Shape-persistent cyclyne-type azamacrocycles: synthesis, unusual light-emitting characteristics, and specific recognition of the Sb(V) ion

Simple members of arene-azaarenecyclynes as a novel family of geometrically-controlled and shape-persistent azamacrocycles have been synthesized. Noteworthy is the specific recognition function for Sb(V). The synthesized azamacrocycles, in particular the Sb(V) complex, have unusually strong light-emitting property.     

Studies on macrolide antibiotics I. Synthesis and antibacterial activity of erythromycin A 9-O-substituted oxime ether derivatives against Mycobacterium avium complex

A series of erythromycin A 9-O-substituted oxime ether derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for antibacterial activity against Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and Staphylococcus aureus. These compounds possessed stronger in vitro activity against MAC including macrolide-resistant strains than clarithromycin (2), although in vitro antibacterial activities of these compounds were less than that of 2 against Staphylococcus aureus. Our studies found that several factors contribute to the antibacterial activity against MAC. The length and spatial orientation of the substituent at 9-position were found to significantly influenced the anti-MAC activity, especially against macrolide-resistant strains. Of all the compounds prepared, erythromycin A 9-[O-(4-phenylbutyl)oxime] (12q) and erythromycin A 9-[O-(3-phenoxypropyl)oxime] (12t) possessed 16 times stronger antibacterial activity than 2 against clarithromycin-resistant strains. Surprisingly, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 12q and 12t against the resistant strains were almost same as those against the susceptible strains. These results suggest that the erythromycin A 9-O-substituted oxime ether derivatives would be promising macrolide antibiotics.     

Effectiveness of taurine in protecting biomembrane against oxidant

The effect of taurine in protecting biomembrane attacked by hypochlorous acid (HOCl) was examined using canine erythrocytes which had been pre-treated with HOCl. In the treatment, most of the HOCl was consumed as a result of its reaction with a number of electrophilic substances, such as free amino groups (-NH2) in the membrane, whereas hemoglobin inside the cells was not oxidized. The lysis of HOCl-treated erythrocytes was dependent on the concentration of HOCl and on the incubation time at 37 degrees C. Taurine inhibited the lysis at 37 degrees C in a dose dependent manner. During the incubation of HOCl-treated erythrocytes with taurine, an appreciable amount of monochlorotaurine (TauNHCl) was detected in the supernate. This suggests that taurine might remove the oxidized chlorine from HOCl-treated erythrocytes, resulting in the production of TauNHCl. The effect of taurine on the removal of Cl+ moiety was further examined using Sepharose gel with free amino groups. Taurine removed Cl+ moiety from HOCl-treated Sepharose gel, and the yield of TauNHCl depended on the concentration of taurine and the incubation time. These results indicate that taurine might inhibit the hemolysis by scavenging the oxidized chlorine moiety from the HOCl-treated erythrocytes. Inhibition of the HOCl-induced hemolysis was also observed with other amino acids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Efficient synthesis of 2-modified 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D3 with Julia olefination: high potency in induction of differentiation on HL-60 cells

Six novel 2-substituted analogues of 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3), 6a,b-8a,b, were efficiently synthesized utilizing (-)-quinic acid as the A-ring precursor. The C2-modified A-rings were prepared as 4-alkylated (3R,5R)-3,5-dihydroxycyclohexanones 12-15 from (-)-quinic acid based on radical allylation at the C4 position of methyl (-)-quinicate. The new type of the CD-ring coupling partner 23 was synthesized from 25-hydroxy Grundmann's ketone 19 to apply to the modified Julia olefination to construct a diene unit between the A-ring and the CD-ring. The coupling yields, including a deprotection step, were 47-62%. After the separation of the diastereomers based on C2 stereochemistry, the structure (2alpha or 2beta) was determined by (1)H NMR experiments and compared to DeLuca's 2-methyl- and 2-ethyl-1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3). Thus, the synthesized 2alpha-(3-hydroxypropyl)-1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3) (8a) showed almost the same potency in binding to the bovine thymus vitamin D receptor (VDR) as the natural hormone 1, while its beta-isomer 8b had only a 3% affinity. Both 2alpha-allyl- and 2alpha-propyl-1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3) (6a and 7a) and their 2beta-analogues (6b and 7b) possessed a weak affinity for the VDR. The strong VDR ligand 8a was ca. 36-fold more potent in induction of HL-60 cell differentiation than 1, and interestingly, even the weaker ligand 8b showed a 6.7-fold higher potency in the cell differentiation activity than that of 1.     

