A Cell‐Targeted Non‐Cytotoxic Fluorescent Nanogel Thermometer Created with an Imidazolium‐Containing Cationic Radical Initiator

A cationic fluorescent nanogel thermometer based on thermo‐responsive N‐isopropylacrylamide and environment‐sensitive benzothiadiazole was developed with a new azo compound bearing imidazolium rings as the first cationic radical initiator. This cationic fluorescent nanogel thermometer showed an excellent ability to enter live mammalian cells in a short incubation period (10 min), a high sensitivity to temperature variations in live cells (temperature resolution of 0.02–0.84 °C in the range 20–40 °C), and remarkable non‐cytotoxicity, which permitted ordinary cell proliferation and even differentiation of primary cultured cells.     

Electronic structure of transition-metal complexes. I. Parametrization for CNDO/2 method

A new parameterization for the first transition metal has been proposed in the framework of CNDO /2 method. We carried out CNDO /2 calculation of hexamine complexes [M(NH₃)₆]²⁺ and hexa-aquo complexes [M(OH₂)₆]²⁺ in the high spin state where M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu, using new parameters. It is shown that the calculated order of binding energy is Mn? L < Fe? L < Co? L < Ni? L ≈ Cu? L (where L means the ligand), and is in good agreement with experiment. We discussed how the orbital nodes affect the nature of bonding between metal and ligand.     

Substituent Distribution of Cyanoethyl Cellulose

Estimation of the substitution distribution for cyanoethyl cellulose was carried out by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic analyses after the additional acetylation. Based on the complemental function of cyanoethyl and acetyl substituents, the degree of substitution (DS) of cyanoethyl groups could be calculated from the ratios of the ¹H integrated intensities in acetyl methyl ( 1.8–2.1) and cyanoethyl methylene ( 2.6–2.9) protons, and also from the corresponding ratios for acetyl methyl carbon signals ( 19.7–21.3) and cyanoethyl methylene carbon signals ( 17.5–19.0). Good agreement was obtained between the DS values obtained from the NMR spectroscopic analyses and those determined by the conventional nitrogen content method, indicating the validity of the NMR method used. In addition, the NMR method was found to be effective in determining the positional substituent distribution by the quantitative analysis of the three cyan carbon signals ( 118–120).     

Studies on non-thiazolidinedione antidiabetic agents. 1. Discovery of novel oxyiminoacetic acid derivatives

A novel series of oxyiminoacetic acid derivatives were synthesized in an effort to develop a potent antidiabetic agent, which does not contain the 2,4-thiazolidinedione moiety. These compounds were evaluated for glucose and lipid lowering effects in genetically obese and diabetic KKA(y) mice. Several of the compounds showed strong antidiabetic activity, including functional potency at peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma. (Z)-2-[4-[(5-Methyl-2-phenyl-1,3-oxazol-4-yl)methoxy]benzyloxyimino]-2-(4-phenoxyphenyl)acetic acid (25) significantly reduced plasma glucose (33%, p<0.01) and plasma triglycelide levels (43%, p<0.01) even at a dosage of 0.001% in diet. Pharmacokinetic analyses of 25 are also reported.     

Generation of an abasic site in an oligonucleotide by using acid-labile 1-deaza-2'-deoxyguanosine and its application to postsynthetic modification

We developed a new convenient method for generation of an abasic site at the 3'-terminus of an oligonucleotide. This method uses a 1-deaza-2'-deoxyguanosine residue, which easily undergoes depurination under acidic conditions. The abasic site of the oligonucleotide can be further modified with external functional groups. We report herein the chemical stability of 1-deaza-2'-deoxyguanosine in the oligodeoxynucleotide and the application to the postsynthetic modification of an oligonucleotide by utilizing the chemical property of 1-deaza-2'-deoxyguanosine. [Structure: see text]     

