Polysulfides as biologically active ingredients of garlic

Garlic has long been considered as a natural remedy against a range of human illnesses, including various bacterial, viral and fungal infections. This kind of antibiotic activity of garlic has mostly been associated with the thiosulfinate allicin. Even so, recent studies have pointed towards a significant biological activity of trisulfides and tetrasulfides found in various Allium species, including a wide range of antibiotic properties and the ability of polysulfides to cause the death of certain cancer cells. The chemistry underlying the biological activity of these polysulfides is currently emerging. It seems to include a combination of several distinct transformations, such as oxidation reactions, superoxide radical and peroxide generation, decomposition with release of highly electrophilic S(x) species, inhibition of metalloenzymes, disturbance of metal homeostasis and membrane integrity and interference with different cellular signalling pathways. Further research in this area is required to provide a better understanding of polysulfide reactions within a biochemical context. This knowledge may ultimately form the basis for the development of 'green' antibiotics, fungicides and possibly anticancer agents with dramatically reduced side effects in humans.     

Studies on DMSO-containing carbanilation mixtures: chemistry,oxidations and cellulose integrity

The oxidative effect of carbanilation mixtures containing dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was demonstrated by means of alcohol model substances in which competitive carbanilation was prevented due to steric hindrance of the hydroxyl function, rendering those compounds specific probes for oxidation effects. Dimethylsulfonium ions and derived ylide species were shown to be the actually oxidizing species according to trapping methodology using lipophilic olefins which were converted into the corresponding cyclopropane and epoxide derivatives. The experimental data were in good agreement with DFT computations carried out on the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. The direct interaction of cellulose and sulfoxide solvent was proven by means of methyl-(2-naphthyl)sulfoxide (MNSO) as a model for DMSO, which caused introduction of UV-detectable methylthionaphthyl ether moieties into the cellulose, formed in Pummerer-type side reaction paralleling the chemical behavior of DMSO. A facile color test—responding to sulfoxide-derived oxidizing species—was developed to assess the suitability of carbanilation conditions with regard to cellulose oxidation and degradation. DMSO-based carbanilation systems have to be used with great caution for determination of molecular weight parameters and for similar purposes which require complete maintenance of the cellulose integrity. Cellulose oxidation/degradation by DMSO-derived intermediates upon carbanilation can be minimized but cannot be avoided completely. Thus, if cellulose integrity is an issue as it is in cellulose analytics, it is recommended to replace DMSO by solvent components of similar solution behavior but without the inherent danger of generating oxidants, such as pyridine or DMAc, whenever possible.

Natural product drug discovery: the times have never been better

The annual meeting of the Society for Industrial Microbiology (SIM) this year was held in Denver, Colorado, from July 29 to August 2, 2007. Nearly 200 oral and about 120 poster presentations kept the approximately 600 participants busy for more than 4 days. This report focuses on the 35 talks dedicated to natural products chemistry, biosynthesis, engineering, drug discovery and development, as well as neutraceuticals.     

The Ternary Lanthanoid Nickel Arsenides Tb12Ni30As21 and Dy12Ni30As21 with (La,Ce)12Rh30P21 Type Related Structure

The title compounds were synthesized from the elements by reactions at high temperature. They crystallize with a hexagonal structure which was determined from single‐crystal X‐ray data of Dy₁₂Ni₃₀As₂₁: P6₃/m, Z = 1, a = 1698.5(5) pm, c = 387.7(1) pm, R = 0.053 for 797 F values and 69 variable parameters. It belongs to a large family of hexagonal structures with a metal to metalloid ratio of 2 : 1. In these hexagonal structures an ordered distribution of occupied atomic positions around the hexagonal 6₃ axis is possible only for refinements in space groups of lower symmetry. This is discussed for the present case and the very closely related structures reported for (La, Ce)₁₂Rh₃₀P₂₁ and Nd₃Ni₇P₅.     

Preparation and Crystal Structure of Rare Earth Rhenates: the Series Ln5Re2O12 with Ln = Y,Gd–Lu,and the Praseodymium Rhenates Pr3ReO8, Pr3Re2O10, and Pr4Re2O11

