Synthesis of Δ1-carbapenem derivative by aldol condensation method

The Δ¹-carbapenem derivative($\text{6}$) was prepared by the aldol condensation of the dialdehydic compound($\text{5}$) with piperidinium acetate. Careful hydride reduction followed by benzoylation gave $\text{7}$b, which was successfully decarbalkoxylated to $\text{8}$. The X-ray structure analysis of $\text{8}$ showed the C-3 carboxylate group and C-5 H are $\text{cis}$ each other.     

Furopyridines. II. Bromination and nitration of furo[2,3-b]-, furo[3,2-b]-, furo[2,3-c]- and furo[3,2-c]pyridine

In order to reveal the reactivities of furopyridines, we undertook bromination and nitration of four furopyridines ( 1, 2, 3 and 4 ) whose chemical properties had been almost unknown. Bromination of 1, 2, 3 and 4 gave the corresponding trans-2,3-dibromo-2,3-dihydro derivatives 6, 8, 10 and 12 , respectively, which were converted to 3-bromofuropyridines 7, 9, 11 and 13 by treatment with sodium hydroxide in aqueous methanol. Nitration of 1 with a mixture of fuming nitric acid and sulfuric acid afforded a mixture of addition products 14a, 14b and 14c and 2-nitro derivative 15 . Both 14a and 14b were easily converted to 15 by treatment with sodium bicarbonate. Compound 2 was nitrated to give a mixture of cis- and trans-2-nitro-3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro derivative 16a and 16b and 2-nitro derivative 17 . The cis isomer 16a was transformed to the trans isomer 16b by refluxing on silica gel in ethyl acetate. Compound 16b was dehydrated with acetic anhydride to give 17 . Nitration of 3 gave a nitrolic acid derivative 20 . Nitration of 4 gave a mixture of 2-nitro derivative 22 and 3-(trinitromethyl)pyridin-4-ol ( 23 ). The structures of 20 and 23 were established by single crystal X-ray analysis. The differences of behavior observed in these reactions are discussed in connection with the results of the determination of pKa values and the relative reactivities of deuteriodeprotonation of these furopyridines.     

Enantioselective Acetalization by Dynamic Kinetic Resolution for the Synthesis of γ-Alkoxybutenolides by Thiourea/Quaternary Ammonium Salt Catalysts: Application to Strigolactones

Although acetalization is a fundamental transformation in organic synthesis, intermolecular asymmetric acetalization remains an unsolved problem. In this study, a thiourea-ammonium hybrid catalyst was shown to promote the O-alkylation of enols with a racemic γ-chlorobutenolide through dynamic kinetic resolution to give chiral acetals with good enantioselectivity. The catalyst simultaneously activates both the nucleophile and electrophile in a multifunctional manner. This method was applied to the asymmetric synthesis of several strigolactones. DFT calculations suggest that hydrogen-bonding interactions between the chlorine atom of the γ-chlorobutenolide and the tosylamide hydrogen atom of the catalyst, as well as other types of noncovalent catalyst–substrate interactions, are crucial for achieving high stereoselectivity.     

Anti-cell proliferation effect of naphthoquinone dimers isolated from Plumbago zeylanica

Study of the chemical constituents of the roots of Plumbago zeylanica L. collected in Taiwan led to the isolation and identification of a new naphthoquinone dimer, plumzeylanone (1), along with eight known compounds (2–9). Nine naphthoquinones isolated from this plant were assayed for cell growth inhibition activity using NALM-6 (human B cell precursor leukaemia), A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma), Colo205 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma) and KB (human epidermoid carcinoma). Plumzeylanone (1), a novel plumbagin dimer, suppressed cell proliferation in only NALM-6 cells (IC₅₀ 3.98 μM). However, maritinone (9) showed strong inhibition of cell growth in all cell lines tested (0.12 < IC₅₀ < 9.06 μM). This compound appeared to affect the cell cycle.     

X-ray irradiation effect of double walled carbon nanotube

We have studied double-walled carbon nanotube (DWNT) irradiated by soft X-ray by Raman scattering spectroscopy and the spectral characteristics are compared to single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) irradiated under the same condition. We proved that DWNT is more stable for the X-ray induced defect formation than SWNT. Moreover, we found that the outer tube of DWNT was more sensitive on X-ray irradiation than the inner tube. The defect was recovered by annealing in Ar at lower temperature than that of SWNT. Based on these results, we inferred that X-ray irradiation leads to formation of interstitial-vacancy pairs, Frenkel defects, in carbon nanotube. The interstitial-vacancy separation on the inner tube of DWNT is conceivably shorter than that of the outer tube.     

