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Despite being a simple dehydration reaction, the industrially relevant conversion of lactic acid to acrylic acid is particularly challenging. For the first time, the catalytic cracking of lactide and poly(lactic acid) to acrylic acid under mild conditions is reported with up to 58 % yield. This transformation is catalyzed by strong acids in the presence of bromide or chloride salts and proceeds through simple SN2 and elimination reactions.

The versatile 18F-labeled prosthetic group, 4-nitrophenyl 2-[18F]fluoropropionate ([18F]NFP), was synthesized in a single step in 45 min from 4-nitrophenyl 2-bromopropionate, with a decay corrected radiochemical yield of 26.2% ± 2.2%. Employing this improved synthesis of [18F]NFP, [18F]GalactoRGD - the current 'gold standard' tracer for imaging the expression of αVβ 3 integrin - was prepared with high specific activity in 90 min and 20% decay corrected radiochemical yield from [18F]fluoride. 4-Nitrophenyl 2-[18F]fluoropropionate ([18F]NFP), was synthesized in a single radiochemical step in 45 minutes and 26% d.c. radiochemical yield from 4-nitrophenyl 2-bromopropionate. Employing this improved synthesis of [18F]NFP, [18F]GalactoRGD was prepared with high specific activity in 90 minutes and 20% d.c. radiochemical yield from [18F]fluoride. Copyright

Esters of α-haloacids are specific substrates for subtilisin which catalyses their hydrolysis in aqueous media. The same esters undergo transesterifications in organic solvents in the presence of subtilisin immobilized on an alumina-phosphate complex.

The addition of methyl (S)-2-bromopropionate to trimethylvinylsilane initiated by systems based on iron pentacarbonyl affords a racemic adduct and is accompanied by racemization of the unreacted chiral ester. In the presence of benzoyl peroxide, the reaction proceeds similarly, but no racemization of the starting chiral ester occurs.

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On the 1H NMR timescale, 2,2′-biindolyls with (R)-configured (1-alkoxyprop)-2-yl, (1-hydroxyprop)-2-yl, or (1-siloxyprop)-2-yl substituents at C-1 and C-1′ are atropisomerically stable at 30 °C. A 2,2′-biindolyl (R,R)-17 a of that kind and achiral (!) brominating reagents gave the atropisomerically stable 3,3′-dibromobiindolyls (M)- and/or (P)-18 a at best atropselectively—because of point-to-axial asymmetric inductions—and atropdivergently, exhibiting up to 95 % (M)- and as much (P)-atropselectivity. This route to atropisomerically pure biaryls is novel and should extend to other substrates and/or different functionalizations. The dibromobiindolyls (M)- and (P)-18 a furnished the biindolyldiphosphanes (M)- and (P)-14 without atropisomerization. These syntheses did not require the resolution of a racemic mixture, which distinguishes them from virtually all biaryldiphosphane syntheses known to date. (M)- and (P)-14 acted as ligands in catalytic asymmetric allylations and hydrogenations. Remarkably, the β-ketoester rac-25 c was hydrogenated trans-selectively with 98 % ee; this included a dynamic kinetic resolution.

A convenient and highly efficient way of synthesizing 2-bromopropionic acid (2-BrPA) from lactide is presented. The procedure uses ionic liquids obtained from the addition of HBr to ammonium-based zwitterions as the solvent and bromination agent. The buffered HBr acidity, high polarity, and charge stabilizing character of the ionic liquid (IL) enable the synthesis of 2-BrPA with excellent selectivity. The best results are obtained with an imidazolium-based IL, that is, 1-(4-butanesulfonic acid)-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([MIMBS]Br). The HBr loading and water content of the IL are crucial parameters for the bromination reaction. The formed 2-BrPA product can be selectively isolated by extraction from the IL, and the unconverted substrate remains in the [MIMBS]Br IL for the next run. Successful recycling of the IL over four cycles is demonstrated.

