Direct through anionic,cationic, and radical active species: Terminal carbon–halogen bond for “controlled”/living polymerizations of styrene

In this work, we examined the synthesis of novel block (co)polymers by mechanistic transformation through anionic, cationic, and radical living polymerizations using terminal carbon–halogen bond as the dormant species. First, the direct halogenation of growing species in the living anionic polymerization of styrene was examined with CCl₄ to form a carbon–halogen terminal, which can be employed as the dormant species for either living cationic or radical polymerization. The mechanistic transformation was then performed from living anionic polymerization into living cationic or radical polymerization using the obtained polymers as the macroinitiator with the SnCl₄/n‐Bu₄NCl or RuCp^*Cl(PPh₃)/Et₃N initiating system, respectively. Finally, the combination of all the polymerizations allowed the synthesis block copolymers including unprecedented gradient block copolymers composed of styrene and p‐methylstyrene. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 465–473     

Peripheral Modifications of meso-Hydroxyporphyrins: Formation of π-Electronic Anions and Ion-Pairing Assemblies

Phenyl groups were introduced at the β-positions proximal to the meso-hydroxy moiety in hydroxyporphyrin Ni^II complexes by oxidized BINAP Pd^II complexes. Ion-pairing assemblies of deprotonated π-electronic anions, anionic site of which was stabilized by the introduced phenyl moieties with a bulky cation, were formed. They showed charge-by-charge assemblies, assembly modes of which were modulated by the anionic building units.     

Reaction of O6-methylguanosine with nitrite in the presence of carboxylic acid: synthesis of the purin-2-yl carboxylate

O6-Methylguanosine derivative was treated with sodium nitrite or isoamylnitrite in the presence of carboxylic acid to give the purin-2-yl carboxylate, an unusual product bearing a carboxylic group at the 2-position of the purine moiety.     

Deposition behavior in a low‐temperature cascade arc torch (CAT) polymerization process

Two kinds of hydrocarbon type monomers and three kinds of organosilicons were polymerized by a low‐temperature cascade arc argon plasma torch. Their deposition behaviors were studied as a function of experimental parameters and monomer elemental compositions. It was found that the normalized deposition rate (DR), expressed as deposition yield of DR/(FM)_m, was determined by a composite operational parameter, W*(FM)_c/(FM)_m, where W is the power input, and (FM)_c and (FM)_m are the mass flow rates of carrier gases and monomers, respectively. Experimental results indicated that the deposition yield is highly dependent on the elementary compositions of monomers. Optical emission spectroscopy study on the argon plasma torch showed that the emission intensity of excited argon neutrals was proportional to the value of the parameter W*(FM)_c. These results further certified that excited argon neutrals are the main energy carriers from the cascade arc column to activate monomers in the argon plasma torch. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 967–982, 1999     

Preparation of Polymer Particles Coated with Hydroxyapatite

Polymer particles coated with hydroxyapatite were prepared by treating Pd0 immobilized polystyrene-co-acrylic acid particles in aqueous CaCl2 and NaH2PO2 solutions. Hydroxyapatite coating took place at neutral to alkaline pH conditions, and the homogeneous growth of the hydroxyapatite layer on the surface of polymer particles was observed at relatively low temperature (30-50 degrees C). The thickness of the hydroxyapatite layer increased with reaction time. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.     

Parallel vs. anti-parallel orientation in a curdlan/oligo(dA) complex as estimated by a FRET technique

We already found that beta-1,3-glucan polysaccharides form polymeric complexes with certain polynucleotides, but the parallel vs. anti-parallel orientation in those complexes had remained unsolved. In this paper, this controversial problem has been discussed for curdlan/oligo(dA) complexes utilizing two different energy transfer techniques. The first system consists of a combination of fluorescein-labeled curdlan and 3'-(or 5'-)tetramethyl-rhodamine (TAMRA)-labeled oligo(dA). The second system utilizes gold nanoparticles: that is, two curdlan chains were linked by a disulfide bond and after complexation with oligo(dA), the complex was immobilized on gold nanoparticles. In this system, TAMRA was attached to the 3'(or 5') end of oligo(dA) and the gold particle acted as a fluorescence quencher (energy acceptor). These experiments have led us to conclude that in the curdlan/oligo(dA) complex, parallel orientation is more favourable than anti-parallel orientation. These findings have enabled us to envision a clearer image for the complexation mode between beta-1,3-glucan polysaccharides and polynucleotides.     

A kinetic study of protein binding to ecabet sodium using quartz-crystal microbalance.

