Synthetic and mechanistic investigation of new radical processes: reaction of organic azides with group-XIII Lewis acids

Dichloroindium hydride revealed to be a valid alternative to tributyltin hydride for radical reduction of organic (alkyl, aryl, acyl, solfonyl) azides. The new approach entails mild reaction conditions and provides high yields of the corresponding amines and amides, also showing high degrees of selectivity. The system dichloroindium hydride / azides can be utilised in fivemembered ring closures of g-azidonitriles, as a new source of aminyl radicals for the attractive synthesis of interesting amidine compounds in the absence of both toxic reagents and tedious purification procedures. Allylindium dichloride seems a good substitute for dichloroindium hydride for generation of indium centred radicals under photolytic conditions, since it allows allylation of electrophilic azides (e.g. phenylsulfonyl azide) and halogen or ester δ-substituted azides, the latter through a 1,5-H transfer rearrangement mechanism. Evidences of the radical nature of the reactions mechanism were provided by ESR spectroscopy, furthermore the same technique, allowed to discover that the reaction of azides with indium trichloride and other group XIII Lewis acids, in particular gallium trichloride, gives rise to strongly coloured, persistent paramagnetic species, whose structure is consistent with the radical cation of the head-to-tail dimer of the aniline corresponding to the starting azide.

First evidences of the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish neural activity and their implications in behaviour

Programa de doctorado: Acuicultura: producción controlada de animales acuáticos; Grupo de Investigación en Acuicultura (GIA)

N-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular prevention

In this study we elucidate the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, focusing the attention on their role in the modulation of acyl composition of cell lipids and of gene expression. Regarding this latter mechanism, the effectiveness of PUFAs as activators of two transcriptional factors, SREBPs and PPARs, have been considered. Two different model system have been used: primary cultures of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and an human hepatoma cell line (HepG2). Cells have been supplemented with different PUFAs at physiological concentration, and special attention has been devoted to the main n-3 PUFAs, EPA and DHA. PUFAs influence on global gene expression in cardiomyocytes has been evaluated using microarray technique. Furthermore, since it is not fully elucidated which transcription factors are involved in this modulation in the heart, expression and activation of the three different PPAR isoforms have been investigated. Hepatocytes have been used as experimental model system in the evaluation of PUFAs effect on SREBP activity. SREBPs are considered the main regulator of cholesterol and triglyceride synthesis, which occur mainly in the liver. In both experimental models the modification of cell lipid fatty acid composition subsequent to PUFAs supplementation has been evaluated, and related to the effects observed at molecular level. The global vision given by the obtained results may be important for addressing new researches and be useful to educators and policy makers in setting recommendations for reaching optimal health through good nutrition.

Tropospheric carboxylic acids in tropical rainforest environments

Der Übergang der Grenzschicht von stark ozeanisch auf kontinental beeinflusst wurde in 2 tropischen Küstenwaldgebieten Amerikas untersucht, wo Luftmassen vom Meer kommend über den Kontinent transportiert werden.Zwei Feldkampagnen wurden durchgeführt; in Costa Rica (CR; 07.1996) und in Surinam (04.1998). In CR wurde im nordöstlichen Flachgebiet (etwa 10°25' N; 84°W) Regenwasser gesammelt, in dem später Carboxylate, anorganischen Anionen, Ca2+, K+, NH4+ und Mg2+ gemessen wurden. Die Proben wurden an 5 verschiedenen Stellen entlang der Windrichtung 1, 20, 60, 60 und 80 km von der Küste gesammelt. In Surinam (Sipaliwini, 2°02' N, 56°08' W) wurden organischen Säuren aus der Gasphase gesammelt etwa 550 km von der Küste entfernt, sowohl wie O3 und CO. Die Proben wurden mittels Ionenchromatographie und Kapillarelektrophorese analysiert. Morgendliche Einmischung der nächtlichen residualen Schicht und Luft der unteren freien Troposphäre war Hauptquelle für HCOOH und CH3COOH in der Tagesmischschicht. Es wurde gezeigt, dass lokale Produktion dieser Säuren durch chemische Reaktionen eine kleine Rolle gespielt hat und dass direkte Emission vernachlässigbar war.Aus den beiden Feldkampagnen folgt, dass die Konzentrationen der sekundären Verbindungen HCOOH, CH3COOH, Ozon und CO in der Tagesmischschicht von Importen bestimmt wurden, was gilt für Regen- und Trockenzeit bis zu Entfernungen von 550 km zur Küste.