Development of direct fluorination technology for application to materials for lithium battery

Direct fluorination of 1,3-dioxolan-2-one with elemental fluorine was successfully carried out to provide 4-fluoro-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, which was expected as an additive for lithium ion secondary battery. 4-Fluoro-1,3-dioxolan-2-one was also further fluorinated with elemental fluorine to give three isomers of difluoro derivatives by the same methodology. Another topic is the preparation of trifluoromethanesulfonyl fluoride, an intermediate of lithium battery electrolyte, by the reaction of methanesulfonyl fluoride with elemental fluorine. The use of perfluoro-2-methylpentane as a solvent gave satisfactory selectivity of trifluoromethanesulfonyl fluoride.     

Wiener's test for space-time random walks and its applications

This paper establishes a criterion for whether a -dimensional random walk on the integer lattice visits a space-time subset infinitely often or not. It is a precise analogue of Wiener's test for regularity of a boundary point with respect to the classical Dirichlet problem. The test obtained is applied to strengthen the harder half of Kolmogorov's test for the random walk.

     

General and practical catalytic enantioselective Strecker reaction of ketoimines: significant improvement through catalyst tuning by protic additives

Significant improvement in enantioselectivity and catalyst activity was achieved for the catalytic enantioselective Strecker reaction. Using a catalyst (1-2.5 mol %) prepared from Gd(OⁱPr)₃ and d-glucose derived ligand 1, and in the presence of 2,6-dimethylphenol as an additive, high enantioselectivity was obtained from a wide range of ketoimines, including heteroaromatic and cyclic ketoimines. The new method was applied to an efficient catalytic asymmetric synthesis of sorbinil, a therapeutic agent for diabetic complications.     

Accurate mass measurement of low molecular weight compounds by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

We report the application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for the accurate measurement of mass of low molecular weight compounds (smaller than 1500 Da), a linear peptide, two types of cyclic depsipeptides, a polyhydroxy-macrocyclic lactone, and two prenylated flavonoids, with delayed extraction in the reflector mode. The performance of the MALDI-TOF instrument was less than those of fast atom bombardment and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry instruments and insufficient to give acceptable accuracy for literature reporting. Nevertheless, when combined with NMR spectrometry and/or amino acid analysis to give information on the numbers of carbon atoms and index of hydrogen deficiency, MALDI was useful for determination of the elemental composition of the low molecular weight compounds available in small quantities.     

Nitrogen-containing organozinc and organoaluminum as catalyst for stereospecific polymerization of propylene oxide

Catalytic activities of the reaction products of diethylzinc or triethylaluminum with primary amines in the polymerization of propylene oxide were studied. Generally, organozinc compounds give higher ratio of the crystalline to the amorphous polymer than the organoaluminums. In the reactions of organometallic compounds with primary amines, Et₂AlNPhAlEt₂, Et₂AlN-t-BuAlEt₂, EtZnNH-t-Bu, and EtZn-t-BuZnEt were isolated in crystalline state. EtZnN-t-BuZnEt proved to be an excellent catalyst for the stereospecific polymerization of propylene oxide and forms coordination complexes with some electron donors such as dioxane, pyridine, epichlorohydrin and propylene oxide. The propylene oxide complex is unstable in solution and decomposes at temperatures above room temperature to give poly(propylene oxide), while the pyridine complex has no catalytic activity. Therefore, it is concluded that the polymerization of propylene oxide with this catalyst proceeds through the coordination of propylene oxide to the zinc atom of the catalyst.     

Oxidative cyclization of morusin

Oxidative cyclization of morusin (I) by using one-electron transfer oxidizing agents (manganese dioxide, silver oxide) afforded morusin hydroperoxide (II). A similar reaction was carried out in the presence of 2,4,6-tri-t-butylphenol, a radical quencher, to give compounds (IV, V, VI and VII) coupled with the 2,4,6-tri-t-butylphenoxy radical. On the basis of above results, the possible mechanism of this oxidative cyclization was discussed. In addition, morusin hydroperoxide (II) was also obtained by photo-sensitized oxidation of morusin (I) in the presence of sensitizers (Rose Bengal, hematoporphyrin). To elucidate the reaction mechanism similar reactions were carried out in the presence of radical quencher (2,4,6-tri-t-butylphenol) or singlet oxygen quencher (triethylenediamine). From these results, the possible mechanism of the formation of morusin hydroperoxide (II) from morusin (I) was discussed.     

Diffusion of hydrogen in metals

The present status of our understanding of the diffusion of hydrogen in metals, both experimental and theoretical, is reviewed. Discussions are focused on the mechanism of diffusion of hydrogen isotopes H, D and T in f.c.c. and b.c.c. metals; the positive muon (μ ⁺) is referred to where appropriate. An up-to-date compilation of diffusion data as a function of temperature and isotope mass has been made, and a clear distinction in general diffusion behaviour in f.c.c. and b.c.c. metals is noted. Subsequently, the results obtained from the Gorsky effect, nuclear magnetic resonance and quasi-elastic neutron scattering that provide information on elementary jump processes are discussed.

A conceptual framework of the quantum diffusion of light interstitials in metals is given, including the recent Kondo theory that emphasizes the crucial importance of particle-conduction electron interactions in the diffusion process, especially at low temperatures. It is shown with the help of recent estimates of the tunneling matrix element that the overall feature of diffusion of hydrogen isotopes in b.c.c. metals as well as μ ⁺ in f.c.c. metals can be explained consistently within the frame presented here.

Finally, recent advances in the diffusion studies on hydrogen in b.c.c. metals are described. They include a re-analysis of quench-recovery experiments that manifested nearly athermal diffusion of H, D and T in Ta at low temperatures, and an enormous enhancement of the diffusivity under stress (superdiffusion) observed for H and D in V.     

Stereoselective Syntheses of all the Possible Stereoisomers of Coronafacic Acid

An efficient and stereoselective syntheses of all the possible stereoisomers of coronafacic acid (CFA) has been developed. The stereochemistries of C3a and C7a were controlled in a diastereoselective Diels-Alder type cycloaddition using a chiral auxiliary. CFA and 6-epi-CFA were synthesized by hydrogenation of a common intermediate. During the synthesis of 6-epi-CFA, we established that its cis-fused configuration is important for the introduction of C4-C5 double bond by dehydration. This report is the first practical synthesis of both 6-epi-CFA, and its enantiomer.     

Hypergeometric Polynomials and Integer Programming

We examine connections between A-hypergeometric differential equations and the theory of integer programming. In the first part, we develop a hypergeometric sensitivity analysis for small variations of constraint constants with creation operators and b-functions. In the second part, we study the indicial polynomial (b-function) along the hyperplane xi=0 via a correspondence between the optimal value of an integer programming problem and the roots of the indicial polynomial. Gröbner bases are used to prove theorems and give counter examples.     

A new biisoflavonoid from the roots of Erythrina variegata

A new biisoflavonoid, biseryvarin A (1a), together with two known compounds were isolated from the roots of Erythrina variegata. The structure of biseryvarin A was established on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. Biseryvarin A is the first dimeric isoflavonoid possessing isoprenoid groups from the genus Erythrina. Biseryvarin A showed low activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).