To define the mechanism of the protection by ecabet sodium of the gastric mucosa, the characteristics of protein binding of this drug were investigated using a quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) method. The binding rate constants (kb) and the binding amounts (delta m) were obtained from time courses of the frequency decrease (mass increase) of the QCM. The binding constants to proteins of two ecabet analogues (G1, ecabet type and G2, non-ionic ecabet type) were dependent on the pH, leading to large kb values at the acidic region. Furthermore, the kb values of G1 with the addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and bovine serum fibrinogen (BSF) at the acid region were larger than those of G2. The difference in kb values between G1 and G2 for porcine gastric mucin (PGM) is hardly discernible. Ecabet seems to be more heavily distributed in the ulcerous areas than in the intact mucosa, judging from the large binding constants of this drug to BSA and BSF compared with those to PGM. It is suggested that ecabet is bound to proteins by hydrophobic interaction, moreover, the electrostatic interaction between this drug and proteins (BSA and BSF) occurs at acidic pH region. On account of these interactions, ecabet sodium seems to have a more protective effect on an ulcer at intraluminal acidity than sucralfate. Finally, QCM was found to be a useful technique for detecting quantitatively the time course of binding proteins with drug.     

Semi-micro size-exclusion chromatography of polymers : Calibration of columns and comparison with conventional columns

Stainless-steel tubes having inside diameters of 1.5 mm and 1.8 mm were packed with polystyrene gels of particle diameter 10 ± 2 μm. Two 50 cm × 1.8 mm I.D. packed columns, connected in series, were calibrated and molecular-weight averages of polystyrene NBS 706 were measured, the results coinciding with the data of the National Bureau of Standards. The peak widths of polystyrenes of narrow molecular-weight distributions in both semi-micro column (four 25 cm × 1.5 mm I.D.) and conventional column (two 50 cm × 8 mm I.D.; packed by the manufacturer) systems were determined at different mobile-phase velocities, and the minimum peak width in the latter system was obtained at the velocity of 0.2 mm/sec, which was higher than that for the semi-micro system. The interstitial volume was higher and the inner volume was lower for the semi-micro column system (1.8 mm I.D.) than those for the conventional one, which means that semi-micro columns were packed less densely, resulting in a steep calibration curve. The peak height of a solute was proportional to the cell length of an ultraviolet detector if the sample load was proportional to the cross-sectional areas of columns having the same column efficiency. Although conventional size-exclusion chromatography has many advantages in respect of velocity, calibration curtve and sample peak height, semi-micro size-exclusion chromatography still holds some merits such as low consumption of gels and of mobile-phase solvents.     

In Vitro and In Silico Study of Analogs of Plant Product Plastoquinone to Be Effective in Colorectal Cancer Treatment

Plants have paved the way for the attainment of molecules with a wide-range of biological activities. However, plant products occasionally show low biological activities and/or poor pharmacokinetic properties. In that case, development of their derivatives as drugs from the plant world has been actively performed. As plant products, plastoquinones (PQs) have been of high importance in anticancer drug design and discovery; we have previously evaluated and reported the potential cytotoxic effects of a series of PQ analogs. Among these analogs, PQ2, PQ3 and PQ10 were selected for National Cancer Institute (NCI) for in vitro screening of anticancer activity against a wide range of cancer cell lines. The apparent superior anticancer potency of PQ2 on the HCT-116 colorectal cancer cell line than that of PQ3 and PQ10 compared to other tested cell lines has encouraged us to perform further mechanistic studies to enlighten the mode of anti-colorectal cancer action of PQ2. For this purpose, its apoptotic effects on the HCT-116 cell line, DNA binding capacity and several crucial pharmacokinetic properties were investigated. Initially, MTT assay was conducted for PQ2 at different concentrations against HCT-116 cells. Results indicated that PQ2 exhibited significant cytotoxicity in HCT-116 cells with an IC₅₀ value of 4.97 ± 1.93 μM compared to cisplatin (IC₅₀ = 26.65 ± 7.85 μM). Moreover, apoptotic effects of PQ2 on HCT-116 cells were investigated by the annexin V/ethidium homodimer III staining method and PQ2 significantly induced apoptosis in HCT-116 cells compared to cisplatin. Based on the potent DNA cleavage capacity of PQ2, molecular docking studies were conducted in the minor groove of the double helix of DNA and PQ2 presented a key hydrogen bonding through its methoxy moiety. Overall, both in vitro and in silico studies indicated that effective, orally bioavailable drug-like PQ2 attracted attention for colorectal cancer treatment. The most important point to emerge from this study is that appropriate derivatization of a plant product leads to unique biologically active compounds.