UV-Vis, NMR, and time-resolved spectroscopy analysis of photoisomerization behavior of three- and six-azobenzene-bound tris(bipyridine)cobalt complexes

The photoisomerization properties of tris(bipyridine)cobalt complexes containing six or three azobenzene moieties, namely, [Co(II)(dmAB)3](BF4)2 [dmAB = 4,4'-bis[3'-(4'-tolylazo)phenyl]-2,2'-bipyridine], [Co(III)(dmAB)3](BF4)3, [Co(II)(mAB)3](BF4)2 [mAB = 4-[3' '-(4' '-tolylazo)phenyl]-2,2'-bipyridine], and [Co(III)(dmAB)3](BF4)3, derived from the effect of gathering azobenzenes in one molecule and the effect of the cobalt(II) or cobalt(III) ion were investigated using UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, femtosecond transient spectroscopy, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. In the photostationary state of these four complexes, nearly 50% of the trans-azobenzene moieties of the Co(II) complexes were converted to the cis isomer, and nearly 10% of the trans-azobenzene moieties of the Co(III) complexes isomerized to the cis isomer, implying that the cis isomer ratio in the photostationary state upon irradiation at 365 nm is controlled not by the number of azobenzene moieties in one molecule but rather by the oxidation state of the cobalt ions. The femtosecond transient absorption spectra of the ligands and the complexes suggested that the photoexcited states of the azobenzene moieties in the Co(III) complexes were strongly deactivated by electron transfer from the azobenzene moiety to the cobalt center to form an azobenzene radical cation and a Co(II) center. The cooperation among the photochemical structural changes of six azobenzene moieties in [Co(II)(dmAB)3](BF4)2 was investigated with 1H NMR spectroscopy. The time-course change in the 1H NMR signals of the methyl protons indicated that each azobenzene moiety in [Co(II)(dmAB)3](BF4)2 isomerized to a cis isomer with a random probability of 50% and without interactions among the azobenzene moieties.     

Efficient synthesis of 2-modified 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D3 with Julia olefination: high potency in induction of differentiation on HL-60 cells

Six novel 2-substituted analogues of 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3), 6a,b-8a,b, were efficiently synthesized utilizing (-)-quinic acid as the A-ring precursor. The C2-modified A-rings were prepared as 4-alkylated (3R,5R)-3,5-dihydroxycyclohexanones 12-15 from (-)-quinic acid based on radical allylation at the C4 position of methyl (-)-quinicate. The new type of the CD-ring coupling partner 23 was synthesized from 25-hydroxy Grundmann's ketone 19 to apply to the modified Julia olefination to construct a diene unit between the A-ring and the CD-ring. The coupling yields, including a deprotection step, were 47-62%. After the separation of the diastereomers based on C2 stereochemistry, the structure (2alpha or 2beta) was determined by (1)H NMR experiments and compared to DeLuca's 2-methyl- and 2-ethyl-1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3). Thus, the synthesized 2alpha-(3-hydroxypropyl)-1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3) (8a) showed almost the same potency in binding to the bovine thymus vitamin D receptor (VDR) as the natural hormone 1, while its beta-isomer 8b had only a 3% affinity. Both 2alpha-allyl- and 2alpha-propyl-1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3) (6a and 7a) and their 2beta-analogues (6b and 7b) possessed a weak affinity for the VDR. The strong VDR ligand 8a was ca. 36-fold more potent in induction of HL-60 cell differentiation than 1, and interestingly, even the weaker ligand 8b showed a 6.7-fold higher potency in the cell differentiation activity than that of 1.     

Reaction paths of some open-shell reactive intermediates

The intermolecular interaction energy for reacting systems in singlet, triplet and doublet states was partitioned by the perturbation expansion method into the chemically meaningful five interaction terms: the Coulomb, exchange-repulsion, induction, dispersion, and charge-transfer energies. In the local ZDO approximation, these energy terms were evaluated for the dimerization of methylenes (^1,3CH₂), the additions of carbenes (^1,3CH₂ and^1,3CF₂) as well as amino radicals (²NH₂ and²NF₂) toward ethylene, and the hydrogen abstractions by methylenes (^1,3CH₂), nitrene (³NH), and hydroxyl radical (²OH) from methane. It has been found that the reaction path is much influenced by the spinmultiplicity, and that the charge-transfer and exchange-repulsion terms play a dominant role in determining the course of reactions.     

Preparation of Sr2CeO4:Eu3+,Dy3+ white luminescence phosphor particles and thin films by using an emulsion liquid membrane system

Sr(2)CeO(4) and Sr(2)CeO(4):Eu(3+),Dy(3+) phosphor particles and thin films were prepared by using an emulsion liquid membrane (ELM, water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion) system, containing VA-10 (2-methyl-2-ethylheptanoic acid) as extractant (cation carrier). A two-step extraction enabled efficient extraction for Sr(3+) and rare earth ions, and the resulting precursor metal oxalate particles produced in the internal water phase of the ELM system were about 60 nm in diameter. Calcination of the oxalate particles in air gave submicrometer-sized Sr(2)CeO(4) and Sr(2)CeO(4):Eu(3+),Dy(3+) particles, which showed blue and white luminescence, respectively, by UV excitation. Blue and white luminescence phosphor thin films were also prepared by soaking alumina substrates into the W/O emulsion containing precursor oxalate particles, followed by calcination in air.     

