Strategy for Molecular Design of Photochromic Diarylethenes Having Thermal Functionality

Thermal reactivities of photochromic diarylethene closed‐ring isomers can be controlled by the introduction of substituents at the reactive positions. Diarylethenes having bulky alkyl groups undergo thermal cycloreversion reactions. When bulky alkoxy groups are introduced, the diarylethenes have both thermal cycloreversion reactivities and low photocycloreversion quantum yields. Such photochromic compounds can be applied to thermally reusable photoresponsive‐image recordings. The thermal cycloreversion reactivity of the closed‐ring isomers can be evaluated using specific steric substituent constants and be correlated with the parameters. By introduction of trimethylsilyl or methoxymethyl groups at the reactive positions, the diarylethene closed‐ring isomers undergo thermal irreversible reactions to produce by‐products at high temperatures. These diarylethenes may be useful for secret‐image recordings. Furthermore, thiophene‐S,S‐dioxidized diarylethenes having secondary alkyl groups at the reactive positions undergo thermal by‐product formation reactions, in addition to the photostability of the colored closed‐ring isomers. Such materials may be used for light‐starting thermosensors. The thermal by‐product formation reactivity can be evaluated by the specific substituent constants and theoretical calculations of quantum chemistry. These results supply the strategy for the molecular design of the photochromic diarylethenes having thermal functionality.

     

Efficient Coupling Reaction of Quinone Monoacetal with Phenols Leading to Phenol Biaryls

A simple and efficient synthesis of phenol biaryls by the cross‐couplings of quinone monoacetals (QMAs) and phenols is reported. The Brønsted acid catalytic system in 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐propanol was found to be particularly efficient for this transformation. This reaction can be extended to the synthesis of various phenol biaryls, including sterically hindered biaryls, with yields ranging from 58 to 90 % under mild reaction conditions and in a highly regiospecific manner.     

Molecular dynamics simulation study on stabilities and reactivities of NADH cytochrome B5 reductase

Binding free energies between coenzyme (FAD and NADH) and the apoenzyme of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase (b5R) were estimated by applying the continuum Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) model to structures sampled from molecular dynamics simulations in explicit water molecules. Important residues for the enzymatic catalysis were clarified using a computational alanine scanning method. The binding free energies calculated by applying an alanine scanning method can successfully reproduce the trends of the measured steady-state enzymatic activities kcatNADH/KmNADH. Significant decreases in the binding free energy are expected when one of the four residues Arg91, Lys110, Ser127, and Thr181 is mutated into Ala. According to the results of the molecular dynamics simulation, Thr181 is considered to be one of the key residues that helps NADH to approach the isoalloxazine in FAD. Finally, we have constructed very simplified model systems and carried out density functional theory calculations using B3LYP/LANL2DZ//ROHF(or RHF)/LANL2DZ level of theory in order to elucidate a realistic and feasible mechanism of the hydride-ion transfer from NADH to FAD affected by HEME(Fe3+) as an electron acceptor. Our calculated results suggest that the electron and/or hydride-ion transfer reaction from NADH to FAD can be accelerated in the presence of HEME(Fe3+).     

Development of novel fast-disintegrating tablets by direct compression using sucrose stearic acid ester as a disintegration-accelerating agent

It was attempted to produce novel furosemide (FS) fast-disintegrating tablets by direct compression. The combination of FS, microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium and xylitol was used as the basic formulation, and sucrose stearic acid ester (SSE) was chosen as an additional additive. The tablets with SSE were prepared by the simple addition of SSE, using a lyophilized mixture of FS and SSE or using a FS/SSE mixture obtained by evaporation of their ethanol solution. Only the tablets, produced using the FS/SSE mixture obtained by organic solvent (ethanol) evaporation, showed hardness of more than 30 N and a disintegration time of less than 20 s, which were the properties suitable for fast-disintegrating tablets. These properties were considered to result from well-mixed and fine-powdered SSE and FS.     

Convenient synthetic method for 3-(3-substituted indol-2-yl)quinoxalin-2-ones as VEGF inhibitor

It has already been reported that 3-(indol-2-yl)quinoxalin-2-ones have a potent inhibitory effect on the growth of tumor cells based on anti-angiogenesis activity. We have also carried out a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of 3-(indol-2-yl)quinoxalin-2-ones, which showed a potent inhibitory activity toward the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced proliferation of human mesangial cells and the VEGF-induced auto-phosphorylation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Moreover, one of these compounds has a potent medicinal effect based on anti-angiogenic action, by oral administration (Chart 1, 9). However, since the existing synthetic methods for the preparation of 3-(indol-2-yl)quinoxalin-2-ones consist of multiple steps some of which require strict anhydrous conditions, a convenient and simple synthetic method in place of the existing method is desirable. As a result of the investigations into the synthetic procedures, 3-(3-substituted indol-2-yl)quinoxalin-2-ones can be easily prepared by the condensation of 3-substituted indoles with quinoxalin-2-ones in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Herein, we report the examination of these reaction conditions and the application of this new synthetic method to the synthesis of the derivatives as VEGF inhibitors.     

