Correlation between oxygen consumption and photobleaching during in vitro photodynamic treatment with ATX-S10.Na(II) using pulsed light excitation: dependence of pulse repetition rate and irradiation time

We revealed that in ATX-S10.Na(II)(13,17-bis (1-carboxypropionyl) carbamoylethyl-8-etheny-2-hydroxy-3-hydroxyiminoethylidene-2,7,12,18-tetraethyl porphyrin sodium)-mediated photodynamic therapy using 667 nm nanosecond-pulsed light excitation at a peak intensity of 2.0 MW/cm(2), phototoxicity increased with decreasing pulse repetition rate in the range of 5-30 Hz for A549 cell cultures. To examine the relation between the reaction mechanism and measured phototoxicity, we carefully measured the kinetics of photochemical oxygen consumption and photobleaching during irradiation of ATX-S10.Na(II)-sensitized A549 monolayer cultures. Measurements of oxygen consumption with a microelectrode, which was performed just above the cells, showed that there was no significant difference between the magnitudes of decrease in oxygen at the three repetition rates at the same cumulative fluence. Loss of ATX-S10.Na(II) fluorescence intensity also exhibited little repetition rate dependence when compared at the same cumulative fluence. We investigated the correlation between oxygen consumption and photobleaching during irradiation and obtained "fluorescence-oxygen diagrams." The diagrams showed dynamic changes between oxygen-dependent and oxygen-independent photobleaching at the higher repetition rates of 10 and 30 Hz, whereas such change was not clearly seen over the whole irradiation time at 5 Hz. These results suggest that the reduced phototoxicity at high repetition rates might be due to an oxygen-independent reaction. We presumed that the change in the reaction mechanism was associated with the local concentrations of the photosensitizer and oxygen in cells during irradiation.     

An automated analyzer for vancomycin in plasma samples by column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection

An automated analyzer for vancomycin in rat plasma by column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection was developed. The method includes in-line extraction of vancomycin by ion-exchange cartridge column and a separation on a reversed-phase column with UV detection at 215 nm. Plasma samples were diluted by mobile phase solution and directly injected to HPLC. Vancomycin was quantitatively recovered from rat plasma samples. The separation was completed within 15 min. The calibration curve was linear over the range from 0.5 to 100 microg/mL with the detection and quantification limits of 0.5 microg/mL (2.5 ng on column; signal-to-noise ratio = 3). The values of precision in intra- and inter-day assays (n = 3) were less than 1.92 and 3.69%, respectively. This method does not require time-consuming pre-treatment and is suitable for the routine assay of plasma samples.     

Preparation of a polymeric membrane with lipoamide structure and its application to electron transport across membrane

A lipoamide (LAm) structure was introduced into a polymeric membrane by chemical modification of poly(γ-methyl-D -glutamate) (PMG). A. redox reaction proceeded across the membrane mediated by pendant LAm groups as solid carriers. It is suggested that the electron transport process in the membrane is derived from the exchange reaction between reduced LAm (thiol) and LAm (disulfide).     

Extraction of sodium and potassium perchlorates with benzo-18-crown-6 into various organic solvents. Quantitative elucidation of anion effects on the extraction-ability and -selectivity for Na(+) and K(+)

To investigate quantitatively the anion effect on the extraction-ability and -selectivity of benzo-18-crown-6 (B18C6) for alkali metal ions, the constants for overall extraction into various diluents having low dielectric constants (K(ex)) and aqueous ion-pair formation (K(MLA)) of B18C6-sodium and potassium perchlorate 1:1:1 complexes (MLA) were determined at 25 degrees C. The K(ex) value was analyzed by the four fundamental equilibrium constants. The K(MLA) values were determined by applying our established method to this perchlorate extraction system. The K(M(B18C6)A) value of the perchlorate is much larger for K(+) than for Na(+), and is much smaller than that of the picrate. The K(M(B18C6)A) value makes a minor contribution to the magnitude of K(ex) for the perchlorate system, but a major contribution to that for the picrate one. The distribution behavior of the B18C6 1:1:1 complexes with the alkali metal perchlorates follows the regular solution theory. For the diluent with a high dipole moment, however, the 1:1:1 complexes somewhat undergo the dipole-dipole interaction. B18C6 always shows very high extraction selectivity for KClO(4) over NaClO(4), which is determined mostly by the much greater log/(log K(MLA)) value for K(+) than for Na(+). The extraction-ability and -selectivity of B18C6 for Na(+) and K(+) ions with a perchlorate ion were compared with those with a picrate ion in terms of the fundamental equilibrium constants. The K(+) extraction-selectivity of B18C6 over Na(+) for the perchlorate system is superior to that for the picrate one, which is caused largely by the greater log/(log K(K(B18C6)A))-log/(log K(Na(B18C6)A)) value for the perchlorate than for the picrate. The perchlorate system is recommended for extraction separation of K(+) from Na(+).     

