The effects of O-substituents of hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene on potentiometric discrimination between dopamine and biological organic/inorganic cations

As an interesting type of molecular recognition at a membrane surface, the tri-O-acetic acid ester (host 2) of hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene, when incorporated into poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) liquid membranes, displays a high potentiometric selectivity for dopamine over, not only other catecholamines (noradrenaline, adrenaline), but also quaternary ammonium guests (tetramethylammonium, choline, and acetylcholine) and inorganic cations (Na+, K+, NH4+). Interestingly, changes in membrane potential based on the host-guest complexation of host 2 that were observed dopamine/inorganic cation selectivity were not displayed by the related hosts 3 and 4, which contain amide substituents. This paper describes our efforts to separately estimate the two factors contributing to the dopamine selectivities, i.e., the guest lipophilicity factor and the host-guest complexation factor, in an attempt to understand the effects of the O-substituents of these hosts. The potentiometric experiments showed that, although the guests had roughly equal lipophilicity, the electromotive force (EMF) response for dopamine by host 2 was excellent. Furthermore, host 2 displayed ca. a 20-fold stronger complexation for dopamine, compared to noradrenaline, adrenaline, K+, and NH4+ cations. These results indicate that the high potentiometric selectivity of the ion-selective electrode for dopamine mainly reflect, not the guest lipophilicity factor but the host-guest complexation factor. On the other hand, host 3 displayed ca. a 3000-fold stronger binding to Na+ than dopamine, thus explaining the reasons for the lower dopamine-selectivities of host 3 compared to host 2. It is interesting to note that the high potentiometric selectivities for dopamine were displayed by not only host 2 but also host 5, regardless of the simple structure of the O-substituents.     

Self-disproportionation of enantiomers of non-racemic chiral amine derivatives through achiral chromatography

Efficient self-disproportionation of enantiomers of several non-racemic chiral amines was achieved through conversion to N-acetamides and subsequent MPLC using an achiral column. The MPLC of these non-racemic N-acetamide derivatives gave the chart having a clear boundary between two fractions. Thus, in the less polar fraction, remarkable enantiomer enrichment was observed (>99%ee), while the ee of more polar fraction was considerably reduced. The magnitude of the enantiomer enrichments and depletions strongly depended on substituent on the amino group.     

Looking glass inhibitors: both enantiomeric N-benzyl derivatives of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-lyxitol [a potent competitive inhibitor of α-d-galactosidase] and of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-l-lyxitol [a weak competitive inhibitor of α-d-galactosidase] inhibit naringinase,an α-l-rhamnosidase competitively

Benzhydryl protection by diphenyldiazomethane of an alcohol in enantiomeric base-sensitive ribonolactones allows short efficient syntheses of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-lyxitol (DIL) and of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-l-lyxitol (LIL). DIL showed potent [K_i = 0.13 μM]—and LIL showed weak [K_i = 113 μM]—competitive inhibition of α-d-galactosidase. Both enantiomers N-benzyl-DIL [K_i = 64 μM] and N-benzyl-LIL [K_i = 13 μM] were moderate competitive inhibitors of naringinase, an α-l-rhamnosidase.     

Palladium-catalyzed Mizoroki–Heck type reaction with aryl trialkoxysilanes using hydrazone ligands

Palladium-catalyzed Mizoroki–Heck type reaction of olefines with aryl trialkoxysilanes gave the arylation products using a catalytic amount of hydrazone–Pd(OAc)₂ system with AgF at 60 °C in good yields.     

Gold-catalyzed three-component annulation: efficient synthesis of highly functionalized dihydropyrazoles from alkynes, hydrazines, and aldehydes or ketones

Polysubstituted dihydropyrazoles were directly obtained by a gold-catalyzed three-component annulation. This reaction consists of a Mannich-type coupling of alkynes with N,N'-disubstituted hydrazines and aldehydes/ketones followed by intramolecular hydroamination. Cascade cyclization using 1,2-dialkynylbenzene derivatives as the alkyne component was also performed producing fused tricyclic dihydropyrazoles in good yields.     

