Self-assembling porphyrins and phthalocyanines for photoinduced charge separation and charge transport

Large π-conjugated compounds are promising building blocks for organic thin-film electronics such as organic light-emitting diodes, organic field-effect transistors, and organic photovoltaics. Utilization of porphyrins and phthalocyanines for this purpose is highly fascinating because of their excellent electric, photophysical, and electrochemical properties as well as intense self-assembling abilities arising from π-π stacking interactions. This paper focuses on fundamental aspects of self-assembled structures that have been obtained from porphyrin and phthalocyanine building blocks and more complex composites for photoinduced charge separation and charge transport toward the potential applications to organic thin-film electronics.     

Tumescenamide C,an antimicrobial cyclic lipodepsipeptide from Streptomyces sp.

Tumescenamide C, a new cyclic lipodepsipeptide, was isolated from a culture broth of an actinomycete Streptomyces sp. KUSC_F05. Tumescenamide C was a congener of tumescenamides A and B, representing a sixteen-membered ring system, consisting of two proteinogenic and three non-proteinogenic amino acids, to which a methyl-branched fatty acid was attached. The planar structure was determined by spectroscopic analysis, while its absolute stereochemistry was determined by chemical degradation and asymmetric synthesis. Tumescenamide C exhibited antimicrobial activity with high selectivity against Streptomyces species.     

Solid-state ligand-driven light-induced spin change at ambient temperatures in bis(dipyrazolylstyrylpyridine)iron(II) complexes

We previously reported that an Fe(II) complex ligated by two (Z)-2,6-di(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-4-styrylpyridine ligands (Z-H) presented a solid state ligand-driven light-induced spin change (LD-LISC) upon one-way Z-to-E photoisomerization, although modulation of the magnetism was trivial at ambient temperatures (Chem. Commun.2011, 47, 6846). Here, we report the synthesis of new derivatives of Z-H, Z-CN and Z-NO(2), in which electron-withdrawing cyano and nitro substituents are introduced at the 4-position of the styryl group to attain a more profound photomagnetism at ambient temperatures. Z-CN and Z-NO(2) undergo quantitative one-way Z-to-E photochromism upon excitation of the charge transfer band both in acetonitrile and in the solid state, similar to the behavior observed for Z-H. In solution, these substituents stabilized the low-spin (LS) states of Z-CN and Z-NO(2), and the behavior was quantitatively analyzed according to the Evans equation. The photomagnetic properties in the solid state, on the other hand, cannot be explained in terms of the substituent effect alone. Z-CN displayed photomagnetic properties almost identical to those of Z-H. Z-CN preferred the high-spin (HS) state at all temperatures tested, whereas photoirradiated Z-CN yielded a lower χ(M)T at ambient temperatures. The behavior of Z-NO(2) was counterintuitive, and the material displayed surprising photomagnetic properties in the solid state. Z-NO(2) occupied the LS state at low temperatures and underwent thermal spin crossover (SCO) with a T(1/2) of about 270 K. The photoirradiated Z-NO(2) displayed a higher value of χ(M)T and the modulation of χ(M)T exceeded that of Z-H or Z-CN. Z-NO(2)·acetone, in which acetone molecules were incorporated into the crystal lattice, further stabilized the LS state (T(1/2) > 300 K), thereby promoting large modulations of the χ(M)T values (87% at 273 K and 64% at 300 K) upon Z-to-E photoisomerization. Single crystal X-ray structure analysis revealed that structural factors played a vital role in the photomagnetic properties in the solid state. Z-H and Z-CN favored intermolecular π-π stacking among the ligand molecules. The coordination sphere around the Fe(II) nucleus was distorted, which stabilized the HS state. In contrast, Z-NO(2)·acetone was liberated from such intermolecular π-π stacking and coordination distortion, resulting in the stabilization of the LS state.     

