Palladium- and nickel-catalyzed intramolecular cyanoboration of alkynes

Intramolecular addition of a boron-cyano bond across a carbon-carbon triple bond was achieved using palladium and nickel catalysts. Cyano(diisopropylamino)boryl homopropargyl ethers underwent regio- and stereoselective 5-exo cyclization, forming five-membered cyclic boryl ethers in high yields. The cyanoboration products thus obtained served as new precursors for the synthesis of highly substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles via transition-metal-catalyzed transformations.     

Interlayer interaction of two-dimensional layered spin crossover complexes [FeIIH3L(Me)][FeIIL(Me)]X (X-=ClO4-, BF4-, PF6-, AsF6-, and SbF6-; H3L(Me)=tris[2-(((2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene)amino)ethyl]amine)

A series of two-dimensional (2D) spin crossover complexes, [FeIIH3L(Me)][FeIIL(Me)]X (X-=ClO4-, BF4-, PF6-, AsF6-, SbF6-) 1-5, have been synthesized, where H3L(Me) denotes an hexadentate N6 tripodlike ligand containing three imidazole groups, tris[2-(((2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene)amino)ethyl]amine. Compounds 1-5 exhibit a two-step (HS-[FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) + HS-[FeIIL(Me)]-) <--> (HS-[FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) + LS-[FeIIL(Me)]-) <--> (LS-[FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) + LS-[FeIIL(Me)]-) spin-transition. The crystal structure of [FeIIH3L(Me)][FeIIL(Me)]PF6 (3) was determined at 295, 200, and 100 K. The structure consists of homochiral extended 2D puckered sheets, in which the complementary [FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) and [FeIIL(Me)]- capped tripodlike components, linked together by imidazole-imidazolate hydrogen bonds, are alternately arrayed in an up-and-down mode. The Fe-N bond distances and angles revealed that the FeII sites of both constituting units are in the high-spin (HS) state at 295 K; at 200 K, the FeII sites of [FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) and [FeIIL(Me)]- are in the HS and low-spin (LS) states, respectively. The FeII sites of both constituting units are in the LS state at 100 K. The size of the counteranion affects significantly the intra- and interlayer interactions leading to modifications of the spin crossover behavior. The onset of the second spin-transition of the ClO4- (1) and BF4- (2) salts adjoins the first spin-transition, while a mixed (HS-[FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) + LS-[FeIIL(Me)]-) spin-state spans a temperature range as wide as 70 K for salts 3-5 with larger counteranions, PF6-, AsF6-, and SbF6-, respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 showed remarkable LIESST (light induced excited spin state trapping) and reverse-LIESST effects, whereas 3-5 showed no remarkable LIESST effect. The interlayer interaction due to the size of the counteranion is an important factor governing the spin crossover behavior and LIESST effect.     

Isolation and structural analysis of novel conformational isomers of the m-xylylene-bridged calix[6]arenes: the ‘partial cone’ and ‘inverted cone’ isomers

In the benzylation of a m-xylylene-bridged calix[6]arene tetrol, the first example of the ‘partial cone’ isomer of a calix[6]arene was obtained in addition to the corresponding cone and 1,2,3-alternate isomers, and its structure was established by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The synthesis and crystal structure of the ‘inverted cone’ isomer as well as its thermal conversion to the ‘normal cone’ isomer are also described.     

A family of low-molecular-weight hydrogelators based on L-lysine derivatives with a positively charged terminal group

A family of L-lysine-based low-molecular-weight compounds with various positively charged terminals (pyridinium and imidazolium derivatives) was synthesized and its gelation behavior in water was investigated. Most of the compounds can be very easily synthesized in high yields (total yields >90 %), and they function as excellent hydrogelators that form hydrogels below 1 wt %; particularly, N(epsilon)-lauroyl-N(alpha)-[11-(4-tert-butylpyridinium)undecanoyl]-L-lysine ethyl ester (2 c) and N(epsilon)-lauroyl-N(alpha)-[11-(4-phenylpyridinium)undecanoyl]-L-lysine ethyl ester (2 d), which are able to gel water at concentration of only 0.2 wt %. This corresponds to a gelator molecule that entraps more than 20 000 water molecules. All hydrogels are very stable and maintain the gel state for at least 9 months. TEM observations demonstrated that these hydrogelators self-assemble into a nanoscaled fibrous structure; a three-dimensional network is then formed by the entanglement of the nanofibers. An FTIR study in [D(6)]DMSO/D(2)O and in CHCl(3) revealed the existence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the amide groups. This was further supported by a (1)H NMR study in [D(6)]DMSO/H(2)O. A luminescence study, in which ANS (1-anilino-8-naphtharenesulfonic acid) was used as a probe, indicated that the hydrogelators self-assemble into nanostructures possessing hydrophobic pockets at a very low concentration. Consequently, it was found that the driving forces for self-assembly into a nanofiber are hydrogel bonding and hydrophobic interactions.     

