Hydro­gen‐bonded supramolecular lattice of the 1:3:4 complex between [5,10,15,20‐meso‐tetrakis(4‐hydroxy­phenyl)­porphyrinato‐κ4N]­zinc(II), dibenzo‐24‐crown‐8 and methanol

The title compound, [5,10,15,20‐meso‐tetrakis(4‐hydroxy­phenyl)­porphyrinato‐κ⁴N]­zinc(II) tris(dibenzo‐24‐crown‐8) methanol tetrasolvate, [Zn(C₄₄H₂₈N₄O₄)]·3C₂₄H₃₂O₈·4CH₄O, was synthesized and its molecular structure precisely charac­terized by low‐temperature single‐crystal analysis. All the components are involved in hydrogen bonding with each other, thus forming an extensively hydrogen‐bonded supramolecular lattice. The functionalized porphyrin moiety coordinates both equatorially and axially to the neighboring species.     

Molecular structure of glucopyranosylamide lipid and nanotube morphology

A series of glucopyranosylamide lipids, N-(X-octadecenoyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosylamine [X = 13-cis (1), 11-cis (2), 9-cis (3), 6-cis (4), and 9-cis,12-cis (5)] and their saturated homologue N-octadecanoyl-beta-d-glucopyranosylamine (6), which differ in the position of a cis double bond in the C18 hydrocarbon chains, have been synthesized. The effect of the cis double bond position on the chiral self-assembly of each glycolipid has been examined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV, and circular dichroism (CD). The 11-cis derivative 2 was observed to self-assemble in water to form a uniform hollow cylinder structure with about 200-nm outer diameters in >98% yields. The obtained nanotubes from 2 showed the narrowest distribution of outer diameters and also gave a negative CD band around 234-236 nm, showing the largest CD intensity among the glycolipids investigated. Thus, we found that the position of a cis double bond significantly influences the homogeneity of the outer diameters as well as growth behavior of the self-assembled nanotube structures. Chiral molecular packing driven by a possible bending structure of the unsaturated glycolipids is playing a critical role in determining tubular morphology through molecular self-assembly.     

An Investigation on the Production of Random Copolymer with Monothiocarbonate and Trithiocarbonate Units over Cyclic Thiocarbonate via Metal‐free Catalysis

Synthesis of poly(thiocarbonate)s from the copolymerization of epoxides and carbon disulfide (CS₂) remains a tough challenge, due to inevitable oxygen‐sulfur atom scrambling process. In this work, we utilized the oxygen‐sulfur exchange reaction (O‐S ER) to synthesize a random copolymer with monothiocarbonate and trithiocarbonate units from CS₂ and phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE) via metal‐free Lewis pairs. The copolymers contained monothiocarbonate and trithiocarbonate units of which the molar fraction could be tuned by varying either the types of Lewis pairs or the reaction temperature. Keeping track on the intermediate provided an insight in the process of O‐S ER and thus gave a hint to control the product structure. Production and consumption of phenyl thioglycidyl ether was the key process to regulate the chain structure. Remarkably, the oxygen atoms of PGE could be excluded out of the chain, resulting in the nearly complete production of poly(trithiocarbonate)s. Correspondingly, the refractive index of this kind of copolymer could be regulated in a wide range of 1.73—1.79 (at 590 nm).     

Three New Lanostane Triterpenoids from Inonotus obliquus

Three new lanostane‐type triterpenoids, inonotsulides A, B, and C ( 1 – 3 , resp.) were isolated from the sclerotia of Inonotus obliquus (Pers .: Fr.) (Japanese name: Kabanoanatake; Russian name: Chaga). Their structures were determined to be (20R,24S)‐3β,25‐dihydroxylanost‐8‐en‐20,24‐olide ( 1 ), (20R,24R)‐3β,25‐dihydroxylanost‐8‐en‐20,24‐olide ( 2 ), and (20R,24S)‐3β,25‐dihydroxylanosta‐7,9(11)‐dien‐20,24‐olide ( 3 ) on the basis of chemical transformation, NMR spectroscopy including 1D and 2D (¹H,¹H‐COSY, NOESY, HMQC, HMBC), EI‐MS, and single‐crystal X‐ray analysis.     

