Cationic polymerization of formaldehyde in liquid carbon dioxide. Part I

A cationic polymerization of formaldehyde which gave a high molecular weight polymer was studied in liquid carbon dioxide at 20–50°C. In the polymerization without any catalyst both the rate of polymerization and the molecular weight of the resulting polymer increased rapidly with a decrease in the loading density of the monomer solution to the reaction vessel, and also increased with an increase in the initial monomer concentration. From these results it was concluded that the initiating species could be ascribed to an impurity contained in the monomer solution. Both the rate of polymerization and the degree of polymerization of the polymer also increased with rising temperature. The carboxylic acid added acted as a catalyst in the polymerization because of increase in the polymer yield, the molecular weight of polymer formed, and the number of moles of polymer chain with increasing dissociation constant of acid used. It was concluded that the polymerization in liquid carbon dioxide proceeded by a cationic mechanism. Methyl formate had no influence on the polymerization, but methanol and water acted as a chain-transfer agent.     

Cloning, sequencing, and functional analysis of the biosynthetic gene cluster of macrolactam antibiotic vicenistatin in Streptomyces halstedii

Vicenistatin, an antitumor antibiotic isolated from Streptomyces halstedii, is a unique 20-membered macrocyclic lactam with a novel aminosugar vicenisamine. The vicenistatin biosynthetic gene cluster (vin) spanning approximately 64 kbp was cloned and sequenced. The cluster contains putative genes for the aglycon biosynthesis including four modular polyketide synthases (PKSs), glutamate mutase, acyl CoA-ligase, and AMP-ligase. Also found in the cluster are genes of NDP-hexose 4,6-dehydratase and aminotransferase for vicenisamine biosynthesis. For the functional confirmation of the cluster, a putative glycosyltransferase gene product, VinC, was heterologously expressed, and the vicenisamine transfer reaction to the aglycon was chemically proved. A unique feature of the vicenistatin PKS is that the loading module contains only an acyl carrier protein domain, in contrast to other known PKS-loading modules containing certain activation domains. Activation of the starter acyl group by separate polypeptides is postulated as well.     

Palladium-catalyzed preparation of α-allyl esters and α,β-unsaturated esters from saturated esters via their silyl acetals

Reaction of ketene silyl acetals with allylic carbonates in the presence of palladium-phosphine catalyst in dioxane gives α-allyl esters in high yields. When the reaction is carried out with phosphine-free palladium catalyst in nitriles, α,β-unsaturated esters are obtained in good yields.     

Molecular structure of carbonyl bromide as studied by gas electron diffraction

The molecular structure of COBr₂ has been determined as follows by an analysis of electron diffraction intensity: r_g(CO) = 1.178 ± 0.009 Å, r_g(C-Br) = 1.923 ± 0.005 Å and θ°_α(Br-C-Br) = 112.3 ± 0.4°. The uncertainties represent estimated limits of error. The observed systematic trends in the bond lengths and bond angles in carbonyl and thiocarbonyl halides are discussed.     

PHOTOOXYGENATION OF METHYL LINOLEATE SENSITIZED BY PORPHYRINS AND DYES IN ACETONITRILE SOLUTION AND AQUEOUS EMULSION SYSTEMS

Photooxygenation reaction of an unsaturated fatty acid ester, methyl linoleate (methyl 9- cis. 12- cis -octadecadienoate, ML-H), sensitized by porphyrins and several types of dyes has been studied in aqueous emulsion and acetonitrile solution under air at 40°C. The oxygen (O₂) uptake proceeded slowly in the absence of sensitizers upon irradiation of an aqueous emulsion and an acetonitrile solution of ML-H (20 m M ) at ℷ_ex > 290 nm (11.4 and 6.1 μmol h^-1, respectively). The rate of O₂ uptake was enhanced by a catalytic amount (0.1 m M ) of porphyrins and dyes; hematoporphyrin (HP), zinc tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridiniumyi)porphyrin (ZnTMPyP), methylene blue (MB), rose bengal (RB), acridine orange (AO), and acriflavine (AF). In both systems, the sensitized photooxidation of ML-H by O₂ proceeded equimolarly to produce isomeric mixture of C9 and C13 hydroperoxides having the trans,cis and trans,trans conjugated diene configurations, independent of the types of the sensitizers used. The yield ratio of trans,trans/ trans,cis products in the MB-sensitized photooxygenation in acetonitrile and aqueous emulsion were almost equal (0.32 and 0.35. respectively). The sensitizing activity of the sensitizers, as measured by the quantum yield of O₂ uptake, increased in the order: MB (≃ 0) < ZnTMPyP < RB < HP < AF < AO in the aqueous emulsion and AO < AF < HP < RB = MB in the acetonitrile solution. The order in homogeneous acetonitrile solution was interpreted by the sensitizing ability of the dyes to produce singlet oxygen, while that in heterogeneous aqueous emulsion was correlated to the lipophilicity of dyes as well as the singlet-oxygen-producing ability.     

