Furanodictine A and B: amino sugar analogues produced by cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum showing neuronal differentiation activity

We investigated the constituents of Dictyostelium discoideum to clarify the diversity of secondary metabolites of Dictyostelium cellular slime molds and to explore biologically active substances that could be useful in the development of novel drugs. From a methanol extract of the multicellular fruit body of D. discoideum, we isolated two novel amino sugar analogues, furanodictine A (1) and B (2). They are the first 3,6-anhydrosugars to be isolated from natural sources. Their relative structures were elucidated by spectral means, and the absolute configurations were confirmed by asymmetric syntheses of 1 and 2. These furanodictines potently induce neuronal differentiation of rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells.     

The first total synthesis and structural determination of antibiotics K1115 B1s (alnumycins)

K1115 B₁, isolated from the broth of Streptomyces species, was found to be a mixture of stereoisomers. Authors synthesized all stereoisomers of K1115 B₁ by convergent synthesis coupling a rhamnose derivative, an isobenzofuranone, and a chiral tetraol. Comparison of ¹H NMR spectra and optical rotations made it clear that the absolute structures of K1115 B_1α (the major isomer) and K1115 B_1β (the minor isomer) were (1R, 17S)- and (1R, 17R)-configurations, respectively. The optical rotations of the stereoisomers revealed that alnumycin, reported as the identical structure with K1115 B₁, might be another mixture of stereoisomers.     

Dioxopyrrolines. LXII. Diels-Alder reaction of 1-Aryl-4- and 5-methoxycarbonyl-1H-pyrrole-2,3-diones with various 1,3-dienes

Two new dioxopyrrolines (1-aryl-4-methoxycarbonyl-1H-pyrrole-2,3-dione 6 and the 5-methoxycarbonyl isomer 8) behaved as good dienophiles to some kind of 1,3-dienes examined. In most cases, the products were explained by the reaction where the largest lobe of HOMO of dienes reacted to the larger LUMO of dienophiles in an expected cis-endo manner. However, in the reactions of 8 with alkylbutadienes, piperylene and isoprene, abnormality in the reaction was observed, which was well explained by taking account of steric factors.     

A clothes‐peg‐shaped binuclear trans‐bis(2‐aminotroponato)palladium(II) complex bearing pentamethylene spacers

rac‐Bis{μ‐trans‐2,2′‐[pentane‐1,5‐diylbis(azanediyl)]ditroponato}dipalladium(II), [Pd₂(C₁₉H₂₀N₂O₂)₂], has been synthesized and fully characterized using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, ¹H NMR, FT–IR and mass spectroscopy. The trans coordination, vaulted structure and anti conformation have been unequivocally established from the X‐ray diffraction studies. This is the first example of a bis(aminotroponato)palladium complex. In the crystalline state, the molecule has twofold symmetry and each molecular unit undergoes intermolecular offset π‐stacking of the tropone rings to afford heterochiral interpenetrating dimers that are aligned in a lamellar manner with a herringbone packing motif.     

Kinetic Resolution of Racemic Secondary Benzylic Alcohols by the Enantioselective Esterification Using Pyridine‐3‐carboxylic Anhydride (3‐PCA) with Chiral Acyl‐Transfer Catalysts

Pyridine‐3‐carboxylic anhydride (3‐PCA) was found to function as an efficient coupling reagent for the preparation of carboxylic esters from various carboxylic acids with alcohols under mild conditions by a simple experimental procedure. This novel condensation reagent 3‐PCA was applicable not only for the synthesis of achiral carboxylic esters catalyzed by 4‐(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) but also for the production of chiral carboxylic esters by the combination of chiral nucleophilic catalyst, such as tetramisole (=2,3,5,6‐tetrahydro‐6‐phenylimidazo[2,1‐b][1,3]thiazole) derivatives. An efficient kinetic resolution of racemic benzylic alcohols with achiral carboxylic acids was achieved by using 3‐PCA in the presence of (R)‐benzotetramisole ((R)‐BTM), and a variety of optically active carboxylic esters were produced with high enantiomeric excesses by this new chiral induction system without using a tertiary amine.     

