Synthesis of cryptophycins via an N-acyl-beta-lactam macrolactonization

An efficient and concise approach to the synthesis of the macrolide core of the cryptophycins has been developed. A novel macrolactonization utilizing a reactive acyl-beta-lactam intermediate incorporates the beta-amino acid moiety within the 16-membered macrolide core. This modular approach, involving a cyanide-initiated acyl-beta-lactam ring opening followed by cyclization, was successfully applied to the total synthesis of cryptophycin-24. The strategy was also used in an efficient synthesis of the 6,6-dimethyl-substituted dechlorocryptophycin-52. In this case, the cyanide-initiated ring opening of the bis-substituted 2-azetidinone followed by macrolactonization was achieved through a catalytic process.     

A novel three-component reaction for the diastereoselective synthesis of 2H-pyrimido[2,1-a]isoquinolines via 1,4-dipolar cycloaddition

[reaction: see text] The 1,4-dipole derived from isoquinoline and DMAD has been shown to react readily with N-tosylimines resulting in the diastereoselective synthesis of 2H-pyrimido[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives.     

Determination of Natural Vitamin E from Italian Hazelnut Leaves

A new potential source of natural vitamin E from thirteen samples of Corylus avellana L. leaves was screened: the major Italian cultivar — Tonda romana (collected from Latium and Sardinia localities); ten local genotypes from Sardinia — Moro seme, Suconcale, Moro, Sarda grossa, Sarda grossa seme, Sarda schiacciata, Coccoredda, Sarda lunga, Sarda piccola and Sarda tardiva; wild genotype — Selvatico from Latium. The determination was performed after optimizing the high-efficiency pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) conditions of α-tocopherol from Italian hazelnut tree green leaves. Moro from Sardinia showed the highest content of α-tocopherol (237.4±0.3 μg/g d.w). Leaves of this genotype may be considered as a potential new source for natural α-tocopherol. __________ Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 538–540, November–December, 2005.     

Cumulative yields of the short-lived ruthenium isotopes in the spontaneous fission of252Cf

⁶⁷Ga is produced by the⁶⁶Zn(d,n) reaction at 9 MeV bombarding energy. Deuterons of about 30 A obtained from the T-11 Tandem accelerator are used to bombard targets of natural Zinc prepared by electroplating onto thick copper disks. Radiochemical separation of gallium is performed by using a cation exchange column. The optimum conditions for an efficient separation are given in detail.     

Thermogravimetric analysis of PVC/ELNR blends

The thermal behaviour of a series of solution-cast blends of polyvinyl chloride/epoxidised liquid natural rubber (ELNR) of different mole percentage of epoxidation has been examined using thermogravimetric analysis. Thermal degradation is found to occur through a two-step route in which the first step corresponds to the dehydrochlorination of PVC to form a polyene and the second step is attributed to the decomposition of the ELNR and the polyene. Introduction of 20 and 50 mol% of epoxy group into the liquid NR is found to enhance the thermal stability of PVC. Probable mechanisms of degradation have been suggested on the basis of the kinetic analysis of the degradation studies. It is found that the mechanism is influenced by the epoxy content of the blend system. Activation energy for the degradation and the entropy change have also been reported.     

Di(2-ethyl hexyl) butyramide and di(2-ethyl hexyl)isobutyramide as extractants for uranium(VI) and plutonium(IV)

The extraction of uranium(VI) and plutonium(IV) from nitric acid into n-dodecane was studied using two isomeric branched alkyl amides, di(2-ethyl hexyl) butyramide (DEHBA) and di(2-ethyl hexyl) isobutyramide (DEHIBA). The extraction ratios of Pu(IV) at relatively high acidities were higher than the corresponding values for U(VI) in the case of DEHBA. However, with DEHIBA the values for Pu(IV) were negligibly small. Pu(IV) was found to be extracted as trisolvate by DEHBA and as disolvate by DEHIBA. U(VI) was extracted by both the amides. From the study of the extraction reactions at different temperatures, it was shown that all the reactions in the present investigation were enthalpy favoured and entropy disfavoured. Separation of Pu(IV) from bulk of U(VI) was feasible. However, the purity of the separated plutonium was not satisfactory in batch extraction studies.     

