New approaches inμ + SR studies on critical phenomena in Ni

The critical phenomena in Ni are probed by pulsedSR method under longitudinal- and zero external magnetic fields. The sample magnetization around the critical temperature is confirmed simultaneously by bulk magnetization measurement in situ, disappearance of transverseSR signal and recovery of asymmetry under longitudinal field. At the same time, the ratio of the ⁺ hyperfine field to the bulk magnetization in the ferromagnetic phase below the critical temperature is determined from the observables obtained only in the present experiment. The zero- and low-field longitudinal relaxation rate of muon does not diverge in approaching toT _c in the paramagnetic region, but seems to reach a saturation value.This work is supported by the Grand-in-Aid of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.     

Studies on reactions of the N-phosphonium salts of pyridines. XIII. Direct polycondensation reaction of carbon dioxide or disulfide with diamines under mild conditions

Polyureas of high molecular weight were obtained by the direct polycondensation reaction of carbon dioxide with diamines at 40°C for several hours under a pressure of carbon dioxide (below 30 atm) by use of diphenyl phosphite in pyridine. Optimal temperature and pressure were 40°C and 20 atm of carbon dioxide. The polycondensation reaction was also affected by solvents and type and amounts of tertiary amines. Pyridine was most effective as tertiary amine and solvent as well. Of the phosphorous compounds used, triaryl phosphites and diphenyl phosphite were most effective, but trialkyl phosphites failed to give polymer. The reaction was assumed to proceed via a carbamyl N-phosphonium salt of pyridine formed by dephenoxylation of phosphites. Similarly, polythioureas were prepared by heating a mixture of carbon disulfide, diamines, and diphenyl phosphite in pyridine at 40°C for 6 hr under nitrogen.     

Synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles. 8. Preparation and ring-opening of spiro[cycloalkane-[1′,2′,4′]triazolo[1′,5′-c]pyrimidine] derivatives

Diaminomethylene- and aminomethylthiomethylenehydrazones [2] of cyclic ketones 1–8 readily reacted with ethoxymethylenemalononitrile to give spiro[cycloalkane-1,2′-[1,2′,4′]triazolo[1,5′-c]pyrimidine-8′-carbonitrile] derivatives 12–19 through the electrocyclic reaction of the initially formed condensation products 26 in moderate to high yields. The spiro[cyclopentanetriazolopyrimidine] derivatives underwent ring-opening at the cycloalkane moiety upon heating in solution to give 2-alkyl-5-substituted-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine-8′-carbonitriles 20–23 . When an alkyl substituent was introduced into the cyclopentane ring, cleavage of the spiro compounds occurred preferentially at the cyclopentane moiety between the spiro carbon and the more branched one. In contrast, the cyclohexane ring, especially of spiro-5-amino-triazolopyrimidines 17 and 18 strongly resisted to ring-opening under similar conditions, but those of 5-methylthiotriazolopyrimidines 14 gave up to 17 percent of cleavage after prolonged heating in hot ethanol. 2-t-Butyl-5-methylthio-2,3-dihydro[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine-8-carbonitrile 25 [R³ = C(CH₃)₃] was highly susceptible to the cleavage even at room temperature and produced the corresponding 2-unsubstituted triazolopyrimidine 24 with loss of the t-butyl group.     

Use of the tubulin bound paclitaxel conformation for structure-based rational drug design

A new computational docking protocol has been developed and used in combination with conformational information inferred from REDOR-NMR experiments on microtubule bound 2-(p-fluorobenzoyl)paclitaxel to delineate a unique tubulin binding structure of paclitaxel. A conformationally constrained macrocyclic taxoid bearing a linker between the C-14 and C-3'N positions has been designed and synthesized to enforce this "REDOR-taxol" conformation. The novel taxoid SB-T-2053 inhibits the growth of MCF-7 and LCC-6 human breast cancer cells (wild-type and drug resistant) on the same order of magnitude as paclitaxel. Moreover, SB-T-2053 induces in vitro tubulin polymerization at least as well as paclitaxel, which directly validates our drug design process. These results open a new avenue for drug design of next generation taxoids and other microtubule-stabilizing agents based on the refined structural information of drug-tubulin complexes, in accordance with typical enzyme-inhibitor medicinal chemistry precepts.     

Light emission from chlorine atoms formed in the dissociative excitation of HCI in a flowing afterglow of discharged argon

Light emission from Cl(5p) atoms (near 440 nm) produced in the reaction of HCl in a discharged flow of argon was investigated with a flowing-afterglow apparatus. Ionic species, most probably argon ions in metastable states, Ar^+M, were found to be responsible for the Cl(5p) production in the dissociative excitation of HCl.     

