Stepwise photocleavage of C-O bonds of bis(substituted-methyl)naphthalenes with stepwise excitation by two-color two-laser and three-color three-laser irradiations

Stepwise photocleavage of naphthylmethyl-oxygen (C-O) bonds of mono(substituted-methyl)naphthalenes [1- and 2-ROCH2Np, R = 4-benzoylphenyl (BP), phenyl (Ph), and methyl (CH3)] and bis(substituted-methyl)naphthalenes [1,8-(ROCH2)2Np and 1,4-(ROCH2)2Np, R = BP and Ph] was observed to give the naphthylmethyl radicals (NpCH2* or ROCH2NpCH2*) in almost 100% yield with two-step or three-step excitation by the two-color two-laser or three-color three-laser irradiation, respectively, at room temperature. The C-O bond cleavage quantum yields of 1-PhOCH2Np, 2-PhOCH2Np, 1,8-(PhOCH2)2Np, and 1,4-(PhOCH2)2Np were higher than those of 1-BPOCH2Np, 2-BPOCH2Np, 1,8-(BPOCH2)2Np, and 1,4-(BPOCH2)2Np. No C-O bond cleavage occurred from 1,8-(HOCH2)2Np and 2-CH3OCH2Np in the higher triplet excited state (T(n)). The experimental results show that the C-O bond cleavage was determined not only by the position of the substituents on Np but also by the type of the substituents. The C-O bond cleavage of 1-ROCH2Np was more efficient than that of 2-ROCH2Np. In the case of 1,8-(ROCH2)2Np and 1,4-(ROCH2)2Np (R = BP and Ph), the first C-O bond cleavage from the T(n) states occurred to give ROCH2-substituted naphthylmethyl radicals (1,8- and 1,4-ROCH2NpCH2*) when the T1 states, generated with the 308-nm first laser irradiation, were excited using the 430-nm second laser. The second C-O bond cleavage occurred when 1,8- and 1,4-ROCH2NpCH2* in the ground state [1,8- and 1,4-ROCH2NpCH2*(D0)] were excited to the excited states [1,8- and 1,4-ROCH2NpCH2*(D(n))] using the third 355-nm laser during the three-color three-laser flash photolysis at room temperature. It was revealed that acenaphthene was produced as the final product during the stepwise C-O bond cleavages of 1,8-(BPOCH2)2Np and 1,8-(PhOCH2)2Np. This is a successful example of stepwise cleavage of two equivalent C-O bonds in a molecule using the three-color three-laser photolysis method.     

C-O bond cleavage of benzophenone substituted by 4-CH2OR (R = C6H5 and CH3) with stepwise two-photon excitation

The C-O bond cleavage from benzophenone substituted with 4-CH2OR (p-BPCH2OR, 1-3), such as p-phenoxymethylbenzophenone (1, R= C6H5) and p-methoxymethylbenzophenone (2, R= CH3), occurred by a stepwise two-photon excitation during two-color, two-laser flash photolysis. On the other hand, no C-O bond cleavage occurred from p-hydroxymethylbenzophenone (3, R = H). The first 355-nm laser excitation of 1-3 generates p-BPCH2OR in the lowest triplet excited state (T1) which has an absorption at 532 nm. When p-BPCH2OR(T1) is excited with the second 532-nm laser to p-BPCH2OR in the higher triplet excited state (T(n)), the C-O bond cleavage occurred within the laser flash duration of 5 ns. The quantum yields of the C-O bond cleavage during the second 532-nm laser irradiation were found to be 0.015 +/- 0.007 and 0.007 +/- 0.003 for 1 and 2, respectively. Although these values are low, the diminishing 1(T1) or 2(T1) was found to convert, in almost 100% yield, to phenoxyl (C6H5O*) and p-benzoylbenzyl (BPCH2*) radicals or methoxyl (CH3O*) and BPCH2* radicals, respectively. The T(n) excitation energy, the energy barrier along the potential surface between the T(n) states and product radicals, and delocalization of the T(n) state molecular orbital including BP and CH2OR (R = C6H5, CH3, H) moieties are important factors for the occurrence of the C-O bond cleavage. It is found that the C-O bond cleavage and production of free radicals, such as BPCH2*, C6H5O*, and CH3O*, can be performed by a stepwise two-photon excitation. The present study is an example in which the chemical reactions can be selectively initiated from the T(n) state but not from the S1 and T1 states.     

