Syntheses, structural characterization and photophysical properties of 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole rhenium(I) complexes

Novel chelators, i.e., 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole derivatives, were synthesized by means of Cu(I)-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and used to prepare luminescent Re(I) complexes [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)], [ReCl(CO)(3)(AcGlc-pyta)] and [ReCl(CO)(3)(Glc-pyta)] (Bn-pyta = 1-benzyl-4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole, AcGlc-pyta = 2-(4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)ethyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside, Glc-pyta = 2-(4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)ethyl beta-d-glucopyranoside). X-Ray crystallography of Bn-pyta and Glc-pyta indicated an azocompound-like structure while the 1,2,4-triazole isomer has an azine character. [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)] crystallized in the monoclinic system with space group P2(1)/n. Bn-pyta ligand coordinates with the nitrogen atoms of the 2-pyridyl group and the 3-position of 1,2,3-triazole ring, which is a very similar coordinating fashion to that of the 2,2'-bipyridine derivative. The glucoconjugated Re(I) complexes [ReCl(CO)(3)(AcGlc-pyta)] and [ReCl(CO)(3)(Glc-pyta)] hardly crystallized, and were analyzed by applying extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis. The EXAFS analyses suggested that the glucoconjugation at the 1-position of the 1,2,3-triazole makes no influence to the coordinating fashion of 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole. [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)] showed a blue-shifted maximum absorption (333 nm, 3.97 x 10(3) M(-1) cm(-1)) compared with [ReCl(CO)(3)(bpy)] (371 nm, 3.35 x 10(3) M(-1) cm(-1)). These absorptions were clearly assigned to be the mixed metal-ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (MLLCT) on the basis of time-dependent density functional theory calculation. The luminescence spectrum of [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)] also showed this blue-shifted feature when compared with that of [ReCl(CO)(3)(bpy)]. The luminescence lifetime of [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)] was determined to be 8.90 mus in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran at 77 K, which is longer than that of [ReCl(CO)(3)(bpy)] (3.17 micros). The blue-shifted electronic absorption and elongated luminescence lifetime of [ReCl(CO)(3)(Bn-pyta)] suggested that 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole functions as an electron-rich bidentate chelator.     

Construction of asymmetric cell-sized lipid vesicles from lipid-coated water-in-oil microdroplets

We present a simple, rapid, and robust method for preparing asymmetric cell-sized lipid bilayer vesicles using water-in-oil (W/O) microdroplets transferred through an oil-water interface. The efficiency for producing cell-sized model membranes is elucidated in relation to the vesicular size and the weight of contained water-soluble molecules. We demonstrate the biological asymmetric nature and the formation of lipid raft microdomain structures using fluorescence microscopy.     

Photoresponsive rolling and bending of thin crystals of chiral diarylethenes

Dithienylhexafluorocyclopentene with (R)- or (S)-N-phenylethylamide substituents formed rod-like and 0.2-1.0 microm-thick platelike crystals by sublimation; upon UV irradiation, the crystals bent concavely to the incident light and finally rolled crystals were obtained; the bent crystals were reconverted to flat crystals by visible light irradiation.     

Chelation-assisted electrocyclic reactions of 3-alkenyl-2,2'-bipyridines: an efficient method for the synthesis of 5,6-dihydro-1,10-phenanthroline and 1,10-phenanthroline derivatives

An efficient method for the synthesis of substituted 5,6-dihydro-1,10-phenanthrolines and 1,10-phenanthrolines has been developed by means of the chelation-assisted photochemical electrocyclic reactions of 3-alkenyl-2,2'-bipyridines.     

Aqueous chromatographic system for separation of biomolecules using thermoresponsive polymer modified stationary phase

We have investigated a new method for HPLC using packing materials modified with a functional polymer, such as thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm). PNIPAAm-modified silica exhibits temperature-controlled hydrophilic-hydrophobic surface property changes in aqueous systems. Temperature-responsive chromatography is performed with an aqueous mobile phase without using an organic solvent. We designed ternary copolymers of NIPAAm introduced 2-(dimethyl-amino) ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) as a cationic monomer and butyl methacrylate (BMA) as a hydrophobic monomer. A cationic thermoresponsive hydrogel grafted surface would produce an alterable stationary phase with both thermally regulated hydrophobicity and charge density for separation of bioactive compounds. In this study, we achieved successful separation of lysozyme without the loss of bioactivity by temperature-responsive chromatography. The electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions could be modulated simultaneously with the temperature in an aqueous mobile phase, thus the separation system would have potential applications in the separation of biomolecules.     

