Preparation,properties and reactivities of novel platinum compounds containing a thiomethoxymethyl group

Oxidative addition of ClCH₂SCH₃ to PtL₄ afforded trans-PtL₂(CH₂SCH₃)Cl (Ia, L = Ph₃P;Ib, L = MePh₂P). Treatment of I with NH₄PF₆ or Et₃OBF₄ in CH₂C1₂ gave ionic species, [PtL₂(CH₂SCH₃)]X (II, L = Ph₃P, MePh₂P, X = BF₄, PF₆), while similar treatment with MeSO₃F in benzene yielded a new type of stable dimethylsulfonium methylide—platinum complex, trans-[PtL₂(CH₂SMe₂)Cl] SO₃F (IIIa, L = Ph₃P; IIIb, L = MePh₂P). Action of H₂O₂ on Ia gave [Pt(Ph₃P)(μ-CH₂SCH₃)C1]₂ (IV) and its triphenylarsine analog, [Pt(Ph₃As)(μ-CH₂SCH₃)C1]₂ (V) was prepared in one step by oxidative addition of ClCH₂SCH₃ to Pt(AsPh₃)₄. The structural difference between [Pt(Ph₃P)(μ-CH₂SCH₃)C1]₂ and Pd(Ph₃P)- (CH₂SCH₃)C1 is discussed in terms of the difference in the ionization potential from d¹⁰ to d⁸ electronic state of metals.     

Reduction of a "cation pool": a new approach to radical mediated C--C bond formation.

Carbocations, carbon radicals, and carbanions are important reactive carbon intermediates in organic chemistry, and their interconversions can be carried out by redox processes. Although, such relationships have been well recognized, experimental work has been limited to analytical studies on highly stabilized intermediates. In this study such interconversions were examined using electrochemical reduction of "cation pools". Acyliminium cations, which were generated by low-temperature electrolysis of carbamates, were reduced electrochemically in the absence of radical acceptors. The homo coupling products formed effectively, suggesting that the one-electron reduction of the acyliminium cation produced the corresponding carbon-centered radical. Next, the electrochemical reduction of the acyliminium cations in the presence of electron-deficient olefins was examined. The cross coupling products were obtained in good-to-moderate yields. A mechanism involving radical addition to the double bond followed by the reduction of the resulting radical to the carbanion was suggested. The overall transformation serves as redox-mediated formal addition of C-H to C=C. The present strategy opens new opportunities to manipulate reactive carbon species using redox processes in organic synthesis.     

Chemopreventive action of xanthone derivatives on photosensitized DNA damage

Photosensitized DNA damage participates in solar-UV carcinogenesis, photogenotoxicity and phototoxicity. A chemoprevention of photosensitized DNA damage is one of the most important methods for the above phototoxic effects. In this study, the chemopreventive action of xanthone (XAN) derivatives (bellidifolin [BEL], gentiacaulein [GEN], norswertianin [NOR] and swerchirin [SWE]) on DNA damage photosensitized by riboflavin was demonstrated using [32P]-5'-end-labeled DNA fragments obtained from genes relevant to human cancer. GEN and NOR effectively inhibited the formation of piperidine-labile products at consecutive G residues by photoexcited riboflavin, whereas BEL and SWE did not show significant inhibition of DNA damage. The four XAN derivatives decrease the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo), an oxidative product of G, by photoexcited riboflavin. The preventive action for the 8-oxodGuo formation of these XAN derivatives increased in the following order: GEN>NOR>BEL>SWE. A fluorescence spectroscopic study and ab initio molecular orbital calculations suggested that the prevention of DNA photodamage is because of the quenching of the triplet excited state of riboflavin by XAN derivatives through electron transfer. This chemoprevention is based on neither antioxidation nor a physical sunscreen effect; rather, it is based on the quenching of a photosensitizer. In conclusion, XAN derivatives, especially GEN, may act as novel chemopreventive agents by the quenching mechanism of an excited photosensitizer.     

Recyclable hafnium(IV) bis(perfluorooctanesulfonyl)amide complex for catalytic Friedel-Crafts acylation and Prins reaction in fluorous biphase system

In fluorous biphase system, hafnium(IV) bis(perfluorooctanesulfonyl)amide complex (Hf[N(SO₂C₈F₁₇)₂]₄) was found to be a highly reactive and recyclable Lewis acid catalyst for Friedel-Crafts acylation and Prins reaction at significantly low catalyst loadings (≤1 mol%). In these reactions, Hf[N(SO₂C₈F₁₇)₂]₄ is selectively soluble in the lower fluorous phase and can be recovered simply by phase separation. Furthermore, the catalyst can be reused without decrease of activity.     

Synthesis and identification of an endogenous sperm activating and attracting factor isolated from eggs of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis; an example of nanomolar-level structure elucidation of novel natural compound

A sperm-activating and attracting factor (SAAF) was isolated from the eggs of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis, and its structure was deduced with only approximately 4 μg of the specimen. Based upon the proposed structure, two epimers were synthesized from chenodeoxycholic acid in 16 steps. Comparison between synthetic and natural compounds led to the unambiguous structure determination of SAAF to be (3R,4R,7R,25S)-3,4,7,26-tetrahydroxycholestane-3,26-disulfate. The synthetic pure specimen was also utilized to confirm that both sperm-activation and attraction were elicited by a single compound.     

