Relative stereochemistries of the ether rings and sugar moieties in durinskiol A

Durinskiol A (1) is a long carbon-chain polyol compound with a molecular weight of 2128 mu isolated from the symbiotic dinoflagellate Durinskia sp. The relative stereochemistries of ether rings and sugar moieties in 1 were established based on 2D-NMR analysis and molecular modeling studies. Conformational analysis of the 6,5,6-bis-spiroacetal ring in 1 was also examined by using ab initio methods.     

Characterizations of linear Volterra integral equations with nonnegative kernels

We first introduce the notion of positive linear Volterra integral equations. Then, we offer a criterion for positive equations in terms of the resolvent. In particular, equations with nonnegative kernels are positive. Next, we obtain a variant of the Paley-Wiener theorem for equations of this class and its extension to perturbed equations. Furthermore, we get a Perron-Frobenius type theorem for linear Volterra integral equations with nonnegative kernels. Finally, we give a criterion for positivity of the initial function semigroup of linear Volterra integral equations and provide a necessary and sufficient condition for exponential stability of the semigroups.     

Odd-even effect and metal induced structural convergence in self-assembled monolayers of bipyridine derivatives

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) observations reveal that bipyridine derivatives which exhibit various two-dimensional structures due to the odd-even chain length effect are converged into a lamellar structure upon metal coordination.     

Synthesis of the entire carbon framework of the kedarcidin chromophore aglycon

In advanced studies directed toward the total synthesis of the kedarcidin chromophore, we have successfully achieved the late-stage installation of the nine-membered diyne ring in the presence of the highly functionalised ansamacrocyclic bridge.     

Vibrational relaxation on the mixed vibronic levels of the and states in all-trans-neurosporene as revealed by subpicosecond time-resolved, stimulated emission and transient absorption spectroscopy

In all-trans-neurosporene, whose level is lower than the level by one vibrational quantum, the following two steps of vibrational relaxation from the mixed vibronic states were identified, in the order, stimulated emission stimulated emission transient absorption. The stimulated emission patterns were simulated by the use of Franck–Condon factors in the transitions from the pair of mixed vibronic levels down to the ground vibronic levels. The vibronic levels of the mixed and state were characterized theoretically based on the diabatic approximation.     

The ruthenium-catalyzed reduction and reductive N-alkylation of secondary amides with hydrosilanes: practical synthesis of secondary and tertiary amines by judicious choice of hydrosilanes

A triruthenium cluster, (mu3,eta2,eta3,eta5-acenaphthylene)Ru3(CO)7 (1) catalyzes the reaction of secondary amides with hydrosilanes, yielding a mixture of secondary amines, tertiary amines, and silyl enamines. Production of secondary amines with complete selectivity is achieved by the use of higher concentration of the catalyst (3 mol %) and the use of bifunctional hydrosilanes such as 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane. Acidic workup of the reaction mixture affords the corresponding ammonium salts, which can be treated with a base, providing a facile method for isolation of secondary amines with high purity. In contrast, tertiary amines are formed with high selectivity by using lower concentration of the catalyst (1 mol %) and polymeric hydrosiloxanes (PMHS) as reducing agent. Reduction with PMHS encapsulates the ruthenium catalyst and organic byproducts to the insoluble silicone resin. The two reaction manifolds are applicable to various secondary amides and are practical in that the procedures provide the desired secondary or tertiary amine as a single product. The product contaminated with only minimal amounts of ruthenium and silicon residues. On the basis of the products and observed side products as well as NMR studies a mechanistic scenario for the reaction is also described.     

Highly specific affinities of short peptides against synthetic polymers

We investigated polymer-binding 7-mer peptides that recognize differences in the polymer stereoregularity of all-purpose poly(methyl methacrylate)s (PMMAs) with simple chemical structures. Quantitative surface plasmon resonance measurements detected association/dissociation processes of the peptides against PMMA film surfaces, followed by an estimation of kinetic parameters such as association/dissociation rate constants and affinity constants. Greater association and smaller dissociation constants of the peptides were observed against a target isotactic PMMA than the structurally similar reference syndiotactic PMMA, followed by greater affinity constants against the target. A c02 peptide composed of the Glu-Leu-Trp-Arg-Pro-Thr-Arg sequence showed the greatest affinity constant (2.8x10(5) M(-1)) for the target, which was 41-fold greater than that for the reference, thus demonstrating extremely high peptide specificities. The substitution of each amino acid of the c02 peptide to Ala (Ala scanning) clearly revealed the essential amino acids for the affinity constants; the essential order was Pro5>Thr6>Arg7>Glu1>Arg4. In fact, the shorter 4-mer peptide composed of the C-terminal Arg-Pro-Thr-Arg sequence of the c02 peptide still demonstrated strong target specificity, although the N-terminal 4-mer peptide Glu-Leu-Trp-Arg completely lost its specificity. The possible conformations modeled with Molecular Mechanics supported the significance of the Arg-Pro-Thr-Arg sequence. The thermodynamic parameters of the c02 peptide suggested an induced fit mechanism for the specific affinity. The present affinity analyses of polymer-recognizing peptides revealed significant and general information that was essential for potential applications in peptidyl nanomaterials.     

Multiple nuclear Bragg scattering

Multiple nuclear resonant scattering from an ⁵⁷FeBO₃ single crystal has been observed in the three-beam case. A change of the lifetime and a modulation of the quantum beat were observed in our study. The high brilliance of synchrotron radiation and the high perfection of the synthetic ⁵⁷FeBO₃ single crystal enabled us to observe such an effect. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Polycondensations of dicarboxylic acids and diols derived from optically active amino alcohols

Polycondensations of dicarboxylic acids with diols having amide moieties derived from optically active amino alcohols were carried out. Polymers with M _ns 8,700–17,400 were obtained by the polycondensations using 1.2 eq. of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC·HCl) in DMF at room temperature for 8 h in satisfactory yields. The T_g of the polymer rose with decrease of the methylene chain length of the dicarboxylic acid. In the T_gs of the polymers from L-leucinol, even-odd effect was observed with increase of the methylene chain length of the dicarboxylic acid. The molecular rotation values of the polymers were constant except for the polymer from succinic acid, which showed the negatively largest one. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2925–2934, 1997