Conformational analysis of N-aryl-N-(2-azulenyl)acetamides

Aromatic amides bearing 2-azulenyl group on the amide nitrogen were synthesized and their structures were investigated. The π-electron density of the N-aryl group was found to influence the cis-trans conformational preferences of these compounds in solution. X-ray crystallography revealed that the plane of the 2-azulenyl ring has a strong tendency to lie coplanar with the amide plane when the azulene group is located on the same side as the amide oxygen atom.     

Basic properties of alkaline earth metal oxides and their catalytic activity in the decomposition of diacetone alcohol

The effect of CO₂ adsorption on the catalytic activity of alkaline earth metal oxides in the title reaction reveals that the number of active (basic) sites follows the order MgO>CaO>SrO>BaO, and the order of base strength is MgO

CO₂ , () : MgO>CaO>SrO>BaO, : MgO     

Development of pyrrole-imidazole polyamide for specific regulation of human aurora kinase-A and -B gene expression

Pyrrole-imidazole polyamide (PIP) is a nuclease-resistant novel compound that inhibits gene expression through binding to the minor groove of DNA. Human aurora kinase-A (AURKA) and -B (AURKB) are important regulators in mitosis during the cell cycle. In this study, two specific PIPs (PIP-A and PIP-B) targeting AURKA and AURKB promoter regions were designed and synthesized, and their biological effects were investigated by several in vitro assays. PIP-A and PIP-B significantly inhibited the promoter activities, mRNA expression, and protein levels of AURKA and AURKB, respectively, in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, 1:1 combination treatment with both PIPs demonstrated prominent antiproliferative synergy (CI value [ED(50)] = 0.256) to HeLa cells as a result of inducing apoptosis-mediated severe catastrophe of cell-cycle progression. The novel synthesized PIP-A and PIP-B are potent and specific gene-silencing agents for AURKA and AURKB.     

Improved determination of milk oligosaccharides using a single derivatization with anthranilic acid and separation by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

An improved analytical scheme for human milk neutral oligosaccharides determination was developed, in which, the oligosaccharides were pooled in two fractions (pools 1 and 2) after gel filtration, and then were quantitatively derivatized with a single fluorescent reagent, 2-anthranilic acid. Separation was by reversed-phase HPLC on an ODS-100Z column with a mobile phase of 50 mM ammonium acetate pH 4.0 and 150 mM citrate buffer pH 4.5 and monitored by a fluorescence detector at 360 nm excitation and 425 nm emission wavelengths. The method improved on the separation of neutral tetra- and hexa-saccharide isomers, namely, lacto-N-tetraose (LNT) and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) as well as of lacto-N-difucohexaose I (LNDFH I) and lacto-N-difucohexaose II (LNDFH II). The separation of trisacccharide isomers, 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL) and 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL) was also successful. Limits of detection and quantification were in the range of 1–10 ng/l and 2–30 ng/l, respectively. The methods’ accuracy was good with its precision at <20% RSD and <1% RSD, respectively, for oligosaccharide concentration and retention time. The recoveries were in the range of 80–100%. This method was successfully applied to the separation and determination of representative neutral oligosaccharide contents in Samoa women milk.     

Electronic Transitions in Conformationally Controlled Peralkylated Hexasilanes

The photophysical properties of oligosilanes show unique conformational dependence due to σ‐electron delocalization. The excited states of the SAS, AAS, and AEA conformations of peralkylated n‐hexasilanes, in which the SiSiSiSi dihedral angles are controlled into a syn (S), anti (A), or eclipsed (E) conformation, were investigated by using UV absorption, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and linear dichroism spectroscopy. Simultaneous Gaussian fitting of all three spectra identified a minimal set of transitions and the wavenumbers, oscillator strengths, and MCD B terms in all three compounds. The results compare well with those obtained by using the symmetry‐adapted‐cluster configuration interaction method and almost as well with those obtained by time‐dependent density functional theory with the PBE0 functional. The conformational dependence of the transition energies and other properties of free‐chain permethylated n‐hexasilane, n‐Si₆Me₁₄, was also examined as a function of dihedral angles, and the striking effects found were attributed to avoided crossings between configurations of σσ* and σπ* character.     

