Crystal structure and spin state of Fe0.5Co0.5(NCS)2(bpa)2

Fe(NCS)₂(bpa)₂, Co(NCS)₂(bpa)₂, and Fe_0.5Co_0.5(NCS)₂(bpa)₂ were synthesized. X-ray structural analysis revealed that the structure was the same among the three complexes. Although the metal-ligand distance in the mixed crystals was shorter than the distance in Fe(NCS)₂(bpa)₂ and was similar to that in Co(NCS)₂(bpa)₂, the spin state remained temperature-independent Fe^II high-spin state in ⁵⁷Fe M?ssbauer spectra.     

Synthesis of maremycins A and D1 via cycloaddition of a nitrone with (E)-3-ethylidene-1-methylindolin-2-one

A concise synthesis of maremycins A and D1 has been accomplished via cycloaddition of a chiral cyclic nitrone with ( E)-3-ethylidene-1-methylindolin-2-one as a key step. This synthesis clarifies the stereochemistry of the maremycins and is suitable for large-scale synthesis for biological screening.     

Analysis on heat stress-induced hyperphosphorylation of stathmin at serine 37 in Jurkat cells by means of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and tandem mass spectrometry were successfully used for determination of a phosphorylation site of stathmin induced by heat stress to Jurkat cells of a human T lymphoblastic cell line. The cells were incubated for 30 min at 41 degrees C up to 45 degrees C in a serum free 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffered culture medium. The intracellular soluble proteins were separated by 2-DE, and some of the proteins increased their abundance by heat stress. Those proteins were identified to be calmodulin, protein kinase C substrate, thymosin beta-4 and F-actin capping protein beta-subunit by peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). On the contrary, protein phosphatase 2C gamma-isoform, nucleophosmin, translationally controlled tumor protein, Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor-1, eukaryotic translation initiation factors 5A and 3A subunit 2, ubiquitin-like protein SMT 3B and chloride intracellular channel protein-1 were decreased their abundance. A protein spot of M(r) 18,000 and pI 5.9 was markedly increased at temperatures higher than 43 degrees C at which the cells were led to apoptosis. The spot was identified to be stathmin of a signal relay protein which has a function of sequestering microtubule. MALDI-quadrupole ion trap (QIT)-TOF-MS/MS and immunoblotting with a monoclonal antibody specific for a phosphorylation site of stathmin showed that the spot was a phosphorylated stathmin at serine 37 (Ser 37). The phosphorylation was suppressed by treatment of cells with olomoucine of an inhibitor specific for cyclin dependent kinase (Cdk-1). These results strongly suggest that heat stress activates Cdk-1 which phosphorylates Ser 37 on the stathmin molecule. The phosphorylation may cause the functional loss of stathmin for dynamic microtubule assembly and leads Jurkat cells to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.     

Effects of dipole moment, linkers, and chromophores at side chains on long-range electron transfer through helical peptides

Octadecapeptides carrying a ferrocene moiety at the molecular terminal were self-assembled on gold, and long-range electron transfer from the ferrocene moiety to gold was investigated by electrochemical methods. Effects on electron transfer of dipole moment of helical peptides, linkers connecting the peptide to gold, and chromophores introduced into the side chains were discussed. Cyclic voltammetry of the monolayers in an aqueous solution revealed that long-range electron transfer over 40 A occurred along the peptide molecule. Chronoamperometry showed that the long-range electron transfer should be ascribed to a hopping mechanism with use of amide groups as hopping sites. Electron transfer through the long peptide was not significantly accelerated by the dipole moment. However, the linker remarkably affected electron transfer depending on whether it was a methylene chain or a phenylene group, suggesting that local electron transfer between gold and the peptides should be the slowest step to determine the overall rate. Pyrenyl groups introduced into the side chains in the middle of the peptide molecule did not noticeably change electron transfer, probably because pyrenyl groups were too distant to allow direct electron transfer between them. Electrostatic potential profiles across the peptide monolayers were also calculated to explain reasonably the several interesting features in the present peptide systems.     

Magnetic field effect on chemical compositions of spherical Fe/Co fine particles synthesized from a gaseous mixture of iron pentacarbonyl and cobalt tricarbonyl nitrosyl

Under UV light irradiation on a gaseous mixture of Fe(CO)₅ and Co(CO)₃NO, both the crystalline deposits with sizes of 5 and 18 μm and the spherical particles with a mean diameter of 0.3 μm were produced. From FT-IR spectra and SEM–EDS analysis, it was suggested that the chemical structure of the crystalline deposits was the one of Fe₂(CO)₉ being modified by involving Fe(CO)Co bond. By decreasing a partial pressure of Fe(CO)₅ to 0.5 Torr in the gaseous mixture, only the spherical aerosol particles could be produced. Chemical composition of the particles was rich in Co species. From the disappearance of bridging CO band in the FT-IR spectra of the particles and the appearance of CO bands coordinated to a metal atom, Fe atom in Fe(CO)₄ was suggested to be coordinated by the O atom in bridging CO bond in Co(CO)Co structure and/or in α-diketone structure which was formed from two CO groups in dicobalt species. Chemical compositions of the crystalline deposits and the spherical particles were influenced differently by the application of a magnetic field. Atomic ratio of Fe to Co atom decreased in the crystalline deposits whereas it increased in the spherical particles with increasing magnetic field up to 5 T. Linearly aggregated particles (i.e., particle wires) as long as 30 μm were produced on the front side of a glass plate placed at the bottom of the irradiation cell.     

New phlegmarane-type, cernuane-type, and quinolizidine alkaloids from two species of Lycopodium

Two new phlegmarane-type alkaloids, cermizines A (1) and B (2), three new quinolizidine alkaloids, cermizine C (3) and senepodines G (4) and H (5), and a new C₁₆N₂ type alkaloid consisting of a quinolizidine and a piperidine ring, cermizine D (6), as well as two new cernuane-type alkaloids, cernuine N-oxide (7) and lycocernuine N-oxide (8), have been isolated together with cernuine (9) and lycocernuine (10) from the club moss Lycopodium cernuum and L. chinense. The relative stereochemistry of 1-4 and 6, and the absolute stereochemistry of 5, 7, and 8 were elucidated by combination of NOESY correlations, modified Mosher's method, chemical transformations, and computational methods. Cermizine D (6) might be a biosynthetic intermediate of cernuane-type alkaloids such as 7-10.     

Disruption of reverse micelles and release of trapped ribonuclease A photochemically induced by Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative

Photoinduced disruption of a sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelle is triggered by a Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative (MGL). UV irradiation of MGL solubilized in an AOT-water-chloroform mixture creates a cationic surfactant that interacts electrostatically with the anionic AOT. We investigated the disruption of the reverse micelle by using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and found that UV irradiation of MGL decreases the number of water molecules solubilized in the interior of the AOT reverse micelles. Furthermore, the photoinduced disruption of the reverse micelle is shown to release ribonuclease A, which is trapped in the water in the interior of the AOT reverse micelle. This photoinduced release may offer a desirable transport system of biopolymers.     

FT-IR study of the stabilization reaction of polyacrylonitrile in the production of carbon fibers

The stabilized fibers prepared by heating PAN and a PAN copolymer in air and under reduced pressure have been examined by FT-IR spectroscopy in order to determine their chemical structures. Three kinds of reactions, cyclization, dehydrogenation, and oxygen uptake are found to occur almost simultaneously in the stabilization process in air by digital difference spectrum method. The effect of the comonomer is confirmed to accelate the dehydrogenation reaction and also the formation of acridone ring in the thermal stabilization in air by kinetic study.