Sumanenemonoone Imines Bridged by Redox‐Active π‐Conjugated Unit: Synthesis,Stepwise Coordination to Palladium(II), and Laser‐Induced Formation of Nitrogen‐Doped Graphitic Carbon

Sumanenemonoone imine compounds bridged by a redox‐active π‐conjugated unit on the basis of the conversion between 1,4‐phenylenediamine and 1,4‐benzoquinonediimine were synthesized and characterized. The stepwise coordination of the imino groups to Pd^II in the sumanenemonoone imine compound bridged by 1,4‐benzoquinonediimine was indicated by the titration experiment. Laser irradiation of a film of the metal‐free quionediimine gave nitrogen‐doped graphitic carbon, which was supported by an increase in conductivity and by Raman spectroscopy. The obtained graphitic carbon corresponds to carbonous compounds thermally treated at approximately 700–1000 °C. The ratio of nitrogen and carbon relative to that in the starting compound was nearly completely retained (5.4 % decrease).     

Sequence‐Specific DNA Alkylation by Tandem Py–Im Polyamide Conjugates

Tandem N‐methylpyrrole? N‐methylimidazole (Py? Im) polyamides with good sequence‐specific DNA‐alkylating activities have been designed and synthesized. Three alkylating tandem Py? Im polyamides with different linkers, which each contained the same moiety for the recognition of a 10 bp DNA sequence, were evaluated for their reactivity and selectivity by DNA alkylation, using high‐resolution denaturing gel electrophoresis. All three conjugates displayed high reactivities for the target sequence. In particular, polyamide 1 , which contained a β‐alanine linker, displayed the most‐selective sequence‐specific alkylation towards the target 10 bp DNA sequence. The tandem Py? Im polyamide conjugates displayed greater sequence‐specific DNA alkylation than conventional hairpin Py? Im polyamide conjugates ( 4 and 5 ). For further research, the design of tandem Py? Im polyamide conjugates could play an important role in targeting specific gene sequences.     

Synthesis of a novel naphthalene-based poly(arylene ether-ketone) by polycondensation of 1,5-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)-2,6-dimethylnaphthalene with bisphenol a

Synthesis of 1,5-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)-2,6-dimethylnaphthalene ( 1 ), polycondensation of 1 with Bisphenol A, and properties of the obtained polymer were studied. Friedel–Crafts acylation of 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene with 4-fluorobenzoyl chloride in nitrobenzene selectivity afforded 1 in 82% yield. X-ray single crystal structural analysis of 1 confirmed that the dibenzoylation proceeded regioselectively and two methyl groups sterically inhibited the coplanarity of the two aromatic planes. The polycondensation of 1 with Bisphenol A in toluene/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) mixed solvent in the presence of excess potassium carbonate as a condensation reagent was carried out at 180°C for 4 h to quantitatively afford the corresponding poly(arylene ether-ketone) (PEK) 3 with high molecular weight (M?_n～30,000) as a slightly yellow powder. As the reaction time was prolonged, both M?_n and MWD of 3 increased and the solubility of 3 in chloroform clearly decreased. By GPC-LALLS, M?_n of 3 obtained by the polycondensation for 16 h, was 85,000. The PEK 3 with high molecular weight was produced in a quantitative yield in a variety of solvents such as sulfolane. Water formed during the polycondensation hardly affected the yield and molecular weight of 3 , although a small molecular weight decrease took place. To evaluate the special effect of the methyl groups of 3 , polycondensation of 2,6-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)naphthalene 2 with bisphenol A was carried out for comparison and the corresponding PEK 4 was quantitatively obtained. Whereas 3 was soluble in ordinary organic solvents such as tet-rahydrofuran (THF), chloroform, and NMP at room temperature, 4 was insoluble in most solvents except for strong acids such as conc. sulfonic acid. The polymer 3 showed high glass transition temperature (238°C) and 5% weight loss temperature (457°C). Casting of the polymer from THF solution gave a transparent, tough, flexible, and amorphous film. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Iron twin-coronet porphyrins as models of myoglobin and hemoglobin: amphibious electrostatic effects of overhanging hydroxyl groups for successful CO/O2 discrimination

