Structurally diverse cucurbitane-type triterpenoids from the tubers of Hemsleya chinensis with cytotoxic activity.

Ten previously undescribed cucurbitane-type triterpenoids, namely hemslyencins A-F (1-6) and hemslyencosides A-D (7-10), together with twenty previously reported compounds (11-30), were isolated from the tubers of Hemsleya chinensis. Their structures were elucidated by unambiguous spectroscopic data (UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR data). Hemslyencins A and B (1 and 2) possessing unique 9, 11-seco-ring system with a six-membered lactone moiety, were the first examples among of the cucurbitane-type triterpenoids, and hemslyencins C and D (3 and 4) and hemslyencoside D (10) are the infrequent pentacyclic cucurbitane triterpenes featuring a 6/6/6/5/6 fused system. The cytotoxic activities of all isolated compounds were evaluated against MCF-7, HCT-116, HeLa, and HepG2 cancer cells, and their structure-activity relationships (SARs) was discussed as well. Compounds 17, 25, and 26 showed significant cytotoxic effects with IC50 values ranging from 1.31 to 9.89 µM, among which compound 25 induced both apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in a dose dependent manner against MCF-7 cells.

Unified metal-free intermolecular Heck-type sulfonylation, cyanation, amination, amidation of alkenes by thianthrenation.

Direct and site-selective C-H functionalization of alkenes under environmentally benign conditions represents a useful and attractive yet challenging transformation to access value-added molecules. Herein, a unified protocol for a variety of intermolecular Heck-type functionalizations of Csp2-H bond of alkenes has been developed by thianthrenation. The reaction features metal-free and operationally simple conditions for exclusive cine-selective C-H functionalization of aliphatic and aryl alkenes to forge C-C, C-N, C-P, and C-S bonds at room temperature, providing a general protocol for intermolecular Heck-type reaction of alkenes with nucleophiles (Nu = sulfinates, cyanides, amines, amides). Alkenes undergo cine-sulfonylation, cyanation, amination to afford alkenyl sulfones, alkenyl nitriles and enamines.

The water-retaining functional slow-release fertilizer modified by carboxymethyl chitosan.

To solve the problem of shortage of agricultural water resources and low utilization rate of fertilizer, a slow-release fertilizer based on chitosan modified water retention function was developed. Solution polymerization and semi-interpenetrating network technology were used to load urea aldehyde into carboxymethyl chitosan superabsorbent resin network. This technology realizes the simultaneous slow release of nutrients and water by using modified chitosan, which has important implications for the application of chitosan in agriculture to regulate the soil water and fertilizer conditions. The optimal preparation conditions were: MBA 0.07 %, KPS 0.8 %, AM to AA mass ratio of 0.3:1, CMC content of 10 %, AA neutralization degree 85 %, UF 20 %, AA+AM mass sum of 10 g, reaction temperature 70 °C and reaction time 2 h. The maximum water absorption rate of the optimized NC reached 172.3 g/g. The cumulative release of nitrogen in 30 days was 83.67 %. The application of NC in sandy soil promoted seed germination and growth. The comprehensive results indicate that NC has broad application prospects in arid areas based on its excellent water retention and nutrient release performance.

Rapid Synthesis of ß-Chiral Sulfones by Ni-Organophotocatalyzed Enantioselective Sulfonylalkenylation of Alkenes.

ß-Chiral sulfones are substructures widespread in drug molecules and bioactive targets and serve as important chiral synthons in organic synthesis yet are challenging to access. Herein, a three-component strategy enabled by visible-light- and Ni-catalyzed sulfonylalkenylation of styrenes for the synthesis of enantioenriched ß-chiral sulfones has been developed. This dual-catalysis strategy allows for one-step skeletal assembly along with the control of enantioselectivity in the presence of a chiral ligand, providing an efficient and straightforward access to enantioenriched ß-alkenyl sulfones from easily available and simple starting materials. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the reaction undergoes a chemoselective radical addition over two alkenes followed by a Ni-intercepted asymmetric Csp3-Csp2 coupling with alkenyl halides.

Network interpenetrating slow-release nitrogen fertilizer based on carrageenan and urea: A new low-cost water and fertilizer regulation carrier.