A new and convenient method for α-bromination of aliphatic carboxylic acids is reported. Heating carboxylic acids for 16 hours at 85 °C in trifluoroacetic acid with 1.5 equivalents of N-bromosuccinimide and a catalytic amount of concentrated H2SO4 leads to good yields of the respective α-bromocarboxylic acids.

A family of axially chiral azepine-containing seven-membered cyclic P,N-ligands (named Indole-azepinap) have been prepared by using l-alanine as an original chirality source. The direct chromatographic separation of two diastereomeric phosphine oxides on silica gel enabled these ligands to be easy available, allowing further structural and electronic modifications. Preliminary application of these Indole-azepinaps has been demonstrated in a Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation with high yields and moderate enantioselectivities.

The potent nucleophilicity and remarkably low basicity of 1,3,2-diazaphospholenes (DAPs) is exploited in a catalytic, metal-free 1,4-reduction of free α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids. Notably, the reduction occurs without a prior deprotonation of the carboxylic acid moiety and hence does not consume an additional hydride equivalent. This highlights the excellent nucleophilic character and low basicity of DAP-hydrides. Functional groups such as Cbz group or alkyl halides which can be problematic with classical transition-metal catalysts are well tolerated in the DAP-catalyzed process. Moreover, the transformation is characterized by a low catalyst loading, mild reaction conditions at ambient temperature as well as fast reaction times and high yields. The proof-of-principle for a catalytic enantioselective version is described.

It is intended to provide a compound that exhibits a wide antibacterial spectrum against various bacteria including gram-negative bacteria, and a pharmaceutical composition having an antibacterial activity against carbapenem-resistant bacteria.

Catalysts for the dehydration of lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof in liquid phase comprising an ionic liquid (IL) and an acid are provided.

A method of making acrylic acid in liquid phase by contacting a feed stream containing lactic acid, lactide, or mixtures thereof with a molten salt catalyst comprising a protic ionic liquid (PIL), which contains a bromide anion (Br-), is provided.

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pharmaceutical composition that has antibacterial activity against carbapenem-resistant bacteria. SOLUTION: A pharmaceutical composition contains a compound represented by formula (I), its ester body or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, or their hydrates (W is S(=O) or S(=O)2; T is CR4AR4B or CR5AR5B-CR6AR6B; R4A, R4B, R5A, R5B, R6A and R6B independently represent halogen, hydroxy, carbonyl, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or the like; R1 is a carbocycle or heterocycle; R2A and R2B independently represent H, amino, hydroxy and the like, or R2A and R2B together form methylidene, hydroxyimino and the like; R3 is H, methoxy or the like). SELECTED DRAWING: None COPYRIGHT: (C)2018,JPOandINPIT

Alkyl sp3C-H bonds of cycloalkanes and functional branch/linear alkanes have been successfully brominated with KBr using air or O2 as an oxidant at room temperature to 40 °C. The reactions are carried out in the presence of catalytic NaNO2 in 37% HCl (aq)/solvent under visible light, combining aerobic oxidations and photochemical radical processes. For various alkane substrates, CF3CH2OH, CHCl3, or CH2Cl2 is employed as an organic solvent, respectively, to enhance the efficiency of bromination.

Methods for making acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof by contacting a feed stream containing lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with a molten salt catalyst comprising an ionic liquid (IL) and an acid in liquid phase are provided.

New neprilysin inhibitors containing an α-mercaptoketone HSC(R1R2)CO group, as zinc ligand were designed. Two parameters were explored for potency optimization: the size of the inhibitor which could interact with the S1, S

α-Aminoxy peptides are peptidomimetic foldamers with high proteolytic and conformational stability. To gain an improved synthetic access to α-aminoxy oligopeptides we used a straightforward combination of solution- and solid-phase-supported methods and obtained oligomers that showed a remarkable anticancer activity against a panel of cancer cell lines. We solved the first X-ray crystal structure of an α-aminoxy peptide with multiple turns around the helical axis. The crystal structure revealed a right-handed 28-helical conformation with precisely two residues per turn and a helical pitch of 5.8 ?. By 2D ROESY experiments, molecular dynamics simulations, and CD spectroscopy we were able to identify the 28-helix as the predominant conformation in organic solvents. In aqueous solution, the α-aminoxy peptides exist in the 28-helical conformation at acidic pH, but exhibit remarkable changes in the secondary structure with increasing pH. The most cytotoxic α-aminoxy peptides have an increased propensity to take up a 28-helical conformation in the presence of a model membrane. This indicates a correlation between the 28-helical conformation and the membranolytic activity observed in mode of action studies, thereby providing novel insights in the folding properties and the biological activity of α-aminoxy peptides.

