Incorporation of lipid domains in Cerasome, a morphologically-stable organic-inorganic vesicular nanohybrid

To extend the concept of the Cerasome, an organic-inorganic vesicular nanohybrid, this paper investigates the preparation and characterization of a “mixed” Cerasome. The system consists of a Cerasome-forming lipid 1, a cationic synthetic lipid 2, and a zwitterionic phospholipid 3. Lipid mixtures of 1 and 2 or 1 and 3 were used to prepare the mixed Cerasomes. Their lipid distributions were examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which showed that 1 and 2 (or 1 and 3) were phase-separated in the mixed Cerasomes. These results seem to be mainly attributable to the polymerizable nature of 1. Results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) showed that 1 and 3 were both incorporated into a single Cerasome, not macroscopically separated to form separate vesicles from each lipid component. Mixed Cerasomes of 1 and 2 showed high morphological stability against a membrane-solubilizing surfactant, incorporating up to 70% of 2. On the other hand, the mixed Cerasomes from 1 and 3 were less stable than the mixed Cerasomes from 1 and 2. This relative instability might be attributable to differences between the mixed Cerasomes from 1 and 2 and 1 and 3 in terms of their vesicular sizes, lipid domain sizes, and their relative effectiveness for siloxane network formation. These results strongly support the formation of mixed Cerasomes that have lipid domains in-plane. Systems described in this study are useful to prepare variously mixed Cerasomes that have different surface functionalities and in-plane lipid distribution, but which have high morphological stability.     

Reactions of oxalyl chloride with 1,2-cycloalkanediols in the presence of triethylamine

The relationship between the product patterns and the configurations of 1,2-cycloheptane- and 1,2-cyclooctanediols 9 in the cyclocondensations with oxalyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine at 0 degrees C has been shown analogous to that obtained for 1,2-disubstituted acyclic ethylene glycols 1: cis-1,2-cyclooctanediol (9f) produced the cyclic oxalate 14f as the major product, while trans-1,2-cycloheptanediol (9e) and trans-1,2-cyclooctanediol (9g) formed the cyclic carbonates 12e, g as the major products. On the other hand, the cyclic oxalates 14a-d were formed as the major products from 1,2-cyclopentane- and 1,2-cyclohexanediols regardless of the configuration. These results can be accounted for by assuming the boat-like transition states for cyclizations of the half esters of comparatively rigid five- and six-membered diols 9a--d. The cyclic oxalates 14a, c may be directly formed through the resulting tetrahedral intermediates from cis-diols (9a,c), and the cyclic carbonates 12a,c as the minor products after ring inversion of the tetrahedral intermediates. The tetrahedral intermediates from the trans-isomers 9b, d cannot undergo ring inversion, producing no traces of the cyclic carbonates 12b, d.     

Optical microscopy and in situ Raman scattering of single crystalline ethylene hydrate and binary methane-ethylene hydrate at high pressures

Visual observations through a microscope and in situ Raman measurements have been made for single crystalline ethylene hydrate (EH) and binary methane-ethylene hydrate (MEH) at pressures up to 3.7 GPa and room temperature. Both hydrates showed pressure-induced phase transitions at 1.6, 2.0, and 3.0 GPa for EH and at 1.7, 2.1, and 3.3 GPa for MEH. The cubic sI phase of EH and MEH remains stable up to 1.6 and 1.7 GPa, respectively, which are more widely ranging values than the values for the methane hydrate sI phase. In this sI phase of binary MEH, the cage occupancies by methane and ethylene molecules are investigated from Raman spectra. Above P = 3.0 GPa for EH and 3.3 GPa for MEH, they decomposed by associating with the formation of the polyethylene.     

NMR and quantum chemical study on the OH...pi and CH...O interactions between trehalose and unsaturated fatty acids: implication for the mechanism of antioxidant function of trehalose

