A Bioanode Using Thermostable Alcohol Dehydrogenase for an Ethanol Biofuel Cell Operating at High Temperatures

To extend the range of biofuel cell applications, we wish to increase their maximum operational temperatures. Using a thermostable alcohol dehydrogenase as a biocatalyst, we prepared an enzyme‐immobilized bioanode that can operate at high temperatures. The catalytic current for ethanol oxidation was increased using this electrode at temperatures up to 80 °C.     

Interaction of interfacial and internal waves *

Reflection of internal waves at an interface between the mixed layer and a stratified fluid under the layer is investigated experimentally. Reflection coefficients of the internal waves and transmission coefficients of interfacial waves are obtained for the case in which the interfacial waves propagate along the interface. In order to reveal the energy budget of the two kinds of waves, the above reflection and transmission coefficients are employed in consideration of dissipation of the waves. These coefficients are investigated for different values of a ratio of the frequencies of the interfacial and internal waves. When the ratio is , 1 or 2 at the same horizontal wavenumber, overreflection takes place (i.e., reflection coefficient > 1), while under the same condition the transmission coefficient of the interfacial wave is less than unity. This indicates that the energy source of the overreflection of the internal wave is the interfacial wave. Overreflection also takes place when the two waves have the same frequencies and are in phase. On the other hand, the interfacial wave overtransmits the energy (i.e., transmission coefficient > 1) when the two waves are out of phase.     

Tomonaga-Luttinger-liquid behavior in single-walled carbon nanotube networks

The electrical conduction behavior of single-walled carbon nanotube networks was investigated. Although the nanotubes were entangled with each other and multiple junctions were formed within the network, they showed an apparently strong Tomonaga-Luttinger-liquid (TL-liquid) character, which seemed to be attributable to their quasi one-dimensional structures. The appearance of the TL-liquid behavior was induced by removing impurities in the junctions. This fact indicates that the TL-liquid can be observed in the entangled SWNTs after the purification.     

Peculiar side-chain fission of steroidal glycosides

The characteristic novel steroidal glycosides of the 23,26-oxygenated spirostanol-type and 16,22-dicarbonyl cholestanol-type obtained in our laboratory underwent the peculiar reactions of side-chain fission between C-22 and C-23 of the steroidal skeleton by acid or alkaline hydrolysis. These reactions would be applied to the structural determination of these sorts of glycosides and suggest the biogenetic pathway of the occurrence of C-22 lactone-type glycosides.     

Fluorescence chemical sensor based on water‐soluble poly(p‐phenylene ethynylene)–graphene oxide composite for Cu2+

A chemical sensor for metal ions was fabricated based on a water‐soluble conjugated polymer–graphene oxide (GO) composite. Water‐soluble poly(p‐phenylene ethynylene) (PPE) with sulfonic acid side chain groups was used to prepare a very stable water‐soluble PPE–GO composite with strong π–π interactions in water. The relationship between the optical properties and metal ion sensing capability of the PPE–GO composite in aqueous solution was investigated. Addition of metal ions enhanced the fluorescence intensity of the composite, and, in particular, the composite enabled the fluorescence detection of Cu²⁺ in aqueous solutions with high selectivity and sensitivity. Therefore, this conjugated polymer–GO composite sensor system was found to be an effective turn‐on type chemical sensor for metal ions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic Chirality Control of tropos DPCB‐digold Skeleton by Chiral Binaphthyldicarboxylate

The planar 3,4‐diphosphinidenecyclobutene (DPCB) can be remarkably twisted into a C₂‐type helical structure by dual coordination of a AuCl moiety. A prompt chirality control of the twisted DPCB skeleton ligated by the digold units affords the enantiopure structure by exchanging the chloride ligands for chiral [1,1′‐binaphthalene]‐2,2′‐dicarboxylate. The chirality of the diaurated 2,2′‐bis(diphenylphosphanyl)‐1,1′‐biphenyl (BIPHEP) system can be controlled prior to that of DPCB. Mixing of a DPCB‐bis(chlorogold) complex with the chiral silver salt dynamically leads to a single diastereomer, which was characterized by the ³¹P NMR spectrum and the CD couplet patterns in the visible (DPCB) area. The absolute configuration of the singly induced helical structure was assigned by the theoretical CD spectra determined by TD‐DFT calculations. Intramolecular alkoxycyclization of hexa‐4,5‐dien‐1‐ol catalyzed by the asymmetric DPCB‐digold structure were also attempted.     

A Comprehensive Study on Lyotropic Liquid–Crystalline Behavior of an Amphiphile in 20 Kinds of Amino Acid Ionic Liquids

We examined the self‐organization behavior of a designed amphiphilic molecule in 20 kinds of amino acid ionic liquids composed of 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium cation and natural amino acid anion ([C4mim][AA]). Addition of [C4mim][AA], regardless of their anion species, to the amphiphile provided homogeneous mixtures showing lyotropic liquid–crystalline (LC) behavior. Upon increasing the component ratio of [C4mim][AA] in the mixtures, a successive change of the mesophase patterns from inverted hexagonal columnar, in some case via bicontinuous cubic, to layered phases was observed. By examining the LC properties at various temperatures and component ratios, we constructed lyotropic LC phase diagrams. Interestingly, the appearance of these phase diagrams is greatly different according to the selection of [AA]. Through comparison, we found that the self‐organization behavior of an amphiphile in ionic liquids can be tuned by controlling their ability to form hydrogen‐bond, van der Waals, and π‐π interactions.     

A Boryl‐Substituted Diphosphene: Synthesis,Structure, and Reaction with n‐Butyllithium To Form a Stabilized Adduct by pπ‐pπ Interaction

A boryl‐substituted diphosphene was synthesized through the nucleophilic borylation of PCl₃ with a borylzinc reagent, followed by a reduction with Mg. A combined analysis of the resulting diboryldiphosphene by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, DFT calculations, and UV/Vis spectroscopy revealed a σ‐electron‐donating effect for the boryl substituent that was slightly weaker than that of the 2,4,6‐tri‐tert‐butylphenyl (Mes*) ligand. The reaction of this diboryldiphosphene with ⁿBuLi afforded a boryl‐substituted phosphinophosphide that was, in comparison with the thermally unstable Mes*‐substituted diaryldiphosphene, stabilized by a π‐electron‐accepting effect of the boryl substituent.     

Sequence-specific alkylation by Y-shaped and tandem hairpin pyrrole-imidazole polyamides

To extend the target DNA sequence length of the hairpin pyrrole-imidazole (Py-Im) polyamide 1, we designed and synthesized Y-shaped and tandem hairpin Py-Im polyamides 2 and 3, which possess 1-(chloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-1,2-dihydro-3H-benz[e]indole (seco-CBI) as DNA-alkylating moieties. High-resolution denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by using 5'-Texas-Red-labeled 465 base pair (bp) DNA fragments revealed that conjugates 2 and 3 alkylated the adenine of the target DNA sequences at nanomolar concentrations. Conjugate 2 alkylated adenine N3 at the 3' end of two 8 bp match sequences, 5'-AATAACCA-3' (site A) and 5'-AAATTCCA-3' (site C), while conjugate 3 recognized one 10 bp match sequence, 5'-AGAATAACCA-3' (site A) in the 465 bp DNA fragments. These results demonstrate that seco-CBI conjugates of Y-shaped and tandem hairpin polyamides have extended their target alkylation sequences.