Dynamic and 2D NMR studies on hydrogen-bonding aggregates of cholesterol in low-polarity organic solvents

Self-diffusion coefficients (D) are measured for normal (nondeuterated) and deuterated cholesterol-d(6) (C26 and C27 methyl groups deuterated) in 1-octanol, chloroform, and cyclohexane at concentrations of 1-700 mM by varying the impurity water concentration (>2 mM) and temperature (30-50 degrees C). The pulsed field gradient spin-echo (PGSE) (1)H and (2)H NMR were used, respectively, at 600 and 92 MHz. At 30 degrees C, the hydrodynamic radius (R) obtained at 20 mM from the D value and solvent viscosity is 5.09, 7.07, and 6.17 A, respectively, in 1-octanol, chloroform, and cyclohexane when the impurity water is negligible. The R value in 1-octanol is the smallest and comparable with the average length of the molecular axes for the cholesterol molecule. In 1-octanol, R is invariant against the concentration variation, whereas in chloroform, R is larger and increases almost linearly with cholesterol concentration. At the highest concentration, 700 mM, the R in chloroform is 13.5 and 16.7 A, respectively, when the impurity water is at negligible and saturated concentrations. The R value larger than that in hydrogen-bonding 1-octanol indicates that cholesterol forms an aggregate through hydrogen bonding. The aggregate structure is confirmed by comparing NOESY spectra in chloroform and 1-octanol. The NOESY analysis reveals the presence of one extra cross peak (C4-C19) in chloroform compared to 1-octanol. Because the carbon atoms related to the cross peak are close to the hydroxyl group (C3-OH), cholesterol molecules are considered to be not piled but are found to be OH-centered in the aggregate. This is supported also by larger rotational hydrodynamic radii measured on cholesterol deuterated at positions C2, C3, C4, and C6. This shows that the aggregate formation is driven by the hydrogen-bonding between cholesterol molecules.     

Hydroamination and hydroalkoxylation catalyzed by triflic acid. Parallels to reactions initiated with metal triflates

Intermolecular additions of the O-H bonds of phenols and alcohols and the N-H bonds of sulfonamides and benzamide to olefins catalyzed by 1 mol % of triflic acid and studies to define the relationship between these reactions and those catalyzed by metal triflates are reported. Cyclization of an alcohol containing pendant monosubstituted and trisubstituted olefins catalyzed by either triflic acid or metal triflates form products from addition to the more substituted olefin, and additions of tosylamide catalyzed by triflic acid or metal triflates form indistinguishable ratios of the two N-alkyl sulfonamides.     

Novel parallel reaction between a [1,5] sigmatropic alkylthio shift and a [1,5] sigmatropic hydrogen shift observed in a 2H-azepine ring

Although heating 2-methoxy-2H-azepine results in a [1,5] sigmatropic hydrogen shift, heating 2-propylthio-2H-azepine results in not only a [1,5] sigmatropic hydrogen shift but also a [1,5] sigmatropic propylthio shift. Kinetic measurements reveal that migratory aptitudes increase in the order of MeO < H, PrS. These [1,5] sigmatropic shifts are discussed on the basis of ab initio DFT calculations. [reaction: see text].     

Structures of tetrafluorocyclopropene, hexafluorocyclobutene, octafluorocyclopentene and related perfluoroalkene radical anions revealed by electron spin resonance spectroscopic and computational studies

Isotropic and anisotropic ESR spectra were observed for the radical anions of hexafluorocyclobutene (c-C(4)F(6)(-)), octafluorocyclopentene (c-C(5)F(8)(-)) and perfluoro-2-butene (CF(3)CF=CFCF(3)(-)) in gamma-irradiated plastically crystalline neopentane, tetramethylsilane (TMS) and TMS-d(12) matrices, or the rigid 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF) matrix. The isotropic spectra of c-C(4)F(6)(-) and c-C(5)F(8)(-) are characterized by three different sets of pairs of (19)F nuclei with the isotropic hyperfine (hf) splittings of 15.2 (2F), 6.5 (2F), 1.1 (2F) mT for c-C(4)F(6)(-) and 14.7 (2F), 7.4 (2F), 1.0 (2F) mT for c-C(5)F(8)(-). By comparison with the results of ab initio quantum chemical computations, the large triplet (19)F hf splittings of ca. 15 mT are assigned to the two fluorines attached to the C=C bond. The UHF, B3LYP and MP2 computations predict that the geometrical structures of the perfluoroalkenes are strongly distorted by one-electron reduction to form their radical anions; c-C(3)F(4)(-): C(2) symmetry ((2)A state) <-- C(2)(v) ((1)A(1)), c-C(4)F(6)(-): C(1) ((2)A) <-- C(2)(v) ((1)A(1)) and c-C(5)F(8)(-): C(1) ((2)A) <-- C(s) ((1)A'). The structural distortion arises from a mixing of the pi* and higher-lying sigma* orbitals at the C=C carbons similar to that previously found for CF(2)=CF(2)(-) with a C(2)(h) distortion. The isotropic (19)F hf splittings computed with the B3LYP method with 6-311+G(2df,p) basis set for the geometry optimized by the UHF and/or MP2 methods are within 6% error of the experimental values. The experimental anisotropic spectra of c-C(4)F(6)(-), c-C(5)F(8)(-) and CF(2)=CF(2)(-) were satisfactorily reproduced by the ESR spectral simulation method using the computed hf principal values and orientation of (19)F nuclei. In addition, the electronic excitation energies and oscillator strengths for the CF(2)=CF(2)(-), c-C(3)F(4)(-), c-C(4)F(6)(-) and c-C(5)F(8)(-) radical anions were computed for the first time by TD-DFT methods.     

Chromogenic indicator for anion reporting based on an N-substituted oxoporphyrinogen

5,10,15,20-Tetrakis-3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-oxocyclohexadienylidene porphyrinogen and its di-N-benzylated derivative are solvatochromic dyes capable of binding anionic species. The influence of solvent polarity and hydrogen bonding on their electronic absorption spectra was observed. Hydrogen bonding by the porphyrinogen amine protons of acetone solvent molecules could be observed in the solid state. The acetone solvate of N21N23-dibenzyl-5,10,15,20-tetrakis-3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-oxocyclohexadienylidene porphyrinogen crystallized under anhydrous conditions in the space group P with cell dimensions a = 12.1693(11) A, b = 17.5849(13) A, c = 21.0965(17) A, alpha = 69.870(4) degrees , beta = 78.140(4) degrees , gamma = 82.865(5) degrees . These porphyrinogens are capable of binding a variety of anions and can be used to distinguish fluoride chromogenically from the other halide anions. Solvatochromism was combined with anion binding in an attempt to provide more selective tests for anions. The anion binding properties were investigated using UV/vis spectrophotometry and 1H NMR spectroscopy.     

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.     

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.