Peierls mechanism of the metal-insulator transition in ferromagnetic hollandite K2Cr8O16

Synchrotron x-ray diffraction experiment shows that the metal-insulator transition occurring in a ferromagnetic state of a hollandite K(2)Cr(8)O(16) is accompanied by a structural distortion from the tetragonal I4/m to monoclinic P112(1)/a phase with a √2×√2×1 supercell. Detailed electronic structure calculations demonstrate that the metal-insulator transition is caused by a Peierls instability in the quasi-one-dimensional column structure made of four coupled Cr-O chains running in the c direction, leading to the formation of tetramers of Cr ions below the transition temperature. This provides a rare example of the Peierls transition of fully spin-polarized electron systems.     

Room Temperature Solution ENDOR of some Super Stable Fluorocarbon Radicals

Room temperature fluorine electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) has been successfully observed for several superstable fluorocarbon radicals ·C(C₂F₄R)(i-C₃F₇)₂ in solution. Three radicals were employed in which CF₃, F, and O-c-C₆F₁₀SO₃C₂F₅ were introduced as R, and all the hyperfine couplings (hfcs) obtained by ENDOR were assigned with the help of ESR simulation and ab initio MO calculation. In case of ·C(i-C₃F₇)₃ large ¹³C and considerable β-fluorine couplings suggest the nonplaner arrangement for the central and three carbons at the β-position, in spite of the fact that all the methyl fluorine show the same hfc. Therefore, a rapid puckering motion along the C₃ axis together with the methyl rotation should average the hfc’s of the 18 fluorine nuclei to give the same value. When one of the CF₃ groups is substituted with an F nucleus, the five CF₃ groups give two hfc values, suggesting some dynamics still exists for the molecular frame. When a large group, O-c-C₆F₁₀SO₃C₂F₅, is substituted for CF₃, all the five CF₃ groups become nonequivalent and the ENDOR signal becomes intensive and sharp even at 290 K, indicating that the molecular frame becomes rigid. The relation between the ENDOR spectra of these systems and the intramolecular dynamics is discussed.     

Synthesis of 7‐acetyloxy‐3,7‐dimethy1‐7,8‐dihydro‐6H‐isochromene‐6,8‐dione and its analogues

7‐Alkanoyloxy‐3,7‐dimefhyl‐7,8‐dihydro‐6H‐isochromene‐6,8‐diones 12‐15 were synthesized in 69‐16% yields from the reaction of 2,4‐dihydroxy‐3‐methyl‐6‐(2‐oxopropyl)benzaldehyde 11 with p‐toluenesulfonic acid in various carboxylic acids such as acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and heptanoic acid followed by oxidation with lead tetraacetate. On the other hand, (±)‐daldinin A 5 (oleate) was not obtained using oleic acid as a medium. In the cases of heptanoic acid and oleic acid, esters 16 and 17 were produced in 23 and 9% yields, respectively. 6,8‐Dihydroxy‐3,7‐dimethyl‐2‐benzopyrylium p‐toluenesulfonate 31 is considered as the intermediate for the production of 12‐15. Overall yields of isochromenes 12‐15 were 26‐6% starting from 2‐methylresorcinol for seven steps.     

Electrostatic energies stored in dipolar films and analysis of decaying process of a large surface potential of Alq3 films

The decaying process of a large surface potential of as-deposited Alq₃ film was analyzed with consideration of electrostatic energies stored in the film. The analysis includes the cooperative molecular field effect and it shows that the derived equilibrium condition of dipolar films with electron traps supports the concept of the alignment of Fermi-level of metal and surface Fermi-level of dipolar films. The potential decay of Alq₃ films on Al electrodes by photo-exposure is explained due to detrapping of trapped electrons that are immediately transported to the injected electrodes along with the disordering of polar structure of Alq₃ films.     

Fluorescence-based temperature sensing using erbium-doped optical fibers with 1.48 μm pumping

Temperature sensing using 1.54 μm fluorescence at the transition between the energy levels⁴I_15/2 (ground state) and⁴I_13/2 generated in an erbium-doped fiber with 1.48 μm pumping is proposed. The fluorescence has a peculiar spectral profile that possesses two peaks around 1.530 μm and 1.552 μm wavelengths. The temperature-dependent fluorescence is investigated in the temperature range between -50°C and 90°C. The power ratio between the two peaks increases with an increase in temperature. The sensitivity of the ratio is 0.007/°C on average in the measured temperature range. The total fluorescence power and the absorption loss at λ = 1480 nm in the fiber decrease as the temperature increases. Optical fiber temperature sensing immune from the fluctuation in pumping power can be performed using the peak power ratio and/or the absorption loss.     

Crystal Structure of the Isopropylzinc Alkoxide of Pyrimidyl Alkanol: Mechanistic Insights for Asymmetric Autocatalysis with Amplification of Enantiomeric Excess

Asymmetric amplification during self‐replication is a key feature that is used to explain the origin of homochirality. Asymmetric autocatalysis of pyrimidyl alkanol in the asymmetric addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine‐5‐carbaldehyde is a unique example of this phenomenon. Crystallization of zinc alkoxides of this 5‐pyrimidyl alkanol and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis of the alkoxide crystals reveal the existence of tetramer or higher oligomer structures in this asymmetric autocatalytic system.     

Identification and Purification of the CPD Photolyase in Vibrio parahaemolyticus RIMD2210633

Photoreactivation is an error‐free mechanism of DNA repair, utilized by prokaryotes and most eukaryotes and is catalyzed by specific enzymes called DNA photolyases. Photoreactivation has been reported in Vibrio parahaemolyticus WP28; however, information on photolyases in V. parahaemolyticus (V.p) strains has not been reported. This study examined the photoreactivation in V.p RIMD2210633. The photolyase responsible for repairing cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) in DNA was identified, and the corresponding gene was determined as VPA1471. The protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and was purified for functional assessment in vitro. The mRNA level and protein expression level of this gene increased after ultraviolet A (UVA) illumination following ultraviolet C (UVC) irradiation. In vitro experiments confirmed that the protein encoded by VPA1471 could reduce the quantity of CPD in DNA. We designated the corresponding gene and protein of VPA1471 phr and Phr, respectively, although the function of two other photolyase/cryptochrome family members, VPA0203 and VPA0204, remains unclear. UV (ultraviolet) irradiation experiments suggest that these two genes possess some photorepairing ability. Therefore, we hypothesize that VPA0203 and VPA0204 encode (6‐4) photolyase in V. parahaemolyticus RIMD2210633.     

The first total synthesis and structural determination of antibiotics K1115 B1s (alnumycins)

K1115 B₁, isolated from the broth of Streptomyces species, was found to be a mixture of stereoisomers. Authors synthesized all stereoisomers of K1115 B₁ by convergent synthesis coupling a rhamnose derivative, an isobenzofuranone, and a chiral tetraol. Comparison of ¹H NMR spectra and optical rotations made it clear that the absolute structures of K1115 B_1α (the major isomer) and K1115 B_1β (the minor isomer) were (1R, 17S)- and (1R, 17R)-configurations, respectively. The optical rotations of the stereoisomers revealed that alnumycin, reported as the identical structure with K1115 B₁, might be another mixture of stereoisomers.