Syntheses,Structures, and Reactivities of Sulfur-Containing Cycloalkenes

Sulfur-containing cycloalkenes possessing disulfide units 1, 2, and 3 were obtained by oxidation of cis-disodium ethene-1,2-dithiolate, and their crystal structures were determined by the X-ray crystallographic analyses. Compound 1 was found to give the ring expansion product 3 in acetonitrile even at room temperature and also form reactive thioaldehyde under irradiation.     

Synthesis and Polymerization of (S)-4-Methyl-2-N,N-dimethylaminopentyl Methacrylate

(S)-4-Methyl-2-N,N-dimethylaminopentyl methacrylate (DMAPM) was synthesized from the reaction of N,N-dimethyl-L-leucinol with methacryl chloride, and its radical polymerization was investigated. It was found that DMAPM readily polymerized by α,α¹-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator to give poly-DMAPM. The copolymerization of DMAPM(M₁) with styrene(Mz) was also studied in various solvents with AIBN as an initiator at 60°C. From the result obtained in benzene, Q and e values of DMAPM were determined to be 0.64 and -0.04, respectively. Specific rotations of the copolymers of DMAPM with styrene were not proportional to the weight percent of the DMAPM unit incorporated, but the observed relation gave a downward curve. The copolymerizations DMAPM with α, β-disubstituted monomers such as maleic acid, maleimide, and N-phenylmaleimide were carried out in order to induce asymmetric center in the polymer chain. After hydrolysis of the copolymers obtained, the hydrolyzed polymers were found to be optically active, suggesting an induction of asymmetric center into the polymer chain.     

Design of Chitosan-5Fu Conjugate Exhibiting Antitumor Activity

In order to provide a macromolecular prodrug of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) reducing the side effects, having an affinity for tumor cells, and exhibiting strong antitumor activity, the covalent attachments of 5FUs to chitosan and chitosamino-oligosaccharide (COS) through hexamethylene spacer groups via urea, urea bonds were carried out. The effect of prolongation of life was tested in vivo against p388 lyrnphocytic leukemia in female CDF, mice by intra-peritoneal (i.p.) transplantation/i.p. injection and the growth-inhibitory effect on Meth-A fibrosarcoma or MH-134Y heputoma was evaluated in vivo in SPF-C3H/He scl male or Balb/c male mice by subcutaneous (s.c.) implantation/intravenous (i.v.) injection. The effects of the degree of polymerization of chitosan and     

Unusual annulation reaction of electron-deficient alkenes with enamines: an easy access to stereocontrolled 4-fluoroalkylated 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans

The reaction of β-fluoroalkylated α,β-unsaturated ketones with various enamines gave 4-fluoroalkylated 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans as a major product in good yields by a one-pot operation, and these products display the high diastereoselection just after single recrystallization. This unexpected result is rationalized by the unique reactivity of β-fluoroalkylated α,β-unsaturated ketones. As the synthetic application, 4-trifluoromethyl tetrahydropyran was synthesized in moderate isolated yield with high diastereoselectivity.     

Effects of combining of different flexible spacers in liquid crystal trimers and tetramers on transition properties

Liquid crystal trimers and tetramers containing two kinds of flexible spacers, namely O(CH₂) _m O and COO(CH₂) _n O, were divided into four classes according to the odd/even nature of the number of atoms in the flexible spacers: specifically, even–even, odd–odd, even–odd, and odd–even trimers, and even–even–even, odd–odd–odd, odd–even–odd, and even–odd–even tetramers. The transition properties of the four types of trimers and of tetramers were compared. Although the nematic–isotropic transition temperature and the associated entropy changes were primarily related to the number of the even-membered flexible spacers in these molecules, the different combinations of the flexible spacers significantly affected their transition properties.     

Electrochemical Fluorination of Dithiocarbonates Using a Triarylamine Mediator

Electrochemical oxidation of O-(4-chlorobenzyl) S-methyl dithiocarbonate using tris(2,4-dibromophenyl)amine as a redox mediator was studied by cyclic voltammetric measurements. The triarylamine mediated anodic fluorodesulfurization of O-(4-chlorobenzyl) and O-(4-bromobenzyl) S-methyl dithiocarbonates provided 4-chloro- and 4-bromobenzyl fluorides, respectively in moderate yields. On the other hand, similar anodic fluorination of O-(2-phenethyl) S-octyl dithiocarbonate and O-(4-bromophenyl) S-methyl dithiocarbonate afforded 2-phenethyl trifluoromethyl ether and difluoro(methylthio)methyl 4-bromophenyl ether, respectively. Mechanistic aspects are also discussed.     

Biosynthesis of Indole Diterpene Lolitrems: Radical‐Induced Cyclization of an Epoxyalcohol Affording a Characteristic Lolitremane Skeleton

Lolitrems are tremorgenic indole diterpenes that exhibit a unique 5/6 bicyclic system of the indole moiety. Although genetic analysis has indicated that the prenyltransferase LtmE and the cytochrome P450 LtmJ are involved in the construction of this unique structure, the detailed mechanism remains to be elucidated. Herein, we report the reconstitution of the biosynthetic pathway for lolitrems employing a recently established genome‐editing technique for the expression host Aspergillus oryzae. Heterologous expression and bioconversion of the various intermediates revealed that LtmJ catalyzes multistep oxidation to furnish the lolitrem core. We also isolated the key reaction intermediate with an epoxyalcohol moiety. This observation allowed us to establish the mechanism of radical‐induced cyclization, which was firmly supported by density functional theory calculations and a model experiment with a synthetic analogue.