Simple Conversion of Colchicine into Demecolcine

N-Deacetylcolchiceine ( 7 ), readily available from colchicine ( 1 ), was converted into N-trifluoroacetyl-deacetylcolchiceine ( 8 ). Methylation of 8 with methyl iodide in the presence of potassium carbonate afforded a mixture of N-trifluoroacetyl-demecolcine ( 10 ) and its isomer 11 . The mixture of 10 and 11 was detrifluoroacetylated and separated by chromatography to afford demecolcine ( 2 ) and isodemecolcine ( 12 ). A more practical route to 2 started with 8 , and gave N-trifluoroacetyl-deacetylcolchicine ( 13 ) and its isomer 14 after O-methylation with diazomethane. N-Methylation of 13 and 14 with methyl iodide and potassium carbonate afforded 10 and 11 . The overall yield in the conversion of colchicine ( 1 ) into demecolcine ( 2 ) via 7, 8 and 13 was 55%.     

Mass Spectrometric Decomposition Processes in Labelled 1-Heptenes

The 70 eV mass spectra of a number of ¹³C- and D-labelled analogs of 1-heptene have been measured, as well as the metastable transitions in the non-labelled compound. Isotopic distributions in the major fragment ions have been calculated from the high and low resolution data. The results show that considerable skeletal rearrangement must take place before formation of most of the fragment ions. Loss of methyl and ethyl radicals occurs mainly from the two ends of the molecule. Ethylene fragments come primarily from the unsaturated end of the molecule, but show evidence of significant prior skeletal rearrangement. The predicted McLafferty rearrangement accounts for only 2/3 of the C₄H₈⁺ ions formed, less for the C₃H₆⁺ ions. At least 80% of C₄H₉⁺ ions appear to be formed by allylic cleavage, as expected, but this mechanism can only account for a maximum of 20% of the formation of the complementary ion C₃H₅⁺. Both, this latter ion and C₃H₆⁺, are probably generated by loss of hydrogen from C₃H₇⁺. Figures obtained for label retention in 1-[¹³C]- and 1-D-labelled analogs were nearly identical for most fragment ions, probably indicating that the hydrogen atoms in position 1 remain on C(1) even following skeletal rearrangement. A similar result was found for the 7-[¹³C]- and 7-D-labelled compounds. The main exceptions in the case of the products labelled in position 1 (C₄H₇⁺, C₃H₃⁺) seem to be due to initial loss of an hydrogen atom from this position followed by further fragmentation.     

Albatrellus confluens (Alb. & Schwein.) Kotl. & Pouz.: Natural Fungal Compounds and Synthetic Derivatives with In Vitro Anthelmintic Activities and Antiproliferative Effects against Two Human Cancer Cell Lines

Neglected tropical diseases affect the world’s poorest populations with soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis being among the most prevalent ones. Mass drug administration is currently the most important control measure, but the use of the few available drugs is giving rise to increased resistance of the parasites to the drugs. Different approaches are needed to come up with new therapeutic agents against these helminths. Fungi are a source of secondary metabolites, but most fungi remain largely uninvestigated as anthelmintics. In this report, the anthelmintic activity of Albatrellus confluens against Caenorhabditis elegans was investigated using bio-assay guided isolation. Grifolin (1) and neogrifolin (2) were identified as responsible for the anthelmintic activity. Derivatives 4–6 were synthesized to investigate the effect of varying the prenyl chain length on anthelmintic activity. The isolated compounds 1 and 2 and synthetic derivatives 4–6, as well as their educts 7–10, were tested against Schistosoma mansoni (adult and newly transformed schistosomula), Strongyloides ratti, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Necator americanus, and Ancylostoma ceylanicum. Prenyl-2-orcinol (4) and geranylgeranyl-2-orcinol (6) showed promising activity against newly transformed schistosomula. The compounds 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 were also screened for antiproliferative or cytotoxic activity against two human cancer lines, viz. prostate adenocarcinoma cells (PC-3) and colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29). Compound 6 was determined to be the most effective against both cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 16.1 µM in PC-3 prostate cells and 33.7 µM in HT-29 colorectal cells.     

Oxidation of Thiols to the Corresponding Symmetric Disulfides with Benzyltriphenylphosphonium Peroxodisulfate (BTPPD) Under Nonaqueous Conditions

This article describes the preparation of benzyltriphenylphosphonium peroxodisulfate (BTPPD), an efficient and mild reagent for oxidation of a variety of aromatic and aliphatic thiols to the corresponding disulfides in refluxing acetonitrile. The experimental procedure is simple and the products are easily isolated in excellent yields.     

A Sucrose-Based Approach to Enantiomerically Pure Glycerol Derivatives

Abstract

Taking advantage of the same configuration present at C-5 and C-5′ in sucrose, 6,6′-diprotected sucrose derivatives were transformed into enantiomerically pure glycerol derivatives. This was achieved by oxidative ring cleavage of both the glucopyranosyl ring as well as the fructofuranosyl moiety followed by reduction of the resulting tetraaldehyde and subsequent per-O-protection of the resulting pentahydroxy compound. The obtained intermediate was hydrolysed under acidic conditions to furnish two equivalents of partially protected chiral glycerol derivative per molecule of starting material. The efficiencies of sodium metaperiodate and lead tetraacetate as oxidizing agents were compared and the side reactions observed in these procedures were investigated.