H. S. C. Spies

A mutagen produced by Fusarium moniliforme

A mutagenic compound produced by Fusarium moniliforme on maize was isolated by CHCl3--iso-PrOH extraction, solvent partitioning and liquid chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. HPLC studies showed that different mutagenic and non-mutagenic forms can be derived from the mutagen (P3) and that prolonged exposure to longwave u.v. light and to high temperatures causes a total loss of its u.v. absorption and mutagenic characteristics. Spectral data presented for P3 include u.v., i.r., mass spectra as well as 1H NMR and 13C NMR. Mass spectral data indicated a molecular formula of C23H29NO7.

Synthesis of mycothiol, 1D-1-O-(2-[N-acetyl-l-cysteinyl]amino-2-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranosyl)-myo-inositol, principal low molecular mass thiol in the actinomycetes

Members of the actinomycetes produce 1D-1-O-(2-[N-acetyl-L-cysteinyl]amino-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-myo-inositol or mycothiol 1 as principal low molecular mass thiol. Chemical synthesis of a biosynthetic precursor of mycothiol, the pseudodisaccharide 1D-1-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-myo-inositol 13 was achieved by the following steps: (1) Enantioselective synthesis gave the glycosyl acceptors (-)-2,3,4,5,6-penta-O-acetyl-D-myo-inositol D-7 and the corresponding L-isomer L-7. (2) Condensation of D-7 and L-7 with the glycosyl donor 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-(2,4-dinitrophenylamino)-alpha-D-glucopyranosylbromide afforded the corresponding alpha and beta anomeric products, which could be resolved by silica gel chromatography. (3) Deprotection of these by hydrolysis using an anion exchange resin gave 1D- and 1L-1-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-myo-inositol 13 and 15 and the corresponding beta-coupled anomers 14 and 16. Only 13, and to a much lesser extent 15, were used by enzymes present in an ammonium sulphate fraction of a cellfree extract of Mycobacterium smegmatis for the enzymatic synthesis of mycothiol. In the absence of acetyl-SCoA, the immediate biosynthetic precursor of 1, desacetylmycothiol, was the major product.

Mammalian exocrine secretions. XII: Constituents of interdigital secretions of bontebok, Damaliscus dorcas dorcas, and blesbok, D. d. phillipsi

In addition to the nine compounds identified in the interdigital secretion of the bontebok, Damaliscus dorcas dorcas, in a previous study, 76 compounds belonging to different compound types, were identified in the interdigital secretions of the bontebok and the blesbok, D. d. phillipsi. These compounds include alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, fatty acids, terpenoids, γ-lactones, an isopropyl ester, long-chain hydroxyesters, 2-substituted pyridines, phenols, steroids, and dimethylsulfone. No qualitative differences were found between secretions from the two sexes or from animals from different habitats. Although no attempt was made to correlate territorial behavior or other behavioral phenomena with the qualitative composition of interdigital secretions from individual animals, available information seems to indicate that quantitative differences probably do not have a major semiochemical function. Only two species of bacteria, Bacillus brevis and Planococcus citreus, were found in the interdigital pouches of male and female members of the two subspecies, regardless of the habitat of the animals. B. brevis synthesized, among other unidentified constituents, (Z)-3-penten-2-ol, 2-hexanone, 2-octanone, 2-nonanone, tetradecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, (Z)-9-hexadecenoic acid, and isopropyl hexadecanoate in vitro, while P. citreus produced, among others, the γ-lactones dodecan-4-olide and (Z)-6-dodecen-4-olide, which is one of the major constituents of the interdigital secretions of both subspecies. Some components of the interdigital secretions are not present in the interdigital glandular tissue, and the possibility is discused that these compounds could be produced by microbiological activity in the interdigital pouch.

Constituents of wing gland and abdominal hair pencil secretions of male African sugarcane borer,Eldana saccharina walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

In addition totrans-3,7-dimethyl-6-octen-4-olide (eldanolide), vanillin, and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, identified by French workers in the wing gland and abdominal hair pencil secretions of the male African sugarcane borer,Eldana saccharina, we have, in an earlier note, reported the presence of several other terpenoid, aromatic, and unbranched-chain compounds such as, (Z)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienoic acid, 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanol, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol, 1-octadecane thiol, 16-hexadecanolide, and 18-octadecanolide in these secretions. In the present paper experimental details and spectral evidence supporting the identification of these compounds, as well as the identification of (Z)-9-hexadecenal and cw-3,7-di-methyl-6-octen-4-olide (cis-eldanolide), are reported. Using electroantennography it was found that male and female antennae reacted approximately equally strongly to both secretions. This result was confirmed in analyses of the secretions using coupled gas chromatography-electroantennography and it was found that male as well as female antennae responded to eldanolide. Vanillin, substituted phenols related to vanillin, and some oxygenated monoterpenes elicited weak responses in male and female antennae. In some analyses 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanol, present in the secretions of the insect, gave a strong antennal response. The results obtained in dynamic and static headspace determinations showed that several of the organic compounds present in the glandular secretions are released in detectable quantities and are present in widely varying quantitative ratios in the effluvia of individual calling male moths.