Inspired by the observation of polar interactions between CO and O(2) ligands and the peptide residues at the active site of hemoglobin and myoglobin, we synthesized two kinds of superstructured porphyrins: TCP-IM, which contains a linked imidazole ligand, and TCP-PY, which contains a linked pyridine ligand, and examined the thermodynamic, kinetic, and spectroscopic (UV/Vis, IR, NMR, and resonance Raman) properties of their CO and O(2) complexes. On both sides of each porphyrin plane, bulky binaphthyl bridges form hydrophobic cavities that are suitable for the binding of small molecules. In the proximal site, an imidazole or pyridine residue is covalently fixed and coordinates axially to the central iron atom. In the distal site, two naphtholic hydroxyl groups overhang toward the center above the heme. The CO affinities of TCPs are significantly lower than those of other heme models. In contrast, TCPs have moderate O(2) binding ability. Compared with reported model hemes, the binding selectivity of O(2) over CO in TCP-IM and TCP-PY complexes is greatly improved. The high O(2) selectivity of the TCPs is mainly attributable to a low CO affinity. The comparison of k(on)(CO) values of TCPs with those of unhindered hemes indicates the absence of steric hindrance to the intrinsically linear CO coordination to Fe(II) in TCP-IM and TCP-PY. The abnormally large k(off)(CO) values are responsible for the low CO affinities. In contrast, k(off)(O(2)) of TCP-PY is smaller than those of other pyridine-coordinated model hemes. For the CO adducts of TCPs, unusually low nu(Fe-CO) and unusually high nu(C-O) frequencies are observed. These results can be ascribed to decreased back-bonding from the iron atom to the bound CO. The lone pairs of the oxygen atoms of the hydroxyl groups prevent back-bonding by exertion of a strong negative electrostatic interaction. On the other hand, high nu(Fe-O(2)) frequencies are observed for the O(2) adducts of TCPs. In the resonance Raman (RR) spectrum of oxy-TCP-IM, we observed simultaneous enhancement of the Fe-O(2) and O-O stretching modes. Furthermore, direct evidence for hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl groups and bound dioxygen was obtained by RR and IR spectroscopy. These spectroscopic data strongly suggest that O(2) and CO binding to TCPs is controlled mainly by the two different electrostatic effects exerted by the overhanging OH groups: destabilization of CO binding by decreasing back-bonding and stabilization of O(2) binding by hydrogen bonding.     

PHYTOCHROME-MEDIATED PHOTOTROPISM IN Adiantum PROTONEMATA-I. PHOTOTROPISM AS A FUNCTION OF THE LATERAL Pfr GRADIENT*

Abstract— Phytochrome-mediated phototropism of the protonema of the fern Adiantum capillus-veneris was studied in view of the hypothesis that phototropism is controlled by the gradient of Pfr (phytochrome in the far-red-absorbing form) across the short axis of the protonema. Fluence-response relationships were investigated using a microbeam irradiation technique that allowed simultaneous stimulation of the two sides of the subapical portion of the protonema with different fluences of red light. Mathematical models describing the tropic response as a function of fluence were derived from the hypothesis in consideration of the minimal phototransformation kinetics of phytochrome. and the fitness of the functions to the experimental data was examined. The analytical results were then evaluated in view of the photochemical properties of phytochrome known from the literature. It is concluded that the extent of the tropic response is determined by the difference in the Pfr concentrations between the two sides of the protonemal cell. It is further suggested that, even if phytochrome exists as a dimer in vivo, the physiological unit of phytochrome is the monomer.     

Selective single ring-opening polymerization of spiroorthoesters with aluminium (III) acetylacetonate

A spiroorthoester, 2-methyl-1,4,6-trioxaspiro[4.6]undecane ( 1 ), was polymerized with aluminium (III) acetylacetonate as a catalyst. The resulting polymer structure was analyzed in detail by FT-IR and 270 MHz ¹H NMR, and consisted of poly(orthoester) which was obtained by selective ring-opening of the seven-membered ring. In contrast, 2-methyl-1,4,6-trioxaspiro[4.5]decane ( 2 ) and 2-methyl-1,4,6-trioxaspiro[4.4]nonane ( 3 ) did not afford any polymers. The reactivity difference of these monomers was discussed in terms of their strain energies on the basis of MM2 calculations.     

