Iron-induced oxidation of (all-E)-β-carotene under model gastric conditions: kinetics,products, and mechanism

The stability of (all-E)-β-carotene toward dietary iron was studied in a mildly acidic (pH 4) micellar solution as a simple model of the postprandial gastric conditions. The oxidation was initiated by free iron (Fe^II, Fe^III) or by heme iron (metmyoglobin, MbFe^III). Fe^II and metmyoglobin were much more efficient than Fe^III at initiating β-carotene oxidation. Whatever the initiator, hydrogen peroxide did not accumulate. Moreover, β-carotene markedly inhibited the conversion of Fe^II into Fe^III. β-Carotene oxidation induced by Fe^II or MbFe^III was maximal with 5–10 eq Fe^II or 0.05–0.1 eq MbFe^III and was inhibited at higher iron concentrations, especially with Fe^II. UPLC/DAD/MS and GC/MS analyses revealed a complex distribution of β-carotene-derived products including Z-isomers, epoxides, and cleavage products of various chain lengths. Finally, the mechanism of iron-induced β-carotene oxidation is discussed. Altogether, our results suggest that dietary iron, especially free (loosely bound) Fe^II and heme iron, may efficiently induce β-carotene autoxidation within the upper digestive tract, thereby limiting its supply to tissues (bioavailability) and consequently its biological activity.     

New antitumor titanocene derivatives containing hydrophilic ligands

Four titanocene derivatives containing hydrophilic ligands were tested for antiproliferative activity against Ehrlich ascites tumor in mice. The new compounds (C₅H₅)₂TiCl(p-SC₆H₄NH₃⁺Cl^?) (I) and (C₅H₅)₂Ti(p-SC₆H₄NH₃⁺Cl^?)₂ (II), containing hydrochlorinated p-aminothiophenolate ligands, and the known compounds (C₅H₅)₂Ti(cis-OOCCHCHCOOH)₂ (III) and (C₅H₅)₂Ti(OOCCCl₃)₂ (IV) containing the carboxylic acid anions hydrogen- maleinate and trichloroacetate as acido ligands, induced maximum cure rates of 100%. The T.I. values amounted to 4.4–4.6 (I), 3.5–4.1 (II), 3.7– 3.8 (III) and 5.5 (IV), and were slightly increased in comparison to (C₅H₅)₂TiCl₂ (T.I. = 3.3). The complexes I–III were rather soluble in water and equally active in a DMSO/saline (1/9, v/v) mixture, in pure saline and in buffered solutions. In the case of IV, the toxicity was considerably low (LD₅₀,440 mg/kg; LD₁₀₀, 500 mg/kg) in relation to (C₅H₅)₂TiCl₂ (LD₅₀, 100 mg/kg; LD₁₀₀, 140 mg/kg).     

The effects of point of substitution on the electrochemical behavior of new manganese phthalocyanines, tetra-substituted with diethylaminoethanethiol

The syntheses and comparative studies of the spectral, voltammetry and spectroelectrochemical properties of new manganese phthalocyanine complexes, tetra-substituted with diethylaminoethanethio at the peripheral (complex 3a) and non-peripheral positions (complex 3b) are reported. Solution electrochemistry of complex 3a showed quasi-reversible metal-based (Mn^IIIPc⁻²/Mn^IIPc⁻², E_1/2 = −0.07 V vs. Ag|AgCl) and ring-based (Mn^IIPc⁻²/Mn^IIPc⁻³, E_1/2 = −0.78 V vs. Ag|AgCl) reductions, but no ring-based oxidation. However, complex 3b showed weak irreversible ring-oxidation signal (E_p = +0.86 vs. Ag|AgCl). Reversible metal-based (Mn^IIIPc⁻²/Mn^IIPc⁻², E_1/2 = −0.04 V vs. Ag|AgCl) and ring-based (Mn^IIPc⁻²/Mn^IIPc⁻³, E_1/2 = −0.68 V vs. Ag|AgCl) reductions were also observed for complex 3b. Spectroelectrochemistry was used to confirm these processes. Reduction process involving the metal (Mn^IIIPc⁻²/Mn^IIPc⁻²) was associated with the formation of manganese μ-oxo complex in complex 3a.     

