Syntheses, structures, and luminescent properties of dipyridylamine-functionalized anthracene and its complexes.

A novel multidentate ligand with 2,2'-dipyridylamine functionalities, 1,8-bis[4-(2,2'-dipyridylamino)phenylacetylenyl]anthracene (1), has been synthesized through a double Sonogashira coupling reaction and characterized by NMR spectroscopic, elemental, and X-ray diffraction analyses. Compound 1 can bind to either one metal center as a tetradentate ligand or two metal centers as a double-bidentate ligand. In the double-bidentate mode, the distance between the two metal centers may vary significantly. Compound 1 displays bright blue luminescence in the solid state and in solution with a quantum efficiency of 64% relative to 9,10-diphenylanthracene. While the dirhodium complex of 1 shows no luminescence, the two zinc complexes of 1 display blue luminescence with quantum efficiencies slightly lower than that of 1. Organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) using 1 as the emitter show a maximum current efficiency of 7 cd/A.

Triterpenoidal alkaloids from Buxus natalensis and their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition-directed phytochemical studies on the methanolic extract of Buxus natalensis, collected in South Africa, resulted in the isolation of 12 compounds: O(2)-natafuranamine (1), O(10)-natafuranamine (2), cyclonataminol (3), 31-demethylbuxaminol A (4), buxaminol A (5), buxafuranamide (6), buxalongifolamidine (7), buxamine A (8), cyclobuxophylline K (9), buxaminol C (10), methyl syringate (11), and p-coumaroylputrescine (12). Compounds 1-4 were new alkaloids, and compound 5 was isolated for the first time as a natural product. Their structures were elucidated with the aid of extensive NMR and mass spectroscopic studies. Compounds 1 and 2 are members of a rarely occurring class of Buxus alkaloids, having a tetrahydrofuran ring incorporated in their structures. Compounds 1-12 exhibited strong to moderate AChE inhibitory activity.

Microbial reactions on 7alpha-hydroxyfrullanolide and evaluation of biotransformed products for antibacterial activity.

7alpha-Hydroxyfrullanolide (1), a known sesquiterpenoid, was isolated from Sphaeranthus indicus using an antibacterial-activity-directed fractionation method. This compound had exhibited a significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Chemical and microbial reactions were performed to prepare eight different analogues of compound 1 in order to evaluate these newly synthesized compounds for antibacterial activity. These compounds were 1beta,7alpha-dihydroxyfrullanolide (2), 7alpha-hydroxy-1-oxofrullanolide (3), 4,5-dihydro-7alpha-hydroxyfrullanolide (4), 11,13-dihydro-7alpha-hydroxyfrullanolide (5), 13-acetyl-7alpha-hydroxyfrullanolide (6), 2alpha,7alpha-dihydroxysphaerantholide (7), 4alpha,5alpha-epoxy-7alpha-hydroxyfrullanolide (8), and 4beta,5beta-epoxy-7alpha-hydroxyfrullanolide (9). Microbial reactions on 1 using whole-cell cultures of Cunninghamella echinulata and Curvularia lunata yielded compounds 2-4. Incubation of compound 1 with the liquid cultures of Apsergillus niger and Rhizopus circinans yielded metabolites 5-7, while 8 and 9 were prepared by carrying out an epoxidation reaction on 1 using meta-chloroperbenzoic acid (mCPBA). Structures of compounds 2-9 were elucidated with the aid of extensive NMR spectral studies. Compounds 2-4 were found to be new metabolites. Compounds 1-9 were evaluated for antibacterial activity and found to exhibit a wide range of bioactivities. Antibacterial-activity data of 1-9 suggested that the bioactivity of 1 is largely due to the presence of C4=C5, C11=C13, and a gamma-lactone moiety.