Effect of Alkynyl Group on Reactivity in Photoaffinity Labeling with 2-Thienyl-Substituted α-Ketoamide

Minimalist photo-reactive probes, which consist of a photo-reactive group and a tag for detection of target proteins, are useful tools in chemical biology. Although several diazirine-based and aryl azide-based minimalist probes are available, no keto-based minimalist probe has yet been reported. Here we describe minimalist probes based on a 2-thienyl-substituted α-ketoamide bearing an alkyne group on the thiophene ring. The 3-alkyne probe showed the highest photo-affinity labeling efficiency.     

Proton Conduction at High Temperature in High-Symmetry Hydrogen-Bonded Molecular Crystals of RuIII Complexes with Six Imidazole-Imidazolate Ligands

A new H-bonded crystal [Ru^III(Him)₃(Im)₃] with three imidazole (Him) and three imidazolate (Im⁻) groups was prepared to obtain a higher-temperature proton conductor than a Nafion membrane with water driving. The crystal is constructed by complementary N−H⋅⋅⋅N H-bonds between the Ru^III complexes and has a rare Icy-c* cubic network topology with a twofold interpenetration without crystal anisotropy. The crystals show a proton conductivity of 3.08×10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹ at 450 K and a faster conductivity than those formed by only HIms. The high proton conductivity is attributed to not only molecular rotations and hopping motions of HIm frameworks that are activated at ∼113 K, but also isotropic whole-molecule rotation of [Ru^III(Him)₃(Im)₃] at temperatures greater than 420 K. The latter rotation was confirmed by solid-state ²H NMR spectroscopy; probable proton conduction routes were predicted and theoretically considered.     

Thermal stability of phthalate esters: Effect of substituents on the β-carbon atom

In order to clarify the mechanism conferring heat resistance on phthalate esters, those with a substituent on the β-carbon atom, such as bis(2-aminobutyl) phthalate, bis(2-nitrobutyl) phthalate, bis(2,4-diphenylbutyl) phthalate and dineopentyl phthalate, were synthesized and their thermal stabilities were studied by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis. The analytical results for these phthalate esters were compared with those for dibutyl phthalate, with a straight alkyl chain. As the temperatures required for a 3% weight loss of phthalate esters with a substituent, an electron-donating group (amino group) or an electron-accepting group (nitro group) on the β-carbon atom move to the higher end of the range, the effect of the adjacent group was recognized. The presence of a phenyl group in phthalate esters considerably improved the heat resistance. It is considered that the high heat resistance of bis(2,4-diphenylbutyl) phthalate is due to the obstruction of the planar configuration for cis elimination by the phenyl group and hindrance by the phenyl group of the formation of the six-membered cyclic transition state owing to the interaction between non-bondable molecules.     

Preparation of a polymeric membrane with lipoamide structure and its application to electron transport across membrane

A lipoamide (LAm) structure was introduced into a polymeric membrane by chemical modification of poly(γ-methyl-D -glutamate) (PMG). A. redox reaction proceeded across the membrane mediated by pendant LAm groups as solid carriers. It is suggested that the electron transport process in the membrane is derived from the exchange reaction between reduced LAm (thiol) and LAm (disulfide).     

Photocrosslinking of poly(2,3-epithiopropyl methacrylate) by the oxidation of pendant episulfide groups

