Synthesis and molecular structure of methyl 4-O-methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranuronate

A method for the preparation of methyl 4-O-methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranuronate and its single crystal X-ray structure determination are reported. The molecule adopts an almost ideal (4)C1 ((degree)C3) conformation.     

A new, iterative strategy for the synthesis of unsymmetrical polyynes: application to the total synthesis of 15,16-dihydrominquartynoic acid

[reaction: see text] A new iterative strategy for the synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted polyynes has been developed. The starting bromoalkyne is homologated by one acetylene unit through palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling with a TIPS-protected terminal acetylene and a subsequent in situ one-pot AgF-mediated desilylative bromination. The utility of this new synthetic method is demonstrated by its application to the total synthesis of (S)-(E)-15,16-dihydrominquartynoic acid.     

Viscosities of liquid CdTe near melting point from ab initio molecular-dynamics calculations

Recent experimental results for the viscosity of liquid CdTe exhibit disparate behavior as a function of temperature. While some measurements show the expected Arrhenius-type behavior, other measurements show an anomalous temperature dependence indicating an increase in viscosity with increasing temperature. We present ab initio molecular-dynamics simulations of liquid cadmium telluride near its melting point and use the Stokes-Einstein relation to extract values of the viscosity constant. We find no anomalous behavior; the viscosity decreases monotonically with temperature and is consistent with an Arrhenius like behavior. Although calculated values are slightly smaller than those measured, the predicted activation energy agrees well with experiment.     

Anion-assisted trans-cis isomerization of palladium(II) phosphine complexes containing acetanilide functionalities through hydrogen bonding interactions

The anion-assisted shift of trans-cis isomerization equilibrium of a palladium(II) complex containing acetanilide functionalities brought about by allosteric hydrogen bonding interactions has been established by UV/Vis, 1H NMR, 31P NMR and ESI-MS studies.     

Determination of cadmium in mixtures with metal ions

A method for the determination of cadmium microamounts in mixtures with metallic ions withE _1/2 near toE _1/2 of cadmium is discussed. For higher selectivity cadmium was extracted in the form of the pyridin-thiocyanate complexes prior to polarography.

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Bestimmung von Cadmium(II) neben anderen Metallionen

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine polarographische Methode zur Bestimmung von Cd(II) neben anderen Metallionen mitE _1/2 naheE _1/2(Cd) diskutiert. Zur Erhöhung der Selektivität und Genauigkeit wird eine Pyridin-Thiocyanat-Extraktion vorgeschalten.

     

Photoactivation of pheophorbide a induces a mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in Jurkat leukaemia cells

The mechanism of cell death by pheophorbide a (Pba) which has been established to be a potential photosensitizer was examined in experimental photodynamic therapy (PDT) on Jurkat cells, a human lymphoid tumor cell line. In 30-60 min after irradiation, Pba treated cells exhibited apoptotic features including membrane blebbing and DNA fragmentation. Pba/PDT caused a rapid release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol. Sequentially, activation of caspase-3 and the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) were followed. Meanwhile, no evidence of activation of caspase-8 was indicated in the cells. In experiments with caspase inhibitors, it was found that caspase-3 alone was sufficient initiator for the Pba-induced apoptosis of the cells. Pba specific emission spectra were confirmed in the mitochondrial fraction and the light irradiation caused a rapid change in its membrane potential. Thus, mitochondria were entailed as the crucial targets for Pba as well as a responsible component for the cytochrome c release to initiate apoptotic pathways. Taken together, it was concluded that the mode of Jurkat cell death by Pba/PDT is an apoptosis, which is initiated by mitochondrial cytochrome c release and caspase-3-pathways.     

Metallic macrocycle with a 1,3-alternate calix[4]arene phosphorus ligand

The preparation of an 1,3-alternate calix[4]arene phosphorus ligand, 25,27-bis(2-(diphenylphosphino)ethoxy)-26,28-bis(1-propyloxy)calix[4]arene (3), is presented. Ligand 3 is obtained in three steps in 64% overall yield. Reaction of 3 with [Rh(cot)2]BF4 produced the encapsulated rhodium complex [Rh[(P,P)-diphen-calix[4]arene]]BF4 (4). As revealed by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study, the rhodium center has a bent coordination environment with a P-Rh-P angle of 135.66(3) degrees. Palladation of 3 employing [Pd(MeCN)4](BF4)2 yielded the chelate palladium complex 7 in which the palladium center has a slightly bent configuration. Treatment of the ligand with Pd(cod)Cl2 and [Pd(eta3-C4H7)(THF)2]BF4 leads to the isolation of the monometallic complex. Full characterization includes X-ray structural studies of compounds 3, 4, and 6.     

An efficient synthesis of novel carbocyclic nucleosides with use of ring-closing metathesis from D-lactose

This paper describes an efficient synthetic route for various types of novel carbocyclic nucleosides. The required stereochemistry of the targeted nucleosides was successfully obtained with use of Grubbs cyclization and Trost allylic alkylation from the carbohydrate chiral template "D-lactose".     

Theoretical studies on the conformation of saccharides

Conformations of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran as a model for the six-membered ring in aldopyranosides have been calculated by the PCILO method using the algorithm of the conjugated gradient to optimize the geometry. The calculated geometry of the fourteen basic forms of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran was found to be in agreement with the available data obtained by X-ray diffraction of pyranosides. The results indicate differences in the geometry of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran resulting from the change of the axial vs. equatorial position of the methoxyl group. These changes are particularly meaningful in the values of bond angles and they are in agreement with the anomeric and exoanomeric effects. The experimentally found differences in the energies of an axial (⁴ C ₁) and equatorial (¹ C ₄) conformer, G = 2.9–3.7 kJ/mol, and the dipole moment, = 1.20 ± 0.05 D (1D = 3.33 10^–30mAs) agree well with the calculated values E = 3.18 kJ/mol and <> = 1.18 D which, in turn, suggest that the axial conformer is preferred over the equatorial one by a ratio a:e = 78:22.     

Bis induces growth inhibition and differentiation of HL-60 cells via up-regulation of p27

Bis (Bag-3, CAIR), a Bcl-2-interacting protein, promotes the anti-apoptotic activity of Bcl-2 and increased levels of Bis have been observed in several disease models. The involvement of Bcl-2 and some Bcl-2-binding proteins in differentiation has recently been reported. However, the relevance of Bis to cellular differentiation remains unknown. The findings herein show that Bis expression is up-regulated during the differentiation of HL-60 cells. To investigate the effect of Bis expression on differentiation, we established Bis-overexpressing HL-60 cells (HL-60-bis). HL-60-bis cells have a low nuclear: cytoplasmic ratio and indented nucleus in Wright- Giemsa staining, and an increased expression of CD11b in immunofluorescence study, indicating the promotion of differentiation. The overexpression of Bis also resulted in a retarded cell growth rate, accompanied by the accumulation of HL-60 cells at the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, which was sustained during the differentiation process. Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of p27, a representative inducer of cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, was increased 2.5-fold in HL-60-bis cells compared to HL-60-neo cells. These results suggest that the Bis induced growth inhibition of HL-60 cells promotes G0/G1 phase arrest via up-regulation of p27, which seems to be a prerequisite for differentiation. Further studies will be required to define the exact roles of Bis on cellular differentiation more precisely.