Synthesis and antifungal activities of a series of (1,2-disubstituted vinyl)imidazoles.

A series of vinylimidazoles containing a hetero atom such as sulfur or oxygen at a beta-position of the vinyl group was prepared and the antifungal activities were tested. It was found that sulfur-substituted derivatives such as (E)-1-[2-(methylthio)-1-[2-(pentyloxy)phenyl]ethenyl]-1H-imidazole (5a-5) and (E)-1-[1-[2-(hexyloxy)phenyl]-2-(methylthio)ethenyl]-1H-imidazole (5a-6) showed excellent antifungal activities against dermatophytes and yeast cells. The stereochemistry of the hydrochloride salt of 5a-5 was determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure-activity relationships were discussed.     

Photochemical aromatic hydroxylation by aromatic amine N-oxides: remarkable solvent effect on NIH-shift

Photooxygenations of 4-²H-anisole ($\text{3}$) and o-xylene ($\text{5}$) by 3-methylpyridazine 2-oxide ($\text{1}$) or pyridine 1-oxide ($\text{2}$) were studied in a variety of solvents at varying irradiation temperatures. Remarkable solvent effect on NIH-shift coupled with their hydroxylation processes was observed.     

Surface derivatization of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) fiber designed for novel separation and extraction media

The surface derivatization of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) fiber was studied. The obtained surface-derivatized filaments were packed into a fused-silica capillary to evaluate its surface characteristics by using GC. As the stationary phase for GC the surface-derivatized fibers showed higher retention for alkanes and alkylbenzenes than that with the untreated Kevlar fiber. The improvements on the retention power and the peak shape were observed on the benzyl-modified fibrous stationary phase. The derivatized fibrous materials were also evaluated as the extraction medium in fiber-in-tube SPE, and the effect of the surface modification on the extraction power was compared to the parent fiber. The results indicated that the modified fiber possessed a higher extraction power than the untreated fiber. Based on the facts, the successful modification of the fiber surface was estimated.     

Reverse aromatic cope rearrangement of 2-allyl-3-alkylideneindolines driven by olefination of 2-allylindolin-3-ones: synthesis of alpha-allyl-3-indole acetate derivatives

The reverse aromatic Cope rearrangement of 2-allyl-3-alkylideneindolines obtained by Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination of 2-allylindolin-3-ones was performed. When 2-allylindolin-3-ones were treated with phosphonium ylides in refluxing toluene, domino Wittig reaction and reverse aromatic Cope rearrangement took place to give alpha-allyl-3-indole acetate derivatives in good yields. The aromatization as a new driving force in the Cope rearrangement is preferable to the conjugation with the carbonyl and cyano groups and also to the alkyl substitution pattern, which are well-known driving forces.     

Stereoselective synthesis of tetrasubstituted (Z)-alkenes from aryl alkyl ketones utilizing the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction

Tetrasubstituted (Z)-alkenes were readily prepared through the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reactions of methyl 2-[bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)phosphono]propionate with aryl alkyl ketones by employing Sn(OSO(2)CF(3))(2) and N-ethylpiperidine.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (−)-pseudophrynaminol through tandem olefination, isomerization and asymmetric Claisen rearrangement

A new and efficient total synthesis of (−)-pseudophrynaminol, the pyrrolo[2,3-b]indole alkaloid bearing the allylic moiety at the 3a-position, has been achieved by a sequence involving 3-allylindol-2-one 8 as a key intermediate. The enantioselective construction of the quaternary carbon in 8 was performed through a tandem cascade reaction of 2-allyloxyindolin-3-one 4, olefination, isomerization, and asymmetric Claisen rearrangement.     

