Electroneutrality coupling of electron transfer at an electrode surface and ion transfer across the interface between thin-layer of 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(perfluoroalkylsulfonyl)imide covering the electrode surface and an outer electrolyte solution.

The electrode reaction of decamethylferrocene (DMFc) dissolved in a thin layer of a room-temperature molten salt (RTMS), 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (C8mimC1C1N) or 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(pentafluoroethylsulfonyl)imide (C8mimC2C2N), on a self-assembled monolayer-modified gold electrode is coupled with the ion transfer across the interface between the RTMS and the outer aqueous solution (W) to give a voltammogram whose shape resembles a voltammogram of a simple one-electron transfer process. The electroneutrality of the RTMS layer during the oxidation of DMFc to decamethylferricenium ion is maintained by the concomitant dissolution of C8mim+ ion from the RTMS phase to the W phase, and the reduction of decamethylferricenium ion to DMFc is accompanied by the transfer of either C1C1N- or C2C2N- from RTMS to W. The midpoint potential of the voltammogram varies with the concentration of the salt in the aqueous phase, C8mimCl or LiCnCnN (n = 1 or 2), in a Nernstian manner, showing that the phase-boundary potential between the RTMS and the W is controlled by the partition of these ions. Although the phase-boundary potential across the RTMS / W interface is Nernstian with respect to the ions common to both phases at the equilibrium, the polarization at the RTMS / W interface under current flow distorts the shape of the voltammograms, resulting in a wider peak separation in the voltammogram.     

Photo-induced evolution of copper sheets from cluster molecules and its application to photolithographic copper patterning

UV photoexcitation of (t-butylethynyl copper)₂₄ cluster films induces segregation of the crystals into metallic and organic phases and leads to evolve the metallic sheets sandwiched by organic polymers. The growth of the metallic crystals in the plane of the photo-electromagnetic field is attributed due to plasmon-plasmon interaction among nanoparticles embedded in dielectric polymer matrices. The surface enhanced photochemical reaction of residual cluster molecules on the photon incident direction is expected to take an important role for joining the metal particles to produce a metallic sheet. We can apply this phenomenon for photolithographic copper pattern generation on a flexible base plate.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 2-substituted-3-aminocarbonyl propionic acid

An asymmetric synthetic route to 2-substituted-3-aminocarbonyl propionic acid, which is the significant component of low-molecular-weight renin inhibitors, is described. The key step of this synthesis is diastereoselective alkylation by using chiral oxazolidinone and benzyl bromoacetate.     

Mechanism of antioxidative activity of fluvastatin-determination of the active position

In order to clarify the mechanism of action for the antioxidative activity of fluvastatin sodium (FLV, (+/-)-sodium (3RS, 5RS, 6E)-7-[3-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-(1-methylethyl)-1H-indol-2-yl]-3, 5-dihydroxy-6-heptanoate) and its derivatives, reaction of the corresponding methyl ester of FLV with di-tert-butyl diperoxyoxalate was examined, and the corresponding keto derivative was isolated from the reaction mixture. On the basis of this result, it was concluded that the active site is the allylic carbon conjugated with the indole ring.     

Quantitative estimation of interaction between carbohydrates and concanavalin A by surface plasmon resonance biosensor

We measured the affinity of more than 20 sugars with concanavalin A (ConA) by an optical biosensor (surface plasmon resonance sensor) using asialofetuin (ASF) as an immobilized binding partner of ConA. We determined kinetic parameters of the effects of sugars on the dissociation of ConA from ASF quantitatively, and the structural requirements of the functional groups of sugars for binding with ConA. We found that the affinity of ConA for sugars is dependent on its conformation induced by interaction with the binding partner. In addition, the results showed that optical biosensor system is well mimics the interaction of ConA with sugars in biomembrane.     

Syntheses and biological activities of renin inhibitors containing statine analogues

Syntheses and biological activities of dipeptide renin inhibitors that contain statine analogues are described. The key steps of the synthetic approach to dipeptide renin inhibitors are the asymmetric synthesis of 2(R)-substituted-3-aminocarbonylpropionic acids and the diastereoselective syntheses of (3S,4S)-statine analogues. These inhibitors (2,14-40) inhibited human renin in the 3-140 nM range. Inhibitor ES 6864 (2) was found to be a highly potent inhibitor of human renin (IC50: 4.6 x 10(-9) M) and showed high enzyme specificity. Oral administration of ES 6864 at 3 mg/kg to conscious, sodium-depleted marmosets inhibited plasma renin activity (PRA) more than 80% after 1 h.