Success or Failure of Chiral Crystallization of Similar Heterocyclic Compounds

Single crystals of two achiral and planar heterocyclic compounds, C₉H₈H₃O(CA1) and C₈H₅NO₂ (CA4), recrystallized from ethanol, were characterized by single crystal X-ray analysis, respectively, and chiral crystallization was observed only for CA1 as P2₁2₁2₁ (# 19), whereas it was not observed for CA4 P2₁/c (# 14). In CA1, as a monohydrate, the hydrogen bonds were pronounced around the water of crystallization (O4), and the planar cyclic sites were arranged in parallel to slightly tilted positions. On the other hand, an anhydride CA4 formed a dimer by hydrogen bonds between adjacent molecules in the crystal, which were aggregated by van der Waals forces and placed in parallel planar cyclic sites.     

Copper-Catalyzed Oxidative Benzylic C(sp3)−H Cyclization for the Synthesis of β-Lactams

β-Lactams are important structural motifs because of their ubiquity in natural products and pharmaceuticals. We report herein a Cu-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative C(sp³)−H amidation for the synthesis of β-lactams using tBuOOtBu. This method is based on Kharasch–Sosnovsky amidation and does not require prefunctionalization of C(sp³)−H bonds or the installation of a directing group, thereby allowing for the straightforward synthesis of β-lactams. Our intramolecular functionalization protocol can be extended to diverse benzylic C(sp³)−H bonds and shows excellent functional-group tolerance.     

Post-synthetic modification of oligonucleotides containing 5-trifluoromethylpyrimidine bases

A practical and operationally simple post-synthetic modification of oligonucleotides containing 5-trifluoromethylpyrimidine bases is described. Trifluoromethyl group was used as a post-synthetic precursor and 5-trifluoromethylpyrimidine bases within oligonucleotides were converted into the corresponding 5-carboxy-, 5-cyano-, 5-amidinyl-, and 5-carbamoyl derivatives by treatment with an alkaline solution and amines. Moreover, post-synthetic treatment of fully protected and controlled pore glass (CPG)-attached oligonucleotides proceeded successfully with the simultaneous removal of all protecting groups, cleavage from CPG, and conversion of the trifluoromethyl group to afford the corresponding modified oligonucleotides.     

Measurement of the electrophoretic mobility of sheep erythrocytes using microcapillary chips

Cell electrophoretic mobility (EPM) can be used to characterize individual cells. The purpose of this study is to establish reproducible and reliable cell EPM values obtained using microcapillary electrophoresis (microCE) chips. We studied cell electrophoresis on microCE chips through the comprehensive measurement of EPM and zeta potential. The inner wall of microchannels in microCE chips was coated with three kinds of reagents, namely bovine serum albumin (BSA), gelatin, and 2-methacryloyloxyethylphosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer to prevent nonspecific adhesion and interaction between cells and the inner wall. Electrophoresis was conducted in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 4-9) using erythrocytes extracted from sheep whole blood. Electroosmotic flow (EOF) mobility was measured using noncharged particles, and then the true EPM was calculated by subtracting the EOF mobility from the electromigration. MPC polymer coatings in microCE chips reduced the zeta potential of the inner wall and fully prevented nonspecific adhesion. EPM data obtained using microCE chips were almost the same and reproducible over a wide range of pH irrespective of the coating reagent used. In conclusion, reliability in the measurement of cell EPM using microCE chips was realized.     

Catalytic enantioselective fluorination of oxindoles

We have developed a highly efficient catalytic enantioselective fluorination of oxindole derivatives. In the presence of a catalytic amount of chiral Pd complex 2 (2.5 mol %), various substrates, including aryl- and alkyl-substituted oxindoles, were fluorinated in a highly enantioselective manner (up to 96% ee). In addition, when R was a hydrogen atom, enantioselective fluorination followed by solvolysis gave a monofluorinated ester with up to 93% ee. To our knowledge, this is the first example of catalytic enantioselective fluorination of oxindoles.