Structural-Deformation-Energy-Modulation Strategy in a Soft Porous Coordination Polymer with an Interpenetrated Framework

To achieve unique molecular-recognition patterns, a rational control of the flexibility of porous coordination polymers (PCPs) is highly sought, but it remains elusive. From a thermodynamic perspective, the competitive relationship between the structural deformation energy (E_def) of soft PCPs and the guest interaction is key for selective a guest-triggered structural-transformation behavior. Therefore, it is vital to investigate and control E_def to regulate this competition for flexibility control. Driven by these theoretical insights, we demonstrate an E_def-modulation strategy via encoding inter-framework hydrogen bonds into a soft PCP with an interpenetrated structure. As a proof of this concept, the enhanced E_def of PCP enables a selective gate-opening behavior toward CHCl₃ over CH₂Cl₂ by changing the adsorption-energy landscape of the compounds. This study provides a new direction for the design of functional soft porous materials.     

Ferromagnetic resonance in the randomly mixed insulating ferromagnet and antiferromagnet Rb2Mn(1-x)CrxCl4

An electron spin resonance experiment has been performed on the Cr-rich concentrations of the random mixture Rb₂Mn(_1-x)Cr_xCl₄ of an insulating ferromagnet (Rb₂CrCl₄) and an insulating antiferromagnet (Rb₂MnCl₄). The resonance fields in x = 0.6, 0.7 and 0.8 samples begin to shift towards low field side at temperatures well above the Curie temperatures, when the external field is applied in the c-plane of the crystal. The shift of the resonance field with temperature of the x = 0.7 sample agreed well with that of the x = 0.8 sample, after scaling the temperature axis, while the shift in the x = 0.6 crystal did not. From this observation, we argue that the x = 0.7 and x = 0.8 samples have a long-range ordered ferromagnetic phase below T_c, and that the low temperature phase of the x = 0.6 sample is not a truely long-range ordered one. A weak resonance line was observed in the x = 0.8 sample below about 20 K. This resonance is discussed in connection with the re-entrant spin-glass behavior of this mixed system found in the ac susceptibility measurement.     

Tandem conjugate addition-aldol cyclization of 2-formylbenzylidenemalonate with ether radicals by the mediation of dimethylzinc

The chemoselective radical conjugate addition reaction of THF or 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3-dioxolane with 2-formylbenzylidenemalonate gave tandem conjugate addition-aldol cyclization product in one pot. The radical tandem reaction was extended to the asymmetric reaction using bis(8-phenylmenthyl) 2-formylbenzylidenemalonate as a chiral Michael acceptor to provide an enantioenriched indane derivative.     

Dimeric and trimeric tetrathiafulvalenes with strong intramolecular interactions in the oxidized states

New dimeric and trimeric TTF derivatives with methylenedithio spacers (1a,b, 2a, and 2b) have been synthesized. X-ray structure analysis revealed that TTF units of the dimer 1b adopted distorted face-to-face overlapping arrangement both in intra- and intermolecular stacking. Cyclic voltammetric study indicated that trimeric 2a was in favor of taking di- and tetracationic states, while the dimeric 1a was in favor of taking a monocation. The absorption spectroscopic study suggested an existence of the strong face-to-face interaction particularly in di-, tri-, and tetracationic state of the trimeric TTF derivatives.     

Fluorescence studies on phenylene moieties embedded in a framework of periodic mesoporous organosilica

The excited state characteristics of phenylene (Ph)-bridged periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) powders with crystal-like and amorphous wall structures are investigated. Crystal-like Ph-PMO has a molecular ordering of the bridging organic moieties with intervals of 0.76 and 0.44 nm parallel and perpendicular to the mesochannel direction, respectively, whereas amorphous Ph-PMO has no molecular-level periodicity in the wall. Fluorescence from the exciton and excimer of the Ph moieties and the defect center in the silicate network were detected at room temperature, but fluorescence from the excimer and the defect center were not detected at 77 K for crystal-like Ph-PMO dispersed in a methanol/ethanol mixed solvent. The decay curve of the exciton fluorescence of crystal-like Ph-PMO at room temperature was analyzed successfully using a one-dimensional diffusion model quenched by the defect center and the excimer site. The results were discussed in comparison with those for the crystal-like biphenylene-bridged PMO reported in the preceding paper (Yamanaka et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2010, 12, 11688-11696). The existence of excited states with various conformations including ground state dimers or aggregates of the Ph moieties was suggested for amorphous Ph-PMO. It was clearly apparent that the differences in the excited state dynamics reflected the differences in the molecular-level structure in the wall.     

