Photo‐Cross‐Linked Small‐Molecule Microarrays as Chemical Genomic Tools for Dissecting Protein–Ligand Interactions

We have developed a unique photo‐cross‐linking approach for immobilizing a variety of small molecules in a functional‐group‐independent manner. Our approach depends on the reactivity of the carbene species generated from trifluoromethylaryldiazirine upon UV irradiation. It was demonstrated in model experiments that the photogenerated carbenes were able to react with every small molecule tested, and they produced multiple conjugates in most cases. It was also found in on‐array immobilization experiments that various small molecules were immobilized, and the immobilized small molecules retained their ability to interact with their binding proteins. With this approach, photo‐cross‐linked microarrays of about 2000 natural products and drugs were constructed. This photo‐cross‐linked microarray format was found to be useful not merely for ligand screening but also to study the structure–activity relationship, that is, the relationship between the structural motif (or pharmacophore) found in small molecules and its binding affinity toward a protein, by taking advantage of the nonselective nature of the photo‐cross‐linking process.     

Reactions of copper(II)-H2O2 adducts supported by tridentate bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine ligands: sensitivity to solvent and variations in ligand substitution

The copper(II) complexes 1(H) and 1(Ar(X)), supported by the N,N-di(2-pyridylmethyl)benzylamine tridentate ligand (L(H)) or its derivatives having m-substituted phenyl group at the 6-position of pyridine donor groups (L(Ar(X))), have been prepared, and their reactivity toward H2O2 has been examined in detail at low temperature. Both copper(II) complexes exhibited a novel reactivity in acetone, giving 2-hydroxy-2-hydroperoxypropane (HHPP) adducts 2(H) and 2(Ar(X)), respectively. From 2(Ar(X)), an efficient aromatic ligand hydroxylation took place to give phenolate-copper(II) complexes 4(Ar(X)). Detailed spectroscopic and kinetic analyses have revealed that the reaction proceeds via an electrophilic aromatic substitution mechanism involving copper(II)-carbocation intermediates 3(Ar(X)). Theoretical studies at the density functional theory (DFT) level have strongly implicated conjugate acid/base catalysis in the O-O bond cleavage and C-O bond formation steps that take the peroxo intermediate 2(Ar(X)) to the carbocation intermediate 3(Ar(X)). In contrast to the 2(Ar(X)) cases, the HHPP-adduct 2(H) reacted to give a copper(II)-acetate complex [Cu(II)(L(H))(OAc)](ClO4) (6(H)), in which one of the oxygen atoms of the acetate co-ligand originated from H2O2. In this case, a mechanism involving a Baeyer-Villiger type 1,2-methyl shift from the HHPP-adduct and subsequent ester hydrolysis has been proposed on the basis of DFT calculations; conjugate acid/base catalysis is implicated in the 1,2-methyl shift process as well. In propionitrile, both 1(H) and 1(Ar(X)) afforded simple copper(II)-hydroperoxo complexes LCu(II)-OOH in the reaction with H2O2, demonstrating the significant solvent effect on the reaction between copper(II) complexes and H2O2.     

Reaction of (R)-(-)-2-aminomethylpyrrolidine(1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato)platinum( II) with guanosine

The reaction of a new antitumor platinum complex, (R)-(-)-2-aminomethylpyrrolidine(1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato++ +)platinum(II) (1) with guanosine at room temperature in an aqueous solution was followed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at intervals. Both techniques showed that a new compound was formed by displacement of the 1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylate moiety of 1 with two guanosines, and its 1H-NMR spectrum and HPLC chromatogram were proved to be identical with those of [(R)-(-)-2-aminomethylpyrrolidine]bis(N7-guanosine)platinum(II) (2), which was obtained upon successive treatment of (R)-(-)-2-aminomethylpyrrolidinedichloroplatinum(II) (3) with AgNO3 and 2 mol eq of guanosine in water. The binding sites of the platinum to the two guanosine moieties in 2 were confirmed by the pH dependence of the two G-H8 signals.     

Determination of lead in solution by solid phase extraction, elution, and spectrophotometric detection using 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol

Lead (+2) was selectively adsorbed on a solid phase extraction (SPE) gel (molecular recognition technology, MRT), quantitatively extracted, and spectrophotometrically determined as the Pb(II)-PAR (4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol) complex. The linear range was 0.01 to 0.75 mg L^?1 and the detection limit was 6.4 µg L^?1. The MRT-SPE allows selective Pb(II) extraction from complex ion-rich matrices, which is difficult with other techniques. Interference from common matrix ions such as Fe²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺ or Co²⁺ is minimized.      

