Completely spirocyclopropanated macrocyclic oligodiacetylenes and their permethylated analogues: preparation and properties

The acyclic dehydrotrimer (12) and -hexamer (28) of 1,1-diethynyl-2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropane were prepared from 1-chloro-1-(trimethylsilylethynyl)-2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropane (4) in six and nine steps, respectively, in 36 and 8 % overall yield, respectively, using Cadiot-Chodkiewicz or Hay coupling procedures as key steps. Mono-tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) protection of the acyclic dehydrotrimer (20) and -hexamer (23) of 1,1-diethynylcyclopropane followed by Hay coupling and protiodesilylation furnished the acyclic dehydrohexamer (23) and -dodecamer (29) in 35 and 56 % overall yield, respectively. Subsequent cyclizing oxidative dimerization of 12 or cyclization of 28 using a modified Glaser protocol produced the first completely permethylspirocyclopropanated macrocyclic oligodiacetylene, compound 30 in 49 and 21 % yield, respectively. The cyclic dehydrohexa- (31) and dehydrododecamer (32) have been prepared from 23 and 29 in 49 and 7 % yield by applying the same protocol. The macrocycle 32 is particularly interesting in that it contains 60 carbon atoms in the inner ring, and indeed a decomposition mode consecutively cleaving off ethylene units from it as well as from 31 and tetramethylethylene from the permethylated exp-[6]rotane 30 has been proved by differential scanning calorimetry with evolved gas analysis. The thermal decomposition of these "exploding" [6]rotanes 31 and 30 set on at 100 and 135 degrees C, respectively, and release energies of 478 and 285 kcal. mol(-1), respectively, significantly more than the energy release of the explosive hexogen with 143 kcal mol(-1).     

An oligomeric ser-pro dipeptide mimetic assuming the polyproline II helix conformation

A hexapeptide assembled from dipeptide building blocks assumes the secondary structure of the polyproline II (PPII) helix. Side chain-to-backbone hydrogen bonds stabilize peptide torsions next to the fused ring systems. The solution structure of the polyhydroxylated peptide was studied by spectroscopic methods.     

Numerical characterization of high harmonic attosecond pulses

A numerical simulation of attosecond harmonic pulse generation in a three-dimensional field-ionizing gas is presented. Calculated harmonic efficiencies quantitatively reproduce experimental findings. This allows a quantitative characterization of attosecond pulse generation revealing information currently not accessible by experiment. The rapid phase variation and spatiotemporal distortions of harmonics are smaller than anticipated, allowing focusing of 30-nm, 750-as pulses to intensities in excess of 10(13) W/cm(2). Feasibility of such pulses brings novel applications such as extreme ultraviolet nonlinear optics and attosecond pump probe spectroscopy within reach.     

Fluorescence interference-contrast microscopy on oxidized silicon using a monomolecular dye layer

A silicon chip is covered by a monomolecular film of a fluorescence dye with silicon dioxide used as a spacer. The fluorescence depends on the distance of the dye from the silicon. The modulation of the intensity is described quantitatively by an optical theory which accounts for interference of the exciting light and of the emitted light. The effect is used to obtain a microscopic picture of the surface profile with a precision of a few Angströms. The perspectives for an application in wet systems such as neuron-silicon junctions and lipid membranes on silicon are pointed out.