Imidazole Headgroup Phospholipid Shows Asymmetric Distribution in Vesicles and Zinc-Dependent Esterase Activity.

Artificial lipids have become increasingly important in generating novel nanoenzymes and nanoparticles. Imidazole has been well established as a versatile catalyst in synthetic chemistry and through its related amino acid histidine in enzymes. By exploiting the transphosphatidylation reaction of phospholipase D, the choline headgroup of phosphatidyl choline was exchanged for the imidazole moiety containing histidinol.

(±)-Polysiphenol and Other Analogues via Symmetrical Intermolecular Dimerizations: A Synthetic, Spectroscopic, Structural, and Computational Study.

We report an improved total synthesis of 4,5-dibromo-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene-2,3,6,7-tetraol, (±)-polysiphenol, via intermolecular McMurray dimerization of 5-bromovanillin and subsequent intramolecular oxidative coupling as the key steps. The synthetic route is applicable to 4,5-dichloro- and 4,5-difluoro-halologues (as well as a 4,5-dialkyl-analogue). Distinctive AA'BB' multiplets in their H NMR spectra for the dimethylene bridges of the dibromo and dichloro compounds reveal them to be room-temperature stable atropisomers, while for the difluoro compound they present as a singlet.

Design, synthesis and evaluation of a tripodal receptor for phosphatidylinositol phosphates.

Phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) are membrane phospholipids that play crucial roles in a wide range of cellular processes. Their function is dictated by the number and positions of the phosphate groups in the inositol ring (with seven different PIPs being active in the cell). Therefore, there is significant interest in developing small-molecule receptors that can bind selectively to these species and in doing so affect their cellular function or be the basis for molecular probes.