A fiber optic sensor with a metal organic framework as a sensing material for trace levels of water in industrial gases

Industrial gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and helium are easily contaminated with water during production, transfer and use, because there is a high volume fraction of water in the atmosphere (approximately 1.2% estimated with the average annual atmospheric temperature and relative humidity). Even trace water (<1 parts per million by volume (ppmv) of H₂O, dew point < −76 °C) in the industrial gases can cause quality problems in the process such as production of semiconductors. Therefore, it is important to monitor and to control trace water levels in industrial gases at each supplying step, and especially during their use. In the present study, a fiber optic gas sensor was investigated for monitoring trace water levels in industrial gases. The sensor consists of a film containing a metal organic framework (MOF). MOFs are made of metals coordinated to organic ligands, and have mesoscale pores that adsorb gas molecules. When the MOF, copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (Cu-BTC), was used as a sensing material, we investigated the color of Cu-BTC with water adsorption changed both in depth and tone. Cu-BTC crystals appeared deep blue in dry gases, and then changed to light blue in wet gases. An optical gas sensor with the Cu-BTC film was developed using a light emitting diode as the light source and a photodiode as the light intensity detector. The sensor showed a reversible response to trace water, did not require heating to remove the adsorbed water molecules. The sample gas flow rate did not affect the sensitivity. The obtained limit of detection was 40 parts per billion by volume (ppbv). The response time for sample gas containing 2.5 ppmvH₂O was 23 s. The standard deviation obtained for daily analysis of 1.0 ppmvH₂O standard gas over 20 days was 9%. Furthermore, the type of industrial gas did not affect the sensitivity. These properties mean the sensor will be applicable to trace water detection in various industrial gases.     

Solvent‐Free One‐Step Photochemical Hydroxylation of Benzene Derivatives by the Singlet Excited State of 2,3‐Dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐p‐benzoquinone Acting as a Super Oxidant

Photoinduced hydroxylation of neat deaerated benzene to phenol occurred under visible‐light irradiation of 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐p‐benzoquinone (DDQ), which acts as a super photooxidant in the presence of water. Photocatalytic solvent‐free hydroxylation of benzene derivatives with electron‐withdrawing substituents such as benzonitrile, nitrobenzene, and trifluoromethylbenzene used as neat solvents has been achieved for the first time by using DDQ as a super photooxidant to yield the corresponding phenol derivatives and 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyanohydroquinone (DDQH₂) in the presence of water under deaerated conditions. In the presence of dioxygen and tert‐butyl nitrite, the photocatalytic hydroxylation of neat benzene occurred with DDQ as a photocatalyst to produce phenol. The photocatalytic reactions are initiated by oxidation of benzene derivatives with the singlet and triplet excited states of DDQ to form the corresponding radical cations, which associate with benzene derivatives to produce the dimer radical cations, which were detected by the femto‐ and nanosecond laser flash photolysis measurements to clarify the photocatalytic reaction mechanisms. Radical cations of benzene derivatives react with water to yield the OH‐adduct radicals. On the other hand, DDQ ^{. ?} produced by the photoinduced electron transfer from benzene derivatives reacts with the OH‐adduct radicals to yield the corresponding phenol derivatives and DDQH₂. DDQ is recovered by the reaction of DDQH₂ with tert‐butyl nitrite when DDQ acts as a photocatalyst for the hydroxylation of benzene derivatives by dioxygen.     

Carbon-14 labelled sucrose transportation in an Arabidopsis thaliana using an imaging plate and real time imaging system

As an approach to increased production of rape seed oil from Brassica napus L., Arabidopsis thaliana, a species from the same Brassicaceae family, was used to investigate transport behavior and distribution of matter in the plant body. In this study, sucrose, an initial metabolic product of photosynthesis, labeled with carbon-14 was used. The sucrose was applied to A. thaliana via the surface of a rosette leaf. Using the real time radioisotope imaging system we developed and an imaging plate (IP), images of whole or part of the sample were obtained. The sucrose assimilation products were accumulated in maturing tissue such as flowers and fruits, and in a joint part. From the comparison among branches and stems, it was indicated that there were different patterns of demand and distribution of sucrose assimilation products depending on the tissue and its growing stage. This might be caused by either morphological reason such as diameter and location of the sieve tube, or genetic factors such as an activity of a membrane transport protein. Because of self-absorption of carpels, it was difficult to observe the accumulation of carbon-14 in the seeds inside the fruits; however, an IP image of a frozen section of a fruit revealed that carbon-14 transport to seeds was higher than that of carpels. These methods will help us gain insight into matter transport and strategies to improve the production of rape seed oil.     

Synthesis of Polyacrylamide Copolymers Containing (1→6)-Branched (1→3)-β-D-Linked Tri- and Tetra-Saccharides Related to Schizophyllan

Abstract

The allyl β-glycosides of a trisaccharide O-β-D-Glcp-(1→3)-O-[β-D-Glcp-(1→6)]-β-D-Glcp and of a tetrasaccharide O-β-D-Glqp-(1→3)-O-[β-D-Glqp-(1→6)]-O-β-D-Glcp-(1→3)-β-D-Glcp, corresponding to the branching point or the repeating unit of antitumor (1→6)-branched-(1→3)-β-D-glucans, have been synthesized starting from ethyl 2-O-benzoyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-l-thio-α-D-glucopyranoside and copolymerized in a radical reaction with acrylamide to obtain polyacrylamide copolymers containing the tri-and tetra-saccharides for immunochemical studies of schizophyllan.     