Synthesis and characterisation of N-coordinated pentafluorophenyl gold(i) thiazole-derived complexes and an unusual self-assembly to form a tetrameric gold(i) complexElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Characterisation data for 1. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/dt/b3/b303625a/

Treatment of [Au(C6F5)(SC4H8)] (1) (SC4H8 = tetrahydrothiophene or tht) with HCNC(CH3)C(H)S, CH3SCNC(CH3)C(H)S, (I) or piperidine yields the neutral mononuclear imine complexes [Au(C6F5){NC(H)SC(H)CCH3}] (2) and [Au(C6F5){NC(SCH3)SC(H)CCH3}] (3), or the amine complex [Au(C6F5){N(H)CH2(CH2)3CH2}] (4). The reaction of 1 with SCN(H)C(CH3)C(H)S, (II) affords the thione complex [Au(C6F5){SCN(H)C(CH3)C(H)S}] (5), which, in CH2Cl2via spontaneous intermolecular deprotonation of the thione ligand, self-assembles to an unique tetramer of Au(I), [Au{SCNC(CH3)C(H)S}]4 (6) containing a folded rectangle of Au-atoms with aurophlilic interactions [av. Au⋯Au distance, 3.02(4) A and av. Au–Au–Au angle, 87(2)°]. N-coordination of the imine complexes has been confirmed by 15N NMR and the crystal structure determination of 2 which exhibits the expected linear N-coordination and intermolecular Au⋯Au [3.345(1) A] contacts. The crystal structure of 5 shows thione S-coordination of II to the central Au atom.

Constituents of osmeterial secretion of pre-final instar larvae of citrus swallowtail, Papilio demodocus (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae).

The defensive osmeterial secretion of pre-final instar larvae of the citrus swallowtail,Papilio demodocus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) was found to contain methyl 3-hydroxybutanoate, 3-hydroxybutanoic acid, α-pinene, myrcene, limonene, β-phellandrene, (Z)-ocimene, (E)-ocimene, β-caryophyllene, (E)-β-farnesene, and germacrene-A, as well as a further number of unidentified sesquiterpenoid constituents. The presence of germacrene-A in the secretion was inferred from the formation of β-elemene under certain GC conditions. Larvae of the second, third, and fourth instars produce qualitatively similar secretions. Remarkable quantitative differences were found between the secretions of individual larvae. These variations could not be correlated with the diet on which the larvae were fed, their sex, instar, or color form. However, in a number of larvae the two prongs of the osmeterium were found to produce quantitatively different secretions.

Mammalian exocrine secretions XV. Constituents of secretion of ventral gland of male dwarf hamster, Phodopus sungorus sungorus

In a study aimed at the chemical characterization of constituents of the ventral gland secretion of the male dwarf hamster, Phodopus sungorus sungorus, 48 compounds, including saturated alcohols, saturated and unsaturated ketones, saturated and unsaturated straight-chain carboxylic acids, iso- and anteisocarboxylic acids, 3-phenylpropanoic acid, hydroxyesters, 2-piperidone, and some steroids were identified in the secretion. The position of the double bonds in γ-icosadienyl-γ-butyrolactone and γ-henicosadienyl-γ-butyrolactone, and the position of methylbranching in seven C16–C21saturated ketones could not be established. Several constituents with typically steroidal mass spectra also remained unidentified. The female dwarf hamsters ventral gland either does not produce secretion or produced so little secretion that it was impossible to collect enough material for analysis.

Mammalian exocrine secretions: IX. Constituents of preorbital secretion of oribi,Ourebia, ourebi.

Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in conjunction with ancillary techniques such as chemical ionization with different reactant gases, determination of the position of double bonds by means of dimethyl disulfide derivatization, and finally gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric comparison with authentic synthetic material, 75 constituents were identified in the preorbital secretion of the male oribi,Ourebia ourebi. The secretion contains compounds with long-chain, unbranched structures similar to those found in many other preorbital secretions but with a finite volatility range, in contrast to the seemingly endlessly increasing chain lengths typical of other preorbital secretions.

Mammalian pheromone studies, IV*. Terpenoid Compounds and Hydroxy Esters from the Dorsal Gland of the Springbok, Antidorcas marsupialis

Acyclic terpenoid compounds, aldehydes, ketones, hydroxy esters, and dimethyl sulphone were identified in the dorsal exudate of the antelope Antidorcas marsupialis. The novel diterpenes α- and β-springene, found in this exudate, were synthesised from famesyl acetone

Mammalian exocrine secretions. XIV : Constituents of preorbital secretion of Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris

In a study aimed primarily at qualitative comparison of the organic constituents of the preorbital secretion of the steenbok, Raphicerus campestris, with those previously found in the preorbital secretion of the grysbok, R. melanotis, 109 compounds were identified in the secretion of the steenbok. Although the secretions from the two antelope are similar in that they are mostly long-chain, unbranched, saturated and unsaturated alcohols and various derivatives of these alcohols, only 22 of the identified compounds are present in both secretions. This is a small percentage of the more than 260 compounds present in the secretion of the steenbok, which is much more complex than that of the grysbok.