Effectiveness of taurine in protecting biomembrane against oxidant

The effect of taurine in protecting biomembrane attacked by hypochlorous acid (HOCl) was examined using canine erythrocytes which had been pre-treated with HOCl. In the treatment, most of the HOCl was consumed as a result of its reaction with a number of electrophilic substances, such as free amino groups (-NH2) in the membrane, whereas hemoglobin inside the cells was not oxidized. The lysis of HOCl-treated erythrocytes was dependent on the concentration of HOCl and on the incubation time at 37 degrees C. Taurine inhibited the lysis at 37 degrees C in a dose dependent manner. During the incubation of HOCl-treated erythrocytes with taurine, an appreciable amount of monochlorotaurine (TauNHCl) was detected in the supernate. This suggests that taurine might remove the oxidized chlorine from HOCl-treated erythrocytes, resulting in the production of TauNHCl. The effect of taurine on the removal of Cl+ moiety was further examined using Sepharose gel with free amino groups. Taurine removed Cl+ moiety from HOCl-treated Sepharose gel, and the yield of TauNHCl depended on the concentration of taurine and the incubation time. These results indicate that taurine might inhibit the hemolysis by scavenging the oxidized chlorine moiety from the HOCl-treated erythrocytes. Inhibition of the HOCl-induced hemolysis was also observed with other amino acids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Efficient synthesis of 2-modified 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D3 with Julia olefination: high potency in induction of differentiation on HL-60 cells

Six novel 2-substituted analogues of 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3), 6a,b-8a,b, were efficiently synthesized utilizing (-)-quinic acid as the A-ring precursor. The C2-modified A-rings were prepared as 4-alkylated (3R,5R)-3,5-dihydroxycyclohexanones 12-15 from (-)-quinic acid based on radical allylation at the C4 position of methyl (-)-quinicate. The new type of the CD-ring coupling partner 23 was synthesized from 25-hydroxy Grundmann's ketone 19 to apply to the modified Julia olefination to construct a diene unit between the A-ring and the CD-ring. The coupling yields, including a deprotection step, were 47-62%. After the separation of the diastereomers based on C2 stereochemistry, the structure (2alpha or 2beta) was determined by (1)H NMR experiments and compared to DeLuca's 2-methyl- and 2-ethyl-1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3). Thus, the synthesized 2alpha-(3-hydroxypropyl)-1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3) (8a) showed almost the same potency in binding to the bovine thymus vitamin D receptor (VDR) as the natural hormone 1, while its beta-isomer 8b had only a 3% affinity. Both 2alpha-allyl- and 2alpha-propyl-1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3) (6a and 7a) and their 2beta-analogues (6b and 7b) possessed a weak affinity for the VDR. The strong VDR ligand 8a was ca. 36-fold more potent in induction of HL-60 cell differentiation than 1, and interestingly, even the weaker ligand 8b showed a 6.7-fold higher potency in the cell differentiation activity than that of 1.     

Analysis of free fatty acids by a micro-liquid chromatograph directly coupled with a mass spectrometer through a vacuum nebulizing interface

A liquid chromatograph directly coupled with a quadrupole mass spectrometer through a vacuum nebulizing interface was applied to the analysis of various free fatty acids. Chemical ionization mass spectra of the C₇? C₂₂ free fatty acids were first examined using either methanol or benzene as the reagents. Then the practical compositional analysis of the fatty acids were performed with various biological samples such as bean oil, rape oil, palm oil and milk fat where most of the fatty acids are included as their triglycerides.     

Capacitance-conductance detector for high-pressure liquid chromatography. Application to alkaloids and fatty acids

Summary A new type of detector for high-pressure liquid chromatography has been designed. This detector is equipped with a RC resonance circuit, and is similar to the capacitance detector previously reported. It is operated as a capacitance detector with nonpolar eluents; while with polar solvents, it behaves as a conductance detector. Electrolytes such as salts, acids and bases are sensitively detected. The detector was successfully used for the detection of fatty acids and alkaloids.

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Zusammenfassung Ein neuartiger Detektor für die Hochdruck-Flüssigchromatographie wurde entwickelt. Dieser ist mit einem Resonanzstromkreis ausgestattet und ähnelt dem kürzlich beschriebenen Kapazitanz-Detektor. Als solcher funktioniert er mit nichtpolaren Eluenten, während er sich mit polaren Lösungsmitteln wie ein Leitfähigkeitsdetektor verhält. Salze, Säuren und Basen werden empfindlich nachgewiesen. Das Gerät wurde zum Nachweis von Fettsäuren und Alkaloiden verwendet.

