Real‐Time Monitoring of Mass‐Transport‐Related Enzymatic Reaction Kinetics in a Nanochannel‐Array Reactor

To understand the fundamentals of enzymatic reactions confined in micro‐/nanosystems, the construction of a small enzyme reactor coupled with an integrated real‐time detection system for monitoring the kinetic information is a significant challenge. Nano‐enzyme array reactors were fabricated by covalently linking enzymes to the inner channels of a porous anodic alumina (PAA) membrane. The mechanical stability of this nanodevice enables us to integrate an electrochemical detector for the real‐time monitoring of the formation of the enzyme reaction product by sputtering a thin Pt film on one side of the PAA membrane. Because the enzymatic reaction is confined in a limited nanospace, the mass transport of the substrate would influence the reaction kinetics considerably. Therefore, the oxidation of glucose by dissolved oxygen catalyzed by immobilized glucose oxidase was used as a model to investigate the mass‐transport‐related enzymatic reaction kinetics in confined nanospaces. The activity and stability of the enzyme immobilized in the nanochannels was enhanced. In this nano‐enzyme reactor, the enzymatic reaction was controlled by mass transport if the flux was low. With an increase in the flux (e.g., >50 μL min^?1), the enzymatic reaction kinetics became the rate‐determining step. This change resulted in the decrease in the conversion efficiency of the nano‐enzyme reactor and the apparent Michaelis–Menten constant with an increase in substrate flux. This nanodevice integrated with an electrochemical detector could help to understand the fundamentals of enzymatic reactions confined in nanospaces and provide a platform for the design of highly efficient enzyme reactors. In addition, we believe that such nanodevices will find widespread applications in biosensing, drug screening, and biochemical synthesis.     

Three New Sesquiterpenoids from Echinops ritro L.

From the whole plants of E. ritro L., the three new sesquiterpenoids (3α,4α,6α)‐3,13‐dihydroxyguaia‐7(11),10(14)‐dieno‐12,6‐lactone ( 1 ), (3α,4α,6α,11β)‐3‐hydroxyguai‐1(10)‐eno‐12,6‐lactone ( 2 ), and (11α)‐11,13‐dihydroarglanilic acid methyl ester (=(4β,6α,11α)‐4,6‐dihydroxy‐1‐oxoeudesm‐2‐en‐12‐oic acid methyl ester; 3 ), together with eight known sesquiterpenoids, were isolated. Their structures were elucidated through analysis of spectroscopic data including extensive 2D‐NMR.     

Three New Caged Prenylxanthones from Garcinia bracteata

Three new caged prenylxanthones (xanthone=9H‐xanthen‐9‐one), named neobractatin ( 1 ), 3‐O‐methylneobractatin ( 2 ), and 3‐O‐methylbractatin ( 3 ), along with eight known compounds, were isolated from the twig of Garcinia bracteata. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR experiments, including HMBC, HSQC, ¹H,¹H‐COSY, and ROESY, as well as HR‐MS analysis.     

Four New Terpenoids from Xylaria sp. 101

One new diterpenoid, xylarenolide ( 1 ), and three new sesquiterpenoids, xylaranol A ( 2 ), xylaranol B ( 3 ), and xylaranic acid ( 4 ), were obtained from the fungal strain Xylaria sp. 101, which was isolated from the fruiting body of Xylaria sp. collected in Gaoligong Mountain, Yunnan Province. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR experiments, and by HR‐Q‐TOF mass spectrometry. Their antimicrobial activities were evaluated.     

A 3D Metal‐organic Framework Containing [Cd(3‐CPOA)]n (3‐CPOA2– = 3‐Carboxyphenoxyacetato Dianion) Expanded by 4,4′‐Bipyridine

The hydrothermal reaction of Cd(NO₃) · 4H₂O with 4,4′‐bipyridine (bipy) and 3‐carboxyphenoxyacetatic acid (3‐H₂CPOA) afforded a 3D metal‐organic framework (MOF) [Cd(3‐CPOA)(bipy)]_n · 3.5nH₂O, which was characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyses, and X‐ray diffraction. The single‐crystal structural analysis revealed that it has a Cds‐type topological network with 1D channels that contain encapsulated water molecular tapes.     

Synthesis and calming activity of helicid derivatives containing the 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>)-one and 3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>)-thione moiety

A series of novel helicid derivatives containing 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one and 3,4-dihydropyrimidine2(1H)-thione moiety (3a–3f and 4a–4f) were synthesized starting from helicid. The structure of the new compounds were characterized by ¹H NMR, IR and HR-MS spectra. The sedative-hypnotic activities of the target compounds were evaluated using the test of spontaneous locomotor activity in mice. All of the derivatives produced moderate to high activities; in particular, compound 4a presented the most potent sedative-hypnotic effect in comparison to the other derivatives, and derivatives 3a, 3c, 3d, 3e and 3f also showed potent activities.     

Characterization and thermal analysis of thiourea and bismuth trichloride complex

A complex of thiourea and bismuth trichloride has been synthesized. Its composition is Bi₃Cl₉[SC(NH₂)₂]₇. Crystallographic data are a = 7.141(2) Å, b = 8.820(3) Å, c = 16.365(5) Å, α = 99.389(4)°, β = 95.422(4)°, γ = 106.177(4)°, triclinic system. There are the mononuclear anion [BiCl₅SC(NH₂)₂]^2? and the dinuclear cation {Bi₂Cl₄[SC(NH₂)₂]₆}²⁺ with the Bi–Cl–Bi bridge bonds in the complex. The electric conductance of the absolute methanol solution contained the complex indicates that the complex is an ionic compound. Raman spectra indicate that the bismuth ion is coordinated by the sulfur atoms of the thiourea. The thermal analysis verifies the structure of complex. The TG–MASS curves show the structure rearrangement in the complex at about 118 °C. The DSC curves and calculation means that the structure rearrangement is irreversible.