The cover picture shows that a sulfur-substituted 4-quinolizidinone, previously prepared by an aza-Diels-Alder reaction and ring-closing metathesis, has now been used to complete the formal synthesis of cermizine C and 5-epi-cermizine C, and for other useful synthetic transformations. More discussions are presented in the article by Prof. Shang-Shing P. Chouet al. on page 1260–1266.

This article describes the applicability of CuO-CeO₂ nanocomposite as a green, and efficient basic recyclable catalyst for the synthesis of 1,8-dioxo-octahydroxanthene in water. The main advantages of this method are: Introduction of a new catalyst for the promotion of the synthesis of very important biologically active compounds (xanthene derivatives), short reaction times, high yields of the products, easy and clean work-up procedures.

A facile and environmentally benign procedure for the synthesis of 3-aryl-1H-spiro[indoline-3′,2-quinazoline]2′,4(3H)-dione from isatoic anhydride, aromatic amines and isatin derivatives in Brønsted acidic ionic liquid, 1-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate, was reported.

Citric acid catalyzed one-pot combination of ethyl acetoacetate, aldehyde and urea or thiourea in ethanol under reflux conditions to obtain the corresponding 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones/thiones.

(a) In first half cycle, one electron ionizes, yielding a proton p and the donor D. (b) During second half cycle, another electron ionizes and D becomes positively charged and expels p towards the acceptor A. (c) Interplay of the p-A interaction V and the field F. (d) The (Ap)⁺ ion is formed and subsequently dissociates from the D⁺ ion.

Relative alignment of all the molecules to one another (the most active compound S,CIS-8dd was used as a template for superposition)

This work showed that Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions significantly enhance the chaperone-like activity of wild type rat lens αB-crystallin up to 9.64% and 35.14%, respectively, and also induces the dissociation and re-association of the aggregates into a high molecular weight aggregates with molecular weights higher than 1400 kDa and then precipitates. These results may suggest that in an in vivo lens, Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions could bind with α-crystallin to form a stable complex that enhances its chaperone-like activity; while in a way, it could be a key factor leading to the formation of cataracts.

The antibacterial activity of 13 novel 4-thiazolidinone (4-TZONs) and four dithiolane derivatives was assessed against bacterial species including MRSA. The activity of 4-TZONs depends mainly on the presence of specific groups (C5-p-choropheny and C2 dicarboxyethyl). No characteristic fungal activity was observed; however, some C5-p-nitro thiazolidin-4-ones displayed synergestic effect with a few commercial antiobiotics.

The dicopper(II) complex [Cu₂L₂](ClO₄)₄ L = 2,2′-bipyridyl-6,6′-bis(2-acetylpyrazinohydrazone) was synthesized and the structure of dicopper double-helicate was confirmed by X-ray diffractometry. The self-assembling process was studied by UV-Vis spectrometric titration experiments which revealed the formation of dinuclear complexes [Cu₂L₂](ClO₄)₄. Variable-temperature magnetic measurements reveal weak antiferromagnetic interactions between Cu(II) ion centers with J = -0.63 cm⁻¹.

A sequential injection SIA-chemiluminescence method can be satisfactory applied for rapid quantitative and reproducible determination of glucosamine sulphate in its tablets and biological fluids.

A new modified pencil-lead electrode with bismuth thin film was reported based on an experimental design method for the preparation of modified electrode. On the prepared modified electrode, the electrocatalytic behaviour of metronidazole was exploited. This work introduces a sensitive detection system for the mercury-free reduction and determination of metronidazole in pharmaceutical and biological samples by using differential pulse voltammetry and amperometry methods.

Sulfur-substituted 4-quinolizidinones, previously prepared by aza-Diels-Alder reactions and ring-closing metathesis, are now subjected to further synthetic transformations. Formal synthesis of cermizine C and 5-epi-cermizine C, and some other useful reactions have been achieved.

Reductive amination a variety of aldehydes and anilines to their corresponding secondary amines were carried out with NaBH₄/B(OH)₃ and NaBH₄/Al(OH)₃ as new reducing systems in CH₃CN at room temperature in high to excellent yields of products (90-96%).

N-Nitrosation of different types of secondary amines has been carried out using HClO₄-SiO₂ and NaNO₂ under heterogeneous conditions.

Liquid-phase and solid-phase extractions in combination with a simple micellar electrokinetic chromatography method were used to investigate human very low-density lipoprotein lipids for two healthy donors. At absorbance 200 nm, a major peak and several minor peaks appeared for the total lipids of native VLDL, but both the peak numbers and areas reduced for the in vitro oxidized VLDL.

A new ionic liquid 1-(3-chloro-2-hydroxy-propyl)-3-methylimidazolium trifluoroacetate was used as the modifier for the preparation of the carbon paste electrode (CPE), which showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of guanosine-5′-triphosphate (5′-GTP). Electrochemical parameters of 5′-GTP on IL-CPE were calculated and a sensitive differential pulse voltammetric method for the detection of 5′-GTP was proposed.