Catalytic Access to Functionalized Allylic gem-Difluorides via Fluorinative Meyer-Schuster-Like Rearrangement.

An unprecedented approach for efficient synthesis of functionalized allylic gem-difluorides via catalytic fluorinative Meyer-Schuster-like rearrangement is disclosed. This transformation proceeded with readily accessible propargylic fluorides, and low-cost B-F reagents and electrophilic reagents by sulfide catalysis. A series of iodinated, brominated, and trifluoromethylthiolated allylic gem-difluorides that were difficult to access by other methods were facilely produced with a wide range of functional groups. Importantly, the obtained iodinated products could be incorporated into different drugs and natural products, and could be expediently converted into many other valuable gem-difluoroalkyl molecules as well. Mechanistic studies revealed that this reaction went through a regioselective fluorination of alkynes followed by a formal 1,3-fluorine migration under the assistance of the B-F reagents to give the desired products.

Selenide-Catalyzed Stereoselective Construction of Tetrasubstituted Trifluoromethylthiolated Alkenes with Alkynes.

The efficient regio- and stereoselective construction of tetrasubstituted alkenes is challenging and very important. For this purpose, we have developed an efficient approach to synthesize tetrasubstituted trifluoromethylthiolated alkenes from simple alkynes in excellent regio- and stereoselectivities by selenide-catalyzed multicomponent coupling. Using this method, trifluoromethylthiolated alkenyl triflates and arenes were achieved. In particular, the triflates could be further converted into carbofunctionalized alkenes by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Our method provides a new pathway for the construction of trifluoromethylthiolated tricarboalkenes. This work presents the first example of selenide-catalyzed trifluoromethylthiolation of alkynes and enables the challenging functionalizations of alkynes.

Modulatory effects of aromatherapy massage intervention on electroencephalogram, psychological assessments, salivary cortisol and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

OBJECTIVES: Aromatherapy massage is commonly used for the stress management of healthy individuals, and also has been often employed as a therapeutic use for pain control and alleviating psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression, in oncological palliative care patients. However, the exact biological basis of aromatherapy massage is poorly understood. Therefore, we evaluated here the effects of aromatherapy massage interventions on multiple neurobiological indices such as quantitative psychological assessments, electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectrum pattern, salivary cortisol and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. DESIGN: A control group without treatment (n = 12) and aromatherapy massage group (n = 13) were randomly recruited. They were all females whose children were diagnosed as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and followed up in the Department of Psychiatry, Jeju National University Hospital. Participants were treated with aromatherapy massage for 40 min twice per week for 4 weeks (8 interventions). RESULTS: A 4-week-aromatherapy massage program significantly improved all psychological assessment scores in the Stat-Trait Anxiety Index, Beck Depression Inventory and Short Form of Psychosocial Well-being Index. Interestingly, plasma BDNF levels were significantly increased after a 4 week-aromatherapy massage program. Alpha-brain wave activities were significantly enhanced and delta wave activities were markedly reduced following the one-time aromatherapy massage treatment, as shown in the meditation and neurofeedback training. In addition, salivary cortisol levels were significantly reduced following the one-time aromatherapy massage treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that aromatherapy massage could exert significant influences on multiple neurobiological indices such as EEG pattern, salivary cortisol and plasma BDNF levels as well as psychological assessments.

In situ generation of sulfoxides with predetermined chirality via a structural template with a chiral-at-metal ruthenium complex.

The reaction of Δ/Λ-[Ru(bpy)2(py)2](2+) with a prochiral sulfide ligand, and then in situ oxidation, provide the corresponding Δ-[Ru(bpy)2{(R)-OSO-iPr}](+) and Λ-[Ru(bpy)2{(S)-OSO-iPr}](+) (OSO-iPr = 2-isopropylsulfonylbenzonate) enantiomers in a yield of 83% with 98% ee. The chiral sulfoxides were obtained by treatment of the sulfoxide complexes with TFA in a yield of 90% with 88-91% ee.

Solvent-mediated crystal-to-crystal interconversion between discrete lanthanide complexes and one-dimensional coordination polymers and selective sensing for small molecules.

Two isostructural 1D coordination polymers {[Ln(OAc)2(H2O)(OBPT)]·3H2O}n (HOBPT = 4,6-bis(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-ol, Ln = Eu(3+), 1; Tb(3+), 3) and two discrete complexes [Ln(OAc)2(DMF)2(OBPT)] (Ln = Eu(3+), 2; Tb(3+), 4) have been synthesized in H2O-MeOH or DMF solvents, respectively. Their structures were identified by powder X-ray diffraction. Single-crystal X-ray studies for complexes 1 and 2 revealed that the coordination geometries of the Eu(3+) ions are similar and can be described as a distorted tricapped trigonal prism with six oxygen atoms and three nitrogen atoms. The difference between them is that one aqua ligand and one oxygen atom from the OBPT ligand complete the coordination sphere in complex 1, whereas two DMF molecules complete the coordination sphere in complex 2. Interestingly, the solvent-mediated, reversible crystal-to-crystal transformation between them was achieved by immersing the crystalline samples in the corresponding solvent (H2O or DMF) or by exposing them to solvent vapor. Complex 1 shows a highly selective luminescence enhancement in response to DMF in comparison to that observed in response to other examined solvents such as acetone, ethyl acetate, ethanol, acetonitrile, methanol, and THF.

