Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of key intermediates for NET inhibitors using atropisomeric lactam chemistry

An atropisomeric lactam which was prepared with high enantioselectivity by catalytic asymmetric intramolecular N-arylation, was efficiently converted to synthetic intermediates for NET inhibitors through highly diastereoselective α-alkylation followed by hydration and trans-tert-butylation.     

Photodegradation mechanisms in poly(2,6-butylenenaphthalate-co-tetramethyleneglycol) (PBN-PTMG), Part III: Photodegradation induced by the carbonyl group in n, π excited states

In order to identify the initiation step in the photodegradation of poly(2,6-butylenenaphthalate)-block-poly(tetramethyleneglycol) (PBN-PTMG), we undertook its photolysis with monochromatic irradiation. We discuss the initiation reaction on the basis of the analytical results for the PBN-PTMG in the presence or absence of 2,2′-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone as a UV absorber, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone as a UV absorber, β-carotene as a quencher of singlet oxygen or methylene blue as a photosensitiser, respectively.The PBN-PTMG containing 2,2′-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone exhibits better resistance to the incident light of ca. 370 nm corresponding to the absorption of the n, π^* transition of the carbonyl group in the PBN block than the PBN-PTMG containing 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone. The PBN-PTMG containing β-carotene shows similar photodegradation tendencies as that of the PBN-PTMG without β-carotene. In contrast, the PBN-PTMG with methylene blue is not degraded by monochromatic radiation in the range λ = 600-690 nm. These facts indicate that singlet oxygen does not participate in the initiation reaction of the photodegradation of the PBN-PTMG. Therefore, we concluded that the photodegradation of the PBN-PTMG is induced through the hydrogen abstraction by carbonyl groups in n, π^* excited states.     

Diversity of rice glutelin polypeptides in wild species assessed by the higher-temperature sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and subunit-specific antibodies

In efforts to find genetic resources with high nutritional value of rice seed, we assessed the diversity of the major storage protein glutelin in 13 wild and 2 cultivated rice species by a unique SDS-PAGE method and subunit-specific antibodies. Maximum separation of microheterogeneous glutelin alpha-polypeptides, which is a prerequisite for the diversity evaluation, could be attained by SDS-PAGE performed at higher temperature (45 degrees C) than the generally employed temperatures (4-25 degrees C). Seven antipeptide antibodies were raised against subunit-specific epitope sequences designed at five sites from four variable regions spanning the glutelin alpha-polypeptides. High specificity of each antibody was confirmed using rice glutelin mutants, and demonstrated considerable variation in amino acid sequence and accumulation level of glutelin subunit in wild species, in combination with the higher-temperature SDS-PAGE. The degree of the variation was, however, changed according to the site of variable regions and the type of subunit. Some wild species accumulated nutritious GluB subunits more than cultivated rice. The wild species Oryza longiglumis and O. brachyantha had glutelin with low reactivity against most antibodies examined in this study, reflecting the significant divergence. Such wild species may hopefully serve as important genetic resources for nutritional improvement of cultivated rice.     

Hydrogen peroxide formation following the vacuum ultraviolet photodissociation of water ice films at 90 K

The production of gaseous OH radicals from the 300-350 nm photodissociation of H(2)O(2) that was photolytically produced on a water ice surface following the 157 nm photolysis of water ice at 90 K was directly monitored using resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization. The translational energy distribution estimated by the time-of-flight spectrum of the OH products is represented by a Maxwell-Boltzmann energy distribution with a translational temperature of 3750+/-250 K. The rotational temperature was estimated by a spectral simulation to be 225+/-25 K. Surface defects produced by HCl deposition on the water ice contributed to the higher production rate of H(2)O(2) in the 157 nm photoirradiation of water ice while surface coverage caused by CD(3)OH deposition decreased the H(2)O(2) production rate.     

The range of ambient radius for an active bubble in sonoluminescence and sonochemical reactions

Numerical simulations of nonequilibrium chemical reactions inside an air bubble in liquid water irradiated by ultrasound have been performed for various ambient bubble radii. The intensity of sonoluminescence (SL) has also been calculated taking into account electron-atom bremsstrahlung, radiative attachment of electrons to neutral molecules, radiative recombination of electrons and ions, chemiluminescence of OH, molecular emission from nitrogen, etc. The lower bound of ambient radius for an active bubble in SL and sonochemical reactions nearly coincides with the Blake threshold for transient cavitation. The upper bound is in the same order of magnitude as that of the linear resonance radius. In actual experiments, however, the distribution of ambient radius for active bubbles may be narrow at around the threshold ambient radius for the shape instability. The threshold peak temperature inside an air bubble for nitrogen burning is higher than that for oxidant formation. The threshold peak temperatures depend on ultrasonic frequency and acoustic amplitude because chemical reactions inside a bubble are in nonequilibrium. The dominant emission mechanism in SL is electron-atom bremsstrahlung except at a lower bubble temperature than 2000 K, for which molecular emissions may be dominant.     

