Stereocontrolled Synthesis of the Fully Glycosylated Monomeric Unit of Lomaiviticin A.

We describe a stereocontrolled synthesis of 3, the fully glycosylated monomeric unit of the dimeric cytotoxic bacterial metabolite (-)-lomaiviticin A (2). A novel strategy involving convergent, site- and stereoselective coupling of the ß,γ-unsaturated ketone 6 and the naphthyl bromide 7 (92%, 15:1 diastereomeric ratio (dr)), followed by radical-based annulation and silyl ether cleavage, provided the tetracycle 5 (57% overall), which contains the carbon skeleton of the aglycon of 3. The ß-linked 2,4,6-trideoxy-4-aminoglycoside l-pyrrolosamine was installed in 73% yield and with 15:1 ß:α selectivity using a modified Koenigs-Knorr glycosylation. The diazo substituent was introduced via direct diazo transfer to an electron-rich benzoindene (4 → 27). The α-linked 2,6-dideoxyglycoside l-oleandrose was introduced by gold-catalyzed activation of an o-alkynyl glycosylbenzoate (75%, >20:1 α:ß selectivity). A carefully orchestrated endgame sequence then provided efficient access to 3. Cell viability studies indicated that monomer 3 is not cytotoxic at concentrations up to 1 µM, providing conclusive evidence that the dimeric structure of (-)-lomaiviticin A (2) is required for cytotoxic effects. The preparation of 3 provides a foundation to complete the synthesis of (-)-lomaiviticin A (2) itself.

Development of an Enantioselective Synthesis of (-)-Euonyminol.

We detail the development of the first enantioselective synthetic route to euonyminol (1), the most heavily oxidized member of the dihydro-ß-agarofuran sesquiterpenes and the nucleus of the macrocyclic alkaloids known as the cathedulins. Key steps in the synthetic sequence include a novel, formal oxyalkylation reaction of an allylic alcohol by [3 + 2] cycloaddition; a tandem lactonization-epoxide opening reaction to form the trans-C2-C3 vicinal diol residue; and a late-stage diastereoselective trimethylaluminum-mediated α-ketol rearrangement. We report an improved synthesis of the advanced unsaturated ketone intermediate 64 by means of a 6-endo-dig radical cyclization of the enyne 42. This strategy nearly doubled the yield through the intermediate steps in the synthesis and avoided a problematic inversion of stereochemistry required in the first-generation approach. Computational studies suggest that the mechanism of this transformation proceeds via a direct 6-endo-trig cyclization, although a competing 5-exo-trig cyclization, followed by a rearrangement, is also energetically viable. We also detail the challenges associated with manipulating the oxidation state of late-stage intermediates, which may inform efforts to access other derivatives such as 9-epi-euonyminol or 8-epi-euonyminol. Our successful synthetic strategy provides a foundation to synthesize the more complex cathedulins.

Enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal by natural pyrite-based constructed wetland with intermittent aeration.

Four subsurface flow constructed wetlands (SFCWs) filled with different substrates including ceramsite, ceramsite+pyrite, ceramsite+ferrous sulfide, and ceramsite+pyrite+ferrous sulfide (labeled as SFCW-S1, SFCW-S2, SFCW-S3, and SFCW-S4) were constructed, and the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus by these SFCWs coupled with intermittent aeration in the front section was discussed. The key findings from different substrate analyses, including nitrification and denitrification rate, enzyme activity, microbial community structure, and the X-ray diffraction, revealed the nitrogen and phosphorus removal mechanism. The results showed that the nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency for SFCW-S1 always remained the lowest, and the phosphorus removal efficiency for SFCW-S4 was recorded as the highest one. However, after controlling the dissolved oxygen by intermittent aeration in the front section of SFCWs, the nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies of SFCWs-S2 and S4 became higher than those of SFCW-S1, and SFCW-S3. It was noticed that the pollutants were removed mainly in the front section of the SFCWs. Both precipitation and adsorption on the substrate were the main mechanisms for phosphorus removal. A minute difference of nitrification rate and ammonia monooxygenase activity was observed in the SFCWs' aeration zone. The denitrification rates, nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, and electron transport system activity for SFCW-S2 and SFCW-S4 were higher than those detected for SFCW-S1 and SFCW-S3 in the non-aerated zone. Proteobacteria was the largest phyla found in the SFCWs. Moreover, Thiobacillus occupied a large proportion found in SFCW-S2, and SFCW-S4, and it played a crucial role in pyrite-driven autotrophic denitrification.

Synthesis and Activity Investigation of Novel 1H-Purin-6(9H)-one and 3H-Imidazo[4,5-d][1,2,3]triazin-4(7H)-one Derivatives.

