Guanidine is a Zn(2+)-binding ligand at neutral pH in aqueous solution

We have found the first well-characterized coordination of guanidine with Zn(2+) in a 1:1 complex (ZnL(1)) with cyclen (= 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) functionalized with guanidinylethyl group (L(1) = (2-guanidinyl)ethyl-cyclen). The X-ray structure analysis of the 1:1 complex crystallized at pH 7.5 revealed an apical coordination of the pendant guanidinyl group to Zn(2+) ion in ZnL(1). By potentiometrtic pH titration, initial formation of a 1:1 Zn(L(1).H(+)) complex was indicated, where only the cyclen N's bind to Zn(2+) with the complexation constant, log K(s) (K(s) = [Zn(L(1).H(+))]/[Zn(2+)][L(1).H(+)] (M(-1))), being 12.4 +/- 0.1. Facile deprotonation of the guanidinium pendant in the Zn(L(1).H(+)) occurred with a pK(a) value of 5.9 +/- 0.1 at 25 degrees C with I = 0.1 (NaNO(3)) to yield the guanidine-coordinating complex ZnL(1). 4-Nitrophenyl phosphate dianion (NPP(2-)) interacted with ZnL(1) through a new Zn(2+)-phosphate coordination, as indicated by (31)P NMR titration and potentiometric pH titration. An apparent complexation constant for this new species, log K(app)(Zn(L(1).H(+))-NPP), was 4.0 +/- 0.1, which is larger than the log K(app)(ZnL(2)-NPP) value of 3.1 for the 1:1 complex of Zn(2+)-cyclen (ZnL(2)) with NPP at the common pH 5.6. The interaction of ZnL(1) with a phosphate dianion was proven by the X-ray crystal structure analysis of the 1:1 ZnL(1)-PP(2-) complex (PP(2-) is a dianion of phenyl phosphate) obtained from an aqueous solution at pH 6.5. At higher pH, the pendant guanidinium cation is deprotonated to displace the phosphate to yield the Zn(2+)-guanidine bond.     

Reductive Cross‐Coupling of Conjugated Arylalkenes and Aryl Bromides with Hydrosilanes by Cooperative Palladium/Copper Catalysis

A method for the reductive cross‐coupling of conjugated arylalkenes and aryl bromides with hydrosilanes by cooperative palladium/copper catalysis was developed, thus resulting in the highly regioselective formation of various 1,1‐diarylalkanes, including a biologically active molecule. Under the applied reaction conditions, high levels of functional‐group tolerance were observed, and the reductive cross‐coupling of internal alkynes with aryl bromides afforded trisubstituted alkenes.     

Crystal plane dependent growth of aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes on sapphire

On single-crystal substrates, such as sapphire (alpha-Al 2O 3) and quartz (SiO 2), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) align along specific crystallographic axes of the crystal, indicating that the SWNT growth is influenced by the crystal surface. Here, we show that not only the orientation, but also the diameter and chirality of SWNTs are affected by the crystal plane of the sapphire substrate. The aligned SWNTs grown on the A- and R-planes of sapphire have narrower diameter distributions than randomly oriented tubes produced on the C-plane sapphire and amorphous SiO 2. Photoluminescence measurements reveal a striking difference between the aligned SWNTs: near-zigzag tubes are observed on the A-plane and near-armchair tubes on the R-plane. This study shows the route for the diameter and chirality control of SWNTs by surface atomic arrangements of a single-crystal substrate.     

Ionic Liquids for the Chemical Recycling of Polymeric Materials and Control of Their Solubility

Plastics are wonderful materials that have modernized our daily life; however, importance of effective recycling of plastics is gradually recognized widely. In this account, we describe our discovery of new and efficient methods for the chemical recycling of plastics using ionic liquids (ILs). Since the chemical recycling usually requires high temperature conditions to breakdown chemical bonds in polymeric materials, we thought that less-flammability and non-volatility of ionic liquids are the most suitable physical properties for this purpose. Ionic liquids successfully depolymerized polyamides and unsaturated polyesters smoothly and corresponding monomeric materials were obtained in good yields. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first use of Ionic liquids for such reactions. However, we encountered another difficult problem-separation. To solve the problem, we developed solubility-switchable ionic liquids, a new type of ionic liquids in which solubility is readily changed using the chemistry of protective groups. Conversion between hydrophilic and lipophilic forms was readily achieved using a simple chemical treatment under mild conditions, and the complete separation of products was achieved by liquid-liquid-extraction. The robustness of either form unlocks their wide use as reaction solvents.     

