Stereocontrolled synthesis of the IJK ring segment of yessotoxin

A stereocontrolled synthesis of the IJK ring segment of yessotoxin is described. Cyclization of 11 mediated by SmI₂ gave the IJ ring system 12 as the sole product. Construction of the K ring moiety was performed by the acid catalyzed cyclization of epoxy alcohol 20 to afford the IJK ring segment in a highly stereocontrolled manner.     

Molecular weight characterization of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] synthesized by genetically engineered strains of Escherichia coli

This study investigated the relationship of growth conditions, host strains and molecular weights of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] [P(3HB)] synthesized by genetically engineered Escherichia coli. Various PHA synthases belonging to types I-IV enzymes were expressed in E. coli JM109 under the same experimental conditions, and the molecular weights of the polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography. The results demonstrate that P(3HB) polymers have varied molecular weights and polydispersities dependent on the characteristics of the individual PHA synthase employed. P(3HB) with high number-average molecular weights (M_n) [(1.5-4.0) × 10⁶] and narrow polydispersities (1.6-1.8) were synthesized by PHA synthases from Ralstonia eutropha (type I), Delftia acidovorans (type I) and Allochromatium vinosum (type III). Contrary to these, P(3HB) with relatively low M_n [(0.17-0.79) × 10⁶] and broad polydispersities (2.2-9.0) were synthesized by PHA synthases from Aeromonas caviae (type I), Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 (type II) and Bacillus sp. INT005 (type IV). Furthermore, the molecular weights of P(3HB) synthesized under various culture conditions, in various hosts of E. coli and by mutants of PHA synthase were characterized. It was found that, in addition to culture pH [Kusaka et al. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 1997;47:140], other variances such as culture temperature, host strain and use of mutants are effective in changing polymer molecular weight.     

Protonic Conduction and O-H Bonding State in Phosphate Glasses

Abstract

Protons in alkaline-earth phosphate glasses give much higher mobility than those in silicate glasses. This is caused by the difference in O-H bonding state. Protons in P-OH form a strong hydrogen bonding with oxygen anion, resulting in formation of weak O-H bond.

The electrical conductivity of the glasses is proportional to the square of the proton concentration. The activation energy for the conduction is related to ν_OH, peak wavenumber of infrared absorption band (around～3000 cm^?1), due to fundamental O-H stretching vibration. The mobility of protons increases with decreasing ν_OH, which depends on the species of ions included in the phosphate glasses.     

Persistent Dialkylsilanone Generated by Dehydrobromination of Dialkylbromosilanol

A persistent dialkylsilanone was synthesized by the dehydrobromination of a dialkylbromosilanol with tris(trimethylsilyl)silyl potassium in solution at ?80 °C: It was characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy, and was tested in several reactions. In ²⁹Si NMR spectrum in [D₈]toluene, the signal due to the unsaturated silicon nuclei was observed at 128.7 ppm. Reactions of the dialkylsilanone with water and mesitonitrile oxide gave a silanediol and a [2+3] cycloadduct, respectively. The silanone remains intact in [D₈]toluene below ?80 °C for at least two days, while it undergoes unprecedented isomerization to give a siloxysilene by means of 1,3‐silyl migration at higher temperatures.     

Making the liquid-phase catalytic hydrodechlorination of pce over Pd/C safer

Summary The hydrodechlorination of tetrachloroethylene in methanol (MeOH) over palladium catalysts on activated carbon (Pd/C) at 20°C and atmospheric pressure was rendered safer by using ethanol (EtOH), isopropanol (IPA) or water-alcohol mixtures as solvents. Adding water to MeOH was better than using EtOH or IPA since it resulted in a faster reaction and better stability of Pd/C, which could also be completely reactivated.     

A mild inter- and intramolecular amination of aryl halides with a combination of CuI and CsOAc

A unique combination of CuI and CsOAc was found to catalyze aryl amination under mild conditions. The reaction takes place at room temperature or at 90 °C with broad functional group compatibility. The intramolecular reaction was able to form five-, six-, and seven-membered rings with various protecting groups on the nitrogen atom. The scope of the intermolecular amination, as well as its applications to unsymmetrical N,N′-dialkylated phenylenediamines, was investigated.     