Beta-1,3-glucan polysaccharides as novel one-dimensional hosts for DNA/RNA, conjugated polymers and nanoparticles

Beta-1,3-glucan polysaccharides have triple-stranded helical structures whose sense and pitch are comparable to those of polynucleotides. We recently revealed that the beta-1,3-glucans could interact with certain polynucleotides to form triple-stranded and helical macromolecular complexes consisting of two polysaccharide-strands and one polynucleotide-strand. This unique property of the beta-1,3-glucans has made it possible to utilize these polysaccharides as potential carriers for various functional polynucleotides. In particular, cell-uptake efficiency of the resultant polysaccharide/polynucleotide complexes was remarkably enhanced when functional groups recognized in a biological system were introduced as pendent groups. The beta-1,3-glucans can also interact with various one-dimensional architectures, such as single-walled carbon nanotubes, to produce unique nanocomposites, in which the single-walled carbon nanotubes are entrapped within the helical superstructure of beta-1,3-glucans. Various conductive polymers and gold nanoparticles are also entrapped within the helical superstructure in a similar manner. In addition, diacetylene monomers entrapped within the helical superstructure can be photo-polymerized to afford the corresponding poly(diacetylene)-nanofibers with a uniform diameter. These findings indicate that the beta-1,3-glucans are very attractive and useful materials not only in biotechnology but also in nanotechnology. These unique properties of the beta-1,3-glucans undoubtedly originate from their inherent, very strong helix-forming character which has never been observed for other polysaccharides.     

Inclusion of cut and as-grown single-walled carbon nanotubes in the helical superstructure of schizophyllan and curdlan (beta-1,3-glucans)

We have found that single-chain schizophyllan and curdlan (s-SPG and s-curdlan, respectively) can dissolve as-grown and cut single-walled carbon nanotubes (ag-SWNTs and c-SWNTs, respectively) in aqueous solution. The vis-NIR spectra of the composites suggest that c-SWNTs are dissolved as a bundle, whereas ag-SWNTs exist as one or only a few pieces in the tubular hollow constructed by the helical structure inherent to these beta-1,3-glucans. EDX and CLSM measurements and TEM observation established that the distribution map of these polysaccharides overlaps well with the image of SWNTs, indicating that these two components form a composite. Very interestingly, when c-SWNTs were dissolved with the aid of s-SPG or s-curdlan in water, a clear periodical structure with inclined stripes, as detected by AFM, appeared on the fibrous composite surface. Because this periodical structure has never been recognized for the composites with other water-soluble polymers, one can regard that s-SPG or s-curdlan wraps c-SWNTs constructing a helically twined structure. High-resolution TEM observation of an ag-SWNTs/s-SPG composite gave a clearer image in that two s-SPG chains twine one ag-SWNT and the helical motif is right-handed. When this sample was subjected to the AFM measurement, the composite showed the 2-3 nm height. This height implies that one piece of ag-SWNT is included in the s-SPGs helical structure. As a summary, it has been established that beta-1,3-glucans such as s-SPG and s-curdlan not only dissolve SWNTs but also create a novel superstructure on the surface.     

Novel acyl alpha-pyronoids, dictyopyrone A, B, and C, from Dictyostelium cellular slime molds

For the elucidation of the diversity of secondary metabolites of Dictyostelium cellular slime molds, we investigate the constituent of three species of slime molds. From the methanol extract of their fruit bodies, we obtained three novel compounds, dictyopyrone A (1) and B (2) from D. discoideum and D. rhizoposium and dictyopyrone C (3) from D. longosporum. They possess a unique alpha-pyrone moiety with a side chain at the C-3 position. Their relative structures were elucidated by spectral means, and the absolute configuration was confirmed by asymmetric synthesis of 1. Since these compounds were obtained from different species of Dictyostelium slime molds, they may be a type of compound common to this genus.