Trehalose is a disaccharide that attracts much attention as a stress protectant. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of the antioxidant function of trehalose. The spin-lattice relaxation times (T(1)) of (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra were measured to investigate the interaction between trehalose and unsaturated fatty acid (UFA). We selected several kinds of UFA that differ in the number of double bonds and in their configurations (cis or trans). Several other disaccharides (sucrose, maltose, neotrehalose, maltitol, and sorbitol) were also analyzed by NMR. The T(1) values for the (1)H and (13)C signals assigned to the olefin double bonds in UFA decrease with increasing concentration of trehalose and the changes reaches plateaus at integer ratios of trehalose to UFA. The characteristic T(1) change is observed only for the combination of trehalose and UFA with cis double bond(s). On the other hand, from the (13)C-T(1) measurements for trehalose, the T(1) values of the C-3 (C-3') and C-6' (C-6) are found to change remarkably by addition of UFA. (1)H[bond](1)H NOESY measurements provide direct evidence for complexation of trehalose with linoleic acid. These results indicate that one trehalose molecule stoichiometrically interacts with one cis-olefin double bond of UFA. Computer modeling study indicates that trehalose forms a stable complex with an olefin double bond through OH...pi and CH...O types of hydrogen bonding. Furthermore, a significant increase in the activation energy is found for hydrogen abstraction reaction from the methylene group located between the double bonds that are both interacting with the trehalose molecules. Therefore, trehalose has a significant depression effect on the oxidation of UFA through the weak interaction with the double bond(s). This is the first study to elucidate the antioxidant function of trehalose.     

Reductive and catalytic monoalkylation of primary amines using nitriles as an alkylating reagent

[reaction: see text] A selective and catalytic mono-N-alkylation method of both aromatic and aliphatic amines using nitriles as an alkylating agent with Pd/C or Rh/C as a catalyst is described. This method is particularly attractive to provide an environmentally benign and applicable alkylation method of amines without using toxic and corrosive alkylating agents such as alkyl halides and carbonyl compounds.     

Regioselectivity of Friedel-Crafts acylation of aromatic compounds with several cyclic anhydrides

The Friedel-Crafts acylations of various aromatic compounds with cyclic anhydrides such as 2-(p-substituted phenyl)butanedioic, 3-phenylpentanedioic and homophathlic anhydrides were carried out under various conditions in order to obtain informations about the regioselectivity of the ring opening of the cyclic anhydrides and about the possible reaction pathways in the acylations.     

The first total synthesis of (+)-(Z)-laureatin

The stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-(Z)-laureatin is described. The 3,8-dioxabicyclo[5.1.1]nonane skeleton possessing trans-orientated alkyl substituents at the α,α′-positions to the ether linkage was stereoselectively constructed via formation of the oxetane arising from 4-exo cyclization of hydroxy epoxide existing on the oxocene core.     

Electrical and magnetic properties of ion-exchangeable layered ruthenates

An ion-exchangeable ruthenate with a layered structure, K_0.2RuO_2.1, was prepared by solid-state reactions. The interlayer cation was exchanged with H⁺, C₂H₅NH₃⁺, and ((C₄H₉)₄N⁺) through proton-exchange, ion-exchange, and guest-exchange reactions. The electrical and magnetic properties of the products were characterized by DC resistivity and susceptibility measurements. Layered K_0.2RuO_2.1 exhibited metallic conduction between 300 and 13 K. The products exhibited similar magnetic behavior despite the differences in the type of interlayer cation, suggesting that the ruthenate sheet in the protonated form and the intercalation compounds possesses metallic nature.     

Crystal chemistry and thermodynamic properties of anisotropic Ce2Ni7H4.7 hydride

A new intermetallic deuteride Ce₂Ni₇D_4.7 with an anomalous volume expansion has been studied. Its structure was solved on the basis of in situ neutron diffraction data. Expansion proceeds along the c-axis and within the CeNi₂ slabs only. All D atoms are located inside these slabs and on the border between CeNi₂ and CeNi₅. Ordering of D atoms in the bulk of CeNi₂ is accompanied by substantial deformation of these slabs thus lowering the hexagonal symmetry to orthorhombic [space group Pmcn (No. 62); a=4.9251(3) Å, b=8.4933(4) Å, c=29.773(1) Å]. Inside the CeNi₂ layer the hydrogen sublattice is completely ordered; all D-D distances exceed 2.0 Å. Local coordination of Ni by D inside the CeNi₂ blocks is of “open”, saddle-like type. Hydrogen ordering is mainly determined by Ce-H and H-H interactions. The pressure-composition-temperature measurements yielded the following thermodynamic parameters of the formation of the hydride: ΔH=−22.4 kJ/mol_H, ΔS=−59.9 J/(K mol_H).     

Boron group element doping of Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3 based on microwave sintering

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - We report effectiveness of dopants selected from group 13, such as B, Ga, and In, on the conductivity of Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3 (LAGP) that is recognized as...