New oxindole and indole alkaloids from Gelsemium rankinii

Six new humantenine-type (1-6) and two new gelsemine-type (7, 8) oxindole alkaloids and one new indole alkaloid (9) were isolated from the leaves and branches of Gelsemium rankinii. The structures of the new alkaloids were determined by spectroscopic analyses. Among them, 6-hydroxyhumantenine (5) is the first example of a Gelsemium alkaloid with an oxygen function at C-6 position, and is a plausible biogenetic precursor of gelsemine-type alkaloids.     

Protonation and ion exchange equilibria of weak base anion-exchange resins

Protonation and ion exchange equilibria of weak base anion-exchange resins, in which tertiary amine moieties were introduced as a functional group, were investigated by applying NMR spectroscopy to species adsorbed into the resins. ³¹P NMR signals of the phosphinate ion in the resin phases shifted to a lower field due to the influence of protonation of the tertiary amine groups of the resins in the pH range of 4-10. Protonation constants of the tertiary amine groups in styrene-divinylbenzene (DVB)-based resins were estimated to be K_H = 10^6.4 for Amberlite IRA96 and 10^6.5 for DIAION WA30 by the ³¹P NMR method using the phosphinate ion as a probe species. In addition to the low field shift caused by the protonation of the tertiary amine moieties, another low field shift was observed for the phosphinate ion in acrylic acid-DVB-based resins at a rather high pH. This shift should be due to an unexpected deprotonation in the acrylic resin: a tautomerism accompanying the proton release from the amide form to the imide one in the functional group, thus, the resin could exhibit a cation exchange property at the high pH. Protonation constants of the tertiary amine moieties in the acrylic resins were estimated to be 10^8.8 for DIAION WA10, 10^9.0 for Amberlite IRA67 and 10^9.3 for Bio-Rad AG 4-X4 on the basis of the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation using the resin phase pH estimated by the ¹³³Cs and ¹H NMR signal intensities.     

Dialkyl bisphosphonate platinum(II) complex as a potential drug for metastatic bone tumor

Bisphosphonates have high affinity for hydroxyapatite (HA), which is abundantly present in bone. Also, platinum complexes are known that have a wide spectrum of antitumor activities. The conjugate of bisphosphonate and a platinum complex might have HA affinity and antitumor activity, and become a drug for metastatic bone tumor. In this study, the authors synthesized platinum complexes that had dialkyl bisphosphonic acid as a ligand, and evaluated the possibility of the synthesized complexes as a drug for metastatic bone tumor. The synthesized dialkyl bisphosphonate platinum(II) complex was characterized, and its stability in an aqueous solution was also confirmed. The synthesized platinum complex showed higher HA affinity than other platinum complexes such as cisplatin and carboplatin in an experiment of adsorption to HA. In vitro, the platinum complex showed tumor growth inhibitory effect stronger than or equal to cisplatin, which is the most commonly used antitumor agent. Moreover, the platinum complex showed a bone absorption inhibitory effect on the osteoclast. These results suggest potential of dialkyl bisphosphonate platinum(II) complexes as a drug for metastatic bone tumor.     

Reaction of magnesium cyclopropylidene with N-lithio arylamines: a method for generation of α-amino-substituted cyclopropylmagnesiums and a study for their reactivity with electrophiles

Magnesium cyclopropylidene was generated from 1-chlorocyclopropyl phenyl sulfoxide with i-PrMgCl in THF at −78 °C in high yield by a sulfoxide-magnesium exchange reaction. The generated magnesium cyclopropylidene was found to be reactive with N-lithio arylamines to give α-amino-substituted cyclopropylmagnesiums. The reaction of the α-amino-substituted cyclopropylmagnesiums with several electrophiles was examined and a new method for a synthesis of cyclopropane amino acid derivatives was realized.     

Synthesis and properties of naphthalene trimers linked by 1,3,4-oxadiazole spacers

Two types of naphthalene trimers linked by 1,3,4-oxadiazole spacers were synthesized and investigated for their physical and electronic properties. 2,6- and 2,7-isomers on central naphthalene moieties were obtained in the forms of pale yellow solids and colorless crystals, respectively. The melting point of the 2,6-isomer was higher than that of the 2,7-isomer. An X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed a π-stacked column with a short intermolecular distance in the crystals of the 2,6-isomer. The absorption maximum of the 2,6-isomer was red-shifted as compared to that of the 2,7-isomer, indicating a π-conjugation between di-2-naphthyloxadiazole moieties in the 2,6-isomer. The quantum yields of the 2,6- and 2,7-isomers were measured to be 0.97 and 0.74, relative to that of 2,5-di-2-naphthyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole (0.85). Molecular orbital (MO) calculations demonstrated that the 2,6-isomer had a higher electron affinity than the 2,7-isomer. Thus, the crosslinking of building blocks is important for the design of functional materials.     