Tandem transesterification and intramolecular cycloaddition of alpha-methoxycarbonylnitrones with chiral acyclic allyl alcohols: systematic studies on the factors affecting diastereofacial selectivity of the cycloaddition

Factors affecting the stereochemical course of the intramolecular cycloaddition of intermediary alpha-allyloxycarbonylnitrone resulting from transesterification of alpha-methoxycarbonylnitrones 1a-d with chiral allyl alcohols 5 or 6 were investigated systematically. It was found that the factors of diastereofacial selection are highly dependent on the geometries of the allyl alcohols. In the cases where primary or secondary chiral (Z)-allyl alcohols are used, A(1,3)-strain arising from the chiralities in the (Z)-nitrone transition states of the intramolecular cycloaddtion is the most important factor. In contrast, in the case of the reaction using chiral nitrones 1c,d and (E)-allyl alcohols, steric interaction between the chiral N-substituent and the trans substituent of the olefin moiety in the intermediate is dominant. These aspects were applied to geometry-differentiated cycloaddition using a mixture of (E)-5 and (Z)-5. As a typical example, treatment of bulky 1b with a 1:1 mixture of (E)-5 and (Z)-5 in the presence of a catalytic amount of TiCl(4) and MS 4A gave 7b as the predominant product among four possible products.     

Formal hydrochromination of alkynes under nickel catalysis. Regioselective reductive coupling of alkynes and aldehydes leading to allylic alcohols

Formal hydrochromation of an alkyne leading to a 1-substituted ethenylchromium reagent is accomplished by addition of the alkyne and water to a mixture of low-valent chromium(II), a catalytic amount of nickel(II), and triphenylphosphine in DMF.     

Lipoproteins modulate growth and differentiation of cultured human epidermal keratinocytes

The effects of various lipoproteins on the growth and the differentiation of cultured normal human keratinocytes were investigated. Primary cultures of human epidermal keratinocytes were obtained from neonatal foreskin, and then added with lipoproteins, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL). Cell growth potential was examined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. VLDL and LDL enhanced keratinocytes growth and LDL receptor expression at the plasma membrane level. These effects were more remarkably observed in cells cultured with VLDL than in cells cultured with LDL. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) was highly increased in VLDL treated cells. These results suggest that VLDL binds with high affinity to cell surface receptors and induces cell proliferation.     

Mössbauer study of the FeV2O4---Fe3O4 system

Mössbauer spectra of the Fe_1+xV_2−xO₄ spinel solid solutions are taken to investigate the cation distribution. Room temperature spectra can be interpreted by assuming that the cation distribution is represented approximately as Fe²⁺[Fe³⁺_xV³⁺_2−x]O₄ for 0 x 0.35 and Fe³⁺[Fe²⁺Fe³⁺_x−1V³⁺_2−x]O₄ for 1 x 2 and the ionic valence arrangement changes from the 2-3-3 type (Fe²⁺[Fe³⁺_xV³⁺_2−x]O₄) to the 3-2-3 one (Fe³⁺[Fe²⁺V³⁺]O₄) in the range 0.35 x 1. Fe₂VO₄ is found to be 3-2-3 spinel, Fe³⁺[Fe²⁺V³⁺]O₄. Its paramagnetic spectrum at 473°K is, however, composed of a broad single line with isomer shift value of 0.61 mm/sec relative to stainless steel, in which the line splitting due to the ferric and ferrous ions is rendered indistinguishable.     

