Synthesis, Characterization and Photoinduced Cis-Trans Isomerisation Studies on Lignin Modified with 4-[(E)-2-(3-hydroxynaphthalen-2-yl)diazen-1-yl] Benzoic Acid

In the present study, a photoresponsive chromophoric system such as 4-[(E)-2-(3-hydro xynaphthalen-2-yl)diazen-1-yl] benzoic acid was incorporated on to lignin core by functional transformation reactions and the photoresponsive beha-vior of the green, environment friendly product was investigated. The end hydroxyl group of lignin was modified with the chromophoric systems by DCC coupling. The chromophoric systems as well as the chromophore-bound biopolymer core systems were purified by column chromatography. The products were characterized by UV-visible, fluorescence, FT-IR and NMR spectroscopic methods. The results of the studies show that incorporation of the chromophoric system on to the lignin core enhanced the light absorption, emission and light stabilization properties of the chromophoric system. The light fastening properties of chromophoric system and the modified product were compared. It shows that stability of the chromophoric system greatly enhanced on attaching to the polymeric system. The trans-cis photoisomerisation and the reverse cis-trans thermal conversions were also assisted by the lignin core. The remarkable stability on irradiation shows that this is a novel photoresponsive system with excellent light fastening properties which would find application in coating materials, dyes, paints, inks, therapeutic agents and many more.

~1H-NMR studies on cis-trans isomers of spheroidenes

All-trans spheroidene was extracted from the cells of Rhodobacer sphaeroides 2.4.1 and a set of cis-trans isomers were isolated from an isomeric mixture obtained by iodine-sensitized photo-isomerization of the all-trans isomer by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). On the basis of assignment of the 1H-NMR spectra (COSY, long-range COSY, rekyed COSY, ROESY and NOESY) of the all-trans isomer, the configurations of cis isomers were determined by the isomerization shifts of the olefinic 1H signals. The peaks of HPLC could be assigned as follows: A: 9,13’-cis, B1: 5,13-cis, B2: 13,9’-cis, C: 13-cis, E: 9-cis, F: 13’-cis, G: 5,9’-cis, H: 9’-cis, I: all-trans.

Irvingia Fat Ageing: Study of Chemical Characteristics Related to MIR Spectroscopy

The Irvingia gabonensis kernels, which have been extensively studied for their numerous virtues, including the ability to act against the accumulation of fats in the body[1], contain an oil. The aging of this oil under two different conditions of conservation was the subject of our work. One of the results was an increase in the content of long-chain carbonaceous fatty acids during aging for 11 months of storage at low temperature (6℃) and at 30℃. This behavior does not find a concordant explanation by the comparative analysis of the chemical indices. Hence, there is the need to use the Medium Infra-Red spectroscopy (MIR) which allowed to clarify the information of the saponification index, to justify the weakness of the formation of peroxides in the case of the conservation at 30℃ and to confirm the information given by the peroxide index. It also allowed to understand the formation of the long carbon chains by the “cis-trans” isomerization and the homolytic cuts which intervene within the matrix of the fat by the analysis of the number of -CH2 and -CH3 groups in the two conditions of conservation. This study reveals that the rapid solidification of Irvingia gabonensis oil at room temperature[2] is an advantage for its preservation at room temperature but a great weakness when the fat is stored at low temperature.

Estimation of Intramolecular Hydrogen-bonding Energy via the Substitution Method

The intramolecular hydrogen-bonding energies for eighteen molecules were calculated based on the substitution method, and compared with those predicted by the cis-trans method. The energy values obtained from two methods are close to each other with a correlation coefficient of 0.96. Furthermore, the hydrogen-bonding energies based on the substitution method are consistent with the geometrical features of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Both of them demonstrate that the substitution method is capable of providing a good estimation of intramolecular hydrogen-bonding energy.

