220-MHz NMR spectra of acrylic monomer–2-substituted 1,3-diolefin alternating copolymers

An investigation by 220-MHz NMR spectroscopy was carried out on the alternating copolymers of acrylic monomer with 2-substituted 1,3-diolefin. The chain structures were determined. The acrylic monomers used were methyl methacrylate (MMA), acrylonitrile (AN), and methacrylonitrile (MAN); isoprene (IP) and chloroprene (CLP) were the 1,3-diolefins. In the MAN–IP alternating copolymer, the 1-position methylene protons of IP showed an AB quartet peak, confirming the α-1 linkage structure. Similarly, in the MMA–CLP and AN–CLP copolymers, the 1-position methylene protons of CLP showed and AB quartet and an ABX pattern, respectively, confirming the α-1 linkage structure in both these cases also. The α-1 linkage structure was also revealed by the decoupling technique in the MAN–CLP alternating copolymer. The AN–IP and MMA–IP alternating copolymers also possess a bond between the α-position of the acrylic monomer and the 1-position of IP. The monomeric units in the alternating copolymers of acrylic monomers with 2-substituted 1,3-diolefins were generally linked at the α-position of acrylic monomer and the 1-position of 1,3-diolefin. On the other hand, in the Diels-Alder adducts of acrylic monomer with 2-substituted 1,3-diolefin, the reaction takes place between the α-position of acrylic monomer and the 4-position of 1,3-diolefin. The regioselectivity of the alternating copolymers and the Diels-Alder adducts is quite compatible with the expectations from molecular orbital theory.     

Effect of pressure on the solubility of naphthalene in water at 25°C

Solubility of naphthalene in water was measured at 25°C and pressures up to 200 MPa. The solubility decreased with increasing pressure. From the pressure coefficient of the solubility, the volume change V accompanying the dissolution was estimated as 13.8±0.4 cm ³ -mol ^–1 . Further we estimated the volume change V _CH accompanying hydrophobic hydration as –0.1±0.6 cm ³ -mol ^–1 using the V value, the molar volume of crystalline naphthalene, and the partial molar volume of naphthalene in n-heptane. This V _CH is much larger (i.e., less negative) than that for hydrophobic hydration of alkyl-chain compounds and suggests that the hydration structure of naphthalene differs from that of alkyl-chain compounds.     

m-Diethynylbenzene macrocycles: syntheses and self-association behavior in solution

m-Diethynylbenzene macrocycles (DBMs), buta-1,3-diyne-bridged [4(n)]metacyclophanes, have been synthesized and their self-association behaviors in solution were investigated. Cyclic tetramers, hexamers, and octamers of DBMs having exo-annular octyl, hexadecyl, and 3,6,9-trioxadecyl ester groups were prepared by intermolecular oxidative coupling of dimer units or intramolecular cyclization of the corresponding open-chain oligomers. The aggregation properties were investigated by two methods, the (1)H NMR spectra and the vapor pressure osmometry (VPO). Although some discrepancies were observed between the association constants obtained from the two methods, the qualitative view was consistent with each other. The analysis of self-aggregation by VPO revealed unique aggregation behavior of DBMs in acetone and toluene, which was not elucidated by the NMR method. Namely, the association constants for infinite association are several times larger than the dimerization constant, suggesting that the aggregation is enhanced by the formation of dimers (a nucleation mechanism). In polar solvents, DBMs aggregate more strongly than in chloroform due to the solvophobic interactions between the macrocyclic framework and the solvents. Moreover, DBMs self-associate in aromatic solvents such as toluene and o-xylene more readily than in chloroform. In particular, the hexameric DBM having a large macrocyclic cavity exhibits extremely large association constants in aromatic solvents. By comparing the aggregation properties of DBMs with the corresponding acyclic oligomers, the effect of the macrocyclic structure on the aggregation propensity was clarified. Finally, it turned out that DBMs tend to aggregate more readily than the corresponding phenylacetylene macrocycles, acetylene-bridged [2(n)]metacyclophanes, owing to the withdrawal of the electron density from the aromatic rings by the butadiyne linkages which facilitates pi-pi stacking interactions.     

Metallic Na formation in/on NaCl crystals with irradiation by electron or vacuum ultraviolet photons

Metallic Na was formed in/on NaCl single crystals by irradiating them with a variety of radiation sources, namely, 21 MeV electron pulses, an electron beam of 30 keV and photon fluxes in the VUV region. The physical states were analysed using several methods, optical absorption, lifetime measurement of positron annihilation, Auger electron spectroscopy and UV photoelectron spectroscopy. Metallic Na was obtained in different physical states; clusters were formed in bulk, thin layers (islands) and thick layers on the surface.     

