Dearomatizing anionic cyclization of N-alkyl-N-benzyl(dinaphthyl)phosphinamides. A facile route to gamma-(amino)dihydronaphthalenylphosphinic acids

The dearomatizing anionic cyclization of N-alkyl-N-benzyldi(n-naphthyl)phosphinamides (n = 1, 2) and subsequent trapping with a series of electrophiles (MeOH, MeI, CF3SO3Me, Me3O+BF4-, AllylBr, and PhCH2Br) have been accomplished. Optimized reaction conditions (base, temperature, reaction time) allow for synthesizing tetrahydro-1H-naphtho[1,2-c][1,2]-azaphosphole 1-oxides 13 and 18 and tetrahydro-1H-naphtho[2,1-c][1,2]azaphosphole 3-oxides 16 and 27-29 in high yield and diastereoselectivity. Appropriate selection of the base proved to be critical for promoting anionic cyclization of 2-naphthyl derivatives. The dearomatized heterocycles are transformed quantitatively into gamma-(N-alkylamino)phosphinic acids by acid hydrolysis of the P-N linkage. Bioactivity assays on five human tumor cell lines for one of these amino acids revealed growth inhibition factors (GI50) at a micromolar scale. Additionally, evidence for the feasibility of intermolecular nucleophilic dearomatization and sequential nucleophilic attack to both aromatic rings of dinaphthylphosphinamides have been obtained.     

Enhanced Electrocatalytic Detection of Choline Based on CNTs and Metal Oxide Nanomaterials

Choline is an officially established essential nutrient and precursor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. It is employed as a cholinergic activity marker in the early diagnosis of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Low levels of choline in diets and biological fluids, such as blood plasma, urine, cerebrospinal and amniotic fluid, could be an indication of neurological disorder, fatty liver disease, neural tube defects and hemorrhagic kidney necrosis. Meanwhile, it is known that choline metabolism involves oxidation, which frees its methyl groups for entrance into single-C metabolism occurring in three phases: choline oxidase, betaine synthesis and transfer of methyl groups to homocysteine. Electrocatalytic detection of choline is of physiological and pathological significance because choline is involved in the physiological processes in the mammalian central and peripheral nervous systems and thus requires a more reliable assay for its determination in biological, food and pharmaceutical samples. Despite the use of several methods for choline determination, the superior sensitivity, high selectivity and fast analysis response time of bioanalytical-based sensors invariably have a comparative advantage over conventional analytical techniques. This review focuses on the electrocatalytic activity of nanomaterials, specifically carbon nanotubes (CNTs), CNT nanocomposites and metal/metal oxide-modified electrodes, towards choline detection using electrochemical sensors (enzyme and non-enzyme based), and various electrochemical techniques. From the survey, the electrochemical performance of the choline sensors investigated, in terms of sensitivity, selectivity and stability, is ascribed to the presence of these nanomaterials.     

2‐[(1‐Imidazolyl)formyloxy]ethyl methacrylate as a new chemical precursor of functional polymers

A novel activated derivative of methacrylic acid, namely 2‐[(1‐imidazolyl)formyloxy]ethyl methacrylate was synthesized and homopolymerized. The resulting polymer was used in exchange reactions with alcohols and amines, thus showing a potential for the synthesis of multifunctional polymers. All reactions, expecially those carried out in the presence of amines, proceeded under mild conditions. 2‐[(1‐Imidazolyl)formyloxy]ethyl methacrylate can also be regarded as a valuable precursor for the preparation of new and easily polymerizable functional monomers.     

Separation and Immobilization of Lipase from Penicillium simplicissimum by Selective Adsorption on Hydrophobic Supports

Lipases are an enzyme class of a great importance as biocatalysts applied to organic chemistry. However, it is still necessary to search for new enzymes with special characteristics such as good stability towards high temperatures, organic solvents, and high stereoselectivity presence. The present work’s aim was to immobilize the lipases pool produced by Penicillium simplissicimum, a filamentous fungi strain isolated from Brazilian babassu cake residue. P. simplissicimum lipases were separated into three different fractions using selective adsorption method on different hydrophobic supports (butyl-, phenyl-, and octyl-agarose) at low ionic strength. After immobilization, it was observed that these fractions’ hyperactivation is in the range of 131% to 1133%. This phenomenon probably occurs due to enzyme open form stabilization when immobilized onto hydrophobic supports. Those fractions showed different thermal stability, specificity, and enantioselectivity towards some substrates. Enantiomeric ratio for the hydrolysis of (R,S) 2-O-butyryl-2-phenylacetic acid ranged from 1 to 7.9 for different immobilized P. simplissicimum lipase fractions. Asymmetry factor for diethyl 2-phenylmalonate hydrolysis ranged from 11.8 to 16.4 according to the immobilized P. simplissicimum lipase fractions. Those results showed that sequential adsorption methodology was an efficient strategy to obtain new biocatalysts with different enantioselectivity degrees, thermostability, and specificity prepared with a crude extract produced by a simple and low-cost technology.     

