Chemical transformations of 4:7,10:13-diepoxy[15]annulenone by carbonyl transposition reactions

The titled annulenone 1 could be converted into new annulenones 3 and 8 by carbonyl transposition reactions. Compound 8 can be regarded as the first 14π hydroxy-enone as a higher homolog of tropolone (6π) and hydroxy[11]annulenones (10π), and was proved to be aromatic.     

Proton Conduction in Nanopore-Controlled Silica Glasses

The proton conduction in the sol–gel-derived silica glasses was discussed to be related with the pore structure. The porous glasses with the pore size of 2 to 20 nm in diameter were prepared by the sol–gel method of Si-alkoxides. The proton conduction is promoted by the dissociation of proton from the hydroxyl bonds and the proton hopping through water molecules. The conductivities follow the Arrhenius equation and the activation energy decreases with increasing the logarithm of the product of proton and water concentration. The pore size plays an important role to absorb the water in pores, resulting into the determination of proton transfer. The glass having ～5 nm diameter is more appropriate for the fast proton-conduction. The preparation of pore-controlled glass films exhibiting high conductivity is also described.     

Sol-Gel Preparation of Fast Proton-Conducting P2O5-SiO2 Glasses

We have investigated the proton conductivities of the sol-gel-derived P₂O₅-SiO₂ glass at –50 to 120°C. The obtained glass is porous, where the surface area, pore volume and pore diameter are 740 m²/g, 0.5 cm³/g and <5 nm, respectively. The freezing temperature of water molecules adsorbed in the pores was –20°C, which is much lower than that of free liquid water due to the quantum size effect of the water confined in the pores. The electrical conductivities followed the Arrhenius equation in the temperatures between –20 and 120°C. Below –20°C, the adsorbed-water molecules were frozen, resulting in a rapid decrease of the proton conductivity. Considering the high conductivity, chemical and thermal stability, this oxide glass membranes have potential for the fuel cell membrane.     

Application of the Lewis acid-Lewis base bifunctional asymmetric catalysts to pharmaceutical syntheses: stereoselective chiral building block syntheses of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitor and beta3-adenergic receptor agonist

Chiral building block syntheses of promising drugs were achieved using two types of catalytic stereoselective cyanosilylations of aldehydes promoted by Lewis acid-Lewis base bifunctional catalysts 1 and 2 as the key steps (diastereoselective cyanosilylation of amino aldehyde and enantioselective cyanosilylation). In the first part of this article, syntheses of chiral building blocks (6) of Atazanavir (3: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitor) using the bifunctional catalyst 2 are discussed. The reaction of Boc-protected phenylalaninal 21 in the presence of 1 mol% catalyst 2 selectively afforded the anti isomer 22 as the major product (diastereomeric ratio=97 : 3), which was successively converted to the corresponding epoxide 6 in six steps. In the second part, we describe a chiral building block synthesis of beta(3)-adrenergic receptor agonists. The enantioselective cyanosilylation of 3-chlorobenzaldehyde (38) with 9 mol% catalyst 1 gave the chiral cyanohydrin 39, which was converted to beta-hydroxyethylamine 40 by reduction. Moreover, the chiral ligand of catalyst 1 could be recovered without column chromatography and reused without decreasing its activity.     

Performance of H2/O2 fuel cell using membrane electrolyte of phosphotungstic acid-modified 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilanes

Proton-conducting membranes based on phosphotungstic acid (PWA) and 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) was investigated as the electrolyte for low temperature H₂/O₂ fuel cell. Parameters determining the conductivity and elastic modulus of the membranes were characterized by thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopic measurements. The composite containing 5% of PWA exhibited an elastic modulus below 100 MPa at room temperature and a high proton conductivity of 1.0 × 10⁻² S/cm at 80 °C and 100% RH. Low elastic modulus of the membrane was found to be useful for both the reduction of the membrane thickness and the better contact with the electrodes. The performance of the membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) was systematically studied as an effect of preparation conditions. A maximum power density of 45 mW/cm² and the current density of 175 mA/cm² at 0.2 V were achieved at 90 °C and 100% RH for the membrane of 5PWA·95GPTMS composition and 0.2 mm thickness.     

