Invasion in a diversity hotspot: exotic cover and native richness in the Californian serpentine flora.

Exotic species have been observed to be more prevalent in sites where the richness of native species is highest, possibly reflecting variation among sites in resources, propagule supply, heterogeneity, or disturbance. However, such a pattern leaves unclear whether natives at species-rich sites are subject to especially severe impacts from exotics as a result. We considered this question using path models in which relationships between exotic cover and native richness were evaluated in the presence of correlated environmental factors. At 109 sites on serpentine soils across California, USA, exotic cover was positively correlated with total native herbaceous richness and was negatively correlated with the richness of both serpentine-endemic and rare native herbs. However, in path models that accounted for the influences of soil chemistry, disturbance, overstory cover, and regional rainfall and elevation, we found no indication that exotic cover reduced any component of native herb richness. Rather, our results indicated similarities and differences in the conditions favoring exotic, native, endemic, and rare species. Our results suggest that, in spite of some localized impacts, exotic species are not exerting a detectable overall effect on the community richness of the unique native flora of Californian serpentine.

Synthesis of some 1-(2-naphthyl)-2-(imidazole-1-yl)ethanone oxime and oxime ether derivatives and their anticonvulsant and antimicrobial activities.

In this study, oxime and oxime ether derivatives of anticonvulsant nafimidone [1-(2-naphthyl)-2-(imidozole-1-yl)ethanone] were prepared as potential anticonvulsant compounds. Nafimidone oxime was synthesized by the reaction of nafimidone and hydroxylamine hydrochloride. O-Alkylation of the oxime by various alkyl halides gave the oxime ether derivatives. Anticonvulsant activity of the compounds was determined by maximal electroshock (MES) and subcutaneous metrazole (scMet) tests in mice and rats according to procedures of the Antiepileptic Drug Development (ADD) program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In addition to anticonvulsant evaluation, compounds were also screened for possible antibacterial and antifungal activities because of the structural resemblance to the azole antifungals, especially to oxiconazole. All compounds were evaluated against three human pathogenic fungi and four bacteria using the microdilution method. Most of the compounds exhibited both anticonvulsant and antimicrobial activities; the O-alkyl substituted compounds (2, 3, 4 and 5) were found to be more active than the O-arylalkyl substituted compounds in both screening paradigms.

Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of the calcium channel antagonist: dimethyl 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-4-[4'-(4H-4-oxo-1-benzopyran-2-yl)phenyl]- 3,5-pyridine dicarboxylate.

The synthesis of the title compound via the Hantzsch method from 4'-flavone carboxaldehyde is described, and its molecular structure was determined by X-ray crystallography. The 1,4-dihydropyridine (1,4-DHP) ring adopts a boat conformation. The phenyl ring of the flavone is not exactly perpendicular to the DHP ring. Calcium antagonistic activity of this compound was evaluated in vitro by using BaCl2-stimulated rat ileum.

(Benzoylacetonato)chloro(1,10-phenanthroline)copper(II)

The crystal structure of the title compound, chloro(1, 10-phenanthroline-N,N')(1-phenyl-1,3-butanedionato-O,O')copper(II), [CuCl(C(10)H(9)O(2))(C(12)H(8)N(2))], has been determined. The Cu(II) ion displays a distorted square-pyramidal coordination, being linked to the two O atoms of the benzoylacetonate ligand and the two N atoms of the 1,10-phenanthroline ligand in the basal plane, and the Cl atom in the apical site. TheCu-N, Cu-O and Cu-Cl bond lengths are 2.043 (2)/2.025 (2), 1.914 (2)/1.941 (2) and 2.485 (1) A, respectively.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of some new anilino benzimidazoles.

A series of 2-(anilino or 2,6-dichloroanilino)-1,5(6)-disubstituted-1H-benzimidazoles (1-13) were prepared by reaction of several 2-chloro- or 2-chloromethyl-1H-benzimidazoles with aniline derivatives. The prepared compounds were screened for their in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities. Compounds 2, 8, and 9 exhibited the best activity.

Synthesis and hypnotic activity of new 4-thiazolidinone and 2-thioxo-4,5-imidazolidinedione derivatives.

Conveniently accessible 4-[(2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl]-3-thiosemicarbazide (2) was converted to new 1-substituted benzylidene/furfurylidene-4- [2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl]-3-thiosemicarbazides (3) which furnished 2-(substituted benzylidene/furfurylidene) hydrazono-3-[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl]thiazolidin-4-ones (4) and 1-(substituted benzylidene/furfurylidene)-amino -3-[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl]-2-thioxo-4,5-imidazolidinedio nes (5) on reaction with chloroacetic acid and oxalyl chloride, respectively. The structure of 5 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies performed on 5a. 4 and 5 were evaluated for their potentiating effects on pentobarbital induced hypnosis. Most of the compounds caused remarkable increases in pentobarbital sleeping time.