Synthesis of a Novel Type of Phosphates of Puerarin

A novel type of phosphated puerarin derivatives were synthesized through a simplified Atheron‐Todd reaction for the first time. The structure of these compounds were elucidated by IR, ESI‐MS and NMR. Moreover, the reason the dialkylphophite reagent had different chemselectivities toward different hydroxys on the puerarin was discussed.     

Ultrasensitive small molecule fluorogenic probe for human heparanase

Heparanase (HPA) is a critical enzyme involved in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and its elevated expression has been linked with diseases such as various types of cancer and inflammation. The detection of heparanase enzymatic activity holds tremendous value in the study of the cellular microenvironment, and search of molecular therapeutics targeting heparanase, however, no structurally defined probes are available for the detection of heparanase activity. Here we present the development of the first ultrasensitive fluorogenic small-molecule probe for heparanase enzymatic activity via tuning the electronic effect of the substrate. The probe exhibits a 756-fold fluorescence turn-on response in the presence of human heparanase, allowing one-step detection of heparanase activity in real-time with a picomolar detection limit. The high sensitivity and robustness of the probe are exemplified in a high-throughput screening assay for heparanase inhibitors.

Heparanase, a critical enzyme involved in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix, activates a disaccharide probe HADP to give a strong fluorescence signal.     

Method for Visible Light‐Induced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylparaben in Water Using Nanostructured Ag/AgBr@m‐WO3

An efficient method of photocatalytic degradation of methylparaben in water using Ag nanoparticles (NPs) loaded AgBr‐mesoporous‐WO₃ composite photocatalyst (Ag/AgBr@m‐WO₃), under visible light is presented. In this process, quantification of methylparaben in water was carried out by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the HPLC results showed a significant reduction of methylparaben in water due to the enhanced of photocatalytic degradation efficiency of Ag/AgBr@m‐WO₃. For the material synthesis, highly ordered mesoporous‐WO₃ (m‐WO₃) was initially synthesized by sol–gel method and AgBr nanoparticles (NPs) were subsequently introduced in the pores of m‐WO₃, and finally, the Ag nanoparticles were introduced by light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylparaben in water is attributed to the formation of surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) due to the introduction of Ag NPs on the surface of the catalyst. Also, the formation of heterojunction between AgBr and mesoporous‐WO₃ in Ag/AgBr@m‐WO₃ significantly inhibited the recombination of light‐induced electron‐hole pairs in the semiconductor composite. The morphological and optical characterizations of the synthesized photocatalysts (Ag/AgBr@m‐WO₃) were carried out using SEM, TEM, XDR, N₂ adsorption–desorption, UV‐VIS diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Also, the photocatalytic studies using radical scavengers were carried out and the results indicated that ${\text{O}}_2^{·-}$ is the main reactive species.     

A Mild Isomerization Reaction for β,γ‐Unsaturated Ketone to α,β‐Unsaturated Ketone

A series of β,γ‐unsaturated ketones were isomerized to their corresponding α,β‐unsaturated ketones by the introduction of DABCO in iPrOH at room temperature. The endo‐cyclic double bond (β,γ‐position) on ketone was rearranged to exo‐cyclic double bond (α,β‐position) under the reaction conditions.     

One—Pot Synthese of 3,4—Dihydropyrimidine—2（1H）—thiones Catalyzed by La（OTf）3

A general and practical procedure for the syntheses of 3,4-di-hydropyrimidine-2(1H)-thiones by a one-pot condensation of aldehyde,β-ketoester or β-diketone and thiourea using La(OTf)3 as the catalyst is described.Mild reaction conditions,excellent yields as well as the environmentally friendly character of La(OTf)3 make it an important alternative to the classic acid-catalyzed Biginelli‘s reaction.