Optical rotation inversion of porphyrin-DNA complexes

A porphyrin-DNA complex in which helical porphyrin assemblies were stacked as π-stacked aggregates on a DNA scaffold was found. The complex indicates the inversions of optical rotation by only the control of ionic equilibrium without any structural changes of DNA scaffold.     

Determination of sulfates of androsterone and epiandrosterone in human serum using isotope diluted liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry

A promising liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) for analysis of the sulfates of 5alpha-androgen, androsterone and epiandrosterone (A-S and EpiA-S) in human serum was developed. The method was used to assess one of the markers of 5alpha-reductase activity of males including patients with prostate cancer (PC). After deproteinization with acetonitrile, the androgen sulfates and the internal standard, [7,7,16,16-2H4]dehydroepiandrosterone-S, were extracted from human serum using a solid-phase extraction cartridge and washed with hexane. The extract was reconstituted and applied to the LC/ESI-MS system operated in the selected ion monitoring mode. The method was validated over the range 0.02-5 microg/mL (A-S) and 0.005-1.5 microg/mL (EpiA-S) using 10 microL of human serum. The method was a concise procedure without chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis of the conjugates, purification by high-performance liquid chromatography and/or derivatization, and proved to be satisfactory in its reproducibility and accuracy. The levels of these androgen sulfates tended to decrease during aging, and the A-S levels in the sera obtained from both healthy males and patients with PC were correlated with their EpiA-S levels.     

Rhodium-catalyzed synthesis of a C(3) disubstituted oxindole: an approach to diazonamide A

A two step synthesis of a C(3) disubstituted oxindoles via the rhodium(II)-catalyzed coupling of diazoketone (6) and 3-methyloxindole (9) is reported.     

Metal-containing initiator systems. IV. Polymerization of methyl methacrylate by systems of some activated metals and organic halides

A study of the polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by the binary systems of some activated metals and organic halides has been made. It was found that the initiator activities of these systems were greatly dependent on the kind and the preparation or activation method of the metals (i.e., oxidation potential, surface area, and purity), and also on the kind of organic halides (i.e., bond-dissociation energy of their carbon–halogen bonds). From the kinetic studies of the polymerization at 60°C with the system reduced nickel–carbon tetrachloride, the rate of polymerization was found to be proportional to the monomer concentration and to the square root of concentration of both nickel and carbon tetrachloride at the lower concentration range of carbon tetrachloride, indicating that the system induced the radical polymerization. A similar conclusion was also obtained from the copolymerization with styrene with this system at 60°C, i.e., the resulting copolymer composition curve was in agreement with that obtained with azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN). The apparent overall activation energy for the methyl methacrylate polymerization with this system was estimated to be 7.5 kcal/mole, which was considerably lower than that with AIBN. On the basis of the results obtained, an initiation mechanism for the polymerization with these initiator systems is presented and discussed.     

Synthesis of substituted polymethylenes by radical polymerization of alkyl N,N-dialkylfumaramates and maleamates: Relative reactivity of the isomers

Bulk polymerization of alkyl N,N-dialkylfumaramates (FAE) and maleamates (MAE) was performed in the presence of a radical initiator. It has been found that FAE is more reactive than MAE when the reactivity of the two geometrical isomers was compared for their homo- and copolymerizations. From investigation on the effect of ester and N-substituents of these monomers, it has been found that the isopropyl ester shows a higher reactivity than the methyl ester and that N-ethyl and n-butyl substitution gives polymers with high molecular weight of more than several thousands. The resulting substituted polymethylenes from FAE and MAE were characterized and compared with each other. The isomerization of MAE to FAE with morpholine as an isomerization catalyst and monomer-isomerization radical polymerization were also investigated.     

Dithiol-mediated immobilization of CdS nanoparticles from reverse micellar system onto Zn-doped silica particles and their high photocatalytic activity

Cds nanoparticles, prepared in a reverse micellar system, were immobilized directly onto alkanedithiol-modified Zn-doped silica particles, which were themselves prepared via hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate in the presence of Zn(NO(3))(2) followed by contact with dithiol molecules. The resulting CdS-Zn-SiO(2) composite was then used as a photocatalyst for the generation of H(2) from 2-propanol aqueous solution. Under UV irradiation (lambda>300 nm), a high photocatalytic activity was observed for the CdS-Zn-SiO(2) composite material. This is effected by electron transfer from the photoexcited ZnS (dithiol-bonded Zn on SiO(2)) to CdS nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity is increased with a decrease in the number of methylene groups in the dithiol molecules, according to the rank order 1,10-decanedithiol <1,6-hexanedithiol <1,2-ethanedithiol.