Optimal control of ultrafast cis-trans photoisomerization of retinal in rhodopsin via a conical intersection

Optimal control simulation is applied to the cis-trans photoisomerization of retinal in rhodopsin within a two-dimensional, two-electronic-state model with a conical intersection [S. Hahn and G. Stock, J. Phys. Chem. B 104, 1146 (2000)]. For this case study, we investigate coherent control mechanisms, in which laser pulses work cooperatively with a conical intersection that acts as a "wave-packet cannon." Optimally designed pulses largely consist of shaping subpulses that prepare a wave packet, which is localized along a reaction coordinate and has little energy in the coupling mode, through multiple electronic transitions. This shaping process is shown to be essential for achieving a high target yield although the envelopes of the calculated pulses depend on the local topography of the potential-energy surfaces around the conical intersection and the choice of target. The control mechanisms are analyzed by considering the motion of reduced wave packets in a nuclear configuration space as well as by snapshots of probability current-density maps.     

Age-dependent variations of cell response to oxidative stress: proteomic approach to protein expression and phosphorylation

We investigated the protein profiles of variously aged rat astrocytes in response to oxidative stress. After H2O2-exposure of cells at 100 microM for 30 min, the relative intensity of ten protein spots changed on two-dimensional (2-D) gels compared with control gels after silver staining. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis after in-gel digestion revealed that six of these spots corresponded to three kinds of proteins, each of which was composed of a protein and its modified form with a different isoelectric point (pI). These three proteins were identified as peroxiredoxins (PRDXs) II and III, and calpactin I light chain (p11). H2O2-exposure increased the intensity of the spot with lower pI and simultaneously decreased that of the spot with higher pI for both PRDXs II and III. In addition, the expression of annexin VII, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, elongation factor II fragment (EF-II), and adenosine deaminase was increased by H2O2-exposure in astrocytes from variously aged rats. Using the Pro-Q Diamond staining, heat shock protein 60 kDa (Hsp 60) and alpha-tubulin were observed to be phosphorylated upon H2O2-exposure. While phosphorylation of alpha-tubulin was correlated positively with age, the changes in abundance of ten protein spots as described above were independent of age. These results suggest that aging does not suppress the responses aimed at limiting injury and promoting repair brought about by severe oxidative stress, and might affect cell dynamics including the formation of microtubules.     

Electrochemical control of CO/NO ligand exchange in a triruthenium cluster monolayer assembled on a gold electrode surface

A highly selective ligand exchange reaction is realized in the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of a triruthenium cluster on a gold electrode surface under precise electrochemical potential control. CO as well as NO molecules, which are known to play key roles in many chemical, biological, and environmental systems, can be efficiently introduced into the SAM by electrochemically tuning the electronic state of the Ru site. These unique surface reactions are more convenient and efficient than conventional ligand exchange reactions in solution and could be used for the elucidation of the electron-transfer mechanism in a biological system as well as in the development of molecular sensors and devices.     

Double tracer whole body autoradiography using a short-lived positron emitter and a long-lived beta emitter

We investigated glucose and amino acid metabolism in tumors and other organs using whole body autoradiography with a short-lived positron emitter and a long-lived beta emitter. The radioactive compounds used were 2-deoxy-2-[18F]-fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG) with a half life of 109.8 min and L-[methyl-14C]-methionine (14C-MET) with a half life of 5,730 years. A Donryu rat weighing about 150 g was subcutaneously inoculated at the back with experimental tumors of AH109A and AH272. 74 MBq (2 mCi) of 18F-FDG and 740 kBq (20 microCi) of 14C-MET was administered and after 30 min, the rat was sacrificed. Whole body frozen sections were obtained using autocryotome. For the 18F-FDG autoradiogram, the frozen sections were exposed to an X-ray film for 6 h. After seven days, these frozen sections were again exposed to 14C-MET for a week. Cross-contamination was minimized by adjusting the exposure time, the interval of exposures and the administered dose. The accumulation of the tracers was represented as the optical density ratio of the tissue of interest to the muscle. The tumor ratios were 12.5 for 18F-FDG and 8.6 for 14C-MET showing the highest accumulation in the whole body autoradiogram. In contrast the inflammatory tissue ratios were 1.27 for 18F-FDG and 0.77 for 14C-MET showing very low amino acid metabolism. With the present double tracer whole body autoradiogram, 18F-FDG accumulation was seen in the brain and the heart but not to the liver as against 14C-MET accumulation which was seen to the liver but not to the brain and the heart.     

Preparation and properties of SiO2-TiO2 thin films from silicic acid and titanium tetrachloride

The preparation of SiO₂-TiO₂ thin films by the sol-gel method using silicic acid and titanium tetrachloride as starting materials was studied. The homogeneous sols were obtained by the condensation reaction of silicic acid with titanium tetrachloride in methanol-tetrahydrofuran. The dipcoating of slide glasses and silicon wafers followed by heat treatment gave oxide thin films of 88–93% transmittance, 3000–4500 Å thickness, and 1.45–1.80 refractive index, depending on heat-treatment temperature and TiO₂ content. FT-IR measurement showed that the Si-O-Ti bond is formed even in the sol and films. The variations of film thickness and refractive index on transformation from the gels into the oxides were found to be quite low.     

