Cationic ring-opening transfer polymerization of spiro ortho esters initiated by carbon black

The ring-opening transfer polymerization of spiro ortho esters (SOE) initiated by carbon black was investigated. In the absence of carbon black, no polymerization occurred at all. In the presence of channel black containing carboxyl group, the ring-opening transfer polymerization of SOE was initiated at 50-70°C. to give polyether ester, namely alternating copolymer of epoxide and lactone. The rate of polymerization of 1,4,6-trioxaspiro[4.4]nonane and 1,4,6-trioxaspiro[4.5]decane was considerably small compared with that of 1,4,6-trioxaspiro[4.6]undecane. The activation energy of the polymerization of 2-chloromethyl-1,4,6-trioxaspiro[4.6]undecane was estimated to be 6.0 kcal/mol. The initiating activity of carbon black increased with an increase in carboxyl group content of carbon black. Furnace black that contained no carboxyl group was unable to initiate the polymerization. Furthermore, the carbon black lost the initiating ability of the polymerization upon the blocking of carboxyl group on the surface by the treatment with potassium hydroxide or diazomethane. Based on these results, it was concluded that carboxyl group on carbon black plays an important role in the initiation. During the polymerization, a part of the polymer formed was grafted onto carbon black: the grafting ratio was 10–30%. The mechanisms of initiation and grafting were discussed.     

Studies on penem and carbapenem. I. Syntheses and oral absorption of ester-type prodrugs of sodium (5R,6S)-2-(2-fluoroethylthio)-6-[(1R)-1-hydroxyethyl]penem-3-c arboxylat e

Acyloxyalkyl esters (2a-d), alkyloxycarbonyloxyalkyl esters (2e-g) and (5-methyl-2-oxo-1,3-dioxol-4-yl)methyl ester (2h) of (5R,6S)-2-(2-fluoroethylthio)-6-[(1R)-1-hydroxyethyl]penem-3- carboxylic acid (1) were synthesized. Enhanced oral absorption was observed in mice reflecting increased lipophilicity, compared with the parent 1 itself. Among them, the ester 2h showed a prolonged plasma level and a large area under the blood concentration-time curve (AUC) in rats. These ester-type prodrugs of penem 1 in phosphate buffer (pH 6.86) were much more stable than those of cephalosporins which easily degraded via isomerization to delta 2 cephalosporins.     

Thermal behavior of ternary Sm2Fe17Nx magnets

The Mössbauer spectra of Sm₂Fe₁₇N_x, prepared by the nitrogenation of Sm₂Fe₁₇ powders in an ammonia and hydrogen atmosphere, were observed at elevated temperatures to shed light on the thermal behavior of nitrogen in the compounds Sm₂Fe₁₇N_x. It was found that there were large differences in thermal behavior between the starting Sm₂Fe₁₇, crystalline Sm₂Fe₁₇N_x (x≈1.7) and amorphous Sm₂Fe₁₇N_x(x～7). The thermal decomposition behavior of Sm₂Fe₁₇N_3.2, developed as one of the most promising hard magnetic materials, was found to be different under different atmospheres.     

Highly diastereoselective chemoenzymatic synthesis of (2′R)- and (2′S)-2′-deoxy[2′-H]guanosines

In an effort to develop an efficient synthetic method of highly diastereoselective (2′R)- and (2′S)-2′-deoxy[2′-²H]guanosines, chemoenzymatic conversion was investigated. The synthesis of (2′R > 98% de)-2′-deoxy[2′-²H]guanosine was achieved by biological transdeoxyribosylation using (2′R > 98% de)-2′-deoxy[2′-²H]uridine, 2,6-diaminopurine, and Enterobacter aerogenes AJ-11125, followed by treatment with adenosine deaminase. (2′S > 98% de)-2′-Deoxy[2′-²H]guanosine was synthesized from (2′S > 98% de)-2′-deoxy[2′-²H]uridine and 2,6-diaminopurine using thymidine phosphorylase and purine nucleoside phosphorylase instead of E. aerogenes AJ-11125.     