Structure Determination and Total Synthesis of (+)‐16‐Hydroxy‐16,22‐dihydroapparicine

Herein, we describe the first asymmetric total synthesis and determination of the relative and absolute stereochemistry of naturally occurring 16‐hydroxy‐16,22‐dihydroapparicine. The key steps include 1) a novel phosphinimine‐mediated cascade reaction to construct the unique 1‐azabicyclo[4.2.2]decane core, including a pseudo‐aminal‐type moiety; 2) a highly stereospecific 1,2‐addition of 2‐acylindole or a methylketone through a Felkin–Anh transition state for the construction of a tetrasubstituted carbon center; and 3) an intramolecular chirality‐transferring Michael reaction of the ketoester, with neighboring‐group participation, to introduce a chiral center at C15 in the target molecule. In addition, we evaluated the antimalarial activity of synthetic (+)‐(15S,16R)‐16‐hydroxy‐16,22‐dihydroapparicine and its intermediate against chloroquine‐resistant Plasmodium falciparum (K1 strain) parasites.     

A Facile One-Pot Synthesis of Vinpocetine

A one-pot synthesis of vinpocetine from vincamine was established. Lewis acids caused transesterification and/or dehydration of vincamine in EtOH. FeCl₃ catalyzed both transesterification and dehydration while Ti(OEt)₄ selectively catalyzed transesterification.     

Polymerization of lactic <Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>-carboxylic anhydride using organometallic catalysts

The ring-opening polymerization of 5-methyl-1,3-dioxolane-2,4-dione(lactic O-carboxylic anhydride,LacOCA) using organometallic complexes,including Co(Ⅲ) complexes with Schiff base ligands,Tin(Ⅱ) alphatates and Al(Ⅲ) complexes with Schiff base ligands,was explored.The polymerization was carried out by treatment of the organometallic complexes with LacOCA in toluene under mild conditions.The corresponding poly(lactic acid) was characterized by spectroscopy and thermal analyses,which revealed insight into the structure of the effective catalyst for the polymerization of LacOCA.     

Highly efficient DNA compaction mediated by an in vivo antitumor-active tetrazolato-bridged dinuclear platinum(II) complex

We investigated the effects of antitumor-active tetrazolato-bridged dinuclear platinum(II) complexes [{cis-Pt(NH(3))(2)}(2)(μ-OH)(μ-tetrazolato-N(1),N(2))](2+) (1) and [{cis-Pt(NH(3))(2)}(2)(μ-OH)(μ-tetrazolato-N(2),N(3))](2+) (2) on the higher-order structure of a large DNA molecule (T4 phage DNA, 166 kbp) in aqueous solution through single-molecule observation by fluorescence microscopy. Complexes 1 and 2 cause irreversible compaction of DNA through an intermediate state in which coil and compact parts coexist in a single DNA molecule. The potency of compaction is in the order 2 > 1 ? cisplatin. Transmission electron microscopic observation showed that both complexes collapsed DNA into an irregularly packed structure. Circular dichroism measurements revealed that the dinuclear platinum(II) complexes change the secondary structure of DNA from the B to C form. These characteristics of platinum(II) complexes are markedly different from those of the usual condensing agents such as spermidine(3+) and [Co(III)(NH(3))(6)](3+). The ability to cause DNA compaction by the platinum(II) complexes is discussed in relation to their potent antitumor activity.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (−)-chicanine using a highly regioselective intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction and revision of its absolute configuration

First asymmetric synthesis of (−)-chicanine has been accomplished in 14 steps by employing the Evans asymmetric syn-selective aldol reaction, diastereoselective hydroboration and an regioselective, intramolecular Mitsunobu etherification. The absolute configuration of (+)- and (−)-chicanine has been revised to 2R,3S,4R,5R and 2S,3R,4S,5S, respectively, through CD analysis.     

Fusion of lipid vesicles with planar lipid bilayers induced by a combination of peptides

We studied the peptide-induced membrane fusion process between small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) and supported planar bilayers (SPBs) with the aim of developing a method for incorporating membrane components into SPBs. As fusogenic peptides, two analogues of the N-terminal region of an influenza membrane fusion protein hemaggulutinin, anionic E5 and cationic K5, were synthesized, and the membrane fusion was investigated using SPB and SUVs composed of phosphatidylcholine from egg yolk (EggPC). We directly visualized the process of lipid transfer from SUVs to SPB by total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. The transfer of fluorescent lipids was effectively induced only by the combination of two peptides. The TIRF microscopy observations of single SUV fusion events also revealed that lipid membranes from SUV could completely fuse into the SPB. However, the presence of single peptide (either E5 or K5) rather inhibited the lipid transfer, presumably due to the electrostatic repulsion between SUVs and SPB. The opposite effects induced by the peptides indicate the possibility for a designed application of two peptides as a means to control the membrane fusion spatially and temporally.