Third-order nonlinear optical properties of azo dye attached polymers

Third-order nonlinear optical properties of a disazo dye attached polymer (3R) were evaluated and compared with that of a monoazo (Disperse Red 1) dye attached polymer (2R). The third-order nonlinear optical coefficient (ξ⁽³⁾) of the 3R is more than three times higher than that of the 2R over the fundamental wavelengths between 1.5 and 2.0 μm. This is explained by π-conjugation elongation. For both polymers, the ξ⁽³⁾ dependence on the fundamental wavelength corresponds to their absorption spectra. This is attributable to a three-photon resonance effect. At the 1.50 μm resonant wavelength, the maximum ξ⁽³⁾ of 4.8 × 10^-11 esu is obtained for 3R at a dye content of 17 mol%.     

Development and prevalidation of a method for phenol determination by solid-phase spectrophotometry

A simple, sensitive and rapid solid-phase spectrophotometric procedure was developed for the determination of traces of phenol with 4-aminoantipyrine as a reagent (AAP-SPS), and the optimal experimental conditions were established. This method was performed by sorption and direct absorbance measurements of the product phenol-AAP sorbed on the anion-exchanger Dowex 1-X4 (0.2 g) at 495 nm (absorption maximum) and 700 nm (non-absorption wavelength). The sensitivity offered by the AAP-SPS procedure was higher by a factor of 40 compared with the respective conventional spectrophotometric method. Metrological characteristics were established using a prevalidation strategy. The AAP-SPS procedure is characterized by a linear calibration function in the working range of 0.05–0.50 μmol, low standard deviation of procedure (±0.012), low limit of determination (0.021 μmol), and favorable random (±0.85 to ±11.27%) and systematic deviations (−4.55 to +11.50%). Moreover, the accuracy of the system investigated by the recovery test is acceptable (99–102%). Favorable working and performance characteristics make the new SPS method ideal for phenol monitoring in pharmaceutical preparations as well as other matrices.     

Stereoselective syntheses of 4-hydroxy 4-substituted glutamic acids

The 4-hydroxy 4-substituted glutamic acid moiety is a common substructure of biologically important natural products such as monatin [(2S,4S)-2], lycoperdic acid (3), and dysiherbaine (4). To develop methodology for syntheses of these natural products, cycloadditions of nitrone 5 with 2-substituted 2-propen-1-ols 6 and 2-substituted acrylates 8 were investigated. Reactions of nitrone 5 with alcohols 6 in the presence of MgBr2OEt2 gave cycloadducts 7 in a highly stereoselective manner, whereas noncatalyzed reactions of 5 with acrylates 8 afforded adducts 9. Using the former reaction, syntheses of monatin [(2S,4S)-2], monatin derivative 18, and lycoperdic acid (3) were accomplished. The C4-epimer of monatin [(2S,4R)-2)] was also synthesized by employing the latter cycloaddition.     

Structural change of water by gelation of curdlan suspension

Phase transition of water restrained by curdlan suspension annealed at a temperature from 20 to 110°C was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The melting temperature of water restrained by annealed curdlan discontinuously decreased at around 60°C, while the amount of bound water calculated from enthalpy of melting increased at 60°C, regardless of water content. Using a highly sensitive DSC, curdlan suspension with various concentrations was studied. It was found that an endothermic transition was observed at ca. 58°C in a wide range of concentrations. The transition observed at 60°C is thermo-reversible and both temperature and transition enthalpy are constant even after gel formation. Well equilibrated suspension at a temperature lower than 60°C formed no gel.     

Age-dependent variations of cell response to oxidative stress: proteomic approach to protein expression and phosphorylation

We investigated the protein profiles of variously aged rat astrocytes in response to oxidative stress. After H2O2-exposure of cells at 100 microM for 30 min, the relative intensity of ten protein spots changed on two-dimensional (2-D) gels compared with control gels after silver staining. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis after in-gel digestion revealed that six of these spots corresponded to three kinds of proteins, each of which was composed of a protein and its modified form with a different isoelectric point (pI). These three proteins were identified as peroxiredoxins (PRDXs) II and III, and calpactin I light chain (p11). H2O2-exposure increased the intensity of the spot with lower pI and simultaneously decreased that of the spot with higher pI for both PRDXs II and III. In addition, the expression of annexin VII, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, elongation factor II fragment (EF-II), and adenosine deaminase was increased by H2O2-exposure in astrocytes from variously aged rats. Using the Pro-Q Diamond staining, heat shock protein 60 kDa (Hsp 60) and alpha-tubulin were observed to be phosphorylated upon H2O2-exposure. While phosphorylation of alpha-tubulin was correlated positively with age, the changes in abundance of ten protein spots as described above were independent of age. These results suggest that aging does not suppress the responses aimed at limiting injury and promoting repair brought about by severe oxidative stress, and might affect cell dynamics including the formation of microtubules.     