Engineering of plant polyketide biosynthesis

A growing number of functionally divergent the chalcone synthase (CHS) superfamily type III polyketide synthases (PKSs) have been cloned and characterized, which include recently obtained pentaketide chromone synthase (PCS) and octaketide synthase (OKS) from aloe (Aloe arborescens). Recombinant PCS expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzes iterative condensations of five molecules of malonyl-CoA to produce a pentaketide, 5,7-dihydroxy-2-methylchromone, while OKS carries out sequential condensations of eight molecules of malonyl-CoA to yield aromatic octaketides, SEK4 and SEK4b, the longest polyketides generated by the structurally simple type III PKS. The two enzymes share 91% amino acid sequence identity, maintaining most of the active-site residues of CHS including the Cys-His-Asn catalytic triad. One of the most characteristic features is that the conserved Thr197 of CHS (numbering in Medicago sativa CHS) is uniquely replaced with Met207 in PCS and with Gly207 in OKS, respectively. Site-directed mutagenesis and X-ray crystallographic studies clearly demonstrated that the chemically inert single residue lining the active-site cavity controls the polyketide chain length and the product specificity depending on the steric bulk of the side chain. Finally, on the basis of the crystal structures of both wild-type and M207G-mutant PCS, a triple mutant PCS F80A/Y82A/M207G was constructed and shown to catalyze condensations of nine molecules of malonyl-CoA to produce a novel nonaketide naphthopyrone with a fused tricyclic ring system. Structure-based engineering of the type III PKS superfamily enzymes would thus lead to further production of chemically and structurally divergent unnatural novel polyketides.     

Effect of metal compounds on thermal degradation behavior of aliphatic poly(hydroxyalkanoic acid)s

Effect of metal compounds on the thermal degradation behaviors of poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid) (P(3HB)), poly(4-hydroxybutyric acid) (P(4HB)), and poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL) was investigated by means of thermogravimetric and pyrolysis-gas chromatograph mass spectrometric analyses. Na and Ca compounds accelerated a random chain scission of P(3HB) molecules resulting in a decrease of thermal degradation temperature, whereas the contribution of Zn, Sn, Al compounds to the thermal degradation of P(3HB) was very small. In contrast to P(3HB), Zn, Sn and Al compounds induced the thermal degradation of PCL at lower temperature range by catalyzing the selective unzipping depolymerization from ω-hydroxyl chain end. Transesterification reaction of PCL molecules could be facilitated by the presence of Ca compound, while the gravimetric change was detected at almost identical temperature region regardless of the content of Ca compound. According to the lactonizing characteristic of monomer unit, the thermal degradation of P(4HB) progressed by the cyclic rupture via unzipping reaction from the ω-hydroxyl chain end or/and random intramolecular transesterification at the main chain with a release of γ-butyrolactone as volatile product. Each of metal compounds used in this study was effective to catalyze the cyclic rupture of P(4HB) molecules, and the degradation rate was accelerated by the presence of metal compounds.     

DNA damage by fasicularin

Fasicularin is a structurally novel thiocyanate-containing alkaloid isolated from the ascidian Nephteis fasicularis. Early biological experiments suggested that this compound's cytotoxic properties may stem from its ability to damage cellular DNA. Sequence gel analysis reveals that treatment of a 5'-32P-labeled DNA duplex with fasicularin in pH 7.0 buffer causes strand cleavage selectively at guanine residues. Further experiments indicate that production of these base-labile lesions in DNA involves alkylation of guanine residues by a fasicularin-derived aziridinium ion. This work reveals fasicularin as the first natural product found to generate a DNA-alkylating aziridinium ion via a mechanism analogous to the clinically used anticancer drugs mechlorethamine, melphalan, and chlorambucil.     

Concise procedure for the synthesis of cardiolipins having different fatty acid combinations

Production of a wide variety of cardiolipin (CL) analogues is critical for studying molecular mechanism of diverse biological functions of CL in mitochondria. We describe a concise procedure for the synthesis of CL using a phosphoramidite approach, which allows for the production of diverse CL analogues bearing linoleic acid(s) at any position on the glycerol backbone.