Wittig reaction with partially protected sugar lactol derivatives. Preparation of highly cytotoxic goniofufurone analogues

A new approach to the dephenyl goniofufurone analogue 2 and the corresponding (3S,4R)-stereoisomer 3 is reported. The resulting furanolactones 2 and 3 have shown a potent and selective in vitro cytotoxicity against certain human tumour cell lines.     

High resolution FTIR spectroscopy of pentafluoroethane: perturbations in the Coriolis doublet of ν4 and ν13

The FTIR spectrum of pentafluoroethane (R125) was measured in the mid infrared region from 900 to 4000 cm⁻¹. Vibrational assignments for R125 are revised by comparison of previous and current experimental data with ab initio calculations at both the MP2/6-311+(d,p) and B3LYP/TZV+(3df,3p) levels of theory. High resolution FTIR spectra were recorded at room temperature and in an enclosive flow cell at a rotational temperature of 140 K. The cold spectrum was sufficiently resolved to enable rovibrational analyses of the overlapping ν₄ (1200.7341 cm⁻¹) and ν₁₃ (1223.3 cm⁻¹) bands, which have a/c hybrid and b-type character, respectively. Ground state combination differences were used to confirm assignment of 2375 lines to ν₄ (J_max = 86, K_{a max} = 50) and 2921 lines to ν₁₃ (J_max = 60, K_{a max} = 54). Effective rotational and centrifugal distortion constants were determined for ν₄, and the polarization ratio was found to be . Severe Coriolis perturbations prevent any satisfactory fit to the ν₁₃ band.     

Perturbation of wavelet and Gabor frames

In this work two aspects of theory of frames are presented: a side necessary condition on irregular wavelet frames is obtained, another perturbation of wavelet and Gabor frames is considered. Specifically,we present the results obtained on frame stability when one disturbs the mother of wavelet frame, or the parameter of dilatation, and in Gabor frames when the generating function or the parameter of translation are perturbed. In all cases we work without demanding compactness of the support, neither on the generating function, nor on its Fourier transform.     

Conformationally restricted goniofufurone mimics with halogen,azido or benzoyloxy groups at the C-7 position: Design,synthesis and antiproliferative activity

A series of new conformationally restricted goniofufurone mimics, bearing an additional 1,3-dioxan ring and a halogen, azido or benzoyloxy functionality at the C-7 position has been designed and synthesized. The Appel reaction was used for replacement of 7-OH group with Cl or Br functions in tricyclic lactone (3). 7-Iodo derivative (3d) was prepared by using the Ph₃P/I₂/2,6-lutidine reagent system. 7-Fluoro group was introduced by treatment of 3 with DAST, while the corresponding 7-azido and 7-benzoyloxy derivatives have been prepared by multistep sequences. Synthesized products were evaluated for their ability to inhibit growth of selected human malignant cell lines. Structure-activity relationships demonstrated that the nature of a substituent at the C-7 position could enhance the antiproliferative activity of the analogues. The preliminary study on the mechanisms indicated that all synthesized compounds induced apoptosis in 61–77% of K562?cells.     

DNA binding,antibacterial and antifungal activities of copper(II) complexes with some S-alkenyl derivatives of thiosalicylic acid

The biological activities of two binuclear copper(II) complexes containing S-alkenyl derivatives of thiosalicylic acid are reported [alkenyl = propenyl (L1), isobutenyl (L2)]. The structure of the complex with the S-isobutenyl derivative (C2) was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis, which revealed that the structure consists of centrosymmetric, dinuclear complex molecules [Cu₂(S-i-butenyl-thiosal)₄(DMSO)₂] containing two Cu(II) centers bridged by four S-isobutyl-thiosalicylate ligands in a paddle-wheel type structure. The Cu(II) atom is situated in a distorted square-pyramidal environment formed by carboxylate oxygen atoms in the basal plane and a DMSO ligand in the axial position. The reactivities of the complexes toward guanosine-5′-monophosphate (5′-GMP) were investigated. Complex C2 ([Cu₂(S-i-butenyl-thiosal)₄(H₂O)₂]) reacted more rapidly with 5′-GMP than complex C1. The interactions of complexes C1 and C2 with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) were examined by absorption (UV–Vis) and emission spectral studies (ethidium bromide displacement studies), revealing good DNA interaction abilities. The antimicrobial activities of the free ligands and their complexes were tested by microdilution method, and both minimal inhibitory and microbicidal concentrations were determined. All the tested substances demonstrated selective and moderate antibacterial activity on gram-positive bacteria, but low antibacterial activity on gram-negative bacteria. Also, the tested substances demonstrated low antifungal activity.     

