Prolongation of life span of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) ingesting persimmon tannin

The effects of persimmon tannin on pathophysiological changes in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) were investigated. When the persimmon tannin was chronically ingested by SHRSP, the life span was significantly prolonged, yet the effect on blood pressure was slight. The incidences of brain hemorrhage and infarction were also significantly decreased by this treatment. To elucidate the mechanisms involved in these events, the effects of condensed tannins, including persimmon tannin, on free radicals and lipid peroxidation were examined in vitro. Using electron spin resonance analysis, we found that these tannins have a potent, concentration-dependent scavenging action toward active oxygen free radicals. These tannins strongly inhibited lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenates, in a concentration-dependent manner. Persimmon tannin inhibited lipid peroxidation similarly to (-)-epigallocatechin. Persimmon tannin was 20 times more effective than alpha-tocopherol in terms of the 50%-inhibitory concentration. The radical scavenging action and inhibition of lipid peroxidation by persimmon tannin may explain, in part, the prolongation of the life span of the SHRSP ingesting persimmon tannin.     

Determination of methylated arginines by column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection

A column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-fluorescence detection method for the determination of three methylated arginines, N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), N(G),N(G)-dimethyl-L-arginine (asymmetric dimethyl-L-arginine, ADMA), and N(G),N(G)'-dimethyl-L-arginine (symmetric dimethyl-L-arginine, SDMA), which are endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, was developed. After fluorescence derivatization of plasma samples with 4-fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-F), the samples were injected into the HPLC system. The NBD-derivatized methylated arginines were trapped on a cation exchange column with filter to remove proteins, separated within 42 min on a reversed-phase column, and detected at an emission wavelength of 530 nm with excitation at 470 nm. The detection limits were 10 fmol for L-NMMA and 20 fmol for ADMA and SDMA with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. A good linearity for calibration curves for each methylated arginine was observed within the range of 50-5000 fmol using homoarginine as an internal standard. The proposed method was applied to the quantitative determination of L-NMMA, ADMA and SDMA in rat plasma. The concentrations of L-NMMA, ADMA and SDMA in rat plasma were 0.16 +/- 0.01, 0.73 +/- 0.02 and 0.41 +/- 0.05 micromol l(-1), respectively (n= 5).     

Structural and Magnetic Study of N2, NO,NO2, and SO2 Adsorbed within a Flexible Single‐Crystal Adsorbent of [Rh2(bza)4(pyz)]n

The crystalline one‐dimensional compound, [Rh^II₂(bza)₄(pyz)]_n ( 1 ) (bza=benzoate, pyz=pyrazine) demonstrates gas adsorbency for N₂, NO, NO₂, and SO₂. These gas‐inclusion crystal structures were characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography as 1 ?1.5 N₂ (298 K), 1 ?2.5 N₂ (90 K), and 1 ?1.95 NO (90 K) under forcible adsorption conditions and 1 ?2 NO₂ (90 K) and 1 ?3 SO₂ (90 K) under ambient pressure. Crystal‐phase transition to the P space group that correlates with gas adsorption was observed under N₂, NO, and SO₂ conditions. The C2/c space group was observed under NO₂ conditions without phase transition. All adsorbed gases were stabilized by the host lattice. In the N₂, NO, and SO₂ inclusion crystals at 90 K, short interatomic distances within van der Waals contacts were found among the neighboring guest molecules along the channel. The adsorbed NO molecules generated the trans‐NO???NO associated dimer with short intermolecular contacts but without the conventional chemical bond. The magnetic susceptibility of the NO inclusion crystal indicated antiferromagnetic interaction between the NO molecules and paramagnetism arising from the NO monomer. The NO₂ inclusion crystal structure revealed that the gas molecules were adsorbed in the crystal in dimeric form, N₂O₄.     

Alcohol‐Vapor Inclusion in Single‐Crystal Adsorbents [MII2(bza)4(pyz)]n (M=Rh,Cu): Structural Study and Application to Separation Membranes

The vapor absorbency of the series of alcohols methanol, ethanol, 1‐propanol, 1‐butanol, and 1‐pentanol was characterized on the single‐crystal adsorbents [M^II₂(bza)₄(pyz)]_n (bza=benzoate, pyz=pyrazine, M=Rh ( 1 ), Cu ( 2 )). The crystal structures of all the alcohol inclusions were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography at 90 K. The crystal‐phase transition induced by guest adsorption occurred in the inclusion crystals except for 1‐propanol. A hydrogen‐bonded dimer of adsorbed alcohol was found in the methanol‐ and ethanol‐inclusion crystals, which is similar to a previous observation in 2 ?2EtOH (S. Takamizawa, T. Saito, T. Akatsuka, E. Nakata, Inorg. Chem. 2005 , 44, 1421–1424). In contrast, an isolated monomer was present in the channel for 1‐propanol, 1‐butanol, and 1‐pentanol inclusions. All adsorbed alcohols were stabilized by hydrophilic and/or hydrophobic interactions between host and guest. From the combined results of microscopic determination (crystal structure) and macroscopic observation (gas‐adsorption property), the observed transition induced by gas adsorption is explained by stepwise inclusion into the individual cavities, which is called the “step‐loading effect.” Alcohol/water separation was attempted by a pervaporation technique with microcrystals of 2 dispersed in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) membrane. In the alcohol/water separation, the membrane showed effective separation ability and gave separation factors (alcohol/water) of 5.6 and 4.7 for methanol and ethanol at room temperature, respectively.     