Mild mitochondrial depolarization is involved in a neuroprotective mechanism of Citrus sunki peel extract.

Mitochondrial membrane potential (∆Ψm ) contributes to determining a driving force for calcium to enter the mitochondria. It has been demonstrated that even a small mitochondrial depolarization is sufficient to prevent mitochondrial calcium overload and the subsequent apoptosis. Therefore, mild mitochondrial depolarization has been recently evaluated as a novel mechanism of neuroprotection via inhibiting neurotoxic mitochondrial calcium overload during neuronal insults. In the present study, using both real-time recording and flow cytometric analyses of ∆Ψm , we demonstrated that ethanolic peel extract of Citrus sunki Hort. ex Tanaka (CPE) and its active compounds are capable of inducing a mild mitochondrial depolarization. Polymethoxylated flavones such as nobiletin and tangeretin were found as the active compounds responsible for CPE effects on ∆Ψm . Neuronal viability was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner by CPE treatment in H2 O2 -stimulated HT-22 cells as an in vitro neuronal insult model. CPE treatment significantly inhibited H2 O2 -induced apoptotic processes such as chromatin condensation, caspase 3 activation and anti-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. CPE treatment significantly blocked mitochondrial calcium overload in H2 O2 -stimulated HT-22 neurons as indicated by rhod-2 acetoxymethyl ester. Taken together, our findings suggest that CPE and its active compounds may be considered as promising neuroprotective agents via inducing a mild mitochondrial depolarization.

Interaction between biimidazole complexes of ruthenium and acetate: hydrogen bonding and proton transfer.

The hydrogen bonding and deprotonation processes between four ruthenium biimidazole complexes, namely [Ru(bpy)(2)(BiimH(2))](PF(6))(2) (1, bpy is bipyridine, BiimH(2) is 2,2'-biimidazole), [Ru(bpy)(2)-(BbimH(2))](PF(6))(2) (2, BbimH(2) is 2,2'-bibenzimidazole), and [Ru(bpy)(2)(DMBbimH(2))](PF(6))(2) (3, DMBbimH(2) is 7,7'-dimethyl-2,2'-bibenzimidazole) and [Ru(bpy)(2)(TMBbimH(2))](2+) (4, TMBbimH(2) is 5,6,5',6'-tetramethyl-2,2'-bibenzimidazole), and acetate are investigated. Their hydrogen bonded adducts are indeed trapped and observed by absorption spectra and electrochemical experiments in acetonitrile solution in the presence of an excess of acetic acid for the first time. The binding constants log K(B) for these adducts are 6.74 for 1·OAc, 7.11 for 2·OAc, 7.26 for 3·OAc, and 6.99 for 4·OAc. A new approach to calculate the deprotonation constant is also developed by establishing a set of circular equilibria. The equilibrium constants for the first deprotonation step of the complexes log K(A) are 2.74 for 1, 5.19 for 2, 4.54 for 3, and 3.78 for 4. The pK(a1) values of the complexes in acetonitrile solution are calculated by subtracting log K(A) from pK(a) (HOAc in acetonitrile), giving 19.6 for 1, 17.1 for 2, 17.8 for 3, and 18.5 for 4. The degree of proton transfer (D(PT)) can be quantified by the calculation of absorption spectral and redox data, which is 0.41 for 1·OAc, 0.53 for 2·OAc, 0.57 for 3·OAc, and 0.47 for 4·OAc. Interestingly, the binding constant log K(B) (7.26) and D(PT) value (0.57) both reach their maxima at a critical point, where pK(a1) for the complex is 17.8 and ΔpK(a) for the adduct is 4.5 (ΔpK(a) = pK(a)(HOAc) - pK(a1), in acetonitrile solution). Moreover, the binding constant log K(B) shows linear correlation with the degree of proton transfer D(PT).

Spontaneous chiral resolution of mer-[Co(II)(N,N,O-L3)2] enantiomers mediated by pi-pi interactions.

Six possible isomers of mer-[M(II)(N,N,O-L)(2)] complex were observed in the solid state, in which spontaneous resolution of S,S-Lambda and R,R-Delta enantiomers of mer-[Co(N,N,O-L3)(2)] was achieved via pi-pi interactions.

Template trapping and crystal structure of the magic number (H2O)21 cluster in the tetrahedral hole of a nanoscale global ion packed in a face-centered cubic pattern.

A nanoscale global ionic cluster [Co(H(2)O)(6) [symbol: see text] Co(8)L(12)](6+) packed in a face-centered cubic pattern was constructed as a "host", in which a magic number (H(2)O)(21) cluster was captured and stabilized in the tetrahedral hole as a "guest".