Lamellar thickening in nascent poly(acrylonitrile) upon annealing

No systematic study has been reported on the lamellar thickening in atactic poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) upon annealing because PAN, in the form of solution‐cast films or their drawn products, generally shows no small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) maximum corresponding to the lamellar thickness. In this work, PAN crystals were precipitated during the thermal polymerization of acrylonitrile in solution. The nascent PAN film, obtained by the filtration of the crystal suspension, exhibited a clear SAXS maximum revealing the lamellar structure. The lamellar thickening upon annealing of the nascent PAN films was studied in the temperature range 100–180 °C, where the degradation was minimal, as confirmed by the absence of an IR absorption band at 1605 cm⁻¹ ascribed to the cyclized nitrile groups. Above 190 °C, the degradation of the samples was significant, and the SAXS became too broad to determine the scattering maximum. The long period was significantly affected by the annealing time (t_a) and the temperature (T_a). Depending on t_a, three stages were observed for the lamellar thickening behavior. The lamellar thickness stayed constant in stage I (t_a = 0.5–3 min, depending on T_a), rapidly increased in stage II (t_a = 0.5–8 min), and stayed at a constant value characteristic for each T_a at yet longer t_a's in stage III. The lamellar thickness characteristic for T_a increased rapidly with increasing T_a at 165 °C (or higher), which was 152 °C lower than the estimated melting temperature of PAN (T_m = 317 °C). A possible mechanism for such lamellar thickening in PAN far below the T_m is discussed on the basis of the enhanced chain mobility in the crystalline phase above the crystal/crystal reversible transition at 165–170 °C detected by differential scanning calorimetry and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The structural changes associated with annealing are also discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 2571–2579, 2000     

Analytical separation of tea catechins and food-related polyphenols by high-speed counter-current chromatography

High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) using the type-J coil planet centrifuge was applied to compositional analysis of tea catechins and separation of other food-related polyphenols. The HSCCC separation of nine different standard compounds and those from extracts of commercial tea leaves was performed with a two-phase solvent system composed of tert-butyl methyl ether-acetonitrile-0.1% aqueous trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) (2:2:3, v/v/v) by eluting the upper organic phase at a flow rate of 2 ml/min. The main compounds in the extract of non-fermented green tea were found to be monomeric catechins, their galloylated esters and caffeine. In addition to these compounds, oxidized pigments, such as hydrophobic theaflavins (TFs) and polar thearubigins (TRs) were also separated and detected from the extracts of semi-fermented oolong tea and fermented black tea. Furthermore, several food-related polyphenols, such as condensed catechin oligomers (procyanidins), phenolic acids and flavonol glycosides were clearly separated under the same HSCCC condition. These separation profiles of HSCCC provide useful information about the hydrophobic diversity of these bioactive polyphenols present in various types of teas and food products.     

Furostane‐Type Steroidal Saponins from the Roots of Chlorophytum borivilianum

Four new furostanol steroid saponins, borivilianosides A–D ( 1 – 4 , resp.), corresponding to (3β,5α,22R,25R)‐26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐22‐hydroxyfurostan‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 1 ), (3β,5α,22R,25R)‐ 26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐22‐methoxyfurostan‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 2 ), (3β,5α,22R,25R)‐26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐22‐methoxyfurostan‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 3 ), and (3β,5α,25R)‐26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)furost‐20(22)‐en‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 4 ), together with the known tribuluside A and (3β,5α,22R,25R)‐26‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐22‐methoxyfurostan‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐O‐[β‐D ‐xylopyranosyl‐(1→3)]‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside were isolated from the dried roots of Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant and Fern . Their structures were elucidated by 2D ‐NMR analyses (COSY, TOCSY, NOESY, HSQC, and HMBC) and mass spectrometry.     

Microcrystalline composite particles of carbon nanotubes and calcium carbonate

Coprecipitation of urea-melt modified carbon nanotubes and calcium carbonate from an aqueous solution by two methods yielded microcrystalline composite particles. Powders obtained by colloidal crystallization from a supersaturated solution that were isolated and dried soon after precipitation were a mixture of raspberry-shaped and rhombohedral particles. These were shown by infrared and X-ray diffraction analyses to be mainly calcite. Particles that were kept wet for 1 day or longer before being isolated were typically entirely rhombohedral with edge lengths in the range of 5-30 microm. Scanning electron microscopy investigations revealed that the nanotubes were adsorbed on the particle surface and also incorporated into the interior matrix. Removal of the calcium carbonate component by treating the particles with acid yielded nanotube shells whose size and shape reflected those of the original particles.     

