Labdanes: antifungal compounds isolates from the resinous exudate of Madia sativa against Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands

Abstract

In this study, resinous exudate from Madia sativa was analyzed by GC-MS. The major bioactive compounds 13,14,15-trihydroxylabd-7-ene (14) and 3,14,15-trihydroxylabd-8-ene (15) were isolated and their structures were determined by NMR. The antifungal activity of the resinous exudate and the labdanes compounds was evaluated using the inhibitory effects on the mycelial growth of plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi causing root rot of various crops. The evaluation of the resinous exudate showed no inhibition over 50% at 75?mg/L, while compound 15 had the stronger effect on the myceliar growth of P. cinnamomi, with a 94.6% inhibition at 175?mg/L. The same way, the mixture of both compounds in equal parts did not show a synergistic effect but showed similar percentages of mycelial growth inhibition from 25?mg/L with respect to the compounds separately.     

Design, synthesis and evaluation of a fluorescent peptidyl sensor for the selective recognition of arsenite

A series of fluorescently labelled phytochelatin-like peptide sequences has been designed and synthesised as molecules with the ability both to bind to arsenite and to report this binding event. The peptides have been evaluated against a panel of biologically significant ions. The results of these initial studies are reported herein, and a structure which displays selectivity for As(III) over As(V) and other anions has been identified.     

Unexpected effect of the fluorine atom on the optimal ligand-to-palladium ratio in the enantioselective Pd-catalyzed allylation reaction of fluorinated enol carbonates

The enantioselective Pd-catalyzed allylation reaction of fluorinated allyl enol carbonates is presented; a key feature of this transformation is the important effect of the ligand-to-palladium ratio on the enantioselectivity of the alpha-fluoroketones, since using a ligand excess (L/Pd ratio = 1.25 : 1) led to moderate results (30-76% ee), while using a L/Pd ratio <1 : 1.67 (to as low as 1 : 4) allowed the desired products to be obtained with high enantiopurity (up to 94% ee).     

Photoisomerization of cis,cis- to trans,trans-1,4-diaryl-1,3-butadienes in the solid state: the bicycle-pedal mechanism

The photoisomerizations of crystalline or powdered cis,cis-1,4-diphenyl- and 1,4-di(o-tolyl)-1,3-butadienes (cc-DPB and cc-DTB) to the trans,trans isomers were studied at room temperature. The progress of the reactions was monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, (1)H NMR, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Conversions to the trans,trans isomers were as high as 90% for cc-DPB and 20% for cc-DTB. Formation of the cis,trans isomers, the sole products obtained in solution and in very viscous glassy media at 77 K, is completely suppressed in the solid state. The observed two-bond photoisomerizations are explained by the bicycle-pedal (BP) photoisomerization mechanism. X-ray structure determinations show that o-methyl substitution causes a widening of the phenyl/diene dihedral angles from 40 degrees to 56 degrees and decreases the number of conformers in the crystal from two in cc-DPB to one in cc-DTB. The two conformers of cc-DPB molecules exist in crystals in edge-to-face alternating arrays, one of which has the two phenyls in parallel planes and the other in roughly perpendicular planes. The edge-to-face relationship is maintained in cc-DTB, but only the conformer with the o-tolyl groups in parallel planes is present. The time evolutions of fluorescence spectra measured in the course of the photoreaction show remarkable similarities, despite the different molecular conformations and crystal packing arrangements. Principal component analyses of the spectral matrices indicate the formation of discrete components, suggesting that the two-bond photoisomerizations proceed in stages involving molecules in different microcrystal environments. The structureless appearances of the initial fluorescence spectra show that the reactions are in part diabatic. The BP mechanism can account for the observations if the bicycle-pedal motion began in the excited state, S(1), and were completed in the ground state, S(0). Analysis of void spaces in the crystal lattice reveals much less compact packing of cc-DPB than of cc-DTB molecules, possibly explaining the much higher conversions to photoproduct from cc-DPB.     