Damage mechanism of nickel-based creep-resistant alloys strengthened by the Laves phase at the grain boundary

ABSTRACT

This study proposes a design guideline for polycrystal Ni-based model alloys with high ductility and 100-MPa creep rupture strength beyond 800°C and 10^5?h. These alloys are strengthened by both the precipitation of fine γ′ particles inside the grain and the Laves phase at the grain boundary. For investigating the damage mechanism, transformation from the non-equilibrium Laves phase to the σ phase at the grain boundary and formation of the equilibrium needle-like Laves phase inside the grain are promoted by increasing the Fe concentration. The rupture time of Fe-free alloys significantly increases because of the equilibrium Laves phase at the grain boundary owing to a suitable Mo equivalent. In particular, W addition can help achieve high-temperature creep strength. The precipitate-free zone (PFZ) is predominantly formed by prior migration at the grain boundary without precipitation. Creep rupture occurs at the precipitation/matrix interface in the PFZ. Therefore, transformation control from the Laves to the σ phase at the grain boundary suppresses creep degradation. Consequently, a Ni-based alloy with strength >100?MPa and rupture elongation >20% at 800°C and 10^5?h is fabricated using Larson–Miller parameter conversion, and the alloy design guideline’s validity is confirmed.     

A method for generating single crystals that rely on internal fluid dynamics of microdroplets

The single crystallization method by focusing on the characteristic internal fluid dynamics of the microdroplets was explored. Also the theoretical background was discussed, and the droplet size for obtaining only a single crystal within a microdroplet was estimated.     

Practical Synthesis of Dendritic Hyperbranched Polyacrylates and Their Topological Block Polymers by Organotellurium-Mediated Emulsion Polymerization in Water**

The practical synthesis of structurally controlled hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) by organotellurium-mediated radical polymerization (TERP) in water under emulsion conditions is reported. Copolymerization of vinyltelluride named evolmer, which induces controlled branch structure, and acrylates with TERP chain transfer agent (CTA) in water afforded HBPs having dendron structure. The molecular weight, dispersity, branch number, and branch length of the HBPs were controlled by changing the amount of CTA, evolmer, and acrylate monomers. HB-poly(butyl acrylate)s (HBPBAs) with up to the 8^th generation having an average of 255 branches were successfully synthesized. As the monomer conversion reached nearly quantitative and the obtained polymer particles were well dispersed in water, the method is highly suitable for synthesizing topological block polymers, block polymers consisting of different topologies. Thus, linear-block-HB, HB-block-linear, and HB-block-HB-PBAs with the controlled structure were successfully synthesized by adding the second monomer(s) to the macro-CTA. The intrinsic viscosity of the resulting homo- and topological block PBAs was systematically controlled by the degree of the branch, the branch length, and the topology. Therefore, the method opens the possibility of obtaining various HBPs with diverse branch structures and tuning the polymer properties by the polymer topology.     

Single chirality extraction of single-wall carbon nanotubes for the encapsulation of organic molecules

The hollow inner spaces of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can confine various types of molecules. Many remarkable phenomena have been observed inside SWCNTs while encapsulating organic molecules (peapods). However, a mixed electronic structure state of the surrounding SWCNTs has impeded a detailed understanding of the physical/chemical properties of peapods and their device applications. We present a single-chirality purification method for SWCNTs that can encapsulate organic molecules. A single-chiral state of (11,10) SWCNTs with a diameter of 1.44 nm, which is large enough for molecular encapsulation, was obtained after a two-step purification method: metal-semiconductor sorting and cesium-chloride sorting. The encapsulation of C(60) to the (11,10) SWCNTs was also succeeded, promising a route toward single-chirality peapod devices.     

Doppler-free two-photon excitation spectroscopy and the Zeeman effects of the S1 1B1u(v21=1) <-- S0 1Ag(v=0) band of naphthalene-d8

Doppler-free two-photon excitation spectrum and the Zeeman effect of the S1 1B1u(v21=1) <-- S0 1Ag(v=0) transition of naphthalene-d8 have been measured. 908 lines of Q(Ka)Q(J)KaKc transition of J=0-41, Ka=0-20 were assigned, and the molecular constants of the S1 1B1u(v21=1) state were determined. Perturbations were observed, and those were identified as originating from Coriolis interaction. No perturbation originating from an interaction with triplet state was observed. The Zeeman splittings from lines of a given J were observed to increase with Kc, and those of the Kc=J levels increased linearly with J. The Zeeman effects are shown to be originating from the magnetic moment of the S1 1B1u state, which is along the c axis and is induced by mixing of the S2 1B3u state to the S1 1B1u state by J-L coupling. Rotationally resolved levels were found not to be mixed with a triplet state from the Zeeman spectra. Accordingly, it is concluded that nonradiative decay of an isolated naphthalene excited to low rovibronic levels in the S1 1B1u state does not occur through the intersystem mixing. This is at variance with generally accepted understanding of the pathways of the nonradiative decay.