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.     

Co-activation of Gi and Gq proteins exerts synergistic effect on human platelet aggregation through activation of phospholipase C and Ca2+ signalling pathways

Our previous studies have shown that subthreshold concentrations of two platelet agonists exert synergistic effects on platelet aggregation. Here we studied the mechanism of synergistic interaction of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and epinephrine mediated platelet aggregation. We show that 5-HT had no or little effect on aggregation but it did potentiate the aggregation response of epinephrine. The synergistic interaction of 5-HT (1-5 microM) and epinephrine (0.5-2 microM) was inhibited by alpha2-adrenoceptor blocker (yohimbine; IC50= 0.4 microM), calcium channel blockers (verapamil and diltiazem with IC50 of 10 and 48 mM, respectively), PLC inhibitor (U73122; IC50=6 microM) and nitric oxide (NO) donor, SNAP (IC50=1.6 microM)). The data suggest that synergistic effects of platelet agonists are receptor-mediated and occur through multiple signalling pathways including the activation PLC/Ca2+ signalling cascades.     

Crystal structure of koraiol — A sesquiterpene alcohol with a new type of carbon skeleton from the oleoresin ofPinus koraiensis

An x-ray structural investigation has been made of a new sesquiterpene alcohol — koraiol — in the form of its complex with pyridine (2:1). The cyclobutane rings are nonplanar and the foldings of rings A and B amount to 17 and 31°, respectively. The seven-membered ring has the chair form.     

Depolymerization Study of Pakistani Lignite Coal Influence of Pre‐treatments on Product Slate

Influence of pretreatments, i.e., demineralization and pre‐soaking in some solvents on the yields of liquefied products obtained from hydro‐depolymerization of Pakistani coal in a pool of hydrogen has been discussed. Results of hydrogenation experiments demonstrated that demineralizing the coal sample prior to liquefaction caused the yields to decrease compared with the virgin coal samples. The contribution of mineral matter of coal has been evaluated by comparing the yields of liquid products of virgin and leached samples. Increase in the yields obtained from the hydrogenation experiments of swollen coal samples was not satisfactorily significant.     

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.     

Thermodynamic dissociation constants of salicylic and monochloroacetic acids in mixed solvent systems from conductance measurements at 25°C

The molar conductances of dilute solutions of salicylic and monochloroacetic acids in binary mixtures of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, N,N-dimethylformamide, acetone, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran and dioxane with water have been measured at 25°C. The Lee-Wheaton conductance equation was fitted to the data in order to derive thermodynamic dissociation constants and limiting molar conductances. The results were compared with those in the literature pertaining to analogous media, mostly derived potentiometrically. The findings are interpreted in terms of a solvent effect on the ionization of these acids in mixed solvent systems.This paper is dedicated to the late Professor Raymond M. Fuoss on his 3^rd anniversary.     

Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Activity of n-Tributyltin Derivatives of Pharmaceutically Active Carboxylates

Summary.  Tributyltin(IV) derivatives of six different pharmaceutically active carboxylates were synthesized. The complexes were characterized by different analytical techniques (elemental analysis; infrared, NMR, and mass spectroscopy). ¹¹⁹Sn NMR data were also recorded in six different coordinating and non-coordinating solvents. The antibacterial activities of the compounds were tested using ten different bacteria relative to the reference drugs ampicillin and cephalexin. Received September 20, 2001. Accepted (revised) December 6, 2001     

Oxidation with permanganate in presence of fluoride potentiometric determination of manganese(II)

The effects of acidity, fluoride concentration, temperature and concentration of manganese in the reaction between KMnO(4) and Mn(II) were studied potentiometrically. The rate of reaction is increased by increasing the fluoride concentration and/or decreasing the acidity of the solution. The formal redox potentials of the MnO(-)(4)/Mn(III) and the Mn(III)/Mn(II) systems were determined at different pH values. The E degrees values obtained by extrapolation to pH = 0 were 1.58 and 1.52 V respectively. The amount of Mn(II) determined was varied from 5 to 56 mg. The net reaction can be represented as MnO(-)(4) + 10HF(-)(2) + 4Mn(2+) right harpoon over left harpoon 5MnF(-)(4) + 2H(+) + 4H(2)O.     

Three new cholinesterase-inhibiting cis-clerodane diterpenoids from Otostegia limbata

Three new tricyclic cis-clerodane type diterpenoids trivially named as limbatolide A (1), limbatolide B (2) and limbatolide C (3) have been isolated from the roots of Otostegia limbata along with two known compounds; oleanic acid and beta-sitosterol. The structure elucidation of the new compounds was based primarily on two-dimensional (2D) NMR techniques. Compounds 1-3 displayed inhibitory potential in a concentration-dependent manner against acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE; EC 3.1.1.8) enzymes, respectively.     

One-step synthesis of N-alkyl-2-aryl-2-oxoacetamides and N,N-dialkyl-2-aryl-4H-1,3-benzodioxine-2,4-dicarboxamides

Alkyl isocyanides react with 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde or 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde to afford N-alkyl-2-aryl-2-oxoacetamides and N²,N⁴-dialkyl-2-aryl-4H-1,3-benzodioxine-2,4-dicarboxamides in nearly 1:1 ratios. Treatment of 2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanide with 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde affords only the 2-oxoacetamide derivative.