High magnetic field solid‐state NMR analyses by combining MAS,MQ‐MAS,homo‐nuclear and hetero‐nuclear correlation experiments

A general strategy of structural analysis of alumina silicate by combining various solid‐state NMR measurements such as single pulse, multi‐quantum magic angle spinning, double‐quantum homo‐nuclear correlation under magic angle spinning (DQ‐MAS), and cross‐polarization hetero‐nuclear correlation (CP‐HETCOR) was evaluated with the aid of high magnetic field NMR (800 MHz for ¹H Larmor frequency) by using anorthite as a model material. The high magnetic field greatly enhanced resolution of ²⁷Al in single pulse, DQ‐MAS, and even in triple‐quantum magic angle spinning NMR spectra. The spatial proximities through dipolar couplings were probed by the DQ‐MAS methods for homo‐nuclear correlations between both ²⁷Al–²⁷Al and ²⁹Si–²⁹Si and by CP‐HETCOR for hetero‐nuclear correlations between ²⁷Al–²⁹Si in the anorthite framework. By combining various NMR methodologies, we elucidated detailed spatial correlations among various aluminum and silicon species in anorthite that was hard to be determined using conventional analytical methods at low magnetic field. Moreover, the presented approach is applicable to analyze other alumina‐silicate minerals. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1H and 13C NMR spectral assignments of novel chromenylchalcones

Several types of chalcones containing 2H‐chromen group were synthesized. Claisen–Schmidt condensation of 2H‐chromen‐3‐carbaldehydes (I) with methoxy substituted acetophenones afforded (E)‐3‐(2H‐chromen‐3‐yl)‐1‐(methoxyphenyl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐ones (chromenylchalcones, 1–7). Other types of chromenylchalcone, (E)‐1‐(6‐methoxy‐2H‐chromen‐3‐yl)‐3‐(methoxyphenyl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐ones (8–13) were also obtained between reaction of methoxy substituted benzaldehydes and 1‐(6‐methoxy‐2H‐chromen‐3‐yl)ethanone (II). Dichromenylchalcones (14–16) were also synthesized through the same reaction between aldehydes (I) and ketone (II). Their complete ¹H‐NMR and ¹³C‐NMR assignments are reported here and more polysubstituted chromenylchalcones synthesized or isolated from the natural sources in the future can be identified on the basis of the NMR data reported here. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of organic acids and inorganic anions in beverage drinks by capillary electrophoresis

To meet the need for a new and validated analytical method for simultaneous determination of inorganic and organic acid anions in beverage drinks, a capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) procedure had been developed based on a new background electrolyte (BGE) system containing 3 mmol/L 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (BTA), 15 mmol/L tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane and 1.5 mmol/L tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) at pH 8.4. Baseline separation of anions commonly found in beverage drinks could be achieved in less than 14 min with indirect UV detection at 240 nm. Comigration problems for hydroxycarboxylic acids could be solved using TEPA as BGE additive. The results indicate excellent repeatability for migration time (RSD, 0.27-0.67%, n = 5) and good precision for both peak height (RSD, 3.2-4.2%, n = 5) and peak area (RSD, 3.1-4.5%, n = 5). Under the optimized conditions and using corrected peak area for quantitation, an excellent linear dynamic range (with correlation coefficient > 0.997 in a concentration range from 0.005 to 2.0 mmol/L) and low detection limit (1-4 micro mol/L) were obtained for all the anions investigated. The applicability and reliability of the CE procedure developed were established by parallel method determination using established ion chromatography procedure for the analysis of inorganic and organic acid anions in orange juice and wine samples. Our CZE procedure provided a sensitive and economic technique for simultaneous determination of inorganic and organic acid anions in orange juice, red and white wine samples.     

Lasonolide A: structural revision and total synthesis

The proposed structure of lasonolide A was synthesized employing radical cyclization reactions of beta-alkoxyacrylates for preparation of the tetrahydropyranyl units A and B, but the spectroscopic data did not match those of the natural product. Both enantiomers of a revised structure featuring 17E,25Z double bonds were synthesized, and the (-)-isomer was found to be the biologically active enantiomer.     

