Two onium ion-tagged prolines, imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide-substituted proline 6 and butyldimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide-substituted proline 7, were synthesised and their catalytic activity in the direct asymmetric aldol condensation was studied in ionic liquids. For the reaction of acetone with various aldehydes, using 5 % of the catalyst, the yields of the aldols varied between 50-85 % while the ee values were in the 80-85 % range. Other ketones were studied too, the yields obtained in those cases being in the 35-78 % range while the enantioselectivities varied between 75-94 %.

We report a method that allows a complete quantitative characterization of whole single cells, assessing the total amount of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sodium, and magnesium and providing submicrometer maps of element molar concentration, cell density, mass, and volume. This approach allows quantifying elements down to 10(6) atoms/μm(3). This result was obtained by applying a multimodal fusion approach that combines synchrotron radiation microscopy techniques with off-line atomic force microscopy. The method proposed permits us to find the element concentration in addition to the mass fraction and provides a deeper and more complete knowledge of cell composition. We performed measurements on LoVo human colon cancer cells sensitive (LoVo-S) and resistant (LoVo-R) to doxorubicin. The comparison of LoVo-S and LoVo-R revealed different patterns in the maps of Mg concentration with higher values within the nucleus in LoVo-R and in the perinuclear region in LoVo-S cells. This feature was not so evident for the other elements, suggesting that Mg compartmentalization could be a significant trait of the drug-resistant cells.

A new series of simple endoperoxides, characterized by a 3-methoxy-1,2-dioxane scaffold, was designed on the basis of a previously developed pharmacophore. Through a simplified and versatile scheme of synthesis, which utilizes cheap and commercially available starting materials, it was possible to obtain several structurally and stereochemically different compounds that were tested against P. falciparum. Most of compounds showed antimalarial activity in the low micromolar range and no cellular toxicity, all being significantly more active on chloroquine resistant (CQ-R) than on chloroquine sensitive (CQ-S) strains. Resulting structure-activity relationships were analyzed by means of experimental and computational techniques, validating our design rationale and tailoring it for the new scaffold. Our study demonstrated that according to the hypothesized mechanism of action, the antimalarial activity can be improved through rational structural modifications, paving the way for the development of new simplified antimalarial endoperoxides.

New fluorescent methylmercury acetylides carrying the anthracene, acridinone, and dansyl frameworks have been prepared and photophysically characterized. These compounds, which partially retain the fluorescence properties of the parent alkynes, suggest a promising use as luminescent labels for the analysis of methylmercury.