Methods of detecting and, optionally, determining a level of incorporation of monolignol ester conjugates into lignin. The methods include derivatizing lignin to acylate at least a portion of free phenolic and aliphatic hydroxyls and to halogenate at least a portion of benzylic alcohols present in the lignin to yield derivatized lignin, treating the derivatized lignin with a reducing agent to cleave at least a portion of the derivatized lignin to yield lignin cleavage products, acetylating at least a portion of free hydroxyl groups in the lignin cleavage products with a labeled acetylation agent to yield labeled lignin fragments, and detecting the labeled lignin fragments.

Methods of detecting and, optionally, determining a level of incorporation of monolignol ester conjugates into lignin. The methods include derivatizing lignin to acylate at least a portion of free phenolic and aliphatic hydroxyls and to halogenate at least a portion of benzylic alcohols present in the lignin to yield derivatized lignin, treating the derivatized lignin with a reducing agent to cleave at least a portion of the derivatized lignin to yield lignin cleavage products, acetylating at least a portion of free hydroxyl groups in the lignin cleavage products with a labeled acetylation agent to yield labeled lignin fragments, and detecting the labeled lignin fragments.

A method for producing a 1,3-bisacyloxy-2-methylenepropane represented by the following general formula (II), including reacting a carboxylic acid represented by the following general formula (I), isobutylene, and oxygen, in a liquid phase, in the presence of a catalyst containing a carrier having carried thereon palladium and a transition metal of Group 11 in the periodic table, and a catalyst activator. ##STR00001##

A method for producing a 1,3-bisacyloxy-2-methylenepropane represented by the following general formula (II), including reacting a carboxylic acid represented by the following general formula (I), isobutylene, and oxygen, in a liquid phase, in the presence of a catalyst containing a carrier having carried thereon palladium and a transition metal of Group 11 in the periodic table, and a catalyst activator. ##STR00001##

The present invention relates to a haloalkenyl alkoxymethyl ether compound of the following general formula (1): R.sup.1CH.sub.2OCH.sub.2OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aX.sup.1 (1) wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an n-alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, X.sup.1 represents a halogen atom, and “a” represents an integer of 3 to 14. The present invention also relates to processes for preparing a terminal conjugated alkadien-1-yl acetate compound of the following general formula (5): CH.sub.2═CHCH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aOAc (5) wherein “a” is as defined above, and Ac represents an acetyl group, and a terminal conjugated alkadien-1-ol compound of the following general formula (6): CH.sub.2═CHCH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aOH (6) wherein “a” is as defined above, from the haloalkenyl alkoxymethyl ether compound (1).

The present invention relates to a haloalkenyl alkoxymethyl ether compound of the following general formula (1): R.sup.1CH.sub.2OCH.sub.2OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aX.sup.1 (1) wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an n-alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, X.sup.1 represents a halogen atom, and “a” represents an integer of 3 to 14. The present invention also relates to processes for preparing a terminal conjugated alkadien-1-yl acetate compound of the following general formula (5): CH.sub.2═CHCH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aOAc (5) wherein “a” is as defined above, and Ac represents an acetyl group, and a terminal conjugated alkadien-1-ol compound of the following general formula (6): CH.sub.2═CHCH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aOH (6) wherein “a” is as defined above, from the haloalkenyl alkoxymethyl ether compound (1).

The present invention provides a compound as represented by formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester, a prodrug, an optical isomer, a stereoisomer, or a solvate thereof. The compound provided by the present invention can be used for preparing drugs for preventing or treating hypertension, or hypertension-related diseases, or pulmonary hypertension, or pulmonary hypertension-related diseases. The compound provided by the present invention has a different mechanism from existing drugs for treating hypertension and pulmonary hypertension, thereby laying a new material foundation for the development of drugs for treating hypertension and pulmonary hypertension.

##STR00001##

The present invention provides a compound as represented by formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester, a prodrug, an optical isomer, a stereoisomer, or a solvate thereof. The compound provided by the present invention can be used for preparing drugs for preventing or treating hypertension, or hypertension-related diseases, or pulmonary hypertension, or pulmonary hypertension-related diseases. The compound provided by the present invention has a different mechanism from existing drugs for treating hypertension and pulmonary hypertension, thereby laying a new material foundation for the development of drugs for treating hypertension and pulmonary hypertension.

##STR00001##

Methods for preparation of olefins, including 8- and 11-unsaturated monoenes and polyenes, via transition metathesis-based synthetic routes are described. Metathesis reactions in the methods are catalyzed by transition metal catalysts including tungsten-, molybdenum-, and ruthenium-based catalysts. The olefins include insect pheromones useful in a number of agricultural applications.

Methods for preparation of olefins, including 8- and 11-unsaturated monoenes and polyenes, via transition metathesis-based synthetic routes are described. Metathesis reactions in the methods are catalyzed by transition metal catalysts including tungsten-, molybdenum-, and ruthenium-based catalysts. The olefins include insect pheromones useful in a number of agricultural applications.