Medicinal foodstuffs. XXVII. Saponin constituents of gotu kola (2): structures of new ursane- and oleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides, centellasaponins B, C, and D, from Centella asiatica cultivated in Sri Lanka

Ursane- and oleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides, centellasaponins B, C, and D, were isolated from the aerial parts of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban cultivated in Sri Lanka together with madecassoside, asiaticoside, asiaticoside B, and sceffoleoside A. The chemical structures of centellasaponins B, C, and D were determined on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence to be madecassic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, madasiatic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, and 3beta,6beta,23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, respectively.     

Swelling of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gels in water-aprotic solvent mixtures

The swelling volume of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PIPAAm) gel in aprotic solvents (acetonitrile (AcN)-, tetrahydrofuran (THF)-, 1,4-dioxane (DO)- and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO))-water mixtures was measured at 25°C. The gel swollen in water shrank first and then reswelled with addition of the aprotic solvents. At an intermediate mole fraction (XDMSO) range of DMSO-water mixtures, the gel demonstrated a reentrant swelling phenomenon the hydrated gel shrank first on addition of a small amount of solvent, showed a typical wide reentrant transition, and gradually reswelled in the range near pure solvent. On the other hand, the gels in AcN-, THF-, and DO-water mixtures demonstrated a reentrant-convex swelling phenomenon: the gels reswelled after a reentrant phase transition in low Xorg (XAcN, XTHF and XDO), showed a maximum swelling in the intermediate Xorg region, and shrank again gradually in the high Xorg region. Such a swelling behavior of the gel was interpreted by correlating with solution properties of the aqueous aprotic solvent mixtures.The strength of hydrogen bonding around amide groups of the homopolymer was examined in pure solvents (water, THF, and DMSO) and in all proportion of aqueous THF to observe the relation with swelling behavior of gel by spectrum analysis of the amide I and II bands of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The swelling properties of gels in solvents and the aqueous mixtures were well correlated with the peak shifts of amide groups of the homopolymer.     

NMR Spectroscopic Observation of a Metal‐Free Acetylide Anion

A metal‐free acetylide was observed by using NMR spectroscopy. Metal‐free acetylides are closely related to reactive intermediates (carbanions) in solution; therefore, they have been regarded as unobservable species. However, we generated this highly reactive and unstable species through the deprotonation of phenylacetylene by using the strong nonmetallic phosphazene base tBu‐P4. In the presence of tBu‐P4, the J coupling between the ethynyl carbon and hydrogen nuclei (¹J_C,H) of phenylacetylene disappeared; this indicates the deprotonation of the alkyne terminal. Furthermore, a large low‐field shift (approximately 90 ppm) of the alkyne carbon resonance was observed. We concluded that we have observed a metal‐free carbanion with a formal charge on an sp‐hybridized carbon atom for the first time.     

A study of the alumina-silica gel adsorbent for the removal of silicic acid from geothermal water: increase in adsorption capacity of the adsorbent due to formation of amorphous aluminosilicate by adsorption of silicic acid

Two kinds of adsorbents (Si adsorbent and Al adsorbent) for the removal of silicic acid from geothermal water to retard the formation of silica scales were prepared using silicic acid contained in geothermal water. The Si adsorbent was prepared by evaporating geothermal water, and the Al adsorbent was prepared by evaporating geothermal water after the addition of aluminum chloride. The specific surface area of the Si adsorbent was small and it's adsorption capacity of silicic acid was low. Although the specific surface area of the Al adsorbent was also small, it was significantly increased by the adsorption of silicic acid and it's adsorption capacity was high. Based on the change in the local structure of aluminum ion by the adsorption of silicic acid, the Al adsorbent was considered to be silica particles covered with crystalline aluminum hydroxide. Moreover, it was concluded that the increase in the specific surface area of the Al adsorbent and the decrease in the zeta potential were due to the formation of an amorphous aluminosilicate with a large surface area and a negative charge (one 4-coordinated Al) by the reaction between aluminum ions and silicic acids.     