Mass dependence of calcium isotope fractionations in crown-ether resin chromatography

Benzo 18-crown-6-ether resin was synthesised by the phenol condensation polymerisation process in porous silica beads, of which particle diameter was ca 60μ Calcium adsorption chromatography was performed with the synthesised resin packed in a glass column. The effluent was sampled in fractions, and the isotopic abundance ratios of ⁴²Ca, ⁴³Ca, ⁴⁴Ca, and ⁴⁸Ca against ⁴⁰Ca were measured by a thermo-ionisation mass spectrometer. The enrichment of heavier calcium isotopes was observed at the front boundary of calcium adsorption chromatogram. The mass dependence of mutual separation of calcium isotopes was analysed by using the three-isotope-plots method. The slopes of three-isotope-plots indicate the relative values of mutual separation coefficients for concerned isotopic pairs. The results have shown the normal mass dependence; isotope fractionation is proportional to the reduced mass difference, (M – M′)/MM′, where M and M′ are masses of heavy and light isotope, respectively. The mass dependence clarifies that the isotope fractionations are originated from molecular vibration. The observed separation coefficient ? is 3.1×10^?3 for the pair of ⁴⁰Ca and ⁴⁸Ca. Productivity of enriched ⁴⁸Ca by crown-ether-resin was discussed as the function of the separation coefficient and the height equivalent to the theoretical plate.     

A new zinc(II) fluorophore 2-(9-anthrylmethylamino)ethyl-appended 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane

A new 2-(9-anthrylmethylamino)ethyl-appended cyclen, L(3) (1-(2-(9-anthrylmethylamino)ethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) (cyclen = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane), was synthesized and characterized for a new Zn(2+) chelation-enhanced fluorophore, in comparison with previously reported 9-anthrylmethylcyclen L(1) (1-(9-anthrylmethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) and dansylamide cyclen L(2). L(3) showed protonation constants log K(a)(i)() of 10.57 +/- 0.02, 9.10 +/- 0.02, 7.15 +/- 0.02, <2, and <2. The log K(a3) value of 7.15 was assigned to the pendant 2-(9-anthrylmethylamino)ethyl on the basis of the pH-dependent (1)H NMR and fluorescence spectroscopic measurements. The potentiometric pH titration study indicated extremely stable 1:1 Zn(2+)-L(3) complexation with a stability constant log K(s)(ZnL(3)) (where K(s)(ZnL(3)) = [ZnL(3)]/[Zn(2+)][L(3)] (M(-)(1))) of 17.6 at 25 degrees C with I = 0.1 (NaNO(3)), which is translated into the much smaller apparent dissociation constant K(d) (=[Zn(2+)](free)[L(3)](free)/[ZnL(3)]) of 2 x 10(-)(11) M with respect to 5 x 10(-)(8) M for L(1) at pH 7.4. The quantum yield (Phi = 0.14) in the fluorescent emission of L(3) increased to Phi = 0.44 upon complexation with zinc(II) ion at pH 7.4 (excitation at 368 nm). The fluorescence of 5 microM L(3) at pH 7.4 linearly increased with a 0.1-5 microM concentration of zinc(II). By comparison, the fluorescent emission of the free ligand L(1) decreased upon binding to Zn(2+) (from Phi = 0.27 to Phi = 0.19) at pH 7.4 (excitation at 368 nm). The Zn(2+) complexation with L(3) occurred more rapidly (the second-order rate constant k(2) is 4.6 x 10(2) M(-)(1) s(-)(1)) at pH 7.4 than that with L(1) (k(2) = 5.6 x 10 M(-)(1) s(-)(1)) and L(2) (k(2) = 1.4 x 10(2) M(-)(1) s(-)(1)). With an additionally inserted ethylamine in the pendant group, the macrocyclic ligand L(3) is a more effective and practical zinc(II) fluorophore than L(1).     

Solid-supported Robinson annulation under microwave irradiation

Robinson annulation on alumina occurred efficiently on heating with microwave irradiation.