Synthesis of migrastatin and its macrolide core

Migrastatin and its macrolactone subunit are potent antimetastatic agents. Both were synthesized by using a ring-closing metathesis (RCM) to establish the macrolactone core, and the control of the (Z)-trisubstituted double bond at C11-C12 was achieved by using a Still-Gennari olefination.     

New Monofunctionalized Fluorescein Derivatives for the Efficient High‐Throughput Screening of Lipases and Esterases in Aqueous Media

Monoalkylation or acylation of fluorescein ( 1 ) with various acyloxymethyl or acyl halides afforded, respectively, a series of ether‐ ( 2 ) and ester‐functionalized ( 3 ) fluorogenic probes. The highly reactive and water‐soluble substrates release fluorescein ( 1 ) upon reaction with lipases and esterases within seconds or minutes, both under fully aqueous conditions or in the presence of DMSO (20%) as a co‐solvent. The most‐reactive substrates in the two series were the octanoic acid derivatives 2f (= 2‐{6‐[(octanoyloxy)methoxy]‐3‐oxo‐3H‐xanthen‐9‐yl}benzoic acid) and 3a (= 2‐[6‐(octanoyloxy)‐3‐oxo‐3H‐xanthen‐9‐yl]benzoic acid). Esterases were found to generally react faster under aqueous conditions, while lipases were more reactive in the presence of DMSO as a co‐solvent.     

A catalytic antibody against a tocopherol cyclase inhibitor

The cyclic ammonium cation 5 and its guanidinium analogue 4 are inhibitors of tocopherol cyclase. Monoclonal antibodies were raised against protein conjugates of the haptens 1-3 and screened for catalytic reactions with alkene 8, a short chain analogue of the natural substrate phytyl-hydroquinone 6, and its enol ether analogues 10a,b. Antibody 16E7 raised against hapten 3 was found to catalyze the hydrolysis of Z enol ether 10a to form hemiacetal 12 with an apparent rate acceleration of k(cat)/k(uncat)=1400. Antibody 16E7 also catalyzed the elimination of Kemp's benzisoxazole 59. The absence of cyclization in the reaction of enol ether 10a was attributed to the competition of water molecules for the oxocarbonium cation intermediate within the antibody binding pocket. Hapten and reaction design features contributing to this outcome are discussed. Antibody 16E7 provides the first example of a carboxyl group acting both as an acid in an intrinsically acid-catalyzed process and as a base in an intrinsically base-catalyzed process, as expected from first principles. In contrast to the many examples of general-acid-catalyzed processes known to be catalyzed by catalytic antibodies, the specific-acid-catalyzed cyclization of phytyl-hydroquinone 6 or its analogue 8 still eludes antibody catalysis.     

Texture modifications of silica-alumina gels by microwave drying

The porous texture of silica-alumina hydrogel can be taylored by controlling the operating parameters of the preparation process. As the drying drastically modifies the texture it is important to minimize pore volume and radius decreases. Owing to a low drying temperature microwave heating coupled with convective drying could be a way to preserve the hydrogel texture. Its effects have been studied and it appears that the characteristics of the air flow are the main parameters of this drying mode which does not present decisive advantages as compared with other drying modes.     

Prebiotic carbohydrate synthesis: zinc-proline catalyzes direct aqueous aldol reactions of alpha-hydroxy aldehydes and ketones

Zn-proline catalyzed aldolisation of glycoladehyde gave mainly tetroses whereas in the cross-aldolisation of glycoladehyde and rac-glyceraldehyde, pentoses accounted for 60% of the sugars formed with 20% of ribose.