallel to the DNA polymerase inhibitory activity.     

Positive heterotropic cooperativity for selective guest binding via electronic communications through a fused zinc porphyrin array

Upon binding with C60 and diamines, such as 4,4'-bipyridine (bpy) and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylhexane-1,6-diamine (TMHDA), cyclic host 1 possessing two electronically coupled binding sites displays negative homotropic cooperativity and positive heterotropic cooperativity, and their ternary mixtures preferentially form inclusion complexes with hetero-guest pairs 1 supersetC60*bpy and 1 supersetC60*TMHDA under appropriate conditions. Spectroscopic titration profiles in toluene at 20 degrees C demonstrated that the association constants (Kassoc) of C60 with monodiamine complexes 1 supersetbpy (2.8 x 105 M-1) and 1 supersetTMHDA (1.5 x 105 M-1) are 8.5 and 4.5 times greater than that of C60 with guest-free 1 (3.3 x 104 M-1), respectively. On the other hand, mono-C60 complex 1 supersetC60 was 6.1 times more accessible than guest-free 1 toward TMHDA. Absorption spectroscopy in the absence of 1 indicated no direct interaction between C60 and diamines.     

Dioxopyrrolines. LXII. Diels-Alder reaction of 1-Aryl-4- and 5-methoxycarbonyl-1H-pyrrole-2,3-diones with various 1,3-dienes

Two new dioxopyrrolines (1-aryl-4-methoxycarbonyl-1H-pyrrole-2,3-dione 6 and the 5-methoxycarbonyl isomer 8) behaved as good dienophiles to some kind of 1,3-dienes examined. In most cases, the products were explained by the reaction where the largest lobe of HOMO of dienes reacted to the larger LUMO of dienophiles in an expected cis-endo manner. However, in the reactions of 8 with alkylbutadienes, piperylene and isoprene, abnormality in the reaction was observed, which was well explained by taking account of steric factors.     

Rearrangement reaction of N-halo-s-[(1,2-benzisoxazol-3-yl)methyl]-sulfoximine to the corresponding α-halo sulfoximine

The first example of the rearrangement reaction of N-halosulfoximine to α-halo sulfoximine is described.     

Efficient synthesis of (±)-8,14-cedranoxide using electrochemical method as a key step

(±)-8,14-Cedranoxide has been synthesized starting from 3,4-dimethoxyphenol, wherein 6-acetoxymethyl-2,6-dimethyl-9-methoxytricyclo[5.3.1.0^1,5]undec-9-en-8,11-dione as a key intermediate has been produced efficiently by means of electrochemical methods.     

Extraction equilibrium of palladium(II) with 2-methyl-8-quinolinol into supercritical carbon dioxide fluid

The present study is concerned with the extraction behavior and equilibrium of Pd(II) with 2-methyl-8-quinolinol (HMQ) into supercritical fluid CO(2) (SF-CO(2)). Pd(II)-HMQ complex extracted from a weakly acidic solution (pH 2-3) into SF-CO(2) was determined to be Pd(MQ)(2) on the basis of a slope analysis. The extraction constant K(ex,SF) (=[Pd(MQ)(2)](SF)[H(+)](2)[Cl(-)](4)[PdCl(4)(2-)](-1)[HMQ](-2)) was determined to be 10(4.3+/-0.2) at 8.5 MPa, 45 degrees C and I=0.4 M (H,Na)Cl (1 M=1 mol dm(-3)). The distribution behavior of HMQ between an aqueous and a SF-CO(2) phase was examined so as to discuss quantitatively the extraction equilibrium. The extraction constant (K(ex,Cy)) of Pd(II) with HMQ into cyclohexane with a similar polarity to SF-CO(2) was determined and the K(ex,SF) was compared with the K(ex,Cy). Pd(II) at the concentration range of 10(-5)-10(-4) M in the aqueous solution (pH<3) containing relatively high concentration of chloride ion was found to be extracted efficiently by the SF-CO(2) extraction.     

Kinetics of transient end-to-end contact of single-stranded DNAs

The formation of the pyrene (Py) dimer radical cation (Py(2)(*+)) was used to measure the kinetics of the intrastrand end-to-end contact rates of single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs) in the 10 nanoseconds to the tens of microseconds time range. ssDNAs labeled with Py at both ends with the lengths of 3, 6, and 9 mer were synthesized, and the two-photon ionization method was employed to generate a Py(*+), which enables the measurements of the end-to-end contact rates from 10 ns. The formation rate of Py(2)(*+) depended on the length and the sequence of the ssDNAs, and about 1 order of magnitude faster rates were observed for the T-rich ssDNAs compared to those for the corresponding length of A-rich ssDNAs, showing that ssDNA made from adenines is much more rigid than that composed of thymidines. As for the T-rich ssDNAs, the formation of Py(2)(*+) attributed to the misfolded structures was also observed, which is consistent with the configurational diffusion model suggested by Ansari and co-workers.