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.     

Extended Open-Chain Polyenides as Versatile Delocalized Anion Ligands for Metal Chain Clusters

Although small cyclic- and open-chain unsaturated hydrocarbon anions such as cyclopentadienide and open-chain pentadienide are used as the strongly electron-donating auxiliary ligands for metal complexes, more extended π-conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbon anions have rarely been used in coordination chemistry, despite their potential ability to serve as the multiply bridging π-ligands for metal clusters. This work reports isolation of metal chain clusters bearing the multi-dentate, open-chain extended unsaturated hydrocarbon anion ligands. The extended open-chain π-conjugated polyenyl ligands could effectively stabilize oxidized palladium chains, including an unprecedented [Pd₄]⁴⁺ chain.     

Distinguishability and Disturbance in the Quantum Key Distribution Protocol Using the Mean Multi-Kings’ Problem

We introduce a quantum key distribution protocol using mean multi-kings’ problem. Using this protocol, a sender can share a bit sequence as a secret key with receivers. We consider a relation between information gain by an eavesdropper and disturbance contained in legitimate users’ information. In BB84 protocol, such relation is known as the so-called information disturbance theorem. We focus on a setting that the sender and two receivers try to share bit sequences and the eavesdropper tries to extract information by interacting legitimate users’ systems and an ancilla system. We derive trade-off inequalities between distinguishability of quantum states corresponding to the bit sequence for the eavesdropper and error probability of the bit sequence shared with the legitimate users. Our inequalities show that eavesdropper’s extracting information regarding the secret keys inevitably induces disturbing the states and increasing the error probability.     

Effects of polyethylene spacer length in polymeric electrolytes on gelation of ionic liquids and ionogel properties

Polymer electrolytes containing N,N′-(trans-cyclohexane-1,4-diyl)dibenzamide linkages, polyethylene ((CH₂)_m, m = 2, 4, 10) spacers, and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide (TFSA) or bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide (FSA) counteranions (polymer abbreviation: CDBAm•X; m = 2, 4, 10; X = TFSA, FSA) have been synthesized, adding to our previous report (m = 6). In addition, their ability to effect the gelation of six ionic liquids and the properties of the resulting ionogels have been examined. The polymers, except for CDBA10•TFSA, effect the gelation for all ionic liquids used in this study at fairly low concentrations (0.9–50 g/L). Ionogel ionic conductivity is not dependent on the spacer length, but does decrease slightly as increasing amounts of the gelatinizer are introduced. In contrast to ionic conductivity, the temperatures at which these ionogels transition into isotropic fluids is dependent on the spacer length; the gel composed of [EMI][FSA] and 100 g/L of CDBA6•FSA transforms at 120 °C, while the gel composed of [EMI][FSA] and 5 g/L of CDBA2•FSA does not transform into a sol even when temperatures become 155 °C. In brief, ionogel heat resistance can be improved by changing the spacer length of the polyelectrolyte. Finally, it has been determined using cyclic voltammetry that the potential window of the polyelectrolytes is particularly wide, ranging from −1.6 to 2.5 V. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 249–255     

Experimental study for adsorption and photocatalytic reaction of ethyl methylphosphonate molecule as organophosphorus compound adsorbed at surface of titanium dioxide under UV irradiation in ambient condition

The adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of Ethyl methylphosphonate (EMPA) on powdery TiO₂ film has experimentally investigated using attenuated total reflection-infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) in ambient condition. Characteristic IR frequency as P-O-C vibration mode as EtO was observed by EMPA adsorbed at the surface of TiO₂. By TiO₂ photocatalysis, the adsorbed EMPA was decomposed to methyl phosphonic acid and phosphoric acid. The increment of IR intensity of which is assigned to Ti–O-P-O-Ti of EMPA was accompanied with increasing the IR peak intensity assigned to MPA. About that, we suggest that the appearance of the Ti–O-P-O-Ti of EMPA by the TiO₂ photocatalysis is regarded as acceleration of the hydrolysis of EMPA by the surface OH groups of TiO₂. The plausible adsorption structure and the photocatalytic reaction mechanism of EMPA at the surface of TiO₂ photocatalyst were elucidated.

     

Metal-Free Twofold Electrochemical C−H Amination of Activated Arenes: Application to Medicinally Relevant Precursor Synthesis

The efficient production of many medicinally or synthetically important starting materials suffers from wasteful or toxic precursors for the synthesis. In particular, the aromatic non-protected primary amine function represents a versatile synthetic precursor, but its synthesis typically requires toxic oxidizing agents and transition metal catalysts. The twofold electrochemical amination of activated benzene derivatives via Zincke intermediates provides an alternative sustainable strategy for the formation of new C−N bonds of high synthetic value. As a proof of concept, we use our approach to generate a benzoxazinone scaffold that gained attention as a starting structure against castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Further improvement of the structure led to significantly increased cancer cell line toxicity. Thus, exploiting environmentally benign electrooxidation, we present a new versatile and powerful method based on direct C−H activation that is applicable for example the production of medicinally relevant compounds.     

Enhancement of Photocatalytic Activity for Hydrogen Production by Surface Modification of Pt-TiO2 Nanoparticles with a Double Layer of Photosensitizers

To investigate the effect of the surface structure of dye-sensitized photocatalyst nanoparticles, we prepared three types of Ru^II-photosensitizer (PS)-double-layered Pt-cocatalyst-loaded TiO₂ nanoparticles with different surface structures, Zr- RuCP⁶ -Zr- RuP⁶ @N wt %Pt-TiO₂, RuCP⁶ -Zr- RuP⁶ @N wt %Pt-TiO₂, and RuCP² -Zr- RuP⁶ @N wt %Pt-TiO₂ (N=0.2, 1, and 5), and evaluated their photocatalytic H₂ evolution activity in the presence of redox-reversible iodide as the electron donor. Although the driving force of the electron injection from I⁻ to the photo-oxidized Ru^III PS is comparable, the activity increased in the following order: RuCP² -Zr- RuP⁶ @1 wt %Pt-TiO₂ < RuCP⁶ -Zr- RuP⁶ @1 wt %Pt-TiO₂ < Zr- RuCP⁶ -Zr- RuP⁶ @1 wt %Pt-TiO₂. The apparent quantum yield of Zr- RuCP⁶ -Zr- RuP⁶ @1 wt %Pt-TiO₂ in the first hour reached 1 %. Zeta-potential measurements suggest that the surface Zr⁴⁺-phosphate groups attracted I⁻ anions to the nanoparticle–solution interface. Our results indicate that the surface modification of dye-sensitized photocatalysts is a promising approach to enhance photocatalytic activity with various redox mediators.