Regioselective chemoenzymatic syntheses of ferulate conjugates as chromogenic substrates for feruloyl esterases

Generally, carbohydrate-active enzymes are studied using chromogenic substrates that provide quick and easy color-based detection of enzyme-mediated hydrolysis. For feruloyl esterases, commercially available chromogenic ferulate derivatives are both costly and limited in terms of their experimental application. In this study, we describe solutions for these two issues, using a chemoenzymatic approach to synthesize different ferulate compounds. The overall synthetic routes towards commercially available 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl and 4-nitrophenyl 5-O-feruloyl-α-ʟ-arabinofuranosides were significantly shortened (from 7 or 8 to 4–6 steps), and the transesterification yields were enhanced (from 46 to 73% and from 47 to 86%, respectively). This was achieved using enzymatic (immobilized Lipozyme® TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus) transesterification of unprotected vinyl ferulate to the primary hydroxy group of α‐ʟ‐arabinofuranosides. Moreover, a novel feruloylated 4-nitrocatechol-1-yl-substituted butanetriol analog, containing a cleavable hydroxylated linker, was also synthesized in 32% overall yield in 3 steps (convergent synthesis). The latter route combined the regioselective functionalization of 4-nitrocatechol and enzymatic transferuloylation. The use of this strategy to characterize type A feruloyl esterase from Aspergillus niger reveals the advantages of this substrate for the characterizations of feruloyl esterases.

Spin-labeling of Dexamethasone: Radical Stability vs. Temporal Resolution of EPR-Spectroscopy on Biological Samples

Spin-labeling active compounds is a convenient way to prepare them for EPR spectroscopy with minimal alteration of the target molecule. In this study we present the labeling reaction of dexamethasone (Dx) with either TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy) or PCA (3-(carboxy)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-pyrrolidinyloxy) with high yields. According to NMR data, both labels are attached at the primary hydroxy group of the steroid. In subsequent spin-stability measurements both compounds were applied onto HaCaT cells. When the signal of Dx-TEMPO decreased below the detection limit within 3 h, the signal of Dx-PCA remained stable for the same period of time.

Preparation and Conformational Study of B-Ring Substituted Lupane Derivatives

New lupane-type triterpenoids with 5(6) double bond were prepared using the method of partial demethylation on carbon C-4. Hydroboration of the double bond led to 6α-hydroxy derivative. By the oxidation and following reduction of 6α-hydroxy derivative the 6-oxo and 6β-hydroxy derivatives were prepared. A new method for selective oxidation of secondary hydroxy group in the presence of primary hydroxy group was performed. The conformation of ring A of new lupane-type 3-oxo derivatives with a substituent on ring B was elucidated on the bases of 1H and 13C NMR spectra and molecular modelling.

Amphiphilic Perfluoroalkylated Derivatives of Aliphatic Triols: Hemocompatibility and Effect on Perfluorocarbon Emulsion

Two sets of amphiphilic perfluoroalkylated aliphatic triols were prepared in a two-step synthesis: a protected glycerol, 4-hydroxymethyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane (1) and protected 2-hydroxymethyl-2-methylpropane-1,3-diol, 5-hydroxymethyl-2,2,5-trimethyl-1,3-dioxane (11) were fluoroalkylated with racemic 2-(2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,5-nonafluoropentyl)- (2), or 2-(2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,7-tridecafluoroheptyl)- (3) or 2-(2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,9-heptadecafluorononyl)oxirane (4) using boron trifluoride diethyl etherate as a catalyst to afford intermediates 5-7 and 12-14, which were deprotected by re-acetalization to the target triols HOCH2CH(OH)CH2OCH2CH(OH)CH2CF2(CF2)nCF3 (n = 2, 4, 6) 8-10 and (OHCH2)2C(CH3)CH2OCH2CH(OH)CH2CF2(CF2)nCF3 (n = 2, 4, 6) 15-17. Regioselectivity of competitive fluoroalkylation of propane-1,2-diol and butane-1,3-diol appeared to be considerably dependent on the catalyst up to 93 rel.% for the preferential fluoroalkylation at the primary hydroxy group. Hemocompatibility of the triols 8-10 and 15-17, which was very high for linear-chain amphiphiles 9 and 10, showed particular dependence on the starting triol and perfluoroalkyl-chain length. All amphiphiles 8-10 and 15-17 displayed very good compatibility with perfluorodecalin-Pluronic F-68 water emulsion.