Distribution of aquatic plants and absorption of radionuclides by plants through the leaf surface in brackish Lake Obuchi, Japan, bordered by nuclear fuel cycle facilities

We investigated the distribution of aquatic plants and the absorption of radionuclides by them in the brackish Lake Obuchi, Japan, which is bordered by nuclear fuel cycle facilities. We studied 5 species of submerged plants: Zannichellia palustris, Ruppia maritima, Potamogeton pectinatus, Zostera japonica, and Z. marina. The plants contained many elements, including radionuclides. The concentrations of ²³⁸U, ¹³⁷Cs, and ⁹⁰Sr in Z. marina were 11.3-12.4, 0.000-0.144, and 0.151-0.202 Bq^.kg^-1 dw, respectively. Those in Z. japonica were 5.2-8.8, 0.000-0.267, and 0.081-0.175 Bq^.kg^-1 dw, respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides in the plants tended to be higher in higher-salinity regions than in lower-salinity regions of the lake. We found a close relationship between photosynthetic activity and the absorption of stable Sr by plants in the laboratory. Salinity, illumination, and water temperature influenced the photosynthetic activity of the plants and the consequent absorption of elements.     

Synthesis of benzylidene-pendant polyphthalimidines from flexible bisphthalides and various diamines

New polyphthalimidine-forming monomers, 5,5′-(oxydi-p-phenylenedicarbonyl)bis(3-benzylidenephthalide) and the 6,6′-derivative, were synthesized by the Friedel–Crafts reaction of diphenyl ether with 5- and 6-chloroformyl-3-benzylidenephthalide, respectively. The direct polycondensation of these bisphthalides with both aliphatic and aromatic diamines in o-phenylphenol at 200–250°C afforded polyphthalimidines having inherent viscosities of 0.2–1.2 dL/g in almost quantitative yields. Syntheses of aliphatic polyphthalimidines with higher inherent viscosities were also achieved by a two-step procedure involving ring-opening polyaddition and subsequent thermal cyclodehydration. All the polymers were amorphous and readily soluble in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), m-cresol, nitrobenzene, pyridine, and chloroform. Tough and flexible films could be cast from NMP solutions of the polymers. Glass transition temperatures of the polyphthalimidines were in the range of 158–246°C. The thermogravimetry of the aromatic polymers showed 10% weight loss in air and nitrogen at 445–515 and 500–520°C, respectively. The crosslinking reaction of some benzylidenependant polyphthalimidines took place at 300°C through double-bond addition to afford cured polymers with improved thermal stability.     

Synthesis of polyphthalimidines with benzylidene group from aminophthalide monomers

Two aminophthalide monomers, 6-amino-3-benzylidenephthalide (I) and 3-(p-aminobenzylidene)phthalide (II), underwent self-polycondensation in o-phenylphenol at 250°C to yield polyphthalimidines with inherent viscosities up to 0.5 dL/g. These polymers were readily soluble in a variety of solvents such as dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, m-cresol, pyridine, and methylene chloride. The temperatures at which a 10% weight loss occurred by thermogravimetry in nitrogen were 460°C for the polymer derived from I and 490°C for the polymer from II. The glass transition temperature of the polymer from I was 332°C, determined by thermomechanical analysis.     

A modified method using static head-space gas chromatography for determining the stability constants of 1-alkanol/alpha-cyclodextrin complexation

A modification of the conventional static head-space gas chromatography method (SHSGC method) to determine stability constants for 1-alkanol/alpha-CD inclusion complexes was investigated. The 1 : 1 stability constants determined by this modified SHSGC method are in reasonable agreement with the corresponding values reported previously. The modified SHSGC method precludes the necessity of the calibration curve by the use of Henry's law constant of guest. Consequently, the modified SHSGC method is more advantageous than the conventional SHSGC method because the experimental time required for determination of the stability constant is markedly reduced.     

Characterization of phase transition of Ba2-xSrxIn2O5 by thermal analysis and high temperature X-ray diffraction

The phase transitions of Ba_2-xSr_xIn₂O₅ were investigated with various thermal analyses and high-temperature X-ray diffraction. It was clarified that crystal structure of Ba_2-xSr_xIn₂O₅ with x=0.0~0.4 varies from brownmillerite through distorted perovskite to another distorted perovskite with increase of temperature. The phase transition from brownmillerite to distorted perovskite was revealed to be first order, whereas transition from distorted perovskite to another one was second order. The specimen with x≥0.5 showed only one first order phase transition from brownmillerite to distorted perovskite. The phase diagram of Ba_2-xSr_xIn₂O₅ was established and existence of tricritical point at ~1100°C with x=0.4~0.5 was suggested. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.