Coordination reaction of cobaloxime with 4-vinylpyridine-styrene copolymer

The equilibrium constants of the coordination reaction of chlorodimethylformamide·cobaloxime with 4-vinylpyridine–styrene copolymers (PPS) were determined. The constants for PPS, which contain 20–50% 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) unit, measured about 1.3 × 10⁵ liter/mole larger than those in the pyridine system (6.8 × 10⁴ liter/mole). When the polymer ligand is 4VP homopolymer or contains less than 20% 4VP unit, K values are lower. The rate constants (k_f) of the coordination reactions of the cobaloxime with polymer ligands were also measured in dimethylformamide (DMF) and benzene. In DMF k_f decreased with an increase in 4VP unit content of the polymer ligand; in benzene it was increased by the 4VP fraction. These results can be explained by the variation in conformation of the polymer chain in each solvent. The effect of the polymer chain on complexation was discussed on the basis of the kinetic data.     

Synthesis of 3-aminopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives using N-bis(methylthio)methylene-p-toluenesulfonamide

N-Bis(methylthio)methylene-p-toluenesulfonamide ( 1 ) reacted with active methylene compounds such as malononitrile ( 2a ) and, cyanoacetamide ( 2b ) to give the corresponding 3-methylthio-3-p-toluenesulfonylami-nopropenenitrile derivatives 3a,b which were found to be convenient starting materials for the synthesis of 3,5-diaminopyrazole derivatives. Reaction of 3a and 3b with hydrazines gave the corresponding 3,5-diaminopyrazoles 4a-e , key intermediates for the synthesis of 3-aminopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives 5a-d .     

Cooperative motions of protein and hydration water molecules: molecular dynamics study of scytalone dehydratase

Two molecular dynamics (MD) simulations totaling 25 ns of simulation time of monomeric scytalone dehydratase (SD) were performed. The enzyme has a ligand-binding pocket containing a cone-shaped alpha+beta barrel, and the C-terminal region covers the binding pocket. Our simulations clarified the difference in protein dynamics and conformation between the liganded protein and the unliganded protein. The liganded protein held the ligand molecule tightly and the initial structure was maintained during the simulation. The unliganded protein, on the other hand, fluctuated dynamically and its structure changed largely from the initial structure. In the equilibrium state, the binding pocket was fully solvated by opening of the C-terminal region, and the protein dynamics was connected with hydration water molecules entry into and release from the binding pocket. In addition, the cooperative motions of the unliganded protein and the hydration water molecules produced the path through the protein interior for ligand binding.     

Chirality exchange from sp3 central chirality to axial chirality: benzannulation of optically active diaryl-2,2-dichlorocyclopropylmethanols to axially chiral alpha-arylnaphthalenes

Chirality exchange benzannulation of optically active (1S)-aryl(aryl')-2,2-dichlorocyclopropylmethanols (>99% ee) using TiCl4 successfully proceeded to give axially chiral (M)-alpha-arylnaphthalenes with excellent levels of stereo induction (>99% ee). This unique transformation involves the single-step chirality exchange from sp3 central chirality to axial chirality, that is, a type of excellent memory effect.     

Palladium-catalyzed hydrocarbonation of methyleneaziridines with carbon pronucleophiles

The reaction of methyleneaziridine 1 with carbon pronucleophiles (2, H-CR₃) proceeds smoothly in the presence of a palladium catalyst affording the corresponding hydrocarbonation products 5 in good to high yield.     

Dicopper-dioxygen complex supported by asymmetric pentapyridine dinucleating ligand

A dicopper(I) complex supported by a novel asymmetric pentapyridine dinucleating ligand, consisting of tetradentate and tridentate metal-binding sites, has been synthesized and characterized. The dicopper(I) complex reacted with molecular oxygen at a low temperature to give an unprecedented mu-peroxo dicopper(II) complex presumably having a mu-eta1:eta2 binding mode, the spectroscopic features and the reactivity of which have been explored in detail.     

Anthranilamide-protected vinylboronic acid: rational monomer design for improved polymerization/transformation ability providing access to conventionally inaccessible copolymers

We have studied several protecting groups for vinylboronic-acid derivatives as monomers in radical polymerizations with the objective to improve the polymerization ability and C–B bond-cleaving post-transformation performance. Anthranilamide (aam)-protected vinylboronic acid (VBaam) exhibited experimentally a relatively high polymerization activity, which was theoretically corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations that revealed a peculiar effect of the interaction between the aam groups on the polymerization behavior. The VBaam units in the copolymers can subsequently be transformed into vinyl alcohols or into ethylene units through C–B-bond-cleaving side-chain replacement, which affords valuable copolymers such as poly(vinyl alcohol-co-styrene), poly(ethylene-co-styrene), and poly(ethylene-co-acrylate).

We designed a vinyl-boronic-acid protected by anthranilamide as a “transformable” monomer in radical polymerization to synthesize conventionally inaccessible copolymers, such as poly(vinyl alcohol-co-styrene) and poly(ethylene-co-acrylate).