Laccase‐catalyzed polymerization of lignocatechol and affinity on proteins of resulting polymers

For the synthesis of a new biologically functional polymer from a natural resource by an environment‐friendly method, the laccase‐catalyzed polymerization of a lignin‐based macromonomer, lignocatechol, was carried out for the first time in ethanol–phosphate buffer solvent system to give crosslinked polymers in good yields. Lignocatechol was prepared by the phase separation system of lignin and catechol in aqueous sulfuric acid. The copolymerization was also performed with urushiol to afford the corresponding copolymers in high yields. The polymerization mechanism was estimated by the IR and pyrolysis GC‐MS measurements, suggesting that the polymerization proceeded mainly at the catechol ring through a quinone radical intermediate. The thermal properties were measured by the DSC, TG, and TMA analyses, indicating that the polymers had high thermal stabilities because of the crosslinked structures. In addition, it was found that the resulting polymers had the affinity of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and glucoamylase. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 824–832, 2009     

Cation binding properties of photodimerizable polymers bearing benzodiglyme units

The polymers which have glyme units as alkali cation binding sites and photodimerizable cinnamoyl units were prepared by the radical polymerization of corresponding monomers. The alkali cation binding ability and selectivity of the polymers, which were studied by a method of picrate salts extraction, were strongly dependent on the length of glyme chains. When irradiated with ultraviolet light, the cinnamoyl groups caused dimerization in dilute solutions. Although the photodimerization of the polymers with relatively short glyme chains enhanced their cation binding ability, the photodimerization of the polymers bearing long glyme chains reduced their cation binding ability. The use of alkali metal cations as templates emphasized the effect of photodimerization on the cation binding properties. The effect of alkali metal cations on the quantum yields of the photodimerization of the polymers showed that two or more benzodiglyme units took part in the binding of one cation. The polymers bearing benzodiglymes, crown ethers, and cinnamoyl moieties were also prepared by the radical copolymerization of the corresponding monomers. It was found that the crown ether units of the copolymers predominantly participated in the cation binding. The photodimerization of the copolymers with suitable alkali metal cations as templates strongly enhanced their cation binding ability.     

Mg-promoted mixed pinacol coupling

Mg-promoted reduction of a mixture of aromatic ketones (or imines) and aliphatic carbonyl compounds in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) brought about unique mixed pinacol type of cross coupling to give unsymmetrical vicinal diols (or amino alcohols) or α-hydroxyketones in good to moderate yields. The reaction may be initiated by electron transfer from magnesium metal to an aromatic carbonyl compound possessing a less negative reduction potential. The difference of reduction potential between aromatic ketones (or imines) and aliphatic carbonyl compounds was found to be one of the important key factors in this selective cross coupling.     

Unusual reaction of 2-trimethylsilylethylidenetriarylphosphoranes (seyferth-wittig reagent) with α-methylaldehydes: a novel method for highly cram-diastereoselective addition of vinyl anion equivalent

By the reaction of α-methylaldehydes with trimethylsilylethylidenetriarylphosphoranes the introduction of vinyl group is effected in highly Cram-selective manner.     

Syntheses, structures and photochromism of two novel copper(II) complexes with 1,2-bis(2′-methyl-5′-(2″-pyridyl)-3′-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene

Two novel Cu(II) complexes with 1,2-bis(2′-methyl-5′-(2″-pyridyl)-3′-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene (BM-2-PTP) or its closed-form (closed-BM-2-PTP) were synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Both complexes are tetra-coordinated to two N atoms from distinct ligands and two Cl atoms from anions, forming 1-D polymeric structures. [Cu(BM-2-PTP)Cl₂] (1) showed typical spectral changes as analogous Ag(I) complexes with the same ligand upon appropriate light stimulus. However, closed-BM-2-PTP displayed different photocyclization from its open-ring form upon irradiation with UV light, indicating the photogenerated closed form turned into two kinds of closed-ring isomers. Furthermore, [Cu(closed-BM-2-PTP)Cl₂] (2) was revealed to contain two conformers by X-ray crystallographic analysis and displayed similarities in photocyclization to its free ligand. The distinct absorptions of the UV spectrum were attributed to the coexistence of two conformers in complex 2, both of which showed effective photoreactivities in the crystalline phase. The photochromic mechanism of complex 2 is tentatively concluded as two conformers displaying independent photoreactions.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of clustered DNA damage sites containing 8-oxoguanine and abasic site

Clustered DNA damage sites induced by ionizing radiation have been suggested to have serious consequences to organisms, such as cancer, due to their reduced probability to be repaired by the enzymatic repair machinery of the cell. Although experimental results have revealed that clustered DNA damage sites effectively retard the efficient function of repair enzymes, it remains unclear as to what particular factors influence this retardation. In this study, approaches based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulation have been applied to examine conformational changes and energetic properties of DNA molecules containing clustered damage sites consisting of two lesioned sites, namely 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) and apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site, located within a few base pairs of each other. After 1 ns of MD simulation, one of the six DNA molecules containing a clustered damage site develops specific characteristic features: sharp bending at the lesioned site and weakening or complete loss of electrostatic interaction energy between 8-oxoG and bases located on the complementary strand. From these results it is suggested that these changes would make it difficult for the repair enzyme to bind to the lesions within the clustered damage site and thereby result in a reduction of its repair capacity.     

Tetrahydro-2-thioxo-2H-1,3,5-thiadiazin-4-ones and their derivatives representing a novel heterocyclic ring system

The cyclization reaction between N-substituted dithiocarbamates ( 1 ) and N-substituted N-chloromethylcarbamoyl chlorides ( 2 ) gives 3,5-disubstituted tetrahydro-2-thioxo-2H-1,3,5-thiadiazin-4-ones ( 3 ). In order to decide among the theoretically possible structures 3-5 , the compounds 6a,b , containing a thioxo group instead of an oxo group as in 3a,b , as well as the S-oxide derivative of 3a was also established by X-ray structure determination.