m × n] metal ion arrays templated by coordination cages

Three-dimensional m × n arrays of metal ion clusters can be assembled as aromatic stacks of planar polynuclear metal complexes within columnar coordination cages. The polynuclear complexes and cage height program the final array structures of the metal ion clusters. Cyclic trinuclear Au(I) complexes (m = 3) assembled into trigonal prismatic arrays (n = 1-3) within the cages and the array structures were clearly shown by X-ray crystallographic analysis. A silver-sandwiched hetero-Au(3)-Ag-Au(3) cluster was also prepared by treating a hexanuclear Au(3)-Au(3) cluster with Ag(I) ion.     

Remarkable effect of bimetallic nanocluster catalysts for aerobic oxidation of alcohols: combining metals changes the activities and the reaction pathways to aldehydes/carboxylic acids or esters

Selective oxidation of alcohols catalyzed by novel carbon-stabilized polymer-incarcerated bimetallic nanocluster catalysts using molecular oxygen has been developed. The reactivity and the selectivity were strongly dependent on the combination of metals and solvent systems; aldehydes and ketones were obtained by the gold/platinum catalyst in benzotrifluoride, and esters were formed by the gold/palladium catalyst in methanol. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example that the reaction pathway has been changed dramatically in gold catalysis by combining with a second metal. The differences in the activity and the selectivity are considered to be derived from the difference in the structure of the bimetallic clusters.     

Trifluoroacetaldehyde: A useful industrial bulk material for the synthesis of trifluoromethylated amino compounds

The synthesis of various trifluoromethylated amino compounds was studied using trifluoroacetaldehyde, an industrial bulk material, as a starting compound. One general application of trifluoroacetaldehyde is the preparation of trifluoroethylamino derivatives via reductive amination reaction. This synthesis includes the formation of the corresponding N,O-acetal intermediates followed by their reduction using NaBH₄ or 2-picoline borane complex, affording the target trifluoroethylamino compounds in moderate to good yields (47-87%).Another general application of trifluoroacetaldehyde is the synthesis of chiral α-substituted trifluoroethylamino compounds. In this synthesis, trifluoroacetaldehyde was first converted into the chiral trifluoromethyl tert-butyl sulfinimine, which was subjected to 1,2-nucleophilic addition reactions across its CN double bond. The addition of phenyllithium afforded α-(phenyl)trifluoroethylamino derivative in 83% yield and with 96% de. Allylation and Reformatsky reactions produced the corresponding α-substituted trifluoroethylamino derivatives in 82 and 58% yields and with 90 and 91% de, respectively.     

Electrochemical detection of endotoxin using recombinant factor C zymogen

We have developed a zymogen-based electrochemical sensor. Zymogen is an inactive enzyme precursor (proenzyme) and it is necessary to transform it biochemically (e.g., by hydrolysis and conformational change) to make it an active enzyme. In this study, we demonstrated the detection of endotoxin by using recombinant Factor C (rFC), which is a protease zymogen activated by endotoxin binding. The activated rFC hydrolyzes a synthetic substrate of Boc-Val-Pro-Arg-p-nitroanilnide to generate an electrochemical active compound, p-nitroaniline (pNA). The liberated pNA was detected by differential pulse voltammetry at –0.75 V. By using this electrochemical process, 5000 endotoxin units (EU) L^?1 and 1000 EU L^?1 were detected in a Tris-Ac buffer with a pH of 7.5 at 37 °C for reaction times of 1 h and 3 h, respectively. The concept of zymogen-based electrochemical sensors is expected to lead to the development of new biosensors.     

Addition of alkyl radicals, generated from carboxylic acids via photochemical decarboxylation, to glyoxylic oxime ether: a mild and efficient route to α-substituted α-aminoesters

Radical addition to a glyoxylic oxime ether was accomplished under mild conditions using an alkyl radical generated from a free carboxylic acid via photochemical decarboxylation. The photoreaction provided an efficient route to α-substituted α-aminoesters from carboxylic acids and oxime ether.     

An efficient procedure for preparation of 2-monoalkyl or 2-monoaryl-3-ethoxycyclobutanones

Optimized reaction conditions for the preparation of various 2-monosubstituted 3-ethoxycyclobutanones are described. 2-Monoalkyl 3-ethoxycyclobutanones were efficiently prepared by the reaction of the corresponding carboxylic acid chlorides and an excess amount of ethyl vinyl ether in the presence of diisopropylethylamine at 90 °C in a sealed tube. 2-Monoaryl 3-ethoxycyclobutanones were prepared by using 2,6-lutidine as a base in the above-mentioned procedure.     

decay problem for the dissipative wave equation in odd dimensions

Consider the Cauchy problem in odd dimensions for the dissipative wave equation: (□+∂_t)u=0 in with (u,∂_tu)|_t=0=(u₀,u₁). Because the L² estimates and the L^∞ estimates of the solution u(t) are well known, in this paper we pay attention to the L^p estimates with 1p<2 (in particular, p=1) of the solution u(t) for t0. In order to derive L^p estimates we first give the representation formulas of the solution u(t)=∂_tS(t)u₀+S(t)(u₀+u₁) and then we directly estimate the exact solution S(t)g and its derivative ∂_tS(t)g of the dissipative wave equation with the initial data (u₀,u₁)=(0,g). In particular, when p=1 and n1, we get the L¹ estimate: u(t)_L¹Ce^−t/4(u_0W^n,1+u_1W^n−1,1)+C(u_0L¹+u_1L¹) for t0.