A redox-active ionic liquid manifesting charge-transfer interaction between a viologen and carbazole and its effect on the viscosity,ionic conductivity,and redox process of the viologen

Redox-active ionic liquids (RAILs) are gaining attention as a material that can create a wide range of functions. We herein propose a charge-transfer (CT) RAIL by mixing two RAILs, specifically a carbazole-based ionic liquid ([CzC₄ImC₁][TFSI]) as a donor and a viologen-based ionic liquid ([C₄VC₇][TFSI]₂) as an acceptor. We investigated the effect of CT interaction on the physicochemical properties of the CT ionic liquid (CT-IL) using the results of temperature-dependent measurements of UV-vis absorption, viscosity, and ionic conductivity as well as cyclic voltammograms. We employed the Walden analysis and the Grunberg–Nissan model to elucidate the effect of the CT interaction on the viscosity and ionic conductivity. The CT interaction reduces the viscosity by reducing the electrostatic attraction between the dicationic viologen and TFSI anion. It also reduces the ionic conductivity by the CT association of the dicationic viologen and carbazole. The electrochemically reversible responses of the viologens in [C₄VC₇][TFSI]₂ and CT-IL are consistent with the Nernstian and the interacting two-redox site models. Notably, the transport and electrochemical properties are modulated by CT interaction, leading to unique features that are not present in individual component ILs. The inclusion of CT interaction in RAILs thus provides a powerful means to expand the scope of functionalized ionic liquids.

A redox-active ionic liquid (RAIL) consisting of a carbazole and viologen shows charge transfer (CT) interaction. The physicochemical properties are modulated by the CT interaction by comparison with the individual RAILs.     

Conformational analysis of N-aryl-N-(2-azulenyl)acetamides

Aromatic amides bearing 2-azulenyl group on the amide nitrogen were synthesized and their structures were investigated. The π-electron density of the N-aryl group was found to influence the cis-trans conformational preferences of these compounds in solution. X-ray crystallography revealed that the plane of the 2-azulenyl ring has a strong tendency to lie coplanar with the amide plane when the azulene group is located on the same side as the amide oxygen atom.     

Highly efficient total synthesis of the marine natural products (+)-avarone, (+)-avarol, (-)-neoavarone, (-)-neoavarol and (+)-aureol

Biologically important and structurally unique marine natural products avarone (1), avarol (2), neoavarone (3), neoavarol (4) and aureol (5), were efficiently synthesized in a unified manner starting from (+)-5-methyl-Wieland-Miescher ketone 10. The synthesis involved the following crucial steps: i) Sequential BF(3)Et(2)O-induced rearrangement/cyclization reaction of 2 and 4 to produce 5 with complete stereoselectivity in high yield (2 --> 5 and 4 --> 5); ii) strategic salcomine oxidation of the phenolic compounds 6 and 8 to derive the corresponding quinones 1 and 3 (6 --> 1 and 8 --> 3); and iii) Birch reductive alkylation of 10 with bromide 11 to construct the requisite carbon framework 12 (10 + 11 --> 12). An in vitro cytotoxicity assay of compounds 1-5 against human histiocytic lymphoma cells U937 determined the order of cytotoxic potency (3 > 1 > 5 > 2 > 4) and some novel aspects of structure-activity relationships.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-thienamycin from 3(R)-hydroxybutyric acid

The vinyloxyborane(5), prepared from (+)-$\text{S}$-phenyl-3($\text{R}$)-butanethioate, 9-BBN triflate and diisopropylethylamine, reacted with $\text{N}$-(3-benzyloxypropylidene)benzylamine to give the β-benzylamino thiol ester(6) in a moderate yield, which was efficiently converted to the optically pure thienamycin intermediate(10).     

One-pot synthetic method of unsymmetrical diorganyl selenides: reaction of diphenyl diselenide with alkyl halides in the presence of lanthanum metal

A convenient synthetic method of unsymmetrical selenides has been developed. When diphenyl diselenide was allowed to react with two equimolar amounts of primary alkyl iodides and bromides in the presence of an equimolar amount of lanthanum metal, alkyl phenyl selenides were formed in moderate to good yields. For the reaction of primary alkyl chlorides and secondary alkyl iodides, the yields of the selenides were low; however, the yields were dramatically improved by the addition of TMEDA or HMPA. A reaction pathway involving the generation of a lanthanum phenylselenolate intermediate was suggested.