The invention discloses preparation methods of tiopronin and zinc complex of tiopronin and belongs to the technical field of a medicine compound for relieving acute/chronic liver diseases. The technical scheme is characterized in that the formula is shown in the specification. The operation is simple, the cost of raw materials is low, the repeatability of experimental results of a process route is higher, and the production cost can be remarkably reduced.

Chiral tertiary and quaternary amine solvating agents for NMR spectroscopy were synthesized from the wood resin derivative (+)-dehydroabietylamine (2). The resolution of enantiomers of model compounds [Mosher's acid (3) and its n-Bu4N salt (4)] (guests) by (+)-dehydroabietyl-N,N-dimethylmethanamine (5) and its ten different ammonium salts (hosts) was studied. The best results with 3 were obtained using 5 while with 4 the best enantiomeric resolution was obtained using (+)-dehydroabietyl-N,N-dimethylmethanaminium bis(trifluoromethane-sulfonimide) (6). The compounds 5 and 6 showed a 1:1 complexation behaviour between the host and guest. The capability of 5 and 6 to recognize the enantiomers of various α-substituted carboxylic acids and their n-Bu4N salts in enantiomeric excess (ee) determinations was demonstrated. A modification of the RES-TOCSY NMR pulse sequence is described, allowing the enhancement of enantiomeric discrimination when the resolution of multiplets is insufficient.

Highly enantioselective protonation of α-halo and alkoxy carboxylic acid-derived ketene disilyl acetals is achieved by using P-spiro chiral diaminodioxaphosphonium barfate as a Bronsted acid catalyst, where the enantiofacial discrimination by the catalyst mainly stems from the recognition of the electronic difference between two substituents on the ketene disilyl acetal.

Catalytic and asymmetric Michael reactions constitute very powerful tools for the construction of new C-C bonds in synthesis, but most of the reports claiming high selectivity are limited to some specific combinations of nucleophile/electrophile compound types, and only few successful methods deal with the generation of all-carbon quaternary stereocenters. A contribution to solve this gap is presented here based on chiral bifunctional Bronsted base (BB) catalysis and the use of α′-oxy enones as enabling Michael acceptors with ambivalent H-bond acceptor/donor character, a yet unreported design element for bidentate enoate equivalents. It is found that the Michael addition of a range of enolizable carbonyl compounds that have previously demonstrated challenging (i.e., α-substituted 2-oxindoles, cyanoesters, oxazolones, thiazolones, and azlactones) to α′-oxy enones can afford the corresponding tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenters in high diastereo- and enantioselectivity in the presence of standard BB catalysts. Experiments show that the α′-oxy ketone moiety plays a key role in the above realizations, as parallel reactions under identical conditions but using the parent α,β-unsaturated ketones or esters instead proceed sluggish and/or with poor stereoselectivity. A series of trivial chemical manipulations of the ketol moiety in adducts can produce the corresponding carboxy, aldehyde, and ketone compounds under very mild conditions, giving access to a variety of enantioenriched densely functionalized building blocks containing a fully substituted carbon stereocenter. A computational investigation to rationalize the mode of substrate activation and the reaction stereochemistry is also provided, and the proposed models are compared with related systems in the literature.

Large combinatorial libraries of N-substituted peptides would be an attractive source of protein ligands, because these compounds are known to be conformationally constrained, whereas standard peptides or peptoids are conformationally mobile. Here, we report an efficient submonomer solid-phase synthetic route to these compounds and demonstrate that it can be used to create high quality libraries. A model screening experiment and analysis of the hits indicates that the rigidity afforded by the stereocenters is critical for high affinity binding.