Synthesis and lyotropic liquid crystal properties of chiral helical polycarbodiimides

Chiral helical polymers have been expected to exhibit optical activity with a significantly large optical rotation power. In this paper polymethylphenylethylcarbodiimides (Poly-PhEMCDI) with helical structure were synthesized by the insertion polymerization of a corresponding chiral monomeric carbodiimide initiated by a copper complex. The circular dichroism spectra and optical rotation power induced by the ordered rigid main chain helical structure of polycarbodiimides, in solution and as cast films, were studied. Polycarbodiimides have a rigid rod helical structure and form lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) in organic solvents such as dichloromethane (DCM), chloroform and THF. The LLC phase was studied using polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. A chiral nematic phase was formed in DCM and chloroform in the concentration range 20–36%. Spherulites were formed in more concentrated solution. The formation of a LLC phase in polycarbodiimides organic solutions makes it possible to align the polymer helical chain to form an ordered film for electro-optical applications.     

New aplysiatoxin derivatives from the Okinawan cyanobacterium Moorea producens

The marine cyanobacterium Moorea producens is a rich source of diverse compounds that possess a variety of biological activities. In the present study, eight new aplysiatoxin derivatives, namely 6, 8–13, and 15, along with aplysiatoxin (1), debromoaplysiatoxin (2), 3-methoxyaplysiatoxin (3), anhydroaplysiatoxin (4), anhydrodebromoaplysiatoxin (5), oscillatoxin B2 (7), and 30-methyloscillatoxin D (14) were isolated and identified from the Okinawan M. producens. In cytotoxicity and diatom growth inhibition tests, the fifteen compounds tested (1–15) showed moderate or no activity at a concentration of 10?μg/mL.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and thermoelectric properties of a new carbide Zr2[Al3.56Si0.44]C5

A new quaternary layered carbide, Zr₂[Al_3.56Si_0.44]C₅, has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and thermopower and electrical conductivity measurements. The crystal structure was successfully determined using direct methods, and further refined by the Rietveld method. The crystal is trigonal (space group R3m, Z=3) with lattice dimensions of a=0.331059(5), c=4.09450(5) nm and V=0.38864(1) nm³. The final reliability indices calculated from the Rietveld refinement were R_wp=6.24%, R_p=4.21% and R_B=0.82%. The crystal structure is composed of electroconductive NaCl-type ZrC slabs separated by Al₄C₃-type [Al_3.56Si_0.44]C₃ layers. This material had thermoelectric properties superior to those of the ternary layered carbides Zr₂Al₃C₄ and Zr₃Al₃C₅, with the power factor reaching 7.6×10⁻⁵W m⁻¹ K⁻².     

Asymmetric construction of quaternary carbon stereocenter by Pd-hemilabile ligand-catalyzed allylic substitution

The catalyst comprised [PdCl(η³-C₃H₅)]₂ and a simple chiral hemilabile ferrocene ligand, 1′,2-bis(diphenylphosphinoethyl)ferrocenyl alcohol, provides synthetically acceptable results for an enantioselective Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation of cyclohexanone derivatives bearing an electron-withdrawing group at the α-position to form the quaternary carbon with up to 90% enantioselectivity under mild reaction conditions.     

Total synthesis of borrelidin

The total synthesis of borrelidin has been achieved. The best feature of our synthetic route is macrocyclization at C11-C12 for the construction of an 18-membered ring after esterification between two segments. A detailed examination of the macrocyclization led us to the samarium(II) iodide-mediated intramolecular Reformatsky-type reaction as the most efficient synthetic approach. The two key segments were synthesized through regioselective methylation, directed hydrogenation, stereoselective Reformatsky-type reaction, and MgBr2.Et2O-mediated chelation-controlled allylation.