Synthesis of novel fused isoxazoles and isoxazolines by sequential Ugi/INOC reactions

We report the synthesis of novel fused isoxazoles and isoxazolines by employing an unprecedented Ugi/INOC synthetic sequence. The coupling of the Ugi multicomponent reaction with the intramolecular N-oxide cyclization provides access to unique heterocyclic ring systems in two steps from easily available starting materials in moderate to good overall yields.     

Electrospray tandem mass spectrometric analysis of zeaxanthin and its oxidation products

Carotenoids have been implicated in protection of the eye from light-mediated photo-toxicity caused by free radicals. Under conditions of normal oxidative stress the carotenoids serve as protective antioxidants; however, when the oxidative stress exceeds the antioxidant capacity, carotenoids can be oxidized into numerous cleavage products. The determination and identification of oxidized carotenoids in biological samples remains a major challenge due to the small sample size and low stability of these compounds. We investigated the reaction of various zeaxanthin cleavage products with O-ethyl hydroxylamine to evaluate their levels in a biological sample. For this, a sensitive and specific electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) was developed, avoiding the classical lower sensitive and specific HPLC-UV and fluorescence absorption methods. Protonated molecules [M + H](+) of carotenoids upon collision-induced dissociation produced a number of structurally characteristic product ions. A series of complicated clusters of product ions differing in 14 (CH(2))and 26 (C(2)H(2))Da was characteristic of the polyene chain of intact carotenoids. All carotenoid ethyl oximes of zeaxanthin cleavage products were characterized by the losses of 60 and 61 Da in their MS/MS spectra. Through the application of the LC/MS/MS method, we identified two oxime derivatives of 3-hydroxy-beta-ionone and 3-hydroxy-14'-apocarotenal with protonated molecules at m/z 252 and m/z 370 respectively, in a human eye sample.     

A rapid method for the determination of Mark–Houwink constants from GPC and viscosity data on a single sample

A straightforward and rapid method for the determination of Mark–Houwink constants from GPC and viscometry is described. A single original polymer is sufficient since other samples were prepared by sonication. The use of a number of samples in this way is shown to improve the accuracy over determinations where only two polymer samples are used.     

Siloxane-containing polyenaminoesters

Polyenaminoesters were prepared by condensation of succinyl succinic ester (SSE) and p-bis-carbomethoxy diacetyl benzene (CDB) with 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane. Conditions of solvent and temperature were discovered which yielded soluble polymer from SSE after heat treatment. CDB yields only tough, rubbery, insoluble products.     

The migrastatin family: discovery of potent cell migration inhibitors by chemical synthesis

The first asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-migrastatin (1), a macrolide natural product with anti-metastatic properties, has been accomplished. Our concise and flexible approach utilized a Lewis acid-catalyzed diene aldehyde condensation (LACDAC) to install the three contiguous stereocenters and the trisubstituted (Z)-alkene of migrastatin (2 + 3 --> 21). Construction of the two remaining stereocenters and incorporation of the glutarimide-containing side chain was achieved by an anti-selective aldol addition of propionyl oxazolidinone 28 to angelic aldehyde 27, followed by a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) coupling of 32 with glutarimide aldehyde 5. Finally, the assembly of the macrocycle was realized by a highly (E)-selective ring-closing metathesis (35 --> 37). Utilizing the power of diverted total synthesis (DTS), a series of otherwise inaccessible analogues was prepared and evaluated for their potential as tumor cell migration inhibitors in several in vitro assays. These studies revealed a dramatic increase in activity when the natural motif was considerably simplified, presenting macrolactones 45 and 48, as well as macrolactam 55, macroketone 60, and CF(3)-alcohol 71 as promising anti-metastatic agents.     

The α-β inversion in submilligram particles of natural quartz

The bacground to the supposed development of the ‘Beilby layer’ on fine-grinding quartz is briefly reviewed. It is shown, using single crucible thermal analysis and sub-milligram DTA, that grinding quartz can cause a dispersion of the α-β inversion over a temperature range of several degrees; this is a crystallographic effect rather than an impurity effect. The sub-milligram DTA apparatus used is described and some thermal effects, such as impurity zoning, are illustrated.     

PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF TYPE I ACID-SOLUBLE CALF SKIN COLLAGEN: DEPENDENCE ON EXCITATION WAVELENGTH

Although previous studies have demonstrated that the predominant photochemistry of type I collagen under 254 nm irradiation may be attributed either to direct absorption by tyrosine/phenylalanine or to peptide bonds, direct collagen photochemistry via solar UV wavelengths is much more likely to involve several age- and tissue-related photolabile collagen fluorophores that absorb in the latter region. In this study, we compare and contrast results obtained from irradiation of a commercial preparation of acid-soluble calf skin type I collagen in solution with UVC (primarily 254 nm), UVA (335–400nm) and broad-band solar-simulating radiation (SSR; 290^1–00nm). Excitation spectroscopy and analysis of photochemically induced disappearance of fluorescence (fluorescence fading) indicates that this preparation has at least four photolabile fluorescent chromophores. In addition to tyrosine and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, our sample contains two other fluorophores. Chromophore I, with emission maximum at 360 nm, appears to be derived from interacting aromatic moieties in close mutual proximity. Chromophore II, with broad emission at430–435 nm, may be composed of one or more age-related molecules. Collagen fluorescence fading kinetics are sensitive to excitation wavelength and to conformation. Under UVC, chromophore I fluorescence disappears with second-order kinetics, indicating a reaction between two proximal like molecules. Adherence to second-order kinetics is abrogated by prior denaturation of the collagen sample. A new broad, weak fluorescence band at400–420 nm, attributable to dityrosine, forms under UVC, but not under solar radiation. This band is photolabile to UVA and UVB wavelengths. Amino acid analysis indicates significant destruction of aromatic amino acids under UVC, but not under UVA or SSR. When properly understood, collagen fluorescence fading phenomena may act as a sensitive molecular probe of structure, conformation and reactivity.     

A high order method for the numerical solution of two-point boundary value problems

A one step finite difference scheme of order 4 for the numerical solution of the general two-point boundary value problemy=f(t,y),a t b, withg(y(a),y(b))=0 is presented. The global discretization error of the scheme is shown, in sufficiently smooth cases, to have an asymptotic expansion containing even powers of the mesh size only. This justifies the use of Richardson extrapolation (or deferred correction) to obtain high orders of accuracy. A theoretical examination of the new scheme for large systems of equations shows that for a given mesh size it generally requires about twice as much work as the Keller box scheme. However, the expectation of higher accuracy usually justifies this extra computational effort. Some numerical results are given which confirm these expectations and show that the new scheme can be generally competitive with the box scheme.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the antitumor glycoside phyllanthoside and its stability in plasma of several species

Phyllanthoside is a glycoside isolated from the roots of the Central American tree Phyllanthus acuminatus Vahl with antitumor activity against murine B-16 melanoma and P-388 leukemia. We report a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for phyllanthoside in plasma using a 25-cm RP-18, 5-micron column with a linear 10-min gradient of 50% to 100% methanol in 0.3 M sodium acetate, pH 4.0, at a flow-rate of 1.5 ml/min. Eluting peaks were detected at 270 nm. The lower limit of sensitivity of the assay for phyllanthoside in 0.5 ml plasma following ethyl acetate extraction at pH 7.0 was 0.25 micrograms/ml and the coefficient of variation at 1 microgram/ml was +/- 7.4%. Phyllanthoside was very rapidly broken down by mouse and rat plasma in vitro to an unidentified less polar metabolite. Formation of this metabolite was completely inhibited by preheating mouse plasma to 100 degrees C for 10 min. When mouse plasma was diluted 1:50 with water the half-life of phyllanthoside disappearance at 37 degrees C was 2.0 min. Breakdown of phyllanthoside in plasma from other species was slower than in mouse and the initial half-life at 37 degrees C in dog plasma was 30 min, in monkey plasma 33 min and in human plasma 38 min. The same less polar metabolite as in mouse plasma was formed slowly by plasma of monkey and dog. Phyllanthoside did not accumulate in human red blood cells. Binding of phyllanthoside to human plasma protein determined by ultrafiltration at 4 degrees C was 70%.