The antibacterial activities of 31 different b-, mixed a/B-, and y-peptides, as well as of B-peptides derived from B2-3-aza- and B3-2-methylidene-amino acids were assayed against six pathogens (Enterococcus faecails, STaphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and the results were compared with literature data. The interaction of these peptides with mammalian cells, as modeled by measuring the hemolysis of human erythrocytes, was also investigated. In addition to those peptides designed to fold into amphiphilic helical conformations with positive charges on one face of the helix, one new peptide with hemolytic activity was detected within the sample set. Moreover, it was demontrated that neither cationic peptides used for membrane translocation (B3-oligoarginines), nor mixeda/B- or y-peptides with somatostatin-mimicking activities display unwanted hemolytic activity.
Department of Organic Chemistry, CNT, Novum Research Park, S-141 52 Huddinge Sweden.
Department of Organic Chemistry, Royal Institute of Technology, 8-100 44 Stockholm Sweden.
A number of cyclopent[b]indol-1-ones as well as -3-ones have been synthesized, using a new methodology involving intramolecular ring closure of α,β-unsaturated acylindoles. In some cases 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrocarbazol-4-ones were obtained. This methodology was used in the syntheses of the indole alkaloid yuehchukene and the carbazole alkaloid analogue demethoxycarbazomycin B.
Thiol-functionalized cobalt porphyrins were used as a model system for investigating catalytic activity in homogeneous and heterogeneous oxidation catalysis. Self-assemble monolayers of thiol-functionalized cobalt porphyrins were prepared on a gold surface and served as heterogenous catalysts. These immoblilized molecules prevented the strong inactivation observed for their homogeneous congener. As a result, the turnover number per molecule in heterogeneous catalysis was at least 100 times higher than that of the corresponding homogeneous catalyst. It is atypical for a heterogenized catalyst to outperform its homogeneous congener. The properties of the molecular layers were characterized on the molecular level by means of X-ray photoelectorn spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The results demonstrate that the performance of these biomimetic catalysts can be dramatically improved if the catalyst arangement can be controlled on the molecular level.
Uppsala University, Teknisk-naturvetenskapliga vetenskapsområdet, Chemistry, Department of Chemistry. Department of Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry I. avd för organisk kemi.
The solution-phase synthesis of the simplest cyclic B-tetrapeptide, cyclo(B-Ala)4 (4), as well as the solidphase syntheses through side chain anchoring and on-resin cyclization of the cyclic B3-tetrapeptide cyclo-(B3hPhe-B3hLeu-B3hLys-B3hGln-) (14) and the first cyclic B3-pentapeptide cyclo- (B3hVal-B3hPhe-B3Leu- B3hLys-B3hLys-) (19) are reported. Extensive computational as well as spectroscopic studies, including X-ray and NMR spectroscopy, were undertaken to determine the preferred conformations of these unnatural oligomers in solution and in the solid state. cyclo(B-Ala)4 (4) with no chiral side chains is shown to exist as a mixture of rapidly interchanging conformers in solution, whereas inclusion of chiral side chains in the cyclo-B3-tetrapetpride causes stabilizaton of one dominating conformer. The cyclic B3-pentapeptide on the other hand shows larger conformational freedom. The X-ray structure of achiral cyclo(B-Ala)4 (4) displays a Ci-symmetrical 16-membered ring with adjacent C=O and N-H atoms pointing pair wise up and down with respect to the ring plane. CD spectorscopic examinations of all cyclic B-peptides were undertaken and revealed results valuable as starting point for further structural investigations of these entities.
Stereocontrolledp alladium(I1)-catalyzed1 ,4-chloro-and 1,4-acetoxylactonizations o f conjugated cyclic dienes have been developed to give stereodefined fused lactones. The stereochemistry of the 1,4- acetoxylactonization was controlled by the ligand on the metal catalyst, and in this way either a cisor truns-acetoxylactonization was obtained. This dual stereoselectivity is explained by a stereocontrolled acetate attack (trans or cis, respectively) on the allyl group in the catalytic (π-allyl)- palladium intermediate. To further strengthen the mechanism the intermediate (π-ally1)palladium complex was isolated and fully characterized. A stereospecific synthesis of cis- and truns-2-[6- (benzyloxy)-2,4-heptadien-l-yllacetic a cid (cis- and truns-9) followed by stereoselective Pd(I1)- catalyzed chloro- and acetoxylactonization in acetonelacetic acid resulted in highly functionalized fused lactones with control of the relative stereochemistry at four different carbons.
Evidence for a coordination of p-benzoquinone to palladium in [4-acetoxy-η3-(1,2,3)-cyclohexenyl]-palladium(II) complexes was provided by changes of the 1H NMR chemical shift values of the π-allyl protons and a decrease of the spin-lattice relaxation time constant for the p-benzoquinone protons.
The intermediate (π-allyl)palladium(benzoquinone) complexes previously postulated in palladium-catalyzed 1,4-oxidations of 1,3-dienes were detected by NMR spectroscopy.
The mediator system palladium(II)–hydroquinone was shown to catalyse the anodic oxidation of cyclohexa-1,3-diene in acetic acid to produce selectively either trans- or cis-1,4-diacetoxycyclohex-2-ene (1) depending on the conditions.