Isolation and Stereostructures of Dolastatin G and Nordolastatin G, Cytotoxic 35-Membered Cyclodepsipeptides from the Japanese Sea Hare Dolabella auricularia

A bioassay-directed fractionation of the cytotoxic constituents of the Japanese sea hare Dolabella auricularia resulted in the isolation of two 35-membered depsipeptides dolastatin G (1) and nordolastatin G (2), which showed cytotoxicity against HeLa S(3) cells with IC(50) values of 1.0 and 5.3 &mgr;g/mL, respectively. The gross structures of these substances were established by spectroscopic analysis including 2D NMR techniques. The absolute stereostructure of 1 was determined by chiral HPLC analysis of amino acid components obtained from acid hydrolysis of 1 and by the enantioselective syntheses of two degradation products arising from polyketide portions. Nordolastatin G (2) is a congener that has the same absolute stereochemistry as that of 1.     

Colorimetric assay for lysozyme using Micrococcus luteus labeled with a blue dye, Remazol brilliant blue R, as a substrate.

Micrococcus luteus (M. lysodeikticus) labeled with Remazol brilliant blue R (blue ML) was prepared as a novel substrate for the colorimetric assay of lysozyme. The treatment of the labeled substrate with lysozyme resulted in the release of soluble blue products which can be easily measured spectrophotometrically at 600 nm. The blue color was most efficiently released at pH 7 and ionic strength of 0.2 on incubation with hen lysozyme at 40 degrees C. A new colorimetric method for the assay of lysozyme using this substrate was developed. The assay system gave a linear dose-response curve, and as little as 0.1 microgram of human lysozyme (1 microgram/ml, 100 microliters) can be detected. The present method is more convenient and reproducible than the conventional lysozyme assay with bacterial cells. Application of the system to the determination of lysozyme in human serum is described.     

Aminyl radical cyclization by means of anodic oxidation. Stereoselective synthesis of cis-1-methyl-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidines

Neutral aminyl radicals generated by anodic oxidation of lithium alkenylamides 2 undergo a stereoselective cyclization to give $\text{cis}$-1-methyl-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidines 4. Their $\text{cis}$ stereochemistry was confirmed by a comparison with $\text{trans}$-1,2-dimethyl-5-phenylpyrrolidine, the structure of which was established by X-ray crystallographic analysis of its quarternary ammonium bromide 6.     

Synthesis of porphyrin-introduced silica gels by sol-gel process

Using a hydroxyl group appended free base porphyrin derivative (HP), porphyrin-introduced silica gels were synthesized by a sol-gel process. The HP content in the materials linearly increased with increasing the HP concentration. Meanwhile, free base tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) with no hydroxyl groups were almost not incorporated into the silica gels. These facts suggested that the interaction between hydroxyl groups of the HP molecules and silica network is considerably strong. The UV-vis characters of HP-introduced materials were almost the same as pure HP molecules. The Beer's plot indicated that the HP molecules in the materials are dispersed.     

Michael addition reactions between chiral equivalents of a nucleophilic glycine and (S)- or (R)-3-[(E)-enoyl]-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones as a general method for efficient preparation of beta-substituted pyroglutamic acids. Case of topographically controlled stereoselectivity

This paper describes a systematic study of addition reactions between the chiral Ni(II) complex of the Schiff base of glycine with (S)-o-[N-(N-benzylprolyl)amino]benzophenone and (S)- or (R)-3-[(E)-enoyl]-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones as a general and synthetically efficient approach to beta-substituted pyroglutamic acids and relevant compounds. These reactions were shown to occur at room temperature in the presence of nonchelating organic bases and, most notably, with very high (>98% diastereomeric excess (de)) stereoselectivity at both newly formed stereogenic centers. The stereochemical outcome of the reactions was found to be overwhelmingly controlled by the stereochemical preferences of the Michael acceptors, and the chirality of the glycine complex influenced only the reaction rate. Thus, in the reactions of both the (S)-configured Ni(II) complex and the Michael acceptors, the reaction rates were exceptionally high, allowing preparation of the corresponding products with virtually quantitative (>98%) chemical and stereochemical yields. In contrast, reactions of the (S)-configured Ni(II) complex and (R)-configured Michael acceptors proceeded at noticeably lower rates, but the addition products were obtained in high diastereo- and enantiomeric purity. To rationalize the remarkably high and robust stereoselectivity observed in these reactions, we consider an enzyme-substrate-like mode of interaction involving a topographical match or mismatch of two geometric figures. Excellent chemical and stereochemical yields, combined with the simplicity and operational convenience of the experimental procedures, render the present method of immediate use for preparing various beta-substituted pyroglutamic acids and related compounds.     

Thermal analysis and X-ray studies of chiral ferroelectric liquid crystalline materials and their binary mixtures

Summary Thermal properties of a homologous series of ferroelectric liquid crystals S-(-)-[4-(2-n-alkoxy-propionyloxy)]biphenyl-4'-[n-alkoxy-(3,5-dimethyl)]benzoate have been investigated by polarizing optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The mesophases were identified and confirmed by X-ray too. Three binary mixtures were prepared from the individual homologues. In one of the mixtures (Mix1), the ferroelectric SmC* phase has broadened and became enantiotropic. This mesophase remained monotropic in the other two mixtures (Mix2, Mix3). The chiral nematic N* phase did not appear in Mix1, but remained monotropic for the other two mixtures. Two molecular parameters, the layer spacing and the average intermolecular distance have been calculated from the X-ray results for the homologues and their mixtures. An intercalated tail-to-tail packing of molecules was found both in the single compounds and their mixtures resulting in the layer spacing about half of the molecular length of the single compounds.     

15β-Hydroxylation of Lithocholic Acid by cunninghamella sp.

The microbiological transformation of lithocholic acid (3α-hydroxy-5β-cholanic acid) into 3α, 15β-dihydroxy-5β-cholanic acid by Cunninghamella sp. is Investigated. The structure has been determined on the basis of two-dimensional ¹H-NMR.