Polyaddition reaction of pseudoxazolones with dimercaptans

Polymers having thioether, thiolester, and amide linkages in each repeating unit of a polymer main chain were prepared by the polyaddition reaction of pseudoxazolones (2-isopropylidene-4-alkyl-3-oxazolin-5-ones) and dimercaptans. The polymers had inherent viscosities in a range of 0.08–0.22 and gave transparent films by solution casting.     

Synthesis and reactivity of β-cyclodextrin-histamine as enzyme model

Cyclodextrin (CD) has a hydrophobic cavity which acts like a binding site of an actual enzyme. But enzymatic turnover reaction did not occur in CD-catalyzed reactions. -CD was modified by a histamine group to attach a reactive functional group. -CD-histamine accelerates the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate. Catalytic rate constant of this reaction is close to an actual enzyme, -chymotrypsin. Enzymatic turnover reaction is realized with this compound at around neutral pH value.     

Long-term effects of UV light on contractility of rat arteries in vivo

Several studies have shown that UV irradiation may be effective for preventing vascular restenosis or vasopasm. However, the long-term effects of UV light on the physiological properties of vessels such as arterial tension have not been elucidated. We therefore studied the long-term effects of UV using rat carotid arteries treated with UV-B light (wavelength = 313 nm, total energy = 14 mJ/mm2). The animals were sacrificed at 1, 7 and 14 days after UV light exposure, and the carotid arteries were studied by light microscopy and the contractile responses of isolated arterial rings were recorded under isometric tension. UV treatment had induced a substantial loss of smooth muscle cells (SMC) along the entire circumference of the media on days 7 and 14, whereas loss of SMC on day 1 was negligible. Contractile responses of arteries that had been exposed to UV light were significantly reduced on days, 1, 7 and 14. The susceptibility of UV-treated arteries to phenylephrine and prostaglandin F2 alpha was significantly decreased on days 1 and 7, but decreased susceptibility was not seen on day 14. Acetylcholine-induced relaxations were not altered by UV treatment. These results suggest that the long-term effect of UV light is an attenuation of smooth muscle contractility without impairment of endothelial function.     

Structural difference between a superconducting sodium cobalt oxide and its related phase

Monolayer hydrate (MLH) Na_xCoO₂·y′H₂O was obtained from superconducting bilayer hydrate (BLH) Na_xCoO₂·yH₂O by partial extraction of H₂O molecules between the CoO₂ layers. Magnetization measurements indicated that electron densities in the CoO₂ layer of the MLH phase remained unchanged after the water extraction. Nevertheless, superconductivity was completely suppressed in the MLH phase. This strongly suggests that the highly 2D nature in the BLH phase due to its thick insulating layers consisting of H₂O molecules and Na⁺ ions plays an important role for inducing superconductivity.     

Structure-reactivity correlations in nucleophilic substitution reactions of Y-substituted phenyl X-substituted benzoates with anionic and neutral nucleophiles

A kinetic study is reported for the reactions of 4-nitrophenyl X-substituted benzoates (1a-1) and Y-substituted phenyl benzoates (2a-1) with two anionic nucleophiles (OH(-) and CN(-)) and three amines (piperidine, hydrazine, and glycylglycine) in 80 mol% H(2)O-20 mol% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at 25.0 +/- 0.1 degrees C. Each Hammett plot exhibits two intersecting straight lines for the reactions of 1a-1 with the anionic nucleophiles and piperidine, while the Yukawa-Tsuno plots for the same reactions are linear. The Hammett plots for the reactions of 2a-1 with hydrazine and glycylglycine demonstrate much better linear correlations with sigma(-) constants than with sigma degrees or sigma constants, indicating that the leaving group departure occurs at the rate determining step (RDS). On the contrary, sigma(-) constants result in poorer Hammett correlation than sigma degrees constants for the corresponding reactions with OH(-) and CN(-), indicating that the leaving group departure occurs after the RDS for the reactions with the anionic nucleophiles. The large rho(X) value (1.7 +/- 0.1) obtained for the reactions of 1a-1 with the anionic nucleophiles supports the proposal that the reactions proceed through an addition intermediate with its formation being the RDS.     

New layered rare-earth hydroxides with anion-exchange properties

We report the synthesis of a new series of layered hydroxides based on rare-earth elements with a composition of RE(OH)2.5Cl(0.5).0.8 H2O (RE: Eu, Tb, etc.) through the homogeneous precipitation of RECl3.x H2O with hexamethylenetetramine (HMT). Rietveld analysis combined with direct methods revealed an orthorhombic layered structure comprising a positively charged layer of [RE(OH)2.5-(H2O)0.8]0.5+ and interlayer Cl- ions. The Cl- ions were readily exchangeable for various anions (NO3-, SO4(2-), dodecylsulfonate, etc.) at ambient temperature. Photoluminescence studies showed that the compounds display typical RE3+ emission. With rare-earth-based host layers and tunable interlayer guests, the new compounds may be of interest for optoelectronic, magnetic, catalytic, and biomedical materials.     

Copolymerization of vinylsilanes with styrene

New vinylsilanes (M₂), i. e. phenylvinylsilane (I), allylmethylsilane (II), allylphenylsilane (III), and p-vinylphenylmethylsilane (IV), were prepared and copolymerized with styrene (M₁). The monomer reactivity ratios were r₁ = 5.7 and r₂ = 0, r₁ = 36 and r₂ = 0, r₁ = 29 and r₂ = 0₁, and r₁ = 0.91 and r₂ = 1.1, respectively. From the results of infrared and NMR spectra it was indicated that the vinylsilanes participated in copolymerization in the form of a vinyl type of polymerization and not in the form of a hydrogen-transfer type of polymerization. The reaction of copolymer with alcohols and methyl methacrylate and appropriate catalysts was investigated.