An efficient and reliable chemical inventory system at a growing drug discovery company.

Within a growing drug discovery company, hundreds of scientists take and move reagent chemicals on a daily basis. Conveniently updating the locations of tens of thousands of chemical containers in an electronic system is a big challenge. We have an electronic inventory system, but keeping the chemical records up to date relied on scientists finding an available computer in the lab and logging into a system whenever they took or moved a chemical container, taking several minutes. It was all too easy to think that the task could be deferred until later, but the scientist may then forget all about it, leaving the database inaccurate. As a result, searching for the chemicals we need can take a frustratingly long time if they are not where they should be. We have developed an efficient and reliable system, namely ScanStation, to solve this issue. It relies on a low-cost Raspberry Pi attached to a touch screen connected with a barcode scanner. This equipment is always on and placed in strategic locations around all our labs and chemical stores. This new process is much easier. There is no need to remove gloves to log into the computer, and it is just a scan on the barcode and is done. Now when we check the database for a chemical, we get an instant answer that reliably tells us where to find it. All the time we save have a real benefit in our productivity and our scientists can focus on discovering new medicines.

Development of a Novel Medial Synoviocentesis Approach to the Bicipital Bursa in an Equine Cadaver Model.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the volume and dimensions of the bicipital bursa and its position in relation to bony and soft tissue structures, in order to develop a novel medial synoviocentesis approach to the bicipital bursa. STUDY DESIGN: Cadaveric study. ANIMALS: Adult equine cadaver limbs (n=19). METHODS: Bicipital bursa dimensions, volume, and relationship to bony structures were obtained from positive contrast computed tomography images after distension of the bursa (n=7). Following an intra-bursal injection of polyurethane resin, the bicipital bursa (n=4) was dissected and its relationship to soft tissue structures described. After computed tomography and dissection, a novel medial bicipital bursocentesis approach was investigated on intact cadavers (n=8). RESULTS: Median (range) of measurements were: length 9.02 cm (8.48-9.45 cm); width 7.06 cm (6.71-8.01 cm); and volume 51 mL (45-58 mL). The medial aspect of the bicipital bursa was located at the junction of the subclavius and biceps muscles, which corresponds with the externally visible lateral pectoral sulcus. Needle insertion 5-10 mm craniolateral to the center of the lateral pectoral sulcus midway between the palpable distal aspect of the deltoid tuberosity and the cranial part of the greater tubercle was found to be a reliable landmark for the novel medial bursocentesis approach. This approach was successful in all cadavers. CONCLUSION: The novel approach to the bicipital bursa provided access to the medial aspect of the bursa and is an alternative to the lateral approaches. Further validation in live horses is warranted to establish the safety and efficacy of this technique.

The absolute configuration for inthomycin C: revision of previously published work with a reinstatement of the (3R)-configuration for (-)-inthomycin C.

Stereochemical evidence is presented to demonstrate that (-)-inthomycin C has (3R)- and not (3S)-stereochemistry. Careful reappraisal of the previously published work2-5 now indicates that the Hatakeyama, Hale, Ryu, and Taylor teams all have synthesized (-)-(3R)-inthomycin C. The newly measured [α]D of pure (-)-(3R)-inthomycin C (98% ee) is -7.9 (c 0.33, CHCl3) and not -41.5 (c 0.1, CHCl3) as was previously reported in 2012.

Synthesis of the C(7)-C(22) sector of (+)-acutiphycin via O-directed double free radical alkyne hydrostannation with Ph3SnH/Et3B, double I-Sn exchange, and double Stille coupling.

Herein a new double O-directed free radical hydrostannation reaction is reported on the structurally complex dialkyldiyne 11. Through our use of a conformation-restraining acetal to help prevent stereocenter-compromising 1,5-H-atom abstraction reactions by vinyl radical intermediates, the two vinylstannanes of 10 were concurrently constructed with high stereocontrol using Ph3SnH/Et3B/O2. Distannane 10 was thereafter elaborated into the bis-vinyl iodide 9 via O-silylation and double I-Sn exchange; double Stille coupling of 9, O-desilylation, and oxidation thereafter furnished 8.

Asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-inthomycin C via O-directed free radical alkyne hydrostannation with Ph3SnH and catalytic Et3B: reinstatement of the Zeeck-Taylor (3R)-structure for (+)-inthomycin C.

A new pathway to (+)-inthomycin C is reported that exploits an O-directed free radical hydrostannation reaction on (-)-12 and a Stille cross-coupling as key steps. Significantly, the latter process was effected on 19 where a gauche-pentane repulsive interaction could interfere. Our stereochemical studies on the alkynol (-)-12 and the enyne (+)-7 confirm that Ryu and Hatakeyama's (3S)-stereochemical revision of (+)-inthomycin C is invalid and that Zeeck and Taylor's original (3R)-stereostructure for (+)-inthomycin C is correct.

A new mild method for the C-acylation of ketone enolates. A convenient synthesis of ß-keto-esters, -thionoesters, and -thioesters.

A new method for ketone enolate C-acylation is described which utilizes alkyl pentafluorophenylcarbonates, thiocarbonates, and thionocarbonates as the reactive acylating agents, and MgBr(2)·Et(2)O, DMAP, and i-Pr(2)NEt as the reagents for enolization. A wide range of ketones have been observed to undergo clean C-acylation via this protocol.