Enantioselective synthesis of bicyclo[6.1.0]nonane-9-carboxylic acids via Me2AlOTf-promoted intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation of arenes with the gamma-lactone moiety of 3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-ones

A strategy to rapidly assemble enantiomerically pure bicyclo[6.1.0]nonane-9-carboxylic acids via Me2AlOTf-promoted intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation of tethered pi-nucleophiles with the gamma-lactone moiety of 3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-ones is described. The approach begins with the enantioselective synthesis of 3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-ones bearing a tethered pi-nucleophile at the 6-position by intramolecular Rh(II)-catalyzed cyclopropanation of allylic diazoacetates, prepared from the corresponding (Z)-allylic alcohols. Me2AlOTf-induced intramolecular Friedel-Crafts cyclization provides medium-sized carbocycles and heterocycles in high yields without requiring high-dilution or slow substrate addition techniques. The scope and limitations of this synthetic methodology are presented.     

Small molecule inhibitors of bacterial quorum sensing and biofilm formation

Bacteria monitor their local population densities using small molecules (or autoinducers) in a process known as quorum sensing. Here, we report a new and efficient synthetic route to naturally occurring bacterial autoinducers [N-acyl l-homoserine lactones (AHLs)] that is readily amenable to the synthesis of analogues. This route has been applied in the first synthesis of a library of non-native AHLs. Evaluation of these compounds in bacterial reporter gene and biofilm assays has revealed a potent set of quorum sensing antagonists. These ligands will serve as valuable new tools to explore the role of quorum sensing in bacterial pathogenesis.     

The rapid differentiation of Streptomyces isolates using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Fifteen putative Streptomyces spp. isolated from soil were selected to be analysed using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Four colour groupings (groups 1–4) were obtained and described according to the colour of their substrate mycelia, aerial mycelia, spore mass and pigmentation. The dendrogram constructed using unsupervised cluster analysis of the FT-IR data was in good congruence with the four colour groups and the neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree for 16S rDNA sequencing. In particular, those isolates having 100% 16S rDNA similarities which are supposed to be from the same species can be separated from each other using FT-IR analysis. This high throughput method only takes 1–10 s to collect a FT-IR spectrum from each sample, and both 96- and 384-well microplates are available for automated analysis. FT-IR therefore presents itself as a rapid, whole-organism fingerprinting approach which can be used for preliminary differentiation of Streptomyces spp. at sub-species or strain level.     

Aberrant expression of signaling-related proteins 14-3-3 gamma and RACK1 in fetal Down syndrome brain (trisomy 21)

Although Down Syndrome (DS, trisomy 21) is the most frequent isolated cause of mental retardation, information on brain protein expression and in particular protein expression of signaling-related proteins is limited. Impaired signaling in DS involving different signaling systems has been proposed and the availability of fetal brain along with recent proteome technologies unambiguously identifying individual brain proteins made us study individual signaling factors in the brain. We studied fetal brain cortex of controls (n = 7) and DS (n = 9) from early second trimester of gestation by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with subsequent matrix-assisted laser/desorption ionization (MALDI) identification followed by quantification with specific software. Four 14-3-3 protein isoforms, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1, receptor for activited kinase 1 (RACK1), constitutive photomorphogenesis (COP9) complex subunit 4 and cAMP-dependent protein kinase type II have been identified. Quantification showed that protein 14-3-3 gamma (means +/- standard deviation of controls: 10.18+/-2.30 and of DS 4.20+/-1.19) and two spots assigned to RACK1 (controls spot 1: 4.15+/-2.45 and DS 1.95+/-0.93; controls spot 2: 5.08+/-2.4 vs. DS: 2.56+/-1.19) were significantly decreased in DS cortex. Reduced 14-3-3 gamma may represent impaired neuronal differentiation, synaptic plasticity and impaired signaling by PKC and Raf while decreased RACK1 (anchoring protein receptor for activated C-kinase) may reflect or generate deranged beta-II- protein kinease C (PKC) function with the putative biological meaning of aberrant migration and neuritic outgrowth in DS early in life.     

Hydration with mercuric acetate and the reduction with 9-BBN-H of 2-(1-alkenyl)-4,6-dimethyl-s-triazines

Oxymercuration-demercuration of a double bond in conjugation with the 4,6-dimethyl-s-triazin-2-yl substituent as in alkenes 1a,b gave anti-Markovnikov regioselectivity, which is explained by the electron-withdrawing nature of the triazinyl substituent. However, hydroboration of the conjugated alkenes with 9-BBN-H gave the corresponding alkanes 5a-c under normal workup conditions with or without oxidation. With time and without workup the hydroboration of 1b gave spectral evidence for the formation of intermediates 9-13 resulting from the migration of the 9-BBN moiety from the alpha-carbon to a ring nitrogen with concurrent formation of an exocyclic double bond to an alpha-carbon of the ring. Hydrolysis of the intermediates gave 5a-c. A possible mechanism involving successive allylic rearrangements is presented.     

A mild thermal and acid-catalyzed rearrangement of O-aryl ethers into ortho-hydroxy arenes

[reaction: see text] An unusual rearrangement of an O-aryl ether to an ortho-hydroxyaryl system was discovered during our studies on the synthesis of diazonamide A. We discuss the exploration of this rearrangement under mild thermal and both Br?nsted and Lewis acid-catalyzed conditions.     

Basis set superposition error in MP2 and density-functional theory: a case of methane-nitric oxide association

A systematic study of basis set superposition error (BSSE) behavior in H(3)C-H[ellipsis (horizontal)][NO] complexes for both -H...N- and -H...O- orientations were carried out using MP2 and density-functional theory with Pople's [6-31G(d,p),6-311++G(nd,nd), where n=1,2,3, and 6-311++G(3df,3pd)] and Dunning's augmented correlation consistent basis sets [aug-cc-pVXZ (X=D and T)]. Corrected and uncorrected counterpoise potential-energy surfaces (PESs) were explored and differences obtained between them indicate that reliable optimizations of these molecular interactions must be carried out in a PES free of BSSE, even in the case of large basis sets and popularly used functionals such as B3LYP. Although all basis used could be always considered within a margin of approximation for representing molecular orbitals and show important values of BSSE, 6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set shows the best results in uncorrected PES with respect to the corrected ones. B3LYP functional produces erratic results: complexes appear repulsive and the intermolecular distances are always large, evidencing the lack of a correct dispersive forces treatment in the original parameterization. According to the MP2 results, the -H...N- interactions appear as slightly more stable than those of the -H...O- orientation.