Mahonia aquifolium Extracts Promote Doxorubicin Effects against Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells In Vitro

Mahonia aquifolium and its secondary metabolites have been shown to have anticancer potential. We performed MTT, scratch, and colony formation assays; analyzed cell cycle phase distribution and doxorubicin uptake and retention with flow cytometry; and detected alterations in the expression of genes involved in the formation of cell–cell interactions and migration using quantitative real-time PCR following treatment of lung adenocarcinoma cells with doxorubicin, M. aquifolium extracts, or their combination. MTT assay results suggested strong synergistic effects of the combined treatments, and their application led to an increase in cell numbers in the subG1 phase of the cell cycle. Both extracts were shown to prolong doxorubicin retention time in cancer cells, while the application of doxorubicin/extract combination led to a decrease in MMP9 expression. Furthermore, cells treated with doxorubicin/extract combinations were shown to have lower migratory and colony formation potentials than untreated cells or cells treated with doxorubicin alone. The obtained results suggest that nontoxic M. aquifolium extracts can enhance the activity of doxorubicin, thus potentially allowing the application of lower doxorubicin doses in vivo, which may decrease its toxic effects in normal tissues.     

SERS microRaman spectral probing of adsorbate‐containing,liquid‐overlayed nanosponge Ag aggregates assembled from fractal aggregates

Adsorbate‐containing, nanosponge Ag aggregates overlayed by a thin (~1.5 mm) liquid layer are reported as a new type of sample for Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) microRaman spectral measurements and adsorbate (analyte) detection. Macroscopic Ag aggregates (of about 1.5 × 1.0 × 0.025 mm size) with the nanosponge internal morphology (revealed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)) were prepared by 3D assembling of fused fractal aggregates (D = 1.84 ± 0.04) formed in Ag nanoparticle hydrosol/HCl/adsorbate systems with 2,2’‐bipyridine (bpy) and/or a cationic free‐base tetrakis(2‐methyl‐4‐pyridiniumyl) porphine (H₂TMPyP) as the testing adsorbates. For SERS microRaman measurements, the macroscopic aggregate was overlayed by a thin (~1.5 mm) layer of the residual liquid. Preparation procedure, nanoscale imaging, and SERS spectral probing including the determination of the detection limits of the adsorbates revealed the following advantages of the adsorbate‐containing, liquid‐overlayed 3D nanosponge aggregate as a sample for SERS microRaman spectral measurements: (1) localization of adsorbate (analyte) into hot spots and, simultaneously, prevention of the analyte decomposition during the spectral measurement (carried out without an immersion objective), (2) fast and simple sample preparation, and (3) minimization of sample volume and an efficient concentration of hot spots into the focus of the laser beam. The advantages of the nanosponge Ag aggregates are further demonstrated by the 40 fmol limit of detection of bpy as Ag(0)‐bpy surface complex, as well as by preservation of the native structure of the cationic free‐base porphyrin H₂TMPyP. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of two Ag‐2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine surface species on Ag nanoparticle surfaces by excitation wavelength dependence of SERS spectra and factor analysis: evidence for chemical mechanism contribution to SERS of Ag(0)–tpy

Measurement and interpretation of the excitation wavelength dependence of surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of molecules chemisorbed on plasmonic, e.g. Ag nanoparticle (NP) surfaces, are of principal importance for revealing the charge transfer (CT) mechanism contribution to the overall SERS enhancement. SERS spectra, their excitation wavelength dependence in the 445–780‐nm range and factor analysis (FA) were used for the identification of two Ag‐2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine (tpy) surface species, denoted Ag⁺–tpy and Ag(0)–tpy, on Ag NPs in systems with unmodified and/or purposefully modified Ag NPs originating from hydroxylamine hydrochloride‐reduced hydrosols. Ag⁺–tpy is a spectral analogue of [Ag(tpy)]⁺ complex cation, and its SERS shows virtually no excitation wavelength dependence. By contrast, SERS of Ag(0)–tpy surface complex generated upon chloride‐induced compact aggregate formation and/or in strongly reducing ambient shows a pronounced excitation wavelength dependence attributed to a CT resonance (the chemical mechanism) contribution to the overall SERS enhancement. Both the resonance (λ_exc = 532 nm) and off‐resonance (λ_exc = 780 nm) pure‐component spectra of Ag(0)–tpy obtained by FA are largely similar to surface‐enhanced resonance Raman scattering (λ_exc = 532 nm in resonance with singlet metal to ligand CT (¹ MLCT) transition) and SERS (λ_exc = 780 nm) spectra of [Fe(tpy)₂]²⁺ complex dication. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Iron(III) complex of a crown ether-porphyrin conjugate and reversible binding of superoxide to its Iron(II) form

