Tetracyanoethylene oxide not only oxidizes sulfides to sulfoxides but also reduces sulfoxides to sulfides

It was found that tetracyanoethylene oxide not only oxidizes sulfides to sulfoxides but also reduces sulfoxides to sulfides with generation of two molecules of carbonyl cyanide. The reaction thus also functions as a new method for generation of carbonyl cyanide.     

Structural confirmation of ostreocin-D by application of negative-ion fast-atom bombardment collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometric methods

Negative-ion fast-atom bombardment collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometric (FAB-CID-MS/MS) methodology was successfully applied to verify the highly complex structure of ostreocin-D (MW 2633), a new palytoxin analog isolated from the marine dinoflagellate Ostreopsis siamensis and proposed to be 42-hydroxy-3,26-didemethyl-19,44-dideoxypalytoxin based on NMR data. The charge-remote fragmentations were facilitated by a negative charge introduced to a terminal amino group or to a hydroxyl group at the other terminus by a reaction with 2-sulfobenzoic acid cyclic anhydride. Product ions generated from the [M - H](-) ions provided information on the structural details of ostreocin-D. Comparisons between the spectral data for ostreocin-D and palytoxin also provided a rational basis for the assignments of product ions.     

Synthesis and radical polymerization of spiro orthocarbonates bearing exomethylene groups

Synthesis and radical polymerization of spiro orthocarbonates (SOCs) bearing exomethylene groups at the α to the ether oxygen ( 1a–1e ) were studied. SOCs 1a–1e were prepared by the successive reactions of dichlorodiphenoxymethane with two different diols followed by dehydrochlorination. Radical polymerization of the SOCs was carried out in the presence of an appropriate initiator (3 mol % versus monomer) at 130 and 180°C. The obtained polymer insoluble in n-hexane contained both vinyl polymerization unit 13 and double ring-opening polymerization unit 14 (ketone-carbonates). The degree of ring-opening followed the order: 1a <1b < 1d, 1e . n-Hexane-insoluble polymer was not obtained in the polymerization of 1c . Both steric hindrance of methyl group and ring size affected the degree of ring-opening. The introduction of methyl group into SOC increased the degree of ring-opening ( 1a <1b ), whereas the degree of ring-opening of either 1d , consisting of six- and seven-membered rings, and 1e , consisting of two seven-membered rings, was higher than those of 1a and 1b , consisting of five and seven-membered rings. From the molecular orbital calculation (PM3, UHF method), it was concluded that if the first single ring-opening occurs, then the successive second ring-opening takes place more smoothly. The first ring-opening requires more energy than the vinyl polymerization does. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Grafting of polyesters onto carbon black. VI. Copolymerization of alkylene carbonate with cyclic acid anhydride initiated by alkali metal carboxylate groups on carbon black surface

The ring-opening copolymerization of alkylene carbonate with cyclic acid anhydride was found to be initiated by carbon black containing potassium carboxylate (COOK) groups to give an alternating polymer, i.e., polyester. The polyester was propagated from COOK groups and effectively grafted from carbon black surface: e.g., the grafting ratio of polyester from ethylene carbonate (EC) and phthalic anhydride (PAn) went up to over 100%. On the other hand, the initiating activity of alkali metal carboxylate groups increased, depending on the alkali metal countercation, in the following order: COOLi < COONa < COOK < COORb < COOCs. This order was in agreement with that of increasing electropositivity of the counteraction. The activation energy of the copolymerization of EC with PAn was determined to be 26.3 kcal/mol. The rate of the copolymerization was accelerated in an aprotic solvent such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. Furthermore, the effect of solvent and polymerization temperature on the grafting ratio of polyester was investigated.     

Retardation of radical polymerization rate by phenoxy radical produced from T-butylperoxy phenylcarbonate

T-butylperoxy phenylcarbonate (BPPC) was prepared. Its decomposition rate constant in cumene is given by k_d = 2.39 × 10¹⁵ exp(?17,300/T), where T is the absolute temperature. When BPPC decomposes to polymerize styrene at 100°C, it produces 12% phenoxy radical to total primary radicals. The phenoxy radical hardly adds to styrene and reacts the other primary radicals and polymer radical. Thus it retards the rate of polymerization.     