Biomimetic formation of gramicidin S by dimerization-cyclization of pentapeptide precursor on solid support

The biomimetic formation of gramicidin S, cyclo(-d-Phe-Pro-Val-Orn-Leu-)₂, by the dimerization and cyclization of pentapeptide precursor without the protection of δ-amino group of the Orn residue was examined on a solid support. The cyclization of H-d-Phe-Pro-Val-Orn-Leu-oxime on a resin with an oxime group of 0.62 mmol/g in 1,4-dioxane directly gave gramicidin S in a 50% yield. The dimerization-cyclization mode on the solid support was similar to that of the biosynthesis of gramicidin S on an enzyme.     

Novel synthesis, static and dynamic properties, and structural characteristics of 5-cyano[n](2,4)pyridinophane-6-ones (n= 9-6) and their chemical transformations

A novel synthesis of 5-cyano[n](2,4)pyridinophane-6-ones 12a-d (n= 9, 8, 7, and 6) consists of allowing cyanoacetatoamide to react with cycloalk-2-enones. Their static and dynamic properties as well as structural characteristics are studied on the basis of their spectroscopic properties, cyclic voltammetry, and theoretical calculations. The (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra at various temperatures have clarified the dynamic behavior of the methylene chains for [7](2,4)- and [6](2,4)pyridinophane-6-one derivatives 12c and 12d. The energy barrier (Delta G(++)) of the bridge flipping of 12c is estimated to be 12.0 kcal mol(-1)(T(c)= 0 degree C). On the other hand, compound 12d undergoes pseudorotation (conformational change of the methylene chain) at room temperature, and does not undergo bridge flipping even at 150 degree C in DMSO-d(6). The energy barrier (Delta G(++)) of the pseudorotation of the methylene chain 12d of is found to be 10.5 kcal mol(-1)(T(c)=-25 degree C), and thus, two stable conformers of the hexamethylene bridge of 12d are determined as predicted by theoretical calculations. Deformation of the pyridone ring of 12d is also determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Furthermore, chemical transformations of 12a-c leading to 5-carbamoyl[n](2,4)pyridinophanes 15a-c are also accomplished successfully in moderate to good yields.     

Metal-ion-assisted hydrolysis of dipeptides involving a serine residue in a neutral aqueous solution

Dipeptides having a serine residue at the C-terminus, X-Ser, where X is an appropriate amino acid residue, were efficiently hydrolyzed in the presence of ZnCl2 at pH 7.0. The rapid hydrolysis of X-Ser is due to an autocatalysis of the hydroxy group in the serine residue, and is found to be accelerated by a metal ion, in particular by ZnCl2. Roles of the metal ion in the hydrolysis of peptides involving a serine residue, in relation to the recently reported protein cleavages, are discussed.     

Dynamic coordination polymers with 4,4'-oxybis(benzoate): reversible transformations of nano- and nonporous coordination frameworks responding to present solvents

Reversible construction of a nanoporous framework from a nonporous framework has been found in the zinc(II) coordination polymer with 4,4'-oxybis(benzoate) (oba). [Zn(2)(oba)(2)(dmf)(2)].2DMF (1), which has 1 nm scale channels, transforms to the nonporous coordination polymer [Zn(oba)(H(2)O)] (2) with the loss of the open framework. Compound 2 on treatment with DMF reversibly yields nanoporous compound 1.     

Synthesis of a novel potential tridentate anthracene ligand, 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)-9-bromoanthracene,and its application as chelate ligand for synthesis of the corresponding boron and palladium compounds

A novel potential tridentate ligand, 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)-9-bromoanthracene, was synthesized. The key steps are as follows: 1) dimethylamination of 1,8-dibromo-9-methoxyanthracene by a modified Buchwald's method to afford 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)-9-methoxyanthracene, and 2) reduction of the methoxy group by LDBB (lithium di-tert-butylbiphenylide) followed by treatment with BrCF2CF2Br. The corresponding 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)-9-lithioanthracene, which should be a useful versatile tridentate ligand, could be generated by treatment of the bromide with one equivalent of nBuLi. The lithioanthracene reacted with B-chloroborane derivatives to give three 9-boryl derivatives. Although we recently reported that the crystal structure of 1,8-dimethoxy-9-B-catecholateborylanthracene was a symmetrical compound with the almost identical two O-B distances (2.379(2) and 2.441(2) A), the newly prepared 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)-9-borylanthracene derivatives clearly have unsymmetrical structures with coordination of only one NMe2 group toward the central boron atom. However, the energy difference between the unsymmetrical and symmeterical structures was found to be very small based on 1H NMR measurements, in which symmetrical anthracene patterns in the aromatic region (two kinds of doublets and a triplet) and a sharp singlet signal of the two NMe2 groups were observed even at -80 degrees C. 1,8-Bis(dimethylamino)-9-bromoanthracene itself can be a versatile ligand for transition metal compounds. In fact, direct palladation of the bromide took place by the reaction with [Pd2(dba)3].CHCl3 in THF to give the 9-palladated product. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the Pd compound showed that the square planar palladium atom was coordinated in a symmetrical fashion by both NMe2 groups (Pd-N bonds are 2.138(5) and 2.146(5) A).