The isolation and structure determination of cryptomisrine,a novel indolo[3,2-b]quinoline dimeric alkaloid from cryptolepis sanguinolenta

The isolation and structure determination of cryptomisrine, a novel indolo[3,2-b]quinoline dimeric alkaloid obtained from extracts of the roots of the Ghanaian medicinal plant Cryptolepis sanguinolenta is reported. The structure determination was made via a consideration of the spectral data, including uv, ir, nmr, and mass spectra. In particular, one-dimensional proton/carbon nmr, one-dimensional nOe difference nmr, and a series of homonuclear (COSY) and inverse-detected heteronuclear two-dimensional (HMQC, HMBC) experiments were utilized, as well as high resolution FABMS. Cryptomisrine is most unusual in that its two monomeric parts apparently exist in such a C₂ symmetric environment that only one set of proton and carbon nmr resonances are observed. Cryptomisrine is the first example of a dimeric indolo-[3,2-b]quinoline alkaloid to have been isolated from nature.     

Elucidation of the structure of quindolinone,a minor alkaloid of cryptolepis sanguinolenta: Submilligram 1H-13c and 1H-15N heteronuclear shift correlation experiments using micro inverse-detection

Elucidation of minor natural product structures has been significantly augmented by inverse-detection; further improvement has been afforded by the development of micro inverse-detection probes. We report here the elucidation of the structure of a new alkaloid, quindolinone (5H, 10H-indolo[3,2-b]quinolin-11-one), from the West African plant Cryptolepis sanguinolenta. All nmr data for this minor, preparative hplc-isolated alkaloid, including ¹H-¹⁵N one? bond heteronuclear shift correlation (HMQC) data, were recorded on an 800 μg sample of the alkaloid dissolved in 140 μl of 100% d₆-DMSO using a 400 MHz spectrometer.     

Rotaxanated conjugated sensory polymers

Two highly emissive conjugated polymers with tethered rotaxane repeat units are reported. Hydrogen bonding between acidic alcohols and the N-heteroaromatic groups in the rotaxanes attenuates polymer fluorescence. In addition, the rotaxane groups create precise three-dimensional pockets for metal binding, which results in fluorescence quenching. Exposing thin films of Zn-doped polymers to alcohol vapors reverses the quenching by up to 25%.     

Synthesis of imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine nucleosides related to inosine

Several imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine nucleosides which are structurally similar to inosine were synthesized. Anhydrous stannic chloride-catalyzed condensation of persilylated imidazo[4,5-d]-pyridazin-4(5H)one (1) and imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine-4,7(5H,6H)dione ( 16 ) with 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-ribofuranose ( 3 ) provided (after sodium methoxide deblocking) 6-β-D-ribo furanosylimidazo[4,5-d]pyridazin-4(5H)one (5) and 3,6-di-(β-D-ribofuranosyI)imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazin-4-one ( 7 ); and 1-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine-4,7(5H,6H)dione ( 19 ) and 1,5 or 6-di-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-d ]pyridazine-4,7(5H or 6H)dione ( 21 ), respeeitvely. 4,7-Diehloro-1-β-D-ribofuranosylimidazo[4,5-d]pyridazine ( 12 ) and dimethyl 1-β-D-ribofuranosylimidazole-4,5-dicarboxylate ( 26 ), both prepared from stannic chloride-catalyzed ribosylations of the corresponding heterocycles, were converted in several steps to 3-β-D-ribo-furanosy limidazo[4,5-d]pyridazin-4(5H)one ( 14 ) and nucleosidc 19 , respectively. Acid-catalyzed isopropylidenation of mesomeric betaine 7 or nuclcoside 14 provided 3-(2,3-isopropylidene-β-D-ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-d]pyrizin-4(5H)one ( 31 ). 1-β-D-Ribofuranosylimidazo[4,5-d]-pyridazine ( 29 ) was obtained in several steps from nueleoside 12 . The structure of the nucleosides was established by the use of carbon-13 and proton nmr.     

