Total synthesis of gambierol

The convergent total synthesis of gambierol (1) is described. The octacyclic ether framework of 1 was constructed via the intramolecular allylation of alpha-chloroacetoxy ether followed by ring-closing metathesis. A modified Stille coupling was successfully applied to the synthesis of the triene side chain.     

Construction of pyrimido[5,4-e]-as-triazine,purine, v-triazolo-[4,5-d]pyrimidine and pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine ring systems from 5-arylazo-6-arylidenehydrazino-1,3-dimethyluracils

Reaction of 5-arylazo-6-arylidenehydrazino-1,3-dimethyluracils (II), prepared by the treatment of 6-aryl-idenehydrazino-1,3-dimethyluracils (I) with diazotized arylamines, with dimethylformamide dimethylacetal resulted in the formation of pyrimido[5,4-e]-as-triazine (V) system, while the thermolysis of II resulted in the formation of purine (X), v-triazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidine (XII), and pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine (XIV, XIX) systems in lieu of the expected V. Reasonable mechanisms have been proposed for the formation of the various ring systems in these reactions.     

Total synthesis of brevetoxin B

The convergent total synthesis of brevetoxin B (1) has been achieved. The intramolecular allylation of the O,S-acetal 20, prepared from the alpha-chlorosulfide 17 and the alcohol 5, was carried out using AgOTf as a Lewis acid to give the diene 21, predominantly. Ring-closing metathesis of 21 with the Grubbs catalyst 23 afforded the hexacyclic ether 25 which was converted to the A-G ring segment 2 through several steps. The intramolecular allylation of the alpha-acetoxy ether 42, prepared from 2 and the J-K ring segment 3, followed by ring-closing metathesis provided the polycyclic ether framework 44. A series of reactions of 44, including oxidation of the A ring, deprotection of the silyl ethers, and selective oxidation of the resulting allylic alcohol, furnished 1.     

Amino acids and peptides—XIV : A simple and convenient method for preparation of α-substituted α-diazo esters

Treatment of 16 α-amino acid esters with isoamyl nitrite in the presence of a small amount of organic acid in chloroform or benzene, followed by chromatographic purification on alumina was found to afford the corresponding α-substituted-α-diazo esters (1) in fairly good yields.     

Low-voltage electroosmosis pump for stand-alone microfluidics devices

Two types of low-voltage electroosmosis pumps were developed using microfabrication technology for usage in handy or stand-alone applications of the micrototal analysis systems (micro-TAS) and the lab-on-a-chip. This was done by making a thin (< 1 microm) region in the flow path and by only applying voltages near this thin region using electrodes inserted into the flow path. The inserted electrodes must be free from bubble formation and be gas-tight in order to avoid pressure leakage. For these electrodes, Ag/AgCl or a gel salt bridge was used. For patterning the gel on the chip, a hydrophilic photopolymerization gel and a photolithographic technique were optimized for producing a gel with higher electric conductivity and higher mechanical strength. For high flow rate application, wide (33.2 mm) and thin (400 nm) pumping channels were compacted into a 1 mm x 6 mm area by folding. This pump achieves an 800 Pa static pressure and a flow of 415 nL/min at 10 V. For high-pressure application, a pump was designed with the thin and thick regions in series and positive and negative electrodes were inserted between them alternatively. This pump could increase the pumping pressure without increasing the supply voltage. A pump with 10-stage connections generated a pressure of 25 kPa at 10 V.     

A catalytic asymmetric strecker-type reaction promoted by Lewis acid-Lewis base bifunctional catalyst

A general asymmetric Strecker-type reaction is reported, catalyzed by the Lewis acid-Lewis base bifunctional catalyst 1. The reaction of trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) with various fluorenyl imines, including n-aldimines and alpha,beta-unsaturated imines, proceeds with good to excellent enantioselectivities in the presence of a catalytic amount of phenol as additive (20 mol%) (catalytic system 1). The products were successfully converted to the corresponding amino acid derivatives in high yields without loss of enantiomeric purity. Furthermore, hydrogenation or dihydroxylation of the products from alpha,beta-unsaturated imines afforded saturated or functionalized aminonitriles also without loss of enantiomeric purity. The absolute configuration of the products and a control experiment using catalyst 2 supported the proposed dual activation of the imine and TMSCN by the Lewis acid (Al) and the Lewis base moiety (phosphine oxide) of 1. From the mechanistic studies including kinetic and NMR experiments of the catalytic species, the role of PhOH seems to be a proton source to protonate the anionic nitrogen of the intermediate. Specifically, we have found that TMSCN is more reactive than HCN in this catalytic system, probably due to the activation ability of the phosphine oxide moiety of 1 toward TMSCN. This fact prompted us to develop the novel catalytic system 2, consisting of 1 (9 mol%), TMSCN (20 mol%) and HCN (1.2 mol eq). This new system afforded comparable results with obtained by system 1 (1 (9 mol%)-TMSCN (2 mol eq)-PhOH (20 mol%)).     

