Dynamic Properties of Molecular Tweezers with a Bis(2‐hydroxyphenyl)pyrimidine Backbone

4,6‐Bis(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐alkylpyrimidines with two anthryl or 9‐ethylnylanthryl substituents at the positions para to the OH groups prefer a U‐shaped conformation supported by two intramolecular OH ??? N hydrogen bonds in the solid state and in CDCl₃ solution. The compound with a hexyl substituent on the pyrimidine group and two 9‐ethynylanthryl arms at the hydroxyphenyl groups forms a 1:1 complex with 2,4,7‐trinitrofluorenone. Its association constant K_a was estimated to be 2100 M ^?1 at 298 K, which is larger than those of other molecular tweezers (K_a<1000 M ^?1). DFT calculations suggested that the complex adopts a stable conformation supported by intramolecular hydrogen bonds among the OH groups and the pyrimidine ring as well as by intermolecular π–π interaction between the anthryl groups and 2,4,7‐trinitrofluorenone. Addition of nBu₄NF to a solution of the molecular tweezers or their complexes causes the cleavage of one or two OH ??? N hydrogen bonds, formation of new O ??? HF hydrogen bonds, and changes in the molecular conformation. The resulting structure of the molecular tweezers contains nonparallel anthryl groups, which do not bind the guest molecule. Photochemical measurements on 4,6‐bis(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐methylpyrimidine with two anthryl substituents showed negligible luminescence (quantum yield ?<0.01), owing to photoinduced electron transfer of the molecule with a U‐shaped structure. However, the O‐hexylated compound exhibits emission from the anthryl groups with ?=0.39.     

Evaluation of a commercial immunoassay for the detection of chlorfenapyr in agricultural samples by comparison with gas chromatography and mass spectrometric detection

A commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit with a high affinity monoclonal antibody was applied to residual analysis of insecticide chlorfenapyr in agricultural samples, and drawn a parallel between the ELISA and gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectrometry (MS). For standards prepared in water containing 5% (v/v) methanol, the sensitivity (I50 value), the dynamic range, and the limit of detection of the ELISA kit were 2.3, 1 - 10, and 0.1 ng/g, respectively. The used monoclonal antibody in the ELISA kit had a high selectivity. The ELISA kit was applied to the determination of chlorfenapyr in two kinds of fruits (apple and peach). The examination of the influence of these matrices on the reliability of the assay performance indicated that the ELISA could determine it in these samples near the regulation values in Japan simply by diluting the methanolic extract or by concentrating it, without any clean-up procedures. Recovery and precision of the proposed ELISA method were assessed by fortifying fruit samples with chlorfenapyr ranging from 0.05 to 1.5 microg/g. Mean recoveries were 94.2 and 90.3% for apple and peach, and coefficients of variation were below 16% in most cases. The results obtained from the proposed ELISA method correlate well the reference GC/MS method for both fruit samples (r > 0.98). These considerations make the ELISA kit very useful analytical tool for monitoring and regulatory programs, without the need of complex and expensive instrumentation.     

NaOH-catalyzed crossed Claisen condensation between ketene silyl acetals and methyl esters

We have developed a practical crossed Claisen condensation between ketene silyl acetals and methyl esters using catalytic NaOH to obtain alpha-monoalkylated beta-keto esters and inaccessible alpha,alpha-dialkylated beta-keto esters.     

Chemical modification of poly(vinyl chloride) by nucleophilic substitution

The reaction of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in nucleophile (Nu)/ethylene glycol (EG) or Nu/N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution was found to result in the substitution of Cl in PVC with Nu from solution, in addition to the straight elimination of HCl, both of which led to the dechlorination of PVC. Examined Nu⁻ were I⁻, SCN⁻, OH⁻, N₃⁻, and the phthalimide anion. For the Nu/EG solution, elimination was favoured over substitution for all Nu⁻. The ratio of substitution to dechlorination was notable, descending in the order OH⁻ > SCN⁻ = N₃⁻ > phthalimide anion > I⁻. For the Nu/DMF solution, the ratio of substitution to dechlorination was high, in the order SCN⁻ > N₃⁻ > I⁻ > phthalimide anion. In both cases, the orders of the ratios were similar to those of the nucleophilic reactivity constant, I⁻ > SCN⁻ > N₃⁻ > phthalimide anion, except for I⁻. The low ratio for I⁻ was attributable to the elimination of HI after the substitution of Cl in PVC with I in solution, because I⁻ is a strong nucleophile, as well as an excellent leaving group. Comparing the effect of EG and DMF on the substitution of Cl in PVC with Nu in solution, the ratio of substitution to dechlorination was higher for I⁻, SCN⁻, N₃⁻, and the phthalimide anion in DMF than in EG. The substitution of Cl in PVC with Nu in solution was found to occur preferentially in DMF versus EG.     

