Hydrogen bond network formation

The signs of the dynamic dichroism of the NH stretch and the amide I bands in nylons were found to be counterintuitive. Experiments show that polymer chains tend to align in the direction of an applied tensile strain. The CH stretching bands in nylons exhibit the expected negative dynamic dichroism indicating chain alignment in the strain direction. The ΔA′ peaks for the NH and amide I bands are positive. The ΔA′ peak for the NH band is also unusual in that it has a derivative shape. This can be explained by band shifts brought about by anisotropic changes in the intermolecular spacing in the glassy polymer. Above T_g the derivative shape disappears but the ΔA′ peak for both the NH and amide I absorption remain positive. We postulate that the positive ΔA′ peaks of the NH and amide I bands result from a hydrogen bonding network where stress is transmitted through a network consisting of covalent chains connected by hydrogen bonds.     

Syntheses and properties of emissive iridium(III) complexes with tridentate benzimidazole derivatives

A series of novel emissive Ir(III) complexes having the coordination environments of [Ir(N--N--N)2]3+, [Ir(N--N--N)(N--N)Cl]2+, and [Ir(N--N--N)(N--C--N)]2+ with 2,6-bis(1-methyl-benzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine (L1, N--N--N), 1,3-bis(1-methyl-benzimidazol-2-yl)benzene (L2H, N--C--N), 4'-(4-methylphenyl)-2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine (ttpy, N--N--N), and 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy, N--N) have been synthesized and their photophysical and electrochemical properties studied. The Ir(III) complexes exhibited phosphorescent emissions in the 500-600 nm region, with lifetimes ranging from approximately 1-10 micros at 295 K. Analysis of the 0-0 energies and the redox potentials indicated that the lowest excited state of [Ir(L1)(L2)]2+ possessed the highest contribution of 3MLCT (MLCT = metal-to-ligand charge transfer) among the Ir(III) complexes, reflecting the sigma-donating ability of the tridentate ligand, ttpy < L1 < L2. The emission quantum yields (phi) of the Ir(III) complexes ranged from 0.037 to 0.19, and the highest phi value (0.19) was obtained for [Ir(L1)(bpy)Cl]2+. Radiative rate constants (k(r)) were 1.2 x 10(4) s(-1) for [Ir(ttpy)2]3+, 3.7 x 10(4) s(-1) for [Ir(L1)(bpy)Cl]2+, 3.8 x 10(4) s(-1) for [Ir(ttpy)(bpy)Cl]2+, 3.9 x 10(4) s(-1) for [Ir(L1)2]3+, and 6.6 x 10(4) s(-1) for [Ir(L1)(L2)]2+. The highest radiative rate for [Ir(L1)(L2)]2+ with the highest contribution of 3MLCT could be explained in terms of the singlet-triplet mixing induced by spin-orbit coupling of 5d electrons in the MLCT electronic configurations.     

Excitation-energy migration in self-assembled cyclic zinc(II)-porphyrin arrays: a close mimicry of a natural light-harvesting system

The excitation-energy-hopping (EEH) times within two-dimensional cyclic zinc(II)-porphyrin arrays 5 and 6, which were prepared by intermolecular coordination and ring-closing metathesis reaction of olefins, were deduced by modeling the EEH process based on the anisotropy depolarization as well as the exciton-exciton annihilation dynamics. Assuming the number of energy-hopping sites N = 5 and 6, the two different experimental observables, that is, anisotropy depolarization and exciton-excition annihilation times, consistently give the EEH times of 8.0 +/- 0.5 and 5.3 +/- 0.6 ps through the 1,3-phenylene linkages of 5 and 6, respectively. Accordingly, the self-assembled cyclic porphyrin arrays have proven to be well-defined two-dimensional models for natural light-harvesting complexes.     

Atomic XAFS as a tool to probe the electronic properties of supported noble metal nanoclusters

Atomic XAFS is a very attractive technique for probing electronic properties of supported metal nanoclusters. For platinum nanoparticles on different supports, the technique is found to be in good agreement with infrared CO adsorption measurements. The advantages of AXAFS, however, are that no probe molecule is required and that real-time measurements under reaction conditions are possible.     

