Moment theory for the analytical determination of rate constants for solute permeation at the interface of spherical molecular aggregates

Moment equations were developed on the basis of the Einstein equation for diffusion and the random walk model to analytically determine the rate constant for the interfacial solute permeation from a bulk solvent into molecular aggregates (k_in) and the inverse rate constant from the molecular aggregates to the bulk solvent (k_out). The moment equations were in good agreement with those derived in a different manner. To demonstrate their effectiveness in one concrete example, the moment equations were used to analytically determine the values of k_in and k_out of three electrically neutral solutes, i.e. resorcinol, phenol, and nitrobenzene, from the first absolute (μ_1A) and second central (μ_2C) moments of their elution peaks, as measured by electrokinetic chromatography (EKC), in which the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles were used as a pseudostationary phase. The values of k_in and k_out should be determined with no chemical modifications and no physical action with the molecular aggregates because they are dynamic systems formed through weak interactions between the components. The moment analysis of the elution peak profiles measured by EKC is effective to unambiguously determine k_in, k_out, and the partition equilibrium constant (k_in/k_out) under appropriate experimental conditions.     

Transformation of biodegradable polyesters into cyclic oligomers under continuous flow using an enzyme-packed column

The enzymatic degradation of typical chemically synthesized biodegradable plastics, such as poly(butylene adipate) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone), to a repolymerizable cyclic oligomer under continuous flow using an enzyme column was studied, directed towards green chemical recycling. It was confirmed that both polymers were quantitatively transformed into the corresponding cyclic oligomers by passage through the column packed with immobilized lipase from Candida antarctica (Novozym 435) at 40 degrees C using a toluene solution. Compared to the batch treatment in a flask, a short reaction time and a low reaction temperature occurred for complete transformations of the polyesters by continuous flow through the enzyme column. The degradation activity of the enzyme column was maintained for at least six months at 40 degrees C. Conceptual scheme of the continuous degradation equipment using the enzyme column.     

Molecular design, chemical synthesis and biological evaluation of quinoxaline-carbohydrate hybrids as novel and selective photo-induced DNA cleaving and cytotoxic agents

The quinoxaline moiety in antitumor quinoxaline antibiotics cleaved double stranded DNA at the 5′ side guanine of the 5′-GG-3′ site upon irradiation with UV light with a long wavelength and without any additive. The quinoxaline-carbohydrate hybrid system was very effective for the DNA cleavage. Furthermore, the quinoxaline-carbohydrate hybrids exhibited strong and selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells with photoirradiation.     

Ab initio and DFT studies of the spin-orbit and spin-spin contributions to the zero-field splitting tensors of triplet nitrenes with aryl scaffolds

Spin-orbit and spin-spin contributions to the zero-field splitting (ZFS) tensors (D tensors) of spin-triplet phenyl-, naphthyl-, and anthryl-nitrenes in their ground state are investigated by quantum chemical calculations, focusing on the effects of the ring size and substituted position of nitrene on the D tensor. A hybrid CASSCF/MRMP2 approach to the spin-orbit term of the D tensor (D(SO) tensor), which was recently proposed by us, has shown that the spin-orbit contribution to the entire D value, termed the ZFS parameter or fine-structure constant, is about 10% in all the arylnitrenes under study and less depends on the size and connectivity of the aryl groups. Order of the absolute values for D(SO) can be explained by the perturbation on the energy level and spatial distributions of π-SOMO through the orbital interaction between SOMO of the nitrene moiety and frontier orbitals of the aryl scaffolds. Spin-spin contribution to the D tensor (D(SS) tensor) has been calculated in terms of the McWeeny-Mizuno equation with the DFT/EPR-II spin densities. The D(SS) value calculated with the RO-B3LYP spin density agrees well with the D(Exptl) -D(SO) reference value in phenylnitrene, but agreement with the reference value gradually becomes worse as the D value decreases. Exchange-correlation functional dependence on the D(SS) tensor has been explored with standard 23 exchange-correlation functionals in both RO- and U-DFT methodologies, and the RO-HCTH/407 method gives the best agreement with the D(Exptl) -D(SO) reference value. Significant exchange-correlation functional dependence is observed in spin-delocalized systems such as 9-anthrylnitrene (6). By employing the hybrid CASSCF/MRMP2 approach and the McWeeny-Mizuno equation combined with the RO-HCTH/407/EPR-II//U-HCTH/407/6-31G* spin densities for D(SO) and D(SS), respectively, a quantitative agreement with the experiment is achieved with errors less than 10% in all the arylnitrenes under study. Guidelines to the putative approaches to D(SS) tensor calculations are given.     

Lipase-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of lactide

The six-membered lactide was polymerized using the ring-opening polymerization with lipase as a catalyst at a temperature between 80 and 130°C in bulk to yield the corresponding polylactide with weight-average molecular weights of up to 126000. The most preferable conditions with respect to the molecular weight of the polylactide are the bulk polymerization using lipase PS at a temperature of 100°C. The D ,L -lactide gave higher molecular weight compared to the D ,D - and L ,L -lactide.     

Electrophoretic deposition of phthalocyanine in organic solutions containing trifluoroacetic acid

The absorption spectra of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) solutions containing trifluoroacetic acid (TFAA) shows that the number of protons coordinating to the CuPc molecule was 1 and 2 for the first and second proton adducts, respectively, which indicates the formations of CuPcH(+) and CuPcH(2)(2+). This CuPc molecule may act as a catalyst to dissociate TFAA into trifluoroacetate anion (A(-)) and H(+) and form the proton adducts. The electrical conductivity dependence of the solution on CuPc concentration also supports this mechanism. A dense film of CuPc was deposited on an indium tin oxide cathode plate by electrophoresis of the solution. Similar dense films of a wide variety of phthalocyanines (MPc; M = Cu, H(2), Fe, Ni, Zn, Pb, VO) were also deposited using this method. Similar films of CuPc were also formed using dichloromethane (DCM) and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCE) in place of DCE. Depositions are ascribed to the migration of positively charged monomers (i.e., protonated MPc). Scanning electron microscopy revealed that these films are composed of fibrous crystallites, size of which was found to increase with the electrophoresis time, the strength of the applied electrical field and the concentration of CuPc in the bath. The influence of the dielectric constant of the organic solvent on the film growth is discussed.     

Structure and intramolecular flexibility of beta-cyclodextrin complex with (-)-epigallocatechin gallate in aqueous solvent

The probable structure of the inclusion complex of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) in D2O was investigated using several NMR techniques. EGCg formed a 1:1 complex with beta-CD, in which the A ring and a portion of the C ring of EGCg were included at the head of the phenolic hydroxyl group attached to C7 of EGCg in the beta-CD cavity from the wide secondary hydroxyl group side. In the 1:1 complex with beta-CD, EGCg maintained the conformation in which the B and B' rings of EGCg took pseudoequatorial and pseudoaxial positions with respect to the C ring, respectively. The structure of the inclusion complexes of beta-CD and EGCg obtained from NMR experiments supported those determined from AM1 semiempirical SCF MO calculations well.