Studies towards the synthesis of ertugliflozin from l-Arabinose

A new method for the diastereoselective synthesis of enantiomerically pure ertugliflozin was developed. The crucial step involves an aldol condensation between 1-(4-chloro-3-(4-ethoxybenzyl)phenyl)ethanone and (4R,5R)-5-(((tert-butyldimethylsilyl)oxy)methyl)-2,2-dimethyl-5-((trityloxy)methyl)-1,3-dioxolane-4-carbaldehyde, which was prepared from known 2-C-trityloxymethyl-2,3-O-isopropylidene-l-erythrose (easily accessible in three steps from l-arabinose) by standard reduction/oxidation and protection/deprotection manipulations. Dihydroxylation of the aldol condensation product and further global deprotection led to the formation of the target molecule.     

Photosensitizer-Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Combination for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy†

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are widely known for their versatile applications. One of the most extended is as drug delivery systems for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. This review compiles the most representative examples in the last years of functionalized MSNs as photosensitizer carriers for photodynamic therapy (PDT) against cancer. Several commercially available photosensitizers (PSs) demonstrated poor solubility in an aqueous medium and insufficient selectivity for cancer tissues. The tumor specificity of PSs is a key factor for enhancing the PDT effect and at the same time reducing side effects. The use of nanoparticles and particularly MSNs, in which PS is covalently anchored or physically embedded, can overcome these limitations. For that, PS-MSNs can be externally decorated with compounds of interest in order to act as an active target for certain cancer cells, demonstrating enhanced phototoxicity in vitro and in vivo. The objective of this review is to collect and compare different nanosystems based on PS-MSNs pointing out their advantages in PDT against diverse types of cancers.     

The genomisotopic approach: a systematic method to isolate products of orphan biosynthetic gene clusters

With the increasing number of genomes sequenced and available in the public domain, a large number of orphan gene clusters, for which the encoded natural product is unknown, have been identified. These orphan gene clusters represent a tremendous source of novel and possibly bioactive compounds. Here, we describe a "genomisotopic approach," which employs a combination of genomic sequence analysis and isotope-guided fractionation to identify unknown compounds synthesized from orphan gene clusters containing nonribosomal peptide synthetases. Analysis of the Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf-5 genome led to the identification of an orphan gene cluster predicted to code for the biosynthesis of a lipopeptide natural product. Application of the genomisotopic approach to isolate the product of this gene cluster resulted in the discovery of orfamide A, founder of a group of bioactive cyclic lipopeptides.     

1H NMR direct observation of enantiomeric exchange in palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes containing N,N' bidentate aryl-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-amine ligands

The complexes [MCl(2)(kappa2-N approximately N')] (N approximately N' = 2-C(5)H(4)N-CH2-NHAr; Ar = 4-MeC(6)H(4), a; 2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3), b; 4-MeOC(6)H(4), c; 4-CF(3)C(6)H(4), d; M = Pd, 1a-d; Pt, 2a-d) have been prepared and fully stereochemically characterized both in the solid state and in solution. Their behavior in DMSO-d6 solution is dependent on the substituents of the aryl group and on the metal. Complexes of palladium with substituents at the para position (1a, 1c, 1d) display a dynamic 1H NMR pattern when the solutions are heated. An enantiomeric exchange Slambda/Rdelta is suggested to explain such behavior. On the basis of the calculated negative DeltaS values, an associative mechanism involving the solvent is proposed. Under the same conditions, analogous complexes of platinum (2a, 2c, 2d) proved to be unstable, and release of the N approximately N' ligand was observed. Complexes 1b and 2b show temperature-variable 1H NMR spectra without any evidence accounting for enantiomeric exchange or decoordination. DFT calculations on models of 1a and 1b show that diastereomeric exchange Sdelta/Slambda is a process where the complex with the higher sterical hindrance, 1b, has a lower energy barrier.     