Determination of ultra-micro amounts of sulfur in igneous rocks by spectrofluorimetry using 2-(o-hydroxyphenyl) benzoxazole derivatization and tin(II)-strong phosphoric acid-assisted reduction

A new and very sensitive method was developed for the determination of ultra-micro amounts of sulfur in igneous rock samples. The sulfur compounds in an igneous rock sample are reduced and released in the form of hydrogen sulfide by heating with a tin(II)-strong phosphoric acid (SPA) reagent. The liberated hydrogen sulfide is carried by a flow of nitrogen into a copper(II) absorbing solution to obtain a precipitate of copper(II) sulfide. The remaining copper(II) ion forms a chelate with 2-(o-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HPB) and quenches the fluorescence of HPB. The amount of sulfide is determined by measuring the HPB fluorescence intensity. The optimum reaction conditions were stoichiometrically investigated. By the present method using 0.1-0.2 g of rock sample, ultramicro amounts of sulfur (0.1-12.8 mug) could be quantitatively separated, collected, and determined with a relative standard deviation of 1.37% for a sample containing 5.7 mug of sulfur (95% confidence level).     

A novel methodology for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates based on the palladium-catalyzed cascade reaction of 4-methoxycarbonyloxy-2-butyn-1-ols with phenols,involving a novel carbon dioxide elimination-fixation process

A palladium-catalyzed CO(2)-recycling reaction has been developed. Reaction of 4-methoxycarbonyloxy-2-butyn-1-ols with phenols, carried out in the presence of a palladium catalyst, produces phenoxy-substituted cyclic carbonates by way of a pathway involving a CO(2) elimination-fixation. A variety of propargylic alcohols and phenols participate in these reactions which yield cyclic carbonates with high efficiencies. Stereoselective construction of trans-cyclic carbonates is achieved by using nonsymmetric substrates. Highly enantioselective reactions occur when (S)-BINAP is used as a ligand. Reaction of 4-phenoxycarbonyloxy-2-butyn-1-ol in the presence of the palladium catalyst yields the corresponding cyclic carbonates via a three-component decomposition-reconstruction process.     

Liquid chromatographic determination of polyamines in human urine based on intramolecular excimer-forming fluorescence derivatization using 4-(1-pyrene)butanoyl chloride

A liquid chromatographic method for highly sensitive and selective fluorometric determination of polyamines (putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine and spermine) in human urine is described. This method is based on an intramolecular excimer-forming fluorescence derivatization with a pyrene reagent, 4-(1-pyrene)butanoyl chloride (PBC), followed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The method offers higher sensitivity for determination of spermidine and spermine than previously reported method utilizing 4-(1-pyrene)butyric acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester as a derivatization reagent. Samples containing free polyamines in diluted human urine were directly derivatized with PBC and separated on an octyl column. The derivatives were detected at excitation 345 and emission 475 nm wavelengths. For determination of total polyamine content, the conjugated polyamines were first hydrolyzed in 4 M HCl. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) for polyamines in urine were 1.1-3.4 pmol/mL. At optimized derivatization and chromatographic conditions, interferences such as biogenic monoamines gave no peaks or the peaks did not interfere with the peaks of polyamine derivatives. In conclusion, the present derivatization method allows direct determination of polyamines in human urine samples without the need for sample clean-up procedures.     

Quantitative evaluation of the bitterness of commercial medicines using a taste sensor

The bitterness of 11 commercial medicines was evaluated both by a multichannel taste sensor and in human gustatory sensation tests with 15 volunteers. For basic drugs with amino groups in the molecule, such as quinine, there was a comparatively strong relative response electric potential (mV) of channels 1 or 2, those containing negatively charged membranes and the bitterness determined by human gustatory sensation tests. The suppression of the bitterness of quinine by sucrose and aspartame could be quantified using the artificial taste sensor and the results concurred with those from gustatory sensation tests. The usefulness of the sensor was thus confirmed for this type of compound. Anionic drugs, such as diclofenac sodium or salicylic acid gave rise in a negative response electric potential in channels 5 or 6, those containing positively charged membrane, seemed to be useful information even though their tastes are being sour rather than bitter. For drugs with both an amino (cationic) group and carboxylic acid (anionic) group in the molecule, such as theophylline, caffeine, and metronidazole, the relative response electric potential (mV) of channels containing negatively charged membranes was not increased, even though bitterness was observed in human gustatory sensation tests. Therefore, a different design of membrane component is required for more general evaluation of the bitterness of various medicines.     

Rational methods for predicting human monoclonal antibodies retention in protein A affinity chromatography and cation exchange chromatography. Structure-based chromatography design for monoclonal antibodies

Rational methods for predicting the chromatographic behavior of human monoclonal antibodies (hMabs) in protein A affinity chromatography and cation exchange chromatography from the amino acid sequences information were proposed. We investigated the relation between the structures of 28 hMabs and their chromatographic behavior in protein A affinity chromatography and cation exchange chromatography using linear gradient elution experiments. In protein A affinity chromatography, the elution pH of the hMabs was correlated with not only the structure of the Fc region (subclass), but also that of the variable region. The elution pH of hMabs that have LYLQMNSL sequences in between the CDR2 and CDR3 regions of the heavy chain became lower among the same subclass of hMabs. In cation exchange chromatography, the peak salt concentrations IR of hMabs that have the same sequences of variable regions (or that have a structural difference in their Fc region, which puts them into a subclass) were similar. The IR values of hMabs were well correlated with the equilibrium association constant Ke, and also with the surface positive charge distribution of the variable region of the heavy chain (corrected surface net positive charge (cN) of the VH region). Based on these findings, we developed rational methods for predicting the retention behavior, which were also tested with eight additional hMabs. By considering the information on the number of binding sites associated with protein adsorption as determined experimentally, and the surface positive charge distribution from the three-dimensional structure of Mab A, we hypothesized that hMabs is separated by cation exchange chromatography as the surface positive charge distribution of the VH region is recognized.