Studies on reactions of the N-phosphonium salts of pyridines. XIV. Wholly aromatic polyamides by the direct polycondensation reaction by using phosphites in the presence of metal salts

Poly-p-benzamide of high molecular weight (η_inh = ～ in H₂SO₄) was obtained by the direct polycondensation reaction of p-aminobenzoic acid (p-ABA) by means of diphenyl and triaryl phosphites in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP)-pyridine solution containing lithium and calcium chlorides. Molecular weight of polymer varied with the amount of these salts, showing maximum values at the concentration of about 4 wt-% of LiCl or about 8 wt-% of CaCl₂ in the reaction mixture. The reaction temperature at around 80°C gave a polymer of the highest viscosity. The polycondensation reaction was also affected by monomer concentration, solvents, and tertiary amines like pyridine. Similarly, aromatic polyamides with high molecular weight (η_inh values up to 1.34 in H₂SO₄) were prepared from isophthalic acid and aromatic diamines, whereas terephthalic acid gave only low-viscosity polymers.     

Synthesis and thermolysis of N-heteroarylacetylazides and α-oximino-α-(N-heteroaryl)acetylazides

Treatment of N-heteroarylacethydrazides with an equimolar amount of nitrous acid afforded N-heteroaryacetylazides and subsequent thermolysis of these azides gave the analogues of 2,3-dihydroimidazo[1,5-a]pyridin-3-one. When some of these cyclized compounds were treated with nitrous acid, the ring opening reaction occurred and recyclized 3-(N-heteroaryl)-1,2,4-oxadiazolin-5-ones were obtained. Treatment of N-heteroarylacethydrazides with two equivalent moles of nitrous acid afforded α-oximino-α-(N-heteroaryl)acetylazides. Thermolysis of these azides gave mixtures of 3-(N-heteroaryl)-1,2,4-oxadiazolin-5-one and 3-hydroxy-4-(N-heteroaryl)furazan. On the basis of the effects of heterocyclic rings and solvents upon the relative yield of two types of the products, one plausible mechanistic explanation for the decomposition of such azides was proposed. α-Oximino-α-(H-heteroaryl)acetylazides were converted into cyano N-heterocycles by the action of alkali in good yields.     

Novel 2-pyrone synthesis via the nucleophilic addition of active methine compounds to 2-alkynone

Novel 2-pyrone synthesis via the nucleophilic addition of active methine compounds to 2-alkynone has been developed. The reaction of active methine compounds with 2-alkynone provided 2-pyrones in good yields.     

Preparation of high surface area ZrO2 and ZrO2-Y2O3 from the alkoxide

In order to obtain a catalyst support with a high surface area, ZrO₂ and ZrO₂-Y₂O₃ were prepared by the hydrolytic decomposition of the corresponding isopropoxide dissolved in benzene. The hydrolysis was carried out at 80°C using an excess amount of distilled water in flowing dry nitrogen. The precipitates thus obtained were dried at 100°C followed by calcination at 500°C in air or nitrogen for 1 h. The specific surface areas for both of the ZrO₂ and ZrO₂-Y₂O₃ increased with increasing amount of water added for hydrolysis, and the surface areas for ZrO₂-Y₂O₃ increased with increasing yttrium content. A ZrO₂ having a surface area of 130 m²/g was produced, and a stabilized tetragonal ZrO₂ with 15 mol% Y³⁺ having a surface area of 200 m²/g was produced. Furthermore, despite the difference in the ZrO₂ and ZrO₂-Y₂O₃ crystal structures, the lattice-strain of ZrO₂ has been unequivocally related to the surface area.     

Fluorescent Molecular Recognition and Sensing System of Bis-Dansyl Modified γ-Cyclodextrins

Flexible hosts, 6A,6B-; 6A,6C-; 6A,6D-; and 6A,6E-bis dansylglycine-modified -cyclodextrins (-1, -2, -3, and -4, respectively) have been synthesized as a sensing molecule for organic guests including terpenoids and bile acids. These host compounds show a pure monomer fluorescence whose intensity is decreased or enhanced upon addition of guest species. The value I/I₀, where I and I₀ are fluorescence intensities in the presence and absence of a guest and I is I₀- I, was used as a parameter of sensitivity. These hosts exhibit highly sensitive and selective molecular recognition ability, particularly, for lithochoic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, and ursodeoxycholic acid. The behaviors of the appended moieties of these hosts when host–guest complexation occurs are studied by induced circular dichroism (ICD) spectra and fluorescence spectral change on accommodation of a guest. The ICD pattern of these hosts alone or on accommodation of a guest is very similar, indicating that the behavior of the appended moieties are very similar. The guest-induced variations in the fluorescence or ICD intensity suggest that the appended moieties act as a hydrophobic cap that enables the cyclodextrin to form 1 : 1 host–guest complexes.