Giant coercivity in a one-dimensional cobalt-radical coordination magnet

A metal-radical polymer [Co(hfac)2.BPNN] showed a very large coercive field of 52 kOe (4.1 MA m-1) at 6 K, indicating that it is the hardest magnet ever reported. Above 10 K, a soft character appeared, owing to the fast dynamics of magnetization reorientation.     

Magneto-structure relationship in copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes chelated with stable tert-butyl 5-phenyl-2-pyridyl nitroxide and related radicals

We have isolated and characterized a new paramagnetic bidentate ligand, tert-butyl 5-phenyl-2-pyridyl nitroxide (phpyNO). The spin distribution onto the pyridine ring was clarified from the Electron Spin Resonance spectrum. Complexation of phpyNO with nickel(II) and copper(II) ions gave ML 2-type chelated compounds. The magnetic measurements of [Ni(phpyNO) 2(H 2O) 2].(ClO 4) 2 and [Cu(phpyNO) 2(H 2O)].(ClO 4) 2.C 6H 4Cl 2 revealed that the metal-radical exchange couplings were ferromagnetic with 2 J/ k B = +409(10) and +434(12) K, respectively. The torsion angle (varphi) around M-O-N-C 2py can be regarded as a reliable indicator for the plane geometry of chelates; namely, highly planar chelates defined by small varphi exhibit ferromagnetic coupling. An approximate linear relation was found in the J versus varphi plot using the data of the present complexes and related known compounds. The critical angle of varphi, at which the sign of the metal-radical exchange changes from positive to negative, was 12.6(9) degrees . This finding could be almost reproduced by density-functional theory calculation on a model copper(II)-nitroxide dyad. The exchange couplings in equatorially coordinated copper(II)- and nickel(II)-nitroxide complexes are very strongly ferromagnetic by nature.     

Evaluation of hair roots for detection of methamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine abuse by use of an HPLC–chemiluminescence method

We describe the use of hair roots as a matrix for detection of methamphetamine (MP) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) abuse. The concentration of drugs was determined in rat hair roots, hair shafts, and plasma after a single administration of MP or MDMA, by use of an HPLC-peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence (PO-CL) method involving column switching. Plasma and hair roots and shafts were collected from male Wistar rats before and after administration of MP (10 mg kg(-1), i.p.). In addition, the roots and shafts of pigmented and non-pigmented hair of male Lister hooded rats were collected after administration of MDMA (10 mg kg(-1), i.p.). The concentrations of MP and MDMA in plasma and hair were determined by use of the HPLC-PO-CL method, with satisfactory sensitivity and reproducibility. The concentration of MP in hair roots 1-14 days after administration ranged from 0.038 to 0.115 ng mg(-1) (n = 3). By use of the HPLC-PO-CL method, MP could be detected in hair roots for longer (up to 14 days) than it could be detected in conventional biological specimens, for example plasma (~1 day), and MDMA was detected in hair roots from 1 to 10 days after administration. The AUC(1-10) (ng day mg(-1)) for MDMA in roots of non-pigmented and pigmented hair was comparable (4.93 ± 2.09 vs. 6.67 ± 1.28, n = 3), whereas AUC(1-14) for hair shafts differed significantly (1.86 ± 0.93 vs. 4.58 ± 0.63, P < 0.05, n = 3). The window for detecting MP (or MDMA) in hair roots under our conditions was 1-14 (or 1-10) days.     

Double half-cubane copper(II) complexes available from copper(II) 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoropentane-2,4-dionate dissolved in formamides

Tetranuclear copper(II) complexes were obtained after simply dissolving [Cu(hfac)2] in formamide-methanol mixed solvents (Hhfac=1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoropentane-2,4-dione). X-Ray diffraction studies revealed that they possessed a tetranuclear double half-cubane core sandwiched with two trianionic ligands from 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)tetrahydropyran-2,4,6-triol (H3ttpt). Complexes [Cu4(ttpt)2(hfac)2(dmf)2.5], [Cu4(ttpt)2(tfa)2(def)4], and [Cu4(ttpt)2(hfac)2(H2O)4](fa) were prepared from N,N-dimethylformamide(dmf)-MeOH, N,N-diethylformamide (def)-MeOH, and formamide(fa)-MeOH (Htfa=trifluoroacetic acid), respectively. A possible mechanism is proposed where a templated aldol-type reaction takes place between hfac and 1,1,1-trifluoroacetonate. Magnetic measurements revealed the presence of antiferromagnetic interaction in the Cu4O6 core.