Potential energy landscape of bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide

The conformational landscape of the bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide, [FSI]-, anion was analyzed using data obtained from Raman spectroscopy, molecular dynamics (MD), and ab initio studies. The plotting of three-dimensional potential energy surfaces and the corresponding MD simulation conformer-population histograms show the existence of two stable isomers, C2 (trans) and C1 (cis) conformers, and confirm the nature of the anion as a flexible molecule capable of interconversion between conformers in the liquid state. In ionic liquids, the two [FSI]- conformers coexist in equilibrium, a result confirmed by the Raman data. The implications of the conformational behavior of the ion [FSI]- are discussed in terms of the solvation properties of the corresponding ionic liquids.     

Enantioselective synthesis utilizing enantiomorphous organic crystal of achiral benzils as a source of chirality in asymmetric autocatalysis

Chiral crystals of achiral benzils act as efficient chiral initiators of asymmetric autocatalysis to afford highly enantioenriched pyrimidyl alkanols whose absolute configurations depend upon the enantiomorph of the crystal used in conjunction with asymmetric autocatalysis with amplification of enantiomeric excess.     

Studies on the formation of todorokite-type manganese oxide with different crystalline birnessites by Mg2+-templating reaction

The formation of todorokite-type manganese oxide (TodMO) by hydrothermal soft chemical reaction (Mg2+ exchange followed by hydrothermal treatment) was studied using three kinds of Na-type birnessite (Na-BirMO) with different crystallinities. Buserite (BusMO) formation by Mg2+ exchange and TodMO formation by hydrothermal treatment progressed in a similar manner regardless of the crystallinity of the initial Na-BirMO, but the crystallinity of the synthesized TodMO depended on that of the initial Na-BirMO. Particle morphology of the synthesized TodMO was related to the crystallinity of the initial Na-BirMO. The amounts of fibrous morphology were gradually increasing, accompanied by increased crystallinity of the initial Na-BirMO. TodMO with a neat fibrous morphology was obtained using a high crystalline Na-BirMO as precursor. Most of the interlayer metal ions (Na+ and Mg2+) were extracted from Na-BirMO and BusMO by treatment with a 0.1 M HCl solution, while only 37% of Mg2+ was extracted from TodMO. Both the acid treatment and the particle morphology may be the most convenient method to distinguish TodMO from BusMO.     

Comparison of luminescent properties of helicene-like bibenzothiophenes with o-carborane and 5,6-dicarba-nidodecaborane

This article describes comparison of the anchoring effect on electronic properties of the helicene-like bibenzothiophene between o-carborane and 5,6-dicarba-nido-decaborane. The o-carborane and nido-decaborane-fused bibenzothiophenes were simultaneously obtained in the same reaction and successfully isolated. Initially, the X-ray single crystal analysis revealed that the helicene-like distorted structure was realized in the nido-decaborane-fused bibenzothiophene. From optical measurements in the solution state, distinct different characteristics depending on the type of anchors were observed. It was summarized that the absorption and luminescent properties originated from weak π-conjugation at the bibenzothiophene moiety in the o-carboranefused compound were obtained, whereas robust π-conjugation and significant emission from the intramolecular charge transfer state were detected from the nido-decaborane-fused compound. These data can be explained by the theoretical results that π-conjugation was restrictedly developed within the bibenzothiophene moiety in frontier orbitals of the o-carborane-fused compound. In contrast, π-conjugation can be constructed even through the distorted bibenzothiophene because of the nido-decaborane unit. Moreover, the intramolecular charge transfer state should be realized because of electronic interaction involving the nido-decaborane unit in the excited state. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the nido-decaborane-fused compound possessed solid-state emission and mechanochromic luminescent properties. The π-conjugation on the distorted structure supported by the nido-decaborane anchor should play a significant role in suppressing aggregation-caused quenching followed by presenting solid-state emission with stimuli responsiveness.