Computational design of tetrahedral silsesquioxane-based porous frameworks with diamond-like structure as hydrogen storage materials

A novel type of three-dimensional (3D) tetrahedral silsesquioxane-based porous frameworks (TSFs) with diamond-like structure was computationally designed using the density functional theory (DFT) and classical molecular mechanics (MM) calculations. The hydrogen adsorption and diffusion properties of these TSFs were evaluated by the methods of grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results reveal that all designed materials possess extremely high porosity (87–93 %) and large H₂ accessible surface areas (5,268–6,544 m² g^?1). Impressively, the GCMC simulation results demonstrate that at 77 K and 100 bar, TSF-2 has the highest gravimetric H₂ capacity of 29.80 wt%, while TSF-1 has the highest volumetric H₂ uptake of 65.32 g L^?1. At the same time, the gravimetric H₂ uptake of TSF-2 can reach up to 4.28 wt% at the room temperature. The extraordinary performances of these TSF materials in hydrogen storage made them enter the rank of the top hydrogen storage materials so far.     

Two New Triterpene Saponins from Acanthophyllum laxiusculum

Two new triterpene glycosides, 1 and 2 , together with three known ones, were isolated from roots of Acanthophyllum laxiusculum Schiman ‐Czeika . The structures of the new compounds were established by extensive 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic experiments and MS analyses as 23‐O‐β‐D ‐galactopyranosylgypsogenic acid 28‐O‐{β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐6‐O‐[4‐carboxy‐3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐1‐oxobutyl]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)}‐[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranosyl ester ( 1 ) and gypsogenic acid 28‐O‐{β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐6‐O‐[4‐carboxy‐3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐1‐oxobutyl]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)}‐[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranosyl ester ( 2 ).     

Furostane‐Type Steroidal Saponins from the Roots of Chlorophytum borivilianum

Four new furostanol steroid saponins, borivilianosides A–D ( 1 – 4 , resp.), corresponding to (3β,5α,22R,25R)‐26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐22‐hydroxyfurostan‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 1 ), (3β,5α,22R,25R)‐ 26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐22‐methoxyfurostan‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 2 ), (3β,5α,22R,25R)‐26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐22‐methoxyfurostan‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 3 ), and (3β,5α,25R)‐26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)furost‐20(22)‐en‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 4 ), together with the known tribuluside A and (3β,5α,22R,25R)‐26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐22‐methoxyfurostan‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐O‐[β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)]‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside were isolated from the dried roots of Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant and Fern . Their structures were elucidated by 2D ‐NMR analyses (COSY, TOCSY, NOESY, HSQC, and HMBC) and mass spectrometry.     

Photo‐Induced Anomalous Deformation of Poly(N‐Isopropylacrylamide) Gel Hybridized with an Inorganic Nanosheet Liquid Crystal Aligned by Electric Field

Poly‐(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) hydrogel films doped with uniaxially aligned liquid crystalline (LC) nanosheets adsorbed with a dye are synthesized and its anomalous photothermal deformation is demonstrated. The alignment of the nanosheet LC at the cm‐scale is easily achieved by the application of an in‐plane or out‐of‐plane AC electric field during photo‐polymerization. A photoresponsive pattern is printable onto the gel with μm‐scale resolution by adsorption of the dye through a pattern‐holed silicone rubber. When the gel is irradiated with light, only the colored part is photothermally deformed. Interestingly, the photo‐irradiated gel shows temporal expansion along one direction followed by anisotropic shrinkage, which is an anomalous behavior for a conventional PNIPA gel.

     

Structure activity relationships of quinoxalin-2-one derivatives as platelet-derived growth factor-beta receptor (PDGFbeta R) inhibitors, derived from molecular modeling

