Molecular mechanism of local drug delivery with Paclitaxel-eluting membranes in biliary and pancreatic cancer: new application for an old drug.

Implantation of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) is palliation for patients suffering from inoperable malignant obstructions associated with biliary and pancreatic cancers. Chemotherapeutic agent-eluting stents have been developed because SEMS are susceptible to occlusion by tumor in-growth. We reported recently that paclitaxel-eluting SEMS provide enhanced local drug delivery in an animal model.

Rhodium(I)-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of dialkyl ketones from methanol and alkenes through directed sp3 C-H bond activation of N-methylamine.

The hydroacylation of methanol with alkenes was developed using a catalytic system consisting of Rh(I), 2-amino-4-picoline and benzoic acid; the reaction is speculated to occur by the initial N-methylation of 2-amino-4-picoline with methanol, and the subsequent dehydrogenation of the resulting N-methylamine, followed by double chelation-assisted hydroimination of alkene with the imine to give dialkyl ketones after hydrolysis.

Ruthenium-catalyzed coupling of aldimines with arylboronates: new synthetic method for aromatic ketones.

Using the chelation strategy, the reaction of aldimines bearing the 3-picolin-2-yl group with various arylboronates in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst furnished the corresponding ketimines in high yields for a short reaction time; the resulting ketimines were readily converted to ketones by hydrolysis.