Structures of Addition Products of Acetylenedicarboxylic Acid Esters with Various Dinucleophiles. An application of C,H-spin-coupling constants

Heterocyclic compounds obtained by addition of acetylenedicarboxylic acid esters to thioureas, cyclic amidines and o-difunctionalized aromatic systems have been studied by ¹³C-NMR. In particular, C, H-spin-coupling constants over two and three bonds were used to differentiate between the various constitutional isomers and to establish the configuration of trisubstituted exocyclic C, C-double bonds. The configurational significance and diagnostic value of vicinal cis and trans C,H-spin coupling is again demonstrated in the present series.     

Synthesis,crystal structure and reactivity of trans-diaquo N,N′-ethylenebis-(3-methoxysalicylideneiminato)chromium(III)

A new chromium(III) Schiff base complex, [Cr(3-methoxysalen)(H₂O)₂]ClO₄, where salen=N,N-ethylenebis- (salicylideneimine), has been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. Single crystal X-ray data reveals that the complex assumes a trans-diaquo structure with formulation [Cr(C₁₈H₂₂N₂O₆)]ClO₄ but, unlike in Cr (salen)(H₂O)₂ ⁺, the two trans-water molecules are equidistant from Cr^III. The effect of the substituent on the phenyl ring in respect of redox reactivity has been investigated. The kinetics of the oxidation of [Cr(Schiff base)- (H₂O)₂]ClO₄, where Schiff base=salen, (1) and 3-OMe-salen, (2) by PhOI has been studied. The bimolecular rate constant for the formation of the O=Cr^v Schiff base in case of (2) was four times faster than that of (1). The introduction of the OMe group substituent on the phenyl ring influences not only the structure and crystal packing, but also the reactivity of the complex and the electronic environment around the metal ion.     

Reversed-phase partition chromatographic separations with 2-ethylhexyl dihydrogen phosphate and di-2-ethylhexyl hydrogen phosphate

Di-2-ethylhexyl hydrogen phosphate (HDEHP) and 2-ethylhexyl dihydrogen phosphate (H(2)MEHP) are compared as stationary phases in reversed-phase chromatography of selected lanthanides, strontium, yttrium, barium, manganese(II), iron(III), cobalt(II), nickel, gold(III), platinum(IV), palladium(II) and silver. Chromatograms were mainly developed with hydrochloric acid at various concentrations. In general H(2)MEHP was found to be less satisfactory than HDEHP. Development of chromatograms by dilute aqueous electrolytes on paper is slower and separations of chemically similar metals such as lanthanides is not encouraging. However, movement of lanthanides by EDTA at pH 3 in an aqueous sodium perchlorate medium occurs only on H(2)MEHP-treated paper. Good separations of iron(III) and cobalt(II) are possible on paper treated with either ester, and gold(III) and platinum(IV) are separated on HDEHP-impregnated paper. Column methods for the separation of carrier-free gold-199 and iron-59 from macro-amounts of neutron-irradiated platinum and cobalt, respectively, have been developed.     

Blood protein purification and simultaneous removal of nonenveloped viruses using tangential-flow preparative electrophoresis

Gradiflow is new technology allowing purification of important blood proteins from viral contaminated plasma. Protein purification is based on unique scalable tangential-flow preparative electrophoresis, and is distinct from current technology because protein purification and virus removal are performed in the same step. This one-step removal and purification exploits both the size and charge of target proteins. The medically important blood proteins, immunoglobulin G (IgG) and alpha-1-antitrypsin, were chosen to demonstrate the ability of this process to purify proteins from contaminated plasma. Clearance factors achieved by infectivity assays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that meet regulatory requirements demonstrated removal of canine parvovirus (CPV). CPV is a model virus for pathogenic nonenveloped viruses, including parvovirus B19, not adequately removed or inactivated by most processes currently in practice. The recovery of proteins from plasma with high purity, recovery, and function, while simultaneously removing viruses, provides blood products with a level of purity compatible with clinical use more quickly and cheaply than available techniques.