Total Syntheses of Juglorescein and Juglocombins A and B

Total syntheses of juglorescein and juglocombins A and B are reported. The highly oxygenated 6/6/5/6/6‐fused pentacyclic ring system of these natural products was constructed through a bioinspired dimerization of 1,4‐naphthoquinone. Notably, five new stereogenic centers were constructed in a single step by the dimerization reaction. The epoxide intermediate obtained from the dimerization was successfully converted into juglocombins A and B through photoinduced reduction of the epoxide, dehydration, and conversion of the resultant quinone into a hydroquinone derivative. The same epoxide intermediate was also converted into a dicarboxylic acid, which was transformed into juglorescein through intramolecular lactonization, hydrolysis of the resulting lactone, and removal of the protecting groups. Furthermore, the relative and absolute configurations of juglorescein and juglocombins A and B were determined.     

Sequence-selective visual recognition of nonprotected dipeptides

[structure: see text] A receptor 1 with phenolphthalein and two crown ethers in the molecule develops brilliant purple color in the presence of dipeptides with a specific amino acid-sequence containing a C-terminal lysine. This type of color development could be extended to the detection of oligopeptides of a specific sequence at the N-terminal such as scyliorhinin I and APP(770)(394-410).     

Polymerization of propylene with the [ArN(CH2)3NAr]TiCl2 (Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) complex using R3Al/Ph3CB(C6F5)4 (R = Me,Et, iBu) as cocatalyst

Polymerization of propylene was conducted at 0 ∼ 150°C with the [ArN(CH₂)₃NAr]TiCl₂ (Ar = 2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃) complex using a mixture of trialkylaluminium (AIR₃, R = methyl, ethyl and isobutyl) and Ph₃CB(C₆F₅₎₄ as cocatalyst. When AlMe₃ or AlEt₃ was employed, atactic polypropylene (PP) was selectively produced, whereas the use of Al(ⁱBu)₃ gave a mixture of atactic and isotactic PP. The isotactic index (I.I.; weight fraction of isotactic polymer) depended strongly upon the polymerization temperature, and the highest I.I. was obtained at ca. 40°C. The ¹³C NMR analysis of the isotactic polymer suggests that the isotactic polymerization proceeds by an enantiomorphic-site mechanism. It was also demonstrated that the present catalyst shows a very high regiospecificity.     

A Pulse Radiolysis Study of the Dynamics of Ascorbic Acid Free Radicals within a Liposomal Environment

The dynamics of free‐radical species in a model cellular system are examined by measuring the formation and decay of ascorbate radicals within a liposome with pulse radiolysis techniques. Upon pulse radiolysis of an N₂O‐saturated aqueous solution containing ascorbate‐loaded liposome vesicles, ascorbate radicals are formed by the reaction of OH^. radicals with ascorbate in unilamellar vesicles exclusively, irrespective of the presence of vesicle lipids. The radicals are found to decay rapidly compared with the decay kinetics in an aqueous solution. The distinct radical reaction kinetics in the vesicles and in bulk solution are characterized, and the kinetic data are analyzed.     

Influence of hydrothermal synthesis temperature on the redox and oxygen mobility properties of manganese oxides in the catalytic oxidation of toluene

A series of MnO_x samples synthesized by hydrothermal methods at different temperatures were investigated as catalysts for the oxidation of toluene. The optimum oxidation performance was achieved with the catalyst prepared at 120 °C (Mn-120), for which complete conversion of toluene was attained at 250 °C. The Mn-120 sample possessed the highest concentration of Mn³⁺ and the highest initial H₂ consumption rate, which are indicative of abundant crystal defects and superior reducibility. In addition, Mn-120 exhibited excellent oxidation ability due to the abundance of lattice oxygen species and excellent oxygen mobility. Therefore, the superior catalytic performance of Mn-120 could be attributed mainly to its redox performance and abundant crystal defects, both of which are determined by the temperature of the hydrothermal synthesis of MnO_x.

     

The '2+1' construction of homooxacalix[3]arenes possessing different substituents on their upper rims

Several homooxacalix[3]arenes possessing different substituents on their upper rims were synthesized in yields of 7-20% by a condensation reaction between the p-substituted-phenol dimer and monomer under acidic high-dilution conditions.