The synthesis and characterization of the Fe(III) complex of a novel crown ether-porphyrin conjugate, 52-N-(4-aza-18-crown-6)methyl-54,104,154,204-tetra-tert-butyl-56-methyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (H2Porph), as well as the corresponding hydroxo, dimeric, Fe(II), and peroxo species are reported. The crystal structure of [FeIII(Porph)Cl].H3O+.FeCl4-.C6H6.EtOH is also reported. [FeIII(Porph)(DMSO)2]+ and K[FeIII(Porph)(O22-)] are high-spin species (M?ssbauer data: delta = 0.38 mm s(-1), DeltaEq = 0.83 mm s(-1) and delta = 0.41 mm s(-1), DeltaEq = 0.51 mm s(-1), respectively), whereas in a solution of reduced [FeIII(Porph)(DMSO)2]+ complex the low-spin [FeII(Porph)(DMSO)2] (delta = 0.44 mm s(-1), DeltaEq = 1.32 mm s(-1)) and high-spin [FeII(Porph)(DMSO)] (delta = 1.27 mm s(-1), DeltaEq = 3.13 mm s(-1)) iron(II) species are observed. The reaction of [FeIII(Porph)(DMSO)2]+ with KO2 in DMSO has been investigated. The first reaction step, involving reduction to [FeII(Porph)(DMSO)2], was not investigated in detail because of parallel formation of an Fe(III)-hydroxo species. The kinetics and thermodynamics of the second reaction step, reversible binding of superoxide to the Fe(II) complex and formation of an Fe(III)-peroxo species, were studied in detail (by stopped-flow time-resolved UV/vis measurements in DMSO at 25 degrees C), resulting in kon = 36 500 +/- 500 M(-1) s(-1), koff = 0.21 +/- 0.01 s(-1) (direct measurements using an acid as a superoxide scavenger), and KO2- = (1.7 +/- 0.2) x 10(5) (superoxide binding constant kinetically obtained as kon/koff), (1.4 +/- 0.1) x 10(5), and (9.0 +/- 0.1) x 10(4) M(-1) (thermodynamically obtained in the absence and in the presence of 0.1 M NBu4PF6, respectively). Temperature-dependent kinetic measurements for kon (-40 to 25 degrees C in 3:7 DMSO/CH3CN mixture) yielded the activation parameters DeltaH = 61.2 +/- 0.9 kJ mol(-1) and DeltaS = +48 +/- 3 J K(-1) mol(-1). The observed reversible binding of superoxide to the metal center and the obtained kinetic and thermodynamic parameters are unique. The finding that fine-tuning of the proton concentration can cause the Fe(III)-peroxo species to release O2- and form an Fe(II) species is of biological interest, since this process might occur under very specific physiological conditions.     

Structure and bonding of vanadium(V) complexes with hydroxyurea in aqueous solution: density functional theory investigations of isomers and intramolecular rearrangements

Extensive geometry optimizations have been performed at the BP86 level of density functional theory, in order to identify the most stable isomer of pentacoordinated [VO(OH)UH2O]+ and [VOU(H2O)2]2+ as well as of hexacoordinated [VO(OH)U(H2O)2]+ and [VOU(H2O)3]2+ complexes (U = hydroxyurea anion). Most of these are conformationally very flexible, with up to 12 isomers within an energy range of 5 kcal/mol. The most stable hexacoordinate forms are characterized by the oxo ligand in trans position to the carbonyl O atom of U. Bulk solvent effects on the relative stabilities, estimated from a polarizable continuum model, are indicated to be small and do not affect the energetic sequence of the isomers significantly. Details of the coordination sphere of the most stable isomers in aqueous solution (coordination number, protonation state) have been studied with Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations. The preferred mechanisms of interconversion between selected [VO(OH)U(H2O)2]+ isomers, according to the DFT computations, involve proton transfers between H2O and OH or between O and OH ligands in the coordination sphere of the metal, assisted by a water molecule from the second hydration sphere.