A Comparative PET-study of five carbon-11 or fluorine-18 labelled salicylamides. Preparation and in vitro dopamine D-2 receptor binding

Five ¹¹C- or ¹⁸F-labelled salicylamides ([¹¹C]raclopride (I), [¹¹C]eticlopride (II), [¹⁸F]NCQ 258 (III), [¹⁸F]NCQ 134 (IV) and [¹⁸F]NCQ 135 (V)) were prepared. The total radiochemical yields of I–V from EOB were 3–30% (decay-corrected) with an overall synthesis time of 40–110 min. All compounds were isolated by semi-preparative HPLC and the radiochemical purity was > 99%. I–V were in separate experiments injected into Cynomolgus monkeys for PET-examination of ligand distribution in brain in vivo. I–V passed rapidly across the blood-brain barrier. With both analogs I and II there was a high uptake in the striatum, a region with a high density of dopamine D-2 receptors. With the ¹⁸F-labelled analogs III and IV, the uptake in the striatum was almost identical to that in the dopamine receptor poor cerebellum whereas the striatal uptake of V was clearly higher than in the cerebellum. Unlabelled I–V (raclopride, eticlopride, NCQ 258 (VII), NCQ 134 (VIII) and NCQ 135 (IX)) were also prepared and examined in vitro using [³H]raclopride and [³H]spiperone binding to rat striatal dopamine D-2 receptors. A significantly lower affinity was shown for NCQ 258 and NCQ 134 (5 times) compared to that of raclopride and eticlopride, respectively, whereas the affinity of NCQ 135 was similar to that of eticlopride.     

Sex pheromone analysis and effective attraction of males of the cabbage webworm,Hellula undalis,inhabiting the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

Hellula undalis is a harmful insect pest of green mustard in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. In order to establish a tool for a sustainable pest control program, the sex pheromone of H. undalis inhabiting the Mekong Delta was examined. GC-EAD and GC–MS analyses of pheromone gland extracts from the virgin females elucidated three new components, (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate (Z11-14:OAc), (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z11-16:Ald), and (11E,13E)-11,13-hexadecadien-1-ol, in addition to the known pheromone component (11E,13E)-11,13-hexadecadienal (E11,E13-16:Ald). Double bond positions of the two monoenyl components were determined by GC–MS analysis of the pheromone extract treated with dimethyl disulfide. On the other hand, GC–MS analysis of the female body extract detected the unsaturated hydrocarbon (3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9-tricosatriene (Z3,Z6,Z9-23:H). Field examinations of their synthetic compounds indicated the significant role of E11,E13-16:Ald as a major component and a clear synergistic effect of the two monoenyl compounds as a minor component. Although the 3:3:7 mixture of Z11-14:OAc, E11-16:Ald, and E11,E13-16:Ald captured the largest number of males among the tested mixtures, the activity was still quite a bit lower than that of virgin females. However, the 3:3:7:1 mixture, which was prepared by adding a small amount of Z3,Z6,Z9-23:H to the 3:3:7 ternary lure, succeeded in attracting males more powerfully than the females did. This strong synergistic effect was not observed when the triene was added to unmixed E11,E13-16:Ald, indicating important roles of not only the triene but also the two monoenyl compounds as natural pheromone components.     

