Mechanism of Macroscopic Motion of Oleate Helical Assemblies: Cooperative Deprotonation of Carboxyl Groups Triggered by Photoisomerization of Azobenzene Derivatives

Macroscopic and spatially ordered motions of self‐assemblies composed of oleic acid and a small amount of an azobenzene derivative, induced by azobenzene photoisomerization, was previously reported. However, the mechanism of the generation of submillimeter‐scale motions by the nanosized structural transition of azobenzene was not clarified. Herein, an underlying mechanism of the motions is proposed in which deprotonation of carboxyl groups in cooperation with azobenzene photoisomerization causes a morphological transition of the self‐assembly, which in turn results in macroscopic forceful dynamics. The photoinduced deprotonation was investigated by potentiometric pH titration and FTIR spectroscopy. The concept of hierarchical molecular interaction generating macroscale function is expected to promote the next stage of supramolecular chemistry.     

Response of ocean bottom dwellers exposed to underwater shock waves

The paper reports results of experiments to estimate the mortality of ocean bottom dwellers, ostracoda, against underwater shock wave exposures. This study is motivated to verify the possible survival of ocean bottom dwellers, foraminifera, from the devastating underwater shock waves induced mass extinction of marine creatures which took place at giant asteroid impact events. Ocean bottom dwellers under study were ostracoda, the replacement of foraminifera, we readily sampled from ocean bottoms. An analogue experiment was performed on a laboratory scale to estimate the domain and boundary of over-pressures at which marine creatures’ mortality occurs. Ostracods were exposed to underwater shock waves generated by the explosion of 100mg PETN pellets in a chamber at shock over-pressures ranging up to 44MPa. Pressure histories were measured simultaneously on 113 samples. We found that bottom dwellers were distinctively killed against overpressures of 12MPa and this value is much higher than the usual shock over-pressure threshold value for marine-creatures having lungs and balloons.     

Titanocene(II)-Promoted Reactions of 2-(Alk-1-yn-1-yl)-2-(Trialkylsilyl)-1,3-dithianes with Olefins and Carbonyls

Abstract

Trialkylsilyl group-directed regioselective transformations of alkynyl thioacetals to alkynylcyclopropanes and enynes are described.     

The First Rotational Isomers of Stable Selenobenzaldehydes and their η1-Tungsten Complexes

The first rotational isomers of stable selenoaldehydes are synthesized by deselenation of cyclic polyselenides having an efficient steric protection group, 2, 4, 6-tris[bis(trimetylsilyl)methyl]phenyl (Tbt). Reactions of these selenoaldehydes with W(CO)₅.THF gives the corresponding η¹-selenoaldehyde tungsten complexes, the structures of which are established by X-ray crystallography.     

Synthesis and Polymerization of (S)-4-Methyl-2-N,N-dimethylaminopentyl Methacrylate

(S)-4-Methyl-2-N,N-dimethylaminopentyl methacrylate (DMAPM) was synthesized from the reaction of N,N-dimethyl-L-leucinol with methacryl chloride, and its radical polymerization was investigated. It was found that DMAPM readily polymerized by α,α¹-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator to give poly-DMAPM. The copolymerization of DMAPM(M₁) with styrene(Mz) was also studied in various solvents with AIBN as an initiator at 60°C. From the result obtained in benzene, Q and e values of DMAPM were determined to be 0.64 and -0.04, respectively. Specific rotations of the copolymers of DMAPM with styrene were not proportional to the weight percent of the DMAPM unit incorporated, but the observed relation gave a downward curve. The copolymerizations DMAPM with α, β-disubstituted monomers such as maleic acid, maleimide, and N-phenylmaleimide were carried out in order to induce asymmetric center in the polymer chain. After hydrolysis of the copolymers obtained, the hydrolyzed polymers were found to be optically active, suggesting an induction of asymmetric center into the polymer chain.     

Synthesis and photophysical properties of 2,2′-binaphthalene-based receptor bearing trimethylsilyl groups to improve the solubility

Two trimethylsilyl groups were introduced at 5- and 5′-positions of 2,2′-binaphthalene to improve the solubility of 2,2′-binaphthalene-based receptors. The X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed the twisted structure of 2 in the solid state. The solubility of 2 was moderately improved by 3.1-fold comparing with mother skeleton 1. As a practical example of 2, receptor 8 bearing two aza-15-crown-5 moieties was prepared and the selective binding of 8 with Ba²⁺ can be observed by the formation of sandwich-like complex, which shows no prevention of binding ability of the receptor by introduction of the bulky substituents.