J. Med. Chem. dimethylformamide (1 mL) was treated with 60% sodium hydride in oil (20 mg) for 20 min, and then with ethyl iodide (0.02 mL) for 20 min longer. The mixture was concentrated to dryness at 0.1 mm, taken up in ethyl acetate, washed with sodium bicarbonate solution, dried (Mg#O$, concentrated to dryness, and triturated with ether to afford the ester as an off-white solid, mp 110-118 OC (30 mg, 31%). Similarly, 3s was prepared from 3a i991,34, m 9 -2 5~ 2579 through the use of tert-butyl 4-(2-aminoethyl)phenylacetate.% An array of cis-, trans-, and dihydrostilbenes and some N-arylbenzylamines were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxicity in t.he five cancer cell cultures A-549 lung carcinoma, MCF-7 breast carcinoma, HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma, SKMEL-5 melanoma, and MLM melanoma. Several cis-stilbenes, structurally similar to combretastatins, were highly cytotoxic in all five cell lines and these were also found to be active as inhibitora of tubulin polymerization. The most active compounds also inhibited the binding of colchicine to tubulin. The most potent of the new compounds, both as a tubulin polymerization inhibitor and as a cytotoxic agent, was (Z)-l-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)ethene (Sa). This substance was almost as potent as combretastatin A-4 (la), the most active of the combretastatins, as a tubulin polymerization inhibitor. Compound 5a was found to be approximately 140 times more cytotoxic against HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells and about 10 times more cytotoxic against MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells than combretastatin A-4. However, 5a was found to be about 20 times less cytotoxic against A-549 lung carcinoma cells, 30 times less cytotoxic against SKMEL-5 melanoma cells, and 7 times less cytotoxic against MLM melanoma cells than combretastatin A-4. The relative potencies 5a > 8a > 6a for the cis, dihydro, and trans compounds, respectively, as inhibitors of tubulin polymerization are in agreement with the relative potencies previously observed for combretastatin A-4 (la), dihydrocombretastatin A-4 (IC), and transcombretastatin A-4 (lb). The relative potencies 5a > 8a > 6a were also reflected in the results of the cytotoxicity assays. Structure-activity relationships of this group of compounds are also discussed.

No abstract

Perchloric acid adsorbed on silica gel efficiently catalyses acetylation of structurally diverse phenols, alcohols, thiols, and amines under solvent free conditions.

[reaction: see text] Catalyst-free conjugate addition of thiols to alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds in water is reported. beta-Sulfido carbonyl compounds were formed at room temperature, in short times and with excellent chemoselectivity. Competitive dithiane/dithiolane formation, transesterification, and ester cleavage were not observed. Water played a dual role in simultaneously activating the alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compound and the thiol. This new methodology constitutes an easy, highly efficient, and green synthesis of beta-sulfido carbonyl compounds.

Commercially available magnesium perchlorate is reported as an extremely efficient catalyst for the synthesis of alpha-aminophosphonates. A three-component reaction (3-CR) of an amine, an aldehyde or a ketone, and a di-/trialkyl phosphite (Kabachnik-Fields reaction) took place in one pot under solvent-free conditions to afford the corresponding alpha-aminophosphonates in high yields and short times. The use of solvent retards the rate of the reaction and requires a much longer reaction time than that for neat conditions. The reactions involving an aldehyde, an aromatic amine without any electron-withdrawing substituent, and a phosphite are carried out at rt. The reactions involving cyclic ketones, aromatic amines with an electron-withdrawing substituent, and aryl alkyl ketone (e.g., acetophenone) require longer reaction times at rt or heating. Magnesium perchlorate was found to be superior to other metal perchlorates and metal triflates during the reaction of 4-methoxybenzaldehyde, 2,4-dinitroaniline, and dimethyl phosphite. The catalytic activity of various magnesium compounds was influenced by the counteranion, and magnesium perchlorate was found to be the most effective. The reaction was found to be general with di-/trialkyl phosphites and diaryl phosphite. The Mg(ClO4)2-catalyzed alpha-aminophosphonate synthesis in the present study perhaps represents a true three-component reaction as no intermediate formation of either an imine or alpha-hydroxy phosphonate was observed that indicated the simultaneous involvement of the carbonyl compound, the amine, and the phosphite in the transition state.

