Photodynamic inactivation of isolated crayfish mechanoreceptor neuron: different death modes under different photosensitizer concentrations

To study the mechanism of photodynamic nerve cell killing, isolated crayfish mechanoreceptor neurons were photosensitized by the sulfonated aluminum ophthalocyanine Photosens. Neuron activity was continuously recorded until irreversible abolition. Intense (10(-5) M Photosens) or weak (10(-7) M Photosens) photosensitization induced different bioelectric neuron responses: firing activation followed by irreversible depolarization block or gradual inhibition until firing abolition, respectively. These bioelectric responses were accompanied by different biochemical and morphological changes. In the case of intense photosensitization, neuron nuclei swelled and then shrank. Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) was inhibited, and the plasma membrane was compromised just after firing cessation. Weak photosensitization did not induce these changes but caused swelling of the endoplasmic reticulum and destruction of the matrix, cristae and membranes in some of the mitochondria. Other mitochondria, however, retained the normal structure. Plasma membrane damage, SDH inhibition, nucleus shrinkage and impairment of the nuclear border occurred after 2-4 h. It is concluded that intense photosensitization induced necrotic processes during irradiation, whereas weaker impact caused delayed necrosis 2-4 h later. The observed electrophysiological neuron responses to photodynamic therapy may be considered as early hallmarks of different modes of forthcoming cell death.     

Electrochemically-induced spirolactonization of alpha-(methoxyphenoxy)alkanoic acids into quinone ketals

Anodic oxidation of two series of alpha-(2)- and alpha-(4-methoxyphenoxy)alkanoic acids were studied both at the analytical and preparative scales in order to delineate mechanistic aspects of electrochemically induced spirolactonization and to develop synthetically useful orthoquinone bis- and monoketals. Although alpha-monomethylated carboxylic acids and acetic acid derivatives do not undergo any spiroannulation, alpha-dimethylated carboxylic acids furnished spirolactones in high yields. A gem-dimethyl effect is invoked to explain these differences in cyclization capacity. Electrooxidation conditions can be selected to furnish either quinone spirolactone bis- or monoketals. Chemoselective monohydrolysis of bisketals can also be accomplished in a stepwise fashion to furnish the corresponding spirolactone monoketals, but the ortho compound unfortunately dimerized in situ via a Diels-Alder process. An ECEC pathway is proposed to rationalize the observed spirolactonizations on the basis of cyclic voltammetry analyses.     

Effect of Ion Energy on Structure and Composition of Cathodic Arc Deposited Alumina Thin Films

The effect of energy supplied to the growing alumina film on the composition and structure has been investigated by varying substrate temperature and substrate bias potential. The constitution and composition were studied by X-ray diffraction and elastic recoil detection analysis, respectively. Increasing the substrate bias potential from −50 to −100 V caused the amorphous or weakly crystalline films to evolve into stoichiometric, crystalline films with a mixture of the α- and γ-phase above 700 ^oC, and γ-phase dominated films at temperatures as low as 200 ^oC. All films had a grain size of <10 nm. The combined constitution and grain size data is consistent with previous work stating that γ-alumina is thermodynamically stable at grain sizes <12 nm [McHale et al., Science 277, 788 (1997)]. In order to correlate phase formation with synthesis conditions, the plasma chemistry and ion energy distributions were measured at synthesis conditions. These results indicate that for a substrate bias potential of −50 V, ion energies in excess of 100 eV are attained, both from a high energy tail and the accelerated ions with charge >1. These results are of importance for an increased understanding of the evolution of film composition and microstructure, also providing a pathway to γ-alumina growth at temperatures as low as 200 ^o C.     

Molecular orbital calculations on transition metal complexes : XIX. π-cyclopentadienyl-π-cyclopropenylnickel

INDO SCF molecular orbital calculations for π-cyclopentadienyl-π-cyclopropenylnickel indicate a formally d¹⁰ configuration for the metal. Calculations of the ionisation energies show that electron loss should take place first from the occupied closely grouped set of dominantly d-orbitals, and then from a mainly π-cyclopentadienyl e orbital, this being the highest occupied ligand level. This latter level shows however only a slight mixing with the metal d-orbitals, resulting in a small ligand→metal electron donation; the dominant interaction is that between the higher lying π-cyclopropenyl e level and the metal 3d_xz and 3d_yz orbitals which leads to a substantial metal→ligand charge donation. The behaviour of the π-cyclopropenyl ligand is discussed using the calculated charge distributions.     

Substrate-induced pairing in 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis-undecalkoxy-triphenylene self-assembled monolayers on Au111

We present an STM study of self-assembled monolayers of 2,3,6,7,10,11-undecalkoxy-substituted triphenylene (T11) at the n-tetradecane/Au(111) interface under ambient conditions. T11 molecules self-organize as paired rows with molecules lying flat on the surface in an antiparallel position. Three alkyl chains of each T11 molecule align along the 110 direction of the underlying Au(111) substrate. The association of T11 in molecular pairs appears to result from a substrate-induced mechanism governed by the strong anisotropic interaction between T11 alkyl chains and Au(111).     

B(C6F5)3-catalyzed formation of B-P bonds by dehydrocoupling of phosphine-boranes

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane was used as a new catalyst in the formation of P-B bonds by dehydrocoupling of phosphine-boranes.     

Kinetic resolution of chiral aminoalkenes via asymmetric hydroamination/cyclisation using binaphtholate yttrium complexes

Chiral binaphtholate yttrium aryl complexes are highly active and enantioselective catalysts for the asymmetric hydroamination of aminoalkenes, as well as the kinetic resolution of alpha-substituted 1-aminopent-4-enes to give trans-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidines with good enantiomeric excess and high k(rel).     

One pot synthesis of α-bromo and α-iodo ketones from epoxides

α-bromo and α-iodo ketones are obtained in good yieid and in one. pot by reaction of terminal and disubstituted epoxides with trimethylsilyl halides and further oxidation (CrO₃/H₂SO₄     

Nouvolle synthcse de la dihydro-5,6 methoxy-6 2H-pyrannone-5

The α,β-ethylenic ketone 5 was obtained in 35% yield in four steps from 1. The intermediate product was a brominated ketal obtained in the form of a mixture of two isomers 6 and 7 . The stereochemistry and conformation was established by a study of the 250 MHz nmr spectra. During the dehydrobromination of 6 and 7 , a relatively easy isomerization of the α,β-ethylenic ketal occured by displacement of the double bond giving theβ,γ-ethylenic ketal 10 .