Effect of the carbon dioxide modifier on the lipid composition of wool wax extracted from raw wool

Wool wax or lanolin is a unique substance secreted by sheep and forms a natural protective coating on wool fibres. It is widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations. However, different systems of wool wax recovery from scouring liquour provide a dark impurified greasy product. This product has a lipid composition that differs from the wool wax present on wool fibres. The wool wax extraction method from raw wool with pressurised CO₂ and different modifiers at constant pressure and temperature was studied. Thin-layer chromatography coupled to an automated flame ionisation detection system (TLC/FID) was used to analyse the different lipid classes present in the collected extracts. Moreover, a detailed structural comparison of the cholesteryl esters and hydroxycholesteryl esters was carried out by means of sub-ambient pressure chromatography mass spectrometry in the electron impact and in the ammonia positive chemical ionisation modes. For comparison, qualitative and quantitative analyses of the lanolin extracted in Soxhlet with dichloromethane and commercial cosmetic lanolin were carried out. Differences in the quantity of wool wax extraction and in the lipid composition of different wool wax extracts were detected by changing the modifier polarity.     

Interfacial properties and thermal stability of modified poly(m‐phenylene isophthalamide) thin films

Poly(m‐phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA) is a resistant to high temperatures and chemically stable engineering material. The application as coatings and membranes, however, is limited by its poor interaction with other materials. In this report, we describe the molecular modification of PMIA through reaction with dimsyl sodium and 2‐iodine‐1‐ethanol. The substitution of 58% of amide hydrogen by ethanol (etOH) groups produces a material (MPMIA) able to develop regularly structured films on silicon substrate. The morphology of the films is dependent on the ionic strength of the precursory solution. MPMIA starts a degradation process by losing the etOH group. MPMIA has a better affinity with poly(p‐cresolformaldehyde) than with a pristine one, increasing the range of composition in which thermal stability and miscibility are observed. Thin films of these blends have different morphologies that vary from nanometric porous to two‐phase microstructured grains, according to the composition. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Aromatic garlands,as new foldamers,to mimic protein secondary structure

Proteins modulate the majority of all biological functions and are composed of highly organized secondary structural elements such as helices, turns, and sheets. Many of these functions are affected by a small number of key structural element, protein–protein interactions. Their mimicry by peptide and non-peptide scaffolds has become a major focus of contemporary research. This paper examines oligomeric system as new foldamers, which either reproduce the local topography of the helix, or project appropriately functionality in a similar manner to residues of an alpha-helix.     

Studies on the Imide-Amide Rearrangement of Cyclic Phosphorimidates

Abstract

The imide-amide rearrangement of cyclic phosphorirnidates 1 leads to the formation of phosphoramidates 3, either thermally (> 180°C) or by the action of a Lewis acid (BF₃ OEt₂, 60°C)¹. In an attempt to develop a synthetic pathway to β aminoalcohols based on this rearrangement, we have thoroughly studied the influence of the structure of the reactants on the Lewis acid catalysed rearrangement. This study brought some insight into the mechanism of this particular reaction, namely the identification of a new polymeric structure 2. not yet described, which is converted into 3 by thermolysis². The formation of 2 at rt was followed by ³ P NMR. In the case of R′? Ph, the reactivity observed for R₂N was: i-Pr₂N > Pyrrolidine > n-Bu²N For R²=i-Pr₂, the observed R′ group effect was: Bn > 4-NO₂Bn > Ph. No reaction was observed for R′ ? Ts, n-Oct. In the case of the groups R′ ? Bn and R₂=i Pr₂ the Lewis acid effect was also studied: BF₃OEt₂, BF₃MeOr-Bu, Sc(OTf)₃ or CITi(Oi-Pr)₃ or Me₂SnCl₂.     

Molecular recognition of guanosine and 2-acetylaminofluorene-modified guanosine. A comparative study

Abstract

The ability of an abiotic receptor, 7-acetylamino-2-methyl–1,8-naphthyridine, to bind to guanosine was analysed by a combination of NMR determinations and molecular modeling studies. The results indicate that this receptor simulates the base-pairing properties of cytidine in its Watson-Crick interaction with guanosine. Binding of the same receptor to N-(guanosin-8-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene, the guanosine adduct containing the carcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene, was found to occur in a similar manner. The calculated binding energies show that the molecular recognition of the adduct is lower than that of the unmodified guanosine. The theoretical studies suggest that the predominance of an abnormal low energy syn conformation for the adduct is the main structural feature accounting for the observed decrease of the host-guest interaction.     

Focused microwave irradiation-assisted synthesis of N-cyclohexyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives with antitumor activity

A facile synthesis of 3,5-disubstituted 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives under focused microwave irradiation (FMWI) is reported. Arylamidoximes 1a–i and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) were carried out in DMF under FMWI to obtain 1,2,4-oxadiazoles 2a–i in 61–81% yields. All compounds exhibited antiproliferative activities in vitro against three human cancer cell lines HCT-116, PC-3, and SNB-19.