Enantioselective aldol reaction of trimethoxysilyl enol ether catalyzed by lithium binaphtholate

[reaction: see text] An aldol reaction of trimethoxysilyl enol ether catalyzed by lithium binaphtholate, in which water serves as an additive and plays a pivotal role in stereoselectivities, was developed. This is the first example of an aldol reaction of trimethoxysilyl enol ether catalyzed by a chiral base.     

Construction of positively-charged layered assemblies assisted by cyclodextrin complexation

A beta-cyclodextrin dimer is found to be effective in preparing a layer-by-layer architecture of positively charged ferrocene-appended poly(allylamine) presumably on the basis of strong beta-cyclodextrin-ferrocene host-guest interaction.     

Total Synthesis and Complete Stereostructure of a Marine Macrolide Glycoside, (−)‐Lyngbyaloside B

We have described in detail the total synthesis of both the proposed and correct structures of (?)‐lyngbyaloside B, which facilitated the elucidation of the complete stereostructure of this natural product. Our study began with the total synthesis of 13‐demethyllyngbyaloside B, in which an esterification/ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) strategy was successfully used for the efficient construction of the macrocycle. We also established reliable methods for the introduction of the conjugated diene side chain and the l ‐rhamnose residue onto the macrocyclic framework. However, the esterification/RCM strategy proved ineffective for the parent natural product because of the difficulties in acylating the sterically encumbered C‐13 tertiary alcohol; macrolactionization of a seco‐acid was also extensively investigated under various conditions without success. We finally completed the total synthesis of the proposed structure of (?)‐lyngbyaloside B by means of a macrolactonization that involves an acyl ketene as the reactive species. However, the NMR spectroscopic data of our synthetic material did not match those of the authentic material, which indicated that the proposed structure must be re‐examined. Inspection of the NMR spectroscopic data of the natural product and molecular mechanics calculations led us to postulate that the configuration of the C‐10, C‐11, and C‐13 stereogenic centers had been incorrectly assigned in the proposed structure. Finally, our revised structure of (?)‐lyngbyaloside B was unambiguously verified through total synthesis.     

Synthesis,crystal structures,spectral, electrochemical and magnetic properties of di-µ-phenoxido-bridged dinuclear copper(II) complexes with N-salicylidene-2-hydroxybenzylamine derivatives: axial coordination effect of dimethyl sulphoxide molecule

The template reaction of salicylaldehyde and its substituted derivatives and 2-hydroxy-5-bromobenzylamine or 2-hydroxy-5-chlorobenzylamine with copper(II) acetate in dimethyl sulphoxide (dmso) afforded eight dinuclear Cu(II) complexes, [Cu₂(L)₂(dmso)₂] (H₂ L = N-salicylidene-2-hydroxy-5-bromobenzylamine, N-salicylidene-2-hydroxy-5-chlorobenzylamine and their 5-bromo, 5-nitro and 5-methyl-substituted salicylidene derivatives). These Cu(II) complexes were characterised by IR and UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy, electric conductivity, cyclic voltammetry, and temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibilities (4.5–300 K). In the THF solution, the complexes are nonelectrolytes and exhibit a characteristic CT band due to phenoxido-bridging at 360–384 nm. In the cyclic voltammograms, an irreversible reduction process was observed at ?1.18–1.54 V vs Fc/Fc⁺. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography revealed that two Cu(II) ions were bridged by the two phenoxido-oxygen atoms of the two Schiff-base ligands with axial coordination of dmso molecules forming a square pyramid with a Cu-Cu distance of 3.0628(8)–3.0931(6) °A. In accordance with the crystal structures, the magnetic interaction between the two Cu(II) ions is relatively anti-ferromagnetic with ?2J value of 386–575 cm^?1. The axial coordination effect of the dmso molecule was discussed in relation to the correlation between the Cu-O-Cu angle and the ?2J value.     

