Synthesis and properties of some novel high birefringence phenylacetylene liquid crystal materials with lateral substituents

We have synthesized and investigated new 3-ring phenylacetylene liquid crystals with high birefringence values (Δn) to improve the nematic temperature range while retaining a high optical anisotropy. In the case of modifying the terminal ring, the introduction of branched alkoxy chains, fluorine or methyl groups shifted the nematic phase to lower temperatures. In order to minimize the influence of the substituent on Δn, the incorporation of lateral methyl groups was chosen as the most profitable method for obtaining wide and low temperature nematic phases. With these results in mind, we studied the effect of the position of the methyl group on the physical properties. The most effective methyl position for improving the nematic temperature range was on the central ring. From the standpoint of obtaining high Δn values and low viscosity, the central ring was also the best position.     

fac‐Trichloro(quinolin‐8‐ylimido‐N,N′)(triphenylphosphine‐P)rhenium(V)

The Re atom in [Re(C₉H₆N₂)Cl₃(C₁₈H₁₅P)] is octahedrally coordinated by three Cl atoms in facial positions, two N atoms from 8‐imido­quinoline (imq) and one P atom from tri­phenyl­phosphine. The Re—N(imido) distance [1.760 (9) and 1.772 (8) Å] for imq is very short and implies double‐bond character. The trans influence of the P atom is indicated. Intra‐ and intermolecular π–π interactions between the π‐rings in the complex are also observed.     

Ultra slim and bendable backlight system with a unified component for liquid crystal display applications

Our research group has developed an ultra slim and bendable backlight system, which was manufactured by a continuous roll-to-roll process, with a unified component for liquid crystal display (LCD). This backlight system, which has a thickness of 0.26 mm, is simply composed of a light guide film and an optically patterned film made of photocurable resin with micro particles, consequently it does not require any additional optical films such as prism sheets or diffuser. In addition, we have developed a new light guide component which is composed of bundled optical fibers in order to collimate light from the light source to the light guide film. We found that the backlight system could be radiated uniformly across the LCD surface whether plane or curved, and we were able to realize an advanced LCD with good flexibility, high efficiency and high productivity.     

Amperometric biosensor based on glucose dehydrogenase and plasma-polymerized thin films.

A novel design is described for an amperometric biosensor based on NAD(P)-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) combined with a plasma-polymerized thin film (PPF). The GDH is sandwiched between several nanometer thick acetonitrile PPFs on a sputtered gold electrode (PPF/GDH/PPF/Au). The lower PPF layer plays the role as an interface between enzyme and electrode because it is extremely thin, adheres well to the substrate (electrode), has a flat surface and a highly-crosslinked network structure, and is hydrophilic in nature. The upper PPF layer (overcoating) was directly deposited on immobilized GDH. The optimized amperometric biosensor characteristics covered 2.5-26 mM glucose concentration at +0.6 V of applied potential; the least-squares slope was 320 nA mM(-1) cm(-2) and the correlation coefficient was 0.990. Unlike conventional wet-chemical processes that are incompatible with mass production techniques, this dry-chemistry procedure has great potential for enabling high-throughput production of bioelectronic devices.     

Highly enantioselective chlorination of β-keto esters and subsequent S(N)2 displacement of tertiary chlorides: a flexible method for the construction of quaternary stereogenic centers

Highly enantioselective chlorination of β-oxo esters and subsequent stereospecific substitution of tertiary chlorides are described. Enantioselective chlorination of β-keto esters and malonates was performed using a chiral Lewis acid catalyst prepared from Cu(OTf)(2) and the newly developed spirooxazoline ligand 2 to yield the desired α-chlorinated products with high enantioselectivity (up to 98% ee). Nucleophilic substitution of the resulting chlorides proceeded smoothly to afford a variety of chiral molecules such as α-amino, α-alkylthio, and α-fluoro esters, without loss of enantiopurity. The results of X-ray crystallographic analysis proved that Walden inversion occurs at the chlorinated tertiary carbon center. These results supported the fact that the substitution proceeds via an S(N)2 mechanism.     

Ab initio and DFT calculations of three-body interactions in chiral mixtures

In order to elucidate the enthalpic stabilization of a 2-methyl-1,4-butanediol system (2M14BD) and a 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol (3C12PDO) system by mixing of each (R)- and (S)-enantiomers, three-body interaction energies are obtained by PW91/6-311G** and MP2/6-311G** level calculations. The differences between homochiral interactions and heterochiral interactions in a 3C12PDO system are found. On the other hand, in 2M14BD systems, very slight differences can be observed between the three-body interaction energies of the three ternary systems. Further, the relationship between excess enthalpies and chiral interactions is discussed.     

Excess enthalpies of binary mixtures of <Emphasis Type="Italic">ortho</Emphasis>-, <Emphasis Type="Italic">meta</Emphasis>-, <Emphasis Type="Italic">para</Emphasis>-structural isomers containing aliphatic group

To obtain further systematic information for the isomer systems, the excess molar enthalpies for binary (o + m), (o + p), (m + p)-isomers of methoxymethylbenzene, ethylmethylbenzene, diethylbenzene, chloromethylbenzene, tolunitrile and fluorobenzonitrile, tolylacetonitrile were measured at 298.15 K. In this article, the results are discussed and compared with those of previous works. The excess enthalpies of binary systems in different solid and liquid states were measured when the pure component of o-/m-tolunitrile, fluorobenzonitrile was titrated into the prior (o + p) or (m + p) mixtures. A series calculation for the interaction energies (IE) between the isomers was carried out for the pair molecules by ab initio MO of Gaussian 09. Correlations between the excess enthalpies at a molar fraction of x = 0.5 and the intermolecular energy are discussed.     

A Diels-Alder approach to the enantioselective construction of fluoromethylated stereogenic carbon centers

Highly enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions of β-fluoromethylacrylates were carried out in the presence of a Lewis acid activated chiral oxazaborolidine catalyst. These reactions yielded fluoromethylated cyclohexenes, including trifluoromethyl-, difluoromethyl-, and monofluoromethyl cyclohexenes, as nearly pure enantiomers. The resulting fluoromethyl cyclohexenes were converted into potential synthetic intermediates for bioactive compounds.     

Thermodynamic properties of inclusion complexes of α-cyclodextrin + aliphatic nitriles (H(CH2) n CN: n = 1–8) in aqueous solution

In order to investigate the contribution of the hydrophilic parts of guest molecules of aliphatic complexes to the inclusion reaction, the thermodynamic properties of inclusion complexes of cyclodextrin (α-CD) with aliphatic nitriles [H(CH₂) _n CN: n = 1–8] into the α-CD cavity in dilute aqueous solutions were measured by a micro-calorimeter at 298.15 K. The thermodynamic properties of inclusion for the octane nitrile system were different from those of others. The inclusion process of aliphatic nitriles to α-CD has two kinds of major driving force of enthalpy and entropy driven inclusion. The interaction energies of inclusion complexes of α-CD and aliphatic nitriles were determined by DFT calculation (B3LYP/6-31++G (d,p)) in water and compared with the experimental results. DFT calculations were performed on the inclusion complexes of α-CD with seven nitriles of each conformer. Both the gas phase interaction and solvent effect were taken into consideration. Also non-polar interactions between aliphatic nitriles + α-CD in aqueous solution were calculated and herein the inclusion energy is discussed.