Simple Construction of Neu5Ac(α2-8)Neu5Ac and Total Synthesis of Ganglioside GD3

ABSTRACT

Glycosylation of an 8-unprotected sialyl fluoride 16 with 2β-chloro-3β-phenylthio-Neu5Ac 2 gave the desired α-disialate 23. Subsequent glycosylation of a thiolactoside 19 with the disialyl fluoride 23 gave the tetrasaccharide 28. Synthesis of GD₃ 1 was realized by condensation of the tetrasaccharide 28 with azidosphingosine 31, following our previously reported GM₃ synthesis procedure.     

Syntheses,molecular structures,and antiviral activities of 1- and 2-(2′-deoxy-d-ribofuranosyl)cyclohepta[d][1,2,3]triazol-6(1H)-ones and 1-(2′-deoxy-d-ribofuranosyl)cyclohepta[b]pyrrol-8(1H)-one

The synthesis of a novel class of 2′-deoxyribonucleosides possessing tropone-fused nitrogen heterocycles as nucleobases was developed. The reaction of alkali metal salts of 1H-cyclohepta[d][1,2,3]triazol-6-one with 2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-(p-toluoyl)-α-d-ribofuranosyl chloride (α-chlorosugar) afforded an anomeric mixture of N1- and N2-coupled glycosylation products. Good stereospecificity in relation to the amount of the β-anomer was achieved in the less polar solvent DME. The reactions of the sodium salt of 1H-cyclohepta[b]pyrrol-8-one and its 3-methyl derivative with an α-chlorosugar in DME gave the β-anomer of the N1-coupled glycosylation products. The glycosylation products were treated with NaOMe in MeOH to produce the desired 2′-deoxyribonucleosides. X-ray structural analyses of the three nucleosides prepared confirmed their anomeric configuration and revealed that their sugars were puckered. The β-anomers of the nucleosides had weak antiviral activities for herpes simplex virus type 1 and herpes simplex virus type 2 in comparison with those of acyclovir (ACV). These nucleosides showed no cytotoxicity on a lung (A549) and two colon (HT-29 and HCT-116) cancer cell lines.     

Two new dioxopiperazine derivatives, arestrictins A and B, isolated from Aspergillus restrictus and Aspergillus penicilloides

In the course of searching for bioactive substances, two new dioxopiperazine derivatives, arestrictins A (1) and B (2), were isolated along with the known dioxopiperazine, cristatin A (3), and the known peptide, asperglucide (4), from the organic extract of the xerophilic fungi, Aspergillus restrictus and Aspergillus penicilloides. The absolute structures of 1 and 2, except for the configuration of the secondary alcohol in 1, were established by spectroscopic and chemical investigation. The absolute configuration of cristatin A (3) was also determined.     

Tackling the omitted variables problem without the strong assumptions of proxies

Omitted variables that interact with included independent variables change the vertical placement of observations. Thus, by projecting the data to an output oriented VRS DEA frontier, the influence of omitted variables can be eliminated. After this is done once, the efficient observations can be eliminated and the process repeated. Each subsequent iteration shows the relationship between the dependant and known independent variable for progressively less favorable omitted variables. Building on these ideas, we introduce a new analytical technique named “Reiterative Truncated Projected Least Squares” (RTPLS). We provide both a theoretical argument and simulation evidence that RTPLS produces less bias than ordinary least squares (OLS) when there are omitted variables that interact with the included variables. By way of example, we show how omitted variables have affected the relationship between the monetary base (MB) and the money supply (M2 + CDs) for Japan using monthly data from January 1970 to April 2003.     

Chiral,Thermally Irreversible and Quasi-Stealth Photochromic Dopant to Control Selective Reflection Wavelength of Cholesteric Liquid Crystal

A chiral and thermally irreversible photochromic fulgide derivative incorporating an (R)-binaphthol unit in its acid anhydride moiety was used for the photoswitching of the pitch length of cholesteric liquid crystals. Since the absorption maximum wavelengths of both thermally stable photoisomers are nearly in the UV region (quasi-stealth photochromism), it can be exposed to visible light without inducing photochromic reactions. Therefore, when the photoswitching molecule is added to a permanent cholesteric liquid crystal whose reflection light wavelength is in the visible region, the UV light-induced photochromic reaction of the photoswitching molecule changes the wavelength of the reflection light in the visible light region. We have succeeded in regulating the color of cholesteric liquid crystalline cells between red and blue upon UV light irradiation. Attempts to introduce this system in polymer dispersed cholesteric liquid crystals are also described.     

Effect of intramonolayer hydrogen bonding of carboxyl groups in self-assembled monolayers on a single force with phenylurea on an AFM probe tip.

The molecular interaction force of the intermonolayer hydrogen bonding between phenylurea groups on a probe tip and carboxyl groups in self-assembled monolayers was measured directly by means of atomic force microscopy in ethanol. Gold-coated AFM probe tips were modified chemically with 2-(N'-phenylureido)ethanethiol possessing a terminal urea moiety, which is a well-known powerful functionality for forming stable hydrogen bondings with neutral and anionic species. Adhesion force measurements were carried out on gold substrates coated with a COOH-terminated SAM composed of 6-mercaptohexanoic acid in ethanol using the phenylurea-functionalized probe tip. The adhesion force observed was decreased in the presence of H2PO4(-) in the measurement bath, indicating that the intermonolayer hydrogen bonding between the phenylurea moieties and carboxyl groups attached covalently to the probe tip and substrate, respectively, is suppressed by the anion added to the measurement solution. The specific hydrogen-bonding force was measured on binary mixed SAMs prepared by mixing 6-mercaptohexanoic acid with 1-hexanethiol. The individual hydrogen-bonding force between the phenylurea-modified tip and the binary mixed SAMs with various fractions of MHA was evaluated by repetitive force measurements and their statistical analyses by an autocorrelation method. We discuss the effect of diluting the COOH-terminated component in the mixed SAM on the adhesion force and the single force between the phenylurea and carboxyl groups in terms of competition between intermonolayer and intramonolayer hydrogen bonding.