Polyesters containing ring units in main chains. I. Preparation and stereochemistry of monomers and polyesters

Cycloalkanone (C₅–C₈, C₁₂, and C₁₅) or cycloalkane (C₅ and C₆) ring-containing monomeric diesters and the polyesters derived from them were prepared, and their configurations were studied by ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. Absolute configurations were determined for ring sizes 5, 6, and 7. Configurational change during reduction of a ketonic group of monomeric diesters with ring sizes 5 and 6 was discussed in terms of the steric effect of ring substituents on the ketonic group. In the polycondensation reaction epimerization of the ring units was observed in 5-, 6-, and 7-membered cycloalkanones and not in others, which is explained by steric hindrance by the ring substituents against attack of tetrabutyl titanate catalyst on the ketonic group.     

Rapid oligosaccharide synthesis using a fluorous protective group

The Bfp-OH, a novel fluorous protecting reagent, was able to be easily prepared. The Bfp group was readily introduced to a carbohydrate, removed in high yield, and recyclable after cleavage. The use of the Bfp group made it possible to synthesize a pentasaccharide by minimal column chromatography purification. Each synthetic intermediate was able to be easily purified only by simple fluorous-organic solvent extraction and monitored by TLC, NMR, and MS.     

Identification of Shiga toxins in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli using immunoprecipitation and high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

We developed a rapid and reliable identification method for Shiga toxins in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) using immunoprecipitation and high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS). Polyclonal antisera specific for Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1) and Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2) were raised in rabbits so as to be used for the immunoprecipitation. The immunoprecipitaion was carried out by mixing sample solutions with 50 microl each of the antisera to Stx1 and Stx2 followed by allowing the mixed solutions to stand for 30 min. The quantity required to obtain the immunoprecipitate was more than 0.5 microg of Shiga toxins. HPLC-ESI-MS analysis of the resulting immunoprecipitates provided accurate molecular weight information on Shiga toxins, leading to direct evidence for the presence of these toxins. It requires at most two days to perform our procedure from toxin extraction to measurement of HPLC-ESI-MS whereas the previous method using isolation procedures required about two weeks to complete. The usefulness of the present method has been demonstrated by identifying Stx1, Stx2 and a variant of Stx2 (Stx2e) in the immunoprecipitates prepared from STEC strains.     

Fluorocinnoline derivatives. II. Synthesis and antibacterial activity of fluorinated 1-alkyl-1,4-dihydro-4-oxocinnoline-3-carboxylic acids

Chemical modification of cinoxacin was studied with the aim of improving its antibacterial activity and spectrum. Alkylation of ethyl 6,7,8-trifluoro- and 6,7-difluoro-4-hydroxycinnoline-3-carboxylates (1 and 7) with alkyl iodide or dialkyl sulfate gave ethyl 1-alkyl-6,7,8-trifluoro- and 6,7-difluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxocinnoline-3-carboxylates (2 and 8), together with the isomeric anhydro-bases 3 and 9 of 2-alkyl-3-ethoxycarbonyl-6,7,8-trifluoro- and 6,7-difluoro-4-hydroxycinnolinium hydroxides, respectively. Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the 1-alkyl derivatives 2 and 8 gave the corresponding carboxylic acids 4 and 10. The same treatment of 3 and 9, accompanied with decarboxylation of the inner salts 5 and 11, afforded the anhydro-bases 6 and 12 of 2-alkyl-4-hydroxycinnolinium hydroxides, respectively. Displacement reactions of 4 and 10 with nucleophiles such as amine, alkoxide and thiolate gave 7-substituted 1-alkyl-6,8-difluoro- and 6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxocinnoline-3-carboxylic acids (13 and 17-35). Antibacterial activities of these compounds were evaluated and compared with those of cinoxacin and norfloxacin. Some compounds showed a broader spectrum and more potent activity than cinoxacin, but were considerably inferior in activity to norfloxacin.