Infrared and ab initio studies on 1,2,4,5-tetrafluorobenzene clusters with methanol and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol: presence and absence of an aromatic C-H...O hydrogen bond

The (1:1) clusters of 1,2,4,5-tetrafluorobenzene (TFB) with methanol and with 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) were studied both experimentally and computationally. Through use of fluorescence-detected infrared spectroscopy, the (1:1) clusters were identified in supersonic jets. Intermolecular interactions in the clusters were characterized by the spectral shifts of the aromatic C-H stretching modes in the TFB moiety owing to the cluster formation. The molecular structures, stabilization energies, and vibrational frequencies of the clusters were computed at the MP2/6-31+G level. Both computational and experimental data indicate that an aromatic C-H...O hydrogen bond is present in the TFB-methanol cluster, while it is absent in the TFB-TFE cluster.     

Dual chirality control of palladium(II) complexes bearing tropos biphenyl diamine ligands

Axial and center chirality of Pd complexes with tropos biphenyl secondary diamine ligands is shown to be controlled by chiral amide (R)-DABNTf, which can efficiently discriminate between two enantiomeric Pd complexes.     

Ab initio calculations of structures and interaction energies of toluene dimers including CCSD(T) level electron correlation correction

The intermolecular interaction energy of the toluene dimer has been calculated with the ARS-F model (a model chemistry for the evaluation of intermolecular interaction energy between ARomatic Systems using Feller's method), which was formerly called as the AIMI model III. The CCSD(T) (coupled cluster calculations with single and double substitutions with noniterative triple excitations) interaction energy at the basis set limit has been estimated from the second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation interaction energy at the basis set limit obtained by Feller's method and the CCSD(T) correction term obtained using a medium-size basis set. The cross (C(2)) dimer has the largest (most negative) interaction energy (-4.08 kcal/mol). The antiparallel (C(2h)) and parallel (C(S)) dimers (-3.77 and -3.41 kcal/mol, respectively) are slightly less stable. The dispersion interaction is found to be the major source of attraction in the toluene dimer. The dispersion interaction mainly determines the relative stability of the stacked three dimers. The electrostatic interaction of the stacked three dimers is repulsive. Although the T-shaped and slipped-parallel benzene dimers are nearly isoenergetic, the stacked toluene dimers are substantially more stable than the T-shaped toluene dimer (-2.62 kcal/mol). The large dispersion interaction in the stacked toluene dimers is the cause of their enhanced stability.     

Effects of oxygen-deficiencies on the recording sensitivity of holograms in Rh-doped LiNbO3

It was found that the generation of oxygen-deficiencies in Rh-doped LiNbO₃ enormously improved the optical sensitivity for holographic recording. Optical erasing and thermal decaying of holograms exhibited a two-step decay behavior, which suggested the existence of two kinds of trapping levels relevant to the optical damage.     

Highly enantioselective spiro cyclization of 1,6-enynes catalyzed by cationic skewphos rhodium(I) complex

A cationic rhodium(I) complex having a skewphos ligand is shown to be a highly enantioselective catalyst for asymmetric carbocyclization of 1,6-enynes with tri-substituted olefins to control quaternary stereogenic centers of spiro-rings.     

Characterization of a New Cold-adapted Lipase from Pseudomonas sp. TK-3

A psychrotrophic Pseudomonas sp. TK-3 was isolated from dirty and cool stream water in Toyama, Japan from which we cloned and characterized the bacterial lipase LipTK-3. The sequenced DNA fragment contains an open reading frame of 1,428?bp that encoded a protein of 476 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 50,132?Da. The lipase showed high sequence similarity to those of subfamily ??.3 lipase and had a conserved GXSXG motif around the catalytic Ser residue. Its optimal temperature was 20?C25?°C, lower than in most other subfamily ??.3 lipases. The lipase exhibited about 30?% of maximal activity at 5?°C. The optimal pH value was 8.0. The activity was strongly inhibited by EDTA and was highly dependent on Ca²⁺. Tricaprylin and p-nitrophenyl caprylate were the most favorable substrates among the triglycerides and p-nitrophenyl esters, respectively. LipTK-3 also showed high activity towards natural substrates including edible vegetable oils and animal fats. Furthermore, LipTK-3 was very active and stable in the presence of several detergents, metal ions, and organic solvents. This cold-adapted lipase may prove useful for future applications.     

Synthesis of phenylalkyl-substituted polyhydroxypiperidines as potent inhibitors for α-l-fucosidase

Synthesis and inhibitory activities against α-l-fucosidase of phenylalkyl-substituted polyhydroxypiperidines have been described. Among the newly synthesized compounds, 2,4,6-trichloro derivative (16q) showed very high inhibitory activity against α-l-fucosidase with IC₅₀ value of 0.005 μM, and K_i values of 0.0011 μM, respectively.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of stable oxetenes via Lewis acid-promoted [2+2] cycloaddition

A highly enantioselective and atom-economical [2 + 2] cycloaddition of various alkynes with trifluoropyruvate using a dicationic (S)-BINAP-Pd catalyst has been established. This is the first enantioselective synthesis of stable oxetene derivatives, whose structure has been clarified by X-ray analysis. This catalytic process offers a practical synthetic method for oxetene derivatives (catalyst loading: up to 0.1 mol %), which can serve as novel chiral building blocks for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals and can also be transformed into a variety of enantiomerically enriched CF(3)-substituted compounds with high stereoselectivity.     

Development of a highly selective fluorescence probe for hydrogen sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) has recently been identified as a biological response modifier. Here, we report the design and synthesis of a novel fluorescence probe for H(2)S, HSip-1, utilizing azamacrocyclic copper(II) ion complex chemistry to control the fluorescence. HSip-1 showed high selectivity and high sensitivity for H(2)S, and its potential for biological applications was confirmed by employing it for fluorescence imaging of H(2)S in live cells.