The crystal structure of the known compounds Ln₅Re₂O₁₂ (Ln = Y, Gd, Dy–Lu) and the new isotypic terbium rhenate Tb₅Re₂O₁₂ was determined from X‐ray data of a twinned crystal of Ho₅Re₂O₁₂: B2/m, a = 1236.5(4) pm, b = 748.2(2) pm, c = 563.8(1) pm, γ = 107.73(3)°, Z = 2, R = 0.034 for 379 structure factors and 37 variable parameters. The rhenium atoms (oxidation number +4.5) have octahedral oxygen coordination. These ReO₆ octahedra share edges, thus forming infinite strings with alternating short and long Re–Re distances: 243.6(2) and 320.1(2) pm. Of the three holmium positions two are surrounded by seven oxygen atoms and the third one has octahedral oxygen coordination. The crystal structure of Pr₃ReO₈ was refined from single‐crystal X‐ray data: P2₁/a, a = 1498.0(2) pm, b = 749.09(8) pm, c = 610.48(9) pm, γ = 110.39(1)°, R = 0.017 for 2082 F values and 110 variable parameters. It is isotypic with a structure first determined for Sm₃ReO₈. The new compounds Pr₃Re₂O₁₀ and Pr₄Re₂O₁₁ were prepared by reaction of elemental praseodymium with the metaperrhenate Pr(ReO₄)₃. They were characterized through their X‐ray powder diagrams. Pr₃Re₂O₁₀ was found to be monoclinic: a = 778.47(9) pm, b = 773.62(9) pm, c = 706.10(8) pm, β = 114.77(1)°. It is isotypic with La₃Os₂O₁₀ and La₃Re₂O₁₀. Pr₄Re₂O₁₁ crystallizes with Nd₄Re₂O₁₁ type structure with the tetragonal lattice constants a = 1272.49(3) pm, c = 562.29(2) pm. The compounds Nd₄Re₂O₁₁ and Sm₄Re₂O₁₁ are confirmed. The magnetic properties of Ho₅Re₂O₁₂, Tb₅Re₂O₁₂, Pr₃Re₂O₁₀, Pr₄Re₂O₁₁, Nd₄Re₂O₁₁, and Sm₄Re₂O₁₁ were investigated with a Faraday balance. None of these compounds shows magnetic order above 200 K.     

Pniktogenidostannate(IV) mit isolierten Tetraeder‐Anionen: Neue Vertreter (E1)4(E2)2[Sn(E15)4] (mit E1 = Na,K; E2 = Ca,Sr, Ba; E15 = P,As, Sb,Bi) vom Na6[ZnO4]‐Typ und die Überstrukturvariante von K4Sr2[SnAs4]

Pnictogenidostannates(IV) with Discrete Tetrahedral Anions: New Representatives (E1)₄(E2)₂[Sn(E15)₄] (with E1 = Na, K; E2 = Ca, Sr, Ba; E15 = P, As, Sb, Bi) of the Na₆[ZnO₄] Type and the Superstructure Variant of K₄Sr₂[SnAs₄] The silvery to dark metallic lustrous compounds (E1)₄(E2)₂[Sn(E15)₄] (E1 = Na, K; E2 = Ca, Sr, Ba; E15 = P, As, Sb, Bi) were prepared from melts of stoichiometric mixtures of the elements. They crystallize in the Na₆[ZnO₄]‐type structure (hexagonal, space group: P6₃mc, Z = 2; Na₄Ca₂[SnP₄]: a = 938.94(7), c = 710.09(8) pm; K₄Sr₂[SnAs₄]: a = 1045.0(2), c = 767.0(1) pm; K₄Ba₂[SnP₄]: a = 1029.1(6), c = 780.2(4) pm; K₄Ba₂[SnAs₄]: a = 1051.3(1), c = 795.79(7) pm; K₄Ba₂[SnSb₄]: a = 1116.9(2), c = 829.2(1) pm; K₄Ba₂[SnBi₄]: a = 1139.5(2), c = 832.0(2) pm). The anionic partial structure consists of tetrahedra [Sn(E15)₄]^8– orientated all in the same direction along [001]. In the cationic partial structure one of the two cation positions is occupied statistically by alkali and alkaline earth metal atoms. Up to now only for K₄Sr₂[SnAs₄] a second modification could be isolated, forming a superstructure type with three times the unit cell volume (hexagonal, space group: P6₃cm, Z = 6; a = 1801.3(2), c = 767.00(9) pm) and an ordered cationic partial structure.     

Cyclische Phosphidostannat(III)-Anionen [Sn12P24]36– in Sr3[Sn2P4]

Cyclic Phosphidostannate(III) Anions [Sn₁₂P₂₄]^36– in Sr₃[Sn₂P₄] The metallic lustrous, air sensitive compound Sr₃[Sn₂P₄] was prepared from melts of mixtures of the elements. Sr₃[Sn₂P₄] crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Cmca (a = 2510,4(9), b = 1259,3(6), c = 1869,3(8), Z = 24). In the anionic partial structure six moieties [Sn₂P₆] isostructural to Si₂Cl₆ are linked by each four common P-ligands forming cyclic units [Sn₁₂P₂₄]^36–. The strontium cations are octahedrally coordinated by P. The arrangement can be described as a distorted cubic close packing of P^3– in which in an ordered manner ³/₄ of the octahedral vacancies are occupied by Sr²⁺ and ¹/₄ by Sn₂-dumbbells.