Total synthesis of (+)-zaragozic acid C

A total synthesis of (+)-zaragozic acid C is described. Key features of the synthesis are the use of a double Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction of diene 6 to control stereochemistry at four contiguous stereocenters from C3 to C6; the introduction of the C1-side chain by reaction between the anion derived from the dithiane monosulfoxide 27 and the core aldehyde 12; a high yielding, acid-mediated simultaneous acetonide deprotection-dithiane removal-ketalization procedure leading exclusively to the 2, 8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane core 34; and a novel triple oxidation procedure allowing installation of the tricarboxylic acid.     

Effect of gamma-rays on the formation of color centers in copper-containing lead borate glasses

Absorption bands in the range of 350–950 nm, induced in copper-containing lead borate glasses by -rays were identified and characterized. The effect of irradiation dose, copper oxide and lead oxide contents on the intensity and position of the induced absorption bands were also considered. Several induced absorption bands were observed. At least two bands in the ranges of 740–780 and 850–870 nm could be identified. They are suggested to be associated with induced Cu⁽²⁺⁾ ions. The band in the 800–830 nm (1.6 eV) range is ascribed to the Pb⁽³⁺⁾ ion, whereas others in the ranges of 600–630 and 650–730 nm are associated with the intrinsic defects formed in the base glass.     

Graft polymerization of vinyl monomers onto cellulose in presence of soda lime glass. I

Sodium bisulfite–soda lime glass has proved to be a good initiator for polymerization and graft polymerization onto cellulose of some vinyl monomers. A scheme dealing with the mechanism of initiation has been proposed assuming trapping of the bisulfite radical inside the glass frame-work to form a so-called sulfur-impregnated solid. Such a solid has paramagnetic properties and acts on the vinyl monomers and cellulose as any free-radical-producing source thus leading to polymerization and graft polymerization onto cellulose. Other radicals containing sulfur, such as sulfite, sulfate, and persulfate failed to give such property with soda lime glass. With the sodium bisulfite–soda lime glass system the reactivity decreases in the order methyl methacrylate > ethyl acrylate > acrylonitrile which is inconsistent with the arrangement of acceptor monomers with decreasing electron-donating ability. This may reflect interference of the addition reaction which may take place between the monomer and bisulfite and the rate of which may depend on the activation energy of the monomer.     

Semiquantitative determination of thirty cations by circular thin-layer chromatography

Summary A comprehensive scheme for the semiquantitative determination of 30 metal ions (Ag⁺, Pb²⁺, W⁶⁺, Tl⁺, Fe³⁺, Au³⁺, Mo⁶⁺, Ga³⁺, Sb⁵⁺, Ge⁴⁺, Te⁴⁺, Pt⁴⁺, Pd²⁺, Ru³⁺, Rh³⁺, Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cr⁶⁺, Mn²⁺, U⁶⁺, V⁵⁺, Sn⁴⁺, Bi³⁺, Hg²⁺, Ti⁴⁺, Se⁴⁺ and As³⁺) is described. It is based on circular thin-layer chromatographic technique. The error is ± 5% and 16 other metal ions, not included in the analysis scheme because of the non-availability of spray reagents, do not interfere. The determination of each cation has been made with different spray reagents separately and the mean error has been calculated. The analysis of the same cation with different spray reagents provides a useful check on the results. The method holds an excellent promise for the study of airborne particulates and for the determination of trace elements from blood, tissue and bone.

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Zusammenfassung Ein umfassender Analysengang für die halb quantitative Bestimmung von 30 Metallionen wurde beschrieben. Die Ringchromatographie auf Dünnschichten wurde hierzu verwendet. Der Fehler beträgt ±5%. 16 weitere Metallionen, die in Ermangelung geeigneter Sprühreagenzien in den Analysengang nicht aufgenommen wurden, stören nicht. Die Bestimmung jedes einzelnen Kations wurde mit verschiedenen Sprühmitteln vorgenommen; der mittlere Fehler wurde dann berechnet. So ist eine gute Überprüfung der Ergebnisse möglich. Das Verfahren dürfte sich für die Untersuchung der Luftverschmutzung sowie für die Bestimmung von Spurenelementen in Blut, Gewebe und Knochen eignen.

