Synthesis of optically active cobalt(salen) type complexes and their asymmetric reactivity toward propylene oxide

An optically active Co(I)(salen) type complex, lithium N,N′-bis(salicylaldehyde)-1(R), 2(R)-1,2-trans-cyclohexanediiminatocobalt(I), was prepared by reducing the Co^II complex, N,N′-bis(salicylaldehyde)-1(R),2(R)-1,2-trans-cyclohexanediiminatocobalt(II), with LiAlH₄. The structure of the Co^I complex was determined on the basis of the structure of the corresponding Co^II complex and was confirmed by usual physicochemical methods. Furthermore, characteristics of the absorption and circular dichroism(CD) spectra of the Co^I complex were compared with those of the reported structure of Na⁺[Co(I)(salen)]^?. Highly asymmetric selectivity was found in a resolution reaction of DL-propylene oxide by use of the above optically active lithium cobalt(I) complex as a catalyst.     

Monolayer properties of mixtures of poly(n-stearyl methacrylate), poly(n-lauryl methacrylate), and their corresponding copolymers

The monolayer properties of poly(n-stearyl methacrylate), poly(n-lauryl methacrylate), and their mixtures at various ratios of the two polymers have been studied from the measurements of their surface pressure–area isotherms at air–water interface. The monolayer properties of their mixtures have been compared with those of their corresponding copolymers. The results show that the isotherms of the mixed monolayers have two break points at higher pressures than that of poly(n-lauryl methacrylate). This suggests that the mixtures may form more stable films that consist of separate phases of the two homopolymers, although each phase may contain a small amount of the other. The isotherms of the copolymer monolayers indicate a phase transition from liquid condensed to solid film between 50 segment mole % and 70% poly(n-stearyl methacrylate). The monclayer of these copolymers has properties that differ from those of the corresponding mixtures of two pure homopolymers and is more compatible than the mixtures of pure homopolymers.     

Epsilon -N,N,N-trimethyllysine-specific ions in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-tandem mass spectrometry

Epsilon -N,N,N-trimethyllysine (K(me3)) is a component of a number of proteins and plays an important role in the expression of their biological functions. Trimethylation, which causes an incremental increase in mass of 42.0470 Da from that of the corresponding MH(+) ion, cannot be distinguished from the acetylation (+42.0106 Da), which also occurs on epsilon-amino groups of Lys or alpha-amino groups in many proteins, without high-accuracy mass measurement which is accurate to within the second decimal place. MALDI-MS and MS/MS have been applied for the analyses of post-translational modifications of histone H3, which is known to contain both multiple acetylation and methylation sites in its sequence. During the measurements of the modified peptides, a novel fragmentation which involves the loss of trimethylamine from K(me3) was found. This characteristic fragmentation, which was observed to produce ions separated by 59 Da from the conventional precursor ion or sequence ions, would be useful for probing K(me3) units in the sequence.     

Stereoselective syntheses of highly functionalized bicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes: a general methodology for the synthesis of potent and selective mGluR2/3 agonists

[Chemical reaction: See text] A Et3Al mediated intramolecular epoxide opening, cyclopropanation reaction is described. The transformation provided highly functionalized bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane systems in high efficiency and with perfect H or F endo selectivity. Application of this reaction to the synthesis of mGluR2/3 agonist 1 (43% overall yield) and a few intermediates suitable for the synthesis of other bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane mGluR2/3 agonists is discussed.     

Nigellamines A3, A4, A5, and C, new dolabellane-type diterpene alkaloids, with lipid metabolism-promoting activities from the Egyptian medicinal food black cumin

New dolabellane-type diterpene alkaloids, nigellamines A(3), A(4), A(5), and C, were isolated from the methanolic extract of an Egyptian medicinal food, black cumin (the seeds of Nigella sativa). Their absolute configurations were determined on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. Nigellamines were found to lower triglyceride levels in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes, and in particular, the activity of nigellamine A(5) was equivalent to that of the hypolipidemic agent, clofibrate.     

Production of endohedral 133Xe-fullerene by ion implantation

Ion implantation was applied to the production of endohedral ¹³³Xe-fullerene. Using an isotope separator, ¹³³Xe ions were implanted into a fullerene target of C₆₀ and C₇₀ produced by vacuum evaporation on a Ni backing. An HPLC analysis following dissolution of the fullerene targets in o-dichlorobenzene corroborated the formation of ¹³³Xe@C₆₀ and ¹³³Xe@C₇₀, showing a strong correlation between C₆₀/C₇₀ and ¹³³Xe. The observed tailing following ¹³³Xe peaks in the elution curves suggests a possibility of the isolation of endohedral ¹³³Xe-fullerene from empty fullerene.     

