Syntheses and reactivities of non-symmetrical "active ester" bi-dentate cross-linking reagents having a phthalimidoyl and acid chloride, 2-benzothiazole, or 1-benzotriazole group

We have newly synthesized the non-symmetrical "phthalimidoyl active ester" bi-dentate cross-linking reagents having an acid chloride, 2-benzothiazole, or 1-benzotriazole group (i.e., 9, 15, and 16) on the basis of the reactivity study of the "active ester" model compounds, 11-14, toward the various nucleophiles and examined their reaction selectivity towards the same nucleophiles. Then, we applied for the modification of cholesterol at the more reactive site of the bi-dentate linkers to give 3β-cholesteryl 4-(phthalimidoyloxycarbonyl)butyrate (39), and the subsequent reaction of 39 with several amines, such as benzylamine, 4-chlorobenzylamine, 2-phenylethylamine, L-phenylalanine methyl ester, or diphenylalanine benzyl ester as a protein model of the cholesterol antigen.     

Dynamic and static behaviors of N-Z-N σ(3c-4e) (Z = S, Se, and Te) interactions: atoms-in-molecules dual functional analysis with high-resolution X-ray diffraction determination of electron densities for 2-(2-pyridylimino)-2H-1,2,4-thiadiazolo[2,3-a]pyridine

The structure of 2-(2-pyridylimino)-2H-1,2,4-thiadiazolo[2,3-a]pyridine (NSN) indicates that the molecule has a planar geometry with a linear N···S···N linkage, creating a tetracyclic structure of the formal C(2v) symmetry. To clarify the nature of the NSN σ(3c-4e) bonding, together with the related NSeN and NTeN, the dynamic and static behaviors are investigated by applying atoms-in-molecules (AIM) dual functional analysis to both the fully optimized and perturbed structures. The structures were optimized computationally, retaining C(2v) symmetry. All bond critical points are detected as expected and exhibited on both sides of the N···Z···N moiety which supports the formation of NZN σ(3c-4e). It is confirmed that N···S···N is of the covalent nature close to Me(2)S(+)-?-Cl or Me(2)Se(+)-?-Br, whereas N···Se···N and N···Te···N have the (regular) CS nature close to the CT adducts of Me(2)S(-?-Cl)(2) (TBP) and Me(2)Se-?-Br(2) (MC), respectively. An experimental high-resolution charge density determination has been performed on NSN, which thoroughly supports the theoretical results. Very similar results are obtained in the analogous pyrimidyl derivatives for N···S···N, N···Se···N, and N···Te···N. AIM dual functional analysis, as validated by experimental high-resolution charge densities, is thus confirmed to be an excellent method to elucidate the nature of these interactions.     

Simple methods for tuning the pore diameter of mesoporous carbon

The organic-organic self-assembly method with Resorcinol (R)/Formaldehyde (F) and Pluronic F127 has been employed to synthesize mesoporous carbon (MC). The pore diameter of the MC has been tuned from 7 to 12.5 nm by changing the molar ratio of carbon sources to surfactant and polymerization time.     

Syntheses and properties of triborane(5)s possessing bulky diamino substituents on terminal boron atoms

The present communication reports the chemistry of three linear triborane(5) compounds possessing bulky diamino substituents on the terminal boron atoms. Fluorotriborane 2 was synthesized by a reaction of boryllithium and BF(3)·OEt(2). Halogen exchange reaction of 2 took place by a treatment with ClSiMe(3) to give the corresponding chlorotriborane(5) 3. Addition of silver tetraarylborate to 3 in ether afforded a hydroxylated triborane(5) compound 5 probably via an unstable cationic boron intermediate 4.     

Investigation of aromaticity and photophysical properties in [18]/[20]π porphycene derivatives

In this study, we have investigated the relationship between aromaticity and photophysical properties of trifluoromethyl-substituted [18]/[20]π porphycenes by using theoretical calculations and various spectroscopic methodologies. Interestingly, we have found that the HOMO-LUMO gap of [20]π porphycene is larger than that of [18]π porphycene, which is in a sharp contrast with those of typical [4n]/[4n+2]π porphyrinoids. Based on our observations, we demonstrate that the origin of this contrasting feature of [20]π porphycene arises from the uniquely large energy splitting between LUMO and LUMO+1 of [18]π porphycene compared with other aromatic [4n+2]π porphyrinoids with nearly degenerate LUMO/LUMO+1. Consequently, we can propose that the energy difference between LUMO and LUMO+1 levels of aromatic [4n+2]π porphyrinoids is an important factor in determining the electronic nature of their corresponding antiaromatic [4n]π porphyrinoids. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to illustrate the photophysical properties of porphycenes with [4n]π electronic circuits.     

