Araguspongines B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and J, new vasodilative bis-1-oxaquinolizidine alkaloids from an okinawan marine sponge, Xestospongia sp

Nine new vasodilative alkaloids, araguspongines A, B (1), C (2), D (3), E (4), F (5), G (6), H (7), and J (8), were isolated from an Okinawan marine sponge, Xestospongia sp. On the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence, the absolute stereostructures of araguspongines B, D, E, F, G, H, and J were determined respectively as 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and the relative stereostructure of araguspongine C was determined as 2 having two 1-oxaquinolizidine moieties. Araguspongines B, D, and E each comprised a pair of the enantiomers, 1a and 1b, 3a and 3b, and 4a and 4b, respectively.     

The reaction between nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide over magnesium oxide

The title reaction was carried out with the help of the transient response method over MgO. It was concluded that no catalyst reduction occurred over this catalyst and the reaction proceeded through the reaction between adsorbed nitrous oxide and adsorbed carbon monoxide without participation of MgO oxygen.

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MgO. , - MgO.

     

Profiling and comprehensive expression analysis of ABC transporter solute-binding proteins of Bacillus subtilis membrane based on a proteomic approach

We analyzed ABC transporter solute-binding proteins (SBPs) of the Bacillus subtilis membrane using a proteomic approach. We prepared a washed cell membrane fraction that was insoluble in 134 mM nondetergent sulfobetaine and then extracted proteins using mixtures of detergents in a stepwise manner. The membrane proteins were resolved by three two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) or two one-dimensional (1-D) PAGE procedures, electroblotted, and digested in the presence of 5% or 80% acetonitrile. Thereafter, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) identified 637 proteins corresponding to 15.9% of the total cellular proteins. We predicted that among these, 256 were membrane proteins, 101 were lipoproteins or secretory proteins and 280 were soluble proteins containing peripheral proteins that function in both the cytoplasm and the cell membrane such as SecA and FtsY. Among the 637 proteins, we identified 30 SBPs among 38 importers predicted by a bioinformatic search of the genome. We confirmed expression of the genes for the 30 SBPs using DNA microarray analysis. We compared the 2-D gel separation profiles of submembrane fractions solubilized by 1% n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside from cells cultured on Luria Bertani (LB), S7, and S7 medium without glutamate as well as DNA microarray data on LB and S7. The results suggested that YcdH, YtmK and YurO are binding proteins for Mn(++), glutamate and glucose, respectively, and that YqiX and YxeM are binding proteins for amino acids (tryptophan in S7 medium).     

Photoinduced Molecular Transformations. Part 142. One-step syntheses of 1H-benz[f]indole-4,9-diones and 1H-indole-4,7-diones by a new regioselective photoaddition of 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinones and 2-amino-1,4-benzoquinones with alkenes

The 2,3-dihydro-1H-benz[f]indole-4,9-diones 3a–d , h were formed in a one-step reaction in 13–82% yield by an unprecedented [3 + 2] regioselective photoaddition of 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinone ( 1 ) with various electronrich alkenes 2 (Scheme 1, Table). The [3 + 2] photoadducts derived from 1 with vinyl ethers and vinyl acetate gave 1H-benz[f]indole-4,9-diones 4e , f , i , in 33–72% yield, by spontaneous loss of the corresponding alcohol or AcOH from the resulting adducts; 4i has a kinamycin skeleton. The [3 + 2] photoaddition also took place on irradiation of the differently substituted amino-1,4-benzoquinones 6 , 7 , and 12 and excess alkenes 2 in benzene, giving 1H-indole-4,7-dione derivatives 13 and 14 (Scheme 3), 15a and 16 (Scheme 4), and 18 (Scheme 4), respectively. The initial products in these photoadditions were proved to be hydroquinones, the air oxidation of which yielded the heterocyclic quinones; 2,3-dihydro-2-methoxy-2-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-indole-1,4,7-triyl triacetate ( 19 ) was isolated after treatment of the crude photoaddition mixture obtained from 2-amino-5-phenyl-1,4-benzoquinone ( 7 ) and 2-methoxyprop-1-ene ( 2f ) with Ac₂O and pyridine under N₂. A pathway leading to the annelated hydroquinones involving ionic intermediates arising from an electron transfer in these photoadditions is proposed (Scheme 5).     

