1.Catalytic desulfurization of dibenzothiophene with palladium nanoparticles.
Torres-Nieto J1, Arévalo A, García JJ. Inorg Chem. 2008 Dec 1;47(23):11429-34. doi: 10.1021/ic801550j.
The thermal reduction of [(PEt3)2PdMe2] (1 mol%), which was produced in situ from [(PEt3)2PdCl2] (1) and 2 equiv of MeMgBr in toluene solvent, yielded palladium nanoparticles that in conjunction with MeMgBr effected the desulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT). The reaction resulted in the generation of the sulfur-free compound 2,2'-dimethylbiphenyl, in high yields (60%). The use of several stabilizing agents such as sodium 2-ethylhexanoate and hexadecylamine was also addressed herein, their use resulting in a significant improvement of the desulfurization reaction that reached up to 90% conversion of DBT into the mentioned biphenyl. The palladium nanoparticles formed during the reaction were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and exhibited a smaller size and a lesser extent of agglomeration whenever stabilizers were used.
2.Human platelet aggregation inhibitors from thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.).
Okazaki K1, Kawazoe K, Takaishi Y. Phytother Res. 2002 Jun;16(4):398-9.
Two antiaggregant compounds, thymol (compound 1) and 3,4,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-5,5'-diisopropyl-2,2'-dimethylbiphenyl (compound 2) were isolated from the leaves of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). The structures were determined by (1)H-, (13)C-NMR and mass spectra (MS) studies. These compounds inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen, ADP, arachidonic acid (AA) and thrombin except that compound 2 did not inhibit platelet aggregation induced by thrombin.
3.Solvent-Controlled Excited State Relaxation Path of 4-Acetyl-4'-(dimethylamino)biphenyl.
Dobkowski J1, Kijak M1, Sazanovich IV1, Waluk J1. J Phys Chem B. 2015 Jun 18;119(24):7294-307. doi: 10.1021/jp510856u. Epub 2015 Feb 3.
Stationary and picosecond time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) and absorption spectra were compared in different aprotic solvents at various temperatures for 4-acetyl-4'-(dimethylamino)biphenyl (ADAB). A large value of the excited state dipole moment, 18-25 D, was estimated from the plot of solvatochromic shift. TRF spectra of ADAB recorded as a function of solvent polarity and temperature show unusual temporal evolution (shift and decay) of the fluorescence bands. In some cases, the dynamic Stokes shifts occur on a time scale much shorter than expected on the basis of literature data on solvent relaxation. In order to investigate variations in the energy of electronic transitions, oscillator strengths, and dipole moments upon changing the molecular geometry, quantum chemical modeling (DFT, TD-DFT, CIS) was performed for ADAB and its ground-state pretwisted derivative, 4-acetyl-4'-dimethylamino-2,2'-dimethylbiphenyl (ADAB-Me). Combination of spectroscopic data and computational results leads to the model of excited state relaxation which involves dynamic solvent-dependent interaction between two close-lying (1)nπ* and (1)ππ* excited electronic states.
4.Identification and characterization of dimeric oxidation products of p-cymene-2,3-diol isolated from Thymus vulgaris L.
Rainis G1, Ternes W. J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Jan 8;62(1):235-43. doi: 10.1021/jf404193y. Epub 2013 Dec 19.
The aim of this study was to investigate the oxidation products of p-cymene-2,3-diol, a major antioxidative constituent of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). Although a dimeric form of p-cymene-2,3-diol and some derivative substances exhibiting valuable food technological and health-promoting properties have been reported in earlier publications, no obvious correlation has been shown between these substances. A modified HPLC-ESI-MS method made it possible to prove that two dimers, 3,4,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-5,5'-diisopropyl-2,2'-dimethylbiphenyl (1) and the newly identified 3',4'-dihydroxy-5,5'-diisopropyl-2,2'-dimethylbiphenyl-3,4-dione (2), are oxidation products of p-cymene-2,3-diol. 2 was characterized by the fragmentation pattern determined by multiple mass spectrometry, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, H-H COSY, HSQC, and HMBC. Both biphenyls were also quantitated in freeze-dried thyme as well as in a food matrix spiked with thyme extract. Model experiments using raw and cooked minced pork meat as matrix and sodium nitrite as oxidizing and reduction agent with and without ascorbic acid as protective reagent showed the correlation between food processing and dimer generation.
