Abstract: Disclosed are ester compounds of the formulae wherein Rc is alkylene, arylene, arylalkylene, or alkylarylene as further defined herein, Rd is alkylene, arylene, arylalkylene, or alkylarylene as further defined herein, and m and n are integers representing the numbers of repeat monomer units. The materials are suitable for use in inks and other applications.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing isopimaric acid, comprising the following steps: First step: dissolving thermally isomerized rosin in acetone, adding in drops a solution of isobutanolamine in acetone to form a precipitate, standing, filtering, washing with ethanol, and drying to obtain crude ammonium salt of isopimaric acid; recrystallizing the crude ammonium salt of isopimaric acid according to multi-recrystallization, and drying to obtain purified crystal of ammonium salt of isopimaric acid; Second step: dissolving the purified crystal of ammonium salt of isopimaric acid obtained in the first step in ether, adding hydrochloric acid in portions until the crystal of ammonium salt of isopimaric acid disappears, removing a water layer and washing the ether layer with water to neutral, evaporating the ether, dissolving the residue in acetone, adding water slowly into the solution dropwise until crystals cease to grow, then filtering and drying to obtain purified isopimaric acid.

Abstract: New pharmaceutical compositions extracted from Ferula assa-foetida are confirmed to effectively treat influenza A (H1N1) virus. The extraction method of the new pharmaceutical compositions mainly includes steps of: (a) extracting F. assa-foetida with methanol to obtain a crude extract; (b) fractioning the crude extract with n-hexane-methanol to obtain a methanol extract; (c) fractioning the methanol extract with chloroform-water to obtain a chloroform extract; and (d) chromatographing the chloroform extract to obtain the pharmaceutical compositions, which can be further fractioned and chromatographed to obtain various sesquiterpene coumarins.

Abstract: Neurite outgrowth-promoting prostaglandins (NEPPs) and other electrophilic compounds bind to Keap1, a negative regulator of the transcription factor Nrf2, and prevent Keap1-mediated inactivation of Nrf2 and, thus, enhance Nrf2 translocation into the nucleus of neuronal cells. Therefore, neuroprotective compositions and related methods are provided that employ such neuroprotective compounds, and prodrugs of such compounds, to cause dissociation of Nrf2 from a Keap1/Nrf2 complex.

Abstract: Neurite outgrowth-promoting prostaglandins (NEPPs) and other electrophilic compounds bind to Keap1, a negative regulator of the transcription factor Nrf2, and prevent Keap1-mediated inactivation of Nrf2 and, thus, enhance Nrf2 translocation into the nucleus of neuronal cells. Therefore, neuroprotective compositions and related methods are provided that employ such neuroprotective compounds, and prodrugs of such compounds, to cause dissociation of Nrf2 from a Keap1/Nrf2 complex.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing isopimaric acid, comprising the following steps: First step: dissolving thermally isomerized rosin in acetone, adding in drops a solution of isobutanolamine in acetone to form a precipitate, standing, filtering, washing with ethanol, and drying to obtain crude ammonium salt of isopimaric acid; recrystallizing the crude ammonium salt of isopimaric acid according to multi-recrystallization, and drying to obtain purified crystal of ammonium salt of isopimaric acid; Second step: dissolving the purified crystal of ammonium salt of isopimaric acid obtained in the first step in ether, adding hydrochloric acid in portions until the crystal of ammonium salt of isopimaric acid disappears, removing a water layer and washing the ether layer with water to neutral, evaporating the ether, dissolving the residue in acetone, adding water slowly into the solution dropwise until crystals cease to grow, then filtering and drying to obtain purified isopimaric acid.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the manufacture of aromatic carboxylic acids by exothermic liquid phase oxidation of an aromatic feedstock. More particularly, this invention relates to the efficient energy recovery of the exotherm produced by the liquid phase oxidation of an aromatic feedstock. An apparatus useful in recovery of energy from the preparation of aromatic carboxylic acids by the exothermic liquid phase reaction of an aromatic feedstock is described where the primary means of energy recovery is by raising moderate pressure steam. This is coupled with a process to recovery low temperature energy using a process commonly known as an organic Rankine cycle and/or a heat pump. The combination of energy recovery methods increases the overall energy recovery and enables the recovery of reaction energy as either thermal energy (steam) or work or a combination of both.

Abstract: Incubations with Nocardia sp., NRRL 5646 were conducted to produce new derivatives of the abietane-diterpene chemoprotectant and antioxidant, carnosic acid. Reduction of the C-20 carboxylic acid functional group followed by methylation at the C-12 phenol afforded the novel compound 11,20-dihydroxy-12-methoxy-abiet-8,11,13-triene. Oxidative cyclization of carnosic acid to carnosol followed by dihydroxylation at the isopropyl moiety afforded the novel compound 11,12,16,17-tetrahydroxy-7-10-(epoxymethano)-abiet-8,11,13-triene-20-one. The metabolites are new carnosic acid derivatives whose structures were confirmed by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopic analysis. The radical quenching properties of the new metabolites using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging assay showed activities improved over that of mixed tocopherols and carnosic acid.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved process for the continuous production of aromatic carboxylic acids by the liquid-phase oxidation of an alkyl aromatic compound with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of oxidation catalyst which results in reduced wastewater generation, reduced condensing capacity requirements, and, optionally, increased power recovery, and. The process effectively utilizes the heat of reaction in the process of removing excess water generated from the reaction and minimizes the loss of solvent used as the carrier for the reaction catalyst by removing reactor off-gas directly into a water removal column for distillation. A portion of the overhead aqueous vapors are removed from the top of the water removal column as a vapor distillate, with the remaining overhead aqueous vapors being condensed then subsequently refluxed to the fractionating zone of the water removal column.

