Kinetic analysis of hydrolytic reaction of homo- and heterochiral adenylyl(3'-5')adenosine isomers: breaking homochirality reduces hydrolytic stability of RNA

The hydrolytic stability of the diastereomeric isomers of ApA was compared and the results show that heterochiral ApAs are more rapidly hydrolyzed than homochiral ApAs at low temperatures, suggesting that hydrolytic selection in cold environments in conjunction with selective polymerization may have been effective in enriching the homochirality of RNA.     

Computer-aided generation of IUPAC nomenclatures for acyclic compounds

Since the 1988 monograph Distance Geometry and Molecular Conformation by Crippen and Havel, there have been significant changes in the application of distance geometry to problems of chemical interest. This review attempts to outline what the current state of the art is, in both the underlying mathematical methods and chemical applications, and to indicate future developments. Rather than go into details concerning algorithms and theorems, the emphasis is on defining the kinds of problems we can solve or would like to, and then guiding the interested reader to the recent literature. Special emphasis is given to the problem of determining macromolecular conformation in solution by NMR, including energy functions, and dealing with conformational flexibility.     

Versatile approach to enantiopure 2,6-disubstituted piperidin-3-ol framework: application to the total synthesis of (+)-deoxoprosopinine

An efficient synthesis of enantiopure 2,6-disubstituted piperidin-3-ol 19 is developed featuring two key steps: (a). Julia olefination of (2R)-3-phenylsulfonyl-2-tert-butyloxycarbamoylpropanol benzyl ether 9B and (2R,3S)-2-tert-butyldiphenyl-3,4-O-isopropylidine-2,3,4-trihydroxybutyraldehyde 8 and (b). intramolecular N-alkylation. A straightforward asymmetric synthesis of (+)-deoxoprosopinine(2) from 19 is described demonstrating the versatility of this novel approach.     

Digital photoswitching of fluorescence based on the photochromism of diarylethene derivatives at a single-molecule level

Photochromic reactions of diarylethene derivatives were detected at a single-molecule level by using a fluorescence technique. Fluorescent photoswitching molecules in which photochromic diarylethene and fluorescent bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene units are linked through an adamantyl spacer were synthesized, and switching of fluorescence upon irradiation with UV and visible light was followed in solution as well as on polymer films at the single-molecule level. Although in solution the fluorescence intensity gradually changed upon irradiation with UV and visible light, digital on/off switching between two discrete states was observed at the single-molecule level. The "on"- and "off"-times were dependent on the power of UV and visible light. When the power of UV and visible light was increased, the average on- and off-times became short in proportion to the reciprocal power of the light. The response-times were found to show distribution. The distribution of the on- and off-times is considered to reflect the difference in the micro-environment as well as conformation of the molecules.     

Spectrophotometric measurement of uranium(VI)-tributylphosphate complex in supercritical carbon dioxide

UV-visible absorption spectra of uranium(VI)-tributylphosphate (U(VI)-TBP) complex dissolved in supercritical CO(2) at 40-60 degrees C and 100-250 kg cm(-2) were recorded. Wavelengths and molar extinction coefficients for the absorption peaks of U(VI)-TBP were determined and confirmed to be in good agreement with those of UO(2)(NO(3))(2)(TBP)(2) complex dissolved in organic solvents such as n-hexane. The absorbance at a given wavelength was proportional to the concentration of U(VI) species in supercritical CO(2), indicating a feasibility of in-situ determination of U(VI) concentration in CO(2) phase. A lower detection limit of U(VI)-TBP complex was estimated to be ca. 1x10(-3)M. The molar extinction coefficient of U(VI)-TBP in supercritical CO(2) decreased slightly with an increase of the density of CO(2) medium, suggesting that the solute-solvent interaction of U(VI)-TBP complex with CO(2) was affected by the density. On the basis of the spectra obtained, phase behavior and solubility of UO(2)(NO(3))(2)(TBP)(2)+H(NO(3))(TBP)+TBP in supercritical CO(2) were elucidated.     

Deposition of polymer latices on grafted Nylon 6 fiber

Deposition of polymer latices on a grafted Nylon 6 fiber was studied as a function of pH and the degree of grafting. The latices were polystyrene (PS), styrene/acrylamide copolymer (P(St/AAm)) and styrene/acrylic acid copolymer (P(St/AA)). The deposition of the latices on the grafted fiber decreased in every case with increasing pH and no deposition was observed at alkaline pH. The grafting of fiber with acrylic and methacrylic acid reduced the deposition of P(St/AAm) and P(St/AA) latices but had no influence on the deposition of PS latex. The relation between the deposition rates and the interaction energy at acidic pH indicates that the deposition of PS latex on the grafted fiber mainly depends on the electrostatic interaction. These results suggest that the expansion of water-soluble polyelectrolyte layer on the surface of grafted fiber plays an important role on the deposition.     

