Synthesis of Organosilyl-Functionalized Cage-Type Germanoxanes Containing Fluoride Ions

Eight corners of a double-four ring cage-type germanoxane, containing a fluoride ion, were successfully silylated by the combination of chlorosilanes and silazanes. Three different silyl groups, trimethylsilyl, dimethylsilyl, and dimethylvinylsilyl, were attached on the corners of germanoxane cage. The solubility and reactivity of the cage modified with dimethylvinylsilyl groups were significantly increased, allowing for further reaction. Hydrosilylation reaction between dimethylvinylsilylated cage geramanoxanes and dimethylsilylated cage siloxanes afforded porous solids. Functionalization of the corners of germanoxanes with silyl groups should provide valuable building blocks in various functional materials.     

Shimalactone Biosynthesis Involves Spontaneous Double Bicyclo-Ring Formation with 8π-6π Electrocyclization

Shimalactones A and B are neuritogenic polyketides possessing characteristic oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane and bicyclo[4.2.0]octadiene ring systems that are produced by the marine fungus Emericella variecolor GF10. We identified a candidate biosynthetic gene cluster and conducted heterologous expression analysis. Expression of ShmA polyketide synthase in Aspergillus oryzae resulted in the production of preshimalactone. Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae transformants expressing ShmA and ShmB produced shimalactones A and B, thus suggesting that the double bicyclo-ring formation reactions proceed non-enzymatically from preshimalactone epoxide. DFT calculations strongly support the idea that oxabicyclo-ring formation and 8π-6π electrocyclization proceed spontaneously after opening of the preshimalactone epoxide ring through protonation. We confirmed the formation of preshimalactone epoxide in vitro, followed by its non-enzymatic conversion to shimalactones in the dark.     

On the semicontinuity problem of fibers and global F-regularity

In this article, we discuss the semicontinuity problem of certain properties on fibers for a morphism of schemes. One aspect of this problem is local. Namely, we consider properties of schemes at the level of local rings, in which the main results are established by solving the lifting and localization problems for local rings. In particular, we obtain the localization theorems in the case of seminormal and F-rational rings, respectively. Another aspect of this problem is global, which is often related to the vanishing problem of certain higher direct image sheaves. As a test example, we consider the deformation of the global F-regularity.     

Synthesis and optoelectronic properties of conjugated polymers based on a dithienobenzimidazole unit in the main chain

Three conjugated polymers with the dithienobenzimidazole (DTBIm) unit ( P1 , P3 , and P4 ) and one conjugated polymer with the dithienobenzoxazole unit ( P2 ) were synthesized by the cross‐coupling polymerization. The absorption maxima showed a red‐shift in the order of P3 (406 nm), P2 (426 nm), P1 (438 nm), and P4 (450 nm), which was studied in detail using the frontier molecular orbital calculation of the model compounds. The energy levels of the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the DTBIm unit‐containing conjugated polymers were estimated by the cyclic voltammetry. The transformation from DTBIm ( P4 ) to dithienobenzimidazolium ( P4' ) was also carried out to shift the absorption maxima of P4' (454 nm) by promoting the intramolecular charge transfer between the DTBIm and thiophene units. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 401–409