Cubic phases of 4′-n-alkoxy-3′-nitrobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acids (ANBC-n)

The structure of the thermotropic cubic phases of 4′- ⁿ -alkoxy-3′-nitrobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acids (ANBC- ⁿ , where ⁿ indicates the number of carbon atoms in the alkoxy group) was studied by X-ray diffraction. For the homologues with ⁿ = 15, 16, 17, and 18, the cubic phase was of an ^Ia 3 ^d type, whereas the homologues with ⁿ = 19, 20, and 21 exhibited an ^Im 3 ^m cubic structure; for these seven homologues the same type of cubic structure was observed both on heating and cooling. Further lengthening of the alkoxy chain to ⁿ = 22 and 26, however, gave two types of cubic structure in the cubic phase region on heating, one with ^Im 3 ^m symmetry in the low temperature region and the other with ^Ia 3 ^d symmetry in the high temperature region. On cooling, the two homologues exhibited the ^Ia 3 ^d cubic structure only. This is the first example in the cubic phase region of a series of homologues containing two types of structure, dependent on temperature and ⁿ . Such a complicated phase diagram in the cubic region is clearly understood qualitatively in terms of Gibbs free energy-temperature diagrams. The dependence of structural parameters such as the cubic lattice constant on the alkoxy chain length ⁿ are also presented and discussed.     

Uric acid quantification in fingernail of gout patients and healthy volunteers using HPLC‐UV

The presence of elevated uric acid (UA) levels is a sign of gout, that is, hyperuricemia. In this study the monitoring of the UA levels in less‐invasive biological samples, such as the human fingernail, is suggested for the diagnosis and therapy of gout. Twenty‐six healthy volunteers (HV) and 22 gout patients (GP) were studied. The UA was extracted from human fingernail samples, then separated on an Inertsil ODS‐3 column (250 × 4.6 mm i.d., 4.0 μm, GL Sciences) by isocratic elution using methanol–74 mm phosphate buffer (pH 2.2) 2:98 (v/v). A UV detector was used to monitor the samples at 284 nm. Using the developed method, different UA concentrations were found in the GP and HV. When comparing the concentrations from GP with those from HV, a statistically significant correlation was observed between the UA (p < 0.01). In this study, the UA was confirmed as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and therapy of gout. We have developed a novel sensitive, and simple method for the determination of UA in the fingernails of GP and HV. The human fingernail may serve as a noninvasive biosample for the diagnosis of gout. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Global Structure-Acute Toxicity Relationships for Mice Using Structural Parameter Ratios: New Approach to Molecular Design and Screening

Abstract

A method for a preliminary survey of the relationship between molecular structure and performance was described using 1506 random data of structure-acute toxicity for mice (intravenously dosed). The structural patterns of the weakest toxic structures (111) were extracted from the data and the patterns discriminated for 64.2% of the other structures (1395). As for the 826 structures of strongest toxicity, 78.3% were discriminated by these structural patterns. These results were obtained by using structural parameter ratios to describe the structural patterns and the exhaustive elimination process to select the best parameter ratio from many candidates. The results were summarized in the form of a chart which can be used for practical screening for the weakest toxic structures.     

Enantioselective Sulfoxidation Catalyzed by a Bisguanidinium Diphosphatobisperoxotungstate Ion Pair

The first enantioselective tungstate‐catalyzed oxidation reaction is presented. High enantioselectivities were achieved for a variety of drug‐like phenyl and heterocyclic sulfides under mild conditions with H₂O₂, a cheap and environmentally friendly oxidant. Synthetic utility was demonstrated through the preparation of (S)‐Lansoprazole, a commercial proton‐pump inhibitor. The active ion‐pair catalyst was identified to be bisguanidinium diphosphatobisperoxotungstate using Raman spectroscopy and computational studies.     

