A new convenient synthesis of N-acyl-2-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)glycinates

Easily accessible N-acyl-2-triphenylphosphonioglycinate tetrafluoroborates react smoothly with trimethylphosphite in the presence of methyltriphenylphosphonium iodide to give N-acyl-2-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)glycinates in good or very good yields. The dimethoxyphosphorylglycinates may be isolated by column chromatography, or used directly for the Wadsworth-Emmons synthesis of α,β-dehydro-α-amino acids in a one-pot procedure without purification.     

Theoretical study of ribonucleotide reductase mechanism-based inhibition by 2'-azido-2'-deoxyribonucleoside 5'-diphosphates

2'-azido-2'-deoxyribonucleoside 5'-diphosphates are mechanism-based inhibitors of Ribonucleotide Reductase. Considerable effort has been made to elucidate their mechanism of inhibition, which is still controversial and not fully understood. Previous studies have detected the formation of a radical intermediate when the inhibitors interact with the enzyme, and several authors have proposed possible structures for this radical. We have conducted a theoretical study of the possible reactions involved, which allowed us to identify the structure of the new radical among the several proposals. A new reactional path is also proposed that is the most kinetically favored to yield this radical and ultimately inactivate the enzyme. The energetic involved in this mechanism, both for radical formation and radical decay, as well as the calculated Hyperfine Coupling Constants for the radical intermediate, are in agreement with the correspondent experimental values. This mechanistic alternative is fully coherent with remaining experimental data.     

Expression and Purification of ZNF191（243-368） in Three Expression Systems

ZNF191 （243-368）, a new human zinc finger protein, probably relates to some hereditary diseases and cancers, To obtain adequate amount of ZNF191（243-368） for the study of its property, structure and function, three different expression systems of inclusion-body, glutathione S-transferase （GST）, and hexahistidine （6 × His） were used and compared. Among these systems, the expression level of ZNFI91（243-368） was increased in inclusion body system under a higher isopropylthio-β-D-galactoside （IPTG） concentration, but the non-target proteins were also increased more, which made its purification more difficult and the yield lower. The expression of His-tag fusion protein was almost not affected by IPTG concentration, temperature and inducing time. At a high IPTG concentration the highest expression yield for GST fusion protein was obtained. And the fusion proteins can be partially purified by a single affinity chromatography step. The fusion protein systems show advantages for expression of these proteins.     

Capillary zone electrophoresis of cationic and anionic drugs in methanol

The actual mobilities and dissociation constants of acidic and basic pharmaceuticals were determined in methanol. Actual mobilities were derived from the dependence of the effective mobilities of the analytes on the pH of the methanolic background electrolyte solution (pH(MeOH)). The pKa values of the pharmaceuticals in methanol (pK(a,MeOH)) were calculated by non-linear curve fitting to the measured mobility values. It was found that the shift in pKa value (when compounds were transferred from water to methanol) increased with the acidity of the analyte. The average pKa shift for compounds exhibiting acidic properties in water was ca. 5.5 units, and the shift for basic compounds about 2 units. As was shown for a mixture of beta-blockers, the calculated actual mobilities and pKa values can be utilised in the optimisation of pH conditions for separation. The practical value of the method was illustrated by the analysis of urine samples.     

Enzymatic synthesis of optically active α-chloro-δ-hydroxy-β-ketoalkanephosphonates and reactions thereof

A novel and enzymatic approach to α-chloro-δ-hydroxy-β-ketoalkanephosphonates was developed via enantioselective CALB-catalyzed acetylation and CRL-catalyzed hydrolysis. The resultant optically active compounds provide, via Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reaction, chiral α,β-unsaturated ketones that are building block with potential application in organic synthesis.     

Asymmetric 1,4-addition of alkenylzirconium reagents to α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by chiral rhodium complexes

Highly enantioselective 1,4-addition of alkenylzirconocene chlorides to α,β-enones was found to be catalyzed by a chiral rhodium complex generated from [Rh(cod)(MeCN)₂]BF₄ and (S)-BINAP. The reaction can be applied to either cyclic or acyclic enones and the optical yield was up to 99% ee. The reaction mechanism would involve the transmetalation between the alkenylzirconocene chloride and the rhodium complex to give the alkenylrhodium species as a key intermediate.     

Synthesis of calixarene-cyclodextrin coupling products

The coupling of two or four mono-6-amino β-cyclodextrin (amino-CD) units, (unprotected or permethylated hydroxyls), to diisopropoxycalix[4]arene crown-6 (CAL) was realised using the N,N′-succinyldiamide linker. The resulting molecules in two series were characterised with the help of mass and NMR spectroscopies. The yields of all coupling products were improved for permethylated sugar series compared to the hydroxylated CD series or to our previous studies. The two β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) residues coupled to disubstituted CAL were orientated from the same side of the crown ether.     

The 2-(diphenylphosphino) ethyl group (DPPE) as a new carboxyl-protecting group in peptide chemistry

The use of the 2-(diphenylphosphino)ethyl group for carboxyl-protection of amino acids or peptides is described. This group is easily introduced by esterification using 2-(diphenylphosphino) ethanol in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine. These Dppe esters are stable under the standard conditions for peptide synthesis. Deprotection is carried out under mild conditions by quaternisation using methyl iodide followed by a β-elimination induced by fluoride ion or potassium carbonate.     

Novel chemical modifications at the 4-position of chromones. Synthesis and reactivity of 4H-chromene-4-spiro-5′-isoxazolines and related compounds

Reactions of chromones with dilithiooximes proceed via nucleophilic 1,2-addition to give, on acidification, 4H-chromene-4-spiro-5′-isoxazoline derivatives in high yields. On treatment with concentrated H₂SO₄ the isoxazoline ring of this novel spiroannulated heterocyclic system opens to give α,β-unsaturated oximes, which undergo nitrosation, bromination, and the Beckmann rearrangement to the corresponding spiroisoxazolines and α,β-unsaturated amides, respectively. The latter can be obtained directly by the Beckmann rearrangement of 4H-chromene-4-spiro-5′-isoxazolines.     

Towards EPC-syntheses of the structural class of cochleamycins and macquarimicins. Part 3: EPC-syntheses of the β-keto lactone subunits and first attempts towards the syntheses of the pentacyclic antibiotics of this group

Practical EPC-syntheses of δ-substituted-β-keto δ-lactones, subunits of the cochleamycins and macquarimicins, are presented. In consequence Tietze's tandem reaction is employed to combine δ-allyl-β-keto δ-lactone with a hydrindene derivative, the second subunit of these acetogenic antibiotics. Model reactions for the final oxidative radical tandem cyclization reveal that the electrophilic radical cyclizes exclusively in exo-trig fashion. However, with the intended precursor of macquarimicin C allylic hydrogen abstraction thwarted the oxidative radical tandem cyclization.