Synthesis and properties of N-carbazole end-capped conjugated molecules

A series of novel N-carbazole end-capped π-conjugated molecules were synthesized by a divergent approach with the use of bromination, Suzuki cross-coupling, and Ullmann reactions and their physical properties were investigated. In dilute solution, UV-vis absorption spectra displayed bathochromic shift with respect to their conjugated backbones, and photoluminescence spectra showed emission maxima in the blue region. Thermal analysis revealed that they are thermally stable semi-crystalline and amorphous materials. All molecules exhibited good electrochemical stability with high-lying HOMO energy levels and have potential applications as hole-transporting and light-emitting layers in organic light-emitting diodes or as host materials for electrophosphorescent applications.     

A Convenient Synthesis of Simple Tetrahydroisoquinolines

Various simple tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids (Ia, b, c, IIa and IIIa, b, c) have been synthesized by the reaction of appropriate arylethylamines with paraformaldehyde or formaldehyde in formic acid.     

Antimalarial 20-membered macrolides from Streptomyces sp. BCC33756

Two new natural products, samroiyotmycins A (1) and B (2), along with two naturally new novclobiocin 101 (3) and 4-hydroxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)benzamide (5), and five known substances including neoantimycin, clorobiocin (4), 29-O-methylabierixin, daidzein, and 1-(3-indolyl)-2,3-dihydroxypropan-1-one have been isolated from Streptomyces sp. BCC33756. Their chemical structures were determined based on NMR spectral information and the relative stereochemistry of compound 1 was determined by X-ray crystallographic data. Both samroiyotmycins A and B exhibited antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum K1—multi-drug resistant strain, with IC₅₀ values of 3.65 and 3.16 μg/mL, respectively. Compound 1 was inactive against both cancerous (MCF-7, KB) and non-cancerous (Vero) cells, while compound 2 displayed cytotoxicity against Vero cell with IC₅₀ value of 29.57 μg/mL.     

Water‐Assisted Nitrile Oxide Cycloadditions: Synthesis of Isoxazoles and Stereoselective Syntheses of Isoxazolines and 1,2,4‐Oxadiazoles

Conventional methods generate nitrile oxides from oxime halides in organic solvents under basic conditions. However, the present work revealed that water‐assisted generation of nitrile oxides proceeds under mild acidic conditions (pH 4–5). Cycloadditions of nitrile oxides with alkynes and alkenes easily occurred in water without using catalysts, thus yielding isoxazoles and isoxazolines, respectively, with excellent stereoselectivity toward five‐ and six‐membered cyclic alkenes. A double stereoselective cycloaddition of two units of a nitrile oxide with cyclohexene was also achieved, thus yielding 1,2,4‐oxadiazole derivatives having a unique hybrid isoxazoline‐oxadiazole skeleton. Enantiomerically pure isoxazolines were prepared from monoterpenes with a ring strain. In one case, the isoxazoline with a butterfly‐like structure was simply prepared, and it might be used as a ligand in asymmetric catalysis.     

Efficient synthesis of ningalin C

[reaction: see text] A concise and efficient synthesis of the permethyl derivative of the marine alkaloid ningalin C (2) has been accomplished. The key step involves the formation of a pyrrolinone from an aminoquinone in one pot. An efficient route for the synthesis of the key aminoquinone has also been developed.     

Highly efficient synthesis of buflavine: a unique Amaryllidaceae alkaloid

The Amaryllidaceae alkaloid buflavine 1 has been synthesized in three steps by Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling, reduction and the cascade reactions of Pictet-Spengler type and Eschweiler-Clarke N-methylation.     

Dioscorealides and dioscoreanone,novel cytotoxic naphthofuranoxepins,and 1,4-phenanthraquinone from Dioscorea membranacea Pierre

[structure: see text] Commonly used among ingredients in Thai traditional anticancer preparations, the rhizome of Dioscorea membranacea Pierre was found potently cytotoxic and possibly contributed to such a therapeutic effect. Bioassay-guided isolation resulted in two novel cytotoxic naphthofuranoxepins, dioscorealides A (1) and B (2), and a new 1,4-phenanthraquinone, dioscoreanone (3). The structure determination, achieved mainly by means of NMR and CD spectral and X-ray crystallographic analyses, and cytotoxicity are discussed here.