Determination of the antifungal agent voriconazole in human plasma using a simple column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A simple column-switching high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method that does not require any complicated pretreatment has been developed to determine voriconazole in human plasma samples. An internal standard (IS) and borate buffer (pH 9.0) were added to plasma samples, which were then injected directly into the column-switching HPLC system using MAYI-ODS as a pre-column. The calibration curve for voriconazole showed good linearity in the range of 0.2-10 mug/ml in human plasma. The mean RSD (%) value of intra-day (n=6) and inter-day (n=5) precision were less than 5.4% and 8.2%, respectively. This system could make more than three hundred successive, accurate measurements when a washing step with ammonium acetate solution was added. This method was successfully applied to measure the therapeutic voriconazole level in patients' plasma, and was used in a study of voriconazole pharmacokinetics after oral administration.     

Asymmetric Cyclizative Dimerization of (ortho-Alkynyl Phenyl) (Methoxymethyl) Sulfides with Palladium(II) Bisoxazoline Catalyst

The first example of an asymmetric cyclization–dimerization of (ortho-alkynyl phenyl) (methoxymethyl) sulfides with a palladium(II) bisoxazoline (box) catalyst has been developed. The box ligand enhances the alkynophilicity of benzothienyl palladium(II) intermediate A and thus promotes coordination of the second alkyne substrate, leading to the dimerization. The characteristic properties of the box ligand were supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the intermediate. Axially chiral bibenzothiophenes were obtained in good yields with good enantioselectivities.     

Samarium(II) dibromide-promoted selective deprotection of a benzoyl protective group

The selective deprotection of a benzoyl group was very important methodology in the field of organic synthesis. Various methods for debenzoylation were investigated and developed in the past six decades, but more useful and selective strategies are now being strongly desired. In response to this strong demand, we developed the novel and selective deprotection of a benzoyl group by use of samarium(II) dibromide and a proton source. This deprotective reaction proceeded smoothly and the desired compound was obtained in good to excellent yields. In this paper, we will report the details of this deprotective reaction.     

Synthesis and structural analysis of conjugated benzoxazaborine derivatives

Benzoxazaborine derivatives were synthesized by the dehydration condensation reaction of 2-aminobenzyl alcohols with arylboronic acids. The insensitivity of the benzoxazaborines to hydrolysis allowed these compounds to be isolated by silica gel column chromatography. The single crystal X-ray structural analysis demonstrated the highly planar structure of the benzoxazaborine unit, and the BN bond length indicated an extended π-conjugated system.     

Membrane properties of binary and ternary systems of ganglioside GM1/dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine/dioleoylphosphatidylcholine

The membrane properties of the ganglioside GM1 (GM1)/dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) binary system and GM1/dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC)/DOPC ternary system were investigated using surface pressure measurements and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the effect of surface pressure on the properties of the membranes was examined. Mixed GM1/DPPC/DOPC monolayers were deposited on mica using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique for AFM. GM1 and DOPC were immiscible and phase-separated. The AFM image of the GM1/DOPC (1:1) monolayer showed island-like GM1 domains embedded in the DOPC matrix. There was no morphological change on varying surface pressure. The surface pressure-area isotherm of the GM1/DPPC/DOPC (2:9:9) monolayer showed a two-step collapse as in the DPPC/DOPC (1:1) monolayer. The AFM image for the GM1/DPPC/DOPC monolayer showed DPPC and GM1 domains in the DOPC matrix, and the DPPC-rich phase containing GM1 showed a percolation pattern the same as the GM1/DPPC (1:9) monolayer. The percolation pattern in the GM1/DPPC/DOPC monolayer changed as the surface pressure was varied. The surface pressure-responsive change in morphology of GM1 was affected by the surrounding environment, suggesting that the GM1 localized in each organ has a specific role.     

2H NMR study of phase transition and hydrogen dynamics in hydrogen bonded organic antiferroelectric 55DMBP-H2ca

Hydrogen dynamics in one-dimensional hydrogen bonded organic antiferroelectric, co-crystal of 5,5’-dimethyl-2,2’-bipyridine (55DMBP) and chloranilic acid (H₂ca), was investigated by use of ²H high resolution solid-state NMR. The two types of hydrogen bonds O-H …N and N⁺-H …O^? in the antiferroelectric phase were clearly observed as the splitting of the side band of the ²H MAS NMR spectra of the acid-proton deuterated compound 55DMBP-D ₂ca. The temperature dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation time was measured of the N⁺-H and O-H deuterons, respectively. It was suggested that the motion of the O-H deuteron is already in the antiferroelectric phase in the fast-motion regime in the NMR time scale, while that of the N⁺-H deuteron is a slow motion. In the high-temperature paraelectric phase, the both deuterons become equivalent and the fast motion of the deuterons in the NMR time scale is taking place with the activation energy of 7.9 kJ mol^?1.     

