Synthesis and characterization of ordered polyurethanes from nonsymmetric diisocyanate and ethylene glycol

An ordered polyurethane with a head‐to‐head (H‐H) or tail‐to‐tail (T‐T) content over 95% was prepared by polyaddition reaction of a nonsymmetric monomer, p‐isocyanatobenzyl isocyanate (1) with a symmetric monomer, ethylene glycol (2). The model reactions were studied in detail to demonstrate the feasibility of polymer formation. The polymerization was conducted in THF in the presence of triethylamine (TEA) at 0 °C by slow addition of a half amount of 2 to 1, followed by removing THF and then adding the rest of 2 in DMF at once at 30 °C in the presence of dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTL). The microstructure of the polymer obtained was investigated by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, and it was found that the polymer had the expected structural regularity. The constitutional regularity of polymers influenced their thermal properties. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2106–2114, 2000     

Enantiomeric Separation of Underivatized Aliphatic β-Amino Alcohols by Ligand-exchange Chromatography using N-n-Dodecyl-(1R,2S)-norephedrine as a Coating Reagent for Reversed-phase Column

Underivatized aliphatic β-amino alcohols with a primary or secondary alcohol moiety were separated into enantiomers by high performance liquid chromatography using octadecylsilanized silica coated with N-n-dodecyl-(1R,2S)-norephedrine as the stationary phase and an aqueous solution containing copper(II) and barbital as the mobile phase.     

A positive-working photosensitive alkaline-developable polyimide with a highly dimensional stability and low dielectric constant based on poly(amic acid) as a polyimide precursor and diazonaphthoquinone as a photosensitive compound

A positive-working photosensitive polyimide precursor based on fluorinated poly(amic acid) (FPAA) and 2,3,4-tris(1-oxo-2-diazonaphthoquinon-4-ylsulfonyloxy)benzophenone (D4SB) as a photosensitive compound has been developed. FPAA was prepared by ring-opening polyaddition of dianhydrides, pyromellitic dianhydride and biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride, with diamine, 2,2′-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine, in methanol. The FPAA film showed excellent transparency to UV light and good solubility in a wide range of organic solvents. The dissolution behavior of FPAA containing 30 wt % D4SB after exposure was studied, and it was found that the difference of dissolution rate between exposed and unexposed parts was enough to get high contrast due to the photochemical reaction of D4SB in the polymer film. The photosensitive fluorinated polyimide (FPI) precursor containing 30 wt % D4SB showed a sensitivity of 80 mJ cm⁻² and a contrast of 7.8 with 365 nm light when it was developed with 0.3% aqueous tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide solution at room temperature. The FPI film cured up to 360°C had a low coefficient of thermal expansion of 10.3 ppm °C⁻¹ and a low dielectric constant of 3.04. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. A Polym. Chem. 36: 2261–2267, 1998     

Synthesis of aliphatic polyimides containing adamantyl units

Aliphatic polyimides containing adamantyl units (APIs) were prepared by the poly(addition/condensation) of a dianhydride bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxylic 2,3 : 5,6-dianhydride with a rigid diamine, 1,3-diaminoadamantane or 3,3′-diamino-1,1′-biadamantyl, and a flexible diamine, 4,4′-methylenebis(cyclohexylamine) or 1,4-cyclohexanediamine. One-step polymerizations were conducted at 80–200°C in m-cresol, producing APIs with inherent viscosities up to 0.53 dL g⁻¹. These APIs are soluble in haloalkanes, m-cresol, and sulfuric acid and show high thermal stability and excellent transparency. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3584–3590, 1999     

Hydrogen-induced magnetic and structural transformations of GdCu

The magnetization of GdCu induced by hydrogen uptake was measured within the temperature range of 4.2 to 300 K, occurring phase changes were followed by X-ray diffraction measurements at ambient temperature. The prepared GdCu powder of CsCl-type structure readily absorbed hydrogen at ambient temperature, where hydrogen pressure was below 100 kPa. Hydrogenation changed the magnetism of GdCu in a complex manner from an antiferromagnetic-like type to a paramagnetic-like one. The changes in magnetic properties of GdCu by hydrogenation are governed by hydrogen-induced disproportionation. Within the composition range 0<[H]/[GdCu]<1, GdCu disproportionated according to 2GdCu+H₂→GdH₂+GdCu₂ . The magnetization was evaluated by the expression χ_total=(1-x)χ_GdCu+(x/2)(χ_GdH2+χ_GdCu2). GdCu hydride was not observed. Hydrogenation beyond [H]/[GdCu]>1 gave rise to the disproportionation of GdCu₂ causing the change in magnetization.     