Extremely Photostable Electron-Deficient Phthalocyanines that Generate High Levels of Singlet Oxygen

A robust lead-mediated synthetic procedure for the generation of phthalocyanines substituted with electron-withdrawing groups has been developed. The free-base phthalocyanine and various metal complexes were prepared without discernible degradation of the peripheral electron-withdrawing substituents. Upon irradiation with red light, some of the thus-obtained metal complexes generated high levels of singlet oxygen. In particular, a palladium complex exhibited attractive photostability upon exposure to singlet oxygen as a bleaching agent. The photostability of such complexes that may manifest concomitantly to the generation of high levels of singlet oxygen was attributed to the presence of the electron-withdrawing groups, which results in energetically low-lying highest occupied molecular orbitals.     

Advances in positron and electron scattering*

The topical issue on Advances in Positron and Electron Scattering” combines contributionsfrom POSMOL 2015 together with others devoted to celebrate the unprecedented scientificcareers of our loyal colleagues and trusted friends Steve Buckman (Australian NationalUniversity, Australia) and Michael Allan (University of Fribourg, Switzerland) on theoccasion of their retirements. POSMOL 2015, the XVIII International Workshop on Low-EnergyPositron and Positronium Physics and the XIX International Symposium on Electron-MoleculeCollisions and Swarms, was held at Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal, from17–20 July 2015. The international workshop and symposium allowed to achieve a veryprivileged forum of sharing and developing our scientific expertise on current aspects ofpositron, positronium and antiproton interactions with electrons, atoms, molecules andsolid surfaces, and related topics, as well as electron interactions with molecules inboth gaseous and condensed phases. Particular topics include studies of electroninteractions with biomolecules, electron induced surface chemistry and the study of plasmaprocesses. Recent developments in the study of swarms are also fully addressed.     

Direct Near Infrared Light–Activatable Phthalocyanine Catalysts

The high penetration of near-infrared (NIR) light makes it effective for use in selective reactions under light-shielded conditions, such as in sealed reactors and deep tissues. Herein, we report the development of phthalocyanine catalysts directly activated by NIR light to transform small organic molecules. The desired photocatalytic properties were achieved in the phthalocyanines by introducing the appropriate peripheral substituents and central metal. These phthalocyanine photocatalysts promote cross-dehydrogenative-coupling (CDC) under irradiation with 810 nm NIR light. The choice of solvent is important, and a mixture of a reaction-accelerating (pyridine) and -decelerating (methanol) solvents was particularly effective. Moreover, we demonstrate photoreactions under visible-light-shielded conditions through the transmission of NIR light. A combined experimental and computational mechanistic analysis revealed that this NIR reaction does not involve a photoredox-type mechanism with electron transfer, but instead a singlet-oxygen-mediated mechanism with energy transfer.     

Near-IR Luminescent YbIII Coordination Polymers Composed of Pyrene Derivatives for Thermostable Oxygen Sensors

Oxygen-sensitive and near-infrared (NIR) luminescent Yb^III coordination polymers incorporating ligands based on pyrene derivatives were synthesized: Yb^III–TBAPy and Yb^III–TIAPy (TBAPy: 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(p-benzoate)pyrene; TIAPy: 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(3,5-isophthalic acid)pyrene). The coordination structures of these materials have been characterized by means of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. Moreover, the porous structure of Yb^III–TIAPy has been evaluated by measuring its N₂ adsorption isotherm. The NIR luminescence properties of Yb^III–TBAPy and Yb^III–TIAPy have been examined by acquiring emission spectra and determining emission lifetimes under air or argon and in vacuo. Yb^III–TIAPy exhibited high thermal stability (with a decomposition temperature of 400 °C), intense luminescence (with an emission quantum yield under argon of 6.6 %), and effective oxygen-sensing characteristics. These results suggest that NIR luminescent Yb^III coordination polymers prepared using pyrene derivatives could have applications in novel thermo-stable oxygen sensors.     

SUSY flavor structure of generic 5D supergravity models

We perform a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the SUSY flavor structure of generic 5D supergravity models on S ¹/Z ₂ with multiple Z ₂-odd vector multiplets that generate multiple moduli. The SUSY flavor problem can be avoided due to contact terms in the 4D effective K?hler potential peculiar to the multi-moduli case. A?detailed phenomenological analysis is provided based on an illustrative model.