Oxidative DNA cleavage by copper ternary complexes of 1,10-phenanthroline and ethylenediamine-sulfonamide derivatives

Ternary copper(II) complexes (1–3) of 1,10-phenanthroline and ethylenediamine-R-sulfonamide derivatives (R = benzene, toluene and naphthalene rings) have been synthesized and characterized with the aid of X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. The crystal structures of the complexes show that the coordination polyhedron around copper(II) is distorted square planar. Both 1,10-phenanthroline and ethylenediamine-R-sulfonamide act as bidentate ligands. The three structures are stabilized by π–π stacking interactions. The interaction of the complexes with calf thymus DNA has been investigated by thermal denaturation studies which indicated that DNA was stabilized in the presence of the compounds. The increase in DNA stability induced by the complexes follows the order: 3 > 2 > 1. All three complexes were found to be very efficient agents of plasmid DNA cleavage in the presence of ascorbate as reducing agent. Mechanistic studies of the DNA cleavage process performed with radical scavengers show that the reactive oxygen species involved in the DNA damage are the hydroxyl radical, singlet oxygen-like species, the superoxide* and hydrogen peroxide.     

Comparative analysis of the electrostatics of the binding of cationic proteins to vesicles: Asymmetric location of anionic phospholipids

The role of electrostatics is studied in the adsorption of cationic proteins to zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine (PC) and anionic PC/phosphatidylglycerol (PG) mixed small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs). For model proteins the interaction is monitored vs. PG content at low ionic strength. The adsorption of lysozyme and myoglobin (isoelectric point, pI 7-11) is investigated in SUVs, along with changes of the fluorescence emission spectra of the cationic proteins, via their adsorption on SUVs. In the Gouy-Chapman formalism, the activity coefficient goes with the square of charge number. Deviations from the ideal model could indicate the asymmetric location of the anionic phospholipid in the bilayer inner leaflet, in mixed zwitterionic/anionic SUVs for both lysozyme- and myoglobin-PC/PG systems, in agreement with experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. Fitted effective SUV charge stays constant. Effective—formal difference increases 0.417 e.u. Effective protein charge increases as PC/PG < PC being greater for myoglobin. The molar free energies of the protein in aqueous and lipid phases increase as PC < PC/PG. Both free-energy changes are greater for myoglobin. Effective interfacial charge stays constant for anionic PC/PG SUVs being greater for myoglobin.     

Reaction of N-vinylic phosphazenes with alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes. Azatriene-mediated synthesis of dihydropyridines and pyridines derived from beta-amino acids

Aza-Wittig reaction of N-vinylic phosphazenes (1,2 addition), derived from diphenylmethylphosphine or derived from trimethylphosphine with alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes, leads to the formation of 3-azatrienes through a [2 + 2]-cycloaddition-cycloreversion sequence. The presence of an alkyl substituent in position 3 of N-vinylic phosphazenes increases the steric interactions, and [4 + 2] periselectivity (1,4 addition) is observed. Reaction of azatrienes with alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes yields pyridines.     

Technical aspects and evaluation methodology for the application of two automated brain MRI tumor segmentation methods in radiation therapy planning

The purpose of this study was to design the steps necessary to create a tumor volume outline from the results of two automated multispectral magnetic resonance imaging segmentation methods and integrate these contours into radiation therapy treatment planning. Algorithms were developed to create a closed, smooth contour that encompassed the tumor pixels resulting from two automated segmentation methods: k-nearest neighbors and knowledge guided. These included an automatic three-dimensional (3D) expansion of the results to compensate for their undersegmentation and match the extended contouring technique used in practice by radiation oncologists. Each resulting radiation treatment plan generated from the automated segmentation and from the outlining by two radiation oncologists for 11 brain tumor patients was compared against the volume and treatment plan from an expert radiation oncologist who served as the control. As part of this analysis, a quantitative and qualitative evaluation mechanism was developed to aid in this comparison. It was found that the expert physician reference volume was irradiated within the same level of conformity when using the plans generated from the contours of the segmentation methods. In addition, any uncertainty in the identification of the actual gross tumor volume by the segmentation methods, as identified by previous research into this area, had small effects when used to generate 3D radiation therapy treatment planning due to the averaging process in the generation of margins used in defining a planning target volume.