Comparative computational studies of 3,4-dihydro-2,6-diaryl-4-oxo-pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile derivatives as potential antinociceptive agents

In this study, the antinociceptive properties of 3,4-dihydro-2,6-diaryl-4-oxo-pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile derivatives 5a-i at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg were evaluated in mice, using the abdominal constriction test. Molecular modeling studies were also performed using density functional theory calculations. These data provided information about the electrostatic and ionization potentials and were used to compare the antinociceptive activity of the title compounds. The most active compounds were 3,4-dihydro-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-oxo-pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile (5b) and 3,4-dihydro-2,6-diphenyl-4-oxo-pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile (5i), which inhibited the number of abdominal constrictions, at 50 mg/kg dose, in 88.6% and 88% of the sample, respectively. A preliminary SAR study demonstrated that halogen replacement in the phenyl rings of the compounds under study reduces the antinociceptive activity. DFT calculations showed that there is a high correlation between the ionization potentials and the analgesic properties of the compounds. It was found that compounds with a positive ionization potential (compounds 5b and 5i) were found to be the best analgesic drugs in this series.     

Kinetic and mass transfer parameters of maltotriose hydrolysis catalyzed by glucoamylase immobilized on macroporous silica and wrapped in pectin gel

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Kinetic and mass transport parameters were estimated for maltotriose hydrolysis using glucoamylase immobilized on macroporous silica and wrapped in pectin...     

Study of biocatalyst to produce ethanol from starch

This article presents a detailed study on the conditions for achieving a stable biocatalyst to be used in the production of ethanol from starch. Different pellets were used depending on which characteristic of the biocatalyst was being studied: (a) Saccharomyces cerevisiae entrapped in pectin or calcium alginate gel particles; (b) silica containing immobilized glucoamylase entrapped in pectin gel particles; or (c) pectin gel particles, with the silicaenzyme derivative and yeast coimmobilized. The influence of several variables on the mechanical resistance of the particle, on the viability of the microorganism, and on the rate of substrate hydrolysis was studied with biocatalyst. The best conditions found were 6% pectin gel, 2-mm particle diameter, and curein 0.2 M CaCl₂·2H₂O/60 mM acetate buffer, pH 4.2, for gel preparation; and 6.0 g/L of CaCl₂·2H₂O in the fermentation medium. Biocatalyst (c) was successfully tested for the production of ethanol from liquefield manioc flour syrup.     

Studies on the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds. XIII. The synthesis of macrocyclic tetraesters from 1,2-cyclohexane- and 2,3-butanediols

A new series of macrocyclic compounds containing 1,2-cyclohexanediols and 2,3-butandiol sub-unit have been prepared treating the stannolanic and stibolanic derivatives with diacyl chlorides. The structures of the compounds prepared have been determined by elemental analysis and spectroscopic data.     

13C NMR determination of the microstructure of polypropylene obtained with the DADNi(NCS)2/methylaluminoxane catalyst system

A complete ¹³C NMR characterization of a polymer synthesized with a new Ni‐diimine complex [DADNi(NCS)₂, where DAD = 2,6‐iPr? C₆H₃? N?C(Me)? C(Me)? N? 2,6‐iPr? C₆H₃] activated by methylaluminoxane by homopolymerization of propylene is presented. The amorphous material was made up mainly of blocks of syndiotactic polypropylene and ethylene–propylene copolymer. Some degree of propylene inversion (<1.2 mol %) and of long isobutyl and 2‐methyl hexyl branching (<1 mol %) were assigned and quantified. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2171–2178, 2004     

Macrocyclic polyether-diester compounds as phase-transfer catalysts

Three new macrocyclic polyether-diester have been prepared. The catalytic activity of these compounds has been tested in the Br/I exchange reactions of octyl bromide with different ionic diameter cations.     

Peptide dissociation in solution or bound to a polymer: comparative solvent effect

Dissociation of peptide when in solution or attached to a polymer was investigated. Magnified solvation of peptide-resins occurred in solvent with similar polarity. Conversely the solubilization of peptides was not usually directly related to the medium polarity. The greater the difference between acidity and basicity of solvent and its potential to form van der Waals interaction, the stronger its solubilization strength. Solvents with similar electrophilicity and nucleophilicity usually did not solvate aggregated peptide-resins nor dissolve peptides. The peptide solubilization in water-containing mixed solvents depended on combination of acidity/basicity of both components. Some criteria for choosing suitable solvents for peptide-resin solvation or peptide solubilization could be advanced.     

The behaviour of stereoisomeric ions in the gas-phase. The case of some new macrocyclic ether-tetraesters

The electron impact mass spectrometric behaviour of some new diastereoisomeric macrocycles containing diglycolyl moiety as subcyclic unit is reported and discussed in detail with the aid of linked scans, exact mass measurements and collisionally activated decomposition mass analyzed ion kinetic energy spectra.