Formation mechanism of nanostructured Ag films from Ag2O particles using a sonoprocess

Nanostructured Ag films composed of nanoparticles and nanorods can be formed by the ultrasonication of ethanol solutions containing Ag₂O particles. The present work examined the formation process of these films from ethanol solutions by two different agitation methods, including ultrasonication and mechanical stirring. The mass-transfer process from Ag₂O particles to ethanol solvent is accelerated by the mechanical effects of ultrasound. Ag⁺ ions and intermediately reduced Ag clusters were released into the ethanol. These Ag⁺ ions and Ag clusters provide absorption bands at 210, 275 and 300 nm in UV-vis spectra. These bands were assigned to the absorption of Ag⁺, Ag ₄ ²⁺ and Ag_n (n?≈?3). The Ag_n clusters that readily grow to become Ag nanoparticles were formed due to the surface reaction of Ag₂O particles with ethanol under ultrasonication. The reactions of Ag⁺ ions in ethanol to form Ag nanomaterials (through the formation of Ag ₄ ²⁺ clusters) were also accelerated by ultrasonication.     

Assessment of the natural radioactivity using two techniques for the measurement of radionuclide concentration in building materials used in Japan

The specific activities of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K in selected building materials used in Japan were measured using a high-purity germanium detector. The uranium and thorium concentrations were determined from same samples using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. There was a good agreement between the measurement of uranium and thorium with both methods (R ² = 0.94, and 0.97, respectively). Based on the specific activities, we have estimated some hazard indexes such as radium equivalent activities (Ra _eq), external hazard index (H _ex), internal hazard index (H _in), annual gonadal equivalent dose (AGED), internal alpha dose, mass exhalation rate and emanation coefficient of radon.     

Thermal carbosilylation of endohedral dimetallofullerene La(2)@I(h)-C(80) with silirane

Thermal carbosilylation of endohedral dimetallofullerene La(2)@I(h)-C(80) with silirane (silacyclopropane) is reported herein for the first time. Two diastereomers of the carbosilylated La(2)@I(h)-C(80) have been isolated and characterized. The fascinating molecular structure of one diastereomer of the carbosilylated derivatives has been determined unambiguously using X-ray crystallographic analysis. Detailed characteristics of the molecular structures including their metal atom movements have also been revealed using NMR spectroscopic studies and computational calculations. Results revealed that two La atoms move dynamically inside the carbon sphere. Furthermore, electrochemical study has demonstrated that carbosilylation is effective to fine-tune the La(2)@I(h)-C(80) electronic properties.     

Practical heavy fluorous tag for carbohydrate synthesis with minimal chromatographic purification

A practical heavy fluorous tag 5 bound to a benzylic linker was prepared and applied to carbohydrate synthesis. The fluorous tag 5 was readily introduced to the desired hydroxyl group and carboxyl group by using various methods. Synthesis of the oligosaccharide, which included the terminal structure of class III mucin, was achieved with single-column chromatographic purification. In addition, because of the symmetrical structure of 5, each fluorous synthetic intermediate could be analyzed much easier by NMR spectroscopy than in the case of the fluorous compounds connecting our previous fluorous tags.     

Synthesis of chiral nonracemic 1-(2-pyridinyl)ethylamines: stereospecific introduction of amino function onto the 2-pyridinylmethyl carbon center

Stereospecific substitutions of optically pure 1-(pyridinyl)ethyl methanesulfonates with various amines are described. The reaction of (R)- or (S)-1-(2-pyridinyl)ethyl methanesulfonate with primary amines, including amino acid esters, gives N-substituted (S)- or (R)-1-(2-pyridinyl)ethylamines (4) with inversion of the configuration. Secondary cyclic amines are also reacted with (R)-2 to give the corresponding substituted amines (5) in excellent yields. Optically pure and meso triamine ligands having two pyridine rings, (S,S)-4f and meso-4f, (S,S)-9e, (S,R)-9e, and (S,S)-9f, have been prepared in stereochemically pure form by this method. Not only the substitution reaction of optically active 2 but also that of 1-(4-pyridinyl)ethyl and 1-(3-pyridinyl)ethyl methanesulfonates 11 and 14 take place stereospecifcally with inversion of the chiral center.