Hydrogen evolution from water by use of viologen polymers as electron transfer catalyst

The behavior of viologen polymer (P-V²⁺) as an electron transfer catalyst in the reaction of hydrogen generation was studied. In the photoirradiation system, which contains triethanolamine (TEA), Ru(bpy)³⁺₃, and P-V²⁺, the amount of hydrogen evolution was less than methyl viologen (MV²⁺); P-V²⁺, however, was more effective in sodium dithionite as the electron donor and showed higher initial rates than MV²⁺.     

Carbon dioxide fixation by microalgae photosynthesis using actual flue gas discharged from a boiler

To mitigate CO₂ discharged from thermal power plants, studies on CO₂ fixation by the photosynthesis of microalgae using actual exhaust gas have been carried out. The results are as follows.

Cationic ring‐opening polymerization of monothiocarbonate with a norbornene group

This work deals with the cationic ring‐opening polymerization of cyclic thiocarbonates with a norbornene or norbornane moiety, that is, 5,5‐(bicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐2‐ene‐5,5‐ylidene)‐1,3‐dioxane‐2‐thione ( TC1 ) or 5,5‐(bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane‐5,5‐ylidene)‐1,3‐dioxane‐2‐thione ( TC2 ), respectively. The reaction of TC1 initiated by trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH), methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TfOMe), boron trifluoride etherate (BF₃OEt₂), or triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate (Et₃OBF₄) afforded unidentified products; however, TC1 underwent cationic ring‐opening polymerization with methyl iodide as an initiator to afford polythiocarbonate because the propagating end was stabilized by the covalent‐bonding property. The polymerization of TC2 initiated by TfOH, TfOMe, BF₃OEt₂, or Et₃OBF₄ afforded polythiocarbonate with good solubility in common organic solvents and a narrow molecular weight distribution because of the absence of a double‐bond moiety. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1698–1705, 2002     

Kinetic determination of trace cobalt(II) by visual autocatalytic indication

A highly sensitive and simple visual autocatalytic method has been developed for the determination of trace cobalt. The cobalt ion released by the oxidative decomposition of inert bis[2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-(N-propyl-N-sulfopropyl-amino-phenolato] cobaltate (Co(III)-5-Br-PAPS) with peroxomonosulfate acts as a catalyst for the oxidative degradation of the complex. Thus a definite time lapse of degradation is observed by the sudden disappearance of colored Co(III) complexes. The degradation time varies inversely with the logarithm of the initial concentration of cobalt(II). The determination range of cobalt(II) was from 3x10(-9) to 2x10(-7) M in the presence of 5x10(-6) M of 5-Br-PAPS. The relative standard deviation of the spot size method (10 mul) was 3.5% at 1x10(-7) M cobalt(II). This autocatalytic indicator reaction system has been successfully applied for the visual determination of urinary cobalt.     

X-ray gated Mössbauer spectroscopic studies on57Co-labelled cobalt/II/ fluoride

KX-ray-gated emission Mössbauer spectra of⁵⁷Co-labelled CoF₂ and CoF₂.2H₂O were measured at room temperature, using the coincidence technique. A difference was found in the relative intensity of⁵⁷Fe(II)/⁵⁷Fe(III) between the X-ray-gated and non-gated emission spectra. The results are explained in terms of local radiolytic effects of water of crystallization and the chemical effects associated with the de-excitation processes caused by EC-decay.     

A synthesis, including asymmetric synthesis, of α-quaternary α-amino aldehydes from ketones and chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide via sulfinylaziridines

Treatment of 1-chlorovinyl p-tolyl sulfoxides, prepared from ketones and chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, with N-lithio arylamines resulted in the formation of sulfinylaziridines in good to high yields. The sulfinylaziridines were treated with N-lithio aniline or N-lithio p-chloroaniline to afford α-quaternary α-amino aldehydes in good yields. From α-quaternary α-amino aldehydes, α-quaternary α-amino acid esters and β-quaternary β-amino alcohols were obtained. When optically active chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide was used in this procedure, a method for the synthesis of optically active α-quaternary α-amino aldehydes was realized. The reaction mechanism, including asymmetric induction, for the formation of the sulfinylaziridines is described.