Synthesis and conversions of metallocycles. 7. A novel approach to the synthesis of 3,4-dialkyl-substituted aluminacyclopentanes in the presence of Cp2ZrCl2

A novel approach was developed for the stereoselective synthesis of trans-3,4-dialkyl-substituted aluminacyclopentanes from -olefins, metallic magnesium, and EtAlCl₂ in the presence of catalytic amounts of Cp₂ZrCl₂. The hydrolysis and deuterolysis products of the 3,4-dialkyl-substituted aluminacyclopentanes obtained are only in the trans configuration.For previous communication, see [1].Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1607–1609, July, 1991.     

A new caffeoyl quinic acid from aster scaber and its inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) integrase

The phytochemical study of the aerial parts of Aster scaber Thunb. (Asteraceae) yielded a new caffeoyl quinic acid, (-) 3,5-dicaffeoyl-muco-quinic acid (2) and three known compounds, (-) 3,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (1), (-) 4,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (3), (-) 5-caffeoyl quinic acid (4). The structures were established by high resolution spectroscopic methods. The antiviral effects against HIV-1 integrase of the compounds was evaluated. (-) 3,5-Dicaffeoyl-muco-quinic acid (2) exhibited potent antiviral activity with an IC50 value of 7.0 +/- 1.3 microg/ml.     

Enhancing calibration models for non-invasive near-infrared spectroscopical blood glucose determination

Partial least-squares regression (PLS) and radial basis function (RBF) networks are used to compute calibration models for non-invasive blood glucose determination by NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. A model computation shows that even extremely small deviations of the spectra induce increased prediction errors. Since the spectral contribution of blood glucose is much smaller than deviations resulting from the non-invasive measuring process a method based on Pearson’s correlation coefficient can be used for evaluating the quality of the recorded spectra during the prediction step. Another method is based on the leverage values from the hat matrix of the RBF network. Both methods lead to a significant decrease in prediction error.     

Chemical instabilities during oxidation of 1,4-naphthalenediol in a homogeneous medium: II. Thermodynamic analysis and mathematical modeling

A possible mechanism of 1,4-naphthalenediol oxidation in the oscillatory regime has been considered, and a mathematical model describing the kinetics has been developed. Based on a thermodynamic Lyapunov function, it has been shown that the source of chemical instabilities is in the existence of autocatalytic steps and dynamic feedbacks. Qualitative analysis and numerical solution of the set of differential equations that model the reaction kinetics have been performed. The character of the stationary state and the possibility of bifurcations have been determined. The mathematical model satisfactorily describes the processes occurring in the system.     

An unusual new reaction of α-olefins with magnesiumn-alkyl derivatives catalyzed by Cp2ZrCl2

The reaction of organomagnesium compounds (OMC) containing alkyl radicals of normal structure with -olefins, resulting in the formation of alkenylorganomagnesium compounds and accompanied by hydride transfer was discovered and systematically investigated. A scheme providing for the formation of zirconacyclopentane complexes was proposed for the mechanism of the reaction.Institute of Organic Chemistry, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 450054 Ufa. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 1187–1196, May, 1992.     

Structural changes by sulfoxidation of phenothiazine drugs

Summary The side-chain conformations of psychoactive phenothiazine drugs in crystals are different from those of biologically inactive ring sulfoxide metabolites. This study examines the potential energies, molecular conformations and electrostatic potentials in chlorpromazine, levomepromazine (methotrimeprazine), their sulfoxide metabolites and methoxypromazine. The purpose of the study was to examine the significance of the different crystal conformations of active and inactive phenothiazine derivatives, and to determine why phenothiazine drugs lose most of their biological activity by sulfoxidation. Quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics calculations demonstrated that conformations with the side chain folded over the ring structure had lowest potential energy in vacuo, both in the drugs and in the sulfoxide metabolites. In the sulfoxides, side chain conformations corresponding to the crystal structure of chlorpromazine sulfoxide were characterized by stronger negative electrostatic potentials around the ring system than in the parent drugs. This may weaken the electrostatic interaction of sulfoxide metabolites with negatively charged domains in dopamine receptors, and cause the sulfoxides to be virtually inactive in dopamine receptor binding and related pharmacological tests.     

Many-cluster-systems: models of inhomogeneous matter

First, some general remarks concerning macroscopic “cluster matter” are given. In the second part, three recent, mainly optically and electron-microscopically performed investigations are discussed which deal with special properties of noble metal cluster systems forming the building units of this kind of matter:(1) dressed Au-55 clusters,(2) electromagnetic coupling effects among coagulated clusters,(3) the transition towards compact inhomogeneous matter caused by coalescence of clusters.     

Identification of low molecular vaporizable components in silicone resins using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

An experimental set-up for the detection of elemental chlorine in chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHCs) is described based on a miniaturized system, which could be used for on-line monitoring of chlorinated compounds. With an optimized time-resolved detection chlorine from CHCs like CCl₄ can be determined by Laser-Induced-Breakdown-Spectroscopy (LIBS) with g/g-detection limits in the gas phase. The application of a miniaturized Nd : YAG laser resulted only in a minor loss in performance, hence it could be used for designing a rugged and small on-line sensor. In addition, preliminary results for the detection of chlorine via the formation of CuCl in the plasma formed by focussing the laser on a copper surface are reported. Utilizing the luminescence of the CuCl D-system at 440 nm, a tenfold improvement in the detection limits was obtained. It appears that the formation of ad hoc selected, small molecules in a laser plasma could be a promising alternative for the selective and sensitive analysis of gaseous chlorinated and other species.