In the photocrosslinking of poly(2,3-epithiopropyl methacrylate) (PETMA) films the effect of the pendant episulfide group's oxidation on the crosslinking of PETMA was investigated. Thermal crosslinking of PETMA is promoted by peroxides such as benzoyl peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. IR spectrum of the crosslinked PETMA showed that the reaction proceeded through the oxidation of episulfide groups by the peroxides. The anthracene (An) sensitized photocrosslinking of PETMA films also proceeded via the oxidation of episulfide groups by singlet oxygen. It was found that residual tetrahydrofuran (THF) in the films remarkably increased the rate of the photocrosslinking and/or reduced the induction period. From the further investigation concerning casting solvents it was found that residual CS₂, CCl₄, and CHCl₃ in films increased the rate of the photocrosslinking and/or reduced the induction period of the photocrosslinking. The disappearance rate of An in the films was also increased by the presence of residual CS₂, CCl₄, and CHCl₃, differring from the result of THF. These results were explained by a difference in lifetime of singlet oxygen in the films. From the results were explained by a difference in lifetime of singlet oxygen in the films. From the results concerning the effects of hydroperoxides such as THF hydroperoxide and t-butyl hydroperoxide on the photocrosslinking of PETMA films the acceleration effect of the residual THF was deduced to be due to the promotion of singlet oxygen-oxidation of sulfide groups by protic compounds such as THF hydroperoxide and H₂O in the THF.     

Molecular Recognition of Nucleic Acid Bases in Water by Hydrogen Bonding of Poly(vinyldiaminotriazine)

Poly(2-vinyl-4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazine) efficiently binds nucleic acid bases and nucleosides in water by using complementary hydrogen bonding. The binding activity decreases in the order: U, T > A C, G. The corresponding monomer shows virtually no activity, indicating a predominant role of polymer effect for the molecular recognition in water.     

Effect of Organic Ligands Used in Sol-Gel Process on the Formation of Mullite

The preparation of mullite by the sol-gel method using organic polydentate ligands and the effect of the raw materials and organic polydentate ligands on the formation of mullite were investigated. Two series of samples were prepared using tetraethoxyorthosilicate (TEOS) and aluminum nitrate nonahydrate, or dibutoxyethylacetoacetatoaluminum (Al(OBu)₂(AcAcEt)) as the silica and alumina sources, respectively, and using ethylene glycol (EG), 1,3-propanediol (PD), 1,3-butanediol (BD), 2-methyl-2, 4-pentanediol (MPD), diethlene glycol monoethyl ether (DEME) and ethoxyethanol as the ligands. When the alumina source was aluminum nitrate nonahydrate, mullite was apt to appear in the order of EG>PD>MPD. When Al(OBu)₂(AcAcEt) was the alumina source, the tendency toward the appearance of mullite crystalline phase was EG>BD>DEME>MPD. Between the two alumina sources, aluminum nitrate nonahydrate gave mullite much easier than Al(OBu)₂(AcAcEt). These relationships were discussed from the viewpoints of the coordination ability of the ligands and the miscibility between the silica and alumina.     

An efficient method for 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium ion formation,leading to a facile introduction of nucleophiles

The ketene silyl acetal derived from ethyl 2-benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline-1-carboxylate undergoes a rapid oxidation reaction with N-bromosuccinimide to form 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium ion, which reacts with Grignard reagents to give 1,1-disubstituted tetrahydroisoquinolines in good yields.     

Computational Analysis Reveals a Critical Point Mutation in the N-Terminal Region of the Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Responsible for the Cross-Species Infection with Canine Distemper Virus

Infection of hosts by morbilliviruses is facilitated by the interaction between viral hemagglutinin (H-protein) and the signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM). Recently, the functional importance of the n-terminal region of human SLAM as a measles virus receptor was demonstrated. However, the functional roles of this region in the infection process by other morbilliviruses and host range determination remain unknown, partly because this region is highly flexible, which has hampered accurate structure determination of this region by X-ray crystallography. In this study, we analyzed the interaction between the H-protein from canine distemper virus (CDV-H) and SLAMs by a computational chemistry approach. Molecular dynamics simulations and fragment molecular orbital analysis demonstrated that the unique His28 in the N-terminal region of SLAM from Macaca is a key determinant that enables the formation of a stable interaction with CDV-H, providing a basis for CDV infection in Macaca. The computational chemistry approach presented should enable the determination of molecular interactions involving regions of proteins that are difficult to predict from crystal structures because of their high flexibility.