Diphenylprolinol Silyl Ether Catalyzed Asymmetric Michael Reaction of Nitroalkanes and β,β‐Disubstituted α,β‐Unsaturated Aldehydes for the Construction of All‐Carbon Quaternary Stereogenic Centers

The asymmetric Michael reaction of nitroalkanes and β,β‐disubstituted α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes was catalyzed by diphenylprolinol silyl ether to afford 1,4‐addition products with an all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic center with excellent enantioselectivity. The reaction is general for β‐substituents such as β‐aryl and β‐alkyl groups, and both nitromethane and nitroethane can be employed. The addition of nitroethane is considered a synthetic equivalent of the asymmetric Michael reaction of ethyl and acetyl substituents by means of radical denitration and Nef reaction, respectively. The short asymmetric synthesis of (S)‐ethosuximide with a quaternary carbon center was accomplished by using the present asymmetric Michael reaction as the key step. The reaction mechanism that involves the E/Z isomerization of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes, the retro‐Michael reaction, and the different reactivity between nitromethane and nitroethane is discussed.     

Biliary excretion of essential trace elements in rats under oxidative stress caused by selenium deficiency

The excretion of essential trace elements, namely, Se, Sr, As, Mn, Co, V, Fe, and Zn into the bile of Se-deficient (SeD) Wistar male rats was studied using the multitracer (MT) technique, and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Normal and Se-control (SeC) rat groups were used as reference groups to compare the effects of Se levels on the behaviors of the essential trace elements. The excretion (% dose) of Se, Sr, As, Mn, Co, and V increased with Se levels in the liver. The biliary excretion of Mn and As dramatically enhanced for SeC rats compared with SeD rats, while that of V accelerated a little for SeC rats. The radioactivity levels of ⁵⁹Fe and ⁶⁵Zn in the MT tracer solution were insufficient to measure their excretion into bile. The role of glutathione and bilirubin for biliary excretion of the metals was discussed in relation to Se levels in rat liver.     

Synthesis and anti-influenza evaluation of polyvalent sialidase inhibitors bearing 4-guanidino-Neu5Ac2en derivatives

Polyvalent sialidase inhibitors bearing 4-guanidino-Neu5Ac2en derivatives on a poly-L-glutamine backbone are described. Aiming for a longer retention time of 4-guanidino-Neu5Ac2en (zanamivir) in bronchi and lungs, we focused on supermolecules bearing 4-guanidino-Neu5Ac2en derivatives bound at their C-7 position through noncleavable alkyl ether linkages. We first found that alkylation of the 7-hydroxyl group of sialic acid derivative 8 proceeded smoothly, and produced 7-O-alkyl-4-guanidino-Neu5Ac2en derivatives 13, which exhibited equipotent inhibitory activity against not only influenza A virus sialidase but also influenza A virus in the cell culture. Next, we synthesized poly-L-glutamine bearing 7-O-alkyl-4-guanidino-Neu5Ac2en derivatives linked by amide bonds, 26, which showed enhanced antiviral activity against influenza A virus and more potent efficacy in vivo relative to a monomeric sialidase inhibitor.     

Polymerization of Transition Metal Complexes in Solid Polymer Electrolyte Membranes

Prussian blue (PB), which is a mixed-valent polynuclear metal complex, was formed in the presence of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane Nafion (Nf). According to the stepwise dipping method, in which either Fe²⁺ or Fe(CN)₆ ^3? of the component ions of PB was first incorporated into the matrix membrane and then the membrane was immersed into a solution containing the other component ion, a thin layer of PB was deposited on the surface of Nf or inside Nf depending upon the sequence of incorporation of the component ions. A dissipative structure of periodic PB layer deposit inside Nf was found to be formed under a specific condition of the stepwise method. PB was also formed inside Nf as a broader line by the countercurrent diffusion method in which both component ions were incorporated into Nf from opposite surfaces. The position of PB in Nf varied with the concentration ratio of Fe²⁺ to Fe(CN)₆ ^3? in this case.     

Inelastic scattering of cosmic ray muons on iron nuclei and the virtual photon shadowing

Hadronic cascade showers originating from inelastic interactions of cosmic ray muons with iron nuclei have been observed in a calorimeter located between two magnetic spectrometers. The separation of those events from the electromagnetic showers has been successfully done in the ranges of the transferred energy v ≳ 50 GeV and its ratio to muon energy v/E ≳ 0,1, by utilizing the difference of their longitudinal cascade developments. The comparison of the obtained μ-Fe cross section with available μ-, e- and σ-proton data as well as μ-, e- and σ-nucleus data indicates that;

• 1 At v ˜ 100 GeV, the virtual photon cross section on iron nucleus is almost the same as the real photon one, at least Q² ≳ 0.1 GeV²/c², and is about 70% of the cross section on proton times the atomic mass number of iron, i.e. the shadowing effect is clearly seen.
• 2 Up to TeV region, this virtual photon cross section on iron does not increase significantly. contrary to the tendency of the real photon cross section on proton around 100 GeV. This suggests most likely that the shadowing still increases with energy at such high energies.