Distinguishing nanomaterial particles from background airborne particulate matter for quantitative exposure assessment

As the production of engineered nanomaterials quantitatively expands, the chance that workers involved in the manufacturing process will be exposed to nanoparticles also increases. A risk management system is needed for workplaces in the nanomaterial industry based on the precautionary principle. One of the problems in the risk management system is difficulty of exposure assessment. In this article, examples of exposure assessment in nanomaterial industries are reviewed with a focus on distinguishing engineered nanomaterial particles from background nanoparticles in workplace atmosphere. An approach by JNIOSH (Japan National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) to quantitatively measure exposure to carbonaceous nanomaterials is also introduced. In addition to real-time measurements and qualitative analysis by electron microscopy, quantitative chemical analysis is necessary for quantitatively assessing exposure to nanomaterials. Chemical analysis is suitable for quantitative exposure measurement especially at facilities with high levels of background NPs.     

Docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid induce changes in the physical properties of a lipid bilayer model membrane

We investigated the effect of fatty acids such as stearic acid (SA, 18:0), oleic acid (OA, 18:1), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6) on a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer by determining the phase transition temperature, fluorescence anisotropy of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH), and detergent insolubility. Treatment with unsaturated fatty acid broadened and shifted the phase transitions of the DPPC bilayer to a lower temperature. The phase transition temperature and the value of fluorescence anisotropy of DPH at 37 degrees C decreased progressively with increasing treatment amounts of unsaturated fatty acid. A large amount of the DPPC bilayer treated with unsaturated fatty acid was dissolved in Triton X-100, obtaining a low level of detergent insolubility. These modifications of the bilayer physical properties were most pronounced with DHA and EPA treatment. These data show that unsaturated fatty acids, particularly DHA and EPA, induce a marked change in the lipid bilayer structure. The composition of fatty acids in the DPPC bilayer was similar after treatment with various unsaturated fatty acids, suggesting that the different actions of unsaturated fatty acids are attributed to change in the molecular structure (e.g., kinked conformation by double bonds). We further explored the change in physical properties induced by fatty acids dispersed in a water-in-oil-in-water multiple emulsion and found that unsaturated fatty acids acted efficiently on the DPPC bilayer, even when incorporated in emulsion form.     

Permanent data recording in transparent materials by using a nanojoule-class pulse laser

We investigated data recording for permanent data storage using an ultrafast pulse laser with nanojoule-class pulse energy and megahertz-class repetition rate in transparent materials, and driveless reading based on a simple imaging system. A transparent ceramics called Lumicera®, manufactured by Murata Mfg. Co., Ltd., was used as the recording medium. Lumicera® has a lower modification threshold and a higher recording sensitivity than those of silica glass, namely, the medium previously studied. Structural modification in Lumicera® occurs by light exposure for 10 μs, suggesting that Lumicera® has potential for a recording speed of over 100 kbps. Data recorded in Lumicera® resists heating for 2 h at 1000 °C and is expected to have a lifetime of over 300 million years. Moreover, the data recorded in Lumicera® was successfully read with a reading system based on a smart phone.     

Precise coulometric titration of sodium thiosulfate and development of potassium iodate as a redox standard

In this paper, we determine the effective purity of potassium iodate as a redox standard with a certified value linked to the international system of units (SI units). Concentration measurement of sodium thiosulfate solution was performed by precise coulometric titration with electrogenerated iodine, and an assay of potassium iodate was carried out by gravimetric titration based on the reductometric factor of sodium thiosulfate assigned by coulometry. The accuracy of the coulometric titration method was evaluated by examining the current efficiency of iodine electrogeneration, stability of sodium thiosulfate solutions and dependence on the amount of sodium thiosulfate solution used. The measurement procedure for gravimetric titration of potassium iodate with sodium thiosulfate was validated based on determination of a reference material of known purity (potassium dichromate determined by coulometry with electrogenerated ferrous ions) using the same gravimetric method. Solutions of 0.2 and 0.5 mol/L sodium thiosulfate were stable over 17 days without stabilizer. Investigation of the dependency of titration results on the amount of sodium thiosulfate solution used showed no significant effects, no evidence of diffusion of the sample, and no effect of contamination appearing during the experiment. Precise coulometric titration of sodium thiosulfate achieved a relative standard deviation of less than 0.005% under repeating conditions (six measurements). For gravimetric titration, the results obtained for the effective purity of potassium dichromate were sufficiently close to its certified value to allow confirmation of the validity of the gravimetric titration was confirmed. The relative standard deviation of gravimetric titration for potassium iodate was less than 0.011% (nine measurements), and a redox standard with a certified value linked to SI units was developed.