Hydrolytic and transglycosylation reactions of N-acyl modified substrates catalysed by β-N-acetylhexosaminidases

The hydrolytic and transglycosylation capabilities of 35 fungal β-N-acetylhexosaminidases with p-nitrophenyl 2-amino-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranoside and its four N-acyl derivatives (CHO, COCH₂OH, COCH₂CH₃, COCF₃) as substrates were tested. The preparation of four novel p-nitrophenyl disaccharides from these unnatural substrates catalysed by enzymes from Aspergillus oryzae, Penicillium oxalicum and Talaromyces flavus represents a considerable extension of the synthetic potential of glycosidases.     

Diels-Alder reaction of optically active (E)-γ-keto-α,β-unsaturated p-tolylsulfoxides with cyclopentadiene

The Diels-Alder reaction of enantiomerically pure (E)-γ-keto-α,β-unsaturated p-tolylsulphoxides 3 with cyclopentadiene give four easily separable diastereomers. The effect of several Lewis acids on the reaction was studied, finding a high endo selectivity with respect to the carbonyl group and moderate π-diastereoselectivity using BF₃·Et₂O as catalyst. The reactivity of compounds 3 as well as their endo selectivity are both higher than those observed for the corresponding (E)-3-sulfinylacrylates.     

Effects of fluorine atoms on the optical nonlinear response of stilbene derivatives

The effect of fluorine atoms on the second-order optical nonlinear response of 4-nitro-4′-methoxy-trans-stilbene and polyene derivatives containing up to three double bonds (n=1, 2, 3) has been investigated within a semiempirical context (PM3 Hamiltonian). Experimental data reported in literature indicate a β_vec(SHG) value of 34, 47 and 76 (×10⁻³⁰ esu) for n=1, 2, 3, respectively, at 0.65 eV in CHCl₃ solutions. Our calculations show that fluorinating the nitrophenyl group the β_vec(SHG) is doubled. Further increase in the second-order nonlinear response can be obtained fluorinating the CC bond linkers between the aromatic moieties.Besides, the effect of different donor-acceptor pairs has been studied and the results interpreted in the two-state model context.Some results concerning the third-harmonic generation (THG), γ (THG), are presented, and a possible interpretation proposed.     

Synthesis of new α,α,β,β-tetrafluoroesters

Substituted phenyl iodides or diiodides reacted with ethyl iodotetrafluoroproponylate ICF₂CF₂CO₂Et, 1 in the presence of copper powder to give the coupled products 2 or 3 in good yields. Addition of 1 to ethylene and allyl acetate proceeded smoothly under thermal and radical conditions to give the corresponding adducts, which underwent elimination reaction to give β-vinyl and β-allyl α,α,β,β-tetrafluoroesters, CH₂CHCF₂CF₂CO₂Et, 4 and CH₂CHCH₂CF₂CF₂CO₂Et, 5, respectively. 1 also readily reacted with 1,5-hexadiene and 1-hexene with copper or palladium complex, followed by reduction to remove iodine to produce ω-alkenyl-α,α,β,β-tetrafluoroester CH₂CH(CH₂)₄CF₂CF₂CO₂Et 6 and α,α,β,β-tetrafluoroester C₄H₉CH₂CHICF₂CF₂CO₂Et.     

Normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic separations using ethoxynonafluorobutane as hexane alternative. II. Liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry applications with methanol gradients

We have reported recently that high-speed normal-phase (NP) HPLC separations of a broad range of organic compounds can be performed on cyano columns using gradients of methanol in hexane-like solvent-ethoxynonafluorobutane (ENFB), available commercially. In this communication, we demonstrate that atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) in combination with mass spectrometry (MS) can be effectively used for detection in such separations. The efficiency of APCI under conditions studied has also been compared to the efficiency of traditional electrospray ionization (ESI) in combination with MS for reversed-phase (RP) HPLC of the same compounds. The compounds included in this study were steroids, benzodiazepines, and other central nervous system-active substances, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tricyclic antidepressants, and beta-adrenergic blocking agents. Non-polar compounds were found to respond stronger when APCI-MS technique was used, whereas APCI and ESI ionization efficiencies were comparable when polar substances were studied. The combination of normal-phase HPLC separation conditions with mass spectral detection may expand the range of LC-MS applications traditionally associated with reversed-phase HPLC and ESI-MS detection.     

