Modulation of luminescence intensity of lanthanide complexes by photoinduced electron transfer and its application to a long-lived protease probe

Luminescent lanthanide complexes (Tb(3+), Eu(3+), etc.) have excellent properties for biological applications, including extraordinarily long lifetimes and large Stokes shifts. However, there have been few reports of lanthanide-based functional probes, because of the difficulty in designing suitable complexes with a luminescent on/off switch. Here, we have synthesized a series of complexes which consist of three moieties: a lanthanide chelate, an antenna, and a luminescence off/on switch. The antenna is an aromatic ring which absorbs light and transmits its energy to the metal, and the switch is a benzene derivative with a different HOMO level. If the HOMO level is higher than a certain threshold, the complex emits no luminescence at all, which indicates that the lanthanide luminescence can be modulated by photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) from the switch to the sensitizer. This approach to control lanthanide luminescence makes possible the rational design of functional lanthanide complexes, in which the luminescence property is altered by a biological reaction. To exemplify the utility of our approach to the design of lanthanide complexes with a switch, we have developed a novel protease probe, which undergoes a significant change in luminescence intensity upon enzymatic cleavage of the substrate peptide. This probe, combined with time-resolved measurements, was confirmed in model experiments to be useful for the screening of inhibitors, as well as for clinical diagnosis.     

A reversible reaction inside a self-assembled capsule

Reversible encapsulation allows the direct observation of the isolated molecules under ambient conditions, at equilibrium and in the liquid phase. Here we show that capsules can amplify and stabilize molecules that are present in only trace concentrations in solution. Evidence is given that reversible chemical reactions take place within the capsule. Stabilization of reaction intermediates is a characteristic property of enzymes and is widely regarded as an essential feature of catalytic activity. Reactive molecules can also be stabilized by encapsulation, a process that involves completely surrounding the reactive species within synthetic receptors. Here, we show that self-assembled capsules can isolate and stabilize molecules that are present in only trace amounts in solution. The system amplifies the concentrations of high-energy species with reduced entropies.     

Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of (E)-1-bromo-2-iodoalkenes through iodobromination of internal alkynes

One-step synthesis of (E)-1-bromo-2-iodoalkenes from internal alkynes through IBr addition is described. The IBr was generated in situ from commercially available TMSBr and NIS. This simple protocol enables highly efficient regio- and stereoselective iodobromination of the triple bond on a gram scale in anti-mode, and provides a potentially diverse scaffold for preparation of differentially all-carbon tetrasubstituted olefins.     

Exploration of novel predictive markers in rat plasma of the early stages of chronic renal failure

To identify blood markers for early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD), blood samples were collected from rats with adenine-induced CKD over 28 days. Plasma samples were subjected to metabolomic profiling by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, followed by multivariate analyses. In addition to already-identified uremic toxins, we found that plasma concentrations of N6-succinyl adenosine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine 20:4, and glycocholic acid were altered, and that these changes during early CKD were more sensitive markers than creatinine concentration, a universal indicator of renal dysfunction. Moreover, the increase in plasma indoxyl sulfate concentration occurred earlier than increases in phenyl sulfate and p-cresol sulfate. These novel metabolites may serve as biomarkers in identifying early stage CKD.     

Enhancement of Host–Guest Interactions Using Rationally Designed Macrocyclic Boronic Esters with a Naphthalene Core

Efficient inclusion of electron‐deficient aromatic guest molecules in an organic solvent utilizing π‐stacking interactions was achieved by using two kinds of macrocyclic boronic esters, 1,4‐naph‐ [2+2] and 1,5‐naph‐ [2+2] , which were easily prepared by self‐assembly of 1,4‐naphthalenediboronic acid ( 3 ) or 1,5‐naphthalenediboronic acid ( 4 ) and racemic tetrol 1 with an indacene framework in a protic solvent. The X‐ray crystallographic analyses revealed that the tilt angles of the two naphthalene rings are different: that of 1,4‐naph‐ [2+2] is about 15° and that of 1,5‐naph‐ [2+2] is about 0°. Owing to the parallel alignment of two aromatic rings, 1,5‐naph ‐[2+2] has a much higher binding ability than 1,4‐naph‐ [2+2] . This knowledge could be useful for the design of the new host molecules in organic solvents.     

Photo‐promoted Skeletal Rearrangement of Phosphine–Borane Frustrated Lewis Pairs Involving Cleavage of Unstrained C−C σ‐Bonds

An unprecedented photo‐promoted skeletal rearrangement reaction of phosphine–borane frustrated Lewis pairs, o‐(borylaryl)phosphines, involving cleavage of an unstrained sp²C–sp³C σ‐bond is reported. The reaction realizes an efficient synthesis of cyclic phosphonium borate compounds. The reaction mechanism via a boranorcaradiene intermediate is proposed based on theoretical calculations. This work sheds light on the new photoreactivity of phosphine–borane FLPs.     

Rh‐Catalyzed Direct Carboxylation of Alkenyl C−H Bonds of Alkenylpyrazoles

The Rh‐catalyzed direct carboxylation of alkenyl C?H bonds was achieved by using pyrazole as a removable directing group. In the presence of 5 mol% RhCl₃ ? 3H₂O, 6 mol% P(Mes)₃, and 2 equiv. of AlMe₂(OMe), the alkenyl C?H bond of various alkenylpyrazoles was directly carboxylated in good yields under CO₂ atmosphere. Furthermore, several useful transformations of the pyrazole moiety of the product were achieved to afford synthetically useful carboxylic acid derivatives in good yields.     

Supramolecular Photocatalysis by Utilizing the Host–Guest Charge‐Transfer Interaction: Visible‐Light‐Induced Generation of Triplet Anthracenes for [4+2] Cycloaddition Reactions

Supramolecular photocatalysis via charge‐transfer excitation of a host–guest complex was developed by use of the macrocyclic boronic ester [2+2]_BTH‐F containing highly electron‐deficient difluorobenzothiadiazole moieties. In the presence of a catalytic amount of [2+2]_BTH‐F, the triplet excited state of anthracene was generated from the charge‐transfer excited state of anthracene@[2+2]_BTH‐F by visible‐light irradiation, and cycloaddition of the excited anthracene with several dienes and alkenes proceeded in a [4+2] manner in high yields.     

Certified calibration solution reference material for the determination of perfluorooctane sulfonate from the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ)

A new calibration solution reference material for the determination of perfluorooctane sulfonate anion (PFOS) and its salts has been issued as a certified reference material (CRM) by the National Metrology Institute of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (NMIJ/AIST). The purity amount-of-substance fraction of raw material potassium perfluorooctane sulfonate (K-PFOS) was evaluated based on the results obtained using the freezing point depression method, and the purity mass fraction of the raw material was calculated using the average molar mass of impurities, the molar mass of K-PFOS, and the purity amount-of-substance fraction. The certified concentration of this CRM was obtained by multiplying the dilution ratio of the raw material in a prepared solution (methanol) determined from the gravimetric blending method by the purity of the raw material. The preparation concentration of K-PFOS as a certified value of NMIJ CRM 4220-a was determined to be 9.93?mg?kg^?1. In addition, the standard uncertainty of the certified value was evaluated from the purity evaluation as well as from sample inhomogeneity, instability, and preparation variation obtained from LC/MS measurements of different gravimetrically prepared solutions of the NMIJ CRM. Consequently, the expanded uncertainty was estimated to be 0.15?mg?kg^?1 with a coverage factor k?=?2 corresponding to the half-width of estimated confidence interval of approximately 95%.