Analysis of free fatty acids by a micro-liquid chromatograph directly coupled with a mass spectrometer through a vacuum nebulizing interface

A liquid chromatograph directly coupled with a quadrupole mass spectrometer through a vacuum nebulizing interface was applied to the analysis of various free fatty acids. Chemical ionization mass spectra of the C₇? C₂₂ free fatty acids were first examined using either methanol or benzene as the reagents. Then the practical compositional analysis of the fatty acids were performed with various biological samples such as bean oil, rape oil, palm oil and milk fat where most of the fatty acids are included as their triglycerides.     

Electrodeposition of mercury on gold from very dilute mercury(II) solution

Flameless atomic absorption spectrometry (flameless a.a.s.) was applied to study the state of mercury deposited on a gold plate electrode from very dilute mercury(II) solution by controlled-potential electrolysis. A stable monolayer is formed on the gold electrode by the electrolysis at a potential about 200 mV more positive than the reversible Nernst potential for the reduction of mercury(II) to mercury(0). After the monolayer formation, bulk mercury is deposited on the monolayer at the reversible potential and an adatom layer is also found. The difference of activation free energies between the evaporation of mercury from the monolayer and that from bulk mercury corresponds to the underpotential shift for the electrodeposition of mercury on the gold electrode.     

Simultaneous determination of the binding of amantadine and its analogues to synthetic melanin by liquid chromatography after precolumn derivatization with dansyl chloride

For the determination of amantadine (1-ADA), 2-adamantanamine (2-ADA), memantine (MEM), and rimantadine (RIM) in melanin binding studies, the simultaneous determination of 1-ADA or 2-ADA, MEM, and RIM is investigated by high-performance liquid chromatographic assay with dansyl chloride as a fluorescent derivative reagent. Dansyl derivatives with fluorescent intensity are detected at an excitation wavelength of 370 nm and an emission wavelength of 506 nm. Retention times of 1-ADA, 2-ADA, MEM, and RIM derivatives are 12.2, 12.2, 15.2, and 16.6 min, respectively. The peak of 1-ADA derivative coelutes with the 2-ADA derivative. The limits of detection for 1-ADA, 2-ADA, MEM, and RIM are 0.014, 0.007, 0.012, and 0.020microM, respectively (signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1). In the intra- and interday assay, the range of standard deviation to the average of 1-ADA, 2-ADA, MEM, and RIM is 4.6-12.7%. Their recovery is also good. The ranking order for synthetic melanin binding among these compounds is RIM > MEM > 2-ADA = 1-ADA. The method is simple, sensitive, and reproducible for simultaneously measuring 1-ADA or 2-ADA, MEM, and RIM. Also, it is useful to investigate their binding kinetics to melanin.     

Solution-phase synthesis of alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP)

Alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP) was synthesized by assembling six peptide fragments in solution followed by deprotection with HF and subsequent air-oxidation. The trimethylbenzyl group was employed as an S-protecting group of cysteine. The HF-dimethylselenide-m-cresol system was employed as a final deprotecting reagent and, at the same time, as a reducing reagent of Met(O). Synthetic alpha-hANP elicited potent diuretic and natriuretic activity in rats.     

Diversity-oriented synthesis of tamoxifen-type tetrasubstituted olefins

A general synthetic scheme for tamoxifen-type tetrasubstituted olefins based on the novel Cu-catalyzed carbomagnesation across alkynyl(2-pyridyl)silane has been developed. A wide array of electronically and structurally diverse tetrasubstituted olefins can be prepared in a regiocontrolled, stereocontrolled, and diversity-oriented manner. Noteworthy features are that (i) the three aryl groups, which are believed to be important (essential) for anti-estrogenic activity, can be varied at will because they all stem from readily available aryl iodides, and (ii) any stereo- and regioisomers can, in principle, be prepared by simply changing the applying order of aryl iodides into the sequence.     

Characterization of low molecular weight organic acids from beech wood treated in supercritical water

Japanese beech (Fagus crenata Blume), its cell wall components, and model compounds were treated by supercritical water (380°C, 100 MPa) for 5 s using a batch-type reactor to investigate the production behavior of low molecular weight organic acids. It was found that cellulose and hemicellulose were decomposed to formic acid, pyruvic acid, glycolic acid, acetic acid, and lactic acid, whereas lignin was barely decomposed to such organic acids under the given conditions. However, after prolonged treatment (380°C, 100 MPa, 4 min) of lignin, some organic acids were recovered owing perhaps to the decomposition of the propyl side chain of lignin. It was additionally revealed that the predominant organic acid recovered was acetic acid, which might be derived from the acetyl group of hemicellulose in Japanese beech.