Two methods were investigated for the preparation of six chiral-bromonitriles with different optic purities. The nitrous deamination of amino acids gives-bromoacids, which react with chlorosulfonyl isocyanate followed by triethylamine to afford-bromonitriles with moderate enantiomeric excess. However, the dehydration of corresponding-bromoamids using thionyl chloride gives-bromonitriles with good enantiomeric excess up to 94%. The use of phosphoryl chloride instead of thionyl chloride results in more than 30% racemization as determined by high-performance liquid chromatograpic analysis.

(α-Benzyloxycarbonyl-aminoacyl)benzotriazolides (Cbz = benzyloxycarbonyl) underwent a coupling reaction with α-hydrazino acids under microwave irradiation to form hybrid hydrazino dipeptides (42-71 %). Chiral acylations of β-N-Cbz-α-hydrazino acylbenzotriazolides were successfully carried out with N-, S-, O-, and C-nucleophiles in yields of 49-88 %. Benzyloxycarbonyl-protected hybrid hydrazino dipeptides and benzyloxycarbonyl-protected hydrazino aminoacyl conjugates with N-, S-, O-, and C-nucleophiles were prepared by using benzotriazole methodology. Copyright

Metallated porphyrin tweezers have demonstrated a remarkable ability to function as reporters of absolute stereochemistry for a number of different classes of organic molecules. Flexibility in binding, however, can result in an ensemble of different Exciton Coupled Circular Dichroism (ECCD) active conformations that could lead to variable results. Linker flexibility was found to be a key determinant of binding conformation. Experimental results indicate that a balance between linker flexibility and rigidity could yield an optimum porphyrin tweezer that stabilizes a common conformation for all bound chiral guests. This leads to a more simplified approach to absolute stereochemical determination of asymmetry for small organic molecules. This was demonstrated by the use of a C3-linked zincated porphyrin tweezer that yields a common conformational preference for a variety of α-chiral carboxylic acids derivatized with a diamine carrier. Copyright

Chiral-bromonitriles were prepared with good chemical and optical yields starting from natural-amino acids by dehydrating the corresponding α-bromoamides with thionyl chloride. The combined system-bromonitriles/ hydrogen peroxide was examined for the enantio-and diastereoselective oxidation of N-alkylimines in basic media at room temperature. The oxidation of N-tertiobutylarylimines leads to optically active oxaziridines with moderate enantiomeric excess. However, the oxidation of (S)-1-phenylethylarylimines affords the corresponding oxaziridines with good diasteromeric excess up to 97/3 as proved by gaseous-phase chromatography.

The invention provides macrocyclic compounds inhibitory to the Hepatitis C viral protease, compositions and combinations including the compounds, methods of treatment of conditions wherein inhibition of the Hepatitis C viral protease is medically indicated, and methods of treatment of a Hepatitis C viral infection in a human patient.

CD and NMR spectroscopic evidence of cooperative binding between an α-halogen atom and a carboxamide group with a zinc porphyrin leads to an unprecedented conformation for the determination of the absolute stereochemistry of α-haloamides (α-halocarboxylic acids derivatized with 1,4-phenylenediamine) through the use of exciton-coupled circular dichroism (ECCD). With the use of chiral lactams, whose rotomeric contributions are minimized, both ECCD and NMR spectroscopy demonstrate that the porphyrin favors binding to the side of the sterically more demanding halogen atom as compared to the smaller hydrogen atom. In all, the data is strongly suggestive of an unusual conformation not observed before for α-chiral amides. A mnemonic for determining the absolute stereochemistry of α-halogenated carboxylic acids is provided.

Methods are disclosed for the conversion of primary amines to other functional groups. The methods can be used to prepare chiral organic compounds, including organic alcohols and organic halides. The methods can be carried out by treating a primary amine with an activating agent and a nitrosyl agent to produce the transformed compound along with nitrous oxide.