Screening for main components associated with the idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of a tonic herb, Polygonum multiflorum

The main constituents of a typical medicinal herb, Polygonum multiflorum （Heshouwu in Chinese）, that induces idiosyncratic liver injury remain unclear. Our previous work has shown that cotreatment with a nontoxic dose of lipopolysaccharide （LPS） and therapeutic dose of Heshouwu can induce liver injury in rats, whereas the solo treatment cannot induce observable injury. In the present work, using the constituent ＂knock-out＂ and ＂knock-in＂ strategy, we found that the ethyl acetate （EA） extract of Heshouwu displayed comparable idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity to the whole extract in LPS-treated rats. Results indicated a significant elevation of plasma alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and liver histologic changes, whereas other separated fractions failed to induce liver injury. The mixture of EA extract with other separated fractions induced comparable idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity to the whole extract in LPS-treated rats. Chemical analysis further revealed that 2,3,5,4＇-tetrahydroxy trans-stilbene-2-O-p-glucoside （trans-SG） and its cis-isomer were the two major compounds in EA extract. Furthermore, the isolated cis-, and not its trans-isomer, displayed comparable idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity to EA extract in LPS-treated rats. Higher contents of cis-SG were detected in Heshouwu liquor or preparations from actual liver intoxication patients associated with Heshouwu compared with general collected samples. In addition, plasma metabolomics analysis showed that cis-SG-disturbing enriched pathways remarkably differed from trans-SG ones in LPS-treated rats. All these results suggested that cis-SG was closely associated with the idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of Heshouwu. Considering that the cis-trans isomerization oftrans- SG was mediated by ultraviolet light or sunlight, our findings serve as reference for controlling photoisomerization in drug discovery and for the clinical use of Heshouwu and stilbene-related medications.

Photochemical properties of carotenoids: what can we get from the VB model?

The empirical valence bond model, solved by the DMRG technique, is applied to the systematical study of the photochemical processes of carotenoids. The polyenes with five up to one hundred of C== C bonds are investigated. The probability of the state arrangement for the conjugated bond, Pij, is evaluated. It is a parameter to correlate the bond lengths, and could also be applied to rationalizing the quantum yields of the photo-isomerization and the reaction constant of the quenching of singlet-oxygen happened to the external C== C bond of the carotenoids. The maximum reaction constant in long chain limit is determined as about 2.92×1010 L·mol-1·s-1.

Photochromism of cis(z)-1,2-bispyrryl-substituted ethene derivatives

Photochromism of two bispyrryl-substituted ethenes, 2, 3-bis-(1-p-methoxyphenyl-5-phenyl-2-methyl-3-pyrryl)-2-butene (BPE1) and 2,3-bis(1-p-bromophenyl-4-phenyl-2-methyl-3-pyrryl)-2-butene (BPE2), was studied by laser flash photolysis technique. The results indicate that photocyclization of these compounds proceeds mainly via the excited triplet state, and the cis-trans isomerization proceeds mainly via the excited singlet state. After UV laser pulse irradiation, both photocylization and cis-trans isomerization of BPEl occur, but photocydization is the main reaction. On the other hand, laser photolysis of BPE2 leads mainly to photocydization. The effects of the substituents on the photochromic mechanism are also discussed.

Deciphering the Mechanism Involved in the Switch On/Off of Molecular Pistons

Manufacturing machines converting energy to mechanical work at the molecular level is a vital pathway to ex- plore the microscopic world. A kind of operable molecular engines, composed offl-cyclodextrin （fl-CD）, aryl, al- kene and amide moiety was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations combined with free-energy calcula- tions. To understand how the integrated alkene double bond controls the work performed on the engines, two alkene isomers of the prototype were considered as two molecular engines. The free-energy profiles delineating the binding process of the amide （Z）- and （E）-isomers for each alkene isomer with 1-adamantanol indicate that for the alkene （E）-isomer, the apparent work performed on the amide bond is 1.6 kcal/mol, while the alkene （Z）-isomer is incapa- ble to perform work. Direct switch on/off of engines caused by the isomerization of the alkene bond was, therefore, witnessed, in line with experimental measurements. Decomposition of the free-energy profile into different compo- nents and structural analyses suggest that the isomerization of the alkene bond controls the position of the aryl unit relative to the cavity of the CD, resulting in the difference among the free-energy profiles and the stark contrast of the work performed on engines.