Multilayer vesicles and vesicle clusters formed by the fullerene-based surfactant C60(CH3)5K

The self-assembly behavior of a fullerene-based surfactant, C60(CH3)5K, in water was studied using a combination of static and dynamic light scattering, as well as transmission electron microscopy, and compared to that of the compound C60(C6H5)5K. Both fullerene surfactant systems spontaneously assemble into large vesicles consisting of closed spherical shells formed by bilayers, with critical aggregation concentrations (CAC) lower than 10(-6) g ml(-1). At low concentrations, the aggregate sizes of C60(CH3)5K (radius R approximately 26.8 nm) and C60(C6H5)5K (R approximately 17.0 nm) were found to be substantially different from each other, showing that the change of the substituents surrounding the polar cyclopentadienide head group makes it possible to control the size of the resulting aggregates. Furthermore, the C60(CH3)5K vesicles were found to exist in two qualitatively different types of aggregation with a critical reaggregation concentration (CRC) located at 3.30 x 10(-6) g ml(-1). Above the CRC, larger aggregates were observed (R approximately 37.6 nm), showing a more complex form of supramolecular aggregation, e.g., in terms of multi-bilayer vesicles and/or of clusters of bilayer vesicles.     

Study on radiation-induced polymerization of vinyl monomers adsorbed on inorganic substances. I. Radiation-induced polymerization of styrene adsorbed on several inorganic substances

The radiation-induced polymerization of styrene adsorbed on silica gel, white carbon, silicic acid anhydride, zeolite, and activated alumina was carried out to elucidate the effect of properties of inorganic substances on the polymerization. The rate of adsorbed state polymerization on these inorganic substances was very fast in comparison with that of bulk-state polymerization. The amount of unextractable polymer depends on the specific surface area and chemical compositions of these inorganic substances. Inorganic substances which contain aluminum as a component element are more likely to be grafted than those which consist of SiO₂ alone. The molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of unextractable polymer and extractable polymer differ from one another in each inorganic substance. In case of silicic acid anhydride, unextractable polymer has smaller molecular weight than extractable polymer. These results suggest that unextractable polymer cannot be extracted due to chemical bonds with the inorganic surface.     

Liquid-liquid extraction of copper(I) by cyclic tetrathio ethers

The liquid-liquid extraction of copper(I) with 12-, 13-, 15- and 16-membered cyclic tetrathio ethers ([n]aneS₄, where n represents the total number of carbon and sulphur atoms in the cyclic ligand ring) was examined stoichiometrically using picrate ion (Pic^?) for the formation of the ion pair. Copper(I) was extracted with four ligands (L) into 1,2-dichloroethane as the ion-pair compound, [Cu(I)L]⁺Pic^?. The extraction constant, K_ex, with each ligand was determined. As the ring size of cyclic tetrathio ethers increases, the log K_ex values, including that previously reported for [14]aneS₄, increase from 7.7 to 9.4. The value of Δ log K_ex, which represents the increase in log K_ex due to the addition of one carbon atom to the macrocyclic ring, was large between [13]aneS₄ and [14]aneS₄ (Δ log K_ex=1.0) and small between [14]aneS₄ and [15]aneS₄ (Δ log K_ex=0.1).     

220-MHz NMR spectra of acrylic monomer–2-substituted 1,3-diolefin alternating copolymers

An investigation by 220-MHz NMR spectroscopy was carried out on the alternating copolymers of acrylic monomer with 2-substituted 1,3-diolefin. The chain structures were determined. The acrylic monomers used were methyl methacrylate (MMA), acrylonitrile (AN), and methacrylonitrile (MAN); isoprene (IP) and chloroprene (CLP) were the 1,3-diolefins. In the MAN–IP alternating copolymer, the 1-position methylene protons of IP showed an AB quartet peak, confirming the α-1 linkage structure. Similarly, in the MMA–CLP and AN–CLP copolymers, the 1-position methylene protons of CLP showed and AB quartet and an ABX pattern, respectively, confirming the α-1 linkage structure in both these cases also. The α-1 linkage structure was also revealed by the decoupling technique in the MAN–CLP alternating copolymer. The AN–IP and MMA–IP alternating copolymers also possess a bond between the α-position of the acrylic monomer and the 1-position of IP. The monomeric units in the alternating copolymers of acrylic monomers with 2-substituted 1,3-diolefins were generally linked at the α-position of acrylic monomer and the 1-position of 1,3-diolefin. On the other hand, in the Diels-Alder adducts of acrylic monomer with 2-substituted 1,3-diolefin, the reaction takes place between the α-position of acrylic monomer and the 4-position of 1,3-diolefin. The regioselectivity of the alternating copolymers and the Diels-Alder adducts is quite compatible with the expectations from molecular orbital theory.     