A new method for the synthesis of novel 6-quinoxalinylpyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazines

The reaction of the quinoxaline 1 with 4-ethoxycarbonyl-1H-pyrazole-5-diazonium chloride 7 at room temperature gave 3-[α-(4-ethoxycarbonyl-1H-pyrazol-5-ylhydrazono)methoxycarbonylmethyl]-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoxaline 8. The pmr spectrum of 8 in deuteriodimethylsulfoxide supported the presence of two tautomers 8-I and 8-II. Refluxing of 8 in N,N-dimethylformamide or acetic acid resulted in cyclization to afford 8-ethoxycarbonyl-4-oxo-3-(3-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinoxalin-2-yl)-1,4-dihydropyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine 9. Compound 9 was also obtained directly by the reaction of 1 with 7 under reflux in better yield. The reaction of 9 with hydrazine hydrate provided the hydrazinium salt 10 , while the reactions of 9 with triethyl and trimethyl orthoformates in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5,4,0]-7-undecene produced 8-ethoxycarbonyl-4-ethoxyl-3-(3-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinoxalin-2-yl)pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine 11a and 8-ethoxycarbonyl-4-methoxyl-3-(3-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinoxalin-2-yl)pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine 11b , respectively. The chlorination of 11a with phosphoryl chloride gave 3-(3-chloroquinoxalin-2-yl)-8-ethoxycarbonyl-4-ethoxylpyrazolo[5,1-c]-[1,2,4]triazine 12 , whose reaction with morpholine afforded 8-ethoxycarbonyl-4-ethoxyl-3-[3-(morpholin-4-yl)-quinoxalin-2-yl]pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine 13.     

Binuclear Copper(II) Complexes. N,N′-bis(3-aminopropyl)-oxamidatocopper(II) coordinated as a bidentate ligand

Four new binuclear copper(II) complexes having sub-normal magnetic moment have been synthesized by reaction of N, N′-bis(3-aminopropyl)-oxamidatocopper(II) with another copper(II) compound such as mono- and bis-(2,2′-bipyridine)-copper(II) nitrate, cupric mono-malonate, or cupric chloride. One of them, [Cu₂(APxd)(bipy)₂](NO₃)₂(cf. Fig. 2), was recognized to be a binuclear complex in which each copper(II) ion has a five-coordinated environment. The data from analyses, IR and electronic spectra, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and conductivity measurements were used to establish the structures.     

Effect of type of peroxide on cross-linking of poly(l-lactide)

Poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) was cross-linked with various types of peroxides under constant mole ratios of peroxide-derived radicals to PLLA during reactive extrusion. Peroxides were classified into three groups according to their decomposition rates (Group I: fast, Group II: moderate and Group III: slow) and comparisons were performed within each group. Cross-linking behavior was readily understood in terms of free radical efficiency and hydrogen abstraction ability of radicals. In the case of Groups II and III, the weight-average molecular weight (M_w) of cross-linked PLLA increased with overall hydrogen abstraction ability, because slow decomposition caused uniform cross-linking in molten PLLA. In Group I, M_w and gel fraction were higher than other groups despite Group I's lower hydrogen abstraction ability, leading to the conclusion that peroxide decomposition localized in solid PLLA caused partial cross-linking because of rapid decomposition. Furthermore, the efficiency of peroxide-induced cross-linking was investigated using the Charlesby-Pinner equation.     

Nanomaterial-based electrochemical biosensors for medical applications

With recent advances in nanotechnology, great progress has been made in biosensors based on nanomaterials, but there are still numerous challenges to overcome. We describe nanomaterial-based biosensors for researchers new to the field, paying particular attention to metal nanoparticles and carbon nanotube (CNT)-based label-free approaches. Label-free monitoring of biorecognition events provides a promising platform, which is simple, cost-effective, and requires no external modification to biomolecules. Using examples from recent reports, we illustrate the diversity of biological recognition events and the range of experimental techniques employed for metal-nanoparticle-based and label-free characterization.