Phase equilibrium in the system Ln-Mn-O: V. Ln=Yb and Dy at 1100°C

Phase equilibrium was established in the Yb-Mn-O and Dy-Mn-O systems at 1100°C by varying the oxygen partial pressure from −log (P_O2/atm)=0-13.00, allowing construction of phase diagrams at 1100°C for the systems Ln₂O₃-MnO-MnO₂. Under experimental conditions, Yb₂O₃, MnO, Mn₃O₄, and YbMnO₃ phases are found to be present in the Yb-Mn-O system, whereas Dy₂O₃, MnO, Mn₃O₄ DyMnO₃, and DyMn₂O₅ phases are present in the Dy-Mn-O system. Ln₂MnO₄, Mn₂O₃, and MnO₂ are not stable in either system. Small nonstoichiometric ranges are found in the LnMnO₃ phase, with the nonstoichiometry represented by the equations, N_O/N_YbMnO3=1.00×10⁻⁴(log P_O2)³+1.30×10⁻³(log P_O2)²+7.20×10⁻³(log P_O2)+5.00×10⁻⁵ and N_O/N_DyMnO3=1.00×10⁻⁴(log P_O2)³+1.80×10⁻³(log P_O2)²+9.30×10⁻³(log P_O2)+1.69×10⁻². Activities of the components in the solid solutions are calculated using these equations. LnMnO₃ may range Ln₂O₃-rich to Ln₂O₃-poor, while MnO is slightly nonstoichiometric to the oxygen-rich side. DyMn₂O₅ also seems to be nonstoichiometric. Lattice constants of LnMnO₃ under different oxygen partial pressures were determined, as well as lattice constants of DyMn₂O₅ quenched in air. The standard Gibbs energy changes of reactions appearing in the phase diagrams were calculated.     

Precise Proton Mapping near Ionic Micellar Membranes with Fluorescent Photoinduced-Electron-Transfer Sensors

One of the challenges for fluorescent sensors is to reduce their target environment size from a micrometer scale, such as biological cells, to a nanometer scale. Proton maps near membranes are of importance in bioenergetics and are the first goal in nanometer-scale analysis with fluorescent sensors. Thirty-three fluorescent photoinduced-electron-transfer pH sensors bearing an environment-sensitive benzofurazan fluorophore and having different hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity and hydrogen-bonding abilities were prepared. These sensors were scattered in nanospaces associated with anionic and cationic micelles as model membranes to indicate proton availability and polarity in local spaces. Gathering the data from the sensors allowed the successful drawing of proton maps near anionic and cationic micelles, in which electrostatic attraction/repulsion of protons by the charged head groups of micelles and dielectric suppression of protons were clearly observed.     

Stereospecific synthesis of dinucleoside monophosphate aryl esters by using new condensing reagents

Abstract

New condensing reagents, arenesulfonyl 5-(pyridin-2-yl)tetrazoles have been synthesized and used for stereospecific synthesis of dinucleoside monophosphate aryl esters.     

Tandem five membered-ring selective Prins reaction and Friedel–Crafts reaction

A tandem reaction consisting of five membered-ring selective Prins cyclization and subsequent Friedel–Crafts cyclization was developed. The reactions of phenyl homoallylic alcohol 3 and benzaldehyde derivatives 6 afforded tetrahydroindenofurans 7 or pentacyclic products 8, depending upon the quantity of 6. Also homoallylic alcohol 12 having an alkyne–cobalt moiety reacted with 6 to give rise to tetrahydroindenofurans 13 in good yields.     

One-electron reduction of kinetically stabilized dipnictenes: synthesis of dipnictene anion radicals

The redox behavior of kinetically stabilized dipnictenes, BbtE=EBbt [E = P, Sb, Bi; Bbt = 2,6-bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]-4-[tris(trimethylsilyl)methyl]phenyl], was systematically disclosed using cyclic voltammetry and theoretical calculations. It was found that they showed reversible one-electron redox couples in the reduction region. The anion radical species of the Bbt-substituted diphosphene and distibene were successfully synthesized by the reduction of the corresponding neutral dipnictenes (BbtP=PBbt and BbtSb=SbBbt). Their structures were reasonably characterized by ESR, UV-vis, and Raman spectroscopy, and the distibene anion radical was structurally characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis.