A Large Family of Enzymes Responsible for the Modular Architecture of Nematode Pheromones.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans produces a broad family of pheromones, known as the ascarosides, that are modified with a variety of groups derived from primary metabolism. These modifications are essential for the diverse activities of the ascarosides in development and various behaviors, including attraction, aggregation, avoidance, and foraging. The mechanism by which these different groups are added to the ascarosides is poorly understood. Here, we identify a family of over 30 enzymes, which are homologous to mammalian carboxylesterase (CES) enzymes, and show that a number of these enzymes are responsible for the selective addition of specific modifications to the ascarosides. Through stable isotope feeding experiments, we demonstrate the in vivo activity of the CES-like enzymes and provide direct evidence that the acyl-CoA synthetase ACS-7, which was previously implicated in the attachment of certain modifications to the ascarosides in C. elegans, instead activates the side chains of certain ascarosides for shortening through ß-oxidation. Our data provide a key to the combinatorial logic that gives rise to different modified ascarosides, which should greatly facilitate the exploration of the specific biological functions of these pheromones in the worm.

Chelation-Assisted Copper-Mediated Direct Acetylamination of 2-Arylpyridine C-H Bonds with Cyanate Salts.

In this study, the coupling of 2-phenylpyridine derivatives and potassium cyanate through C-H bond functionalization in the presence of a copper salt is developed for the first time. By this protocol, various heteroarylated acetanilide derivatives are synthesized in good yields. 2-Phenylpyridines containing electron-donating and -withdrawing groups appear to be well-tolerated by this transformation.

Palladium-catalyzed regioselective benzylation-annulation of pyridine N-oxides with toluene derivatives via multiple C-H bond activations: benzylation versus arylation.

A palladium-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction of pyridine N-oxides with toluenes has been developed that operates under mild conditions. 2-Benzylpyridines can be obtained directly by this method via a CDC reaction between unactivated toluenes and pyridine N-oxides. In addition, azafluorene N-oxides, of value for future medicinal chemistry applications, can be obtained successfully by this procedure via four tandem C-H bond activations.