β-Amino acids are useful tools in the design of peptidomimetics, and the development of new methods for their syntheses, particularly the synthesis of β2-amino acids, remains an important challenge. Here we report a new scalable route based on the aminomethylation of silyl ketene N,O-acetals by Mannich-type iminium electrophiles. Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 2007.

Reaction time was found to be the critical parameter for the chemoselective N-debenzylation of thiomorpholin-3-one-derivatives with lithium in ammonia. This paper also reports the first preparation of a chiral 2-substituted thiomorpholine building block.

Candida rugosa lipase immobilized on maghemite nanoparticles demonstrated high stereoselectivity in kinetic resolution of racemic carboxylates and improved long-term stability over its parent free enzyme, allowing the supported enzyme to be repeatedly used for a series of chiral resolution reactions. The Royal Society of Chemistry 2005.

The invention provides processes for producing efficiently optically active 2-halogenocarboxylic acids useful in the preparation of drugs or the like and salts thereof with amines. Specifically, an optically active 2-halogenocarboxylic acid is produced by halogenating an optically active amino acid in water in the presence of a hydrophobic organic solvent and nitrous acid with the configuration retained and with the racemization inhibited through the removal of 2-hydroxy- bromocarboxylic acid formed as a by-product; the obtained optically active 2-halogenocarboxylic acid is transferred to an aqueous phase by converting it into a salt thereof with a base, followed by the removal of the organic phase; and the optically active 2-halogenocarboxylic acid is transferred again to an organic solvent phase, followed by the removal of the aqueous phase, whereby an optically active 2-halogenocarboxylic acid is obtained through the removal of a halogen component. Further, a high-quality salt of an optically active 2-halogenocarboxylic acid with an amine can be obtained by a crystallization method wherein the amine is added over the period of 1/2 hour or longer either continuously or in portions and/or wherein the crystallization solvent consists of a hydrophobic organic solvent and a hydrophilic organic solvent.

The present invention relates to a process for efficiently producing an optically active 2-bromocarboxylic acid and an optically active 2-sulfonyloxycarboxylic acid, which are important in the production of medicinal compounds and so forth. An optically active 2-sulfonyloxycarboxylic acid ester is subjected to deprotection under acid conditions to obtain an optically active 2-sulfonyloxycarboxylic acid. A metal bromide is caused to act on the acid to brominate it with configuration inversion at position 2 to thereby produce an optically active 2-bromocarboxylic acid. The resultant optically active 2-bromocarboxylic acid is isolated/purified by subjecting it to a step in which the acid is crystallized and separated as a salt with a base. Thus, an optically active 2-bromocarboxylic acid having a high chemical purity and high optical purity can be produced.

Several π-deficient 2-(arylsulfonyl)ethyl groups have been studied as carboxylic acid protecting groups. The 2-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenylsulfonyl]ethyl group is the most easily removed protecting group for acids under mild basic conditions using aqueous NaHCO3.

A series of twelve 1,3-dithiolium-4-thiolate mesoionic compounds were synthesized and characterized. The synthetical approach starting from α-bromoalkanoic acids to obtain the corresponding 2-N-morpholino-dithiocarbamoyl-carboxylic acids that by on-pot reaction with carbon disulfide and acetic anhydride in triethylamine formed not isolate intermediates, 1,3-dithiolium-4-olates. After, the 2-N-morpholino-5-alkyl-1,3-dithiolium-4-thiolates were obtained by retro 1,3-dipolar addition reactions. The alkyl moiety linked to C-5 of heterocyclic ring permitted the increase of the hydrophobic character and this effect was evaluated on Artemia salina lethality. The results indicated a bell-shaped relationship between the number of carbon of side chain in mesoionic derivatives and LD50 in brine shrimp toxicity assays.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of enzymes that have been implicated in the pathological destruction of connective tissue and basement membranes. These zinc containing endopeptidases consist of several subsets of enzymes including collagenases, stromelysins and gelatinases. TNF-α converting enzyme (TACE), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, catalyzes the formation of TNF-α from membrane bound TNF-α precursor protein. It is expected that small molecule inhibitors of MMPs and TACE therefore have the potential for treating a variety of disease states. The present invention provides low molecular weight, non-peptide inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and TNF-α converting enzyme (TACE) for the treatment of arthritis, tumor metastasis, tissue ulceration, abnormal wound healing, periodontal disease, bone disease, diabetes (insulin resistance) and HIV infection having the formula wherein R2and R3form a heterocyclic ring and A is S, S(O), or S(O)2, and R1and R4are defined herein.

