Highly regioselective nucleophilic carbon-carbon bond formation on furans and thiophenes initiated by pummerer-type reaction

[reaction: see text] The reactions of (phenylsulfinyl)furans or -thiophenes with carbon nucleophiles in the presence of trifluoroacetic anhydride allowed the nucleophilic installation of carbon functional groups on the furan and thiophene nuclei with complete regioselectivity.     

Isolation of heptadepsin, a novel bacterial cyclic depsipeptide that inhibits lipopolysaccharide activity

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is considered to cause various inflammatory reactions. We searched among microbial secondary metabolites for compounds that could inhibit LPS-stimulated adhesion between human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human myelocytic cell line HL-60 cells. In the course of our screening, we isolated a novel cyclic depsipeptide, which we named heptadepsin, from the whole culture broth of Paenibacillus sp. The addition of heptadepsin prior to LPS stimulation decreased HL-60 cell-HUVEC adhesion without showing any cytotoxicity. It also inhibited the cellular adhesion induced by lipid A, the active component of LPS, but it did not inhibit TNF-alpha or IL-1beta-induced cell adhesion. The result of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis revealed that heptadepsin interacted with lipid A directly. Thus, heptadepsin, a novel naturally occurring cyclic heptadepsipeptide, was shown to inactivate LPS by direct interaction with LPS.     

Influence of the Coordination of Donor Solvent Molecules to 1,4,7,10-Tetramethyl-1,4,7,10- tetraazacyclododecanenickel(II) and Analogous Nickel(II) Complexes on Their Steric Factors

Coordination equilibrium constants (K _NiS) of some donor solvent molecules to 1,4,7,10-tetramethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecanenickel(II) ([Ni(Me₄[12]aneN₄)]²⁺) were determined in nitrobenzene (a noncoordinating bulk solvent). The first (K _NiS1) and second stepwise coordination equilibrium constants (K _NiS2) for 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecanenickel(II) ([Ni([12]aneN₄)]²⁺), 1,4,8,11-tetraazac yclotetradecane- nickel(II) ([Ni([14] aneN₄)]²⁺), 1,4,8,11-tetrathiacyclotetra-decanenickel(II) ([Ni([14]aneS₄)]²⁺) were also reinvestigated. The K _NiS values for [Ni(Me₄[12]aneN₄)]²⁺ were compared to those of [Ni([12]aneN₄)]²⁺, (1R,4S, 8R,11S)-1,4,8,11-tetramethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanenickel(II) (R,S,R,S-[Ni(Me₄[14]aneN₄)]²⁺), R,R,S,S-[Ni(Me₄[14]aneN₄)]²⁺, [Ni([14]aneN₄)]²⁺, and [Ni([14]aneS₄)]²⁺. Coordination of pyridine (Py), N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylurea (TMU), and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) to [Ni(Me₄[12]aneN₄)]²⁺ was observed, although these donor solvent molecules did not coordinate to R,S,R,S-[Ni(Me₄[14]aneN₄)]²⁺. The K _NiS values for Py, TMU, and DMA are 7.9, 2.8, and 9.0 dm³⋅mol⁻¹, respectively. Some hydrogen-bonding waters were coordinated to R,S,R,S-[Ni(Me₄[14]aneN₄)]²⁺, but such waters did not coordinate to [Ni(Me₄[12] aneN₄)]²⁺. Also, the K _NiS2 values were larger than the corresponding K _NiS1 values for [Ni([14]aneS₄)]²⁺. Furthermore, the K _NiS1 values for [Ni([12]aneN₄)]²⁺ were the largest among these nickel(II) complex cations. The K _NiS, K _NiS1, and K _NiS2 values are discussed in terms of properties of the donor solvents and steric strains of these nickel(II) complex cations.     

Drying dissipative structures of the aqueous suspensions of monodisperse bentonite particles

Macroscopic and microscopic dissipative structural patterns formed in the course of drying the fractionated and monodisperse bentonite particles (plate-like in their shape) in aqueous deionized suspension and in the presence of NaCl have been studied on a cover glass. The patterns coexisted with the broad ring of the hill accumulated with the particles and with the round hills are formed around the outside edges of the film and in the center, respectively, in the macroscopic scale. By the addition of NaCl the pattern shifts from the broad ring to the round hill in the center. The spoke-like cracks, which have been observed for the suspensions of the spherical particles so often hitherto, are not observed at all for the bentonite suspensions. The characteristic convection flow of the particles and the interactions among the particles and substrate are important for the macroscopic pattern formation. Wrinkled, branch-like and/or star-like fractal patterns are observed in the microscopic scale. These patterns are determined mainly by the electrostatic and polar interactions between the particles and/or between the particle and the substrate in the course of drying.     

