Licia Viggiani

Characterization of Wines by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance: A Work Study on Wines from the Basilicata Region in Italy

We explored the possibility of differentiating Italian wines produced in different regions by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. Ten commercial red Aglianico wines were selected from different areas of the Basilicata region in the south of Italy. Some important components of these wines were identified by the assignments of their (1)H and (13)C resonances using one- and two-dimensional homonuclear and heteronuclear NMR experiments. These data were compared with those obtained from 10 Aglianico wines produced in Campania, another southern Italian region. Differences were found among the wines according to their geographical origin and vintage. A fine discrimination of Aglianico wines from Basilicata and Campania was obtained, suggesting that the selected NMR parameters may be a valuable tool for wine authenticity control.

Enzyme-catalyzed desymmetrization of meso-skipped polyols to useful chiral building blocks

Abstract the biocatalytic desymmetrization, in presence of different enzymes, of two models of polyfunctionalized diols in a meso form was studied PFL was found to be the most selective enzyme with excellent results in chemical and optical yield with some of the tested substrates. The obtained chiral building block was utilized for some useful synthetic transformations toward the synthesis of natural products

Enzyme catalysed lactonization of 3,5 dihydroxy esters: Enantioselective synthesis of naturally occurring 3-hydroxy-5-decanolide, (−)-massoialactone, and 3-hydroxy-5-icosanolide.

Abstract Synthesis of optically active (+)-3-hydroxy-5-decanolide, (−)-massoialactone and of the recently isolated 3-hydroxy-5-icosanolide was achieved by enzyme-catalysed lactonization of racemic 3,5 dihydroxy esters with PPL in dry Et 2 O. Ees vary from 86% up to >98%.

Facile Entry to 4‐ and 5‐Hydroxybenzofuran and to Their Amino Derivatives

Abstract An innovative one‐step procedure for the synthesis of 4‐hydroxybenzofuran and an improved synthesis of 5‐hydroxybenzofuran is reported. Such compounds were also transformed into their amino derivatives via Smiles rearrangement with good to high overall yields.

Graft Copolymers of lignin from straw with 1-Ethenylbenzene: Synthesis and Characterization

The synthesis of copolymers between lignin from steam-exploded straw and 1-ethenylbenzene is described. Beforehand, lignin from steam-exploded straw was fully characterized by using elemental analysis, ultraviolet spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and both 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Using a previously described procedure utilizing calcium chloride and hydrogen peroxide as reagents the synthesis of the copolymers was performed. FTIR of the copolymers showed the presence of both lignin and polystyrene. GPC analysis showed the presence of a fraction with high molecular weights. These results were confirmed from both viscosity data and differential calorimetry.

UNPRECEDENTED BIOCATALYTIC DESYMMETRIZATION OF HEXITOLS

Abstract An unprecedented biocatalytic desymmetrization of a dulcitol derivative leads to optically active hexitols. The best results have been obtained with PFL or Lipase PS, with ees superior to 98% and chemical yields of 75–86%. The absolute configurations of the title chiral compounds have been determined by transformation into known bromo derivatives, already utilized for the preparation of optically active tetrahydrofurans.

Lipase enhanced catalytic efficiency in lactonisation reactions

Abstract We studied an enantioselective lipase-catalysed transesterification reaction for the production of the statin lactone moiety. It is well known that the chiral cyclic structure of statins is very important for their pharmaceutical activity in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery diseases. We focused our attention on 3 R ,5 R -6-(ethyl-2-phenyl)-4-hydroxytetrahydropyran-2-one ( 2 ); this was synthesised by employing an enantioselective lactonisation reaction catalysed by a commercial preparation of porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) starting from a racemic mixture of syn -diol rac-1 . Optimisation of the reaction conditions for the biocatalysed intramolecular transesterification reaction of the racemic diol 1 was carried out. It was seen that the maximal reaction rate could be greatly enhanced by the addition of solid matrices to the reaction medium.

NMR metabolomics study of follicular fluid in women with cancer resorting to fertility preservation

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible application of metabolomics to identify follicular fluid changes in cancer patients undergoing fertility preservation. Although metabolomics have been applied already in cancer studies, this is the first application on follicular fluid of cancer patients.MethodsWe selected for the study ten patients with breast cancer and lymphoma who resorted to oocyte cryopreservation to preserve fertility and ten healthy women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatments. Follicular fluid was collected at the time of oocytes retrieval. Metabolomic analysis of follicular fluids was performed by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in combination with multivariate analysis to interpret the spectral data. Univariate statistical analysis was applied to find correlations between patients’ features and metabolites identified by NMR.ResultsPartial least squares discriminant analysis allowed to discriminate samples from cancer patients and healthy controls. Univariate statistical analysis found significant correlations between patients’ features and metabolites identified by NMR. This finding allowed to identify biomarkers to differentiate both healthy controls from cancer patients and the two different classes of oncological patients.ConclusionThe follicular fluids of cancer patients display significant metabolic alterations in comparison to healthy subjects. NMR-based metabolomics could be a valid prognostic tool for identifying and selecting the best cryopreserved oocytes and improving the outcome prediction in cancer women undergoing in vitro fertilization.