Encapsulation of anion/cation in the central cavity of tetrameric polyoxometalate, composed of four trititanium(IV)-substituted α-Dawson subunits, initiated by protonation/deprotonation of the bridging oxygen atoms on the intramolecular surface

Preparation and structural characterization of a novel polyoxometalate (POM), [(P(2)W(15)Ti(3)O(60.5))(4)(NH(4))](35-) 1, i.e., an encapsulated NH(4)(+) cation species in the central cavity of a tetramer (called the Dawson tetramer) constituted by trititanium(IV)-substituted α-Dawson POM substructure, are described. POM 1 was synthesized by several different methods and unequivocally characterized by complete elemental analysis, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), FTIR spectroscopy, solution ((15)N{(1)H}, (31)P, (183)W) NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. First, POM 1 was synthesized by a reaction of NH(4)Cl in aqueous solution with a precursor, which was derived by thermal treatment of a monomeric triperoxotitanium(IV)-substituted Dawson POM, [α-1,2,3-P(2)W(15)(TiO(2))(3)O(56)(OH)(3)](9-) 2, for 3 h in an electric furnace at 200 °C. The encapsulated NH(4)(+) cation in 1 was confirmed by (15)N{(1)H} NMR measurement and X-ray crystallography. As another synthesis of 1, a direct exchange of the Cl(-) anion encapsulated in [{α-1,2,3-P(2)W(15)Ti(3)O(57.5)(OH)(3)}(4)Cl](25-) 3 with the NH(4)(+) cation was attained by neutralizing an aqueous solution containing 3 with the addition of aqueous NH(3) (the initial pH of ca. 2-2.5 was changed to 6.4), followed by adding NH(4)Cl. It has been clarified that the conditions as to whether the anion or the cation is encapsulated in the central cavity of the Dawson tetramer were significantly related to the protonation/deprotonation of the bridging oxygen atoms on the intramolecular surface, Ti-O-Ti/Ti-OH-Ti sites constituting the Dawson subunits.     

Membrane properties of mixed ganglioside GM1/phosphatidylcholine monolayers

The interaction between ganglioside G_M1 (GM1) and --dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) in mixed monolayers was investigated using surface pressure measurements and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the effects of GM1, surface pressure and temperature on the properties of the membranes were examined. Mixed GM1/DPPC monolayers were deposited on mica using the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) technique for AFM. GM1 and DPPC were miscible below the 0.2 mole fraction of GM1 and there was attractive interaction between GM1 and DPPC. The AFM images for the GM1/DPPC monolayers (X_GM1 < 0.2) at 30 mN m⁻¹ and 25 °C indicated a percolation pattern which means a micro phase separation: namely, the mixed film composed of GM1 and DPPC phase-separated from the DPPC liquid-condensed film. The AFM images for the mixed monolayers at 33 mN m⁻¹ indicated a specific morphology when the surface pressure was varied from 30 to 40 mN m⁻¹. The percolation pattern in the AFM image at 25 °C came to be destroyed with increasing temperature and completely disappeared at 45 °C. The change in the morphology of mixed GM1/DPPC monolayers on varying the surface pressure and temperature is thought to be related to signal transduction and a preventive mechanism against viral infections in the human body.     

Direct profiling of the phospholipid composition of adult <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caenorhabditis elegans</Emphasis> using whole-body imaging mass spectrometry

A protocol for the direct analysis of the phospholipid composition in the whole body of adult soil nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), was developed, which combined freeze-cracking of the exoskeletal cuticle and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS). Biomolecules in the m/z range from 700 to 900 were more effectively detected in the freeze-cracked than from simple frozen adult nematode bodies. Different distribution of biomolecules was observed in a nematode body when the matrix was applied with a sublimation deposition method. The whole-body IMS technique was applied on genetically deficient mutant C. elegans to combine whole-body lipidomics and genetics, by comparing the fatty acid compositions, especially of the phosphatidylcholine (PC) species, between the wild-type and fat-1 mutants, which lack the gene encoding an n-3 fatty acid desaturase. A significant reduction of PC(20:5/20:5) and PC(20:4/20:5) and a marked increase of PC(20:4/20:4), PC(20:3/20:4), and PC(20:3/20:3) were detected in the fat-1 mutants in positive ion mode. In addition, phospholipid compositions other than PCs were analyzed in negative ion mode. A loss of a possible phosphatidylinositol (PI) with 18:0/20:5 and a compensative accumulation of putative PI(18:0/20:4) were detected in the fat-1 mutants. In conclusion, the whole-body MALDI-IMS technique is useful for the profiling of multiple biomolecules in C. elegans in both intra- and inter-individual levels.