Transglutaminase-mediated synthesis of a DNA-(enzyme)n probe for highly sensitive DNA detection

A new synthetic strategy for DNA-enzyme conjugates with a novel architecture was explored using a natural cross-linking catalyst, microbial transglutaminase (MTG). A glutamine-donor substrate peptide of MTG was introduced at the 5-position on the pyrimidine of deoxyuridine triphosphate to prepare a DNA strand with multiple glutamine-donor sites by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A substrate peptide that contained an MTG-reactive lysine residue was fused to the N terminus of a thermostable alkaline phoshatase from Pyrococcus furiosus (PfuAP) by genetic engineering. By combining enzymatically the substrate moieties of MTG introduced to the DNA template and the recombinant enzyme, a DNA-(enzyme)(n) conjugate with 1:n stoichiometry was successfully obtained. The enzyme/DNA ratio of the conjugate increased as the benzyloxycarbonyl-L-glutaminylglycine (Z-QG) moiety increased in the DNA template. The potential utility of the new conjugate decorated with signaling enzymes was validated in a dot blot hybridization assay. The DNA-(enzyme)(n) probe could clearly detect 10(4) copies of the target nucleic acid with the complementary sequence under harsh hybridization conditions, thereby enabling a simple detection procedure without cumbersome bound/free processes associated with a conventional hapten-antibody reaction-based DNA-detection system.     

Span 80 vesicles have a more fluid, flexible and "wet" surface than phospholipid liposomes

The surface properties of Span 80 vesicles at various cholesterol contents, together with those of various liposomes, were characterized by using fluorescence probes. The membrane fluidity of the Span 80 vesicles was measured by 1,6-diphenyl-1.3.5-hexatriene (DPH) and trimethlyammonium-DPH (TMA-DPH), and the results suggested that the surface of the Span 80 vesicles was fluid due to the lateral diffusion of Span 80 molecules. The depolarization measured by TMA-DPH and the headgroup mobility measured by dielectric dispersion analysis indicated the high mobility of the head group of Span 80 vesicles. This suggested that the surface of Span 80 vesicles was flexible due to the head group structure of Span 80, sorbitol. In addition, spectrophotometric analysis with 6-dodecanoyl-N, N-dimethyl-2-naphthylamine and 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid indicated that the water molecules could easily invade into the interior of the Span 80 vesicle membrane, suggesting that the membrane surface was more wet than the liposome surface. These surface properties indicated that the protein could interact with the interior of vesicle membranes, which was similar to the case of cholesterol. Thus the present results confirmed that the Span 80 vesicle surfaces showed the unique characteristics of fluidity, flexibility, and "wetness", whereas the liposome surfaces did not.     

Aerial video-calling system with eye-matching feature based on polarization-modulated aerial imaging by retro-reflection (p-AIRR)

Optical Review - We propose a method to realize video calling with an aerial display using a camera that has a direct view of the speaker's face, but which is not visible to the speaker....     

Fabrication of Transparent,Tough, and Conductive Shape‐Memory Polyurethane Films by Incorporating a Small Amount of High‐Quality Graphene

We report a mechanically strong, electrically and thermally conductive, and optically transparent shape‐memory polyurethane composite which was fabricated by introducing a small amount (0.1 wt%) of high‐quality graphene as a filler. Geometrically large (≈4.6 μm²), but highly crystallized few‐layer graphenes, verified by Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, were prepared by the sonication of expandable graphite in an organic solvent. Oxygen‐ containing functional groups at the edge plane of graphene were crucial for an effective stress transfer from the graphene to polyurethane. Homogeneously dispersed few‐layered graphene enabled polyurethane to have a high shape recovery force of 1.8 MPa cm⁻³. Graphene, which is intrinsically stretchable up to 10%, will enable high‐performance composites to be fabricated at relatively low cost and we thus envisage that such composites may replace carbon nanotubes for various applications in the near future.