Radical polymerization of muconic acid and ethyl muconate

Muconic acid (Mu-acid) was found to polymerize to trans-1,4-poly(Mu-acid) with the use of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator. Similarly, a muconic acid derivative, ethyl muconate (EMu), was readily polymerized through a trans-1,4 addition mechanism by the use of a radical or anionic catalyst, but did not polymerize when a cationic catalyst such as boron trifluoride etherate was used. Moreover, the copolymerization of Mu-acid and EMu with various comonomers such as styrene, acryronitrile, and 2-vinylpyridine was carried out and Q–e values of Mu-acid and EMu are discussed. These substituted diene monomers always polymerized through trans-1,4 addition with all catalysts and any comonomers.     

Body temperature-responsive gels derived from hydroxypropylcellulose bearing lignin II: adsorption and release behavior

The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of hydroxypropylcellulose bearing lignin (HPC-L) prepared from unbleached pulp depends on the amount of residual lignin. An HPC-L gel having thermal properties reflective of original HPC-L was prepared using ethyleneglycol diglycidylether as a crosslinker, as previously reported [Uraki et al. (2004) Carbohydr. Polym. 58:123–130], and the volume transition temperature was detected as an endothermic peak by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The adsorption and release behavior of the guest molecules to/from this gel was then examined. When the adsorption of cationic and anionic guests was compared, cationic methylene blue (MB) was adsorbed in larger amounts than anionic methyl orange (MO). In addition, MB adsorption into the HPC-L gel was greater than MB adsorption into the HPC gel prepared from commercially available HPC. This suggests that residual lignin affects the adsorption of organic dyes. Significant differences were not observed with respect to the release of MB from HPC-L at 38 °C and lower temperatures. In the adsorption of surfactants, marked adsorption at around the critical micelle concentration of the ionic surfactants and gel swelling were observed. Such swelling did not occur in the aqueous nonionic surfactant solution, although the nonionic surfactant was adsorbed into the gel. Gel swelling may have been caused by the electrostatic repulsion of the ionic surfactants adsorbed onto the polymer chains within the gel structure.     

Theoretical study of Pt-Ng and Ng-Pt-Ng (Ng=Ar,Kr,Xe)

We have investigated the binding of noble-gas (Ng) atoms (Ng=Ar,Kr,Xe) with Pt atom by the ab initio coupled-cluster CCSD(T) method, taking into account the relativistic effects. It is shown that two Ng atoms can bind with Pt atom in linear geometry in the singlet lowest state where the second Ng atom attaches to Pt with the larger binding energy than the first Ng atom. The binding energy is evaluated as 8.2, 17.9, and 33.4 kcal/mol for Ar-Pt-Ar, Kr-Pt-Kr, and Xe-Pt-Xe, respectively, relative to the triplet ground state of the dissociation limit Pt ((3)D)+2Ng. The present results indicate that these Ng-Pt-Ng compounds are possible new gas-phase or matrix species.     

Metal dilution effects on the spin-crossover properties of the three-dimensional coordination polymer Fe(pyrazine)[Pt(CN)4

The 1A1 left arrow over right arrow 5T2 spin transition has been investigated in the solid solutions of Fe(x)M(1-x)(pyrazine)[Pt(CN)4] (M = Ni or Co, 0 < or = x < or = 1) having a three-dimensional polynuclear structure. Both Ni and Co dilutions tend to decrease the hysteresis width and smooth the transition curves. The enthalpy (entropy) change associated with the spin transition was found to decrease from 26 kJ mol(-1) (84 J K(-1) mol(-1)) for x = 1 to 12 kJ mol(-1) (47 J K(-1) mol(-1)) for 47% Co dilution and to 15 kJ mol(-1) (54 J K(-1) mol(-1)) for 59% Ni dilution. Raman spectroscopy revealed a mixed one- and two-mode behavior in the solid solutions. For the first time, a correlation between vibrational frequencies exhibiting one-mode behavior and the entropy change, which drives the spin crossover, is established.