Self-diffusion of supercritical water in extremely low-density region

The self-diffusion coefficient D for super- and subcritical water is determined by using the proton pulsed-field-gradient spin echo method at high temperatures and low densities. The density of water is ranged in the steamlike region from 0.0041 to 0.0564 g [corrected] cm(-3) at a supercritical temperature of 400 degrees C, also at 0.0041-0.0079 and 0.0041-0.0462 g [corrected] cm(-3) (the steam-branch densities on the coexistence curve and lower) at 200 and 300 degrees C, respectively. The density is precisely determined on the basis of the PVT dependence of the proton chemical shift. The density-diffusivity products in the zero-density limit divided by the square root of the temperature, (rho D)0/square root of T, are 0.94, 1.17, and 1.35 mg m(-1) s(-1) K(-1/2) (mg=10(-3)g) [corrected] at 200, 300, and 400 degrees C, respectively. The (rhoD)0/square root of T obtained decreases with decreasing temperature and is significantly smaller than the temperature-independent value from the hard sphere model, 1.95 mg [corrected] m(-1) s(-1) K(-1/2). The marked temperature dependence reflects the presence of the strong attractive interaction between a pair of water molecules. The magnitude of the experimental D values and the temperature dependence are well reproduced by the molecular dynamics simulation using TIP4P-FQ model. The initial slope of the product rhoD/square root of T against rho is slightly negative at 300 and 400 [corrected] degrees C.     

Synthesis and some properties of binuclear ruthenocenes bridged by oligoynes: formation of bis(cyclopentadienylidene)cumulene diruthenium complexes in the two-electron oxidation

The monoynes [Rc*C[triple bond]CRc*] and [Rc'C[triple bond]CRc'] were obtained in improved yields using [Mo(CO)6]/2-FC6H5OH as a catalyst in the alkyne metathesis of [Rc*C[triple bond]CMe] and [Rc'C[triple bond]CMe], respectively (Rc = ruthenocenyl, Rc* = 1',2',3',4',5'-pentamethylruthenocenyl, and Rc' = 2',3',4',5'-tetramethylruthenocenyl groups). The diynes [Rc*(C[triple bond]C)2Rc*] and [Rc'(C[triple bond]C)2Rc'] were synthesized by the oxidative coupling of the corresponding terminal ethynes in good yields. The triyne [Rc*(C[triple bond]C)3Rc*] and the tetrayne [Rc*(C[triple bond]C)4Rc*] were prepared by the hetero- and homocoupling of [Rc*C[triple bond]CC[triple bond]CH], which was obtained from the reaction of [Rc*C[triple bond]CCHO] with Li[N2CSiMe3], respectively. Although the oxidation waves did not always exhibit a clear two-electron oxidation process, the oxidation potentials shifted to a lower potential with an increase in the number of methyl substituents on the ruthenocenyl ring, and shifted to a higher potential with the increase in the number of C[triple bond]C units; this result is in contrast to that found in the [Rc(CH=CH)(n)Rc] series. The chemical oxidation of [Rc'C[triple bond]CRc'] yielded a stable two-electron-oxidized species, the structure of which was confirmed by X-ray crystallography to be [Ru2(mu2-eta(6):eta(6)-C5Me4C=CC5Me4)(eta-C5H5)2](BF4)2. Changing the substituents (Rc, Rc*, and Rc') had no effect on the chemical oxidation, but in the case of the Rc' series the Me substituent increased the stability of the two-electron-oxidized species in solution. The diyne [Rc*(C[triple bond]C)2Rc*] and the triyne [Rc*(C[triple bond]C)3Rc*] also gave a similar but unstable two-electron-oxidized species. In acetone or acetonitrile, the two-electron-oxidized species of [Rc*C[triple bond]CRc*] and [Rc*(C[triple bond]C)2Rc*] gradually formed the corresponding bis(fulvene)-type complexes. This implies that the two-electron-oxidized species of [Rc*(C[triple bond]C)(n)Rc*] are destabilized with the increasing n.     

Enantioselective total synthesis and stereochemical revision of communiols E and F

The enantioselective total synthesis of candidate structures for communiols E and F, novel bicyclic polyketides of fungal origin, was accomplished using a Lewis acid-mediated ring closure reaction of an allylsilane intermediate as the key step. Comparison of the spectral data of the synthetic materials with those of natural communiols E and F, coupled with biosynthetic considerations, led to the conclusion that the stereochemistry of communiols E and F should be (2S,5S,7R, 8S,11R)- and (5S,7R,8S,11R)-forms, respectively.     

Anti-biofouling properties of polymers with a carboxybetaine moiety

The resistance of random copolymers of BMA and CMB against biofouling was evaluated. The amount of proteins adsorbed onto the CMB copolymers was smaller than that onto other polymers (non-ionic polymers and copolymers of ordinary ionic monomers and BMA) and decreased with an increase in the content of CMB residues. Furthermore, there was a dramatic decrease in the number of cells (platelets and fibroblasts) that adhered to the CMB copolymers compared with that to other polymers. In contrast with this, CMB copolymers were slightly perturbative to both complement and coagulation systems. However, the overall results suggest that zwitterionic moieties are effective for making polymer materials biocompatible due to their excellent anti-biofouling property.     

