Kinetics of radical telomerization of vinylidene fluoride in the presence of CCl3Z chain transfer agents

The kinetics of radical telomerization of VDF at 141 °C, initiated by ditertbutylperoxide, in the presence of three chain transfer agents (CTAs), HCCl₃, CCl₄ and CCl₃Br, are presented. The values of the chain transfer constants were assessed as 35, 0.25 and 0.06 at 141 °C for CCl₃Br, CCl₄ and HCCl₃, respectively. The values of the degree of polymerization (DP_n) were obtained for each CTA and were compared for the same CTA concentration. Hence, CCl₃Br behaved as an efficient CTA towards VDF and usually afforded the monoadduct selectively, but in certain conditions the VDF diadduct can also be produced. In contrast, HCCl₃ was not so efficient since a polymeric structure was identified as the major product.     

Multiple binding modes of the camptothecin family to DNA oligomers

The binding constants of camptothecin, topotecan and its lactone ring-opened carboxylate derivative to DNA octamers were measured by UV and NMR spectroscopy. The self-association of topotecan (TPT) was also measured. The carboxylate form of TPT binds in the same way as the lactone, but more weakly. Titration of TPT into d(GCGATCGC)2 shows a preferred location stacked onto the terminal G1 base. However, the intermolecular NOEs cannot be reconciled with a single conformation of the complex, and suggest a model of a limited number of conformations in fast exchange. MD calculations on four pairs of starting structures with TPT stacked onto the G1-C8 base pair in different orientations were therefore performed. The use of selected experimental "docking" restraints yielded ten MD trajectories covering a wide conformational space. From a combination of calculated free energies, NOEs and chemical shifts, some of the structures produced could be eliminated, and it is concluded that the data are consistent with two major families of conformations in fast exchange. One of these is the conformation found in a crystal of a TPT/DNA/topoisomerase I ternary complex [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2002, 99, 15 387-15 392].     

Relative Abundance of Alpha-Amylase/Trypsin Inhibitors in Selected Sorghum Cultivars

Sorghum is of growing interest and considered as a safe food for wheat related disorders. Besides the gluten, α-amylase/trypsin-inhibitors (ATIs) have been identified as probable candidates for these disorders. Several studies focused on wheat-ATIs although there is still a lack of data referring to the relative abundance of sorghum-ATIs. The objective of this work was therefore to contribute to the characterization of sorghum ATI profiles by targeted proteomics tools. Fifteen sorghum cultivars from different regions were investigated with raw proteins ranging from 7.9 to 17.0 g/100 g. Ammonium bicarbonate buffer in combination with urea was applied for protein extraction, with concentration from 0.588 ± 0.047 to 4.140 ± 0.066 mg/mL. Corresponding electrophoresis data showed different protein profiles. UniProtKB data base research reveals two sorghum ATIs, {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P81367","term_id":"3913899","term_text":"P81367"}}P81367 and {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P81368","term_id":"3913900","term_text":"P81368"}}P81368; both reviewed and a targeted LC–MS/MS method was developed to analyze these. Quantifier peptides ELAAVPSR ({"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P81367","term_id":"3913899","term_text":"P81367"}}P81367) and TYMVR ({"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P81368","term_id":"3913900","term_text":"P81368"}}P81368) were identified and retained as biomarkers for relative quantification. Different reducing and alkylating agents were assessed and combination of tris (2 carboxyethyl) phosphine/iodoacetamide gave the best response. Linearity was demonstrated for the quantifier peptides with standard recovery between 92.2 and 107.6%. Nine sorghum cultivars presented up to 60 times lower ATI contents as compared to wheat samples. This data suggests that sorghum can effectively be considered as a good alternative to wheat.     