Direct determination of estriol 3- and 16-glucuronides in pregnancy urine by column-switching liquid chromatography with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

Using column-switching liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), we developed an improved analytical method of urinary estriol glucuronides. This new method is derived predominantly from maternal and fetal precursors in pregnancy. We used in the following procedure: first, we filtered urine samples with a membrane filter. Next, we directly injected the 50 microL aliquot of urine samples onto a pre-column. Then, after activating the column-switching valve, we backflushed the loaded samples onto the C(18) analytical column. Urine samples can be assayed within 20 min without any sample preparation steps. We monitored separated estriol glucuronides by negative electrospray ionization (ESI) and selected-reaction monitoring (SRM). The calibration range of estriol-3-glucuronide (E3-3G) and estriol-16-glucuronide (E3-16G) was 0.1-20 microg/mL and the linearity of the method was 0.9984 for E3-3G and 0.9987 for E3-16G. The limits of detection at a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3 were 10 ng/mL (E3-3G) and 5 ng/mL (E3-16G). The analytical recovery was over 85% and, in general, inter-day and intra-day variability for precision and accuracy were less than 10%. When applied to a pregnancy urine sample to biomedical monitoring of the function of the maternal/fetal unit, the proposed method allowed rapid and sensitive screening for the detection of E3-3G and E3-16G.     

A new route to spirooxindoles

[reaction: see text]Reaction of indole amides 5 with tributylstannane gave spiroindolenines 9 which are readily converted into spiropyrrolidinyloxindoles. This tricyclic system is found in a number of interesting natural products.     

Self-assembled multivalent vancomycin on cell surfaces against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)

A vancomycin (Van) derivative self-assembles in a phosphate buffer as a divalent Van and on cell surfaces as a multivalent Van, which offers potent activity against VRE.     

Polymeric enzyme mimics: catalytic activity of ribose-containing polymers for a phosphate substrate

The polymers containing ribose rings: poly(5'-acrylamido-5'-deoxy-1',2'-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-ribose) (11), poly(5'-acrylamido-5'-deoxy-alpha-D-ribose) (12) and poly(5'-acrylamido-5'-deoxy-1'-O-methyl-D-ribose) (13) were prepared as enzyme mimics. Polymers 12 and 13 with free vic-cis-diol groups catalyzed the hydrolysis of phosphodiester (ethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate and N-methylpyridinium 4-tert-butylcatechol cyclic phosphate) and phosphomonoester substrates with a rate acceleration of 10 approximately equal to 10(3) compared with the uncatalyzed reaction. They also catalyzed the reverse reactions, i.e., the esterification of phosphomonoester to phosphodiester and the phosphorylation of alcohols with phosphate ions. The catalytic activity was attributable to the vic-cis-diols of riboses on polymer chains, which formed hydrogen bonds with two phosphoryl oxygen atoms of phosphates so as to activate the phosphorus atoms to be attacked by nucleophiles. The catalytic activity was negligible for polymer 11 where vic-cis-diol groups were blocked with isopropylidene groups. The catalytic activity was attributable to the vic-cis-diols of riboses on polymer chains, which formed hydrogen bonds with two phosphoryl oxygen atoms of phosphates so as to activate the phosphorus atoms to be attacked by nucleophiles.     

Simple mimetics of a nuclear localization signal (NLS)

[reaction: see text] Molecular modeling was used to design mimetics of the HIV-1 matrix protein nuclear localization signal (NLS) in which a scaffold of two resorcinol units joined by a diamide linker presents 3-aminopropyl ethers in place of lysine side chains. Prospective mimetics with linkers of 6, 8, 10, or 12 atoms were synthesized and compared in a competition assay for binding to the nuclear import receptor subunit karyopherin alpha, showing the 10-atom linker to be best and shorter ones ineffective.