One-pot synthesis of 4-pyrimidone-2-thioether through base/acid-mediated condensation of -alkylisothiourea and β-ketoester.

4-Pyrimidone-2-thioethers can be useful synthetic precursors to densely functionalized pyrimidines, commonly encountered in bioactive molecules. A convenient one-pot access to 4-pyrimidone-2-thioethers is reported herein, which utilizes a sequential base- and acid-mediated condensation of alkylisothioureas with β-ketoesters. Owing to mild reaction conditions, good to excellent functional group tolerance and yields are achieved.

Multi-sensory landscape assessment: the contribution of acoustic perception to landscape evaluation.

In this paper, the contribution of visual and acoustic preference to multi-sensory landscape evaluation was quantitatively compared. The real landscapes were treated as dual-sensory ambiance and separated into visual landscape and soundscape. Both were evaluated by 63 respondents in laboratory conditions.

Anesthetic properties of some fluorinated oxolanes and oxetanes.

Background: The search for new potent inhaled anesthetics has slowed, in large part because of the excellence of the two most recent additions, desflurane and sevoflurane. Nonetheless, neither desflurane nor sevoflurane are ideal anesthetics, desflurane causing cardiorespiratory stimulation, and sevoflurane having a slower (albeit rapid) recovery from anesthesia. Sevoflurane also can produce convulsions and postoperative agitation.

Synthesis of benzophenone-containing fatty acids.

Syntheses of new benzophenone-containing fatty acids (FABPs) 1, 5, and 6 and a new route to FABP 3 are described. Combined with the known 2 and 4, these FABPs comprise a set of photoactivatable fatty acid analogues with the crosslinking site at defined distances from the carboxylic acid hydroxyl group oxygen atoms ranging from 7.9 to 25.

Cholesterol surrogates incorporating a benzophenone as part of the sterol tetracycle.

Photoactivatable analogues 4-6 of cholesterol (1), having their cross-linking site in the ring D sterol region, have been synthesized starting from bromotetralone 14 via enantioselective Robinson annulation to enone 13 and Suzuki carbonylative coupling to the appropriate phenylboronic acid. Each of 4-6 was shown to substitute successfully for 1 in an assay of apo A-I-induced cellular cholesterol efflux, indicating that these analogues equilibrated with 1 in all major cellular pools.

Nonsteroidal benzophenone-containing analogues of cholesterol.

The four benzophenones, 10-13, containing the natural side chain of cholesterol (1) have been synthesized to explore whether the tetracyclic nucleus of 1 is essential for its biochemical properties. The syntheses of analogues 10, 11, and 13 feature efficient introduction of the alkyl side chain by Suzuki coupling. Preliminary biochemical evaluation of 10 and 12 suggests that the sterol tetracyclic nucleus is not required for biological compatibility with 1.

Molecular mechanism of reverse cholesterol transport: reaction of pre-beta-migrating high-density lipoprotein with plasma lecithin/cholesterol acyltransferase.

A 70-75 kDa high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particle with pre-beta-electrophoretic migration (pre-beta(1)-HDL) has been identified in several studies as an early acceptor of cell-derived cholesterol. However, the further metabolism of this complex has not been determined. Here we sought to identify the mechanism by which cell-derived cholesterol was esterified and converted to mature HDL as part of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT).

Asymmetric epoxidation catalyzed by N-aryl-substituted oxazolidinone-containing ketones: further evidence for electronic effects.

[reaction: see text] Ketones containing N-aryl-substituted oxazolidinones have been prepared and investigated for the epoxidation of cis-beta-methylstyrene, styrene, and 1-phenylcyclohexene. The attractive interaction between the phenyl group of the olefin and the oxazolidinone of the catalyst is enhanced by introducing an electron-withdrawing group onto the N-phenyl group of the catalyst. The information obtained gives a better understanding of the ketone-catalyzed epoxidation.