Determination of a thermally labile metabolite of a novel growth hormone secretagogue in human and dog plasma by liquid chromatography with ion spray tandem mass spectrometric detection

A sensitive and selective assay for the determination of N-{1(R)-[(1,2-dihydro-1-methylsulfonylspiro[3H-indole-3,4′-piperidin]-1′-yl)carbonyl]-2-(phenylmethoxy)-ethyl}-2-hydroxyamino-2-methylpropanamide (I), a hydroxyl amine metabolite of a novel growth hormone secretagouge (II) has been developed utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography with ion spray tandem mass spectrometric detection (HPLC–MS–MS). The analyte and an internal standard (III) were isolated from the basified biological matrix using a liquid–liquid extraction with methyl tert.-butyl ether (MTBE). The organic extract was evaporated to dryness at room temperature. The residue was reconstituted in the mobile phase and injected into the HPLC–MS–MS system. Multiple reaction monitoring using the precursor→product ion combinations of m/z 545→267 and 543 →267 was used to quantify I and III, respectively, after chromatographic separation under isocratic conditions. The assay was validated in the concentration range of 0.5 to 500 ng/0.1 ml in both human and dog plasma. The precision of the assay, expressed as relative standard deviation, was less than 10% over the entire concentration range with the exception of the low concentration of 0.5 ng/0.1 ml which was 14.0% for human plasma. The HPLC–MS–MS method provided sufficient sensitivity to completely map the pharmacokinetic time course of I following a single 5 mg dose of II to human subjects and a 0.5 mg/kg dose to beagle dogs.     

Interactions of five- and six-membered cyclic esters with α-chymotrypsin: Kinetic evidence for covalent enzyme intermediates

Interactions of α-chymotrypsin with 2-coumaranone (I), 3,4-dihydrocoumarin (II), o-hydroxy-α-toluenesulfonic acid sultone (III), and β-o-hydroxyphenylethanesulfonic acid sultone (IV) were studied in the presence of 14% acetonitrile at pH 7.0 by means of the proflavin displacement technique and by inhibition of N-acetyl-l-tryptophan ethyl ester (ATrEE) hydrolysis. Under saturating conditions of either I, II, or III, an enzyme intermediate was shown to accumulate using either the proflavin displacement technique or the ATrEE activity assay. The intermediates have characteristics of covalent enzyme-substrate compounds and are believed to decompose simultaneously by two pathways, one to give free enzyme and hydrolyzed cyclic ester, and the other to give the original cyclic ester and free enzyme. With α-chymotrypsin and III the observed first-order rate constant for decomposition of the intermediate by the two pathways was 0.19 ± 0.04 min^?1, while the rate constant for the hydrolytic pathway alone was 0.013 ± 0.0009 min^?1. These results indicate that the covalent-like intermediate with this sultone is not only capable of reverting to starting cyclic ester but prefers this pathway over hydrolysis. Sultone IV was found to bind to enzyme; but in contrast to the behavior of esters I–III, the binding did not result in accumulation of a covalent-like intermediate.     

Macrolide (cucujolide) biosynthesis in the rusty grain beetle,Cryptolestes ferrugineusI

Males of the cucujid grain beetles, Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens), C. pusillus (Schönhen), C. turcicus (Grouvelle), Oryzaephilus mercator (Fauval) and O. surinamensis (L.), produce seven structurally related macrolides (“cucujolides”). Species-specific combinations of these macrocyclic lactones function as aggregation pheromones. To study the biosynthesis of these cucujolides, mixed sex cultures of the rusty grain beetle, C. ferrugineus, were fed oats impregnated with radiolabelled substrates. Culture volatiles were trapped on Porapak Q, eluted by back-flushing with solvent, concentrated and purified to constant specific activity by high performance liquid chromatography and preparative gas chromatography. The incorporation of radiolabelled acetate and mevalonate into cucujolide I [4(E),8(E)4,8-dimethyldecadien-10-olide] provided evidence that this pheromone is of terpenoid origin. The efficient incorporation of radiolabelled fatty acid substrates into cucujolides II 3(Z)dodecen-11-olide], III 5(Z)tetradecen-13-olide], IV [3(Z),6(Z)dodecadien-11-olide] and V [5(Z),8(Z)tetradecadien-13-olide] provided evidence that these cucujolides are of fatty acid origin. Radiolabelled palmitic acid was incorporated into cucujolides II, III, IV and V; radiolabelled oleic acid was incorporated into II and III; and radiolabelled linoleic acid was incorporated into IV. Radiolabelled acetate was incorporated into cucujolides II, III and V, indicating that C. ferrugineus can produce these cucujolides de novo.     

