Pinacol Rearrangement of 3,4‐Dihydro‐3,4‐dihydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones: An Alternative Pathway to Viridicatin Alkaloids and Their Analogs

3‐Alkyl/aryl‐3‐hydroxyquinoline‐2,4‐diones were reduced with NaBH₄ to give cis‐3‐alkyl/aryl‐3,4‐dihydro‐3,4‐dihydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones. These compounds were subjected to pinacol rearrangement by treatment with concentrated H₂SO₄, resulting in 4‐alkyl/aryl‐3‐hydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones. When a benzyl (Bn) group was present in position 3 of the starting compound, its elimination occurred during the rearrangement, and the corresponding 3‐hydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐one was formed. The reaction mechanisms are discussed for all transformations. All compounds were characterized by IR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy, as well as mass spectrometry.     

Reaction of Some 2‐Quinolone Derivatives with Phosphoryl Chloride: Synthesis of Novel Phosphoric Acid Esters of 4‐Hydroxy‐2‐quinolone

3‐Chloroquinoline‐2,4‐diones do not react with phosphoryl chloride, however, 2,4‐dichloroquinolines and/or 4‐chloroquinolin‐2‐ones are formed in the presence of N,N‐dimethylaniline. Along with these compounds, small quantities of novel dihydrogen phosphates of 4‐hydroxyquinolin‐2‐ones were isolated. We outline a simple procedure that allows for the preparation of these compounds in moderate to good yields. All compounds were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, IR, EI‐MS, and ESI‐MS spectroscopy, and in select cases by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy.     

Determination of mercury species using thermal desorption analysis in AAS

Analytical aspects of the determination of inorganic mercury (Hg) species by thermal desorption followed by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) detection were investigated in this work. Characteristic Hg release curves of the following species were observed: Hg⁰, HgCl₂, HgO, HgSO₄, HgS, and the Hg bound to humic acids. Particular attention was dedicated to the thermal stability and change of bond of Hg⁰ in the following matrices: sand, kaolinite, granite, peat, power plant ash, and soil. The bond of elemental Hg in environmental materials was described on basis of this experiment. Contaminated soil samples from two locations in the Czech Republic were investigated by thermal desorption analysis. Afterwards, the contents of volatile and plant-available Hg in the studied samples were determined. The determination of Hg⁰ using the thermal method was related to the results of liquid sequential extraction. The development of Hg speciation and the stability of Hg were assessed on basis of the data obtained. Thus, the analytical procedure used is a suitable tool for the study of inorganic Hg species in contaminated soils.     

Oscillation and Nonoscillation of Higher Order Self-Adjoint Differential Equations

Oscillation and nonoscillation criteria for the higher order self-adjoint differential equation (-1)ⁿ(t^alphay⁽ⁿ⁾)⁽ⁿ⁾+q(t)y = 0 (*) are established. In these criteria, equation (*) is viewed as a perturbation of the conditionally oscillatory equation (-1)ⁿ(t^alphay⁽ⁿ⁾)⁽ⁿ⁾ - µ,t^2n-y = 0, where _n, is the critical constant in conditional oscillation. Some open problems in the theory of conditionally oscillatory, even order, self-adjoint equations are also discussed.     

Five new peltogynoids from underground parts of Iris bungei: a Mongolian medicinal plant

Five new peltogynoids, irisoids A-E (1-5), have been isolated from the underground parts of Iris bungei. The structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic methods and were found to be 1,8,10-trihydroxy-9-methoxy-[1]benzopyrano-[3,2-c][2]-benzopyran-7(5H)-one (1), 1,8-dihydroxy-9,10-dimethoxy-[1]benzopyrano-[3,2-c][2]-benzopyran-7(5H)-one (2), 1,10-dihydroxy-8,9-dimethoxy-[1]benzopyrano-13,2-c][2]-benzopyran-7(5H)-one (3), 1,8-dihydroxy-9,10-methylenedioxy-[1]benzopyrano-[3,2-c][2]-benzopyran-7(5H)-one (4), and 1,8,11-trihydroxy-9,10-methylenedioxy-[1]benzopyrano-[3,2-c][2]-benzopyran-7(5H)-one (5). The structure of irisoid B (2) was established unambiguously by X-ray diffraction study.     

