A highly enantioselective aza-Henry reaction with isatin N-Boc ketimines using a Cu(II)-BOX complex as a catalyst is described. The reaction, which does not require protection of the N1 atom, provides the corresponding nitroamines bearing a quaternary stereocentre with high yields and enantiomeric excesses (up to 99.9%).

The Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of acrylamide, as an activated alkene, has seen little development due to its low reactivity. We have developed the reaction using isatin derivatives with acrylamide, DABCO as a promoter and phenol as an additive in acetonitrile. The corresponding aza version with acrylate and acrylonitrile has also been developed resulting in high product yields.

the ionic liquid, n,n,n,n-tetramethylguanidiniumtriflate (tmgtf) was found to be an efficient catalyst solvent for henry reaction between nitromethane and isatin derivatives to provide 3-hydroxy-3-(nitromethyl)indolin-2-one under mild conditions. the ionic liquid amenable to successive recycling without appreciable decrease in activity. synthesized compounds have been screened for their anti-di...

Since indole is present at up to 500 microM in the stationary phase and is an interspecies biofilm signal (J. Lee, A. Jayaraman, and T. K. Wood, BMC Microbiol. 7:42, 2007), we investigated hydroxyindoles as biofilm signals and found them also to be nontoxic interspecies biofilm signals for enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC), E. coli K-12, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The genetic b...

Marine molluscs are rich in biologically active natural products that provide new potential sources of anti-inflammatory agents. Here we used bioassay guided fractionation of extracts from the muricid Dicathais orbita to identify brominated indoles with anti-inflammatory activity, based on the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) and tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimul...

Iron overload is a major life-threatening complication of thalassemia major and other iron-loading anemias treated by regular blood transfusions. Although the clinical manifestations of iron overload may be prevented by desferrioxamine, the only iron-chelating drug in routine clinical use, this treatment requires subcutaneous infusion of desferrioxamine for 12 hours each day. New orally effecti...