Synthesis and anti-HIV-1 activity of novel 10-thiaisoalloxazines,a structural analog of C-5 and/or C-6 substituted pyrimidine acyclonucleoside

A series of novel 10-thiaisoalloxazine derivatives bearing an alkoxymethyl or benzyloxymethyl moiety at the N-1 position has been synthesized through the bromination of 1-substituted-5-hydroxyuracils and subsequent condensation with aminobenzenethiol in a one-pot reaction. Contrary to the previous report, the formation of intermediary 5,6-diethoxy-5-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrouracil seems to be not the necessary factor for the formation of the thiaisoalloxazines, since the reaction proceeds in tetrahydrofuran (THF) or acetonitrile far more smoothly than in ethanol. The anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 activity of the resulted thiaisoalloxazine derivatives was evaluated in lymphocyte cells based on the inhibitory activity against the viral-induced cytopathic activity. Among the derivatives, compounds 6, 7, and 8 bearing an alkoxymethyl moiety at the N-1 position exhibited modest inhibitory activity towards the cytotopathic effect of HIV-1.     

Chemical conversion of various celluloses to glucose and its derivatives in supercritical water

The supercritical water biomass conversion system was designed and developed in our laboratory. The reaction vessel with cellulose sample was treated with this system at supercritical state of water for a designated period (3–105s) under the conditions of a tin bath temperature of 500°C and pressure of 35MPa. The recovered products of hydrolysates were then analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The obtained results indicated that a high amount of glucose and levoglucosan can be achieved from both celluloses I and II for 5–10s supercritical treatment, while that from starch for 3–5s treatment. Although this difference could be due to a difference in the molecular structure between cellulose and starch, a difference between celluloses I and II was not significant. Instead, an accessibility of the water towards cellulose molecules seemed to be significant for their chemical conversion. With the longer treatment, amounts of these compounds observed were decreased due to decomposition. Therefore, it may be concluded that, compared with acid hydrolysis or enzymatic saccharification, cellulose may be hydrolyzed to glucose and its derivatives more or less to the same degree as in corn starch under supercritical state. This finding suggests that the supercritical treatment can overcome the difficulties in hydrolyzing cellulose to glucose, found in the acid hydrolysis or enzymatic saccharification techniques.     

A new oligosaccharide synthesis using special hydroxy protecting group

A new hydroxy protecting group for convenient preparation of oligosaccharide was developed using uni-chemo protection (UCP) concept. The UCP group was comprised of polymerized amino acid derivatives and protecting each hydroxyl groups by ester linkage. Depending on the polymerization degree, the hydroxyl groups were characterized and controlled. Using this protecting group, two kinds of sialyl-T analogues were successfully synthesized from same sugar parts merely by repeating Edman degradation and coupling.     

Melting behavior of nylon 6 fiber in textiles

The melting process of constrained nylon 6 fibers has been studied to estimate the true melting point of its original crystals. The melting peak became simpler in shape and shifted to higher temperature with increasing fiber-axis restricting force. When heating rate, β, was increased, the temperature where the melting curve initially departs from its baseline, Tsm, decreased steeply in the range of 45 to 60°C min^-1, and increased linearly with increasing β above 60°C min^-1. By linear extrapolation of Tsm to 0°C min^-1, the temperature of ca 190°C was obtained for the melting temperature of the original nylon 6 crystals. This seems to correspond to the zero-entropy-production melting of the most imperfect crystallites of the nylon 6 fabric. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

SYNTHESIS OF ORGANOGERMANE OLIGOMERS VIA LIGAND SUBSTITUTION POLYMERIZATION FROM 1, 4-DIOXANE COMPLEX OF GERMANIUM DICHLORIDE

Some organogermanium oligomers with different side groups were synthesized via li-gand substitution polymerization from 1, 4-dioxane complex of germanium dichloride withdifferent organolithitum compounds. The oligomers were isolated through either precipi-tation from methanol or extraction using toluene with a yield of no less than 50%. Theweiglit average molecular weight (M_w) of the oligomers is ranging from 1.4×10~3 to 5.9×10~3depending on the type and alkyl length of the organolithium compounds used.