We previously reported a quinoxalin-2-one compound (Compound 1) that had inhibitory activity equivalent to existing platelet-derived growth factor-beta receptor (PDGFbeta R) inhibitors. Lead optimization of Compound 1 to increase its activity and selectivity, using structural information regarding PDGFbeta R-ligand interactions, is urgently needed. Here we present models of the PDGFbeta R kinase domain complexed with quinoxalin-2-one derivatives. The models were constructed using comparative modeling, molecular dynamics (MD) and ligand docking. In particular, conformations derived from MD, and ligand binding site information presented by alpha-spheres in the pre-docking processing, allowed us to identify optimal protein structures for docking of target ligands. By carrying out molecular modeling and MD of PDGFbeta R in its inactive state, we obtained two structural models having good Compound 1 binding potentials. In order to distinguish the optimal candidate, we evaluated the structural activity relationships (SAR) between the ligand-binding free energies and inhibitory activity values (IC50 values) for available quinoxalin-2-one derivatives. Consequently, a final model with a high SAR was identified. This model included a molecular interaction between the hydrophobic pocket behind the ATP binding site and the substitution region of the quinoxalin-2-one derivatives. These findings should prove useful in lead optimization of quinoxalin-2-one derivatives as PDGFb R inhibitors.     

Orbital views of the electron transport in molecular devices

Extended pi-conjugated molecules are interesting materials that have been studied theoretically and experimentally with applications to conducting nanowire, memory, and diode in mind. Chemical understanding of electron transport properties in molecular junctions, in which two electrodes have weak contact with a pi-conjugated molecule, is presented in terms of the orbital concept. The phase and amplitude of the HOMO and LUMO of pi-conjugated molecules determine essential properties of the electron transport in them. The derived rule allows us to predict single molecules' essential transport properties, which significantly depend on the type of connection between a molecule and electrodes. Qualitative predictions based on frontier orbital analysis about the site-dependent electron transport in naphthalene, phenanthrene, and anthracene are compared with density functional theory calculations for the molecular junctions of their dithiolate derivatives, in which two gold electrodes have strong contact with a molecule through two Au-S bonds.     

Biosynthesis of Indole Diterpene Lolitrems: Radical‐Induced Cyclization of an Epoxyalcohol Affording a Characteristic Lolitremane Skeleton

Lolitrems are tremorgenic indole diterpenes that exhibit a unique 5/6 bicyclic system of the indole moiety. Although genetic analysis has indicated that the prenyltransferase LtmE and the cytochrome P450 LtmJ are involved in the construction of this unique structure, the detailed mechanism remains to be elucidated. Herein, we report the reconstitution of the biosynthetic pathway for lolitrems employing a recently established genome‐editing technique for the expression host Aspergillus oryzae. Heterologous expression and bioconversion of the various intermediates revealed that LtmJ catalyzes multistep oxidation to furnish the lolitrem core. We also isolated the key reaction intermediate with an epoxyalcohol moiety. This observation allowed us to establish the mechanism of radical‐induced cyclization, which was firmly supported by density functional theory calculations and a model experiment with a synthetic analogue.     

Silaboration of [1.1.1]Propellane: A Storable Feedstock for Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane Derivatives

The silaboration of [1.1.1]propellane enables direct introduction of B and Si functional groups onto the bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP) scaffold in high yield under mild, additive‐free conditions. The silaborated BCP can be obtained on a gram‐scale in a single step without the need for column‐chromatographic purification, and is storable and easy to handle, providing a versatile synthetic intermediate for BCP derivatives. We also describe various conversions of the C?B/C?Si bonds on the BCP scaffold, including development of a modified Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction at the highly sterically hindered bridgehead sp³ carbon center of the BCP skeleton using a combination of highly activated BCP boronic esters, copper(I) oxide, and a PdCl₂(dppf) catalyst system.     

FLAVIN-PHOTOSENSITIZED MONOMERIZATION OF DIMETHYLTHYMINE CYCLOBUTANE DIMER IN THE PRESENCE OF MAGNESIUM PERCHLORATE

We have investigated the photosensitized monomerization of the cis,syn -cyclobutane dimer of 1,3-di-methylthymine using riboflavin tetraacetate and a 5-deazaflavin derivative as photosensitizer. Although little monomerization of the dimer is induced by photoexcitation of the flavins in the absence of any additives, the flavins can function as an efficient photosensitizer in the presence of magnesium perchlorate. Mechanistic studies involving spectroscopic, quantum-yield and flash-photolysis measurements demonstrated that the photosensitized monomerization exclusively proceeds through electron transfer from the dimer to the triplet flavins complexed with Mg²⁺. The effects of magnesium perchlorate are compared with those on the chloranil-photosensitized monomerization and also with the effects of HClO₄ on the flavin-photosensitized reaction.