Structure activity relationships of quinoxalin-2-one derivatives as platelet-derived growth factor-beta receptor (PDGFbeta R) inhibitors, derived from molecular modeling

We previously reported a quinoxalin-2-one compound (Compound 1) that had inhibitory activity equivalent to existing platelet-derived growth factor-beta receptor (PDGFbeta R) inhibitors. Lead optimization of Compound 1 to increase its activity and selectivity, using structural information regarding PDGFbeta R-ligand interactions, is urgently needed. Here we present models of the PDGFbeta R kinase domain complexed with quinoxalin-2-one derivatives. The models were constructed using comparative modeling, molecular dynamics (MD) and ligand docking. In particular, conformations derived from MD, and ligand binding site information presented by alpha-spheres in the pre-docking processing, allowed us to identify optimal protein structures for docking of target ligands. By carrying out molecular modeling and MD of PDGFbeta R in its inactive state, we obtained two structural models having good Compound 1 binding potentials. In order to distinguish the optimal candidate, we evaluated the structural activity relationships (SAR) between the ligand-binding free energies and inhibitory activity values (IC50 values) for available quinoxalin-2-one derivatives. Consequently, a final model with a high SAR was identified. This model included a molecular interaction between the hydrophobic pocket behind the ATP binding site and the substitution region of the quinoxalin-2-one derivatives. These findings should prove useful in lead optimization of quinoxalin-2-one derivatives as PDGFb R inhibitors.     

Synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles. 8. Preparation and ring-opening of spiro[cycloalkane-[1′,2′,4′]triazolo[1′,5′-c]pyrimidine] derivatives

Diaminomethylene- and aminomethylthiomethylenehydrazones [2] of cyclic ketones 1–8 readily reacted with ethoxymethylenemalononitrile to give spiro[cycloalkane-1,2′-[1,2′,4′]triazolo[1,5′-c]pyrimidine-8′-carbonitrile] derivatives 12–19 through the electrocyclic reaction of the initially formed condensation products 26 in moderate to high yields. The spiro[cyclopentanetriazolopyrimidine] derivatives underwent ring-opening at the cycloalkane moiety upon heating in solution to give 2-alkyl-5-substituted-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine-8′-carbonitriles 20–23 . When an alkyl substituent was introduced into the cyclopentane ring, cleavage of the spiro compounds occurred preferentially at the cyclopentane moiety between the spiro carbon and the more branched one. In contrast, the cyclohexane ring, especially of spiro-5-amino-triazolopyrimidines 17 and 18 strongly resisted to ring-opening under similar conditions, but those of 5-methylthiotriazolopyrimidines 14 gave up to 17 percent of cleavage after prolonged heating in hot ethanol. 2-t-Butyl-5-methylthio-2,3-dihydro[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine-8-carbonitrile 25 [R³ = C(CH₃)₃] was highly susceptible to the cleavage even at room temperature and produced the corresponding 2-unsubstituted triazolopyrimidine 24 with loss of the t-butyl group.     

Infrared spectroscopy of ozone-water complex in a neon matrix

Matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy has been applied to study an ozone-water complex of atmospheric interest. The complex was identified in the spectral region of three normal modes of ozone and water. Ab initio calculation at MP4(SDQ), QCISD, and CCSD(T) levels indicates the existence of only one stable conformer, which accords with the present experimental result. This conformer belongs to the Cs symmetry group where two molecular planes of ozone and water are perpendicular to the Cs symmetry plane. The binding energy was calculated to be 1.89 kcal/mol at the CCSD(T)/6-311++G(3df,3pd)//CCSD(T)/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. The formation constant and atmospheric abundance of the ozone-water complex are estimated using the thermodynamic and spectroscopic data obtained.     

Combinatorial synthesis of MUC1 glycopeptides: polymer blotting facilitates chemical and enzymatic synthesis of highly complicated mucin glycopeptides

The chemoselective polymer blotting method allows for rapid and efficient synthesis of glycopeptides based on a "catch and release" strategy between solid-phase and water-soluble polymer supports. We have developed a heterobifunctional linker sensitive to glutamic acid specific protease (BLase). The general procedure consists of five steps, namely (i) the solid-phase synthesis of glycopeptide containing BLase sensitive linker, (ii) subsequent deprotections and the release of the glycopeptide from the resin, (iii) chemoselective blotting of the glycopeptide intermediates in the presence of water-soluble polymers with oxylamino functional groups, (iv) sugar elongations using glycosyltransferases, and (v) the release of target glycopeptides from the polymer platform by selective BLase promoted hydrolysis. The combined use of the solid-phase chemical syntheses of peptides and the enzymatic syntheses of carbohydrates on water-soluble polymers would greatly contribute to the production of complicated glycopeptide libraries, thereby enhancing applicative research. We report here a high-throughput synthetic system for the various types of MUC1 glycopeptides exhibiting a variety of sugar moieties. It is our belief that this concept will become part of the entrenched repertoire for the synthesis of biologically important glycopeptides on the basis of glycosyltransferase reactions in automated and combinatorial syntheses.     

Two New Triterpene Saponins from Acanthophyllum laxiusculum

Two new triterpene glycosides, 1 and 2 , together with three known ones, were isolated from roots of Acanthophyllum laxiusculum Schiman ‐Czeika . The structures of the new compounds were established by extensive 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic experiments and MS analyses as 23‐O‐β‐D ‐galactopyranosylgypsogenic acid 28‐O‐{β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐6‐O‐[4‐carboxy‐3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐1‐oxobutyl]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)}‐[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranosyl ester ( 1 ) and gypsogenic acid 28‐O‐{β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐6‐O‐[4‐carboxy‐3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐1‐oxobutyl]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)}‐[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranosyl ester ( 2 ).