Production of enantiopure chiral aryl heteroaryl carbinols using whole‐cell Lactobacillus paracasei biotransformation

Abstract

Aryl and heteroaryl chiral carbinols are useful precursors in the synthesis of drugs. Lactobacillus paracasei BD87E6, which is obtained from a cereal based fermented beverage, was investigated as whole cell biocatalyst for the bioreduction of different ketones (including aromatic, hetero-aromatic and fused bicyclic ketone) into chiral carbinols, which can be used as a pharmaceutical intermediate. The study shows that bioreduction of aryl, heteroaryl and fused bicyclic ketone (1-5) to their corresponding chiral carbinols (1a-5a) in excellent enantioselectivity (>99%) with high yields. This study gave the first example for an enantiopure production of (S)-6-chlorochroman-4-ol (3a), which has many antioxidant activity, by a biological method. For asymmetric bioreduction of other prochiral ketones, these results open way to use of L. paracasei BD87E6 as biocatalysts. Also, the present process shows a hopeful and alternative green synthesis for the production of enantiopure carbinols in a mild, inexpensive and environmentally friendly process.     

Novel rhodium <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-heterocyclic carbene catalysed arylation of aldehydes with phenylboronic acid

Reaction of 1,3-dialkylperhydrobenzimidazolinylidene, 1,3-dialkyl-4-methylimidazolinylidene and 1,3-dialkylimidazolinylidene with [RhCl(COD)]₂ yields {1,3-dialkylperhydrobenzimidazolin-2-ylidene}-, {1,3-dialkyl-4-methylimidazolin-2-ylidene}- {1,3-dialkylimidazolin-2-ylidene}chloro(η⁴-1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) complexes (2a–c) and (4a, b). All compounds synthesised were characterised by elemental analysis, n.m.r. spectroscopy. Phenylboronic acid reacts with aldehydes in the presence of a catalytic amount of the new rhodium(I)–carbene complexes (2a–c) and (4a, b), to give the corresponding aryl secondary alcohols in good yield (73–99%).     

The use of ESR spectroscopy for the investigation of dosimetric properties of egg shells

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was used to investigate the dosimetric properties of chicken egg shells. The ESR spectra of the irradiated egg shell were found to have an asymmetric absorption characterized by a major resonance at g=2.0019 and a minor resonance at g_||=1.9980. The study was carried out on g=2.0019 signal because of the accuracy of measurements and the possibility of using it as ESR dosimeter. The activation energy (E), frequency factor (k₀) and mean-life (τ) were calculated to be 1.50±0.10 eV, 2×10¹³ s⁻¹ and (4.4±0.4)×10⁴ year respectively. Dose–response was investigated between dose ranges of 1 Gy and 10 kGy for ⁶⁰Co γ-rays. Dose–response was found to be appropriate for dosimetry in the range 3 Gy to 10 kGy. The lower limit of observable doses for egg shell sample was about 3 Gy. The other ESR dosimetric parameters of egg shell samples, fading characteristic, light effect, dose-rate dependence and energy dependence, have also been studied in detail. Apart from its non-tissue equivalence, egg shell has very good dosimetric properties with insignificant fading, light independence, linearity in dose–response (3 Gy–10 kGy), dose-rate independence and independence from energy above 500 keV. It suggests that egg shell may be used as a retrospective γ radiation dosimetry after nuclear accidents or other short accidental radiation events.     

Synthesis of some new benzimidazole-5(6)-carboxylic acids

The title compounds, 1,2-dialkyl-benzimidazole-5(6)-carboxylic acids 34–45 were prepared at four steps; 1) preparation of mono amide derivatives 1–11 by the reaction of methyl 3,4-diaminobenzoate and substituted phenyl or phenoxyacetic acid chlorides; 2) preparation of the methyl benzimidazolecarboxyl-ates 12–22 , with zinc chloride and dry hydrogen chloride gas; 3) alkaline hydrolysis of the esters 23–33 ; and 4) substitution of the imidazole ring with benzyl or p-fluorobenzyl bromide, in alkali medium. 2-Aryl-benzimidazole-5(6)-carboxylic acids 50–53 were prepared via the oxidative condensation of 3,4-diaminobenzoic acid and aromatic aldehydes with cupric ion.     