Polysulfoximine: A Novel Sulfur-Based Polymer for High Performance Engineering Plastics

First polysulfoximine was synthesized and characterized. 4-Phenoxybenzenesulfonimidoyl chloride was prepared by the reaction of 4-phenoxybenzenesulfinyl chloride with anhydrous chloramine T. Acid-catalyzed polycondensation of the sulfonimidoyl chloride with 10% of anhydrous ferric chloride in nitrobenzene at 120°C for 48 h afforded 80% yield of polysulfoximine having tosyl group at the nitrogen atom (NTs derivative). The spectral characteristics of the NTs derivative suggested occurrence of the regioselective polycondenstion. The NTs derivative was treated with conc. sulfuric acid followed by neutralization with sodium hydroxide to give corresponding “free” polysulfoximine having hydrogen atom at the nitrogen atom (NH derivative) in 80% conversion. Benzylated derivative (NBz derivative) was obtained by benzylation of the NH derivative with benzyl chloride. Thermal properties of these polysulfoximines were examined.     

Preparation and Properties of Aliphatic Polybenzoxazoles from 4,4′-Diamino-3,3′-Dihydroxybiphenyl and Aliphatic Dicarboxylic Acid Chlorides by the Silylation Method

Abstract

A series of aliphatic polybenzoxazoles of high molecular weights was prepared in three steps by the low-temperature solution polycondensation of tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)-substituted 4,4′-diamino-3,3′-dihydroxy-biphenyl with aliphatic diacid chlorides with 7 to 12 methylene units yielding trimethylsilyl-substituted poly(o-hydroxysamide) precursor polymers, which were subjected to desilylation with methanol giving the poly(o-hydroxyamide)s, followed by thermal cyclodehydration. The aliphatic polybenzoxazoles had melting points in the 172 to 246 °C range with glass transition temperatures of 55-97°C. They were stable in the melt state up to 400 °C in nitrogen. These polybenzoxazoles and the corresponding bisbenzoxazole model compounds exhibited no liquid crystallinity.     

Sequence-specific gene silencing in mammalian cells by alkylating pyrrole-imidazole polyamides

Gene silencing was examined by sequence-specific alkylation of DNA by N-methylpyrrole (Py)-N-methylimidazole (Im) hairpin polyamides. Polyamides ImImPyPygammaImImPyLDu86 (A) and ImImPyPygammaImPyPyLDu86 (B) selectively alkylated the coding regions of the renilla and firefly luciferases, respectively, according to the base pair recognition rule of Py-Im polyamides. Two different plasmids, encoding renilla luciferase and firefly luciferase, were used as vectors to examine the effect of alkylation on gene silencing. Transfection of the alkylated luciferase vectors-by polyamide A or B-into HeLa, 293, and NIH3T3 cells demonstrated that these sequence-specific DNA alkylations lead to selective silencing of gene expression. Next, the vectors were cotransfected into HeLa cells and the cells were treated with polyamide A or B. Selective reduction of luciferase activities was caused by both polyamides. On the basis of this sequence-specific alkylation and gene silencing activity, these alkylating Py-Im polyamides thus have potential as antitumor drugs to target specific gene expression in human cells.     

Versatile synthetic method for sphingolipids and functionalized sphingosine derivatives via olefin cross metathesis

A highly efficient and versatile method for the synthesis of various sphingolipids, such as sphingomyelin, ceramide, sphingosine, sphingosine 1-phosphate, and functionalized sphingosine derivatives, was established by two types of combinations of the olefin cross metathesis reaction. One reaction was between the same olefin part and appropriate amino alcohols, which were prepared starting from N-Boc-L-serine, and the other was between appropriate olefins and the same amino alcohol. [reaction: see text].