Syntheses, structures, and redox properties of dimeric triruthenium clusters bridged by bis(diphenylphosphino)acetylene and -ethylene

Reactions of oxo-centered triruthenium acetate complexes [Ru3O(OAc)6(py)2(CH3OH)](PF6) (py = pyridine, OAc = CH3COO-) (1) with nearly equimolar amounts of dppa [bis(diphenylphosphino)acetylene] or dppen [trans-1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethylene] gave [Ru3O(OAc)6(py)2(L)](PF6) (L = dppa, 2; dppen, 3). With 2.4 equiv of 1, the reactions provided diphosphine-linked triruthenium dimers, [[Ru3O(OAc)6(py)2]2(L)](PF6)2 (L = dppa, 4; L = dppen, 5), respectively. Similarly, the reactions of [Ru3O(OAc)6(L')2(MeOH)]+ [L' = dmap (4-(dimethylamino)pyridine), 1a; L' = abco (1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane), 1b] with dppen gave dppen-linked dimers, [[Ru3O(OAc)6(dmap)2]2(dppen)](SbF6)2 (6) and [[Ru3O(OAc)6(abco)2]2(dppen)](BF4)2 (7), respectively. The chemical reduction of 2, 4, and 5 by hydrazine afforded one- or two-electron-reduced, neutral products, Ru3O(OAc)6(py)2(dppa) (2a), [Ru3O(OAc)6(py)2]2(dppa) (4a), and [Ru3O(OAc)6(py)2]2(dppen) (5a), respectively. The complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, ES-MS, UV-vis, IR, and 31P NMR spectroscopies, and cyclic and differential-pulse voltammetries. The molecular structures of compounds 2, 4, 5, 5a, 6, and 7 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In 0.1 M (Bu4N)PF6-acetone, the monomers and dimers of triruthenium clusters show reversible and multistep redox responses. The two triruthenium cluster centers in dimers undergo stepwise reductions and oxidations due to the identical redox processes of the individual Ru3O cluster cores, suggesting the presence of electronic communications between them through the conjugated diphosphine spacer. The redox wave splitting mediated by dppa containing an ethynyl group (C triple bond C) is found to be more extensive than that by dppen containing an ethenyl (C=C) one. It appears that the redox wave splitting is enhanced by the introduction of electron-donating substituents on the auxiliary pyridine rings.     

Highly regioselective diels-alder reactions of 2-trimethylsilylmethyl- 1,3-butadiene catalyzed by a lewis acid and applications to syntheses of terpenes

2-Trimethylsilylmethyl-1,3-butadiene undergoes highly regioselective Diels-Alder reactions with dienophiles such as acrolein and methyl vinyl ketone catalyzed by aluminum chloride in which the “para” isomers are obtained almost exclusively. The adducts are converted readily to a variety of naturally occurring mono and sesquiterpenes.     

Synthesis and properties of new polyimides containing flourinated alkoxy side chains

A series of new polyimides containing fluorinated alkoxy side chains are prepared from novel fluorinated alkoxy diamines. The dieletric constant at 1 kHz in the fluorinated polyimides decreases from 3.3 to 2.6 as fluorine content increases. The refractive index also changes from 1.58 to 1.48, dependent on the fluorine content. In addition, the fluorinated polyimides exhibit lower water absorption than the reference polyimides prepared from m-phenylenediamine.     

Complexation of metal ion with poly(1-vinylimidazole) resin prepared by radiation-induced polymerization with template metal ion

Poly(1-vinylimidazole) (PVI) resin was prepared with Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, or Zn²⁺ as a template to study the adsorption of metal ions. The metal-1-vinylimidazole complex was copolymerized and crosslinked with 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone by γ-ray irradiation and the template metal ion was removed by treating the polymer complex with an acid. These PVI resins adsorbed metal ions more effectively than the PVI resin prepared without the template. The number of adsorption sites (As) and the stability constant (K) of Ni²⁺ complex were larger for the PVI resin prepared with the Ni ion template, caused by the smaller dissociation rate constant of Ni ion from the resin. The composition of the Ni²⁺ complex in the resin remained constant. This suggests that the complexation proceeded via a one-step mechanism.