Dechlorination behaviour of flexible poly(vinyl chloride) in NaOH/EG solution

Flexible poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was found to be dechlorinated in NaOH/ethylene glycol (EG) solution at moderate temperature and at atmospheric pressure. The degree of dechlorination increased over time with all particle sizes and with decreasing particle size. Decreased particle size resulted in an increased effective surface area, increasing the contact between the material and OH⁻ in the NaOH/EG solution, which contributed to the high degree of dechlorination. The dechlorination of flexible PVC in NaOH/EG solution was expressed as a first-order reaction and proceeded under chemical reaction control. Diisononyl-phthalate (DINP) in the flexible PVC powder decomposed readily into phthalic acid and isononyl alcohol in a short time. For the dechlorination of the flexible PVC, the substitution (S_N2) of chloride by the hydroxyl group was considered to be preferential to the elimination (E2) of hydrogen chloride.     

Electrochemical detection of E. coli 16S rDNA sequence using air-plasma-activated fullerene-impregnated screen printed electrodes

A new DNA modified electrode for the electrochemical detection of 16S rDNA extracted from Escherichia coli (JCM1649) is proposed. The electrodes were fabricated by screen printing a fullerene-impregnated carbon ink onto a poly(methylmethacrylate) substrate and immobilizing a probe DNA on the surface after activating the electrode with air plasma. The results indicated a dramatic improvement in the surface coverage of the immobilized probe DNA, and of the reduction peak of the redox indicator (Co(phen)(3)(3+)) due to the incorporation of fullerene. By immobilizing the probe onto the fullerene-impregnated screen-printed electrodes, the PCR product of the 16S rDNA extracted from E. coli was directly detected without any pretreatment. A well defined signal difference was observed between the perfectly matching oligonucleotide and the mismatching one, and it was possible to detect the target at the modified electrode. This method enabled us to clearly detect the two base mismatches in the ca. 1500-bases long 16S rDNA sequence.     

A Macrocyclic Gold(I)–Biphenylene Complex: Triangular Molecular Structure with Twisted Au2(diphosphine) Corners and Reductive Elimination of [6]Cycloparaphenylene

The digold(I) complex [Au₂Cl₂(Cy₂PCH₂PCy₂)] reacts with 4,4′-diphenylene diboronic acid to form a triangular macrocyclic complex with twisted Au-P-C-P-Au groups at the three corners. The synthesis of the complex and its chemical oxidation produced [6]cycloparaphenylene ([6]CPP) in 59 % overall yield.     

Strained and unstrained macrocycles composed of carbazole and butadiyne units: electronic state and optical properties

Cu(OAc)(2) catalyzes dehydrogenative condensation of 3,6-bis(2-ethynylphenyl)carbazole in the presence of O(2) to afford the cyclization product 1 and cyclodimer 2. Compound 1 contains bent carbazole and butadiyne groups, while 2 has a less strained structure with Z shape around the two parallel butadiyne groups. Optical properties of the compounds are discussed based on the electronic states estimated from electrochemical measurement and density functional theory calculation.     

DFT study on the electronic structure and chemical state of Americium in an (Am,U) mixed oxide

We investigated the electronic state of an (Am,U) mixed oxide with the fluorite structure using the all-electron full potential linear augmented plane wave method and compared it with those of Am₂O₃, AmO₂, UO₂, and La_0.5U_0.5O₂. The valence of Am in the mixed oxide was close to that of Am₂O₃ and the valence of U in the mixed oxide was pentavalent. The electronic structure of AmO₂ was different from that of Am₂O₃, particularly just above the Fermi level. In addition, the electronic states of Am and U in the mixed oxide were similar to those of trivalent Am and pentavalent U oxides. These electronic states reflected the high oxygen potential of AmO₂ and the heightened oxygen potential resulting from the addition of Am to UO₂ and also suggested the occurrence of charge transfer from Am to U in the solid solution process.