Neotropical orchids of subtribes Stanhopeinae and Catasetinae are exclusively pollinated by euglossine bees (Euglossini). This study determines whether orchids present specific combinations and proportions of chemical odors in order to attract a limited subset of euglossine bee species, thereby avoiding hybridization that may result from the attraction of too many pollinators. Chemical baits of...

Starting from allyl 2-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (3), allyl (2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-(1→4)-2-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (5) was synthesized under Helferich conditions. Module 5 was converted to 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-2-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl bromide (8) which was then coupled with methyl (allyl 2,3-di...

The aim of the following research was to formulate benzyl benzoate in emulgel form and to evaluate the release of the medicament from it. Emulgel containing 25% w/w of benzyl benzoate was prepared by addition of a gelling agent; Carbopol 934 to an emulsion using Span 80 as emulsifying agent. The release of benzyl benzoate was determined by Franz diffusion cell using cellulose acetate membrane f...

Highly potent and selective CYP2C19 inhibitors are not currently available. In the present study, N-3-benzyl derivatives of nirvanol and phenobarbital were synthesized, their respective (+)- and (-)-enantiomers resolved chromatographically, and inhibitor potencies determined for these compounds toward CYP2C19 and other human liver cytochromes P450 (P450s). (-)-N-3-Benzyl-phenobarbital and (+)-N...

      In view of potential biological activities of small molecule polyamides, we synthesized some novel N-(2-aminoethyl)-1-benzyl-2- (alkylthio)-1H-imidazole-5-carboxamide (7a,b), and N-(2-(1-benzyl-2-(alkylthio) -1H-imidazole- 5-carboxamido) ethyl)-1-benzyl-2- (alkylthio)-1H-imidazole-5-carboxamides (8a,b) as antitumor agents. The antitumor activity of compounds 7a,b and 8a,b was studied at c...

A highly efficient Ullmann homocoupling reaction of aryl halides using palladium (II) phosphine-ylide complexes as homogenous pre-catalysts under aerobic conditions has been developed without the need for any chemical co‐reducing agents. The procedure is relatively mild and appears to have broad applicability, being useful for the homocoupling of both electron-deficient and electron-rich aryl h...

Benzyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase (BADH) is an important enzyme for hydrocarbon degradation, which can oxidize benzyl alcohols to aldehydes, while being capable of catalyzing a reversible reaction by reducing benzaldehyde. BADH is a member of medium chain alcohol dehydrogenases, in which zinc and NAD are essential for enzyme activity. This paper describes the expression, purification, and characteri...

Two unique low-dimensional benzyl viologen iodoplumbates [Pb(13)I(38)][B'V](6) (1) and [(Pb(5)I(14))(BV)(2)](n) (2) were prepared from solvothermal reactions of benzyl alcohol with 4,4'-bipy, PbI(2), I(2) and a small amount of water in acetonitrile. The semiconducting properties of the single crystals 1 and 2 along with Zn/Cl-doped samples 2a and 2b were investigated.