Antioxidant effects of photodegradation product of nifedipine

Recently, increasing evidence suggests that the antihypertensive drug nifedipine acts as a protective agent for endothelial cells, and that the activity is unrelated to its calcium channel blocking. Nifedipine is unstable under light and reportedly decomposes to a stable nitrosonifedipine (NO-NIF). NO-NIF has no antihypertensive effect, and it has been recognized as a contaminant of nifedipine. The present study for the first time demonstrated that NO-NIF changed to a NO-NIF radical in a time-dependent manner when it interacted with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal of NO-NIF radicals in HUVECs showed an asymmetric pattern suggesting that the radicals were located in the membrane. The NO-NIF radicals had radical scavenging activity for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, whereas neither NO-NIF nor nifedipine did. In addition, the NO-NIF radical more effectively quenched lipid peroxides than NO-NIF or nifedipine. Furthermore, NO-NIF attenuated the superoxide-derived free radicals in HUVECs stimulated with LY83583, and suppressed iron-nitrilotriacetic acid (Fe-NTA)-induced cytotoxicity in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Our findings suggest that NO-NIF is a candidate for a new class of antioxidative drugs that protect cells against oxidative stress.     

Thin Films that Consist of CuO Mesocrystal Nanosheets: An Application of Microbial‐Mineralization‐Inspired Approaches to Thin‐Film Formation

Thin films of copper oxides can be synthesized on substrates by using approaches that are inspired by microbial mineralization processes. In nature, precipitates of manganese and iron oxides with controlled oxidation states and crystal phases are produced through biomineralization by microorganisms. We have previously reported microbial‐mineralization‐inspired approaches that are comprised of direct and intermediate routes for the controlled syntheses of transition‐metal oxides. Herein, these approaches are applied to the thin‐film formation and coating of copper oxides and a related compound with controlled crystal phases and morphologies. Thin films of CuO, Cu₂O, and Cu₂(OH)₃Cl were selectively synthesized by using direct or intermediate routes. Notably, CuO mesocrystal nanosheets formed a thin film over the whole of the substrate. The resultant CuO mesocrystal nanosheets showed enhanced properties for the electrochemical detection of dopamine. This study shows the potential applicability of microbial‐mineralization‐inspired approaches to thin‐film coatings.     

Formation of Nanostructured MnO/Co/Solid–Electrolyte Interphase Ternary Composites as a Durable Anode Material for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Nanoporous MnO frameworks with highly dispersed Co nanoparticles were produced from MnCO₃ precursors prepared in a gel matrix. The MnO frameworks that contain 20 mol % Co exhibited excellent cycle performance as an anode material for Li‐ion batteries. The solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) formed in the frameworks through the electrochemical reaction mediates the active materials, such as MnO, Mn, and Li₂O, during the conversion reaction in the charge–discharge cycle. The Co nanoparticles and SEI provide the electron and Li‐ion conductive networks, respectively. The ternary nanocomposites of the MnO framework, metallic Co nanoparticles, and embedded SEI are categorized as durable anode materials for Li‐ion batteries.     

Oblique detonation waves stabilized in rectangular-cross-section bent tubes

Oblique detonation waves, which are generated by a fundamental detonation phenomenon occurring in bent tubes, may be applied to fuel combustion in high-efficiency engines such as a pulse detonation engine (PDE) and a rotating detonation engine (RDE). The present study has experimentally demonstrated that steady-state oblique detonation waves propagated stably through rectangular-cross-section bent tubes by visualizing these waves using a high-speed camera and the shadowgraph method. The oblique detonation waves were stabilized under the conditions of high initial pressure and a large curvature radius of the inside wall of the rectangular-cross-section bent tube. The geometrical shapes of the stabilized oblique detonation waves were calculated, and the results of the calculation were in good agreement with those of our experiment. Moreover, it was experimentally shown that the critical condition under which steady-state oblique detonation waves can stably propagate through the rectangular-cross-section bent tubes was the curvature radius of the inside wall of the rectangular-cross-section bent tube equivalent to 14–40 times the cell width.