Low‐Barrier and Canonical Hydrogen Bonds Modulate Activity and Specificity of a Catalytic Triad

The position, bonding and dynamics of hydrogen atoms in the catalytic centers of proteins are essential for catalysis. The role of short hydrogen bonds in catalysis has remained highly debated and led to establishment of several distinctive geometrical arrangements of hydrogen atoms vis‐à‐vis the heavier donor and acceptor counterparts, that is, low‐barrier, single‐well or short canonical hydrogen bonds. Here we demonstrate how the position of a hydrogen atom in the catalytic triad of an aminoglycoside inactivating enzyme leads to a thirty‐fold increase in catalytic turnover. A low‐barrier hydrogen bond is present in the enzyme active site for the substrates that are turned over the best, whereas a canonical hydrogen bond is found with the least preferred substrate. This is the first comparison of these hydrogen bonds involving an identical catalytic network, while directly demonstrating how active site electrostatics adapt to the electronic nature of substrates to tune catalysis.     

Homogenisation of elasto-plastic open-celled foams

The effective yield behaviour of open-celled metal foams is studied by a micro-mechanical model. As a surrogate model for the sponge-like microstructure the simplified Kelvin foam is used. The yield loci in strain space and stress space are constructed by conducting numerical experiments. For the determination of the effective stresses a strain-energy based homogenisation procedure is adopted. The numerical examples show that the initial yield surface in the normal strain space is similar to a polyhedron with sharp corners. The further evolution of the yield surface is characterized by kinematic and isotropic hardening effects. In addition, the stress yield surface may rotate under certain loading conditions. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

3‐(2‐Furyl)‐6‐(4‐methyl­phenyl)‐7H‐1,2,4‐triazolo­[3,4‐b][1,3,4]thia­diazine and its 6‐phenyl analogue

In the title compounds, C₁₅H₁₂N₄OS, (I), and C₁₄H₁₀N₄OS, (II), the thia­diazine ring adopts a skew‐boat conformation, while the triazole and furyl rings are essentially planar. The phenyl group is twisted by 33.5 (2) and 47.9 (1)° out of the triazole‐ring plane in (I) and (II), respectively.     

Assessment of radiological hazard parameters due to natural radioactivity in soils from granite-rich regions in Kütahya Province,Turkey

The analysis of natural radioactivity from ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in 357 soil samples collected from the province of Kütahya was carried out using a NaI(Tl) gamma-ray spectroscopy system at the Nuclear Physics Research Laboratory, Dumlup?nar University, Kütahya, Turkey. The specific activities of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in the soil samples were evaluated. From the activity concentrations of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K, the total absorbed outdoor gamma-ray dose rates and the corresponding annual effective dose rates were determined. The corresponding values of the external and internal hazard indices of all the soil samples were also calculated. The external gamma-ray dose rate at 1 m above the ground was directly measured at each collected soil sample location. The results obtained in this study were compared within the limits of values obtained in other cities of Turkey, those in other countries. Radiological maps of Kütahya Province were constructed from the results of this study.     

Influence of In Vitro Human Digestion Simulation on the Phenolics Contents and Biological Activities of the Aqueous Extracts from Turkish Cistus Species

Oxidative stress is one of the significant precursors of various metabolic diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, etc. Various scientific reports have indicated that secondary plant metabolites play an important role in preventing oxidative stress and its harmful effects. In this respect, this study was planned to investigate the phenolic profile and antioxidant and antidiabetic potentials of the aqueous extracts from Turkish Cistus species by employing in vitro methods. In vitro digestion simulation procedure was applied to all extracts to estimate the bioavailability of their phenolic contents. Total phenolic, flavonoid, phenolic acid and proanthocyanidin contents were determined for all phases of digestion. In addition, changes in the quantity of the assigned marker flavonoids (tiliroside, hyperoside and quercitrin) were monitored by High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) analysis. The antioxidant activity potentials of the extracts were studied by various methods to reveal their detailed activity profiles. On the other hand, in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes and advanced-glycation end product (AGE) inhibitory activities of the extracts were determined to evaluate the antidiabetic potentials of extracts. The results showed that aqueous extracts obtained from the aerial parts of Turkish Cistus species have rich phenolic contents and potential antioxidant and antidiabetic activities; however, their bioactivity profiles and marker flavonoid concentrations might significantly be affected by human digestion. The results exhibited that total phenolic contents, antioxidant activities and diabetes-related enzyme inhibitions of the bioavailable samples were lower than non-digested samples in all extracts.     

XPS analysis with pulsed voltage stimuli

We record XPS spectra while applying 0 to +10 V or 0 to −10 V square pulses to the sample rod, which normally results in twinning of all peaks at correspondingly increased (for +10 V) or decreased (for −10 V) binding energies. For poorly conducting samples, like silicon oxide layer on a silicon substrate, the twinned peaks appear at different energies due to differential charging, which also vary with respect to the frequency of the applied pulses. Moreover, the frequency dependence varies with the thickness and can be correlated with the capacitance of the oxide layer. The technique is simple and can lead to extract important information related with dielectric properties of surface structures in a totally non-contact fashion.