Recent Progress in the Development of Solid‐State Luminescent o‐Carboranes with Stimuli Responsivity

o‐Carborane, a cluster compound containing boron and adjacent carbon atoms, displays intriguing luminescent properties. Recently, compounds containing o‐carborane units were found to show suppressed aggregation‐induced quenching and intense solid‐state emission; they also show potential for the development of stimuli‐responsive luminochromic materials. In this Minireview, we introduce three kinds of fundamental photochemical properties: aggregation‐induced emission, twisted intramolecular charge transfer in crystals, and environment‐sensitive excimer formation in solids. Based on these properties, several types of luminochromism, such as thermos‐, vapo‐, and mechanochromism, have been discovered. Based mainly on results from recent studies, we illustrate these mechanisms as well as unique luminescent behaviors of o‐carborane derivatives.     

The azimuthal dependent oxidation process on Cu(110) by energetic oxygen molecules

We report a study on the oxidation process induced by a hyperthermal oxygen molecular beam (HOMB) on Cu(110) using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy in conjunction with a synchrotron radiation source. The oxidation process induced by energetic O₂ beams on Cu(110), depending on the azimuthal angle of incidence, suggests that the –Cu–O– added row structure has a role in inhibiting adsorption as a steric obstacle for incident O₂ molecules.     

Enhanced surface sensitivity in secondary ion mass spectrometric analysis of organic thin films using size‐selected Ar gas‐cluster ion projectiles

A size‐selected argon (Ar) gas‐cluster ion beam (GCIB) was applied to the secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) of a 1,4‐didodecylbenzene (DDB) thin film. The samples were also analyzed by SIMS using an atomic Ar⁺ ion projectile and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Compared with those in the atomic‐Ar⁺ SIMS spectrum, the fragment species, including siloxane contaminants present on the sample surface, were enhanced several hundred times in the Ar gas‐cluster SIMS spectrum. XPS spectra during beam irradiation indicate that the Ar GCIB sputters contaminants on the surface more effectively than the atomic Ar⁺ ion beam. These results indicate that a large gas‐cluster projectile can sputter a much shallower volume of organic material than small projectiles, resulting in an extremely surface‐sensitive analysis of organic thin films. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Total Synthesis of Indole and Dihydroindole Alkaloids. XV. Further Chemistry of Vindoline

The general reactivity of various sites in the vindoline series has been investigated. The facility of electrophilic substitution at C(15) and the effect of steric crowding on reactions at C(4) are discussed. At the basic nitrogen sites, oxidations with mercuric acetate and potassium permanganate are also discussed.     

An efficient synthesis of the anti-asthmatic agent T-440: a selective N-alkylation of 2-pyridone

6,7-Diethoxy-1-[1-(2-methoxyethyl)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyridin- 4-yl]naphthalene-2,3-dimethanol [T-440, (1)] is a potential anti-asthmatic agent based on selective phosphodiesterase 4 inhibition. It was necessary for the further evaluation of 1 to develop an efficient synthetic route for 1, especially the construction of the 1-(2-methoxyethyl)-2-pyridone moiety. We examined an N-selective alkylation of pyridone derivative (2) in basic media. 2-Methoxyethylation of 2 with 2-methoxyethyl iodide utilizing LiH as the base gave predominantly an N-alkyl pyridone derivative (3a) in 82% yield (N/O-alkylation=92/8), which is compatible with an ab initio calculation of transition-state structures for the methylation of 2-pyridone. Single crystallization of a crude mixture of 3a and 4a furnished pure 3a, which is a key synthetic intermediate of 1.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of the C79-C96 fragment of symbiodinolide

The stereoselective synthesis of the C79-C96 fragment of symbiodinolide is described in which the spiroacetalization and Kotsuki coupling are the key steps.     

Synthesis of γ‐Boryl‐Substituted Homoallylic Alcohols with anti Stereochemistry Based on a Double‐Bond Transposition

The stereoselective synthesis of anti isomers of γ‐boryl‐substituted homoallylic alcohols is disclosed. (E)‐1,2‐Di(boryl)alk‐1‐enes undergo Ru‐catalyzed double‐bond transposition with control of the geometry. The in situ generated (E)‐1,2‐di(boryl)alk‐2‐enes add to aldehydes in a stereospecific manner. The alkenylboron group within the product is amenable to a variety of synthetic derivatizations.     

Stabilization of organic field-effect transistors by tert-butyl groups in dibenzotetrathiafulvalene derivatives

For a material for organic thin-film transistors, not only high mobility but also low threshold voltage and long-term stability are important requirements. In order to realize these properties, materials with relatively large oxidation potentials, namely weak donors, have been designed as p-channel organic semiconductors. Here we propose a different strategy; transistor properties of dibenzotetrathiafulvalene (DBTTF) are significantly improved by the introduction of tert-butyl groups. Although this chemical modification does not much change the ionization potential, small threshold voltage and stability over several months are attained together with the improved mobility, probably due to some kind of passivation effect of the bulky tert-butyl groups. In contrast, the systematic fluorine substitution rapidly diminishes the transistor performance. There are two kinds of herringbone structures with much different dihedral angles of about 50° and 130°, and the tert-butyl compound falls into the former category.