Nonameric porphyrin assemblies--formation and intra-assembly energy transfer reactions

The nonameric porphyrin assemblies constructed with the series of free base tetraphenylporphyrins Pn having four pyrazine moieties linked with alkyl chains of different lengths, (CH2)n (n = 1, 5, 9, 17, 30), and dimeric [meso-tetrakis(2-carboxy-4-nonylphenyl)porphyrinato]zinc(II), ZnP2, show the effective light-collection effect and the typical Forster-type energy transfer from ZnP2 to Pn.     

Photochemical ligation of DNA conjugates through anthracene cyclodimer formation and its fidelity to the template sequences

Anthracene readily forms photoadducts, anthracene dimers, and this photodimerization reaction has been well characterized. In general, however, the reaction requires close proximity and certain spatial alignment of both reaction partners. DNA could provide an ideal scaffold for accelerating the photocyclic addition. We synthesized a number of anthracene-DNA conjugates. The sequences of the conjugates, 5'AntODNn and 3'AntODNn (the length of methylene linkers: n = 3 or 6), were designed to bind adjacent sequences of the template with the anthracene units directed such that they stacked with each other. The conjugates were only dimerized in the presence of the template by light irradiation. The efficiency was affected by one-base displacement in the template sequence.     

Cryopreservation of in vitro-grown shoot tips of cassava by encapsulation-vitrification method

Shoot tips of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in vitro plantlets were successfully cryopreserved using the encapsulation-vitrification technique. Nodal cuttings of 5 mm length with one leaf were cultured on modified MS medium in Petri dishes (90 mm x 20 mm) for about 28 days. Excised shoot tips were precultured on sucrose enriched (0.3 M) medium for 16 h, encapsulated and osmoprotected with a mixture of 2 M glycerol and 0.6 M sucrose for 90 min at 25 degree c before dehydration with PVS2 at 0 degree C for 4 h, then plunged in liquid nitrogen. Successfully vitrified shoot tips resumed growth within 3 days, without intermediary callus formation, and developed shoots. Shoot tips sampled from 21 day-old plantlets produced the highest survival of 80 %. The percentage survival of vitrified shoot tips differed from 38 to 80 % depending on the day of excision. The protocol was successfully applied to four cultivars of cassava with about 80 % average percentage of survival.     

Low-coherence tandem interferometer for measurement of group refractive index without knowledge of the thickness of the test sample

A new low-coherence interferometric technique is proposed for measuring the group refractive indices of dispersive samples with high accuracy. A tandem configuration of interferometers is used to compensate for the asymmetrical distortion of interferograms that results from the broad spectrum of the light source. The group refractive index can be measured without knowledge of the geometrical thickness of the sample under test. The proposed technique can successfully measure even a thick sample. Computer calculations have shown the effectiveness of the proposed technique, which was verified by preliminary experiments; the difference between the experimental result and the catalog data was 7 x 10(-4).     

Broad-spectrum frequency comb generation and carrier-envelope offset frequency measurement by second-harmonic generation of a mode-locked fiber laser

A frequency comb spanning more than one octave has been achieved by injecting the second-harmonic generation (780 nm) of a mode-locked fiber laser (1.56 microm) into a photonic crystal fiber. We propose and realize a novel interferometric scheme for observing the carrier-envelope offset frequency of the frequency comb. Frequency noise has been observed on the measured carrier-envelope offset frequency, which has been confirmed to be generated in the photonic crystal fiber by comparing the measured beat frequencies between cw lasers and frequency combs before and after the photonic crystal fiber. The mode-locked fiber laser is considered to be an important candidate for the light source used in realizing a compact optical frequency measurement system including applications in the telecommunication bands.     

Two new tetranor-cycloartane glycosides from cimicifuga rhizome

Two new tetranor-cycloartane glycosides (1, 2) were isolated from Cimicifuga Rhizome. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis. These compounds suggested the existence of a biogenetic pathway into C-23 lactone-type cycloartane glycosides.     

Regioselective allylmetalation of allenes with tetraallylmanganate or allylmagnesium chloride under MnCl2 catalysis

[reaction: see text] Treatment of allenes with tetraallylmanganate provides allylated products with high regioselectivity. A catalytic amount of MnCl(2) combined with allylmagnesium chloride also achieves efficient allylmetalation of allenes. The resulting alkenylmagnesium species react with various electrophiles. In the presence of molecular oxygen, the alkenylmagnesium undergoes diallylation reaction. A cyclization reaction of 1,2,6-heptatriene with tetraallylmanganate is also described.     

The Pt-catalyzed carboselenation of alkynes by selenoesters

[reaction: see text] The Pt-catalyzed carboselenation of terminal alkynes with selenoesters provided vinylselenides regio- and stereoselectively in moderate yields.