Performance evaluation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons analysis in sediment from proficiency testing with metrological reference values

This paper describes a metrological approach to evaluate the measurement capability of laboratories participating in two proficiency testing (PT) programmes involving the analysis of five polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment samples. Reference values of PAHs in the programmes for performance assessment were obtained from an accurate isotope dilution gas chromatography mass spectrometry (ID-GCMS) method which was thoroughly validated and verified. Isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) technique usually has a well-defined measurement uncertainty budget and a traceability link to an International System of Units. Provision of the metrological reference values in PT enables the establishment of a technical platform to assess the actual competence of the participating laboratories in sediment PAHs analysis. Results of the PT programmes showed that about 80 % of the laboratories employed gas chromatography in their analyses and the remaining used liquid chromatography. Irrespective of the techniques being used, however, the majority of the participating laboratories were observed to underestimate values in which the mean values of the five reported PAHs were less than those of the ID-GCMS-derived reference values by 13–20 %. Only 41–44 % of the participating laboratories were able to achieve satisfactory z-scores. The present study revealed that the reinforcement of the capability for accurate measurement of PAHs in sediment samples in laboratories worldwide should be addressed.     

Inferring Minimal Feasible Metabolic Networks of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Since the organism contains many redundant reactions, the minimal feasible metabolic network that contains the basic growth function is not the collection of reactions that associate the essential genes. To identify minimal metabolic reaction set is a challenging work in theoretical approach. A new method is presented here to identify the smallest required reaction set of growth-sustaining metabolic networks. The content and number of the minimal reactions for growth are variable in different random processes. Though the different carbon sources also vary the content of the reactions in the minimal metabolic networks, most essential reactions locate in the same metabolic subsystems, such as cofactor and prosthetic group biosynthesis, cell envelope biosynthesis, and membrane lipid metabolism.     

Evaluation of a proficiency test on cadmium and lead in herbal material using assigned reference values

This paper presents an international proficiency testing program (APLAC T065) on two trace elements, cadmium and lead, in an herbal sample, Herba Desmodii Styracifolii. The program was registered with a total of 109 laboratories from 42 countries. The assigned reference values of the analytes for performance assessment were provided by the organizers using an accurate gravimetric isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry technique. z-Score was used as the numerical indicator to interpret participants' competence. The between-laboratory variations for cadmium and lead were respectively 18.7% and 19.8% and the consensus values were found to be consistent with the assigned reference values. Twenty-two participants gave at least one unsatisfactory z-score, but the performance of the majority of participants on the analysis of cadmium and lead in herbal matrix was generally good when compared with the assigned reference values.     

Substituent effects in selenoxide elimination chemistry

2α-(Arylseleno)cholestan-3-ones (3), 2α-(arylseleno)cholest-4-en-3-ones (4), and 4β-(arylseleno)-24-nor-5β-cholan-3-ones (5) were prepared and their stabilities toward oxidative elimination assessed. Simple competitive experiments demonstrate that electron-withdrawing substituents stabilize arylselenides toward oxidation, while electron-donating groups accelerate the oxidation process. In addition, ab initio and density functional calculations on model systems reveal that selenoxides are relatively insensitive to the nature of substituents on selenium toward elimination, suggesting that the oxidation step is rate-determining during oxidative elimination of selenides. Some results for sulfur and tellurium are also presented.     

Identification of a potential general acid/base in the reversible phosphoryl transfer reactions catalyzed by tyrosine recombinases: Flp H305

Flp provides a unique opportunity to apply the tools of chemical biology to phosphoryl transfer reactions. Flp and other tyrosine recombinases catalyze site-specific DNA rearrangements via a phosphotyrosine intermediate. Unlike most related enzymes, Flp's nucleophilic tyrosine derives from a different protomer than the remainder of its active site. Because the tyrosine can be supplied exogenously, nonnatural synthetic analogs can be used. Here we examine the catalytic role of Flp's conserved H305. DNA cleavage was studied using a peptide containing either tyrosine (pKa congruent with 10) or 3-fluoro-tyrosine (pKa congruent with 8.4). Religation was studied using DNA substrates with 3'-phospho-cresol (pKa congruent with 10) or 3'-para-nitro-phenol (pKa congruent with 7.1). In both cases, the tyrosine analog with the lower pKa specifically restored the activity of an H305 mutant. These results provide experimental evidence that this conserved histidine functions as a general acid/base catalyst in tyrosine recombinases.