In this paper we describe new multi-catalysis cascade (MCC) reactions for the one-pot synthesis of highly functionalized non-symmetrical malonates. These metal-free reactions are either five-step (olefination/hydrogenation/alkylation/ketenization/esterification) or six-step (olefination/hydrogenation/alkylation/ketenization/esterification/alkylation), and employ aldehydes/ketones, Meldrum's aci...

Using HPLC a fraction of New Zealand manuka honey has been isolated, which gives rise to the non-peroxide antibacterial activity. This fraction proved to be methylglyoxal, a highly reactive precursor in the formation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). Methylglyoxal concentrations in 49 manuka and 34 non-manuka honey samples were determined using a direct detection method and compared wit...

We report a Cu-catalyzed coupling between triarylaluminum reagents and alkyl halides to form arylalkanes. The reaction proceeds in the presence of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-o-phenylenediamine (NN-1) as a ligand in combination with CuI as a catalyst. This catalyst system enables the coupling of primary alkyl iodides and bromides with electron-neutral and electron-rich triarylaluminum reagents and af...

Economic and environmentally friendly bio-mimetic one-pot three and four-component Knoevenagel-hydrogenation (K-H), five-component Knoevenagel-hydrogenation-alkylation (K-H-A) and six-component Knoevenagel-hydrogenation-alkylation-Huisgen cycloaddition (K-H-A-HC) reactions of aldehydes, CH-acids, o-phenylenediamine, alkyl halides and azides using proline, proline-metal carbonate and proline-met...

Aromatic amines represent a category of classical environmental hazards which require biotransformation in order to exert their mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. The mutagenic activity of several aromatic amines was tested by means of the w/w+ somatic assay of Drosophila melanogaster employing a wild-type strain Leiden Standard (LS) and an insecticide-resistant stock Hikone-R (HK-R). Four mon...

Incubation of spinach chloroplast membranes for 90 minutes in the presence of 50 mm KCN and 100 mum HgCl(2) produces an inhibition of photosystem I activity which is stable to washing and to storage of the chloroplasts at -70 C. Subsequent exposure of these preparations to NH(2)OH and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid destroys O(2) evolution and flow of electrons from water to oxidized p-phenylen...