Convolutamydine A is a member of a family of oxindole alkaloids isolated from the Floridian marine bryozan Amathia convoluta in 8.6x10-6 % yield. This compound is interesting as it has been described in the literature to have significant pharmacological activity. When bioactive substances are isolated in low yields, such as in the case of convolutamydine A, the use of synthetic organic chemistry to prepare larger quantities of these substances is necessary. This paper describes the isolation, structural characterization and synthesis of convolutamydine A, using readily available reagents and reaction conditions that may be applied in any organic chemistry undergraduate laboratory course.

Novos derivados do lapachol 2, nor-lapachol 3 e da lausona 4 foram sintetizados através do deslocamento nucleofílico das metoxinaftoquinonas 2a, 3a e 4a pela poliamina (PA) N¹-Boc-N5-Bn-espermidina 1a. Os produtos, 2b, 3b e 4b, respectivamente, foram obtidos em bons rendimentos e caracterizados por métodos espectroscópicos e analíticos. Os ensaios preliminares de inibição das enzimas topoisomerases (topo) I e II-alfa mostraram-se promissores: todos os compostos (1a 2b, 3b e 4b) inibiram a atividade catalítica da enzima topo II-alfa na dose de 2 µM. Considerando que somente a PA 1a não inibiu a atividade da enzima na dose de 0,2 µM, as naftoquinonas apresentam-se como fragmentos em potencial para melhorar a atividade de PAs. Nenhum dos compostos inibiu a topo I na dose de 200 µM.

Novel derivatives of lapachol 2, nor-lapachol 3 and lawsone 4 have been synthesized by nucleophilic displacement of the methoxynaphthoquinones 2a, 3a and 4a with the polyamine (PA) N¹-Boc-N5-Bn-spermidine 1a. The respective products 2b-4b were obtained in good yields and characterized by spectroscopic and analytical methods. The inhibitory action of these naphthoquinone-PA conjugates on DNA-topoisomerases (topo) I and II-alpha was evaluated by relaxation assay of supercoiled DNA plasmid. All compounds (1a 2b, 3b and 4b) presented significant inhibition of topo II-alpha catalytic activity at the 2 µM dose. Considering that only PA 1a did not inhibit the enzyme catalytic activity at the 0.2 µM dose, the appended naphthoquinone moiety acts as a "value added" fragment. Compounds 1a 2b, 3b and 4b did not inhibit the enzyme DNA-topo I at the 200 µM dose.

A coordenação de FcCCC6H4-4-NO2 (1) a uma carbonila polinucleada (cluster) de rutênio resultou na formação de [Ru3(mi3 -FcCCC6H 4-4-NO2)(mi -dppm)(mi-CO)(CO)7] (2). Os voltamogramas cíclicos destes compostos e dos clusters análogos [Ru3(mi3 -eta2-C6 H5CCC6H4-4-R)(mi -dppm)(mi -CO)(CO)7] (R= H, 3; CN, 4; NO2, 5) permitiram avaliar as comunicações eletrônicas entre os diferentes sítios de oxi-redução (grupos ferrocenil e -NO2 e o fragmento Ru3) e analisar as capacidades relativas doadora-receptora de cada um dos três centros de oxi-redução que compõem 2. Além disto, a inércia de 2, em comparação com os clusters 3-5, os quais sofrem fácil perda de CO, foi atribuída à interação entre o grupo ferrocenil e a base metálica.

The co-ordination of FcCCC6H4-4-NO2 (1) to a ruthenium carbonyl cluster to yield [Ru3(mu 3-FcCCC6H4-4-NO2) (mu-dppm)( mu-CO)(CO)7] (2) is reported. The cyclic voltammograms of these compounds and of the analogous clusters [Ru3(mu3 -eta2-C6 H5CCC6H4-4-R)(mu -dppm)(mu -CO)(CO)7] (R= H, 3; CN, 4; NO2, 5) allowed an evaluation of the electronic communications between the different redox sites (ferrocenyl and -NO2 groups, and Ru3 moiety) and an analysis of the relative electron donor-acceptor capabilities of each of the three redox centres that compose 2. Furthermore, the inertness of 2, compared with clusters 3-5 which loose CO readily was attributed to the interaction between the ferrocenyl group and the metallic frame.

Derivados halogenados de N-benzilisatinas ciclizaram facilmente, com eliminação de haletos de hidrogênio, numa reação de síntese de biarilas sob catálise por paládio, na ausência de ligantes fosfinas, levando às oxopirrolo[3,2,1-de]fenantridinas correspondentes.

N-Benzylisatin derivatives have been found to readily undergo cyclisation via hydrogen halide elimination in a biaryl synthesis reaction when using palladium catalysts, in the absence of phosphine ligands, to yield oxopyrrolo[3,2,1-de]phenanthridine derivatives.