Development of a novel potentiometric titration method for determination of polypropylene degradation

In this study, a novel potentiometric titration of hydroperoxide in degraded polypropylene (PP) is proposed. This titration is quite sensitive compared with the conventional ones such as UV and manual titrations, and its detection limit was about 2 meq/kg. The sensitivity was equal to that of molecular weight measurement by GPC for the degraded PP and, in addition, the volatilization behavior of the hydroperoxide could be detected. This titration was found to be very effective for the determination of PP degradation.     

Isolation of heptadepsin, a novel bacterial cyclic depsipeptide that inhibits lipopolysaccharide activity

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is considered to cause various inflammatory reactions. We searched among microbial secondary metabolites for compounds that could inhibit LPS-stimulated adhesion between human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human myelocytic cell line HL-60 cells. In the course of our screening, we isolated a novel cyclic depsipeptide, which we named heptadepsin, from the whole culture broth of Paenibacillus sp. The addition of heptadepsin prior to LPS stimulation decreased HL-60 cell-HUVEC adhesion without showing any cytotoxicity. It also inhibited the cellular adhesion induced by lipid A, the active component of LPS, but it did not inhibit TNF-alpha or IL-1beta-induced cell adhesion. The result of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis revealed that heptadepsin interacted with lipid A directly. Thus, heptadepsin, a novel naturally occurring cyclic heptadepsipeptide, was shown to inactivate LPS by direct interaction with LPS.     

Development of a method for estimating an accurate equivalence point in nickel titration of cyanide ions

In a nickel titration of cyanide ions using murexide as indicator, an accurate equivalence point was determined by a non-linear least-squares curve-fitting for a titration curve. This method was developed to establish a standard solution for cyanide ions. In a curve-fitting procedure, a theoretical titration curve was calculated, assuming that nickel ion formed only a 1:4 Ni²⁺:CN⁻ complex with cyanide ions and formed only a 1:1 complex with murexide. Results of the curve-fitting were reasonable at any pH and any indicator concentration studied. The combined standard uncertainty for a concentration of a 1000 mg kg⁻¹ cyanide solution by this method was 0.079%.     

Analytical use of a biochemical luminous membrane

Luminous membranes were prepared by immobilizing peroxidase (POD) to collagen matrix. The POD luminous membrane generated luninescence in the presence of luminol and H₂O₂, and the peroxide was determined in the concentration range 10-⁶-10-³ M by following luminescence emitted from the membrane. Glucose was determined using a luminous membrane in which POD and glucose oxidase (GOD) were coimmobilized. The luminous membranes appear to be feasible for the determination of enzyme substrates and enzyme activity.     

Search for a simpler synthetic model system for intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to the 5,6-double bond of a pyrimidine nucleoside

In search for a simpler model system for the study of intramolecular thermal reactions between the base and 5'-functionalized sugar moiety in nucleosides, 1-(3-azidopropyl)uracil (2), 1-(4-azidobutyl) pyrimidines (12 and 13) and 1-(5-azidopentyl)-uracil (14) was synthesized through the corresponding ω-benzoyloxy-(6,7 and 8) and ω-hydroxyalkyl-pyrimidines (9,10 and 11). Heating 2 gave 1,N⁶-trimethylene-6-aminouracil (4), while heating 12 and 13 gave N¹-C₆ cleaved addition products. 15 and 16, respectively. 15 was regiospecifically transformed to 1,2,3-triazole derivatives, 17,18 and 19. Heating 1-(4-azidobutyl)-5-bromouracil (20) yielded 3,9-tetramethylene-8-azaxanthine (22). 9 with NBA gave 1,0⁶-tetramethylene-5-bromo-6-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrouracil (24) and the 5-brominated analog of 9 (25). The 4-functionalized butyl side chain proved to serve as a substitute for the 5'-functionalized sugar moiety in pyrimidine ribonucleosides.     

Syntheses and structures of mono-, di- and tetranuclear rhodium or iridium complexes of thiacalix[4]arene derivatives

The reactions of [Cp*MCl2]2(Cp*=eta5-C5Me5, M = Rh, Ir) with thiacalix[4]arene (TC4A(OH)4) and tetramercaptothiacalix[4]arene (TC4A(SH)4) gave the mononuclear complexes [(Cp*M){eta3-TC4A(OH)2(O)2}] and the dinuclear complexes [(Cp*M)2{eta3eta3-TC4A(S)4}] respectively, while the analogous reactions with dimercaptothiacalix[4]arene (TC4A(OH)2(SH)2) produced the tetranuclear complexes [(Cp*M)2(Cp*MCl2)2-{eta3eta3eta1eta1-TC4A(O)2(S)2}].