Total synthesis of (3S,4S,2′S)- and (3R,4R,2′S)-viridiofungin A triester

The total synthesis of an alkylcitrate secondary metabolite from the fungi Trichoderma viride is described. An ester dienolate [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement and a S. Julia-Kocienski olefination served as key C/C-connecting transformations. The highly convergent synthesis consists of a longest linear sequence of 17 steps.     

Determination of bencyclane in human plasma by means of capillary gas chromatography and nitrogen-phosphorus selective detection

A sensitive and specific method for the determination of bencyclane in human plasma is presented. Bencyclane was extracted from human plasma with two 3-ml volumes of isooctane and was shaken for 10 min. The organic phase was separated and evaporated to dryness at 40 degrees C under a nitrogen stream. The residue was dissolved and an aliquot was injected into the gas chromatograph. The separation was performed with a DB-17 column with helium as the carrier gas. Nitrogen-selective detection was performed. The quantification was performed with the signal output. The limit of detection was 1 ng/ml.     

Nuclear amination catalyzed by fungal laccases: reaction products of p-hydroquinones and primary aromatic amines

[reaction: see text] Nuclear amination of p-hydroquinones with primary aromatic amines was catalyzed by fungal laccases (EC 1.10.3.2) from Trametes spec. and Myceliophthora thermophila. This is the first report of laccase-catalyzed synthesis of aminoquinones. Incubation of two compounds with laccase in the presence of oxygen resulted in the formation of the corresponding monoaminated or diaminated quinones. No hydroquinonoids were formed. Observed differences in the reaction courses for different p-hydroquinones and aromatic amines with different laccases are discussed.     

Structural transitions as determinants of the action of the calcium-dependent antibiotic daptomycin

Daptomycin is a cyclic anionic lipopeptide antibiotic recently approved for the treatment of complicated skin infections (Cubicin). Its function is dependent on calcium (as Ca2+). Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that daptomycin experienced two structural transitions: a transition upon interaction of daptomycin with Ca2+, and a further transition upon interaction with Ca2+ and the bacterial acidic phospholipid, phosphatidyl glycerol. The Ca2+-dependent insertion of daptomycin into model membranes promoted mild and more pronounced perturbations as assessed by the increase of lipid flip-flop and membrane leakage, respectively. The NMR structure of daptomycin indicated that Ca2+ induced a conformational change in daptomycin that increased its amphipathicity. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the association of Ca2+ with daptomycin permits it to interact with bacterial membranes with effects that are similar to those of the cationic antimicrobial peptides.     

Über die Darstellung von Di(i-propyl)thiosulfonium-Salzen

On the Preparation of Di(i-propyl)thiosulfonium Salts [1] The preparation of the mercaptosulfonium salts (i-C₃H₇)₂SSX⁺SbCl₆^? (X = H, D) and of the chlorothiosulfonium salts (i-C₃H₇)₂SSCl⁺MF₆^? (M = As, Sb) and (i-C₃H₇)₂SSSCl⁺SbCl₆^? is reported. They are formed by reaction of chlorinated or protonated (i-C₃H₇)₂S with excess H₂S or SCl₂ and S₂Cl₂. The thiosulfonium compounds are characterized by vibrational and NMR spectroscopic methods.     

Direktsynthese von orthometallierten Ketonen des Typs RCO (o-C6H4)Mn(CO)4−nLn (R = Alkyl- und Arylrest,n = 0, 1, 2, L = Ligand)

Direct Synthesis of Orthometallated Ketones of the Type RCO(o-C₆H₄)Mn(CO)_4?nL_n (R = Alkyl and Aryl Groups, n = 0, 1, 2, L = Ligand) The starting materials of the type RMn(CO)_5?nL_n und (C₆H₅)₂ Hg react to the products of the type RCO(o-C₆H₄)Mn(CO)_4?nL_n[n = 0, R = Ch₃, C₂H₅, C₃H₇, C₆H₅,CH₂; R = C₆H₅, n = 1, L = E(C₆H₅)₃, E = P, As, Sb; R = C₆H₅, n = 2, L = P(OR′)₃, R′ = C₆H₅, CH₃, C₂H₅, C₃H₇]. Steps of their complex reaction pathway are proposed. These orthometallated substances have been characterized by means of ¹H-n.m.r., i.r. and u.v. spectroscopic measurements. The determination of the molecular structure of the two compounds RCO(o-C₆H₄)Mn(CO)₃L [R = C₂H₅, L = CO; R = C₆H₅, L = As(C₆H₅)₃] show that both contain a planar heterocyclic five-membered ring of the type .     

A Novel Anti-Inflammatory d-Peptide Inhibits Disease Phenotype Progression in an ALS Mouse Model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterised by selective neuronal death in the brain stem and spinal cord. The cause is unknown, but an increasing amount of evidence has firmly certified that neuroinflammation plays a key role in ALS pathogenesis. Neuroinflammation is a pathological hallmark of several neurodegenerative disorders and has been implicated as driver of disease progression. Here, we describe a treatment study demonstrating the therapeutic potential of a tandem version of the well-known all-d-peptide RD2 (RD2RD2) in a transgenic mouse model of ALS (SOD1*G93A). Mice were treated intraperitoneally for four weeks with RD2RD2 vs. placebo. SOD1*G93A mice were tested longitudinally during treatment in various behavioural and motor coordination tests. Brain and spinal cord samples were investigated immunohistochemically for gliosis and neurodegeneration. RD2RD2 treatment in SOD1*G93A mice resulted not only in a reduction of activated astrocytes and microglia in both the brain stem and lumbar spinal cord, but also in a rescue of neurons in the motor cortex. RD2RD2 treatment was able to slow progression of the disease phenotype, especially the motor deficits, to an extent that during the four weeks treatment duration, no significant progression was observed in any of the motor experiments. Based on the presented results, we conclude that RD2RD2 is a potential therapeutic candidate against ALS.     

Eine Meßapparatur zur Untersuchung des Kriech- und Relaxationsverhaltens von Polymeren unter Torsion

Zusammenfassung Zur experimentellen Bestimmung der Kriechfunktion J(t) und der Relaxationsfunktion G(t) unter Torsionsbelastung der Probe wurde eine Meßapparatur entwickelt. Das mechanisch-elektrische Meßprinzip sowie eine Prozeßrechnerkopplung gestatten einen weitgehend automatischen Meßbetrieb. Änderungen an den physikalischen Versuchsbedingungen können rein Software-seitig durchgeführt werden.Das entsprechende Auswerteprogramm liefert neben numerischen Werten eine Zeichnung der entsprechenden Masterkurven, die mit Hilfe der WLF-Gleichung konstruiert werden.Messungen an kommerziellem PMMA zeigen einen Meßz bereich fürJ(t) von 10^–9 bis 10^–5 m²/N und für G(t) von 10° bis N 10⁵ N/m² ; das zugängliche Temperaturintervall liegt zwischen –180 °C und 200 °C. Damit ist der für die meisten Polymere erforderliche Bereich erfaßt.Mit 9 Abbildungenjetzt: KFA Jülich GmbH, Institut für Festkörperforschung (IFF).