An easy entry to uncommon 2-propargylbenzaldehydes was developed. 2-Propargylbenzaldehydes demonstrated to be suitable building blocks for the synthesis of 3-benzyl isoquinolines by microwave promoted domino imination/cycloisomerisation in the presence of ammonium acetate. A small library of 3-benzyl isoquinolines was obtained in good yields under mild reaction conditions. Two alternative plaus...

1-Benzyl-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)piperidine-3-carboxamide and 4-benzyl-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)piperazine-2-carboxamide, two conformationally restricted analogues of tocainide, were designed and synthesized as voltage-gated skeletal muscle sodium channel blockers. They showed, with respect to tocainide, a marked increase in both potency and use-dependent block.

A copper-mediated three-component approach towards the synthesis of 3-cyanoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines from 2-aminopyridines, acetophenones and benzyl cyanide was developed. This cascade reaction proceeds through a copper-mediated oxidative release of cyanide from benzyl cyanide, a copper-mediated Ortoleva-King reaction, and a copper-catalyzed cyanation.

The β-ketoester benzyl acetoacetate was enantioselectively reduced to benzyl (S)-3-hydroxybutanoate by seven microorganism species. The best result using free cells was obtained with the yeast Hansenula sp., which furnished 97% ee and 85% of conversion within 24 h. After immobilization in calcium alginate spheres, K.marxianus showed to be more stable after 2 cycles of reaction.

Benzyl ether protected polyhydroxylated alkene compounds containing allylic alcohol, ether or ester functionality undergo a stereospecific cyclisation reaction upon treatment with TFA-acetonitrile-toluene with inversion of configuration at the allylic position and loss of a benzyl ether to give tetrahydrofurans.

A phenol-catalyzed aerobic oxidative styryl ether formation method was developed with benzyl alcohol under basic DMSO. Styryl ether was obtained after 12 hours of heating at 60-80 °C where DMSO was involved in the reaction as the extra carbon source. Control experiments indicated that both phenol and DMSO are crucial for the success of the reaction. A variety of styryl ethers were prepared smoo...

BACKGROUND The overproduction of nitric oxide (NO) is known to involve in various inflammatory processes. A methanol extract of the tubers of Ophiopogon japonicus was found to strongly inhibit NO production. The present paper deals with the isolation, structural identification and NO inhibitory effect of five compounds isolated from the MeOH extract of O. japonicus tubers. RESULTS Three new c...