Three New C19‐Diterpenoid Alkaloids from Aconitum forrestii

A further study of the alkaloid constituents of Aconitum forrestii led to the isolation of three new C₁₉‐diterpenoid alkaloids, named 14‐acetoxy‐8‐O‐methylsachaconitine ( 1 ), 14‐acetoxyscaconine ( 2 ), and 8‐O‐ethylcammaconine ( 3 ). Their structures were determined by UV, IR, and MS, 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR analyses.     

A New Taraxastane‐Type Triterpene from Vitex trifolia var. simplicifolia

3‐Oxotaraxer‐14‐en‐30‐al ( 1 ), a new taraxastane‐type triterpene, together with 14 known compounds, taraxerone ( 2 ), 3‐epiursolic acid ( 3 ), 2α,3β‐dihydroxyurs‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid ( 4 ), lupeol ( 5 ), betulinic acid ( 6 ), casticin ( 7 ), artemetin ( 8 ), luteolin ( 9 ), 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid ( 10 ), docosanoic acid ( 11 ), tetracosanoic acid ( 12 ), cerotic acid ( 13 ), β‐sitosterol ( 14 ), and β‐daucosterol ( 15 ), was isolated from the leaves and twigs of Vitex trifolia var. simplicifolia . Compounds 2 – 6 were found for the first time in this plant. Their structures were established by spectroscopic analysis, including 2D‐NMR techniques. Cytotoxic activities of compounds 3 , and 5 – 10 were tested on the three cancer cell lines, PANC‐1, K562, and BxPC‐3. Results revealed that 7 exhibited cytotoxicity against PANC‐1, K562, and BxPC‐3, with IC₅₀ values of 4.67, 0.72, and 4.01 μg/ml, respectively, whereas 8 was inactive against these cancer cell lines. The structure? activity relationship of compound 7 and 8 indicated that the 3′‐OH group in polymethoxyflavonoids is essential for antitumor activity.     

Synthesis and Fungicidal Activity of 5‐Aryl‐1‐(aryloxyacetyl)‐3‐(tert‐butyl or phenyl)‐4‐(1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)‐4,5‐dihydropyrazole

A series of novel 5‐aryl‐1‐(aryloxyacetyl)‐3‐(tert‐butyl or phenyl)‐4‐(1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)‐4,5‐dihydropyrazole 3a – 3n were synthesized by the annulation of 2‐aryloxyacetohydrazides with 3‐aryl‐1‐t‐butyl (or phenyl)‐2‐(1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐ones ( 2 ) in the presence of a catalytic amount of acetic acid. Compounds 2 were obtained by the Knoevenagel reactions of 1‐t‐butyl (or phenyl)‐2‐(1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)ethanone ( 1 ) with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of piperidine. Their structures were confirmed by IR, ¹H‐NMR, ESI‐MS, and elemental analyses. The preliminary bioassay indicated that some compounds displayed moderate to excellent fungicidal activity. For example, compounds 3l , 3m , and 3n possessed 100% inhibition against Cercospora arachidicola Hori at the concentration of 50 mg/L.     

An Effective and Convenient Esterefication of Cephalospor in Derivatives by Using Quarternary Ammonium Salts as Catalysts

A method for preparing cephalosporin derivatives by reacting cephalosporin alkaline metal salts with organic halide in the presence of quarternary ammonium salts catalyst is disclosed. Δ³ to Δ² isomerization, a side reaction commonly reported in preparation of cephalosporin derivatives, was successfully eliminated. The desired Δ³ was obtained as a sole product in the reaction.     

Efficient Method for Synthesis of the Derivatives of 5‐Arylidene Barbituric Acid Catalyzed by Aminosulfonic Acid With Grinding

Aminosulfonic acid is an environmentally friendly catalyst. Grinding a mixture of aromatic aldehydes, barbituric acid, and H₂NSO₃H at room temperature (without any solvent) gave 5‐arylidene barbituric acid in high yields, providing a simple and efficient route to synthesis of these compounds.     

Polycondensation of Sebacic Acid with Primary and Secondary Hydroxyl Groups Containing Diols Catalyzed by Candida antarctica Lipase B

Abstract

The aliphatic polyesters are normally synthesized by ester interchange reactions or direct esterification of hydroxyacids or diacid/diol combinations. Biotransformation, utilizing the enzymes as catalysts, was accepted as an alternative route for the synthesis of aliphatic polyesters and offers various advantages compared with the conventional, metal-catalyzed polymerization reactions. Previous studies indicated that lipase-catalyzed polycondensation reactions between diols and diacids occurred preferentially at primary hydroxyl groups of diols, when diols contained both primary and secondary hydroxyl groups. In this work, we investigated lipase-catalyzed polycondensation of diacids and secondary hydroxyl group–containing diols, and successfully synthesized polyesters by polycondensation with secondary hydroxyl groups as well as primary hydroxyl groups. Various diols, glycerol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 2,3-butanediol, and 2,4-pentanediol were tested for the polycondensation. The polymerization was achieved by heating a mixture of lipase B, sebacic acid, and the diols in anhydrous toluene at 100 °C for 72 h. The resulting polymers were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, Fourier transform–infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and gel permeation chromatography.     

Syntheses of Novel Chiral Calix[4]crown: Lariat Calix[4]-1,3-aza-crowns with Chiral Amino Acid Groups as Branched Chains

The first examples of lariat calix[4]-1,3-aza-crowns with chiral amino acid groups as branched chains (5a and 5b) were designed and synthesized via a 1 + 1 addition reaction of calix[4]-1,3-substituted benzaldehyde derivative (4) and amino acid hydrazide derivatives (3a and 3b) in yields of 70% and 75%, respectively. The preliminary extraction experiments suggested that hosts 5a and 5b possessed good complexation abilities for α-amino acids.      

Synthesis of a novel sulfur-bearing secondary antioxidant with a high molecular weight and its comparative study on antioxidant behavior in polypropylene with two commercial sulfur-bearing secondary antioxidants having relatively low molecular weight

A novel sulfur-bearing secondary antioxidant with a high molecular weight of 2252 (OS-POSS), successfully synthesized via photoinitiated thiol-ene click reaction, was compared with two commercial sulfur-bearing secondary antioxidants on the stabilization of polypropylene (PP). The results of their oxidation induction time (OIT) via differential scanning calorimeter measurement (DSC) showed that the higher the molecular weight of secondary antioxidant is, the longer the OIT value, whether such sulfur-bearing antioxidant is used singly or in combination with primary antioxidant. The study of their long-term accelerated thermal aging in the air oven at 150 °C displayed that the molecular structure of sulfur-bearing secondary antioxidant, besides molecular weight, is another highly important factor determining the antioxidant efficiency, i.e., physical loss of antioxidants with the relatively low molecular weight may determine antioxidant efficiency, whereas thioether groups having neighboring ester carbonyl moieties may decompose more hydroperoxides with quicker rate.