Novel 1H-purin-6(9H)-one (D) and 3H-imidazo[4,5-d][1,2,3]trazin-4(7H)-one (E) derivatives were designed, synthesized, and characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry spectra. Their herbicidal activity bioassay showed that compound 7d exhibited relatively good activity with 70.4% inhibition rate against Amaranthus retroflexus in postemergence treatments at 1500 g/ha. Antitumor activity indicated that most of the title compounds displayed potent antitumor activity at 20 µM, among all of the promising compounds possessing lower IC50 values than that of temozolomide, compound 7i demonstrated highest activity inhibiting both HepG-2 and U-118 MG cell lines with IC50 values of 2.0 and 3.8 µM, respectively. The structure-activity relationship analysis revealed that introduction of halogen atoms, a bulky bridging bond between benzene ring and nitrogen atom, longer R2 substituents could contribute to the improvement of antitumor activity. Analysis suggested that compound 7i might have potential as new highly active antitumor agent. Overall, D series had better anticancer activities than E series derivatives.

Scalable Total Synthesis of (-)-Vinigrol.

Vinigrol is a structurally and stereochemically complex natural product that displays various potent pharmacological activities, including the capability to modulate TNF-α. A new and efficient synthetic route toward this natural product has been developed to complete the asymmetric synthesis of (-)-vinigrol and provide over 600 mg of material, manifesting the power of macrocyclic stereocontrol and transannular Diels-Alder reaction.

Study on the interaction between cannabinol and DNA using acridine orange as a fluorescence probe.

The interaction between cannabinol (CBN) and herring-sperm deoxyribonucleic acid was investigated by using acridine orange as a fluorescence probe in this work. UV-Vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and DNA melting techniques were used. The fluorescence of DNA acridine orange was quenched by CBN. The results indicated that CBN can bind to DNA. The binding constant for the CBN and herring-sperm deoxyribonucleic acid was obtained at 3 temperatures, respectively. Results of molecular docking corroborated the experimental results obtained from spectroscopic investigations. The influence of ionic strength on the fluorescence properties was also investigated. The thermodynamic results indicated that hydrophobic interaction played a major role in the binding between CBN and DNA.

Identification of the binding between three fluoronucleoside analogues and fat mass and obesity-associated protein by isothermal titration calorimetry and spectroscopic techniques.

In this work, the interactions between fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) protein and three fluoronucleoside analogues (three-member-ring compound (1a), five-member-ring compound (1b) and six-member-ring compound (1c)) have been investigated by fluorescence, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetric (ITC) and molecular modeling. Analysis of fluorescence data showed that the binding between three analogues and FTO occurred via a static quenching mechanism. Both ITC and fluorescence results indicated that 1b is the strongest quencher. In contrast to spectroscopy techniques, ITC results suggested that there is no binding for 1c. ITC results showed that the binding between FTO and 1a (or 1b) were exothermic. Fluorescence results showed that the binding between three analogues and FTO were endothermic. Results of thermodynamic analysis and molecular modeling suggested that it was entropy driven event between FTO and 1a (or 1b).

Interaction of two flavonols with fat mass and obesity-associated protein investigated by fluorescence quenching and molecular docking.

The binding of two flavonols with fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) was studied using fluorescence spectroscopy, Stern-Volmer kinetics, UV-Vis absorption, and molecular docking. The quenching of FTO fluorescence was determined to be static with binding constants on the order of 104 M-1. The interaction was studied over three temperatures, and the binding was found to be exothermic with a positive change in entropy. Thermodynamic analysis and molecular modeling suggest that hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding interaction are the main binding force in stabilizing the flavonol-FTO complex.

Study of the Binding between Camptothecin Analogs and FTO by Spectroscopy and Molecular Docking.

In this work, the interaction between camptothecin (CPT) analogs and fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) was investigated using spectroscopy and molecular docking. From the experimental results, it was found that the CPT analogs caused the fluorescence quenching of FTO through a static quenching procedure. The binding constants and thermodynamic parameters at three different temperatures, the number of binding sites were obtained, which suggested that the hydrophobic interaction and electrostatic force played major role in the reaction between CPT analogs and FTO. Results revealed that 10-hydroxycamptothecin was the strongest quencher.

Comparative study of the binding of 3 flavonoids to the fat mass and obesity-associated protein by spectroscopy and molecular modeling.

This study aims to investigate the interaction between 3 flavonoids (quercetin, apigenin, and naringenin) and fat mass and obesity-associated protein by fluorescence, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, and molecular modeling. Results indicate that the intrinsic fluorescence of fat mass and obesity-associated protein can be quenched by the 3 flavonoids through a static quenching procedure. Thermodynamic analysis and molecular modeling results suggest that hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bond forces play the major roles in the binding process. Moreover, results also show that the rank order of quenching constant and binding constant is quercetin > apigenin > naringenin.

Investigation of the Interaction between 1,3-Diazaheterocyclic Compounds and the Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Protein by Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Molecular Modeling.

In this paper, The binding of twelve 1,3-diazaheterocyclic compounds (1a-1 l) to the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) protein was investigated by fluorescence, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and molecular modeling. Results indicated that the intrinsic fluorescence of FTO is quenched by the nine compounds (1a-1i) with a static quenching procedure. No interaction was observed between FTO protein and compounds (1j-1 l). The thermodynamic parameters obtained from the fluorescence data showed that the hydrophobic force played a major role in stabilizing the complex. The results of synchronous and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra showed that the conformation of FTO was changed. In addition, the influence of molecular structure on the quenching effect has been investigated.