The reaction of (S)-(+)-3-hydroxytetrahydrofuran with phenyl methyl ketene in presence of n-BuLi and Et2Zn results in the formation of the diastereomeric esters (SS+SR) with a high degree of diastereoselectivity (98:2).

Through directed screening of compounds prepared as metalloprotease inhibitors a compound, CGS 30084, that had potent endothelin converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) in vitro inhibitory activity (IC50=77nM) was identified. Herein we report the synthesis and optimization of ECE-1 inhibitory activity of additional analogues from this lead. Compound 3c, the thioacetate methyl ester derivative of compound 4c, was found to be a long acting inhibitor of ECE-1 activity in rats after oral administration. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Bromination of the acetals 4 derived from aryl alkyl ketones, ArCOR, and (2R,3R)-tartaric acid results in bromoacetals 5 with 78-90% de. Hydrolysis of those compounds with Ar = 4-methoxyphenyl or 3-bromo-4-methoxyphenyl results, after recrystallisation, in α-bromoketones 8 with 66-98% ee which are shown to undergo the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation to α-bromoesters 9 with minimal racemisation, α-Bromoketone 8d is shown to undergo carbonyl reduction to threo-bromohydrin 15 with retention of stereochemistry.

The invention provides bifunctional detection agents comprising optical dyes covalently linked to at least one magnetic resonance image (MRI) contrast agent. These agents may include a linker, which may be either a coupling moiety or a polymer.

Optically active α-(hydroxyphenoxy)-alkanecarboxylic acids or derivatives thereof, for example D-2-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)propionic acid or lower alkyl ester thereof, are prepared by (a) saponifying an alkyl ester of an optically active α-halogeno-alkanecarboxylic acid, in an alcoholic solvent medium, by reacting same with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, thereby providing a solution of an alkali metal salt of an optically active α-halogeno-alkanecarboxylic acid, (b) next reacting the step (a) solution thus provided with a dihydroxybenzene or salt thereof, in the presence of an alkali metal hydroxide and in an alcoholic solvent medium, and thence (c) recovering the optically active α-(hydroxyphenoxy)-alkanecarboxylic acid or derivative thereof from the medium of reaction.

Rac-α-bromo acids, rac-4, have been converted into(R)- or(S)-α-hydroxy acids, (R)- or (S)-9 by DCC-induced esterification with the chiral auxiliaries (R)or (S)-1, followed by reaction with sodium p-methoxyphenoxide in the presence of tetra-n-hexylammonium iodide, conditions of dynamic kinetic resolution, to give quite diastereoselectively the (αR,3S)- or (αS,3R)-α-(p-methoxyphenoxy) esters, 7, which were then oxidized with eerie ammonium nitrate and hydrolyzed under controlled acid conditions.

Compounds of the formula STR1 wherein X is O or S--(O) t ; n is one or two; m is zero or one; Y is CH 2, O, or S--(O) t provided that Y is O or S--(O) t only when m is one; and A is STR2 are dual inhibitors of NEP and ACE. Compounds wherein A is STR3 are selective ACE inhibitors. Also disclosed are methods of preparation and intermediates.

Optically active (S)-2-bromo- and 2-chloro-alkanoic acids 6 and 7 have been obtained via the diastereoselective halogenation of chiral silyl ketene acetals 3a-f, and subsequent saponification of the resulting crude esters.Examples characterized by e.e. values up to 95percent are reported.The diastereoface selectivity is independent of the silyl ketene acetal E/Z configuration.