ZINC TETRAPHENYLPORPHYRIN-SENSITIZED PHOTOREDUCTION OF ANTHRAQUINONESULFONATE IN AQUEOUS MICELLAR SOLUTIONS*

Abstract— Zn-tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP), solubilized in non-ionic surfactant micelles, was found to sensitize photoreductions of some sodium anthraquinonesulfonatesz in the presence of ascorbic acid under anaerobic conditions. The reaction rate was increased by the addition of an anionic surfactant, while retardation was observed with a cationic surfactant. The pH-reaction rate profiles showed maxima located in the order corresponding to pK_a-values for the semiquinone of each anthraquinone-sulfonate. A reaction scheme involving the formation of ZnTPP⁺ at the primary step, followed by back-reduction with ascorbic acid, is proposed. The reaction scheme is in good agreement with the results of flash photolysis. The surfactant micelles are suggested to aid the charge-separation between the ionic species just after the redox reaction involving the photoexcited ZnTPP and anthraquinonesulfonates.     

Chirality exchange from sp3 central chirality to axial chirality: benzannulation of optically active diaryl-2,2-dichlorocyclopropylmethanols to axially chiral alpha-arylnaphthalenes

Chirality exchange benzannulation of optically active (1S)-aryl(aryl')-2,2-dichlorocyclopropylmethanols (>99% ee) using TiCl4 successfully proceeded to give axially chiral (M)-alpha-arylnaphthalenes with excellent levels of stereo induction (>99% ee). This unique transformation involves the single-step chirality exchange from sp3 central chirality to axial chirality, that is, a type of excellent memory effect.     

Unique oxidation reaction of amides with pyridine-N-oxide catalyzed by ruthenium porphyrin: direct oxidative conversion of N-acyl-L-proline to N-acyl-L-glutamate

Oxidations of alkanes, alkenes, and aromatic rings with pyridine N-oxides are efficiently catalyzed by ruthenium porphyrins under mild conditions. We show here that the oxidation of N-acyl cyclic amines with RuIVtetraarylporphyrin dichloride-2,6-substituted pyridine N-oxides directly gives N-acyl amino acids in modest to good yield via oxidative C-N bond cleavage. N-Acylpyrrolidines and N-acylpiperidines were converted to N-acyl-gamma-aminobutyric acids and N-acyl-delta-aminovaleric acids, respectively. This type of reaction is a novel one in which the C-N bond is cleaved selectively at the less substituted carbon. Notably, the proline residue in proline-containing peptides was selectively converted to glutamate. A large intramolecular kinetic isotope effect (kH/kD = 9.8) was observed in the oxidation of N-benzoyl[2,2,-d2]pyrrolidine, indicating that the reaction should involve an alpha-hydrogen atom abstraction process as the rate-determining step. N-Acylcarbaldehyde, the putative intermediate ring-opened form of alpha-hydroxylated N-acyl cyclic amine, was readily oxidized with the oxidizing system to afford the corresponding N-acylamino acid in good yield. Further, lactams (1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and 1-methyl- 2-piperidone) were also oxidized to give the corresponding imides (1-methylsuccinimide and 1-methylpiperidine-2,6-dione).     

Effect of applied curent on copper sulphide-based ion-selective electrodes

The properties of precipitate-based copper sulphide electrodes are investigated. Solid-phase studies wre done by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and solution-phase studies by combined potentiometric and atomic absorptioni spectrometric techniques. The predominant valence state of copper in the copper sulphide samples is shown to be Cu(I), but Cu(II) can also be identified at the surfaces. The oxidation of the membrane surface results in dissolution of copper ion and a decrease in the Cu/S ratio in the solid phase; reduction of the surface causes sulphide dissolution and an increase in the Cu/S ratio. Application of anodic or cathodic curents was used to study the redox behaviour of the copper suphide memebrane.