An Improved Synthesis of Retinoic Acid from β-Ionone

A convenient and large-scale preparation of retinoic acid 1 from β-ionone in five steps with 38% overall yield is described.The key steps are the epoxidization of 2 with a new methylated agent and the condensation 4 with tetraethyl methylenediphophonate in one-pot procedure to prepare 6.     

Preparation and catalytic applications of partially fluorinated binaphthol ligands

New partially fluorinated binaphthols were obtained using a copper-catalyzed oxidative coupling. The corresponding enantiomerically pure compounds were prepared by fractional crystallization of the corresponding bis(menthyl)carbamates. Nucleophilic aromatic substitution using oxygen- and carbon-based nucleophiles resulted in functionalized derivatives without concomitant racemization. The titanium(IV) complexes of these ligands are catalytically active in the asymmetric oxidation of sulfides.     

Microwave‐improved polymerization of ϵ‐caprolactone initiated by carboxylic acids

The ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone (ε‐CL), initiated by carboxylic acids such as benzoic acid and chlorinated acetic acids under microwave irradiation, was investigated; with this method, no metal catalyst was necessary. The product was characterized as poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography. The polymerization was significantly improved under microwave irradiation. The weight‐average molecular weight (M_w) of PCL reached 44,800 g/mol, with a polydispersity index [weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight (M_w/M_n)] of 1.6, when a mixture of ε‐CL and benzoic acid (25/1 molar ratio) was irradiated at 680 W for 240 min, whereas PCL with M_w = 12,100 and M_w/M_n = 4.2 was obtained from the same mixture by a conventional heating method at 210 °C for 240 min. A degradation of the resultant PCL was observed during microwave polymerization with chlorinated acetic acids as initiators, and this induced a decrease in M_w of PCL. However, the degradation was hindered by benzoic acid at low concentrations. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 13–21, 2003     

The role of variable surface charge and surface complexation in the adsorption of humic acid on magnetite

The ionic strength dependence of humic acid (HA) adsorption on magnetite (Fe₃O₄) was investigated at pH 5, 8 and 9, where variable charged magnetite is positive, neutral and negative, respectively. The adsorption studies revealed that HA has high affinity to magnetite surface especially at lower pH, where interacting partners have opposite charges. However, in spite of electrostatic repulsion at pH 9 notable amounts of humate are adsorbed. Increasing ionic strength enhances HA adsorption at each pH due to charge screening. The dominant interaction is probably a ligand-exchange reaction, nevertheless the Coulombic contribution to the organic matter accumulation on oxide surface is also significant under acidic condition. The results from size exclusion chromatography demonstrate that the smaller size HA fractions enriched with functional groups are adsorbed preferentially on the surface of magnetite at pH 8 in dilute NaCl solution.     

An efficient palladium catalyzed synthesis of 2-arylbenzothiazoles

A novel and convergent palladium catalyzed synthesis of 2-arylbenzothiazoles has been investigated. The key step in the synthesis is a Suzuki biaryl coupling of 2-bromobenzothiazole with aryl boronic acids to provide a variety of 2-arylbenzothiazole derivatives in good yield. The synthetic utility of this methodology is demonstrated by the synthesis of 2-(4-aminophenyl)-6-methoxybenzothiazole, a PET probe precursor for the in vivo imaging of Alzheimer's disease.     

副品红共振光散射法测定脱氧核糖核酸

本文基于脱氧核糖核酸 (DNA)对有机染料副品红的共振光散射的增强效应 ,拟定了一种测定DNA的共振光散射法。在pH =0 5～ 1 5范围内 ,有机染料副品红于 35 5nm处的共振光散射强度被DNA强烈增强 ,且增强程度与DNA浓度呈线性关系 ,线性范围为 0 10～ 15 μg·mL- 1 ,检出限可达 36ng·mL- 1 。该方法简便、快速、具有较高的灵敏度和准确度 ,且线性范围较宽。将该方法用于混合样品中DNA的测定 ,结果令人满意。     

生物小分子与铜锌超氧化物歧化酶相互作用的波谱学研究及其应用

本工作以ESR和NMR为主要手段,并结合其它生化方法,考察了氨基酸、核酸碱基、糖等生命基本物质,和抗坏血酸等生命必需物质与钢锌超氧化物歧化酶的相互作用,实验观测到氨基酸、核酸碱基和抗坏血酸在水溶液中可以与酶中的Cu²⁺作用而使其脱离活性部位,以小分子络合物形式游离在溶液中,同时使酶失活,脱离活性部位的Cu²⁺的比例和酶的失活程度取决于小分子配体的加入量及其与Cu²⁺的络合能力。此外,首次尝试使用ESR方法,并借助氨基酸与酶的作用,考察了铜锌超氧化物歧化酶在盐酸胍变性和热变性过程中的构象变化行为,结果表明这一方法是直观而有效的。     

Transesterification of an RNA model in buffer solutions in H2O and D2O

Transesterification of a phosphodiester bond of RNA models has been studied in various buffer solutions, under neutral and slightly alkaline conditions in H₂O and D₂O. The results show that imidazole is the only buffer system where a clear buffer catalysis on the cleavage of a phosphodiester bond is observed. The rate enhancement in sulphonic acid buffers is smaller, and a sulphonate base, particularly, is inactive as a catalyst. The rate‐enhancing effect of imidazole is, however, catalytic, and the catalytic inactivity of sulphonate buffers can be attributed to their structure and/or charge. The catalysis by imidazole is a complex system which, in addition to first‐order reactions, involves a process that shows a second‐order dependence in imidazole concentration. The latter reaction becomes significant in acidic imidazole buffers (pH < pK_a), as the buffer concentration increases. The kinetic solvent deuterium isotope effect k_H/k_D, referring to first‐order catalysis by imidazole base, is 2.3 ± 0.3. That referring to second‐order catalysis is most probably much larger, but an accurate value could not be obtained. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Novel aromatic polyamides bearing pendent diphenylamino or carbazolyl groups

Two new diamines, 2,4‐diaminotriphenylamine ( 3 ) and N‐(2,4‐diaminophenyl)carbazole ( 4 ), were synthesized via the cesium fluoride‐mediated aromatic substitution reactions of 1‐fluoro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene with diphenylamine and carbazole, followed by palladium‐catalyzed hydrazine reduction. Amorphous and soluble aramids having pendent diphenylamino and carbazolyl groups were prepared by the phosphorylation polycondensation of aromatic dicarboxylic acids with diamines 3 and 4 , respectively. The aramids derived from diamine 3 had sufficiently high molecular weights to permit the casting of flexible and tough films. They exhibited excellent mechanical properties and moderately high softening temperatures in the 221–298 °C range. However, the reactions of diamine 4 with aromatic diacids gave relatively lower molecular weights products that could not afford flexible films. For a comparative purpose, the parent aramids derived from m‐phenylenediamine and aromatic diacids were also prepared and characterized. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3302–3313, 2004     

Arenesulfonylimines of methyl trifluoropyruvate in the cyclocondensation reactions with 1,3-C,N-and-N,N-binucleophiles

Reaction of arenesulfonylimines of methyl trifluoropyruvate with 1,3-C,N-and-N,N-binucleophiles led to a variety of N-sulfonylated fluorine-containing heterocycles, including the fused ones. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2171–2175, November, 2007.