     

Identification of extracellular nanoparticle subsets by nuclear magnetic resonance

Exosomes are a subset of secreted lipid envelope-encapsulated extracellular vesicles (EVs) of 50–150 nm diameter that can transfer cargo from donor to acceptor cells. In the current purification protocols of exosomes, many smaller and larger nanoparticles such as lipoproteins, exomers and microvesicles are typically co-isolated as well. Particle size distribution is one important characteristics of EV samples, as it reflects the cellular origin of EVs and the purity of the isolation. However, most of the physicochemical analytical methods today cannot illustrate the smallest exosomes and other small particles like the exomers. Here, we demonstrate that diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method enables the determination of a very broad distribution of extracellular nanoparticles, ranging from 1 to 500 nm. The range covers sizes of all particles included in EV samples after isolation. The method is non-invasive, as it does not require any labelling or other chemical modification. We investigated EVs secreted from milk as well as embryonic kidney and renal carcinoma cells. Western blot analysis and immuno-electron microscopy confirmed expression of exosomal markers such as ALIX, TSG101, CD81, CD9, and CD63 in the EV samples. In addition to the larger particles observed by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) in the range of 70–500 nm, the DOSY distributions include a significant number of smaller particles in the range of 10–70 nm, which are visible also in transmission electron microscopy images but invisible in NTA. Furthermore, we demonstrate that hyperpolarized chemical exchange saturation transfer (Hyper-CEST) with ¹²⁹Xe NMR indicates also the existence of smaller and larger nanoparticles in the EV samples, providing also additional support for DOSY results. The method implies also that the Xe exchange is significantly faster in the EV pool than in the lipoprotein/exomer pool.

Diffusion and xenon NMR based methods to determine a very broad range of sizes and sub-sets of extracellular vesicles.     

New pyranosyl cembranoid diterpenes from Sarcophyton trocheliophorum

During our continual searching programme for novel bioactive metabolites from Sarcophyton trocheliophorum, collected from Red Sea, we describe herein the isolation and structural elucidation of further two new pyrane-based cembranoid diterpenes: 9-hydroxy-7,8-dehydro-sarcotrocheliol (1) and 8,9-expoy-sarcotrocheliol acetate (2), along with the well-known sarcotrocheliol acetate (3), (+)-sarcophine (4), (+)-sarcophytoxide (5) and (-)-sarcophytoxide (6). The chemical structures of compounds 1 and 2 were determined on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ¹H–¹H COSY, HMQC, HMBC and NOE), mass spectra (ESI and HR-ESIMS) and by comparison with related structures. The antimicrobial activities of the reported compounds 1–6 were investigated. According to the molecular docking study of compounds 1–6 using 3D structure of α,β tubulin in complex with taxol (PDB code 1JFF) and epothilone A (PDB code 1TVK), sarcophine (4) displayed the highest affinity towards both crystal structures, followed by 5 and 6, meanwhile pyrane-based cembranoid diterpenes (1–3) showed less affinity.     

Development of honey hydrogel dressing for enhanced wound healing

Radiation at 25 and 50 kGy showed no effect on the acidic pH of the local honey, Gelam, and its antimicrobial property against Staphylococcus aureus but significantly reduced the viscosity. Honey stored up to 2 years at room temperature retained all the properties studied. Radiation sterilized Gelam honey significantly stimulated the rate of burn wound healing in Sprague-Dawley rats as demonstrated by the increased rate of wound contraction and gross appearance. Gelam honey attenuates wound inflammation; and re-epithelialization was well advanced compared to the treatment using silver sulphadiazine (SSD) cream. To enhance further the use of honey in wound treatment and for easy handling, Gelam honey was incorporated into our hydrogel dressing formulation, which was then cross-linked and sterilized using electron beam at 25 kGy. Hydrogel with 6% of honey was selected based on the physical appearance.     

Chemoselective thioacetalization and transthioacetalization of carbonyl compounds catalyzed by immobilized scandium(III) triflate in ionic liquids

Immobilized scandium triflate [Sc(OTf)₃] in ionic liquids has been found to be an extremely efficient and recyclable catalyst for the thioacetalization and transthioacetalization of both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes. Significant rate acceleration and chemoselectivity was achieved by employing this catalytic system.     

A novel and expeditious approach to unusual spirolactam building blocks

A rapid access to 7-azaspiro[4.5]decan-6-ones 1 involving three regio- and chemoselective reactions starting from tetrabromonorbornyl derivatives is described. The alkaline H(2)O(2) cleavage reaction of monosubstituted alpha-diketones 9 furnished the potential bridged bicyclic lactones 10in a highly regio- and stereoselective manner. The radical-mediated, intermolecular bridgehead C-C bond formation of the versatile bridged lactones 10 with acrylonitrile followed by LAH reduction of the adduct 13 intriguingly leads to the formation of novel spirolactam building blocks 1.     

Synthesis and Reactions of 5-Amino-3-(3-methyl-5-oxo-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-4-yl)-7-phenyl-7 H -thiazolo[3,2- a ]pyrimidine-6-carbonitrile

5-Amino-3-(3-methyl-5-oxo-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-4-yl)-7-phenyl-7H-thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine-6-carbonitrile was synthesized via the reaction of 4-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one with benzylidene malononitrile and was then transformed to related fused heterocyclic systems. The antifungal and antibacterial studies revealed in some cases excellent biocidal properties.