Preparation of AB polyacylthioureas and related copolyacylthioureas

Reaction of sulfinylaminobenzoyl chlorides with lead thiocyanate gave sulfinylaminobenzoyl isothiocyanates (SBIs), from which were derived aminobenzoyl isothiocyanate hydrochlorides (ABIHs). AB polyacylthioureas (PATUs) with inherent viscosities of up to 0.28 dL/g were obtained by treating the SBI with an equivalent of water in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Low-temperature solution polyaddition of the ABIH afforded AB PATU with inherent viscosities of up to 0.66 dL/g, which were further increased to as high as 0.75 dL/g by adding lithium bases to the polymerization mixtures. Polyaddition of isophthaloyl diisothiocyanate with intermediate diamines formed by hydrolyzing the adducts of SBI and aromatic diamines afforded copolyacylthioureas with inherent viscosities of up to 1.15dL/g. The copolymers were generally soluble in NMP, whereas solubilities of the AB PATU in analogous solvents were relatively low. Thermogravimetric analyses in both air and nitrogen exhibited weight losses of 5% at 204–236°C for AB PATU and at 170–192°C for the copolymers.     

Polyisobutylene-containing block polymers by sequential monomer addition. X. Synthesis of poly(α-methylstyrene-b-isobutylene-b-α-methylstyrene) thermoplastic elastomers

Preparatory to triblock synthesis experiments, the cationic polymerization of α-methylstyrene (αMeSt) was investigated using the 2-chloro-2,4,4-trimethylpentane (TMPCI)/TiCl₄ initiating system in the presence of triethylamine (Et₃N) as electron donor (ED) and CH₃Cl/n-hexane mixed solvent in the ?80 to ?40°C range. Conversions are influenced by temperature, [TiCl₄], [Et₃N], and [αMeSt]. The polymerization of αMeSt is living at ?80°C: Both termination and chain transfer to monomer are frozen out, however, initiation is slow relative to propagation. Highly syndiotactic (>94%) Pα Mest was obtained. At?60deg;C initiator efficiency is ca. 100%, but termination becomes evident. Et₃N may act both as Ed and as proton scavenger. Novel poly(α-methystyrene-b-isobutylene-b-α-methylstyrene) (PαMeSt-PIB-PαMeSt) triblocks have been synthesized by adding αMeSt to biliving polyisobutylene carbocations (⊕PIB⊕) in the ?80 to ?40°C range. The effects of temperature, solvent polarity, and [Et₃N] on the block copolymerization have been investigated. At ?80°C, the rate of crossover from ⊕PIB⊕ to αMeSt is lower than that of propagation of PαMeSt⊕, so that the triblock is contaminated by PIB and PIB-b-PαMeSt. At ?60°C, crossover occurs preferentially. The rate of propagation relative to that of crossover is also reduced by lowering the solvent polarity and increasing the [Et₃N]. High crossover efficiency and blocking efficiency can be obtained under optimum blocking conditions. The triblocks are novel thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and structural, electronic, and optical properties of oligo(thienylfuran)s in comparison with oligothiophenes and oligofurans

[structure: see text] Alternate thiophene/furan oligomers having four and six heterocycles, i.e., oligo(thienylfuran) dimer and trimer 2 (n = 4 and 6), were newly synthesized by repetitive Stille coupling reactions. The structural, electronic, and optical properties of these oligomers were investigated by X-ray crystallography (for n = 4), cyclic voltammetry (CV), UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, and DFT calculations, and the results were compared with those of corresponding oligothiophenes (1) and oligofurans (3). The inter-ring torsional energy profiles calculated for bithiophene 1 (n = 2), thienylfuran 2 (n = 2), and bifuran 3 (n = 2) at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level indicated that the most stable conformers of 2 (n = 2) and 3 (n = 2) are fully coplanar with transoid structure while that of 1 (n = 2) is twisted with a dihedral angle of 158 degrees . In accord with this, X-ray crystallographic analysis of 2 (n = 4) revealed that the pi-conjugated system is nearly planar with the inter-ring C=C-C=C dihedral angles between the thiophene and furan rings of 173.6(7) degrees , -177.0(7) degrees , and 172.6(6) degrees . In the packing structure, these nearly planar molecules are arranged in a herringbone pattern. The CV on a series of oligo(thienylfuran)s 2 showed irreversible oxidation peaks at +0.90, +0.42, and +0.29 V vs Fc/Fc(+) for n = 2, 4, and 6, which were 0.15-0.18 V lower than those for corresponding oligothiophenes 1 and were closer to those for oligofurans 3. On the other hand, the UV-vis spectra of 2 showed the longest wavelength absorption to be almost identical with those of the corresponding 1, and more bathochromically shifted than those of the corresponding 3. The results of CV and UV-vis measurements were supported by DFT calculations (B3LYP/ 6-311+G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d)). Thus, oligo(thienylfuran)s 2 have HOMOs which are higher than those of oligothiophenes 1 and close to those of 3, and HOMO-LUMO gaps which are close to those of 1 and smaller than those of 3. In fluorescence spectra, the quantum yield of 2 increased with elongation of the pi-system (n = 2 (3.5%), 4 (19%), 6 (24%)).     

A self-assembling protein template for constrained synthesis and patterning of nanoparticle arrays

Self-assembling biomolecules that form highly ordered structures have attracted interest as potential alternatives to conventional lithographic processes for patterning materials. Here, we introduce a general technique for patterning nanoparticle arrays using two-dimensional crystals of genetically modified hollow protein structures called chaperonins. Constrained chemical synthesis of transition metal nanoparticles is initiated using templates functionalized with polyhistidine sequences. These nanoparticles are ordered into arrays because the template-driven synthesis is constrained by the nanoscale structure of the crystallized protein. We anticipate that this system may be used to pattern different classes of nanoparticles based on the growing library of sequences shown to specifically bind or direct the growth of materials.     