Synthesis of a Sialic Acid Containing Complex‐Type N‐Glycan on a Solid Support

On solid ground : A new solid‐phase synthesis of N‐linked glycans featuring 1) highly stereoselective β‐mannosylation and microfluidic α‐sialylation and 2) efficient glycosylation of the N‐phenyltrifluoroacetimidate units on JandaJel resin is reported. Reagent concentration effects by a fluorous solvent are effectively applied, and the use of these methods results in the first synthesis of a sialic acid containing complex‐type N‐glycan on a solid support.

     

Solid-state 2H NMR structure of retinal in metarhodopsin I

The structural and photochemical changes in rhodopsin due to absorption of light are crucial for understanding the process of visual signaling. We investigated the structure of trans-retinal in the metarhodopsin I photointermediate (MI), where the retinylidene cofactor functions as an antagonist. Rhodopsin was regenerated using retinal that was (2)H-labeled at the C5, C9, or C13 methyl groups and was reconstituted with 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. Membranes were aligned by isopotential centrifugation, and rhodopsin in the supported bilayers was then bleached and cryotrapped in the MI state. Solid-state (2)H NMR spectra of oriented rhodopsin in the low-temperature lipid gel state were analyzed in terms of a static uniaxial distribution (Nevzorov, A. A.; Moltke, S.; Heyn, M. P.; Brown, M. F. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 7636-7643). The line shape analysis allowed us to obtain the methyl bond orientations relative to the membrane normal in the presence of substantial alignment disorder (mosaic spread). Relative orientations of the methyl groups were used to calculate effective torsional angles between the three different planes that represent the polyene chain and the beta-ionone ring of retinal. Assuming a three-plane model, a less distorted structure was found for retinal in MI compared to the dark state. Our results are pertinent to how photonic energy is channeled within the protein to allow the strained retinal conformation to relax, thereby forming the activated state of the receptor.     

Theoretical investigation of the stability of highly charged C60 molecules produced with intense near-infrared laser pulses

We theoretically investigated the stability of highly charged C(60) (z+) cations produced from C(60) with an ultrashort intense laser pulse of lambda approximately 1800 nm. We first calculated the equilibrium structures and vibrational frequencies of C(60) (z+) as well as C(60). We then calculated key energies relevant to dissociation of C(60) (z+), such as the excess vibrational energy acquired upon sudden tunnel ionization from C(60). By comparing the magnitudes of the calculated energies, we found that C(60) (z+) cations up to z approximately 12 can be produced as a stable or quasistable (microsecond-order lifetime) intact parent cation, in agreement with the recent experimental report by V. R. Bhardwaj et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 043001 (2004)] that almost only intact parent C(60) (z+) cations up to z=12 are detected by a mass spectrometer. The results of Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus calculation suggest that the lifetime of C(60) (z+) drastically decreases by ten orders of magnitude as z increases from z=11 to z=13. Using the time-dependent adiabatic state approach, we also investigated the vibrational excitation of C(60) and C(60) (z+) by an intense near-infrared pulse. The results indicate that large-amplitude vibration with energy of >10 eV is induced in the delocalized h(g)(1)-like mode of C(60) (z+).     

Structural and spectroscopic characterization of a diruthenium o-dioxolene complex possessing a singly occupied molecular orbital delocalized over the entire molecule, [Ru2(3,6-DTBDiox)4]-

Chemical oxidation of [Ru2(6+)(3,6-DTBCat)4]2- affords [n-Bu4N][Ru2(3,6-DTBDiox)4].acetone (2.acetone). The oxidized species was characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis and EPR, and the delocalization of the unpaired electron over the entire molecule was indicated. This example showed that the utilization of redox-active ligands into a Ru2 complex expanded the degree of freedom in the electronic structure. DFT calculations support this view, and the spin population was estimated to be approximately 18% and 82% for the Ru2 core and the four dioxolene ligands, respectively.