Diastereomeric separation of α-amino acid derivatives using a chiral carbodiimide

N,N′-Bis[(S)-1-phenylethyl]carbodiimide (1) was found to be an efficient chiral derivatizing agent for the diastereomeric separation of 2-N-benzyloxycarbonylamino acids (2). Diastereomeric acylureas prepared from 1 and 2 showed a large chromatographic selectivity (α). Their capacity factors and selectivity depend on the carbon chain length of the α-alkyl substituents of acylureas.     

Specific binding of GM1-binding peptides to high-density GM1 in lipid membranes

The ganglioside Galbeta1-3GalNAcbeta1-4(Neu5Acalpha2-3)Galbeta1-4Glcbeta1-1'Cer (GM1) is an important receptor. We have previously identified GM1-binding peptides based on affinity selection from a random peptide library. In the present study, we determined the amino acids essential for binding GM1 and investigated the specific interaction with GM1 in the lipid membrane. Arginines and aromatic amino acids in the consensus sequence (W/F)RxL(xP/Px)xFxx(Rx/xR)xP contributed to the ability of the peptides to bind GM1. The peptide p3, VWRLLAPPFSNRLLP, having the consensus sequence, showed high affinity for GM1 with a dissociation constant of 1.2 microM. Furthermore, the density-dependent binding of p3 was investigated using mixed monolayers of GM1 and Glcbeta1-1'Cer (GlcCer). p3 binds preferentially to high-density GM1, and its interaction with GM1 was found to be cooperative based on a Hill plot. These results indicated that a lateral assembly of GM1 molecules was required for the recognition of carbohydrates by p3. The GM1-binding peptide played a role as a unique anti-GM1 probe differing from the cholera toxin B subunit or antibodies.     

Synthesis of vicinal diols from various arenes with a heterocyclic, amino or carboxyl group by using recombinant Escherichia coli cells expressing evolved biphenyl dioxygenase and dihydrodiol dehydrogenase genes

Various aromatic molecules, in which heterocycles are linked with a phenyl or benzyl group, were converted to their respective 2,3-diols (catechols) in the benzene ring by growing cell reactions using recombinant Escherichia coli, which expressed the evolved biphenyl dioxygenase [bphA (2072)] genes and the subsequent bacterial dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (bphB) gene. These vicinal diol products showed strong in vitro inhibitory activity against the lipid peroxidation induced by free radicals and strong scavenging activity towards DPPH radicals. The vicinal diols were also synthesized from ionized monocyclic aromatics incorporating an amino or carboxyl group.     

Asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction of silyl enol ethers with aldehydes using a polymer-supported chiral Lewis acid catalyst

Chiral N-sulfonylated α-amino acid monomer (5) derived from (S)-tryptophan was copolymerized with styrene and divinylbenzene under radical polymerization conditions to give a polymer-supported N-sulfonyl-(S)-tryptophan (6). Treatment of the polymer-supported chiral ligand with 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl boron dichloride afforded a polymeric Lewis acid catalyst (16) effective for asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction of silyl enol ethers and aldehydes. Various aldehydes were allowed to react with silyl enol ethers in the presence of the polymeric chiral Lewis acid to give the corresponding aldol adducts in high yield with high levels of enantioselectivity.     

Dibenzo[b, e]-7,7,8,8-tetraneopentyl- and dibenzo[b, e]-7,7,8,8-tetraisopropyl-7,8-disilabicyclo[2.2.2]octa-2,5-dienes: interaction with tetracyanoethylene and transition metal chlorides

Dibenzo[b,e]-7,7,8,8-tetraalkyl-7,8-disilabicyclo[2.2.2]octa-2,5-dienes (1: R = ^tBuCH₂; 2: R = ⁱPr) were prepared by the reaction of ClR₂SiSiR₂Cl with lithium anthracenide in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) at room temperature. The structure of 1 was determined by X-ray crystallography. Crystal data for 1: monoclinic, rC2/c, A = 12.941(2), B = 14.601(1), C = 35.109(6) Å, β = 94.957(7)°, V = 6609(2) ų, Z= 8, R = 0.048, R_w = 0.053 for 4037 reflections. Compounds 1 and 2 show the bathochromic shift of ¹L_a and ¹L_b bands in UV spectra and exhibit considerably low oxidation potentials due to effective σ-π conjugation. Compounds 1 and 2 form charge-transfer complexes with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE). In the case of 1, the charge-transfer complex (1: TCNE = 2: 1) could be isolated as crystals and the structure was determined by X-ray crystallography. Crystal data for the 1-TCNE complex: monoclinic, C2/c, A= 10.267(2), b = 36.077(4), C = 20.022(4) Å, β = 100.680(8)°, V = 7288(2) ų, Z = 4, R = 0.045, R_w = 0.077 for 4120 reflections. The action of transition metal chlorides on 2 resulted in [4+2] cycloreversion to form ClⁱPr₂SiSiⁱPr₂Cl and anthracene.     

First synthesis of liquid crystalline 2,3-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl derivatives exhibiting large negative dielectric anisotropy

A series of liquid crystalline 2,3-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl derivatives has been synthesized and their physical properties, namely the dielectric anisotropy, the birefringence, the rotational viscosity and the phase sequences have been measured. This novel class of compound showed an extremely large negative dielectric anisotropy (-6.1 to-11.4), exceeding that of currently used 2,3-difluorophenyl derivatives. On the other hand, the compounds synthesized were found to have poorer mesogenic potential and larger viscosities than those of the 2,3-difluorophenyl derivatives. Molecular modelling using molecular orbital calculations has been performed and the calculation results have been compared with experimentally evaluated physical properties.     

Development of Ribbon Fiber Type Multi-Channel Power Level Monitor with Low-Insertion/Polarization Loss

We would like to propose a new in-line multi-channel power level monitor, which is applicable as tap-monitor for multi-channel WDM signals. Its ribbon fiber structure has far exceeded PLC performance and realized compact-size and lower insertion/polarization dependent loss.