1504-56-9Relevant academic research and scientific papers
Engineering monolignol 4-O-methyltransferases to modulate lignin biosynthesis
Bhuiya, Mohammad-Wadud,Liu, Chang-Jun
, p. 277 - 285 (2010)
Lignin is a complex polymer derived from the oxidative coupling of three classical monolignols. Lignin precursors are methylated exclusively at the meta-positions (i.e. 3/5-OH) of their phenyl rings by native O-methyltransferases, and are precluded from substitution of the para-hydroxyl (4-OH) position. Ostensibly, the para-hydroxyls of phenolics are critically important for oxidative coupling of phenoxy radicals to form polymers. Therefore, creating a 4-O-methyltransferase to substitute the para-hydroxyl of monolignols might well interfere with the synthesis of lignin. The phylogeny of plant phenolic O-methyltransferases points to the existence of a batch of evolutionarily plastic amino acid residues. Following one amino acid at a time path of directed evolution, and using the strategy of structure-based iterative site-saturation mutagenesis, we created a novel monolignol 4-O-methyltransferase from the enzyme responsible for methylating phenylpropenes. We show that two plastic residues in the active site of the parental enzyme are vital in dominating substrate discrimination. Mutations at either one of these separate the evolutionarily tightly linked properties of substrate specificity and regioselective methylation of native O-methyltransferase, thereby conferring the ability for para-methylation of the lignin monomeric precursors, primarily monolignols. Beneficial mutations at both sites have an additive effect. By further optimizing enzyme activity, we generated a triple mutant variant that may structurally constitute a novel phenolic substrate binding pocket, leading to its high binding affinity and catalytic efficiency on monolignols. The 4-O-methoxylation of monolignol efficiently impairs oxidative radical coupling in vitro, highlighting the potential for applying this novel enzyme in managing lignin polymerization in planta.
Synthesis, antiepileptic effects, and structure-activity relationships of α-asarone derivatives: In vitro and in vivo neuroprotective effect of selected derivatives
Zhang, Jian,Mu, Keman,Yang, Peng,Feng, Xinqian,Zhang, Di,Fan, Xiangyu,Wang, Qiantao,Mao, Shengjun
, (2021/08/03)
In the present study, we compared the antiepileptic effects of α-asarone derivatives to explore their structure-activity relationships using the PTZ-induced seizure model. Our research revealed that electron-donating methoxy groups in the 3,4,5-position on phenyl ring increased antiepileptic potency but the placement of other groups at different positions decreased activity. Besides, in allyl moiety, the optimal activity was reached with either an allyl or a 1-butenyl group in conjugation with the benzene ring. The compounds 5 and 19 exerted better neuroprotective effects against epilepsy in vitro (cell) and in vivo (mouse) models. This study provides valuable data for further exploration and application of these compounds as potential anti-seizure medicines.
Straightforward chemo- and stereoselective fluorocyclopropanation of allylic alcohols: Exploiting the electrophilic nature of the not so elusive fluoroiodomethyllithium
Colella, Marco,Tota, Arianna,Gro?johann, Angela,Carlucci, Claudia,Aramini, Andrea,Sheikh, Nadeem S.,Degennaro, Leonardo,Luisi, Renzo
supporting information, p. 8430 - 8433 (2019/07/22)
An unprecedented direct fluorocyclopropanation of allylic alcohols is reported. This simple method involves the not so elusive fluoroiodomethyllithium, a carbenoidic intermediate that under the developed conditions discloses its electrophilic nature. Gratifyingly, the reaction turned out to be highly chemo- and stereoselective, and DFT calculations provided insights into the structure and nature of this new type of carbenoid.
Microbial Production of Natural and Unnatural Monolignols with Escherichia coli
Aschenbrenner, Jennifer,Marx, Patrick,Pietruszka, J?rg,Marienhagen, Jan
, p. 949 - 954 (2019/02/26)
Phenylpropanoids and phenylpropanoid-derived plant polyphenols find numerous applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In recent years, several microbial platform organisms have been engineered towards producing such compounds. However, for the most part, microbial (poly)phenol production is inspired by nature, so naturally occurring compounds have predominantly been produced to date. Here we have taken advantage of the promiscuity of the enzymes involved in phenylpropanoid synthesis and exploited the versatility of an engineered Escherichia coli strain harboring a synthetic monolignol pathway to convert supplemented natural and unnatural phenylpropenoic acids into their corresponding monolignols. The performed biotransformations showed that this strain is able to catalyze the stepwise reduction of chemically interesting unnatural phenylpropenoic acids such as 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid, 5-bromoferulic acid, 2-nitroferulic acid, and a “bicyclic” p-coumaric acid derivative, in addition to six naturally occurring phenylpropenoic acids.
