Rhodium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of alkenylzirconocene chlorides to electron deficient alkenes

The 1,4-conjugated addition of alkenylzirconocene chloride complexes to α,β-enones, α,β-enoic acid esters, and α,β-enoic acid amides can be efficiently achieved by the use of [RhCl(cod)]₂ catalyst. A high diastereoselectivity (95% yield, 90% de) was obtained through the reaction of α,β-enoic acid amide derived from Oppolzer's sultam and 2-butenoyl chloride, while the use of Evans' chiral oxazolidinone as a chiral auxiliary in place of Oppolzer's sultam gave a poor diastereoselectivity (98% yield, 26% de).     

Structural variety of membrane permeable peptides

Peptide-mediated protein delivery into living cells has been attracting our attention. Among the peptides that have been reported to have carrier activity, the one from the human immunodeficient virus (HIV)-1 Tat has been most often used for the introduction of exogenous macromolecules into cells. We have shown that not only the Tat peptide, but also various arginine-rich peptides showed very similar characteristics in translocation, and the possible presence of ubiquitous internalization mechanisms among the arginine-rich peptides has also been suggested. These arginine-rich peptides includes ones derived from HIV-1 Rev and flock house virus coat proteins. The linear- and branched-chain peptides containing approximately 8 residues of arginine also show a similar ability. In this review, we present the structural variety of membrane permeable peptides and provide a survey of the findings on the translocation of these peptides through the cell membranes.     

Effective photoexcitation in gold nanowells based on localized surface plasmon

The localization of the surface plasmon (SP) field in nanospace using wavelength-sized gold wells prepared on a glass substrate and its application to excite fluorophores immobilized on the bottom surfaces have been studied.     

Synthesis and inversion barriers of undeca- and dodeca-substituted saddle shaped porphyrin complexes

Synthesis and barriers to inversion of a series of highly saddle shaped complexes are reported. The ΔG^≠ has decreased by 8 kJ mol⁻¹ at 243 K when the meso phenyl groups are replaced by bulkier 2,6-dichlorophenyl groups, and by 17 kJ mol⁻¹ when one of the peripheral ethyl groups is removed.     

On the class numbers of certain Hilbert class fields

LetL/k be a finite Galois extension with Galois groupG, and a group extension. We study the existence of the Galois extensionM/L/k such that the canonical projection Gal(M/k)→Gal(L/k) coincides with the given homomorphismj:E→G and thatM/L is unramified.     

Convenient indole synthesis from 2-iodoanilines and terminal alkynes by the sequential Sonogashira reaction and the cyclization reaction promoted by tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF)

The sequential Sonogashira reaction and the cyclization reaction of various 2-iodoanilines and terminal alkynes in the presence of a palladium catalyst and tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) gave the corresponding 2-substituted indoles in good yields.     

Synthesis and central nervous system stimulant activity of 5,8-methanoquinazolines fused with imidazole,thiadiazole, pyrimidine and 1,3,5-triazine

5,8-Methanoquinazolines fused with imidazoles 4a-4b , thiadiazoles 5–6 , pyrimidines 7, 9, 11 and 12 , and 1,3,5-triazine 13 were prepared starting from (5R,8S)-2-amino-8,9,9-trimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,8-methanoquinazoline 3 . Most compounds possessed central nervous system stimulant activities.     

Determination of the 13C NMR chemical shifts in an a2u type iron(III) porphyrin cation radical

The 13C NMR chemical shifts of all the carbons in an a2u type iron(III) porphyrin radical cation, [Fe(TPP)Cl]+, have been determined for the first time by the titration method as well as by the chemical shift correlation; they are 2230, 1050, and -1910 ppm for the alpha-pyrrole, beta-pyrrole, and meso carbon atoms, respectively.