Copolymerization of anhydroglucose and anhydromannose derivatives: Structure,reactivity, and conformational analyses

Phosphorus pentafluoride-catalyzed copolymerization of 1,6-anhydro-2,3,4-tri-O-(p-methylbenzyl)-β-D -glucopyranose (TXGL, monomer G) and 1,6-anhydro-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-β-D -mannopyranose (TBMN, monomer M) appears to follow classical copolymerization theory. Reactivity ratios calculated by the procedure of Mayo and Lewis were r_G = 0.90 ± 0.08, r_M = 11.5 ± 0.80, from which sequence distributions were calculated. A conformational analysis of anhydro sugar polymerization is presented to explain differences in reactivity of monomers and their derived cations in polymerization and copolymerization. The polymers and copolymers were characterized by viscosity, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy, optical rotation, and circular dichroism. The reaction gives stereoregular polymers as have other polymerizations and copolymerizations of this class.     

Photoinduced desorption of sulfur from gold nanoparticles loaded on metal oxide surfaces

We now report photoinduced sulfur desorption from the surfaces of Au nanoparticles loaded on metal oxides. This reaction occurs in water at ordinary temperature and pressure. Nanometer-sized Au particles have been formed on the surfaces of various metal oxides by deposition-precipitation (Au/oxides). Elemental sulfur (S8) is selectively adsorbed on the Au nanoparticle surfaces of Au/oxides in an atomic state at a coverage of (theta) 1/3. Irradiation (lambdaex > 300 nm) of the sulfur adsorbed Au/anatase TiO2 in water has led to reductive desorption of the sulfurs at room temperature. Electrochemical measurements using Au/oxides indicate that the driving force for this reaction is the photoinduced upward shift of Fermi energy of the metal oxide-supported Au nanoprticles. This study will open up a novel and wide application of heterogeneous photocatalysis for thermal catalysts.     

Creation of novel chiral synthons with enzymes and applications to natural product synthesis. 15. Efficient introduction of chiral centers into cyclohexane ring

The chiral half-ester 2 obtained by asymmetric hydrolysis of the symmetric diester 1 with pig liver esterase has been shown to be a versatile synthon for various chiral cyclohexane derivatives.     

220-MHz NMR spectra of acrylic monomer–2-substituted 1,3-diolefin alternating copolymers

An investigation by 220-MHz NMR spectroscopy was carried out on the alternating copolymers of acrylic monomer with 2-substituted 1,3-diolefin. The chain structures were determined. The acrylic monomers used were methyl methacrylate (MMA), acrylonitrile (AN), and methacrylonitrile (MAN); isoprene (IP) and chloroprene (CLP) were the 1,3-diolefins. In the MAN–IP alternating copolymer, the 1-position methylene protons of IP showed an AB quartet peak, confirming the α-1 linkage structure. Similarly, in the MMA–CLP and AN–CLP copolymers, the 1-position methylene protons of CLP showed and AB quartet and an ABX pattern, respectively, confirming the α-1 linkage structure in both these cases also. The α-1 linkage structure was also revealed by the decoupling technique in the MAN–CLP alternating copolymer. The AN–IP and MMA–IP alternating copolymers also possess a bond between the α-position of the acrylic monomer and the 1-position of IP. The monomeric units in the alternating copolymers of acrylic monomers with 2-substituted 1,3-diolefins were generally linked at the α-position of acrylic monomer and the 1-position of 1,3-diolefin. On the other hand, in the Diels-Alder adducts of acrylic monomer with 2-substituted 1,3-diolefin, the reaction takes place between the α-position of acrylic monomer and the 4-position of 1,3-diolefin. The regioselectivity of the alternating copolymers and the Diels-Alder adducts is quite compatible with the expectations from molecular orbital theory.     

Influence of amino acid side chain packing on Fe-methionine coordination in thermostable cytochrome C

Paramagnetic NMR and optical studies of the oxidized forms of mesophile Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c(551) and its quintuple mutant (F7A/V13M/F34Y/E43Y/V78I), and thermophile Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome c(552) demonstrated that the amino acid side chain packings in the protein interior influence the coordination bond between the heme iron and the axial methionine in the proteins. The strength of heme axial coordinations was found to correlate with the overall protein thermostability.     

Installation of carbon chain onto 2-cyclohexene-1,4-diol monoacetate

Alkylation of cyclohexenyl monoacetate 1 with R₂Cu(CN)(MgCl)₂ or RMgBr/CuCN (cat.) in Et₂O produced trans 1,2-isomers 4, while arylation and alkenylation of 1 was accomplished with lithium borates 5 and a nickel cat. to afford trans 1,4-isomers 3 selectively. Furthermore, several transformations of the products were carried out to demonstrate synthetic advantages of the present reactions.