Photocrosslinkable second-order nonlinear optical polymers synthesized by cationic copolymerization

Photocrosslinkable second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) polymers were synthesized from cationic copolymerization of a vinyl ether monomer bearing 4′-nitrobiphenyl-4-oxy group as the NLO chromophore with a vinyl ether monomer bearing cinnamoyl group as the photoreactive moiety. To obtain a suitable poling method involving photocrosslinking, which is capable of inducing a higher and more stable second-order nonlinear coefficient, d₃₃, for NLO polymer films, some poling procedures were investigated. An optimized poling method was as follows. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is performed for 90 sec during poling at 50°C for 20 min, followed by poling at 150°C for 20 min. By using this poling method NLO polymer films exhibited a higher and considerably stable d₃₃ value at room temperature, even though they had rather lower glass transition temperatures before photocrosslinking. Some photocrosslinking mechanism for NLO polymers investigated here were considered.     

Is the tert-butyl group bulky enough to end-cap a pseudorotaxane with a 24-crown-8-ether wheel?

Although rotaxane chemists have long believed that the tert-butyl group is bulkier than the cavity of dibenzo-24-crown-8-ether (DB24C8), it is essentially smaller than the cavity of DB24C8. The tert-butyl (or 4-tert-butylphenyl) group can actually function as an end-cap of DB24C8-based rotaxanes when the intercomponent interaction is effectively operative. When such attractive interaction is removed, deslippage occurs. [structure: see text]     

Screening, substrate specificity and stereoselectivity of yeast strains, which reduce sterically hindered isopropyl ketones

Towards the synthesis of sterically hindered optically active secondary alcohol 2, yeast strains (Candida floricola IAM 13115 and Trichosporon cutaneum IAM 12206) with si-face hydride attack on isopropyl phenylsulfonylmethyl ketone 1 were developed by screening. Strains with complementary re-facial selectivity (Pichia angusta IAM 12895 and Pichia minuta IAM 12215) were also found. Based on the substrate specificity studies of these four strains, microbial reduction was applied to the synthesis of (3S,5S)-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-heptanediol 12a.     

A new method for the spectrophotometric determination of pertechnetate with tris(1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II) ion

A new spectrophotometric determination of technetium has been developed by means of the solvent extraction of tris(1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II) ([Fe(phen)₃ ²⁺]) with pertechnetate into nitrobenzene. The concentration of technetium can be determined by measuring the characteristic absorbance at 516 nm (=11,700M^–1·cm^–1) in the organic phase. An important feature of the proposed method is that the concentration of pertechnetate can be determined without complicated processes such as the reduction of pertechnetate and the subsequent formation of a colored chelate.     

Oxidative Amidation of Nitroalkanes with Amine Nucleophiles using Molecular Oxygen and Iodine

The formation of amides and peptides often necessitates powerful yet mild reagent systems. The reagents used, however, are often expensive and highly elaborate. New atom‐economical and practical methods that achieve such goals are highly desirable. Ideally, the methods should start with substrates that are readily available in both chiral and non‐chiral forms and utilize cheap reagents that are compatible with a wide variety of functional groups, steric encumberance, and epimerizable stereocenters. A direct oxidative method was developed to form amide and peptide bonds between amines and primary nitroalkanes simply by using I₂ and K₂CO₃ under O₂. Contrary to expectations, a 1:1 halogen‐bonded complex forms between the iodonium source and the amine, which reacts with nitronates to form α‐iodo nitroalkanes as precursors to the amides.     

Photochromic DNA having fluorescent protein-inspired nucleosides

Molecular switches controlled by light stimuli can be applicable to the variety of the biological application. In this study, skeletal structures of a chromophore of fluorescent protein were applied as aglycones of newly designed photochromic nucleosides, “Fluorescent protein-inspired nuceloside: FIN”. Phosphoramidite units of the photochromic nucleosides having imidazolinone derivatives with benzylidene or 3-pyridilidene groups were successfully synthesized for FIN-containing ODNs. Thermodynamic studies of the FIN-containing ODNs revealed that photo-irradiation with specific wavelength induced stability change of the duplexes.     

Photo-curable organically modified silicate-phosphate alternating copolymer for photonics applications

Photo-curable vinyl modified silicate-phosphate alternating copolymers were prepared by a direct condensation of organochlorosilane and organophosphoric acid in a solvent-free condition. The obtained copolymers have complete alternating copolymer structure of silicate and phosphate unit, where the main oxo chain consist of –(Si–O–P–O) _n -network. They exhibited an excellent solubility of ionic species such as ionic organic dyes. It was also demonstrated the photo-reduction of Au⁺ ions to form Au nano particles for plasmonics applications. Micro patterns were also fabricated by soft lithographic processes. These results indicate that the photo-curable alternating copolymers are one of promising materials for advanced optical information processing devices.     

Synthesis of poly[N‐isopropylacrylamide‐g‐poly(ethylene glycol)] with a reactive group at the poly(ethylene glycol) end and its thermosensitive self‐assembling character

Poly[N‐isopropylacrylamide‐g‐poly(ethylene glycol)]s with a reactive group at the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) end were synthesized by the radical copolymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide with a PEG macromonomer having an acetal group at one end and a methacryloyl group at the other chain end. The temperature dependence of the aqueous solutions of the obtained graft copolymers was estimated by light scattering measurements. The intensity of the light scattering from aqueous polymer solutions increased with increasing temperature. In particular, at temperatures above 40°C, the intensity abruptly increased, indicating a phase separation of the graft copolymer due to the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) segment. No turbidity was observed even above the LCST, and this suggested a nanoscale self‐assembling structure of the graft copolymer. The dynamic light scattering measurements confirmed that the size of the aggregate was in the range of several tens of nanometers. The acetal group at the end of the PEG graft chain was easily converted to the aldehyde group by an acid treatment, which was analyzed by ¹H NMR. Such a temperature‐induced nanosphere possessing reactive PEG tethered chains on the surface is promising for new nanobased biomedical materials. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1457–1469, 2006     

A continuity of cycle integrals of modular functions

The Ramanujan Journal - In this paper, we study a continuity of the “values” of modular functions at the real quadratic numbers which are defined in terms of their cycle integrals along...