Influence of amino acid side chain packing on Fe-methionine coordination in thermostable cytochrome C

Paramagnetic NMR and optical studies of the oxidized forms of mesophile Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c(551) and its quintuple mutant (F7A/V13M/F34Y/E43Y/V78I), and thermophile Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome c(552) demonstrated that the amino acid side chain packings in the protein interior influence the coordination bond between the heme iron and the axial methionine in the proteins. The strength of heme axial coordinations was found to correlate with the overall protein thermostability.     

Aryl-aryl coupling reaction using a novel and highly active palladium reagent prepared from Pd(OAc)2, 1,3-bis[diphenylphosphino]propane (DPPP), and Bu3P

A palladium-assisted coupling reaction of aryl triflate with arene was investigated, and a novel Pd reagent prepared from equimolar Pd(OAc)2, 1,3-Bis[diphenylphosphino]propane (DPPP), and Bu3P was developed. This method is useful for intramolecular biaryl coupling reactions, not only between aryl triflate and arene (triflate-amide), but also between aryl halide and arene (halo-amide).     

Synthesis of stable and cell-type selective analogues of cyclic ADP-ribose, a Ca(2+)-mobilizing second messenger. Structure--activity relationship of the N1-ribose moiety

We previously developed cyclic ADP-carbocyclic ribose (cADPcR, 2) as a stable mimic of cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR, 1), a Ca(2+)-mobilizing second messenger. A series of the N1-ribose modified cADPcR analogues, designed as novel stable mimics of cADPR, which were the 2"-deoxy analogue 3, the 3"-deoxy analogue 4, the 3"-deoxy-2"-O-(methoxymethyl) analogue 5, the 3"-O-methyl analogue 6, the 2",3"-dideoxy analogue 7, and the 2",3"-dideoxydidehydro analogue 8, were successfully synthesized using the key intramolecular condensation reaction with phenylthiophosphate-type substrates. We investigated the conformations of these analogues and of cADPR and found that steric repulsion between both the adenine and N9-ribose moieties and between the adenine and N1-ribose moieties was a determinant of the conformation. The Ca(2+)-mobilizing effects were evaluated systematically using three different biological systems, i.e., sea urchin eggs, NG108-15 neuronal cells, and Jurkat T-lymphocytes. The relative potency of Ca(2+)-mobilization by these cADPR analogues varies depending on the cell-type used: e.g., 3"-deoxy-cADPcR (4) > cADPcR (2) > cADPR (1) in sea urchin eggs; cADPR (1) > cADPcR (2) approximately 3"-deoxy-cADPcR (4) in T-cells; and cADPcR (2) > cADPR (1) > 3"-deoxy-cADPcR (4) in neuronal cells, respectively. These indicated that the target proteins and/or the mechanism of action of cADPR in sea urchin eggs, T-cells, and neuronal cells are different. Thus, this study represents an entry to cell-type selective cADPR analogues, which can be used as biological tools and/or novel drug leads.     

Preparation and photochromic properties of oligomeric poly(dimethylsiloxane) with the spiropyran or spirooxazine moiety in the side chain

Spirobenzopyran 1 , with the 3-(diethoxymethylsilyl)-propyl group at the N atom, was synthesized. The condensation reaction of the spiropyran 1 and diethoxydimethylsilane gave oligomeric poly(dimethylsiloxane) with the spiropyran moiety in the side chain. The oligomer was photochromic; its colour changed from colorless to purple-red on uv irradiation and the color faded on visible irradiation or on standing in the dark. The half-decay time of the thermal decoloration was about twice that of monomeric spiropyran dissolved in the dimethylsiloxane oligomer. Photochromic poly(dimethylsiloxane) with the spirooxazine moiety in the side chain was also prepared.     

Light-driven molecular hinge: a new molecular machine showing a light-intensity-dependent photoresponse that utilizes the trans-cis isomerization of azobenzene

[reaction: see text] A new class of molecular machine exhibits a hingelike motion upon photoirradiation. The motion (close and open) can be operated by alternate irradiation with UV and visible light. The trans/trans and cis/cis isomers are thermally stable at 40 degrees C, and the photochemical closure reaction (from trans/trans to cis/cis isomer) is dependent on the intensity of the light used because of the short-lived intermediate (trans/cis isomer).     

Effect of amount of monomer on radiation-induced polymerization of styrene adsorbed on silica gel

The effect of amount of monomer on radiation-induced polymerization of styrene adsorbed on silica gel was investigated with the monomer amounting from less than monolayer adsorption to more than the equilibrium adsorption. The rate of graft polymerization and the molecular weight of the polymer changed with the amount of monomer adsorbed on silica gel. Maximum grafting efficiency was obtained at monolayer adsorption. The molecular weight of graft polymer was higher than that of homopolymer in both radical and cationic polymerizations, and the ratio in molecular weight of graft polymer to that of homopolymer tends to be unity with increasing amount of adsorbed monomer. These results can mainly be explained in terms of the number of initiating species (radical and cation) that change in relation to the amount of adsorbed monomer. Propagation and termination change with amount of adsorbed monomer in relation to the molecular mobility of adsorbed monomer. A very high-molecular-weight graft polymer is formed only with a small amount of adsorbed monomer in the initial stage. The grafting percent with a large amount of adsorbed monomer increased after most of the monomer has been polymerized. Secondary effect of radiation on the graft and homopolymers due to energy transfer from silica gel is suggested from the complicated phenomena in the later stage of the reaction.