Retardation of discoloration of poly(vinyl chloride) and decolorization of discolored poly(vinyl chloride) with diimide

Retardation of discoloration of poly(vinyl chloride) with diimide was studied in dimethylformamide at 130°C. with the use of p-toluenesulfonylhydrazide (PSH) as a source of diimide. A process was proposed that involved prolonging the induction periods of discoloration by inhibiting the development of conjugated polyene structure. The optimum proportion of PSH was one fourth of the poly(vinyl chloride), the best results. Furthermore, poly(vinyl chloride) discolored by thermal degradation in o-dichlorobenzene or gamma-ray irradiation under vacuum was decolorized in solution at 130°C. by addition of PSH. The decolorized poly(vinyl chloride) thus obtained was thermally stable compared with that obtained by oxidative methods.     

Structural confirmation of oligosaccharides newly isolated from sugar beet molasses

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Sugar beet molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar beets into sugar. The molasses is known to contain sucrose and raffinose, a typical trisaccharide, with a well-established structure. Although sugar beet molasses contains various other oligosaccharides as well, the structures of those oligosaccharides have not been examined in detail. The purpose of this study was isolation and structural confirmation of these other oligosaccharides found in sugar beet molasses. RESULTS: Four oligosaccharides were newly isolated from sugar beet molasses using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and carbon-Celite column chromatography. Structural confirmation of the saccharides was provided by methylation analysis, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionaization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. CONCLUSION: The following oligosaccharides were identified in sugar beet molasses: beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1- > 6)-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-(2 <-> 1)-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (named beta-planteose), alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1- > 1)-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-(2 <-> 1)-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (named1-planteose), alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1- > 6)-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 <-> 2)-beta-D-fructofuranoside (theanderose), and beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1- > 3)-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 <-> 2)-beta-D-fructofuranoside (laminaribiofructose). 1-planteose and laminaribiofructose were isolated from natural sources for the first time.     

High-Density Excitons in a Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor: Cd 1 − x Mn x Te

Time-resolved magneto photoluminescence in a diluted magnetic semiconductor Cd 0.9 Mn 0.1 Te has been carried out with varying exciton density from 10 14 to 10 19 cm m 3 . The reduction of the Zeeman shift and that of the magnetic polaron energy was found under strong photoexcitation. The spectral feature is interpreted in terms of the heating of the manganese spin subsystem. Polarization dependence of the spin heating is observed for the first time, revealing the contribution of the spin flip between excitons and magnetic ions to the heating process.     

Sequence-specific cleavage of RNA by designed ribozymes

Abstract

Ribozymes that distinguish a single base change in RNA were synthesized and used to specifically cleave c-Ha-ras messenger RNA. Using phosphorothioate containing oligonucleotide substrates, we have shown that Mg²⁺ binds to the pro-R oxygen of the phosphate and that the RNA cleavage reaction occurs via an in-line mechanism. Oligoribonucleotides containing a modified nucleoside are described.     

Toward Fluorescence‐Based High‐Throughput Screening for Enantiomeric Excess in Amines and Amino Acid Derivatives

A highly accurate and reliable screening method for enantiomeric excess of amine derivatives in the presence of water is reported. The fluorescence‐based screening system has been realized by self‐assembly of chiral diol‐type dyes (BINOL, VANOL and VAPOL), 2‐formylphenylboronic acid, and chiral amines forming iminoboronate esters. The structure and chirality of the amine analytes determine the stability of the diastereomeric iminoboronate esters, which in turn display differential fluorescence. The fluorescence signal reflects the enantiomeric purity of the chiral amines and was utilized in high‐throughput arrays. The arrays were able to recognize enantiomeric excess of amines, amino esters, and amino alcohols. In addition to qualitative analysis, quantitative experiments were successfully performed. Studies of the role of additives such as water or citrate were carried out to gain insight into the stability of the iminoboronate esters. It is shown that the above additives destabilize less stable esters while the stable esters remain unchanged. Thus, the presence of water and citrate leads to increased difference between the diastereomeric iminoboronates and contributes to the enantiodiscrimination of the chiral amines.