Four New Podocarpane‐Type Trinorditerpenes from Aleurites moluccana

Four new podocarpane‐type trinorditerpenenes, (5β,10α)‐12,13‐dihydroxypodocarpa‐8,11,13‐trien‐3‐one ( 1 ), (5β,10α)‐12‐hydroxy‐13‐methoxypodocarpa‐8,11,13‐trien‐3‐one ( 2 ), (5β,10α)‐13‐hydroxy‐12‐methoxypodocarpa‐8,11,13‐trien‐3‐one ( 3 ), and (3α,5β,10α)‐13‐methoxypodocarpa‐8,11,13‐triene‐3,12‐diol ( 4 ), together with four known diterpenes, 12‐hydroxy‐13‐methylpodocarpa‐8,11,13‐trien‐3‐one ( 5 ), spruceanol ( 6 ), ent‐3α‐hydroxypimara‐8(14),15‐dien‐12‐one ( 7 ), and ent‐3β,14α‐hydroxypimara‐7,9(11),15‐triene‐12‐one ( 8 ), were isolated from the twigs and leaves of Aleurites moluccana. Their structures were elucidated by means of comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, including NMR and MS. Except 8 , all compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity; compound 4 exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against Raji cells with an IC₅₀ value of 4.24 μg/ml.     

A preliminary study on fabrication of nanoscale fibrous chitosan membranes in situ by biospecific degradation

A new approach for in situ fabrication of nanoscale fibrous chitosan membrane by biospecific degradation under physiological situation was studied. The chitosan binary blend membranes were fabricated by solvent casting of chitosan solution containing highly deacetylated chitosan (HDC) and moderately deacetylated chitosan (MDC) with different ratio. The biodegradation process was performed in PBS (pH 7.4) containing lysozyme at the temperature of 37 °C. Experimental results from weight loss, reducing sugar in surrounding media, FT-IR, X-ray diffraction, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and SEM throughout the study showed that the biospecific degradation by lysozyme had removed MDC component selectively. When the ratio of MDC in the binary blend membranes amounted to 0.5, nanoscale domains of HDC and MDC were obtained, and thus a nanoscale fibrous structure was fabricated after biospecific degradation of MDC. This nanofibrous structure and the biospecific degradation of chitosan membranes can have potential advantages and interesting implications in tissue engineering and drug delivery.     

An efficient synthesis of novel spiro[[8H]indeno[2,1-b]-thiophene-8,9′-fluorene] building block for blue light-emitting materials

We have developed efficient synthetic routes to obtain a novel building block spiro[[8H]indeno[2,1-b]thiophene-8,9′-fluorene] (SITF), a monothiophene-containing spirobifluorene analogue, and constructed blue light-emitting materials, including 2′,7′-bis([1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-spiro[indeno[2,1-b]thiophene-8,9′-fluorene] (BBP-SITF) and 2′,7′-bis(9,9′-spirobifluoren-2-yl)spiro[[8H]indeno[2,1-b]-thiophene-8,9′-fluorene] (BSBF-SITF). BSBF-SITF has shown to be a stable blue light-emitting material with high PL quantum efficiency (89%) and unique regioselective feature at the C2 of thiophene, which indicate that BSBF-SITF will be useful for constructing complicated optoelectronic systems.     

Highly stereoselective three-component reactions of phenylselenomagnesium bromide,acetylenic sulfones,and saturated aldehydes/ketones or alpha,beta-unsaturated enals or enones

beta-Phenylseleno-alpha-tolylsulfonyl-substituted alkenes were synthesized via the three-component conjugate-nucleophilic addition of acetylenic sulfones, phenylselenomagnesium bromide, and carbonyl compounds, such as aldehydes, aliphatic ketones, or alpha,beta-unsaturated enals or enones. The reaction is highly regio- and stereoselective with moderate to good yields. Functionalized allylic alcohols were obtained in the case of aldehydes and aliphatic ketones. In the case of alpha,beta-unsaturated enones, functionalized allylic alcohols or functionalized gamma,delta-unsaturated ketones were obtained, depending on the structures of the ketones.     

Ab initio global potential-energy surface for H5(+) --> H3(+) + H2

An accurate global potential-energy surface (PES) is reported for H5(+) based on more than 100,000 CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ ab initio energies. This PES has full permutational symmetry with respect to interchange of H atoms and dissociates to H3(+) and H2. Ten known stationary points of H5(+) are characterized and compared to previous ab initio calculations. Quantum diffusion Monte Carlo calculations are performed on the PES to obtain the zero-point energy of H5(+) and the anharmonic dissociation energy (D0) of H5(+) --> H3(+) + H2. The rigorous zero-point state of H4D+ is also calculated and discussed within the context of a strictly classical approach to obtain the branching ratio of the reaction H4D+ --> H3(+) + HD and H2D+ + H2. Such an approach is taken using the PES and critiqued based on the properties of the quantum zero-point state. Finally, a simple procedure for adding the long range-interaction energy is described.     