Synthesis of allenes via CuBr-catalyzed homologation of alk-1-ynes accelerated by microwave

CuBr-catalyzed homologation of alk-1-ynes 1 with paraformaldehyde and N,N-diisopropylamine (or N,N-dicyclohexylamine) was accelerated by microwave irradiation at 150 °C to afford the corresponding allenes 2 in good to high yields in 1-10 min. Bisalkynes 5 and 7 were also converted to the corresponding bisallenes 6 and 8 in 63% and 61% yields, respectively, under the current condition.     

Usefulness of the simultaneous determination of serum levels of theophylline and its metabolites in patients medicated with theophylline preparation

Objective: Measurement of the serum level of theophylline is essential for its proper use; however, it is difficult to infer the metabolic ability of individual patients by only the serum theophylline level and to decide the appropriate medication. In this study, we simultaneously measured serum theophylline and metabolite levels in patients treated with theophylline, and investigated their usefulness. Experimental: The subjects were asthma patients who visited the outpatient clinic of Respiratory Medicine, St Luke's International Hospital, between April and October 2003, and were medicated with sustained‐release theophylline tablets (Theodur®). The serum level of theophylline and its metabolites was measured by HPLC in patients who gave written consent. Results: A strong correlation was noted between the serum theophylline (TP) and 1,3‐dimethyluric acid (DMU) levels of 52 patients (r = 0.670), and DMU/TP was about 0.04. In a patient whose the DMU/TP was 0.216, it was recognized that metabolic ability was promoted due to a history of smoking. Discussion: In this study, it was shown that simultaneous measurement by HPLC of the serum level of theophylline and its metabolites and DMU/TP was useful to assess the metabolic ability of individual patients. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High‐temperature ethylene/α‐olefin copolymerization with a zirconocene catalyst: Effects of the zirconocene ligand and polymerization conditions on copolymerization behavior

Copolymerizations of ethylene and α‐olefin with various zirconocene compounds at a high temperature were carried out to study the relationship between the ligand structure of zirconocene compounds and the copolymerization behavior. All of the indenyl‐based zirconocene compounds in combination with dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate/triisobutylaluminum produced only low molecular weight copolymers at a high temperature, regardless of the substituents and bridged structures of the zirconocene compounds. However, zirconocene compounds with a fluorenyl ligand gave rise to a significant increase in the activity and molecular weight of the copolymers by the selection of a diphenylmethylene bridge structure even at a high temperature. Ethylene/1‐hexene copolymers obtained with the fluorenyl‐based catalysts contained inner double bonds accompanied by the generation of hydrogen, presumably because of a C H bond activation mechanism. The contents of the inner double bonds were significantly influenced by the polymerization conditions, including the 1‐hexene feed content, polymerization temperature, and ethylene pressure. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4641–4648, 2000     

Synthesis and structure of iron(III) complexes containing a quasi-crownether ring

A barium-iron(III) [BaFe(cr-salen)(py)₂](ClO₄)₃ (1) was prepared and an iron(III) complex [Fe(cr-salen)(py)₂]ClO₄ (2) complex was obtained by removing Ba²⁺ ion from the barium-iron(III) complexes with guanidinium sulfate. These complexes are in the high-spin state both in the solid state and in acetonitrile. Single crystals of [BaFe(cr-salen)(MeOH)₂]₂O(ClO₄)₄·2MeOH (3) were obtained by slow evaporation of a solution of (2) and Ba(ClO₄)₂, and the single crystal X-ray structure of (3) was determined: Crystal data for [BaFe(cr-salen)(MeOH)₂]₄O₂(ClO₄)₄·2MeOH: C₂₅H₃₆N₂O_17.5Cl₂BaFe, are: space group C2/c, Z=8, a=24.79(7) Å, b=16.11(6) Å, c=17.24(6) Å, V=6753(36) ų, R=0.133, R_w=0.154. The structure of the complex has a one order polymeric chain. An iron atom is located in a cavity of square pyramidal geometry and bridged by an oxygen atom of μ-oxo. A barium ion is sitted in a quasi-crownether ring and bridged by two perchlorate anions.