Effect of amount of hydrated water and mobility of hydrated poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) on denaturation of adsorbed fibrinogen

In this study, a blood-compatible polymer, poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA), was grafted onto a gold substrate with various grafting densities (σ) (σ = 0–0.18 chains nm⁻²), and the amount of hydrated water and mobility of the polymer chain interacting with water molecules were quantitatively evaluated using a quartz crystal microbalance with an admittance system. The amount of hydrated water decreased with increasing σ. By contrast, the mobility of the hydrated PMEA was maximum at σ ≈ 0.12 chains nm⁻², revealing that the amount of high-mobility water at σ = 0.12 was higher than that at other densities. The degree of denaturation of the adsorbed fibrinogen was evaluated based on the hydrodynamic water ratio and viscoelasticity, and was found to increase with increasing σ. The denaturation of adsorbed fibrinogen was suppressed when both the amount of hydrated water and the mobility of hydrated PMEA were high. This study demonstrates that the interfacial state of the polymer chains hydrated in water is important for blood compatibility.     

Morpholine-Substituted Rhodamine Analogue with Multi-Configurational Switches for Optical Sensing of pH Gradient under Extreme Acidic Environments

Superior pH-responsive molecules are required for the development of functional materials applicable to advanced molecular technologies. Despite having been widely developed, many rhodamine-based pH-responsive molecules exhibit a single configurational switch for “turn-on”. Herein, we report a new type of rhodamine-based pH-responsive molecule with multi-configurational switches displaying stable two-step structural and color conversion in response to pH. This rhodamine analogue could be successfully applied to optical sensing of pH gradient under extreme acidic environments both in solution and on hydrogel through high-contrast color change. We demonstrated that this multi-responsive character enabled optical memory of different pH information.     

Photoswitchable Chiral Organocatalysts: Photocontrol of Enantioselective Reactions

This study presents recent advances in photoswitchable chiral organocatalysts and their applications in the photomodulation of enantioselective reactions. Under irradiation with an appropriate wavelength of light, the E/Z-photoisomerization of the photoresponsive units on the catalysts leads to the control of the catalytic activity and/or selectivity of the enantioselective reactions. Additionally, this study elucidates the design, synthesis, and catalytic application of the fabricated azobenzene BINOL-based photoswitchable chiral phase-transfer catalysts. This account will provide insights into the appropriate design of a photoswitchable chiral organocatalyst that can achieve both good enantioselectivity and photocontrol.     

Irreversible Structural Phase Transition in [(9-triptycylammonium) ([18]crown-6)][Ni(dmit)2]: Origin and Effects on Electrical and Magnetic Properties

Materials exhibiting irreversible phase transitions, leading to changes in their properties, have a potential for novel application in electronic components such as a non-rewritable high-security memory. Here, we focused on the two salts, [(9-triptycylammonium)([18]crown-6)][Ni(dmit)₂] ( 1 ) and [(9-triptycylammonium)([15]crown-5)][Ni(dmit)₂] ( 2 ), which featured 2D sheet structures with alternately stacked cation and anion layers. Both salts exhibit similar cation arrangements, however, their anion arrangements differ significantly. The temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibilities of 1 and 2 were well reproduced by the alternating chain model (J_AC1/k_B=−306(8), J_AC2/k_B=−239(3) K) and the Curie-Weiss model (θ=−3.9(1) K), respectively. 1 experience a reversible phase transition around 40–60 K, causing anomalies in magnetic behavior. Moreover, an irreversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal phase transition to 1′ undergo at ~381 K, inducing a rearrangement of [Ni(dmit)₂]⁻ anions and a resistivity decrease from 6.5×10⁶ to 6.5×10² Ω cm. The susceptibility curve of 1′ was reproduced by a combination of the Curie-Weiss and dimer models (J_dimer/k_B=−407(5), θ=−26.7(5) K). The irreversible transition of 1 is the first example for such supramolecule and [Ni(dmit)₂]⁻ system to our knowledge, in opening potential new-type materials.     

Electron transfer of conjugated polymeric ferrocenes

This paper describes three topics on the π‐conjugated ferrocene oligomers and polymers; the first is the dependence of intervalence‐transfer bands for mixed‐valence oligo(1,1'‐dihexylferrocenylene)s on the oxidation number and the number of ferrocene units, the second is synthesis of azo‐bridged ferrocene oligomers and a polymer and electrochemical and optical analysis of internuclear electronic interactions in their mixed‐valence states and the third is synthesis, redox behaviors and electrodeposition of oligoferrocenylene‐modified gold clusters.     

Impedance Effect on Ion Transport in a Temperature‐Sensitive Gel Membrane

The impedance effect on the ion transport of lithium chloride through temperature‐ and pH‐sensitive gel membranes was investigated. Both conductance and loss tangent show a relatively high value at temperatures near the lower critical solution temperature (14°C), followed by an abrupt drop with a further rise in temperature. The Figure shows an example of changes in absolute complex conductance (Y ), real conductance (G ), and imaginary conductance (B) for a poly(acryloyl‐L ‐proline methyl ester) gel membrane.