In situ evaluation of kinetic resolution catalysts for nitroaldol by rationally designed fluorescence probe

Development of effective chemical catalysts is a key concern in organic chemistry. Therefore, convenient screening systems for chemical catalysts are required, and although some fluorescence-based HTS systems have been developed, little attempt has been made to apply them to asymmetric catalysts. Therefore, we tried to develop a chiral fluorescence probe which can evaluate the reactivity and enantioselectivity of asymmetric catalysts. We focused on kinetic resolution catalysts as a target of our novel fluorescence probe, employing β-elimination following acylation of nitroaldol. Once the hydroxyl group of nitroaldol is acylated, β-elimination occurs immediately, affording nitro olefin. Therefore, we designed and synthesized a fluorescence probe with an asymmetric nitroaldol moiety. Its fluorescence intensity decreases dramatically upon β-elimination, so the fluorescence decrease is an indicator of the reaction yield. Thus, the enantioselectivity of kinetic resolution catalysts can be assessed simply by measuring the fluorescence intensities of the reaction mixtures of the two enantiomers; it is not necessary to purify the product. This fluorescence probe revealed that benzotetramisole is a superior catalyst for kinetic resolution of nitroaldol. Furthermore, we established an HTS system for asymmetric catalysts, using a fluorescence probe and benzotetramisole. To our knowledge, this is the first fluorescence-based HTS system for asymmetric catalysts.     

Synthesis and Properties of Carbocyclic 5′- Nor Oligodeoxynucleotides as Potential Antisense Molecules

We have synthesized carbocyclic 5'-nor oligodeoxynucleotides with a shortened overall chain length lacking the 5'-methylene. Their hybridization properties with DNA and RNA were investigated by UV and CD melting curves. These oligomers formed unstable duplexes with DNA, but formed stable duplexes with RNA selectively. In addition, these oligomers were very stable against nucleases.     

Copolymers of phenylacetylene and para‐nitrophenylacetylene with nonlinear optical properties: Further insight on the conformational structure

Copolymers of phenylacetylene (PA) and para‐nitrophenylacetylene (pNPA), named poly(PA‐co‐pNPA), were obtained in different PA/pNPA ratios and different reaction conditions with Rh(I) catalysts. The structure of the copolymers was investigated with IR, laser Raman, ¹H NMR, electron spin resonance (ESR), and diffuse reflective ultraviolet–visible (DRUV) light spectroscopies. The pristine polymers had a cis–transoidal structure as the predominant conformation with some trans sequences. Detailed ESR studies supported by computer simulation and conformation analysis have suggested that the trans sequences were due to pNPA sequences and that the cis‐C?C bond sequences of pNPA were associated with a stabilized cis radical formed by four to five of pNPA monomers. This particular stabilization was probably the reason for the higher reactivity of pNPA as compared with PA. These cis sequences were preferentially cleaved to generate π radicals. The compression and, to a minor extent, thermal treatment of poly(PA‐co‐pNPA) samples induced a cis‐to‐trans isomerization, leading to a trans–transoidal form with a planar zigzag structure and with a conjugation length up to n = 24 repeat units, determined by DRUV and Raman experiments. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2365–2376, 2004     

Rational Design of a Near‐infrared Fluorescence Probe for Ca2+ Based on Phosphorus‐substituted Rhodamines Utilizing Photoinduced Electron Transfer

Fluorescence imaging in the near‐infrared (NIR) region (650–900 nm) is useful for bioimaging because background autofluorescence is low and tissue penetration is high in this range. In addition, NIR fluorescence is useful as a complementary color window to green and red for multicolor imaging. Here, we compared the photoinduced electron transfer (PeT)‐mediated fluorescence quenching of silicon‐ and phosphorus‐substituted rhodamines (SiRs and PRs) in order to guide the development of improved far‐red to NIR fluorescent dyes. The results of density functional theory calculations and photophysical evaluation of a series of newly synthesized PRs confirmed that the fluorescence of PRs was more susceptible than that of SiRs to quenching via PeT. Based on this, we designed and synthesized a NIR fluorescence probe for Ca²⁺, CaPR‐1 , and its membrane‐permeable acetoxymethyl derivative, CaPR‐1 AM , which is distributed to the cytosol, in marked contrast to our previously reported Ca²⁺ far‐red to NIR fluorescence probe based on the SiR scaffold, CaSiR‐1 AM , which is mainly localized in lysosomes as well as cytosol in living cells. CaPR‐1 showed longer‐wavelength absorption and emission (up to 712 nm) than CaSiR‐1 . The new probe was able to image Ca²⁺ at dendrites and spines in brain slices, and should be a useful tool in neuroscience research.     

Synthesis and evaluation of dinaphthylacetylene nematic liquid crystals for high-birefringence materials

We synthesised 1,2-bis(6-alkoxy-2-naphthyl)acetylene as a new dinaphthylacetylene liquid crystal (LC) compound with alkoxy tails of length m (DNA–OCm) and characterised their phase behaviour by polarising optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, where all compounds exhibited a nematic phase. Also, we measured the actual, and not extrapolated, Δn values of this target compound, and our results show the birefringence potential of the pure LC compound. They have high birefringence values, with the highest value of approximately 0.5 obtained for DNA–OC2 at 550 nm at 10°C above the nematic?crystal transition temperature.     