Efficient synthesis of biazoles by aerobic oxidative homocoupling of azoles catalyzed by a copper(I)/2-pyridonate catalytic system

A highly efficient and convenient CuCl/2-pyridonate catalytic system for oxidative homocoupling of azoles affording a biazole product has been developed. With this system, a variety of biazoles have been effectively synthesized in good to excellent yields in the presence of a very small amount of copper catalyst (1.0 mol%). It was feasible to employ air as a green oxidant.     

Significant substitution effects in dipolar and non-dipolar supercritical fluids

Vibrational Raman spectra of C=C stretching modes of ethylene derivates (cis-C(2)H(2)Cl(2), cis-stilbene, and trans-stilbene) were measured in supercritical fluids along an isotherm as functions of their densities. The substitution effect of the Raman shift is so significant that a difference among three solutes can be 20 times and is observed similarly in dipolar (CHF(3)) and non-dipolar (CO(2)) fluids. In particular, the shifts of trans-stilbene were enormously large among all systems for studies of vibrational spectroscopies of supercritical fluids and were equivalent to those of typical hydrogen-bonded fluids. Such large shifts arising from the significant attractive energy between solute and solvent molecules were attributed to a site-selective solvation around a phenyl group, which was driven by a dispersion force in the absence of steric hindrance. We found that the absence of steric hindrance causes the significant local density augmentation. To the best of our knowledge, Raman experiments and their theoretical analysis are the first ones quantifying how the difference of steric hindrance produces solvation structures in solution as well as supercritical solutions.     

Structure of YM-254890, a Novel Gq/11 Inhibitor from Chromobacterium sp. QS3666

The isolation and structure elucidation of YM-254890, a novel G_q/11 inhibitor from Chromobacterium sp. QS3666, is described. The gross structure was determined by one- and two-dimensional NMR studies and mass spectrometry. YM-254890 is a cyclic depsipeptide containing uncommon amino acids; β-hydroxyleucine (two residues), N,O-dimethylthreonine and N-methyldehydroalanine. YM-254890 exists as a mixture of two conformers in a variety of NMR solvents, and the distinction between major and minor conformers appears to lie in the geometry of the amide bond between 3-phenyllactic acid and N-methyldehydroalanine. The absolute stereochemistery was elucidated by Marfey's analysis and chiral HPLC analysis of the acid hydrolysate of YM-254890.     

Preparation and gas separation properties of zeolite T membrane

Zeolite T membranes were synthesized on tubular porous mullite tubes by hydrothermal synthesis. The membranes selectively permeated carbon dioxide from CO2/CH4 and CO2/N2 mixtures with high separation performances, which were due to combined effects of molecular sieving and competitive adsorption.     

Gold nanoparticle-templated assembly of oligothiophenes: preparation and film properties

Terthiophene-appended gold nanoparticles were prepared by the reduction of AuCl₄⁻(C₈H₁₇)₄N⁺ with NaBH₄ in the presence of bis[2,5-di(3-hexylthiophen-2-yl)thiophene-3-carboxyloxyhexanyl]disulfide. A hexagonal self-assembly of particles with gold core diameters (1.9±0.1 nm) was detected by high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The electric conductivity of the iodine-doped film was 9.1×10⁻⁶ S cm⁻¹, which was ascribable to the terthiophene-based inter-ligand π-π interactions. The Au/terthiophene hybrid spin-coated film consisted of a highly three-dimensional assembled structure of terthiophenes, as inferred from grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering, indicating that such monodispersed and small-sized gold nanoparticles can serve as a template for this organization. In this study, a gold nanoparticle-templated assembly of oligothiophenes has been fabricated for proposing a method to develop tailor-made organizations of π-conjugated oligomers.