Preparation of 4-hydroxy-2-alkenenitriles from phrnylsulfinylacetonitrile with keetones or aldehydes,and its synthetic application to substituted furans

The reaction of phenylsulfinylacetonitrile 1 with ketones or aldehydes gave 4-hydroxy-2-alkenenitriles which were converted to 2- and/or 3-substituted furans by the treatment with diisobutylaluminumhydride(DIBAL) followed by acid hydrolysis.     

Intramolecular Aryl Migration from Tin to Carbon via a Radical Atom-Transfer Process

Triethylborane-induced intramolecular 1,4-aryl migration from tin to a carbon-centered radical is described. Treatment of 3-iodoalkyldimethylphenylstannanes with Et(3)B in benzene at reflux followed by an addition of MeMgI provides 3-phenylalkyltrimethylstannanes in good yield via a radical atom-transfer process.     

Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of a Multivalent Aminoglycoside

A polymeric aminoglycoside was prepared by a facile chemoenzymatic reaction. Boc‐protected aminoglycoside, amikacin, was chemoselectively esterified with divinyl sebacate at a hydroxyl group in the C6″ position by protease from Bacillus subtilis. The resulting 3,6′,3″,4?‐tetra‐N‐Boc‐6″‐O‐vinyl sebacate was copolymerized with maltitol 6‐vinyl sebacate to yield a polymeric amikacin. The polymeric amikacin showed a modest inhibitory effect on in vitro protein synthesis, and a little antibiotic activity in minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay in the presence of protease.

The synthesis of Boc‐protected amikacin ester by an enzyme‐catalyzed (protease) esterification.     

Isolation of peridinin-related norcarotenoids with cell growth-inhibitory activity from the cultured dinoflagellate of Symbiodinium sp., a symbiont of the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis,and analysis of fatty acids of the dinoflagellate

Two norcarotenoids, 1 and 2, related to peridinin (3) were isolated from the cultured dinoflagellate of the genus Symbiodinium, a symbiont of the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis, which contains in abundance antitumor marine prostanoids such as clavulones. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. These compounds showed significant growth-inhibitory activity in vitro toward cancer cells. Analysis of fatty acids of the dinoflagellate was also carried out, suggesting that the marine prostanoids are produced by the host soft coral itself.     

Synthesis of the serine equivalent, (2R) and (2S)-amino-3-butenol derivatives. Synthetic approaches to the metal chelating poly-amino acid, “aspergillomarasmine A”

Chiral synthons, equivalent to the C₃ amino acid serine, were synthesized in both (2$\text{R}$) and (2$\text{S}$) form from $\text{D}$ or $\text{L}$-methionine respectively; Utilization of this synthon in the construction of metal chelating poly-amino acid aspergillomarasminea A skeleton is presented.     

A C-13 and N-15 NMR study of the syn-anti-isomerism of diazocyanides

A ¹³C and ¹⁵N nmr study seriously questions conventional explanations for $\text{syn}$-$\text{anti}$-isomerism of the named compounds and suggests an alternative modelled after singly bend and doubly bend diazo complexes with transition metal ions.     

Determination of idebenone in rat serum and brain by high-performance liquid chromatography using platinum catalyst reduction and electrochemical detection.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of idebenone, a new cerebral metabolism-improving agent, in rat serum and brain has been developed. After separation of idebenone on a reversed-phase column, idebenone was reduced once in a platinum catalyst reduction column connected on-line, then monitored quantitatively by electrochemical detection. A linear relationship between the peak-height ratio of idebenone to the internal standard and idebenone concentration was observed in the range 0.015-50 ng with a detection limit of 5 pg (signal-to-noise ratio = 5). This method was satisfactorily rapid and sensitive, and was successfully applied to the determination of idebenone in rat serum and brain tissues.     

Viscosities of aqueous solutions of quaternary phosphonium bromides at 15, 25 and 35°C

The viscosities of aqueous solutions of Bu _4-n Ph _n PBr n=0–4 have been measured over the concentration range 0.01–0.2 M at 15, 25 and 35°C, to examine the differences in ion-water interactions of these quaternary cations. The viscosity data were treated by the extended Jones-Dole equation, including the square term in solute concentration, Dc². A decrease in the B coefficient with increase in the number of phenyl groups n, and with increasing temperature is observed. Nearly linear dependence of the B coefficient on n was found, in contrast with partial molal volumes for which non-linear relations with n have been found. D decreases with increasing temperature but becomes independent of n at higher temperatures.     

Temperature dependence of oxygen reduction activity at Pt-Fe, Pt-Co, and Pt-Ni alloy electrodes

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and H(2)O(2) formation at Pt(54)Fe(46), Pt(68)Co(32), and Pt(63)Ni(37) electrodes in 0.1 M HClO(4) solution at 20 to 90 degrees C were investigated by using a channel flow double electrode method. In the temperature range of 20-50 degrees C, the apparent rate constants k(app) for ORR at these electrodes were found to be 2.4-4.0 times larger than that at a pure Pt electrode, whereas their apparent activation energies of 41 kJ mol(-1) at -0.525 V vs E degrees (0.760 V vs RHE at 30 degrees C) were comparable to that at the Pt electrode. H(2)O(2) yield was ca. 1.0% at Pt(54)Fe(46) and ca. 0.16% at Pt(68)Co(32) and Pt(63)Ni(37) between 0.3 and 1.0 V vs RHE. The k(app) values at the alloy electrodes decreased with elevating temperature above 60 degrees C, and settled to almost the same values at the Pt electrode. The H(2)O(2) production was not detected at the alloy electrodes once heated at the high temperature in the solution, probably due to the thickening of the Pt skin-layer by a considerable dissolution of nonprecious metal components (Fe, Co, Ni) from the alloys.     

Isolation and structural determination of a mutagenic substance in creatine pyrolysate

The pyrolysis product of creatine showed potent mutagenic activity to Salmonella typhimurium TA98 with metabolic activation by S9 mix. One of the mutagenic substances in creatine pyrolysate was isolated and named Cre-P-1. Its structure was determined by X-ray crystallography to be 4-amino-1,6-dimethyl-2-methylamino-1H,6H-pyrrolo[3,4-f]benzimidazole- 5,7-dione. Cre-P-1 is the first registered mutagenic heterocyclic amine containing oxygen atoms in the molecule, that has been isolated from pyrolysis products.