Structure–Activity Relationship Studies on 6,7-Dimethoxy-2-phenethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline Derivatives as Multidrug Resistance Reversers
Teodori, Elisabetta,Dei, Silvia,Bartolucci, Gianluca,Perrone, Maria Grazia,Manetti, Dina,Romanelli, Maria Novella,Contino, Marialessandra,Colabufo, Nicola Antonio
, p. 1369 - 1379 (2017/09/01)
A series of derivatives were synthesized and studied with the aim to investigate the structure–activity relationships of the two P-glycoprotein (P-gp) modulators elacridar and tariquidar. Then, different aryl-substituted amides were inserted, and to explore the effects of varying the amide function, the corresponding isosteric ester derivatives and some alkylamine analogues were synthesized. The new compounds were studied to evaluate their P-gp interaction profile and selectivity toward the two other ABC transporters, multidrug-resistance-associated protein-1 (MRP-1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). Investigation of the chemical stability of the amide and ester derivatives toward spontaneous or enzymatic hydrolysis showed that these compounds were stable in phosphate-buffered saline and human plasma. This study allowed us to evaluate the selectivity of the three series on the three efflux pumps and to propose the structural requirements that define the P-gp interaction profile. We identified two P-gp substrates, a P-gp inhibitor, and three ester derivatives that were active on BCRP, which opens a new scenario in the development of ligands active toward this pump.
Copper Hydride Catalyzed Reductive Claisen Rearrangements
Wong, Kong Ching,Ng, Elvis,Wong, Wing-Tak,Chiu, Pauline
supporting information, p. 3709 - 3712 (2016/03/08)
An efficient reductive Claisen rearrangement, catalyzed by in situ generated copper hydride and stoichiometric in diethoxymethylsilane, has been developed. Yields of up to 95 ;% with good to excellent diastereoselectivities were observed in this reaction. Mechanistic studies showed that the stereospecific rearrangement proceeded via a chair transition state of (E)-silyl ketene acetals as intermediates and not via the copper enolates.
Solvolysis, Electrochemistry, and Development of Synthetic Building Blocks from Sawdust
Nguyen, Bichlien H.,Perkins, Robert J.,Smith, Jake A.,Moeller, Kevin D.
, p. 11953 - 11962 (2016/01/09)
Either aldehyde or cinnamyl ether products can be selectively extracted from raw sawdust by controlling the temperature and pressure of a solvolysis reaction. These materials have been used as platform chemicals for the synthesis of 15 different synthetic substrates. The conversion of the initial sawdust-derived materials into electron-rich aryl substrates often requires the use of oxidation and reduction chemistry, and the role electrochemistry can play as a sustainable method for these transformations has been defined.
Divergent Gold(I)-Catalyzed Skeletal Rearrangements of 1,7-Enynes
Mei?, Rebecca,Kumar, Kamal,Waldmann, Herbert
supporting information, p. 13526 - 13530 (2015/09/22)
The gold(I) complex catalyzed cycloisomerization and skeletal rearrangement of 1,n-enynes (n=5-7) is a powerful methodology for the efficient synthesis of complex molecular architectures. In contrast to 1,6-enynes, readily accessible homologous 1,7-enynes are largely unexplored in such transformations. Here, the divergent skeletal rearrangement of all-carbon 1,7-enynes by catalysis with a cationic gold(I) complex is reported. Depending on electronic and steric factors, differently substituted 1,7-enynes react via different carbocations formed from a common gold carbene intermediate to yield on the one hand novel exocyclic allenes and on the other hand tricyclic hexahydro-anthracenes through a novel dehydrogenative Diels-Alder reaction. Two birds with a gold-stone! Divergent gold(I) catalysis unraveled a novel cycloisomerization and a dehydrogenative Diels-Alder reaction of 1,7-enynes.
Rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of alkynes employing a self-assembling ligand system
Agabekov, Vladislav,Seiche, Wolfgang,Breit, Bernhard
, p. 2418 - 2422 (2013/07/11)
Hydroformylation of alkynes is an underdeveloped atom-economic and redox-neutral method to prepare enals. Applying a new electron poor self-assembling ligand system provides the first general rhodium-catalyst for the chemo- and stereoselective hydroformylation of dialkyl- as well as diaryl-substituted alkynes to furnish enals in excellent chemo- and stereoselectivity.
Synthesis of methoxylated goniothalamin, aza-goniothalamin and γ-pyrones and their in vitro evaluation against human cancer cells
Barcelos, Rosimeire Coura,Pastre, Julio Cezar,Caixeta, Vanessa,Vendramini-Costa, Débora Barbosa,De Carvalho, Jo?o Ernesto,Pilli, Ronaldo Aloise
experimental part, p. 3635 - 3651 (2012/07/27)
The present work describes the preparation of three novel series of compounds based on the structure of goniothalamin, a natural styryl lactone which has been found to display cytotoxic and antiproliferative activities against a variety of cancer cell lines. A focused library of 29 novel goniothalamin analogues was prepared and evaluated against seven human cancer cell lines. While the γ-pyrones and the aza-goniothalamin analogues were less potent than the lead compound, 2,4-dimethoxy analogue 88 has shown to be more potent in vitro than goniothalamin against all cancer cell lines evaluated. Furthermore, it was more potent than doxorubicin against NCI-ADR/RES, OVCAR-03 and HT-29 while being less toxic to human keratinocytes (HaCat). The 3,5-dimethoxy analogue 90 and 2,4,5-trimethoxy analogue 92 also displayed promising antiproliferative activity when compared to goniothalamin (1). These results provide new elements for the design and synthesis of novel representatives of this family of natural compounds.