Novel mercaptosulfide matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors of the Formula I, STR1 wherein: n is 0 or 1;R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, amino lower alkyl, carbamoyl lower alkyl, PhtN(lower alkyl), TsNH(lower alkyl); and R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, amino lower alkyl, carbamoyl lower alkyl, PhtN(lower alkyl), TsNH (lower alkyl); orR 1 and R. sup.2 together are--CH 2--CH 2--CH 2--; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, aralkyl and heteroaralkyl; andR 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, amino lower-alkyl, guanyl lower-alkyl, imidazoylalkyl, aralkyl and 2-indolylmethyl; andR 5 is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, aralkyl and--CH(R 6)--C(O)NH 2,wherein R. sup.6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower-alkyl, amino lower-alkyl, guanyl lower-alkyl, imidazoylalkyl, hydroxymethyl, 1-hydroxyethyl, mercapto lower-alkyl, and methylthio lower-alkyl; ora pharmaceutically acceptable ester, ether or salt thereof, useful for treating diseases and disease conditions associated with matrix metalloproteinase modulation.

The kinetics and mechanism of the hydrolysis of 1-aryloxyethyl alkanoates are reported.In acidic media, 18O isotope exchange studies, kinetics, activation parameters and substituent effects point clearly to an AAl-1 mechanism with the formation of an alkoxycarbonium ion as the rate-limiting step.In basic media the data indicate a conventional BAc-2 mechanism through attack of hydroxide ion on the carbonyl carbon.In neutral medium (pH 2.5-8.8) there is a certain amount of conflicting evidence which leads, however, to the proposal that hydrolysis occurs via attack of a water molecule on the acyl carbon as the rate-limiting step.

Incorporation of CH313C18O2Na and CD3CH213CO2Na into the indolizidine alkaloid cyclizidine 1, produced by Streptomyces species NCIB 11649, shows that the oxygen attached to C-2 is derived intact from acetate and that the cyclopropyl ring is derived from a single intact propionate unit.However, the level and stereochemistry of the incorporation of deuteriated sodium propionate indicates that it undergoes unexpected modification during incorporation into the cyclopropyl ring.

Methylaspartase catalyses the slow syn-elimination of ammonia from the (2S,3R)--diastereomer of the natural substrate, (2S,3S)-3-methylaspartic acid, to give mesaconic acid.To provide material of sufficient stereochemical purity to probe the mechanism of the reaction, two synthetic routes to (2S,3R)- and (2S,3R)2H>- 3-methylaspartic acid were devised.The use of these (2S,3R)-3-methylaspartic acids revealed that the enzymic reaction does not involve C-3 epimerisation followed by normal anti-elimination, ruling-out the possibility of a carbanion intermediate.Conversely, the substrate displayed very large primary deuterium isotope effects indicating rate-limiting C-H bond cleavage.

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In order to understand the structural factors that influence ferroelectric properties, three new series (F, Cl, and Br) of chiral naphthalene-ring derived compounds were synthesized, and their ferroelectric properties [spontaneous polarization (Ps) and response time (τ)] were evaluated in the pure compound. The chiral tails are α-halo acids derived from L-α-amino acids: L-α-alanine (1), L-leucine (2), L-isoleucine (3), and L-valine (4), with a fluorine, chlorine, or bromine atom in the chiral center. The highest Ps values were obtained for compounds containing a fluorine or chlorine atom in their asymmetric center and with chiral tail derived from L-isoleucine (3) (F-3, 102 nC/cm2; Cl-3, 100 nC/cm2). The steric requirements of the halogen atom and the bulky alkyl group in the asymmetric center determine the most stable conformations of these chiral tails, which have been studied by molecular mechanic empirical calculations, MM2. MM2 calculations prove to be a successful tool for understanding how the structure of the lateral chiral tail affects molecular arrangement and, as a consequence, the ferroelectric properties of the materials.