Effects of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) concentration on the permeability of PEG-grafted liposomes

Poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted liposomes (PEG-liposomes) were prepared from dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) with various amounts of distearoyl-N-monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-succinyl-phosphatidylethanolamines (DSPE-PEG) with PEG molecular weights of 1000, 2000, 3000 and 5000. The effects of DSPE-PEG concentration on the permeability of PEG-liposomes were investigated using carboxyfluorescein (CF). In the gel state, the CF leakage from PEG-liposomes was decreased with increasing mole fractions of DSPE-PEG for all PEG molecular weights. In the liquid-crystalline state, the CF leakage from PEG-liposomes containing DSPE-PEG1000 gradually increased with increasing mole fractions of DSPE-PEG, while that of PEG-liposomes whose molecular weight in PEG units was above 2000 rapidly decreased by the addition of DSPE-PEG. Furthermore, no effect of PEG molecular weight on CF leakage was observed. The relationship between the fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) (or 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH)) and the mole fraction of DSPE-PEG for PEG-liposomes was also investigated. No significant changes in fluorescence polarization of DPH for liposomal bilayer membranes was observed in the gel and liquid-crystalline states due to the addition of DSPE-PEG, while that of TMA-DPH was decreased compared with that of liposomes without DSPE-PEG in both states.     

Determination of dispersive and nondispersive components of the surface free energy of glass fibers

The dispersive component _s ^d of the surface free energy of glass fibers and its interaction energy with alkanes, benzene, 1-nitropropane, ethyleneglycol, glycerol, formamide, and water were quantitatively determined by the tensiometric method within two liquids. The values of nondispersive interaction energy I _SL ^p were found to be a linear function of the square root of the nondispersive component of the surface free energy of liquids. This suggests that the nondispersive interaction energy may be represented by the geometric mean of the nondispersive component of the surface free energy of a solid and a liquid. The slope gave the nondispersive component _s ^p of the surface free energy. The _s ^p values are 33 and 14 mJ/m² for the untreated and aminosilane-treated fibers, respectively, suggesting that organophilic character has developed on the surface after aminosilane treatment. The _s ^p value was almost similar after the treatment, probably because of the polar characteristics of amino groups.     

Paterno-Buchi photocyclization of 2-siloxyfurans and carbonyl compounds. Notable substituent and carbonyl (Aldehyde vs ketone and singlet- vs triplet-excited state) effects on the regioselectivity (Double-bond selection) in the formation of bicyclic exo-oxetanes

Paterno-Buchi coupling, photochemical [2 + 2] cycloaddition, of carbonyl compounds 2a-f with 2-siloxyfurans 1a-d has been investigated in detail. The stereoselective formations of exo-oxetanes 3 and 4 were observed in high yields. The regioselectivity (double-bond selection, 3 vs 4) was found to be largely dependent upon the carbonyls, the substituents at the furan ring, and the excited state of the carbonyls (singlet vs triplet). The photoreaction of aldehydes 2a-c gave bicyclic exo-oxetanes 3 and 4 at regio-random, independent upon their excited states and the substituents at furan ring. However, the photoreaction of the triplet state of ketones 2d-f was found to give regioselectively exo-oxetanes 4, except for the 4-methyl-2-siloxyfurane 1d case. The singlet-excited state of acetone 2f gave both oxetanes 3 and 4 at regio-random. For the singlet-state photochemistry, the approach direction of the electrophilic oxygen of the excited carbonyls to the furan ring is proposed to be an important factor for the exo-stereoselection. The Griesbeck model can rationalize the regio- and exo-selective formation of oxetanes in the triplet-state photoreaction.     

New approaches in radical carbonylation chemistry: fluorous applications and designed tandem processes by species-hybridization with anions and transition metal species

New approaches in radical carbonylation chemistry are described. We have successfully integrated tin mediated radical carbonylation chemistry into modern fluorous applications and separation techniques. We revealed that radical carbonylation reactions can be performed using fluorous tin mediators, such as fluorous tin hydride and fluorous allyltin reagents. Fine tuning of the reaction conditions resulted in a good efficiency equivalent to conventional tin mediators. The tedious procedure of removing organotin byproducts can be circumvented through the use of fluorous/organic liquid-liquid extraction or fluorous liquid-solid phase extraction with fluorous reverse phase silica (FRPS). Also described are newly developed tandem carbonylation reactions that are based on species hybridization approaches. Using a radical/anionic hybrid system based on zinc-induced one-electron reduction, we achieved a three-component coupling reaction consisting of 4-alkenyl iodides, carbon monoxide, and electron-deficient alkenes. We observed two types of annulations processes, namely [4 + 1](radical)/[3 + 2](anionic) and [5 + 1](radical)/[3 + 2](anionic), which lead to the production of bicyclo[3.3.0]octanols and bicyclo[3.2.1]octanols, respectively. We found a radical/palladium hybrid system to be useful in the construction of new cyclic systems that incorporate two or three molecules of carbon monoxide.     

Trifluoromethyl‐Radical‐Mediated Carbonylation of Alkanes Leading to Ethynyl Ketones

The carbonylation of alkanes 1 under radical‐reaction conditions was examined by using ethynyl triflone A as the unimolecular chain‐transfer (UMCT) reagent. Good to moderate yields of ethynyl ketones 2 were prepared by means of this three‐component coupling reaction. Higher CO pressures as well as lower concentrations of triflone A improved the efficiency of the reaction over the direct addition, the latter leading to alkylated ethynes 3 . In contrast to the reaction with A , the reaction of cyclohexane ( 1a ) with allyl triflone B (= ethyl 2‐methylene‐3‐[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]propanoate) in the presence of CO gave a mixture of carbonylation products, including 8a formed from two molecules each of cyclohexane, CO, and allyl triflone B .