Supramolecular polymerization and polymorphs of oligo(p-phenylene vinylene)-functionalized bis- and monoureas

Bis- and monoureas hybridized with the oligo(p-phenylene vinylene) (OPV) pi-electronic segment and 3,4,5-tridodecyloxyphenyl wedge were synthesized and their supramolecular polymerization in diluted solution, gel formation in concentrated solution, and liquid crystallinity in bulk state were investigated. Bisurea 1a featuring a hexamethylene linker showed the highest supramolecular polymerization ability and formed tapelike nanofibers that can gelate various organic solvents. On the other hand, bisurea 1b featuring a dodecamethylene linker and monourea 2 showed a lower degree of supramolecular polymerization, resulting in gel formations in a smaller variety of solvents. These results clearly reflect a high level of cooperativity between the two urea sites and the two OPV segments of 1a upon hydrogen-bonding and pi-pi stacking interactions, respectively. When the gels of 1a, 1b, and 2 were dried, all the compounds self-organized into multilamellar superstructures. Thermal treatment of these lamellae at high temperatures induces columnar liquid-crystalline mesophases as a result of microsegregation between the rigid OPV parts and the molten aliphatic wedges. These results demonstrate that the present molecular constituent is very useful for fabricating dye-based functional assemblies providing nanoscale pi-electronic fibers, and solvent-incorporated and bulk soft materials.     

Tricycloclavulone and clavubicyclone, novel prostanoid-related marine oxylipins, isolated from the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis

Two novel prostanoid-related marine oxylipins, tricycloclavulone (1) and clavubicyclone (2), were isolated from the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis. The structures of 1, having a tricyclo[5.3.0.0(1,4)]decane ring system, and 2, having a bicyclo[3.2.1]octane ring system, were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Clavubicyclone showed a moderate growth inhibition activity against tumor cells in vitro.     

Electron impact mass spectra of polycyclic aromatic compounds with several types of pyridino- and benzobenzanthrone skeletons

Electron impact mass spectra were measured for five isomers of pyridinobenzanthrones and three isomers of benzobenzanthrones. The fragmentation pattern and intensity of M²⁺, [M – H]⁺, [M – CO]ⁱ⁺, [M – CO – H(or 2H)]ⁱ⁺ and [M – CO – HCN]ⁱ⁺ (i = 1, 2) ions indicated remarkable differences and very interesting features according to the isomers with or without nitrogen and condensation positions of a pyridino or benzo ring to the benzanthrone skeleton. Further, the competition of decompositions through [M – H]⁺, [M – CO]^+˙ or [M – HCN]^+˙ ions was confirmed by the observation of metastable ions and the appearance energies of fragment ions. Interesting observations from these results were expulsion of an H atom in close proximity to the area around an O?C group, a weak bonding interaction between sp² C? H and an O?C group, inducing specific hydrogen rearrangement, and characteristic charge localization on heteroatoms.     

A synthetic study on antiviral and antioxidative chromene derivative

An efficient synthesis of the antiviral and antioxidative chromene (1) was achieved. A small amount of chromene 1 could be derived from plastoquinones 2 and 3, the major constituents of the brown alga, Sargassum micracanthum. By the following synthetic scheme involving its application, many kinds of analogs can be synthesized for evaluation of their biological activity and mechanistic study. The total synthesis of 1, started from geranyl acetate and protected 2-bromo-6-methylhydroquinone, was executed with Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation for introduction of the terminal diol system and base-catalyzed sigmatropic rearrangement for construction of the chromene skeleton as the crucial steps. The stereochemistry at C-11' was reconfirmed by this synthesis.     

New plastoquinones isolated from the brown alga, Sargassum micracanthum

Four new plastoquinones were isolated from the methanolic extract of the brown alga, Sargassum micracanthum. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic analysis and chemical conversions from 2-geranylgeranyl-6-methyl-1,4-benzohydroquinone. These plastoquinones exhibited significant antioxidant activities such as an inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation and a radical scavenging effect on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Some of the new plastoquiones showed cytotoxic activity against cancer cell line.