Computational investigation of the geometric structures of [(CN)5PtTl(CN)n]n− (n=0, 1, 2 or 3)

[(CN)₅PtTl(CN)_n]ⁿ⁻ (n=0–3, complexes I–IV) have been studied computationally using quasi-relativistic gradient-corrected density functional theory. Good agreement is obtained with previous EXAFS and Raman data for complexes II–IV, but calculations significantly overestimate the PtTl bond length and underestimate ν(PtTl) for complex I. The addition of co-ordinating water molecules to the thallium atom in complexes I–III has little effect on complexes II and III, but significantly shortens the PtTl bond in complex I, bringing it into excellent agreement with experiment. The bond length shortening is traced to intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The total molecular bonding energies of hydrated I and I′ (in which the axial ligands on the thallium and platinum atoms are interchanged) are found to be very similar to one another, suggesting that complex I might exist as a mixture of isomers in solution.     

Biosynthetic pathways of the sex pheromone components and substrate selectivity of the oxidation enzymes working in pheromone glands of the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea

The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea Drury (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), is a harmful polyphagous defoliator. Female moths produce the following four pheromone components in a ratio of about 5:4:10:2; (9Z,12Z)-9,12-octadecadienal (I), (9Z,12Z,15Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienal (II), cis-9,10-epoxy-(3Z,6Z)-3,6-henicosadiene (III), and cis-9,10-epoxy-(3Z,6Z)-1,3,6-henicosatriene (IV). Although ¹³C-labeled linolenic acid was not converted into trienal II at the pheromone glands of H. cunea females, GC-MS analysis of an extract of the pheromone gland treated topically with ¹³C-labeled linolenyl alcohol showed the aldehyde incorporating the isotope. Other C₁₈ and C₁₉ fatty alcohols were also oxidized to the corresponding aldehydes in the pheromone gland, indicating a biosynthetic pathway of IIvia linolenyl alcohol and low substrate selectivity of the alcohol oxidase in the pheromone gland. On the other hand, epoxydiene III was expected to be produced by specific 9,10-epoxidation of the corresponding C₂₁ trienyl hydrocarbon, which might be biosynthesized from dietary linolenic acid in oenocytes and transported to the pheromone gland. The final biosynthetic step in the pheromone gland was confirmed by an experiment using deuterated C₂₁ triene, which was synthesized by the chain elongation of linolenic acid and LiAlD₄ reduction as key reactions. When the labeled triene was administered to the female by topical application at the pheromone gland or injection into the abdomen, deuterated III was detected in a pheromone extract by GC-MS analysis. Furthermore, the substrate selectivity of epoxidase and selective incorporation by the pheromone glands were examined by treatments with mixtures of the deuterated precursor and other hydrocarbons such as C₁₉-C₂₃ trienyl, C₂₁ dienyl, and C₂₁ monoenyl hydrocarbons. The 9,10-epoxy derivative of each alkene was produced, while the epoxidation of the C₂₁ monoene was poorer than those of the trienes and diene. The low selectivity indicated that the species-specific pheromone of the H. cunea female was mainly due to the critical formation of the precursor of each component.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance crystallography of spin-labeled hemoglobin-protein fine structures.