Radical-based destruction of nitramines in water: kinetics and efficiencies of hydroxyl radical and hydrated electron reactions

In support of the potential use of advanced oxidation and reduction process technologies for the removal of carcinogenic nitro-containing compounds in water reaction rate constants for the hydroxyl radical and hydrated electron with a series of low molecular weight nitramines (R(1)R(2)-NNO(2)) have been determined using a combination of electron pulse radiolysis and transient absorption spectroscopy. The hydroxyl radical reaction rate constant was fast, ranging from 0.54-4.35 × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1), and seen to increase with increasing complexity of the nitramine alkyl substituents suggesting that oxidation primarily occurs by hydrogen atom abstraction from the alkyl chains. In contrast, the rate constant for hydrated electron reaction was effectively independent of compound structure, (k(av) = (1.87 ± 0.25) × 10(10) M(-1) s(-1)) indicating that the reduction predominately occurred at the common nitramine moiety. Concomitant steady-state irradiation and product measurements under aerated conditions also showed a radical reaction efficiency dependence on compound structure, with the overall radical-based degradation becoming constant for nitramines containing more than four methylene groups. The quantitative evaluation of these efficiency data suggest that some (～40%) hydrated electron reduction also results in quantitative nitramine destruction, in contrast to previously reported electron paramagnetic measurements on these compounds that proposed that this reduction only produced a transient anion adduct that would transfer its excess electron to regenerate the parent molecule.     

Liquid chromatographic determination of deoxynivalenol in baby food and animal feed: interlaboratory study

An interlaboratory study was conducted for the determination of deoxynivalenol in baby food and animal feed by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The study included 14 participants representing a cross section of industry, official food control, and research facilities. Mean recoveries reported ranged from 89% (at 120 microg/kg) to 85% (at 240 microg/kg) for baby food and from 100% (at 200 microg/kg) to 93% (at 400 microg/kg) for animal feed. On the basis of the results for spiked samples (blind duplicates at 2 levels), as well as those for naturally contaminated samples (blind duplicates at 3 levels), the relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSDr) in analyses of baby food ranged from 6.4 to 14.0% and in analyses of animal feed, from 6.1 to 16.5%. The relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSDR) in analyses of baby food ranged from 9.4 to 19.5% and in analyses of animal feed, from 10.5 to 25.2%. The HorRat values ranged from 0.4 to 1.0 and from 0.7 to 1.3, for baby food and animal feed, respectively. The method showed acceptable performance for within-laboratory and between-laboratory precision for each matrix, as required by European legislation.     

Stereoselective synthesis of N-alkylaziridines from N-chloroamines

We report the first racemic and stereoselective synthesis of cis- and trans-N-alkylaziridines viaN-chloroamines; using this methodology an N-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzylaziridine was synthesised and efficiently cleaved, affording the corresponding NH aziridine in high yield.     

Expedient synthesis of substituted (S)-N-(alpha-methylbenzyl)aziridines

We report for the first time that after O-acylation the conjugate addition products of (S)-N-(alpha-methylbenzyl)hydroxylamine undergo an efficient diastereoselective 3-exo-tet ring-closure reaction affording 2- and 2,3-disubstituted-N-alkylaziridines in good to excellent yields.     

Half-sandwich arene ruthenium(II)-enzyme complex

The 1.6 [Angstrom] X-ray crystal structure of [(eta(6)-p-cymene)Ru(lysozyme)Cl(2)], the first of a half-sandwich complex of a protein, shows selective ruthenation of Nepsilon of the imidazole ring of His15.     

Multiresidue methods using solid-phase extraction techniques for monitoring priority pesticides, including triazines and degradation products, in ground and surface waters

The review describes the use of solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques for monitoring priority pesticides in ground and surface waters. The focus is on triazine herbicides and their degradation products. Data concerning the fate, occurrence, properties and extraction of triazines and their degradation products using different SPE techniques are tabulated and discussed.