Synthesis of methyl 6'-deoxy-6'-fluoro-alpha-isomaltoside and of the corresponding trisaccharide

Methyl 6-O-(6-O-acetyl-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-2,3,4-tri- O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (5) was formed with high stereoselectivity when the condensation of methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl (1) with 6-O-acetyl-2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl chloride in ether was promoted with silver perchlorate in the presence of 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine. O-Deacetylation of 5, followed by treatment of the formed 6, containing only HO-6' unsubstituted, with diethylaminosulfur trifluoride (DAST) or dimethylaminosulfur trifluoride (methyl DAST) gave the per-O-benzyl derivative (9) of methyl 6'-deoxy-6'-fluoro-alpha-isomaltoside. Compound 9 was also obtained by condensation of 1 with 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-6-deoxy-6-fluoro-beta-D-glucopyranosyl fluoride (4) in the presence of silver perchlorate and anhydrous stannous chloride. The fully benzylated methyl alpha-glycoside (15) of 6-deoxy-6-fluoro-isomaltotriose, was obtained by condensation of 6 with 4. Hydrogenolysis of 9 and 15 gave the methyl alpha-glycosides of isomaltose and isomaltotriose fluorinated at C-6 of their (nonreducing) D-glucosyl group. Fluoride-ion displacements involving DAST and methyl DAST gave practically identical results, but mixtures arising from reactions involving the latter reagent were lighter-colored and easier to resolve by chromatography. The isolation of methyl alpha-glycosides of 6'-deoxy-6'-fluorogentiobiose and of 6'-O-(6-deoxy-6-fluoro-beta-D-glucopyranosyl) isomaltose is also described.     

Isolation of methyl parathion-degrading strain M6 and cloning of the methyl parathion hydrolase gene

A degradative bacterium, M6, was isolated and presumptively identified as Plesiomonas sp. strain M6 was able to hydrolyze methyl parathion to p-nitrophenol. A novel organophosphate hydrolase gene designated mpd was selected from its genomic library prepared by shotgun cloning. The nucleotide sequence of the mpd gene was determined. The gene could be effectively expressed in Escherichia coli.     

Synthesis and characterization of methyl 6-O-alpha- and -beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside

Sequential tritylation, acetylation and detritylation of methyl beta-D-galactopyranoside gave crystalline methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (4) and methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside, the latter being the minor product resulting from acetyl migration. Reaction of 4 with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosyl bromide in benzene, in the presence of mercuric cyanide and mercuric bromide, gave the alpha- and beta-D-(1----6)-linked disaccharides (7 and 9, respectively) in high yield, and their structure was confirmed by 1H- and 13C-n.m.r. 1d. and 2d. spectroscopy. O-Deacetylation of 7 gave the hitherto unknown, crystalline methyl 6-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside. O-Deacetylation of 9 gave the corresponding, beta-D-linked disaccharide methyl glycoside, the physical constants of which are discussed with respect to controversial data in the literature.     

Synthetic receptor analogues: preparation and calculated conformations of the 2-deoxy, 6-O-methyl, 6-deoxy, and 6-deoxy-6-fluoro derivatives of methyl 4-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (methyl beta-D-galabioside)

The 2-deoxy (7), 6-O-methyl (15), 6-deoxy (22), and 6-deoxy-6-fluoro (31) derivatives of methyl beta-D-galabioside (1) have been synthesised. Thus, 7 was prepared by xanthate reduction using tributyltin hydride, whereas 22 was obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of a 6-deoxy-6-iodogalabioside. Regioselective monofluorination of methyl 2,3-di-O-benzoyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside with Et2NSF3 and subsequent alpha-D-galactosylation provided 31. Molecular mechanics calculations yielded similar conformations for 1, 7, 15, 22, and 31 with differences in phi H and psi H of less than 5 degrees. No indications of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, as displayed by 1 in the crystal, were found for 7, 15, 22, or 31.     

Some amino sugars structurally related to 6-deoxymannojirimycin precursors prepared from methyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-lyxo-hexofuranosid-5-ulose and methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-lyxo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanoside

Methyl (5S)-5-C-amino-5-cyano-5-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-lyxofuranoside has been synthesised from methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-lyxo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanoside, applying the Strecker synthesis. Analogously, methyl (5S) and (5R)-5-C-amino-5-cyano-5,6-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-lyxo-hexofuranosides were prepared from methyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-lyxo-hexofuranosid-5-ulose. The 5-S configuration was unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of corresponding N-acetyl derivatives. Conformations of five-membered rings are discussed. The conversion of N-acetylated amino nitriles to N-acetylamino acid ethyl ester and amide, respectively, is also described.     

Acetyl migration in the monoacetates of methyl 6-O-trityl-α-D-glucopyranoside

Acetylation of methyl 6-O-trityl-α-D-glucopyranoside with one equivalent of acetic anhydride in pyridine yields, preferentially, the 4-acetate 8. The 2- and 3-acetates can be converted under mild alkaline conditions into 8, which is more stable towards acetyl migration.     