Actin-binding marine macrolides: total synthesis and biological importance

Marine organisms produce a fascinating range of structurally diverse secondary metabolites, which often possess unusual and sometimes unexpected biological activities. This structural diversity makes these marine natural products excellent molecular probes for the investigation of biochemical pathways. Recently, a number of novel and stereochemically complex macrolides, having a large macrolactone (22- to 44-membered) ring, that interact with the actin cycloskeleton have been isolated from different marine sources. Actin, like tubulin, is a major component of the cytoskeleton and has important cellular functions. Although the details of these interactions are still under investigation, these marine macrolides are becoming increasingly important as novel molecular probes to help elucidate the cellular functions of actin. Owing to their potent antitumor activities, these compounds, for example the aplyronines, also have potential for preclinical development in cancer chemotherapy. Their appealing molecular structures, with an abundance of stereochemistry, and biological significance, coupled with the extremely limited availability from the marine sources, have stimulated enormous interest in the synthesis of these compounds. This review summarizes the biological properties of these unusual marine natural products and features the recently completed total syntheses of swinholide A, scytophycin C, aplyronine A, mycalolide A--all of these being potent cytotoxic agents that target actin--and a diastereoisomer of ulapualide A. Rather than detailing each individual step of these multistep total syntheses, the different synthetic strategies, key reactions, and methods adopted for controlling the stereochemistry are compared.     

An experimental and theoretical study of the Cp2VO2CO: use of 13CO3(2-) for structure investigation of d1-metallocene complexes

EPR study has shown that the anticancer agent vanadocene dichloride (Cp2VCl2) interacts with carbonate contained in physiological solutions. Chelate complex Cp2VO2CO (|A(iso)(51V)| = 175.1 MHz, g(iso) = 1.9861) is the only paramagnetic species formed in the range about the physiological pH (5.5-11.0). The super-hyperfine coupling (|a(iso)(13C)| = 24.1 MHz) was evidenced at measurements using 13C labelled carbonate. The structure of carbonate complex was validated by comparison of observed and theoretical calculated HFC tensors (at the density functional level of theory).     

Diorganotin(IV) derivatives of substituted benzohydroxamic acids with high antitumor activity

A series of diorganotin(IV) and dichlorotin(IV) derivatives of 4-X-benzohydroxamic acids, [HL(1) (X = Cl) or HL(2) (X = OCH(3))] formulated as [R(2)SnL(2)] (R = Me, Et, nBu, Ph or Cl; L = L(1) or L(2)), along with their corresponding mixed-ligand complexes [R(2)Sn(L(1))(L(2))] have been prepared and characterized by FT-IR, (1)H, (13)C, and (119)Sn NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and melting points. In addition, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses were carried out for [Me(2)SnL(2)] (L = L(1) or L(2)), which show coordination structures intermediate between distorted octahedra and bicapped tetrahedra. The hydroxamate ligands are asymmetrically coordinated by the oxygen atoms, the carbonyl oxygen atom is further away from the metal center than the other oxygen atom. The complexes are stable monomeric species; most of them are soluble not only in chlorohydrocarbon solvents, but also in alcohols and hydroalcoholic solutions. In polar solvents, the mixed-ligand complexes gradually decompose into the corresponding single-ligand complex couples. The complexes exhibit in vitro antitumor activities (against a series of human tumor cell lines) which, in some cases, are identical to, or even higher than, that of cisplatin. For the dialkyltin complexes, the activity increases with the length of the carbon chain of the alkyl ligand and is higher in the case of the chloro-substituted benzohydroxamato ligand. The [nBu(2)Sn(L(1))(2)] complex displays a high in vivo activity against H22 liver and BGC-823 gastric tumors, and has a relatively low toxicity.     

Synthesis, biochemical properties and molecular modelling studies of organometallic specific estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), the ferrocifens and hydroxyferrocifens: evidence for an antiproliferative effect of hydroxyferrocifens on both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent breast cancer cell lines

