The unexpected isolation of CTP-431, a novel thiopyrone from the sponge Cacospongia mycofijiensis

A reinvestigation of a Fijian collection of Cacospongia mycofijiensis has yielded the known mycothiazole and a novel heterocyclic, CTP-431 (1). Its structure including absolute configuration as 8R,9R,10S,13S was established using NMR data, calculated DFT (13)C chemical shifts and results from X-ray crystallography. It is possible that the tricyclic skeleton of CTP-431 (1) is biosynthetically related to the macrolide latrunculin A, however the thiopyrone moiety of 1 has no previous precedent in natural products chemistry.     

Formation mechanism of one-dimensional Si islands on a H/Si(001) surface

The formation mechanism of one-dimensional Si islands on a H/Si(001)-(2x1) surface is studied using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and first-principles calculations. We observed that one-dimensional islands that are made from dimer chains are formed at the initial growth stages similar to the bare Si(001) surface. It is found that the number of odd-numbered dimer chains is larger than that of even-numbered dimer chains. We propose the growth processes of the two types of growth edges to explain the observation.     

Limits of Hodge Structure in Several Variables

We define the notion of a morphism of generalized semi-stable type, which is a generalization of the notion of a semistable degeneration over a curve. We partially generalize Steenbrink's results on the limit of Hodge structures to the case of such a morphism. As an application we prove the E1-degeneration of the relative Hodge–De Rham spectral sequence for this case.     

Positron annihilation and Xe NMR studies of free volume in polymers

The existence and the average size of free volume in bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), poly (2,6-dimethyl-phenyleneoxide)(PPO), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) were studied by positron annihilation and ¹²⁹Xe NMR measurements. The ¹²⁹Xe NMR chemical shifts for xenon adsorbed in the polymers indicated that the average pore size of the free volume increased in the following order: PC, LDPE, PPO, and PTFE. This order of the pore size of the free volume agrees well with that estimated from the longest lifetime (τ₃) of ortho-positronium formed in the polymers. The unique correlation that δ⁻¹∝ r is established between the ¹²⁹Xe NMR chemical shift (δ) and the pore size (r), which is deduced from the positron annihilation measurements.     

Topology‐Reset Execution: Repeatable Postcyclization Recyclization of Cyclic Polymers

Repeatable topological transformation of polymers for the modulation of material functions is a challenge. We have developed a method for repeatedly resetting a cyclic macromolecular architecture to a linear architecture by photostimulation, namely, topology‐reset execution (T‐rex) based on the photochemistry of hexaarylbiimidazoles (HABIs). We synthesized cyclic poly(dimethylsiloxane)s (PDMSs) of various ring sizes with HABIs linked in the chains. UV irradiation of the cyclic PDMSs produced telechelic linear PDMSs with triphenylimidazolyl radical (TPIR) end groups. After termination of UV irradiation, end‐to‐end recyclization occurred by the recoupling of TPIRs. The cyclic PDMSs also responded to ultrasound, which decreased their molecular weight (MW) by site‐specific cleavage of in‐chain HABI moieties, and we are able to reset the MWs by subsequent phototriggered T‐rex. Furthermore, T‐rex enabled solvent‐free switching of the rheological properties of the materials while retaining the liquid character of PDMS.     

Transparent Ta3N5 Photoanodes for Efficient Oxygen Evolution toward the Development of Tandem Cells

Photoelectrochemical water splitting is regarded as a promising approach to the production of hydrogen, and the development of efficient photoelectrodes is one aspect of realizing practical systems. In this work, transparent Ta₃N₅ photoanodes were fabricated on n‐type GaN/sapphire substrates to promote O₂ evolution in tandem with a photocathode, to realize overall water splitting. Following the incorporation of an underlying GaN layer, a photocurrent of 6.3 mA cm^?2 was achieved at 1.23 V vs. a reversible hydrogen electrode. The transparency of Ta₃N₅ to wavelengths longer than 600 nm allowed incoming solar light to be transmitted to a CuInSe₂ (CIS), which absorbs up to 1100 nm. A stand‐alone tandem cell with a serially‐connected dual‐CIS unit terminated with a Pt/Ni electrode was thus constructed for H₂ evolution. This tandem cell exhibited a solar‐to‐hydrogen energy conversion efficiency greater than 7 % at the initial stage of the reaction.     

Synthesis of trifluoromethyl-group-containing cyclopentadienones by the palladium-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 1] cycloaddition of aryl- and trifluoromethyl-group substituted internal alkynes and carbon monoxide

We investigated the palladium-catalyzed [2?+?2?+?1] cycloaddition of aryl- and trifluoromethyl-group-substituted internal alkynes and carbon monoxide, and revealed that the PdBr₂ effectively catalyzed the intended reaction. The PdBr₂-catalyzed reaction smoothly proceeded and provided aryl- and trifluoromethyl-group-containing cyclopentadienone derivatives in up to 92% yield.     

Hetero-Type Benzannulation Leading to Substituted Benzothio-Phenes

TiCl₄ (or SnCl₄)-promoted hetero-type benzannulation reactions using various (2,2-dichlorocyclopropyl)(thiophen-2-yl)methanols proceeded smoothly to produce uniquely substituted 4-chlorobenzothiophenes (five examples). The present approach involves the first distinctive thiophene formation from thiophene cores, in contrast to traditional methods of thiophene formation from benzene cores. The stereocongested (less reactive) Cl position in the obtained 4-chlorobenzothiophenes functioned successfully as the partners of three cross-coupling reactions: (i) a Suzuki–Miyaura cross-couplings using Pd(OAc)₂/SPhos/K₃PO₄ catalysis (seven examples; 63–91%), (ii) a hydroxylation using KOH/Pd(dba)₂/tBu-XPhos catalysis (85%), and (iii) a borylation using a B₂(pin)₂/Pd(dba)₂/XPhos/NaOAc catalysis-provided 4-(pin)B-benzothiophene (58%).