Asymmetric synthesis of methyl 6-deoxy-3-O-methyl-alpha-L-mannopyranoside from a non-carbohydrate precursor

A novel method is reported for preparing methyl 6-deoxy-3-O-methyl-alpha-L-mannopyranoside (1) by asymmetric synthesis, using 2-acetylfuran (2), a non-chiral simple molecule, as the starting material and achieving high yields via (S)-1-(2-furyl)ethanol and (S)-1-(2,5-dihydro-2,5-dimethoxy-2-furyl)ethanol.     

The role of sugar configuration in the acetolysis of 6-deoxyhexose methyl glycosides

The acetolysis of several perbenzylated 6-deoxyhexose methyl glycosides under two mild conditions (10 equiv ZnCl₂ in 2:1 v/v Ac₂O-AcOH at 5 °C; 10:10:1 v/v/v Ac₂O-AcOH-TFA at 70 °C) was studied. We focused on the effect of sugar configuration on the competition between mechanisms with activation at exocyclic or endocyclic oxygen site. No effect was detected in acetolysis using the TFA protocol promoting an exo-activation mechanism, which affords 1-O-Ac-pyranosides regardless of sugar configuration. On the contrary, it has a primary role in determining the endo- versus exo-product distribution on ZnCl₂-promoted acetolysis.     

Synthesis and bioactivity of novel methyl 6-deoxy-6-(N'-alkyl/aryl-N'-benzothiazol-2-yl)guanidino-alpha-D-glucopyranosides

A series of new methyl 6-deoxy-6-[N′-alkyl/aryl-N″-(benzothiazol-2-yl)]guanidino-α-d-glucopyranosides were obtained from the reaction of an alkyl/aryl amine in the presence of HgCl₂ and sugar-thiourea derivatives, followed by the removal of protecting groups. The sugar-thiourea derivatives were obtained from the treatment of 2-aminobenzothiazole derivatives with methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-6-deoxy-6-isothiocyanato-α-d-glucopyranoside in dry pyridine. Some of the synthesized guanidines displayed anti-influenza activity.     

Influence of 6-aminopenicillanic acid on amoxicillin synthesis and p-hydroxyphenylglycine methyl ester hydrolysis

A significant problem in the enzymatic production of the beta-lactam antibiotic amoxicillin from 6-Aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) and p-hydroxyphenylglycine methyl ester (HPGM) is the enzymatic hydrolysis of both HPGM and amoxicillin. Here we show that APA is able to competitively inhibit the hydrolysis of HPGM, with a Michaelis-Menten inhibition constant K_i of 7.23mM. While this phenomenon also results in a slowdown of the amoxicillin rate of formation, the S/H (synthesis to hydrolysis ratio) rate is improved. We found that this S/H rate depends directly on the ratio of the two substrates rather than their absolute concentrations. A doubling in S/H rate was obtained by decreasing the HPGM to APA ratio from 3 to 0.5.     

Biotransformation of methyl tert-butyl ether by human cytochrome P450 2A6

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is widely used as gasoline oxygenate and octane number enhancer for more complete combustion in order to reduce the air pollution caused by motor vehicle exhaust. The possible adverse effects of MTBE on human health are of major public concern. However, information on the metabolism of MTBE in human tissues is scarce. The present study demonstrates that human cytochrome P450 2A6 is able to metabolize MTBE to tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), a major circulating metabolite and marker for exposure to MTBE. As CYP2A6 is known to be constitutively expressed in human livers, we infer that it may play a significant role in metabolism of gasoline ethers in liver tissue.     

Performance test of a 6-stage continuous reactor for palm methyl ester production

Effects of residence time (3-12 min), stirrer speed (0-800 rpm), and NaOH concentration (0.25-1.0 wt% of oil) on the production performance of the designed 6-stage continuous reactor (2.272 l) for transesterification of palm oil were investigated at molar ratio of methanol to oil of 6:1 and temperature of 60 degrees C. Higher stirrer speed increased the reaction rate up to an appropriate speed but excessive stirrer speed decreased the reaction rate. Inappropriate stirrer speed runs dramatically decreased the production capacity of the reactor. Higher NaOH concentration significantly increased reaction rate and production capacity of the reactor. The reactor had a residence time distribution equivalent to 5.98 ideal CSTRs in series and a production performance equivalent to a plug flow reactor. At NaOH of 1.0 wt% of oil, the reactor could produce saleable biodiesel within residence time of 6 min in which a production capacity was 17.3 l/h and a power consumption of stirrer was 0.6 kW/m(3).     

Oxidative ozonolysis of 6-oxo-PGF1α, 11,15-diacetate, methyl acetal, methyl ester

Ozonolysis of 6-oxo-PGF_1α, 11,15-diacetate, methyl acetal, methyl ester followed by oxidative workup and treatment with diazomethane gave 3-acetoxy-5-hydroxy-2-(methoxycarbonyl) cyclopentane acetic acid, γ-lactone and dimethyl 3-acetoxy-5[[−(methoxycarbonyl)valeryl] oxy]-1,2-cyclopentane dicarboxylate as two of the major products. The mass spectral properties of the latter compound were identical with those previously published by other investigators.