Molecular Recognition of Nucleic Acid Bases in Water by Hydrogen Bonding of Poly(vinyldiaminotriazine)

Poly(2-vinyl-4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazine) efficiently binds nucleic acid bases and nucleosides in water by using complementary hydrogen bonding. The binding activity decreases in the order: U, T > A C, G. The corresponding monomer shows virtually no activity, indicating a predominant role of polymer effect for the molecular recognition in water.     

Novel synthesis of heterocycles having a functionalized carbon center via nickel-mediated carboxylation: total synthesis of erythrocarine

Novel synthetic procedure of heterocycles was developed using nickel-mediated alkylative carboxylation, and the total synthesis of erythrocarine was achieved using this method and RCM of dienyne as the key steps. [reaction: see text]     

Induced Circular Dichroism and Magnetic Circular Dichroism Spectra of Maleimide and Related Molecules

The induced circular dichroism (ICD) spectra of the inclusion complexes of maleimide, phthalimide, and naphthalene‐2,3‐dicarboximide with β‐ or γ‐cyclodextrin (CDx) have been measured. The structure of the CDx inclusion complexes are interpreted by the signs and shapes of ICD spectra compared with the results of PPP calculations. In maleimide and naphthalene‐2,3‐dicarboximide, the ICD spectra of the β‐CDx inclusion complex are very similar to those of the γ‐CDx inclusion complex in spite of the differences in dimensions between the cavity of β‐CDx and that of γ‐CDx. In phthalimide, the ICD spectra of the β‐CDx inclusion complex are very different from those of the γ‐CDx inclusion complex. The split‐type ICD bands at 220–235 nm show that the dimer of phthalimide is formed in the presence of β‐CDx.     

Novel alkenylative cyclization using a ruthenium catalyst

Novel alkenylative cyclization of enyne was developed using Cp*RuCl(cod) under ethylene gas at room temperature.     

NMR study on the photoresponsive DNA tethering an azobenzene. Assignment of the absolute configuration of two diastereomers and structure determination of their duplexes in the trans-form

Two diastereomers of a photoresponsive oligodeoxyribonucleotide tethering a trans-azobenzene, based on the chirality of the central carbon of a diol linker, were separated by reversed-phase HPLC. On the basis of 2D NMR analysis, absolute configurations of the diastereomers alpha and beta (tentatively designated from differences in their retention time) were determined as R- and S-forms, respectively. For both diastereomers, their NMR-determined duplex structure showed that trans-azobenzene intercalates between base pairs, because distinct NOEs were observed between the protons of azobenzene and those of the adjacent base pairs, such as with the imino protons and methyl protons of thymine. The melting temperatures of both duplexes were higher than that of the corresponding native duplex, which contained no azobenzene residue, due to the intercalated trans-azobenzene stabilizing the duplex by a stacking interaction. Between these two diastereomers, differences in T(m) were also found: the melting temperature of the R-form duplex (alpha-isomer) was higher than that of the S-form (beta-isomer). On the basis of the NMR-determined structure, this difference was attributed to the fact that the S-form (beta isomer) causes more stress forming the duplex than does the R-form (alpha isomer) due to disturbances of the right-hand helix.     

Novel synthesis of carbapenam by intramolecular attack of lactam nitrogen toward eta1-allenyl and eta3-propargylpalladium complex

When a THF solution of beta-lactam having propargyl phosphate was warmed in the presence of 5 mol % of Pd(2)(dba)(3) x CHCl(3), 20 mol % of a bidentate ligand, and sodium acetate (1.5 equiv) at 40 degrees C for 22 h, carbapenam was produced in high yield. In this reaction, the lactam nitrogen attacked the central carbon of a eta(3)-propargylpalladium complex, which was formed from propargyl phosphate and Pd(0).     

Efficient Separation of Hydrophobic Molecules by Molecularly Imprinted Cyclodextrin Polymers

Cyclodextrins were cross-linked with toluene 2,4-diisocyanate in dimethyl sufoxide in the presence of hydrophobic biomolecules as templates, and the imprinted polymers were applied to the stationary phases of high performance liquid chromatography. Molecular imprinting efficiently promoted the binding-affinity and substrate-selectivity towards the template molecule, compared with the control polymers prepared in their absence. When cholesterol (template molecule) was complexed with cyclodextrins prior to the polymerization, for example, the imprinted polymer retained cholesterol more strongly than other steroids. Upon the polymerization without a template molecule, the binding towards steroids was much weaker. Besides steroids, imprinting was effective for various hydrophobic and rigid template molecules. Since binding of the guest molecule was based on inclusion complex formation with cyclodextrins, separation could be achieved in the solvents containing water. These polymeric receptors are also applicable to selective recognition of biologically important molecules or removal of toxic molecules from aqueous media. Thus, imprinting of cyclodextrins is useful for the preparation of synthetic tailor-made receptors for various kinds of hydrophobic guest molecules.     

Reaction of α-haloester having internal double bond with the low-valent metal complex

The α-haloester having an internal double bond was allowed to react with a catalytic amount of Pd(PPh₃)₄ to afford a cyclized product in a fairly good yield and the same product was obtained by treatment with Pd(OAc)₂ to ketene silyl acetal.