Vacuum ultraviolet photodissociation and surface morphology change of water ice films dosed with hydrogen chloride

Time-of-flight (TOF) spectra of photofragment H atoms from the photodissociation of water ice films at 193 nm were measured for amorphous and polycrystalline water ice films with and without dosing of hydrogen chloride at 100-145 K. The TOF spectrum is sensitive to the surface morphology of the water ice film because the origin of the H atom is the photodissociation of dimerlike water molecules attached to the ice film surfaces. Adsorption of HCl on a polycrystalline ice film was found to induce formation of disorder regions on the ice film surface at 100-140 K, while the microstructure of the ice surface stayed of polycrystalline at 145 K with adsorption of HCl. The TOF spectra of photofragment Cl atoms from the 157 nm photodissociation of neutral HCl adsorbed on water ice films at 100-140 K were measured. These results suggest partial dissolution of HCl on the ice film surface at 100-140 K.     

Temperature dependence of activation volume on Cu content of ultra-low carbon steel

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the yield stress, effective stress and activation volume on the Cu content in steel was assessed using polycrystalline ultra-low carbon steels with 0.5, 1 and 2 mass% Cu added. A small hump was seen in the effective stress–temperature curve for ultra-low carbon steel, which has also been reported for high-purity single-crystal iron. The effective stress was found to decrease with increasing the Cu content. The activation volume was found to be linearly related to the temperature at low temperatures for all types of specimens considered. The activation volume was found to increase abruptly at a certain temperature, which increased with increasing the Cu content. The change in the relationship of the activation volume to temperature is discussed in this paper with respect to the thermally activated process of dislocation glide from the Peierls mechanism to the interaction between dislocations and solute Cu atoms.     

Synthesis, properties, and ambipolar organic field-effect transistor performances of symmetrically cyanated pentacene and naphthacene as air-stable acene derivatives

5,12-Dicyanonaphthacene and 6,13-dicyanopentacene have been synthesized for the first time. The LUMO and HOMO levels are deepened as predicted and fabricated organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) showed ambipolar responses with carrier mobilities of 10(-3) cm(2)/V·s.     

Colorless poly(ester imide)s derived from hydrogenated trimellitic anhydride

Tetracarboxylic dianhydrides were synthesized from hydrogenated trimellitic anhydride (HTA) and some diols to obtain novel poly(ester imide)s (PEsIs). The HTA-derived tetracarboxylic dianhydrides showed much higher reactivity with various diamines than conventional cycloaliphatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides and led to PEsI precursors with high molecular weights (M_w). The results can be explained in terms of a spacer effect. The PEsI films were essentially colorless regardless of diol and diamine components owing to inhibited charge-transfer interactions. The HTA-derived PEsIs also exhibited excellent combined properties: relatively high glass transition temperatures (T_g), relatively low water absorption (W_A), and relatively low dielectric constants. The outstanding processability (thermoplasticity and solubility) observed for the HTA-derived PEsIs was discussed on the basis of a non-planar/bent structure at the HTA-based imide units. The use of a fluorene-containing diol component was effective for enhancing T_g’s by restricted internal rotation and for reducing W_A by a decreased imide group content. On the other hand, the use of 4,4′-biphenol as another diol gave rise to a prominent toughening effect without sacrificing other target properties. One of the HTA-derived PEsI systems can be a promising candidate as plastic substrates because of its excellent combined properties: a high T_g close to 300 °C, high optical transparency, significant toughness (elongation at break > 100%), and good thermo- and solution-processability.     

Potential-modulated fluorescence spectroscopy of zwitterionic and dicationic membrane-potential-sensitive dyes at the 1,2-dichloroethane/water interface

The previously introduced technique of potential-modulated fluorescence (PMF) spectroscopy was used to study the potential-induced fluorescence change of some different dyes at the polarized 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE)/water (W) interface. A zwitterionic dye (POLARIC 488PPS) showed a PMF response similar to that for the previously studied dye (di-4-ANEPPS) with the same ionic state, and the PMF response was likewise explained by the potential-dependent reorientation of the dye at the DCE/W interface. Though a monocationic dye (POLARIC 488PM) showed no distinct PMF signal, a dicationic dye (di-2-ANEPEQ) showed two relatively weak but detectable PMF signals at lower and higher potential. It has thus been found that the ionic state of a potential-sensitive dye strongly influences the potential-induced reorientation of the dye at the interface and consequently its PMF response. These results support the reorientation/solvatochromic mechanism proposed for "slow" dyes but do not necessarily exclude the electrochromic mechanism proposed for "fast" dyes. PMF spectroscopy would provide useful information on the design of slow dyes for the measurement of the resting potential of cell membranes.