Glycoprotein adsorption into bilirubin/cholesterol mixed monolayers at the air-water interface

The adsorption of α₁-acid glycoprotein into bilirubin/cholesterol mixed monolayers with various component molar ratios is investigated using surface pressure-area (π-A) isotherms and (dπ/dA)-A curves. The results showed that the surface area per molecule increased after the adsorption/insertion of glycoprotein molecules into the monolayers. The compressibility of mixed monolayers increased as a result of hydrogen bonding between bilirubin and glycoprotein molecules, while the interactions between bilirubin and cholesterol are weakened. The adsorption of glycoprotein into a monolayer induced changes in molecular surface area depending on the surface pressure and molar fraction of bilirubin. The transmission electron microscopy of mixed monolayers confirmed the insertion of glycoprotein particles of spherical shape with an average diameter of about 80 nm into the monolayer. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Selective dye-labeling of newly synthesized proteins in bacterial cells

We describe fluorescence labeling of newly synthesized proteins in Escherichia coli cells by means of Cu(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition between alkynyl amino acid side chains and the fluorogenic dye 3-azido-7-hydroxycoumarin. The method involves co-translational labeling of proteins by the non-natural amino acids homopropargylglycine (Hpg) or ethynylphenylalanine (Eth) followed by treatment with the dye. As a demonstration, the model protein barstar was expressed and treated overnight with Cu(I) and 3-azido-7-hydroxycoumarin. Examination of treated cells by confocal microscopy revealed that strong fluorescence enhancement was observed only for alkynyl-barstar treated with Cu(I) and the reactive dye. The cellular fluorescence was punctate, and gel electrophoresis confirmed that labeled barstar was localized in inclusion bodies. Other proteins showed little fluorescence. Examination of treated cells by fluorimetry demonstrated that cultures supplemented with Eth or Hpg showed an 8- to 14-fold enhancement in fluorescence intensity after labeling. Addition of a protein synthesis inhibitor reduced the emission intensity to levels slightly above background, confirming selective labeling of newly synthesized proteins in the bacterial cell.     

Rapid and sensitive determination of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine by micellar electrokinetic chromatography with on-line regenerating covalent coating

A rapid, sensitive and reproducible micellar electrokinetic chromatographic method using hexamethyldisilazane as on-line regenerating covalent coating was developed for the quantification of ephedrine (E) and pseudoephedrine (PE). E and PE were derivatized with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazol for laser-induced fluorescence detection. The on-line regenerating covalent coating formed a combinative double coating with the subsequently produced dynamic SDS coating. The total coating can be easily removed and conveniently regenerated on-line. The simple coating procedure was described. By a series of optimization, a running buffer of 20 mm Na(2)B(4)O(7) + 16 mm SDS was applied for the separation of the derivatives. Linear relationships for E and PE were obtained in the range of 0.044-6.60 microg mL(-1) (correlation coefficients: 0.9975 for E, 0.9981 for PE), and the detection limits for E and PE were 1.71 and 0.67 ng mL(-1), respectively. The separation speed, the reproducibility and the sensitivity were much improved over those of other capillary electrophoresis methods more recently reported. The method was applied to the analysis of the two alkaloids in traditional herbal preparations with recoveries in the range 92.8-104.8%.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of mono- and bisfunctional o-carboranes

Functionalized o-carboranes are interesting ligands for transition metals. Reaction of LiC2B10H11 with Me2NCH2CH2Cl in toluene afforded 1-Me2NCH2CH2-1,2-C2B10H11 (1). Treatment of 1 with 1 equiv. of n-BuLi gave [(Me2NCH2CH2)C2B10H10]Li ([1]Li), which was a very useful synthon for the production of bisfunctional o-carboranes. Reaction of [1]Li with RCH2CH2Cl afforded 1-Me2NCH2CH2-2-RCH2CH2-1,2-C2B10H10 (R = Me2N (2), MeO (3)). 1 and 2 were also prepared from the reaction of Li2C2B10H10 with excess Me2NCH2CH2Cl. Treatment of [1]Li with excess MeI or allyl bromide gave the ionic salts, [1-Me3NCH2CH2-2-Me-1,2-C2B10H10][I] (4) and [1-Me2N(CH2=CHCH2)CH2CH2-2-(CH2=CHCH2)-1,2-C2B10H10][Br] (6), respectively. Interaction of [1]Li with 1 equiv. of allyl bromide afforded 1-Me2NCH2CH2-2-(CH2=CHCH2)-1,2-C2B10H10 (5). Treatment of [1]Li with excess dimethylfulvene afforded 1-Me2NCH2CH2-2-C5H5CMe2-1,2-C2B10H10 (7). Interaction of [1]Li with excess ethylene oxide afforded an unexpected product 1-HOCH2CH2-2-(CH2=CH)-1,2-C2B10H10 (8). 1 and 3 were conveniently converted into the corresponding deborated compounds, 7-Me2NHCH2CH2-7,8-C2B9H11 (9) and 7-Me2NHCH2CH2-8-MeOCH2CH2-7,8-C2B9H10 (10), respectively, in MeOH-MeOK solution. All of these compounds were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques and elemental analyses. The solid-state structures of 4 and 6-10 were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analyses.