Solute retention and the states of water in polyethylene glycol and poly(vinyl alcohol) gels

The states of water sorbed in a cross-linked polyethylene glycol (PEG) gel, TSKgel Ether-250, and cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gels of different pore sizes, TSKgel Toyopearl HW-40S, 50S, 55S and 75S, were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was found that there were three types of water in these hydrogels, non-freezing water, freezable bound water and free water. The amount of water that functions as the stationary phase in the column packed with the each gel was also estimated by a liquid chromatographic method. The estimated amount of the stationary phase water is in good agreement with the sum of the amount of non-freezing water and that of freezable bound water for HW-40S, 50S and 55S, while it agrees with the amount of only non-freezing water for HW-75S and Ether-250. This means that the stationary phase water consists of non-freezing water and freezable bound water for HW-40S, 50S and 55S, while only non-freezing water functions as the stationary phase in HW-75S and Ether-250 gels. This result can be attributed to the difference in the structure of the gels; the PVA gels containing PVA at relatively high concentrations, HW-40S, 50S and 55S, have a homogeneous gel phase, whereas HW-75S and Ether-250 have a heterogeneous gel phase consisting hydrated polymer domains and macropores with relatively hydrophobic surface. The freezable bound water in Toyopearl HW-40S, 50S and 55S can be regarded as a component of a homogeneous PVA solution phase, while that in HW-75S and Ether-250 may be water isolated in small pores of the hydrophobic domains. The results obtained by the investigation on the retention selectivity of these hydrogels in aqueous solutions supported our postulated view on the structures of the hydrogels.     

Asymmetric synthesis of macrocyclic binaphthol dimers using a Sonogashira coupling reaction

Asymmetric synthesis of 24- and 26-membered macrocyclic binaphthol dimers was achieved by assembling a 3,3′-diethynyl-1,1′-bi-2-naphthol unit and 1,2- and 1,3-phenylene units with Sonogashira coupling reaction.     

Differentiation of a pair of diastereomeric tertiarybutoxycarbonylprolylproline ethyl esters by collision-induced dissociation of sodium adduct ions in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and evidence for chiral recognition by ab initio molecular orbital calculations

The fragmentation of the sodium adduct ions for tert-butoxycarbonyl-L-prolyl-L-proline ethyl ester (Boc-L-Pro-L-Pro-OEt) was compared with that for Boc-D-Pro-L-Pro-OEt in positive-ion electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. In the collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra of the [M + Na](+) ions, the abundance of the [M + Na - C(CH(3))(3) + H](+) ion, which is due to the loss of a tert-butyl group from the [M + Na](+) ion for Boc-D-Pro-L-Pro-OEt, was about eight times higher than that for Boc-L-Pro-L-Pro-OEt. In addition, in the CID spectra of the sodium adduct fragment ion ([M + Na - Boc + H](+)), the abundance of the [M + Na - Boc - prolylresidue + H](+) ion, which is due to the loss of prolyl residue from the [M + Na - Boc + H](+) ion for Boc-L-Pro-L-Pro-OEt, was about five times higher than that for Boc-D-Pro-L-Pro-OEt. These results indicate that Boc-L-Pro-L-Pro-OEt was distinguished from Boc-D-Pro-L-Pro-OEt by the CID mass spectra of the sodium adduct ions in ESI mass spectrometry. The optimized geometries of the [M + Na](+) and the [M + Na - Boc + H](+) ions calculated by ab initio molecular orbital calculations suggest that the chiral recognition of these diastereomers was due to the difference of the orientation of a sodium ion to the oxygen and nitrogen atoms in dipeptide derivatives, and to the difference of the total energies between them.     

Chiral diaminophosphine ligands with stable C(aryl)N(amine) axial chirality derived from prolinol

New type chiral ligands 3, which have a chiral carbon center and stable C(aryl)-N(amine) axial chirality, were prepared from chiral prolinol-derived aminophosphine oxide 4. Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate (6) with a dimethyl malonate-BSA-LiOAc system was successfully carried out in the presence of 3d resulting in a good yield with good enantioselectivity (up to 95% ee).