Publications
12.Linear C2-Symmetric Polycyclic Benzodithiophene: Efficient, Highly Diversified Approaches and the Optical Properties
C. H. Wang, R. Hu, S. Liang, J. H. Chen. Z. Yang*, J. Pei*
Tetrahedron Lett., 2005, 46, 8153.
Two facile approaches to two new series of the seven-rings fused benzodithiophene-based polycyclic aromatics are developed in good yields.
11.A Concise and Diversity-Oriented Strategy for the Synhteis of Benzofurans and Indoles via Ugi and Dields-Alder Reaction
K. Lu, T. P. Luo, Z. Xiang, Z. J. You, R. Fathi, J. H. Chen*, Z. Yang*
A one-pot synthesis of diverse benzofurans and indoles from readily available starting materials was achieved via the sequential Ugi four-component reaction, intramolecular Diels−Alder reaction, and oxidative aromatization.
10.Novel PdII-Mediated Cascade Carboxylative Annulation to Construct Benzo[b]furan-3-carboxylic Acids
Y. Liao*, J. Smith, R. Fathi*, Z. Yang*
Benzo[b]furan-3-carboxylic acid (2) was generated from 1 by forming three new bonds in one step via a PdII-mediated cascade carboxylative annulation. The proposed mechanism was supported by the observation of an unusual acetylation of 1 as a side reaction together with an 18O-labeling study.
9.Exploring an Expedient IMDA Reaction Approach to Construct the Guanacastepene Core
C. C. Li. S. Liang, X. H. Zhang, Z. X. Xie, J. H. Chen*, Y. D.Wu*, Z. Yang*
Construction of the [5-7-6] tricyclic core of guanacastepenes was attempted by using the intramolecular Diels−Alder (IMDA) reaction and Me3Al-mediated ring opening of the oxabridge as key synthetic steps. The illustrated chemistry demonstrated a synthetic feasibility to build up the framework of guanacastepenes by the IMDA reaction.
8.Wedelolactone suppresses LPS-induced caspase-11 expression by directly inhibiting the IKK Complex
M. Kobori, Z. Yang, V. Heissmeyer, H. Zhu, Y. K. Jung, M. A. M. Gakidis, A. Rao, T. Sekine, F. Ikegami, C. Yuan, J. Yuan
Cell Death and Differ. 2004, 11, 123.
Caspase-11 is a key regulator of proinflammatory cytokine IL-1
maturation and pathological apoptosis. Caspase-11 is not expressed in most tissues under normal condition, but highly inducible upon pathological stimulation such as in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Here, we describe the identification and characterization of wedelolactone, a natural compound that inhibits LPS-induced caspase-11 expression in cultured cells by inhibiting NF-
B-mediated transcription. We demonstrate that wedelolactone is an inhibitor of IKK, a kinase critical for activation of NF-B by mediating phosphorylation and degradation of IB
.