Mechanistic studies on the catalytic asymmetric Mannich-type reaction with dihydroisoquinolines and development of oxidative Mannich-type reactions starting from tetrahydroisoquinolines

Detailed mechanistic studies on our recently reported asymmetric addition reactions of malonates to dihydroisoquinolines (DHIQs) catalyzed by chiral Pd(II) complexes were carried out. It was found that an N,O-acetal was generated in situ by the reaction of DHIQ with (Boc)2O, and cooperative action of the Pd(II) complex as an acid-base catalyst allowed the formation of a chiral Pd enolate and a reactive iminium ion via alpha-fragmentation. The iminium ion was also accessible via oxidation with DDQ as an oxidant, and a catalytic asymmetric oxidative Mannich-type reaction was achieved with tetrahydroisoquinolines (THIQs) as starting materials. This oxidation protocol was applicable to N-acryloyl-protected THIQs, allowing the efficient synthesis of optically active tetrahydrobenzo[a]quinolizidine derivatives via intramolecular Michael reaction.     

Characterization of orphan monooxygenases by rapid substrate screening using FT-ICR mass spectrometry

Characterization of orphan enzymes, for which the catalytic functions and actual substrates are still not elucidated, is a significant challenge in the postgenomic era. Here, we describe a general strategy for exploring the catalytic potentials of orphan monooxygenases based on direct infusion analysis by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR/MS). Eight cytochromes P450 from Bacillus subtilis were recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli and subjected to a reconstitution system containing appropriate electron transfer components and many potential substrates. The reaction mixtures were directly analyzed using FT-ICR/MS, and substrates of the putative enzymes were readily identified from the mass spectral data. This allowed identification of previously unreported CYP109B1 substrates and the functional assignment of two putative cytochromes P450, CYP107J1 and CYP134A1. The FT-ICR/MS-based approach can be easily applied to large-scale screening with the aid of the extremely high mass resolution and accuracy.     

Efficient stereoselective synthesis of gamma-N-glycosyl asparagines by N-glycosylation of primary amide groups

The efficient and elegant synthesis of N-glycosides by N-glycosylation of asparagine-containing peptides is described. Glycosylation of primary amides with glycosyl N-phenyltrifluoroimidates in the presence of a catalytic amount of TMSOTf in nitromethane smoothly proceeded to provide the corresponding N-glycosyl amino acids in excellent yields. This coupling method was adaptable to the coupling of various glycosyl donors with amino acids and peptides.     

Intramolecular cyclotrimerization of triynes catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbene-CoCl2/Zn or -FeCl3/Zn

[reaction: see text] Triynes 1 could effectively be cyclotrimerized to annulated benzenes 2 by treatment with a catalytic amount of zinc powder, N-heterocyclic carbene, and CoCl(2) or FeCl(3).     

Fibril-like aggregate formation of peptide carboxylate Langmuir films analyzed by surface pressure, surface dipole moment, and infrared spectroscopy

The fibril formation process of a synthetic peptidolipid compound in a Langmuir monolayer at the air-water interface has been analyzed by surface pressure and surface dipole moment-area isotherms, followed by infrared spectral analysis of related Langmuir-Blodgett films. Thus far, the analysis of randomly oriented molecular assemblies has been a difficult matter, especially for spectroscopic measurements. In the present study, the Langmuir film isotherms were discussed in detail, and they have readily been correlated to the infrared spectra. For the spectral analysis, infrared multiple-angle incidence resolution spectroscopy (MAIRS) was employed, which was compared to the results by conventional techniques. Since the peptide assemblies greatly responded to a metal surface, the reflection-absorption technique was not useful for our analysis. Instead, MAIRS was found to be powerful to reveal the anisotropic structure of the Langmuir films, and a disordered molecular architecture has been revealed via the molecular orientation analysis. As a result, the fibril-like aggregation formation process during the monolayer compression, which was suggested by previous topographical study, has been found to be due to the stiff domain formation in the Langmuir films.