Norcholanic acids as substrates for recombinant 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and progesterone 5β-reductase, enzymes of the 5β-cardenolide biosynthesis

The conversion of 23-nor-5,20(22)E-choladienic acid-3β-ol and other intermediates of the putative norcholanic acid pathway of cardenolide biosynthesis by recombinant 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Digitalis lanata in dehydrogenation and reduction reactions was investigated. 23-nor-4,20(22)E-choladienic acid-3-one was found to be a substrate of recombinant progesterone 5β-reductases from D. lanata and Arabidopsis thaliana. The role of various substrates in cardenolide biosynthesis is discussed.     

Studies on paraherquamide biosynthesis: synthesis of deuterium-labeled 7-hydroxy-pre-paraherquamide, a putative precursor of paraherquamides A, E, and F

The stereocontrolled, asymmetric synthesis of triply deuterium-labeled 7-hydroxy-pre-paraherquamide (27) was accomplished, employing a diastereoselective intramolecular S_N2′ cyclization strategy. The deuterium-labeled substrate was interrogated in a precursor incorporation experiment in the paraherquamide-producing organism Penicillium fellutanum. The isolated sample of paraherquamide A revealed incorporation of one of the two geminal deuterons of the CD₂-group at C-12 exclusively. The lack of signals for the second deuteron of the CD₂-group at C-12 and for the CH₂D-group (C-22/C-23) suggests that this substrate suffered an unexpectedly selective catabolic degradation and metabolic re-incorporation of deuterium thus casting doubt on the proposed biosynthetic intermediacy of 27. Consideration of alternative biosynthetic pathways, including oxidation of the indole C-6 position prior to hydroxylation at C-7 or oxidative spiro-contraction of pre-paraherquamide prior to construction of the dioxepin is discussed. The synthesis of 27 also provides for a concise, asymmetric stereocontrolled synthesis of an advanced intermediate that will be potentially useful in the synthesis of paraherquamides E and F.     

5,10:13,14-Disecosteroids: novel modified steroids containing 10- and 9-membered rings

In this paper a synthetic pathway to the modified 5,10:13,14-bisfragmentation cholestane derivatives 8-14 is described. The synthesis involves introduction of the 5α- and 14α-hydroxyl groups in the cholestane molecule and subsequent cleavage of the C(5)-C(10) bond in 5α,14α-dihydroxycholestan-3β-yl acetate (4) with the HgO/I₂ reagent and the C(13)-C(14) bond in the stereoisomeric 14α-hydroxy-5,10-secosteroids 5 and 6 with the Pb(OAc)₄/I₂ reagent. Complete and unambiguous ¹H and ¹³C NMR resonance assignments of the obtained secosteroids, as well as the solution conformations of their 10- and 9-membered rings were determined by extensive analysis of 1D and 2D NMR spectral data. The structures and the solid-state conformations of 5,10-secosteroids 5-7 were confirmed by X-ray analysis. All diseco-compounds have a novel 5,10:13,14-disecocholestane skeleton.     

Aromatization and chemoselective alkylation of 1-methyl-3,4-dihydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid and its derivatives

Unprecedented aromatization was observed during N-alkylation reactions of 1-methyl-3,4-dihydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester, giving rise to 9-alkyl-1-methyl-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid methyl esters. Inverse addition of base during a similar reaction resulted in a chemoselective alkylation to form novel 3-butyl-1-methyl-3,4-dihydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester as the major product in good yield.     

Diastereoselective, large-scale synthesis of β-amino acids via asymmetric aza-Michael addition as α2δ ligands for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and insomnia

Scalable synthetic routes to β-amino acids 1 and 2 are presented. These two compounds, which bind to the α2δ subunit of calcium channels and have important medical applications, have been prepared on kilogram scale in our pilot plant through an improved synthesis that avoids the use of highly toxic reagents and hazardous chemistry present in the original Medicinal Chemistry route. The two chiral centers are introduced through asymmetric Michael and aza-Michael reactions with excellent diastereoselectivity.