Abstract: A process for recovering cobalt and manganese components from a product stream or a residue stream that resulted from a process which employs a catalyst system containing the cobalt and manganese components for oxidizing pseudocumene to trimellitic acid includes the steps of adding a precipitating agent to the product stream or the residue stream in an effective amount to react with the cobalt and manganese components in the product stream or the residue stream.

Abstract: The compounds of Formula I are useful as immunosuppressive agents.

Abstract: Process for pretreating abietic acid derivatives comprising dissolving an abietic derivative in water to form a 2 to 25% by weight solution, adding a base so that the pH of the solution is from 10 to 14 and removing from 0.5 to 25% by weight of the abietic acid derivative originally present in the solution by extraction or steam distillation while maintaining the pH from 10 to 14.

Abstract: Novel phenanthrene derivatives represented by the general formula (1), ##STR1## wherein the group of the formula ##STR2## is a group of the formula ##STR3## (wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group), a group of the formula ##STR4## (wherein R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or a lower alkanoyl group) or a group of the formula ##STR5## (wherein R.sup.2 is the same as defined above), and salts thereof, and other compounds derived therefrom and salts thereof; processes for preparing the same; and interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitors containing the abovementioned novel phenanthrene derivatives as to the active ingredient(s).

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I)ArCH.sub.2 R.sup.1 (I)or a monomethyl or monoethyl ether thereof (the compound of formula (I) including these ethers may contain no more than 30 carbon atoms in total); ethers, esters, thereof; acid addition salts thereof; wherein Ar is a C.sub.15-18 fused tetracarbocyclic ring system containing 3 or 4 aromatic rings or a C.sub.17-22 fused pentacarbocyclic ring system containing 4, or 5 aromatic rings, or a substituted derivative thereof; the ring system Ar should be planar or deviate only slightly from planarity. Thus, the ring system contains a maximum of two non-aromatic carbon atoms which may be in the same ring, in which case they are adjacent, or in different rings;Ar is not perylene, fluoranthene, chrysene, pyrene, or triphenylene;R.sup.1 contains not more than eight carbon atoms and is a group ##STR1## wherein m is 0 or 1; R.sup.5 is hydrogen;R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are the same or different and each is hydrogen or C.sub.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I)ArCH.sub.2 R.sup.1 (I)or a monomethyl or monoethyl ether thereof (the compound of formula (I) including these ethers may contain no more than 30 carbon atoms in total); ethers, esters, thereof; acid addition salts thereof; wherein Ar is a C.sub.15-18 fused tetracarbocyclic ring system containing 3 or 4 aromatic rings or a C.sub.17-22 fused pentacarbocyclic ring system containing 4, or 5 aromatic rings, or a substituted derivative thereof; the ring system Ar should be planar or deviate only slightly from planarity. Thus, the ring system contains a maximum of two non-aromatic carbon atoms which may be in the same ring, in which case they are adjacent, or in different rings;Ar is not perylene, fluoranthene, chrysene, pyrene, or triphenylene;R.sup.1 contains not more than eight carbon atoms and is a group ##STR1## wherein m is 0 or 1; R.sup.5 is hydrogen;R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are the same or different and each is hydrogen or C.sub.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I)ArCH.sub.2 R.sup.1 (I)or a monomethyl or monoethyl ether thereof (the compound of formula (I) including these ethers may contain no more than 30 carbon atoms in total); ethers, esters, thereof; acid addition salts thereof; wherein Ar is a C.sub.15-18 fused tetracarbocyclic ring system containing 3 or 4 aromatic rings or a C.sub.17-22 fused pentacarbocyclic ring system containing 4, or 5 aromatic rings, or a substituted derivative thereof; the ring system Ar should be planar or deviate only slightly from planarity. Thus, the ring system contains a maximum of two non-aromatic carbon atoms which may be in the same ring, in which case they are adjacent, or in different rings;Ar is not perylene, fluoranthene, chrysene, pyrene, or triphenylene;R.sup.1 contains not more than eight carbon atoms and is a group ##STR1## wherein m is 0 or 1; R.sup.5 is hydrogen;R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are the same or different and each is hydrogen or C.sub.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I)ArCH.sub.2 R.sup.1 (I)or a monomethyl or monoethyl ether thereof (the compound of formula (I) including these ethers may contain no more than 30 carbon atoms in total); ethers, esters, thereof; acid addition salts thereof; wherein Ar is a C.sub.15-18 fused tetracarbocyclic ring system containing 3 or 4 aromatic rings or a C.sub.17-22 fused pentacarbocyclic ring system containing 4, or 5 aromatic rings, or a substituted derivative thereof; the ring system Ar should be planar or deviate only slightly from planarity. Thus, the ring system contains a maximum of two non-aromatic carbon atoms which may be in the same ring, in which case they are adjacent, or in different rings;Ar is not perylene, fluoranthene, chrysene, pyrene, or triphenylene;R.sup.1 contains not more than eight carbon atoms and is a group ##STR1## wherein m is 0 or 1;R.sup.5 is hydrogen;R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are the same or different and each is hydrogen or C.sub.