Various hemoglobin derivatives have been labeled at the Cys-β93 residue with a bulky and “strongly immobilized” nitroxide maleimide (I) and a smaller, more flexible and “weakly immobilized” nitroxide iodoacetamide (II) and crystallized. The angular dependence of the paramagnetic resonance of the spin-label was measured for the ab, $\text{ac}{}^1$ and $\text{bc}{}^1$ planes at 298 K and 77 K for spin-labeled crystals of Oxyhemoglobin, methemoglobin fluoride, and methemoglobin azide. In the case of the methemoglobin crystals, the angular variation of the heme resonance was also monitored at 77 K. From the hyperfine splitting data, the spin-label I was found to assume specific orientations at both temperatures with some motional narrowing at 298 K. Spin-label II is specifically oriented only at room temperature but is frozen at 77 K in random orientations. Oxyhemoglobin labeled with I (I-HbO₂²) has the most prominent spin-label orientation (z∥b, x∥a) and the less abundant spin-labels with (z∥b ± 15 °) (Ohnishi et al., 1966). The corresponding spin-label orientations for I-Hb⁺ F^? are ($\text{z∥a, x∥c}{}^1$) and ($\text{z∥c}{}^1\text{, x∥a}$). Crystals of I-Hb⁺ N^?₃ have spin-labels oriented along angular directions similar, but not identical to those of I-Hb⁺F^?. Therefore, there are probably significant peptide segmental displacements when HbO₂ is oxidized to methemoglobins. At 25 °C II-Hb⁺ N^?₃ has spin-label orientations not too different from those in I-Hb⁺ N^?₃, whereas in HbO₂ the two spin-labels show significant differences in their orientations.     

Cytogenetic studies on natural intergeneric hybridization inAster alliances

Natural intergeneric hybrids betweenAster ageratoides subsp.ovatus (2n=36) andKalimeris incisa (2n=72) were found. All of the hybrids studied were found to have 2n=72, 18 more chromosomes than a regular F₁ hybrid. The hybrids were found to be of two types: one having 18 large chromosomes ofovatus, and the other having 9 large chromosomes of the same subspecies. In meiosis of the PMCs of the hybrid with 18 large chromosomes, a regular chromosome configuration, 36_II, was observed. In PMCs of the hybrid with 9 large chromosomes an irregularity of chromosome pairings was observed, showing varied chromosome configurations: 35_II+2_I, 34_II+4_I, 33_II+6_I, I_III+33_II+3_I, 1_IV+32_II+4_I, 32_II+8_I, 31_II+10_I, 29_II+14_I, 3_III+29_II+5_I. Most univalents were large, but a few were small. The hybrids with 18 large chromosomes were found to be partial amphidiploid and possessing double chromosome complements ofovatus. The hybrids with 9 large chromosomes were found to be the first backcrossed generation between the hybrid with 18 large chromosomes andK. incisa.     

Synthesis of modified fragments of fibrinogen and their effect on the activity of proteolytic enzymes

New analogues of the Gly-Pro-Arg and Arg-Gly-Asp fragments of fibrinogen were synthesized: Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro (I), Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro-Met-OMe (II), Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro-Phe (III), Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro-Asp (IV), Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro-Glu (V), and Arg-Asn-Trp-Asp (VI). Their effect on the activity of proteases of various types was studied with the method of lysis of fibrin plates. All the peptides were found to inhibit plasmin activity (by 60–85%) and the γ-subunit of nerve growth factor (by 55–93%). Tetrapeptide (VI) proved to be an effective inhibitor of tissue activator of plasminogen and the γ-subunit of nerve growth factor (by 96 and 93%, respectively). The peptides exerted practically no effect on the activity of urokinase and moderately inhibited the activity of streptokinase [(III), IV), and (VI)], papain [(I), (II), IV), and (VI)], subtilisin [(V) and (VI)], α-chymotrypsin [(III), (V), and VI)], and Bacillus subtilis metalloprotease (VI). They inhibit trypsin [except for (I) and (III)] when applied on fibrin plates at a concentration of 1 × 10^?2 M, while, at the concentration of 1 × 10^?3 M, (I) and (II) induced an increase in proteolytic activity by 35 and 47%, respectively.     

