Circular dichroism of copoly(γ-stearyl-L-glutamate–γ-methyl-L-glutamate)

Copoly(γ-stearly-L -glutamate-γ-methyl-L -glutamate)s with various compositions were synthesized by the ester exchange reaction of poly(γ-methyl-L -glutamate). Circular dichroism studies were carried out for solution and solid film as a function of the degree of stearylation and temperature. The slight and gradual temperature dependence of molecular ellipticity was observed for solution of all the copolyglutamates studied here and for the solid film of the copolyglutamate with the degree of stearylation of 16%, indicative of no reversal in the helix sense. However the remarkable change in negative molecular ellipticity with temperature was detected for the solid film of the copolyglutamate with a low degree of stearylation, e.g., 52%, whereas the drastic change in molecular ellipticity from a negative to positive value appeared for that with a higher degree of stearylation. This is discussed in terms of the reversal in the helix sense from a right- to left-handed α helix with the increase of temperature occurring at the melting temperature of the ordered side chain region.     

Reaction of an Introverted Carboxylic Acid with Carbodiimide

The reaction of carboxylic acids with carbodiimides is reviewed, and an ‘introverted’ carboxylic acid is proposed as a means of trapping reactive intermediates along the reaction pathway. The introverted acid is a cavitand with the carboxylic function directed toward the floor of the cavity. Its reaction with diisopropyl carbodiimide gives a covalent adduct that is either the elusive O-acylisourea or the commonly encountered N-acylurea.     

Folding Dynamics of 10‐Residue β‐Hairpin Peptide Chignolin

Short peptides that fold into β‐hairpins are ideal model systems for investigating the mechanism of protein folding because their folding process shows dynamics typical of proteins. We performed folding, unfolding, and refolding molecular dynamics simulations (total of 2.7 μs) of the 10‐residue β‐hairpin peptide chignolin, which is the smallest β‐hairpin structure known to be stable in solution. Our results revealed the folding mechanism of chignolin, which comprises three steps. First, the folding begins with hydrophobic assembly. It brings the main chain together; subsequently, a nascent turn structure is formed. The second step is the conversion of the nascent turn into a tight turn structure along with interconversion of the hydrophobic packing and interstrand hydrogen bonds. Finally, the formation of the hydrogen‐bond network and the complete hydrophobic core as well as the arrangement of side‐chain–side‐chain interactions occur at approximately the same time. This three‐step mechanism appropriately interprets the folding process as involving a combination of previous inconsistent explanations of the folding mechanism of the β‐hairpin, that the first event of the folding is formation of hydrogen bonds and the second is that of the hydrophobic core, or vice versa.     

Preparation of PAMAM- and PPI-metal (silver, platinum, and palladium) nanocomposites and their catalytic activities for reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Dendrimer-metal (silver, platinum, and palladium) nanocomposites are prepared in aqueous solutions containing poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers with surface amino groups (generations 3, 4, and 5) or poly(propyleneimine) (PPI) dendrimers with surface amino groups (generations 2, 3, and 4). The particle sizes of the metal nanoparticles obtained are almost independent of the generation as well as the concentration of the dendrimer for both the PAMAM and the PPI dendrimers; the average sizes of silver, platinum, and palladium nanoparticles are 5.6-7.5, 1.2-1.6, and 1.6-2.0 nm, respectively. It is suggested that the dendrimer-metal nanocomposites are formed by adsorbing the dendrimers on the metal nanoparticles. Studies of the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol by these nanocomposites show that the rate constants are very similar between PAMAM and PPI dendrimer-silver nanocomposites, whereas the rate constants for the PPI dendrimer-platinum and -palladium nanocomposites are greater than those for the corresponding PAMAM dendrimer nanocomposites. In addition, it is found that the rate constants for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol involving all the dendrimer-metal nanocomposites decrease with an increase in the dendrimer concentrations, and the catalytic activity of dendrimer-palladium nanocomposites is highest.     

High resolution images of Mo2C(0001)- structure by scanning tunneling microscopy

A C-terminated structure on Mo₂C(0001) was observed by scanning tunneling microscopy. The structure was observed as a honeycomb structure with dark depressions corresponding to C atoms which make up the lattice. High resolution imaging was possible at low tunneling resistance less than 1 MΩ. Each C atom appears as a shallow sombrero protrusion predicted by theoretical calculations of C atoms on a metal substrates. It is concluded that the C atoms occupied threefold hollow sites of the (1×1) Mo layer of the substrate and a model for the structure is proposed.     

Imaging of atomic-scale structure of oxide surfaces and adsorbed molecules by noncontact atomic force microscopy

Atom-resolved images of a TiO₂(110)-(1×1) surface and individual formate and acetate ions adsorbed on the surface were obtained by noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) in ultrahigh vacuum. In contrast to previous scanning tunneling microscopic studies imaging five-fold coordinated Ti atoms, outermost atoms of bridge-bound oxygen ridges of the surface were resolved as protruding rows by NC-AFM. High-resolution image of the surface revealed that the bridging oxygen atoms on terraces ordered in a (1×1) periodicity. Randomly distributed point and multiple defects of oxygen atoms were also imaged as dark spots. The (2×1) overlayer of formate and acetate ions were resolved as ordered bright spots. Dispersed formate ions at a low coverage were also observed as bright spots between the bridging oxygen ridges along the [001] direction.