DNA oligomers having a diazapyrenium dication (DAP2+); synthesis and DNA cleavage activities.

Aiming at the creation of functionalized antisense DNA oligomers possessing site-selective DNA cleaving activity, viologen and a related compound, diazapyrenium dication (DAP2+), were selected and introduced into oligodeoxyribonucleotides as a functionalized molecule. The conjugation of these functionalized molecules with DNA proceeded smoothly by using standard H-phosphonate chemistry. A part of the DAP(2+)-tethered DNA oligomers was synthesized by a combination of solid support method and liquid phase technique. Viologen-tethered DNA oligomers showed no significant activity toward DNA cleavage in spite of their characteristic ESR spectra. On the other hand, it was observed that the DAP(2+)-tethered DNA oligomers formed more stable duplexes with their complementary strands than the corresponding wild type, and these molecules effectively cleaved the complementary strands at the specific site of 2-3 bases away from the modified phosphoramidate linkage. The effect of position and length of the linker arm on the selectivity in the cleavage reaction was also investigated, and it was found that introduction at the 3'- or 5'-end phosphate site is more favorable, probably due to duplex stabilization.     

Novel syntheses of 2,3-dihydro-5H-1,4-benzoxathiepins and 1,2,3,5-tetrahydro-4,1-benzothiazepines

2,3-Dihydro-5H-1,4-benzoxathiepins were prepared by intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reactions of ethyl α-[2-(aryloxy)ethylthio]-α-chloroacetates or by acid-catalyzed cyclizations of ethyl α-[2-(aryloxy)ethylsulfinyl]-acetate. 1,2,3,5-Tetrahydro-4,1-benzothiazepines were similarly prepared.     

Determination of iodine in organic iodine compounds by non-equilibrium isotope exchange in a heterogeneous exchange system

Some water-soluble organic iodine compounds (aqueous solution) can be analyzed for iodine by isotopically exchanging with labelled elementary iodine (organic solution). The method is applicable to exchange systems in which the rate of the exchange is rather small but measurable, before the exchange equilibrium is attained. The iodine content of iodoaromatic amino acids such as 5-iodouracil and 3,5-diiodotyrosine can be determined within an error of ±4%.     

Charge-transfer interactions,exciplex formations and ionic dissociations in singlet oxygen reactions

Intermolecular perturbation and configuration interaction calculations have been carried out to elucidate the attacking modes of singlet molecular oxygen (¹O₂) to allyl olefins and electron-rich olefins, which are classified into four groups from their molecular structures. It is found: (1) that the attacking modes are dependent on the molecular structure of substrates ; (2) that the charge-transfer (CT) interactions between ¹O₂ and substrates are particularly important for the formation of exciplexes through which the ene and (2+2) reactions of ¹O₂ proceed ; and (3) that the CT energy levels are important in governing the fraction of ionic dissociation to produce Superoxide anion and the relative ratio between the (4+2) and (2+2) reactions of ¹O₂ with dienes, heterocycles and related species.     

Formation of Supramolecular Nanostructures through in Situ Self-Assembly and Post-Assembly Modification of a Biocatalytically Constructed Dipeptide Hydrazide**

Aqueous self-assembly of short peptides has attracted growing attention for the construction of supramolecular materials for various bioapplications. Herein, we describe how the thermolysin-assisted biocatalytic construction of a dipeptide hydrazide from an N-protected amino acid and an amino acid hydrazide leads to the formation of thermally stable supramolecular hydrogels. In addition, we demonstrate the post-assembly modification of the supramolecular architectures constructed in situ tethering hydrazide groups as a chemical handle by means of fluorescence imaging.     

Comparison between Abel test stability and thermal decomposition behavior of nitrocellulose

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Nitrocellulose (NC) is prone to spontaneous decomposition with exothermic heat release and thus is generally evaluated for stability during the storage...