Reaction of 3-aminoquinoline-2,4-diones with isothiocyanic acid—an easy pathway to thioxo derivatives of imidazo[1,5-c]quinazolin-5-ones and imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4-ones

3-Amino-1H,3H-quinoline-2,4-diones react with thiourea or potassium thiocyanate in boiling acetic acid to give novel 2,3-dihydro-3-thioxoimidazo[1,5-c]quinazolin-5(6H)-ones in high yields. However, if the starting compounds are substituted with a benzyl group at position 3, a C-debenzylation proceeds to give 2,3-dihydro-2-thioxo-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4(5H)-ones. According to a proposed reaction mechanism, a molecular rearrangement of the primarily formed mono-substituted thiourea takes place. All compounds were characterized by ¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as by mass spectrometry.     

Variational technique and principal solution in half-linear oscillation criteria

We investigate oscillatory properties of half-linear differential equations. The investigated half-linear equation is viewed as a perturbation of another (nonoscillatory) equation of the same form and perturbation is allowed both in the absolute term and in the derivative term. First, the Sturmian type theorem for solutions of the associated Riccati equation is established. In the second part of the paper we prove new half-linear oscillation criteria using the variational technique.     

Misfit‐Layered Bi1.85Sr2Co1.85O7.7−δ for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction: Beyond van der Waals Heterostructures

Recent research on stable 2D nanomaterials has led to the discovery of new materials for energy‐conversion and energy‐storage applications. A class of layered heterostructures known as misfit‐layered chalcogenides consists of well‐defined atomic layers and has previously been applied as thermoelectric materials for use as high‐temperature thermoelectric batteries. The performance of such misfit‐layered chalcogenides in electrochemical applications, specifically the hydrogen evolution reaction, is currently unexplored. Herein, a misfit‐layered chalcogenide consisting of CoO₂ layers interleaved with an SrO–BiO–BiO–SrO rock‐salt block and having the formula Bi_1.85Sr₂Co_1.85O_7.7?δ is synthesized and examined for its structural and electrochemical properties. The hydrogen‐evolution performance of misfit‐layered Bi_1.85Sr₂Co_1.85O_7.7?δ, which has an overpotential of 589 mV and a Tafel slope of 51 mV per decade, demonstrates the promising potential of misfit‐layered chalcogenides as electrocatalysts instead of classical carbon.     

High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrochemistry/High Resolution Electrospray Ionization‐Mass Spectrometry (HPLC/EC/HR ESI‐MS) Characterization of Selected Cytokinins Oxidation Products

Electrochemistry combined with mass spectrometry represents an emerging analytical technique used to study the oxidation pathway of various drugs and in vivo occurring compounds, continuously showing a capability to generate many known metabolites or new oxidation products. An on‐line HPLC/EC/HR ESI‐MS method had been used to investigate the oxidation of selected cytokinin compounds. This setup allowed rapid identification and general structure elucidation of the obtained products. An electrochemical oxidation of isopentenyladenine resulted in five products, including hydroxylated and dehydrogenated products, which correlates very well with its in vivo metabolism. Electrochemical conversion of trans‐zeatin revealed six products, with two dehydrogenation products corresponding to its in vivo occurring metabolites. cis‐Zeatin oxidation in the electrochemical cell gave rise to eight products, resembling similarity to trans‐zeatin oxidation. All three compounds underwent a complete turnover mainly through two oxidation reactions occurring in the electrochemical cell? dehydrogenation and a less typical aliphatic hydroxylation. The resulting products are in correlation with their known in vivo metabolism.     

Reaction of 3‐Hydroxyquinoline‐2,4‐diones with Inorganic Thiocyanates in the Presence of Ammonium or Alkylammonium Ions: the Unexpected Replacement of a Hydroxy Group by an Amino Group

3‐Hydroxyquinoline‐2,4‐diones react with KSCN in the presence of the NH$\rm{{_{4}^{+}}}$ ions to generate 2,3‐dihydro‐3‐thioxoimidazo[1,5‐c]quinazolin‐5(6H)‐ones, 2,3‐dihydro‐2‐thioxo‐1H‐imidazo[4,5‐c]quinolin‐4(5H)‐ones, and products of molecular rearrangement of the 3‐aminoquinolinedione intermediates. Starting compounds with a benzyl (Bn) group at C(3) afford 3‐aminoquinolinediones, even when only AcONH₄ is used. The results of the reaction between 3‐hydroxyquinoline‐2,4‐diones and KSCN in the presence of BuNH₂ show that replacing a OH group with a secondary NH₂ group is also possible.