Plaunol A and B,new anti-ulcer diterpenelactones from Crotonsublyratus

Two new diterpenelactones named plaunol A ($\text{2}$) and B ($\text{3}$) exhibiting anti-Shay ulcer activity were isolated from Thai medicinal plant, $\text{Croton}$$\text{sublyratus}$. Structure of $\text{2}$ was determined by X-ray analysis of its $\text{p}$-bromobenzoate and structure of $\text{3}$ was deduced from the results of chemical correlation and the spectral data.     

Crystal Structure and Property of Perovskite-Type Oxides Containing Ion Vacancy

Studies on the role of oxygen vacancy in structural change of nonstoichiometric perovskites and a property of oxygen-deficient perovskite-related K₂NiF₄ compounds are reviewed.The structural changes on which the authors focused are cation ordering and lattice distortion. The relationship between the distortion and oxygen vacancy was investigated by comparing the structures of Sr₂(Sr_1-xM_x)TaO_6-d (M = Ca²⁺ and Nd³⁺) solid solutions. It was found that distortion of a perovskite-type lattice decreased with an increasing amount of oxygen vacancies. In order to investigate the relationship between the cation ordering on octahedral sites and oxygen vacancy, structures of stoichiometric Sr_2-xLa_xCo_1-yTa_1+yO₆ and oxygen-deficient Sr_2-xLa_xMg_1-yTa_1+yO_6-d solid solutions were compared. The authors' work reveals that the cation ordering affects the amount of oxygen vacancies in addition to cation charge and size.     

Regioselective oxygenative tetraamination of [60]fullerene. Fullerene-mediated reduction of molecular oxygen by amine via ground state single electron transfer in dimethyl sulfoxide

The reaction of [60]fullerene with a variety of a secondary aliphatic amines in 20% v/v dimethyl sulfoxide in chlorobenzene under an atmospheric pressure of molecular oxygen allows regioselective introduction of four amino groups and one epoxide group around one pentagon of the fullerene molecule in good to high yield. This new synthesis of tetraaminofullerene expoxide can be carried out with a simple procedure on a multigram scale at room temperature and affords a variety of functionalized fullerene derivatives. Near-infrared analysis of a mixture of [60]fullerene and piperidine in a deaerated dimethyl sulfoxide/chlorobenzene mixture indicated equilibrium formation of [60]fullerene radical anion (C60*-) that persists at least for 2 weeks at room temperature but reacts immediately with molecular oxygen to give the tetraaminofullerene expoxide. The Benesi-Hildebrand analysis of the concentration dependency of the near-infrared absorption indicated that a [C60*- piperidine*+] radical ion pair is formed with an equivalent constant of K = 0.62 +/- 0.02 M(-1) at 25 degrees C. This and other lines of evidence suggest that the oxygenative amination reaction involves C60-mediated reduction of molecular oxygen by the amine.     

Modification of Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA binding protein with gold nanoparticles for electrochemical detection of DNA hybridization

The unique binding event between Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) and single-stranded oligonucleotides conjugated to gold (Au) nanoparticles is utilized for the electrochemical detection of DNA hybridization. SSB was attached onto a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of single-stranded oligonucleotide modified Au nanoparticle, and the resulting Au-tagged SSB was used as the hybridization label. Changes in the Au oxidation signal was monitored upon binding of Au tagged SSB to probe and hybrid on the electrode surface. The amplified oxidation signal of Au nanoparticles provided a detection limit of 2.17 pM target DNA, which can be applied to genetic diagnosis applications. This work presented here has important implications with regard to combining a biological binding event between a protein and DNA with a solid transducer and metal nanoparticles.