Degradation of aromatic compounds in ground-water, and methods of sample preservation

The degradation of acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, 2-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylindene, 3-methylindene and indene in water solutions was studied. These compounds at the 25-150 mug/l. level were almost totally degraded at ambient temperature within three days. The microbial population responsible for the degradation occurs naturally in ground-water taken from an aquifer in Ames, Iowa, which is contaminated with coal-tar products. These unidentified micro-organisms adapt readily to other waters when used as an inoculant for the degradation of aromatic compounds. The preservation of water to prevent such degradation was also investigated. Filtration through a 0.45-mum filter was found the most effective procedure for preserving the hydrocarbons in these waters.     

Synthesis and antinociceptive activity of orally active opioid peptides: improvement of oral bioavailability by esterification

To improve the oral bioavailability of a dermorphin tetrapeptide analog, N(alpha)-1-iminoethyl-Tyr-D-MetO-Phe-MebetaAla-OH (III), which has a potent analgesic activity after oral administration, various derivatives were synthesized to increase lipophilicity by esterification of the C-terminal carboxyl group and/or acylation of the phenolic hydroxyl group on Tyr1. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated after subcutaneous or oral administration using the mouse tail pressure test. As a result, increased antinociceptive activity after oral administration as well as an improved ED50(p.o.)/ED50(s.c.) ratio, which is an indicator of oral bioavailability, were found for some compounds. With regard to the improvement of bioavailability, derivatives with acylation of the phenolic hydroxyl group on Tyr1 showed better results than derivatives with esterification of the C-terminal carboxyl group. In particular, an ED50(p.o.)/ED50(s.c.) ratio equivalent to that of morphine was found for an acetylated derivative, N(alpha)-1-iminoethyl-Tyr(COMe)-D-MetO-Phe-MebetaAla-OH (7a), as well as for a methoxycarbonylated derivative, N(alpha)-1-iminoethyl-Tyr(CO2Me)-D-MetO-Phe-MebetaAla-OH (7l).     

Rhodium-catalyzed highly selective thioformylation of acetylenes with thiols and carbon monoxide

Highly regioselective thioformylation of terminal acetylenes with thiols and carbon monoxide has been developed by the use of rhodium(I) complexes as the catalyst: formyl and thio groups are introduced into the terminal and inner positions of acetylenes, respectively. The thioformylation is performed in the presence of a catalytic amount of rhodium(I) complexes, such as RhH(CO)(PPh₃)₃, RhCl(PPh₃)₃, and RhCl(CO)(PPh₃)₂, under the pressure of CO (3 MPa) at 120°C in CH₃CN to provide β-thio-α,β-unsaturated aldehydes in good yields. This thioformylation can be applied to a variety of terminal acetylenes and aromatic thiols. A mechanistic proposal includes the formation of the rhodium sulfide complex as the key species.     

Effects of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) concentration on the permeability of PEG-grafted liposomes

Poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted liposomes (PEG-liposomes) were prepared from dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) with various amounts of distearoyl-N-monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-succinyl-phosphatidylethanolamines (DSPE-PEG) with PEG molecular weights of 1000, 2000, 3000 and 5000. The effects of DSPE-PEG concentration on the permeability of PEG-liposomes were investigated using carboxyfluorescein (CF). In the gel state, the CF leakage from PEG-liposomes was decreased with increasing mole fractions of DSPE-PEG for all PEG molecular weights. In the liquid-crystalline state, the CF leakage from PEG-liposomes containing DSPE-PEG1000 gradually increased with increasing mole fractions of DSPE-PEG, while that of PEG-liposomes whose molecular weight in PEG units was above 2000 rapidly decreased by the addition of DSPE-PEG. Furthermore, no effect of PEG molecular weight on CF leakage was observed. The relationship between the fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) (or 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH)) and the mole fraction of DSPE-PEG for PEG-liposomes was also investigated. No significant changes in fluorescence polarization of DPH for liposomal bilayer membranes was observed in the gel and liquid-crystalline states due to the addition of DSPE-PEG, while that of TMA-DPH was decreased compared with that of liposomes without DSPE-PEG in both states.