Preparation, structures and properties of oxalate-bridged binuclear iron(III) complex: [(acac)2Fe(μ-ox)Fe(acac)2] and [(acac)2Fe(μ-ox)Fe(acac)2]·CH2ClCH2Cl

An oxalate-bridged binuclear iron(III) complex, [(acac)₂Fe(μ-ox)Fe(acac)₂], (acac⁻=acetylacetonate anion and ox²⁻=oxalate anion) was prepared. The complex crystallized as two types of crystals under different conditions: one had 1,2-dichloroethane as a solvent molecule of crystallization 2, the other did not 1. Both compounds have been characterized by X-ray crystallography, infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Compound 1 has also been characterized by UV-Vis and ¹H NMR spectroscopies, mass spectrometry, and electrochemistry. In both crystals, each iron(III) is coordinated in an octahedral arrangement by the oxygen atoms of an oxalate-bridging ligand and four oxygen atoms belonging to peripheral acac ligands in an octahedral arrangement. The intermetallic distance of Fe?Fe is 5.4368(9) Å in 1 and 5.438(2) Å in 2. Two iron(III) ions in each crystal are bridged by the oxalate and both lie in the oxalate-plane. The results of thermal analyses imply that the thermal stability of 2 is lower than that of 1. Cyclic voltammograms of 1 in acetonitrile and dichloromethane at low temperature showed two consecutive, quasi-Nernstian, one-electron reduction steps corresponding to the reduction of Fe^III-Fe^III to Fe^III-Fe^II followed by the reduction of Fe^III-Fe^II to Fe^II-Fe^II. The electrochemical comproportionation constants (K_c) of the equilibrium (Fe^III-Fe^III) + (Fe^II-Fe^II) ? 2(Fe^III-Fe^II) are 10^8.9 in acetonitrile medium and 10^8.5 in dichloromethane, respectively. The considerably large K_c values indicate that the main factor contributing to the stabilization of the Fe^III-Fe^II mixed-valence state is electronic delocalization through the oxalate-bridge.     

Nature of the Ln-Co magnetic interactions in compounds [Ln2Co3(C5H4NPO3)6] · 4H2O with open-framework structures

The reactions of Ln(NO₃)₃ · xH₂O, CoSO₄ · 7H₂O or ZnSO₄ · 6H₂O and 2-pyridylphosphonic acid under hydrothermal conditions result in heterometallic phosphonate compounds with formula [Ln₂M₃(C₅H₄NPO₃)₆] · 4H₂O (Ln₂M₃; M = Co^II or Zn^II; Ln = La^III, Ce^III, Pr^III, Nd^III, Sm^III, Eu^III, Gd^III, Tb^III, Dy^III). These compounds are isostructural and crystallize in a chiral cubic space group I2₁3. Each structure contains the {LnO₉} polyhedra and {MN₂O₄} octahedra which are connected by edge-sharing to form an inorganic open-framework structure with a 3-connected 10-gon (10, 3) topology. The nature of Ln^III-Co^II magnetic interactions in Ln₂Co₃ is investigated by a comparison with their Ln^III-Zn^II analogues. It is found that the Ln^III-Co^II interaction is weak antiferromagnetic for Ln = Ce and ferromagnetic for Ln = Sm, Gd, Tb and Dy. In the cases of Ln = Pr, Nd and Eu, no significant magnetic interaction is observed.     

Manganese(III) complexes of N2O2 donor 5-bromosalicylideneimine ligands: Combined effects of electron withdrawing substituents and chelate ring size variations on electrochemical properties