Diastereoselectivity in the self-assembly of As2L2Cl2 macrocycles is directed by the As-pi interaction

The As-pi interaction, in conjunction with reversible As-thiolate bond formation, is used to direct the self-assembly of dinuclear As2L2Cl2 (L = a dithiolate) macrocycles that exist as equilibrium mixtures of both syn and anti diastereomers. The diastereomeric excess of these self-assembly reactions is controlled in a predictable manner by prudent choice of different achiral, isomeric ligands. A general method for the preparation of As2L2Cl2 macrocycles is established, and strategies to control the diastereoselective self-assembly of regioisomeric macrocycles in solution and the crystalline state are described. A mechanism for the interconversion between diastereomers (a slow process on the NMR time scale) is suggested, and variable-temperature NMR spectroscopic data show that the diastereomeric excess (de) decreases with increasing temperature. anti-As2(L2,6)2Cl2 crystallizes in monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 6.3949(13), b = 19.675(4), c = 10.967(2) A, beta = 106.817(3) degrees , and Z = 2. anti-As2(L1,5)2Cl2 crystallizes in monoclinic space group P2(1)/c with a = 6.813(4), b = 19.085(12), c = 10.277(6) A, beta = 107.788(10) degrees , and Z = 4. syn-As2(L1,4)2Cl2.CHCl3 crystallizes in triclinic space group P(-) with a = 19.313(4), b = 19.923(4), c = 24.508(5) A, alpha = 78.110(4) degrees , beta = 78.860(5) degrees , gamma = 89.183(5) degrees , and Z = 12. As2(L1,4)2Cl2.C6H6 crystallizes in monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 10.3332(7), b = 34.375(2), c = 17.8593(12) A, beta = 98.9650(10) degrees , and Z = 8.     

Recent studies of the electrospray ionisation behaviour of selected drugs and their application in capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

This review is concerned with recent studies of electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) of selected small molecular mass drugs and their application in qualitative and quantitative analytical methods using the techniques liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) and capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry (CE-ESI-MS). The publications reviewed are taken from the Web of Knowledge database for the year 2006. The drugs have molecular mass less than 1000 Da and are chosen according to selected drug classifications in which they give ESI signals primarily as [M+H]+ ions. The drug classifications are antibiotics/antibacterials, steroids, anti-tumour drugs, erectile dysfunction agents, anti-epileptic drugs, antiasthmatic drugs, psychoactive drugs and miscellaneous drugs. Details are given on the fragmentations, where available, that these ionic species exhibit in-source and in ion trap, triple quadrupole and time-of-flight mass spectrometers. Analytical methods for the detection and determination of these small molecular mass drug molecules are also discussed, where appropriate, under the particular drug classifications. Analytical information on, for example, sample concentration techniques, separation conditions, recoveries from biological media and limits of detection/quantitation (LODs and LOQs) are provided.     

Binaural interference and auditory grouping

The phenomenon of binaural interference, where binaural judgments of a high-frequency target stimulus are disrupted by the presence of a simultaneous low-frequency interferer, can largely be explained using principles of auditory grouping and segregation. Evidence for this relationship comes from a number of previous studies showing that the manipulation of simultaneous grouping cues such as harmonicity and onset synchrony can influence the strength of the phenomenon. In this study, it is shown that sequential grouping cues can also influence whether binaural interference occurs. Subjects indicated the lateral position of a high-frequency sinusoidally amplitude-modulated (SAM) tone containing an interaural time difference. Perceived lateral positions were reduced by the presence of a simultaneous diotic low-frequency SAM tone, but were largely restored when the interferer was "captured" in a stream of identical tones. A control condition confirmed that the effect was not due to peripheral adaptation. The data lend further support to the idea that binaural interference is affected by processes related to the perceptual organization of auditory information. Modifications to existing grouping-based models are proposed that may help account for binaural interference effects more successfully.     

Locally Farkas-Minkowski linear inequality systems

This paper introduces thelocally Farkas-Minkowski (LFM) linear inequality systems in a finite dimensional Euclidean space. These systems are those ones that satisfy that any consequence of the system that is active at some solution point is also a consequence of some finite subsystem. This class includes the Farkas-Minkowski systems and verifies most of the properties that these systems possess. Moreover, it contains the locally polyhedral systems, which are the natural external representation of quasi-polyhedral sets. TheLFM systems appear to be the natural external representation of closed convex sets. A characterization based on their properties under the union of systems is provided. In linear semi-infinite programming, theLFM property is the more general constraint qualification such that the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker condition characterizes the optimal points. Furthermore, the pair of Haar dual problems has no duality gap.