     

Electrodeposition of mercury on gold from very dilute mercury(II) solution

Flameless atomic absorption spectrometry (flameless a.a.s.) was applied to study the state of mercury deposited on a gold plate electrode from very dilute mercury(II) solution by controlled-potential electrolysis. A stable monolayer is formed on the gold electrode by the electrolysis at a potential about 200 mV more positive than the reversible Nernst potential for the reduction of mercury(II) to mercury(0). After the monolayer formation, bulk mercury is deposited on the monolayer at the reversible potential and an adatom layer is also found. The difference of activation free energies between the evaporation of mercury from the monolayer and that from bulk mercury corresponds to the underpotential shift for the electrodeposition of mercury on the gold electrode.     

Synthesis, stereochemistry, and circular dichroism of optically active o-substituted diphenyl sulphilimines and related compounds

Optically active o-substituted diphenyl N-substituted sulphilimines are readily synthesised by the reaction of the corresponding sulphides and t-butyl hypochlorite in the presence of l-menthol and amide anions. (−)-N-p-Tolylsulphonylsulphilimines (1, 2) obtained were converted to the corresponding (−)-N-unsubstituted sulphilimines (8, 9) by treating them with concentrated sulphuric acid. When (−)-S-o-anisyl S-phenyl N-(unsubstituted) sulphilimine (8) was treated with acylating agents or acrylonitrile, the corresponding optically active (−)-N-substituted sulphilimines were prepared with complete retention at sulphur. The absolute configuration of (−)-S-o-anisyl S-phenyl N-p-tolylsulphonylsulphilimine (1) was determined by converting it to (+)-S-o-anisyl sulphoxide (17). CD curves of (−)-o-substituted diarylsulphilimines exhibited a negative Cotton effect at around 270–285 nm, which was assigned to (S)-configuration at sulphur by comparing with the analogous sulphoxides. The substituent on the imino group of the sulphilimine gave no appreciable effect on the CD behavior and the lack of substituent effect was considered to be due to the semi-polar character of the S(IV)-N bond. Unusual effect of o-methoxy group on the CD curves was discussed in connection with solvent effect. Mechanism of this asymmetric synthesis has been investigated, and it has become apparent that the diastereomeric menthoxysulphonium chloride was an excess of (RR)-configuration was formed initially and the amide anion attacks the S atom of the salt with net inversion.     

Solution-phase synthesis of alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP)

Alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP) was synthesized by assembling six peptide fragments in solution followed by deprotection with HF and subsequent air-oxidation. The trimethylbenzyl group was employed as an S-protecting group of cysteine. The HF-dimethylselenide-m-cresol system was employed as a final deprotecting reagent and, at the same time, as a reducing reagent of Met(O). Synthetic alpha-hANP elicited potent diuretic and natriuretic activity in rats.     

Cyclopolycondensations

Fully aromatic polyquinazolinediones of high molecular weight were prepared by the cyclopolycondensation reaction of 4,4′-diamino-3,3′-biphenyldicarboxylic acid with aromatic diisocyanates. The poly(phosphoric acid) solution polymerization techniques yielded tractable poly(urea acid), which was converted to polyquinazolinediones by thermal cyclodehydration at 300–400°C. under reduced pressure. The polyquinazolinediones thus obtained have excellent thermal stability both in nitrogen and in air. The poly(urea acid) is soluble in dimethyl sulfoxide, and films can be cast from the polymer solution of poly(urea acid) (η_inh = 0.8 to 1.8). The films are made tough by being heated in nitrogen or under reduced pressure at 300–400°C. The polymerization mechanism of the cyclopolycondensation reaction was studied, and it was established that the polymerization proceeded through the formation of tractable poly(urea acid), Structure (I), of high molecular weight, followed by cyclodehydration, yielding poly(1,2-dihydro-2-imino-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one), Structure (II). On subsequently being heated this undergoes intramolecular rearrangement along the polymer chain, giving the thermodynamically stable polyquinazolinedione, Structure (III).     

Diversity-oriented synthesis of tamoxifen-type tetrasubstituted olefins

A general synthetic scheme for tamoxifen-type tetrasubstituted olefins based on the novel Cu-catalyzed carbomagnesation across alkynyl(2-pyridyl)silane has been developed. A wide array of electronically and structurally diverse tetrasubstituted olefins can be prepared in a regiocontrolled, stereocontrolled, and diversity-oriented manner. Noteworthy features are that (i) the three aryl groups, which are believed to be important (essential) for anti-estrogenic activity, can be varied at will because they all stem from readily available aryl iodides, and (ii) any stereo- and regioisomers can, in principle, be prepared by simply changing the applying order of aryl iodides into the sequence.     

Kinetic resolution of vic-amino alcohols catalyzed by a chiral Cu(II) complex

Kinetic resolution of N-benzoylated vic-amino alcohols was achieved by benzoylation in the presence of copper triflate and (R,R)-Ph-BOX as catalysts. The observed enantioselectivity was moderate to high. The method was applied to a kinetic resolution of racemic prolinol and piperidinemethanol derivatives as well as an asymmetric desymmetrization of 2-amino-1,3-diol derivatives.