Theoretical studies on magnetic interactions between Cu(II) ions in salen nucleobases

The magnetic and other physical properties between Cu²⁺ ions coordinated by salen–base pairs (Cu²⁺–DNA) are examined by using DFT calculations. In order to consider effects of entanglement and dis-entanglement of the double helix chain, three types of structural disorders i.e. distance, rotation angle and discrepancy in XY-plane, are changed in the model dimer structure. All calculated results show that J_ab values are weak anti-ferromagnetic couplings. It is also found that the J_ab values strongly depend on the salen structure.     

Sensitive and selective tumor imaging with novel and highly activatable fluorescence probes.

Selective and sensitive tumor imaging in vivo is one of the most requested methodologies in medical sciences. Although several imaging modalities have been developed including positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for the detection of tumors, none of these modalities can activate the signals upon being accumulated or uptaken to tumor sites. Among these modalities, only optical fluorescence imaging has a marked advantage, that is, their signals can be dramatically increased upon detecting some biological features. In this short review, I will introduce some recent strategies for activatable optical fluorescence imaging of tumors, and discuss their advantages over other modalities.     

Noncatalytic high temperature extraction-nonaqueous titrimetric microdetermination of oxygen in organic compounds

Summary Oxygen in various organic compounds was directly converted to carbon monoxide by decomposing a sample in a graphite crucible at higher than 1800° C. The decomposition products containing the monoxide were purified with soda-asbestos and heated copper wire using argon as a carrier gas. Then the monoxide was oxidized with heated copper(II) oxide. Carbon dioxide produced was absorbed with dimethylformamide containing 2-aminoethanol, and was titrated with a standard solution of tetra-n-butylammonium hydroxide in benzene plus some methanol using thymolphthalein as an indicator.Various types of oxygen in many organic compounds were converted to carbon monoxide stoichiometrically by the above decomposition process. Down to 2g of oxygen was determined with 0.3g error (standard deviation) without any calibrations. Interferences of nitrogen, sulphur and halogene (including fluorine) were removed thoroughly. The method was also applicable to an organoiron compound.

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Unkatalysierte Hochtemperatur-Extraktion und Titration in nicht wäßriger Phase zur Mikrobestimmung von Sauerstoff in organischen Verbindungen

Zusammenfassung Der Sauerstoff verschiedener organischer Verbindungen läßt sich unmittelbar in Kohlenmonoxid umsetzen, indem man die Probe in einem Graphittiegel höher als 1800° C erhitzt. Die Zersetzungsprodukte mit dem Monoxid werden mit Natronasbest und erhitztem Kupferdraht gereinigt, wobei man Argon als Trägergas verwendet. Dann wird das Monoxid über Kupfer(II)oxid oxydiert. Das Kohlendioxid wird in einer Lösung von 2-Aminoethanol in Dimethylformamid absorbiert und mit einer Standardlösung von Tetra-n-butylammoniumhydroxid in Benzol und etwas Methanol titriert, wobei Thymolphthalein als Indikator dient. — Verschiedenartig gebundener Sauerstoff in vielerlei organischen Verbindungen läßt sich durch das angegebene Zersetzungsverfahren stöchiometrisch in Kohlenmonoxid umsetzen. Bis auf 2g Sauerstoff wurden mit einer Standardabweichung von 0,3g ohne vorhergehende Eichung bestimmt. Störungen durch Stickstoff, Schwefel und Halogene (einschließlich Fluor) lassen sich vollständig vermeiden. Das Verfahren eignet sich auch für organische Eisenverbindungen.

     

Contracted helix to stretched helix Rearrangement of an aromatic polyacetylene prepared in n‐hexane with [Rh(norbornadiene)Cl]2‐triethylamine catalyst

p‐n‐Heptylphenylacetylene (pHepPA) was stereoregularly polymerized in n‐hexane at 25 °C using [Rh(nbd)Cl]₂ catalyst (nbd: norbornadiene) and NEt₃, affording the purple‐red Poly( R ) in 97% yield. A 80 °C heat treatment transformed Poly( R ) to the black Poly( B ). The Poly( R ) X‐ray diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed a hexagonal crystal structure comprising contracted cis‐cisoid helices [ ^Hexa Poly( R ) ^CC ]. The 80 °C heat treatment generated two tetragonal crystals: ^Tetra Poly( B ) ^CC containing contracted cis‐cisoid helices and ^Tetra Poly( B ) ^CT containing stretched cis‐transoid helices. The helical diameters before and after heat treatment were estimated using XRD and were consistent with molecular mechanics calculations (MMFF94 force field method). When heated at 80 °C in the solid phase, the λ_max in the diffuse reflective UV–vis spectra of ^Hexa Poly( R ) ^CC shifted from 482 to 560 nm. Additionally, an endothermic transition occurred in the ^Hexa Poly( R ) ^CC differential scanning calorimetric trace at ～80 °C. Therefore, these data corroborated the assertion that ^Hexa Poly( R ) ^CC thermally converted to ^Tetra Poly( B ) ^CC and ^Tetra Poly( B ) ^CT . © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 5177–5183     

Dynamic charge fluctuation of endohedral fullerene with coencapsulated Be atom and H2

As one of the typical examples of characteristic reaction field generated in inclusion (enclosure) compounds, the dynamics of an endohedral metallofullerene, (Be+nH2)@C60(n=1,2), is studied with Be atom serving as a test probe. A very large dynamical and thermal fluctuation of electronic state of Be has been found, which is surprising since the highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap of Be is so wide that such a large fluctuation in a low temperature is never expected. This finding demonstrates one of the special features of endohedral reaction field offered by the fullerene. The physical origin of this phenomenon is analyzed.