Four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria, namely Arthrobacter sulphureus RKJ4, Acidovorax delafieldii P4-1, Brevibacterium sp. HL4 and Pseudomonas sp. DLC-P11, capable of utilizing phenanthrene as the sole source of carbon and energy, were tested for its degradation using radiolabelled phenanthrene. [9-14C]Phenanthrene was incubated with microorganisms containing 100 mg/l unlabelled phenanthrene and the evolution of 14CO2 was monitored: within 18 h of incubation, 30.1, 35.6, 26.5 and 2.1% of the recovered radiolabelled carbon was degraded to 14CO2 by RKJ4, P4-1, HL4 and DLC-P11, respectively. When mixtures of other PAHs such as fluorene, fluoranthene and pyrene, in addition to phenanthrene, were added as additional carbon sources, there was a 36.1 and 20.6% increase in 14CO2 production from [9-14C]phenanthrene in the cases of RKJ4 and HL4, respectively, whereas P4-1 and DLC-P11 did not show any enhancement in 14CO2 production. Although, a combination of many bacteria enhances the degradation of organic compounds, no enhancement in the degradation of [9-14C]phenanthrene was observed in mixed culture involving all four microorganisms together. However, when different PAHs, as indicated above, were used in mixed culture, there was a 68.2% increase in 14CO2 production. In another experiment, the overall growth rate of P4-1 on phenanthrene could be enhanced by adding the non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100, whereas RKJ4, HL4 and DLC-P11 did not show any enhancement in growth. Pathways for phenanthrene degradation were also analysed by thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Common intermediates such as o-phthalic acid and protocatechuic acid were detected in the case of RKJ4 and o-phthalic acid was detected in the case of P4-1. A new intermediate, 1-naphthol, was detected in the cases of HL4 and DLC-P11. HL4 degrades phenanthrene via 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, 1-naphthol and salicylic acid, whereas DLC-P11 degrades phenanthrene via the formation of 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, 1-naphthol and o-phthalic acid. Both transformation sequences are novel and have not been previously reported in the literature. Mega plasmids were found to be present in RKJ4, HL4 and DLC-P11, but their involvement in phenanthrene degradation could not be established.

A bacterial strain Rhodococcus imtechensis RKJ300 (= MTCC 7085(T) = JCM 13270(T)) was isolated from pesticide-contaminated soil of Punjab by the enrichment technique on minimal medium containing 4-nitrophenol. Strain RKJ300 is capable of utilizing 4-nitrophenol, 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol, and 2,4-dinitrophenol as sole sources of carbon and energy. The strain involved both oxidative and reductive catabolic mechanisms for initial transformation of these compounds. In the case of 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol, colorimetric analysis indicated that nitrite release was followed by stoichiometric elimination of chloride ions. Experiments using whole cells and cell-free extracts showed chlorohydroquinone and hydroquinone as the intermediates of 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol degradation. This is the first report of degradation on 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol by a bacterium under aerobic condition to the best of our knowledge. However, pathways for degradation of 4-nitrophenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol were similar to those reported in other strains of Rhodococcus. Laboratory-scale soil microcosm studies demonstrated that the organism was capable of degrading a mixture of nitrophenols simultaneously, indicating its applicability toward in situ bioremediation of contaminated sites. The fate of the augmented strain as monitored by the plate-counting method and hybridization technique was found to be fairly stable throughout the period of microcosm experiments.

Stabilization of an amorphous solid against devitrification can be achieved using additives that interact specifically with the parent molecule, and restrain it from rearranging into a crystal lattice. The amorphous form of celecoxib (CEL) was stabilized by poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), both in the solid state and during dissolution. A comprehensive characterization of CEL-PVP binary amorphous systems by thermal, spectroscopic, and computer simulation techniques provided greater insight into the molecular interaction between the two species. PVP antiplasticized the amorphous CEL, thus raising its glass transition temperature (T(g)) and restricting the molecular mobility. The T(g)()mix values for CEL-PVP binary amorphous systems of varying composition showed positive deviation from those predicted through the Gordon-Taylor/ Kelley-Bueche equation, thus indicating a molecular interaction between CEL and PVP. This was further substantiated by shifts observed in DSC melting endotherms of CEL, and FTIR bands for C=O stretching vibrations in PVP for CEL-PVP binary amorphous systems. Computer simulation showed stronger H-bonds between amido protons of CEL and carbonyl O of a monomeric unit of PVP, compared to those observed in pure amorphous CEL. These molecular interactions between CEL and PVP supported the stabilizing action of PVP for the amorphous form of CEL.