Modern agriculture presents new requirements of low cost, high water retention and degradability for superabsorbent and slow-release fertilizers. In this study, carrageenan (CG), acrylic acid (AA), N, N '-methylene diacrylamide (MBA), urea and ammonium persulfate (APS) were used as raw materials. A kind of high water absorption, water retention, nitrogen slow release and biodegradable carrageenan superabsorbent (CG-SA) was prepared by grafting copolymerization. The optimal CG-SA was obtained with a water absorption rate of 680.45 g/g by orthogonal L18(3)7 experiments and single-factor experiments. The water absorption behavior of CG-SA in deionized water and salt solution were studied. The CG-SA was characterized before and after degradation by FTIR, SEM. The nitrogen release behavior and kinetic characteristics of CG-SA were investigated. In addition, CG-SA degraded 58.33 % and 64.35 % in soil at 25 °C and 35 °C after 28 days. All the results indicated that the low-cost and degradable CG-SA can achieve simultaneous slow release of water and nutrients, which is expected to be widely used as a new water-fertilizer integration technology in arid and poor areas.

Five New C21 -Steroidal Sapogenins from the Acid Hydrolysate of Cynanchum otophyllum Roots.

Five new C21 -steroidal sapogenins (1-5) named cynotogenins J-N, were isolated from the acid hydrolysate of Cynanchum otophyllum roots. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis (UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, and NMR). Most notably, compounds 1-3 harboring a rare 5ß,6ß-epoxy group in the C21 -steroidal skeleton of Cynanchum plants. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicities against multiple cancer cell lines, in which compounds 5 showed weak cytotoxicity against HepG2 cancer cells with IC50 values of 44.90 µM.

Organothianthrenium salts: synthesis and utilization.

Organothianthrenium salts are a class of compounds containing a positively charged sulfur atom and a neutral sulfur atom. Over the past years, organothianthrenium salts have been emerging as attractive precursors for a myriad of transformations to forge new C-C and C-X bonds due to their unique structural characteristics and chemical behaviors. The use of the thianthrenation strategy selectively transforms C-H, C-O, and other chemical bonds into organothianthrenium salts in a predictable manner, providing a straightforward alternative for regioselective functionalizations for arenes, alkenes, alkanes, alcohols, amines and so on through diverse reaction mechanisms under mild conditions. In this review, the preparation of different organothianthrenium salts is summarized, including aryl, alkenyl and alkyl thianthrenium salts. Moreover, the utilization of organothianthrenium salts in different catalytic processes and their synthetic potentials are also discussed.

Intermolecular Metal-Free Cyclopropanation and Aziridination of Alkenes with XH2 (X=N, C) by Thianthrenation.

Three-membered cyclic structures are widely existing in natural products and serve as enabling intermediates in organic synthesis. However, the efficient and straightforward access to such structures with diversity remains a formidable challenge. Herein, a general and practical protocol to aziridines and cyclopropanes synthesis using free XH2 (X=C or N) with alkenes by thianthrenation is presented. This metal-free protocol features the direct aziridination and cyclopropanation with unprotected XH2 . Free sulfonamides, amides, carbamates, amines, and methylene with acidic protons, are good precursors, providing an attractive alternative for straightforward synthesis of aziridines and cyclopropanes from easily available starting materials.

Synthesis of ß-Thiolated-α-arylated Ketones Enabled by Photoredox and N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Radical Relay of Alkenes with Disulfides and Aldehydes.

ß-Thiolated-α-arylated ketones are perversive in bioactive molecules and serve as potential bidentate ligands for catalysis. Herein, a straightforward protocol to access ß-thiolated ketones from aldehydes, alkenes, and disulfides enabled by the combination of photocatalysis and N-heterocyclic carbene catalysis is reported. The sequential radical addition to alkenes and subsequent radical-radical coupling cascade process simultaneously forge C-S and C-C bonds. The mild conditions allow for radical relay coupling with a broad functional group tolerance.

Metal-free allylic C-H nitrogenation, oxygenation, and carbonation of alkenes by thianthrenation.

Selective functionalization of allylic C-H bonds into other chemical bonds is among the most straightforward and attractive, yet challenging transformations. Herein, a transition-metal-free protocol for direct allylic C-H nitrogenation, oxygenation, and carbonation of alkenes by thianthrenation was developed. This operationally simple protocol allows for the unified allylic C-H amination, esterification, etherification, and arylation of vinyl thianthrenium salts. Notably, the reaction furnishes multialkyl substituted allylic amines, ammonium salts, sulfonyl amides, esters, and ethers in good yields. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions with excellent functional group tolerance and could be applied to late-stage allylation of natural products, drug molecules and peptides with excellent chemoselectivity.