Catalytic Intermolecular Hetero-Dehydro-Diels–Alder Cycloadditions: Regio- and Diasteroselective Synthesis of 5,6-Dihydropyridin-2-ones

A novel catalyzed intermolecular heterodehydro-Diels–Alder reaction between push–pull 1,3-dien-5-ynes and aldimines or silylaldimines is reported. The sequence is promoted both by gold(I) or silver(I) catalysts and leads to the diastereo- and regioselective formation of 5,6-dihydropyridin-2-onesMICINN (Spain) (grants CTQ2009-09949, CTQ2010-16790, PTA2008-1524-P contract to J.M.F.-G. and Ramon y Cajal postdoctoral contract to M.A.F.-R.) and FICYT (project IB08-088)This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Organic letters, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see http://pubs.acs.org/page/policy/articlesonrequest/index.htm

A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Pioglitazone in Combination with Riluzole in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Pioglitazone, an oral anti-diabetic that stimulates the PPAR-gamma transcription factor, increased survival of mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a phase II, double blind, multicentre, placebo controlled trial of pioglitazone in ALS patients under riluzole. 219 patients were randomly assigned to receive 45 mg/day of pioglitazone or placebo (one: one allocation ratio). The primary endpoint was survival. Secondary endpoints included incidence of non-invasive ventilation and tracheotomy, and slopes of ALS-FRS, slow vital capacity, and quality of life as assessed using EUROQoL EQ-5D. The study was conducted under a two-stage group sequential test, allowing to stop for futility or superiority after interim analysis. Shortly after interim analysis, 30 patients under pioglitazone and 24 patients under placebo had died. The trial was stopped for futility; the hazard ratio for primary endpoint was 1.21 (95% CI: 0.71-2.07, p = 0.48). Secondary endpoints were not modified by pioglitazone treatment. Pioglitazone was well tolerated. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Pioglitazone has no beneficial effects on the survival of ALS patients as add-on therapy to riluzole. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00690118

Carbon nanodots revised : the thermal citric acid/urea reaction

Luminescent compounds obtained from the thermal reaction of citric acid and urea have been studied and utilized in different applications in the past few years. The identified reaction products range from carbon nitrides over graphitic carbon to distinct molecular fluorophores. On the other hand, the solid, non-fluorescent reaction product produced at higher temperatures has been found to be a valuable precursor for the CO2-laser-assisted carbonization reaction in carbon laser-patterning. This work addresses the question of structural identification of both, the fluorescent and non-fluorescent, reaction products obtained in the thermal reaction of citric acid and urea. The reaction products during autoclave-microwave reactions in the melt were thoroughly investigated in dependence of the reaction temperature and the reaction products were subsequently separated by a series of solvent extractions and column chromatography. The evolution of a green molecular fluorophore, namely HPPT, was confirmed and a full characterization on its structure and photophysical properties was conducted. The additional blue fluorescence is attributed to oligomeric ureas, which was confirmed by complementary optical and structural characterization. These two components form strong hydrogen-bond networks which eventually react to form solid, semi-crystalline particles with sizes ~7 nm and an elemental composition of 46% C, 22% N, and 29% O. The structural features and properties of all three main components were investigated in a comprehensive characterization study

Molecular Rods Based on Oligo-spiro-thioketals

We report on an extension of the previously established concept of oligospiroketal (OSK) rods by replacing a part or all ketal moieties by thioketals leading to oligospirothioketal (OSTK) rods. In this way, some crucial problems arising from the reversible formation of ketals are circumvented. Furthermore, the stability of the rods toward hydrolysis is considerably improved. To successfully implement this concept, we first developed a number of new oligothiol building blocks and improved the synthetic accessibility of known oligothiols, respectively. Another advantage of thioacetals is that terephthalaldehyde (TAA) sleeves, which are too flexible in the case of acetals can be used in OSTK rods. The viability of the OSTK approach was demonstrated by the successful preparation of some OSTK rods with a length of some nanometers

Molecular Rods Based on Oligo-spiro-thioketals

We report on an extension of the previously established concept of oligospiroketal (OSK) rods by replacing a part or all ketal moieties by thioketals leading to oligospirothioketal (OSTK) rods. In this way, some crucial problems arising from the reversible formation of ketals are circumvented. Furthermore, the stability of the rods toward hydrolysis is considerably improved. To successfully implement this concept, we first developed a number of new oligothiol building blocks and improved the synthetic accessibility of known oligothiols, respectively. Another advantage of thioacetals is that terephthalaldehyde (TAA) sleeves, which are too flexible in the case of acetals can be used in OSTK rods. The viability of the OSTK approach was demonstrated by the successful preparation of some OSTK rods with a length of some nanometers