A series of ferrocene derivatives based upon the structure of the antiestrogenic drug tamoxifen or of its active metabolite hydroxytamoxifen has been prepared and named by analogy ferrocifens and hydroxyferrocifens. This series includes 1-[4-(O(CH(2))(n)NMe(2))phenyl]-1-phenyl-2-ferrocenyl-but-1-ene and 1-[4-(-O(CH(2))(n)NMe(2))phenyl]-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-ferrocenyl-but-1-ene, with n=2, 3, 5 and 8, and 1-[4-(-O(CH(2))(2)NMe(2))phenyl]-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-ferrocenylethene. Most of these molecules have been synthesised by McMurry cross-coupling of the appropriate ketones, except for the ethene complexes, which were prepared by a four-step reaction sequence starting from the ferrocenylacetic acid. All these compounds were obtained as mixtures of Z and E isomers. The isomers were separated in the cases of the ferrocenyl derivatives of tamoxifen and hydroxytamoxifen (n=2). No isomerisation of the Z and E isomers occurred in DMSO after one day, while a 50:50 mixture of the isomers was obtained within one hour in chloroform. The X-ray structure of (E)-1-[4-(-O(CH(2))(2)NMe(2))phenyl]-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-ferrocenyl-but-1-ene has been determined. The relative binding affinity (RBA) values of the hydroxyferrocifens for the estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) was good to moderate, with values decreasing progressively with the length of the basic chain. The RBA values found for the estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) are equal to or slightly less than those found for the alpha form. The lipophilicity of the hydroxyferrocifens are superior to the values found for estradiol and increase with lengthening of the chain. The antiproliferative effects of the four hydroxyferrocifens with n=2, 3, 5 and 8 were studied on four breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, MDA-MB231, RTx6 and TD5) possessing different levels of ERalpha. On MCF7 cells containing high levels of ERalpha, hydroxyferrocifens behave as antiestrogens. At a molarity of 1 microM the effect is close to that of hydroxytamoxifen (used for reference) when n=2 or 5, more marked when n=3, and weaker when n=8. Ferrocene alone has no effect. For the MDA-MB231 cells, classed as a hormone-independent breast cancer cell line, on the other hand, the hydroxyferrocifens show remarkable antiproliferative behaviour while the hydroxytamoxifen is completely inactive. Hydroxyferrocifens therefore show the unique property of being active both on hormone-dependent and on hormone-independent breast cancer cell lines. The molecular modelling study provides some clues for understanding of the antagonist effect of these molecules, while an additional cytotoxic effect due to the vectorised ferrocenyl unit is revealed in some occasions.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Monoazo N‐Ester‐1,8‐Naphthalimide Disperse Dyestuffs

Five novel monoazo disperse dyestuffs based on N‐ester‐1,8‐naphthalimide were synthesized. Acenaphthene was nitrated, then oxidized to 4‐nitro‐1,8‐naphthalic anhydride. 4‐Nitro‐1,8‐naphthalic anhydride was reacted with methyl and ethyl glycinate in alcoholic media, followed with reduction. 4‐Amino‐N‐methyl and ethyl glycinate‐1,8‐naphthalimide were obtained. These products were diazotized and coupled with appropriate aromatic amines to give bluish‐red or violet dyestuffs. All intermediates and dyestuffs were purified and characterized by ¹H‐NMR, FTIR, DSC, UV‐VIS and Elemental Analysis. Dispersion of dyestuffs was prepared in water and applied to polyester fabrics. The dyed fabrics showed that four of the synthesized dyestuffs were suitable for coloring polyester fibers, producing deep bluish red with very good build up properties.     

Metal island coated polymer sensor for direct determination of the volume effect of chaotropic agents

A new optical sensor is presented, based on the analyte reaction resulting in swelling and shrinking of a thin polymer layer. Changing the concentration of ions in a new bisazide photo-cross-linked poly(vinylpyrrolidone) polymer results in a concentration-dependent volume change of the hydrated gel. The volume response of the sensor induced by different ions is fully reversible over more than 250 cycles. The response of the device depends on the type, the charge and the concentration of the ions. The sensor material is part of an optical thin film system which transforms the variations in volume of the polymer into spectral information. The steady state of the sensor response is obtained within 60 s. The response time is mainly limited by the pump rate, the back pressure and the total volume of the system but not by the swelling of the sensor polymer. A comparative study of ion effects has demonstrated a fundamental correlation of the polymer swelling properties with the Hofmeister series of chaotropic agents. Thus it is concluded that the photopolymer, which is solubilized in aqueous solutions by the interaction of its amide structure with the solvent, behaves like the backbone amide structure of proteins.