A series of mononuclear manganese(III) complexes of formulae [Mn(L)(X)(H₂O)] (1-13) and [Mn(L)(X)] (14-17) (X = ClO₄, F, Cl, Br, I, NCS, N₃), derived from the Schiff bases of 5-bromosalicylaldehyde and different types of diamine (1,2-diaminoethane, 1,2-diaminopropane, 1,3-diaminopropane and 1,4-diaminobutane), have been synthesized and characterized by the combination of IR, UV-Vis spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry and by X-ray crystallography. The redox properties of all the manganese(III) complexes show grossly identical features consisting of a reversible or quasireversible Mn^III/Mn^II reduction. Besides Mn^III/Mn^II reduction, the complexes 4, 5, 10, 13 and 16 also show reversible or quasireversible Mn^III/Mn^IV oxidation. A linear correlation has been found for the complexes 5, 7, 11 and 13 [Mn(L²)(X)(H₂O)] (X = F, Cl, Br, I) when E_1/2 [Mn^III/Mn^II] is plotted against Mulliken electronegativities (χ_M). The effect of the flexibility of the ligand on redox potential has been studied. It has been observed that the manganese(II) state is stabilized with increasing flexibility of the ligand environment. The crystal structure of 6 shows an octahedral geometry.     

Molybdenum(VI)-catalysed olefin epoxidation: Structure and reactivity study

Dioxo and oxoperoxo molybdenum(VI) complexes, I–III, containing the non-labile bidentated oxazolinyl-pyridine ligand 1, were used as catalytic precursors in the epoxidation of cyclooctene and (R)-limonene, to explore the nature of the catalytic species. The high diastereoselectivity showed by I and II towards limonene epoxide formation (trans/cis-8 = 4/1) could be justified by the kinetic resolution observed to give the double epoxide (9), but also by the olefin coordination to the metal centre due to the presence of a labile ligand (isothiocyanate).⁹⁵Mo NMR monitoring experiments of complex II in the presence of (R)-limonene, together with conductivity measurements, showed the formation of an ionic metallic species (1:1 electrolyte). These results point to a bimetallic species where one of the metal atoms is coordinated to the olefin by the dissociation of the isothiocyanate group, remaining coordinated the spectator chiral ligand, which is the responsible of the selectivity observed.     

Biocatalyst mediated production of 6β,11α-dihydroxy derivatives of 4-ene-3-one steroids

Biotransformation of steroids with 4-ene-3-one functionality such as progesterone (I), testosterone (II), 17α-methyltestosterone (III), 4-androstene-3,17-dione (IV) and 19-nortestosterone (V) were studied by using a fungal system belonging to the genera of Mucor (M881). The fungal system efficiently and quantitatively converted these steroids in regio- and stereo-selective manner into corresponding 6β,11α-dihydroxy compounds. Time course experiments suggested that the transformation was initiated by hydroxylation at 6β- or 11α-(10β-hydroxy in case of V) to form monohydroxy derivatives which upon prolonged incubation were converted into corresponding 6β,11α-dihydroxy derivatives. The fermentation studies carried out using 5 L table-top fermentor with substrates (I and II) clearly indicates that 6β,11α-dihydroxy derivatives of steroids with 4-ene-3-one functionality can be produced in large scale by using M881.     

Comparison of structural features of three new cis-dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes with 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde-S-methylisothiosemicarbazone: Possible role of intermolecular interactions on the geometry of the cis-MoO2 unit

Three closely related [MoO₂(L)(ML)] complexes, where L is the 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde-S-methylisothiosemicarbazone ligand, and ML is EtOH (I), Py (II) and DMSO (III), were synthesized, characterized by NMR and IR spectra, and their X-ray crystal structures were determined. The crystal structure properties of these three closely related complexes were compared. Two cis-Mo-O bond lengths were almost the same in the crystal structure of complexes II and III, while in complex I a significant difference between the two cis-Mo-O bond lengths was observed. At the same time, the geometry of L ligand in complex I is different, compared to II and III. DFT calculations on the isolated molecule I, as well as geometrical analysis of the complexes indicate that intramolecular interactions are not responsible for these structural differences. On the other hand, the pattern of intermolecular contacts in the crystal structure of I differs from those observed in II and III. Analyses indicate that differences in cis-Mo-O bond lengths and in the geometry of ligand L could be related to intermolecular interactions. These results suggest the possibility that in enzymes oxotransferases or in their model systems, the Mo-O bond length could be designed by the interactions of chelate ligands with the surroundings.