Synthesis and structural,electrochemical, and optical properties of Ru(II) complexes with azobis(2,2'-bipyridine)s

Two new ditopic ligands, 5,5"-azobis(2,2'-bipyridine) (5,5"-azo) and 5,5"-azoxybis(2,2'-bipyridine) (5,5"-azoxy), were prepared by the reduction of nitro precursors. Mononuclear and dinuclear Ru(II) complexes having one of these bridging ligands and 2,2'-bipyridine terminal ligands were also prepared, and their properties were compared with previously reported Ru(II) complexes having 4,4"-azobis(2,2'-bipyridine) (4,4"-azo). The X-ray crystal structure showed that 5,5"-azo adopts the trans conformation and a planar rodlike shape. The X-ray crystal structure of [(bpy)(2)Ru(5,5"-azo)Ru(bpy)(2)](PF(6))(4) (Ru(5,5"-azo)Ru) showed that the bridging ligand is in the trans conformation and nearly planar also in the complex and the metal-to-metal distance is 10.0 A. The azo or azoxy ligand in these complexes exhibits reduction processes at less negative potentials than the terminal bpy's due to the low-lying pi level. The electronic absorption spectra for the complexes having 5,5"-azo or 5,5"-azoxy exhibit an extended low-energy metal-to-ligand charge-transfer absorption. The ligands, 5,5"-azo and 5,5"-azoxy, and the mononuclear complex, [(bpy)(2)Ru(5,5"-azo)](2+), isomerize reversibly upon light irradiation. The low-energy MLCT state sensitizes the isomerization of the azo moiety in this complex. While [(bpy)(2)Ru(4,4"-azo)Ru(bpy)(2)](PF(6))(4) exhibits light switch properties, namely, significant electrochromism and a large luminescence enhancement, upon reduction, Ru(5,5"-azo)Ru does not show these properties. The radical anion formation upon reduction of these complexes has been confirmed by ESR spectroscopy.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed propargylic substitution reactions of propargylic alcohols with oxygen-, nitrogen-, and phosphorus-centered nucleophiles

The scope and limitations of the ruthenium-catalyzed propargylic substitution reaction of propargylic alcohols with heteroatom-centered nucleophiles are presented. Oxygen-, nitrogen-, and phosphorus-centered nucleophiles such as alcohols, amines, amides, and phosphine oxide are available for this catalytic reaction. Only the thiolate-bridged diruthenium complexes can work as catalysts for this reaction. Results of some stoichiometric and catalytic reactions indicate that the catalytic propargylic substitution reaction proceeds via an allenylidene complex formed in situ, whereby the attack of nucleophiles to the allenylidene C(gamma) atom is a key step. Investigation of the relative rate constants for the reaction of propargylic alcohols with several para-substituted anilines reveals that the attack of anilines on the allenylidene C(gamma) atom is not involved in the rate-determining step and rather the acidity of conjugated anilines of an alkynyl complex, which is formed after the attack of aniline on the C(gamma) atom, is considered to be the most important factor to determine the rate of this catalytic reaction. The key point to promote this catalytic reaction by using the thiolate-bridged diruthenium complexes is considered to be the ease of the ligand exchange step between a vinylidene ligand on the diruthenium complexes and another propargylic alcohol in the catalytic cycle. The reason why only the thiolate-bridged diruthenium complexes promote the ligand exchange step more easily with respect to other monoruthenium complexes in this catalytic reaction should be that one Ru moiety, which is not involved in the allenylidene formation, works as an electron pool or a mobile ligand to another Ru site. The catalytic procedure presented here provides a versatile, direct, and one-step method for propargylic substitution of propargylic alcohols in contrast to the so far well-known stoichiometric and stepwise Nicholas reaction.     

De novo design, synthesis, and function of semiartificial myoglobin conjugated with coiled-coil two-alpha-helix peptides

The introduction of a flavin chromophore on the myoglobin (Mb) surface and an effective electron-transfer (ET) reaction through the flavin were successfully achieved by utilizing the self-assembly of heterostranded coiled-coil peptides. We have prepared a semiartificial Mb, named Mb-1alphaK, in which an amphiphilic and cationic alpha-helix peptide is conjugated at the heme propionate (Heme-1alphaK). Heme-1alphaK has a covalently bound iron-protoporphyrin IX (heme) at the N terminus of a 1alphaK peptide sequence. This sequence was designed to form a heterostranded coiled-coil in the presence of a counterpart amphiphilic and anionic 1alphaE peptide sequence in a parallel orientation. Two peptides, Fla(1)-1alphaE and Fla(31)-1alphaE, both incorporating a 10-methylisoalloxazine moiety as an artificial flavin molecule, were also prepared (Fla=2-[7-(10-methyl)isoalloxazinyl]-2-oxoethyl). Heme-1alphaK was successfully inserted into apomyoglobin to give Mb-1alphaK. Mb-1alphaK recognized the flavin-modified peptides and a two-alpha-helix structure was formed. In addition, an efficient ET from reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to the heme center through the flavin unit was observed. The ET rate was faster in the presence of Fla(1)-1alphaE than in the presence of Fla(31)-1alphaE or the equivalent molecule that has no peptide chain. These results demonstrate that the introduction of a functional chromophore on the Mb surface can be achieved by using specific peptide-peptide interactions. Moreover, the dependence of the ET rate on the position of the flavin indicated that the distance between the heme active site and the flavin chromophore was regulated by the three-dimensional structure of the designed polypeptide.     

Geographical distribution of plutonium derived from the atomic bomb in the eastern area of Nagasaki

In order to know the distribution of plutonium derived from the Nagasaki atomic bomb, soil samples were measured to determine the ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu isotope ratio of and concentrations of ^239+240Pu and ¹³⁷Cs. The ^239+240Pu concentrations in soils, except for Nishiyama area, were close to the average concentration of soil collected in Japan. In soils collected at the Nishiyama area and at the eastern area of Nagasaki Prefecture and at part of northern area in Kumamoto Prefecture, the ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu ratios were lower than the global fallout values. This suggests that plutonium from the atomic bomb was deposited in the eastern area from the hypocenter reaching up to 100 km eastwards.