WAVELENGTH-DEPENDENT PROPERTIES OF PHOTOTAXIS IN LARVAE OF Bombyx mori

Phototactic responses of newly hatched silkworm larvae to monochromatic lights and their mixtures were measured to determine wavelength-dependent properties. Each fluence rate-response curve for a monochromatic light was composed of a log-linearly increasing part, a plateau and a decreasing part. Curves were classified into two groups according to the slopes of the linear parts: responses to UV-blue light (364-482 nm) and responses to green-red light (513-681 nm). Different plateau values were found for both groups. The action spectrum had its maximum at 557 nm and showed another large value at about 364 nm, and its minimum was at 447 nm. When green-orange lights (540-577 nm) were added to 557 nm, the silkworms were attracted more by the mixed lights than by the 557 nm component light only. Mixed lights of UV (364 nm) and blue (447 nm) attracted the silkworms more than either component. The magnitude of the response decreased remarkably when green light was mixed with U V or blue light. We conclude that the silkworm possesses colour vision and responds differently to green-red lights (≥ 513 nm) from UV-blue lights (≲ 482 nm).     

Smiles-type free radical rearrangement of aromatic sulfonates and sulfonamides: syntheses of arylethanols and arylethylamines

Smiles-type free radical rearrangements of arenesulfonates and arenesulfonamides are exploited for synthetic purposes. 4-Substituted benzenesulfonates cause Smiles-type rearrangement only when substituted by an electron withdrawing group. Therefore, ipso-attack by an alkyl radical on arenesulfonates takes place in an electrophilic manner. Arenesulfonamides rearrange only when the amide nitrogen is substituted by an alkoxycarbonyl group, due to the electron withdrawing nature of this group. Sulfonates and the N-ethoxycarbonylsulfonamide derivatives of naphthalene, quinoline, and thiophene cause more rearrangement and show synthetic utility. Aromatic amino acid analogues were synthesized by Smiles-type rearrangement with moderate yields. The radical Smiles-type rearrangement of sulfonate and sulfonamide derivatives can be a useful synthetic route when we understand the electronic character of these reactions.     

3,4-dihydro-6,7-dimethoxy-4-methyl-3-oxo-qinoxaline-2-carbonyl azide as a highly sensitive fluorescence derivatization reagent for primary,secondary and tertiary alcohols in high-performance liquid chromatography

3,4-Dhydro-6,7-dimethoxy-4-methyl-3-oxo-quinoxaline-2-carbonyl azide is a highly senstive fluorescence derivatization reagent for primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols for high-performance liquid chromatography. Reaction conditions are optimized with benzyl alcohol, n-hexanol, cyclohexanol and 2-methyl-2-butanol. The reagent reacts with the alcohols in benzene to produce the corresponding fluorescent carbamic acid esters, which can be separated on a reversed-phase column YMC Pack C₈ with aqueous methanol as eluent. the detection limits for the alchols are 2–5 fmol per 10-μl njection. The reagent also reacts with hydroxysteroids with primary, secondary and/or tertiary alcoholic group(s) to form fluorescent derivatives. Hydroxycarboxylic acids and phenols do not give any chromatographic peaks.     

Synthesis of 2-, 4- and 5-(2-alkylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl)-7-alkyloxybenzo[b]furans and their leukotriene B4 receptor antagonistic activity

Variable benzo[b]furan derivatives having (E)- and (Z)-2-alkylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl groups at the 2-, 4- and 5-positions and a carboxylpropoxy or (1-phenyl)ethoxy group at the 7-position were prepared to find novel and selective leukotriene B4(LTB4) receptor antagonists. (E)-2-(2-diethylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl)-7-(1-phenylethoxy)benzo[b]furan (4v) showed selective inhibition to the human BLT2 receptor (hBLT2). On the other hand, (E)-2-acetyl-4-(2-diethylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl)-7-(1-phenylethoxy)benzo[b]furan (7v) inhibited both human BLT(1) receptor (hBLT1) and hBLT2. The (E)-2-(2-diethylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl) group lay on approximately the same plane as the benzo[b]furan ring, whereas the (E)-4-(2-diethylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl) group had the torsion angle (45.7 degree) from the benzo[b]furan ring plane. However, the (Z)-(2-alkylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl)benzo[b]furans were inactive. The inhibitory activity depended on the conformation of the 2-diethylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl group.     

Studies on antitumor agents. IX. Synthesis of 3'-O-benzyl-2'-deoxy-5-trifluoromethyluridine

A practical synthesis of 3'-O-benzyl-2'-deoxy-5-trifluoromethyluridine (1), a candidate antitumor agent for clinical testing, was developed from 2'-deoxy-5-iodouridine (3). Benzylation of 2'-deoxy-5-iodo-5'-O-trityluridine (14) with benzyl bromide and sodium hydride in tetrahydrofuran gave the 3'-O-derivative (16). Benzoylation of 16 afforded the N3-benzoyl derivative (17). Coupling of 17 with trifluoromethylcopper, prepared from bromotrifluoromethane and copper powder in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine, gave the 5-trifluoromethyl derivative (19) minimally contaminated with the 5-pentafluoroethyl compound. Deprotection of 19 furnished 1.     

Characterization of fibril reinforced membranes for fuel cells

Characteristics of fibril reinforced membranes developed by Asahi Glass Company are reviewed. PTFE-fibrils <1 μm in diameter are dispersed in ion-exchange membranes uniformly. Mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, tear strength, creep property and compressive property were examined and compared with non-reinforced membranes. Fibril reinforced membranes, even by the addition of a small amount of PTFE-fibrils (2.7 wt.%), show excellent mechanical strength, especially in creep and tear strength. Cell performance is nearly equal to the one using a non-reinforced membrane and cell voltage stays about the same during the cell operation at 80 °C for 3000 h.     

Formation process of silver-polypyrrole coaxial nanocables synthesized by redox reaction between AgNO3 and pyrrole in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone)

We have recently demonstrated a one-step process to fabricate silver-polypyrrole (PPy) coaxial nanocables (Chen, A.; Wang, H.; Li, X. Chem. Commun. 2005, 14, 1863). The formation process of silver-PPy coaxial nanocables is discussed in this article. It was found from the results of TEM and SEM images that large numbers of silver atoms were formed when AgNO3 was added to a pyrrole solution. Then silver atoms transform to silver-PPy nanosheets with regular morphology, which will connect together to be more stable. Silver-PPy nanocables will be able to grow at the expense of the silver-PPy nanosheets. Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) plays crucial roles in this process: as a capping agent to form silver nanowires, and as a dispersant of pyrrole monomers, which can influence the site at which pyrrole monomer exists. On the basis of experimental analysis, the possible mechanism was proposed. Because of the effect of PVP, silver ions and pyrrole monomers are apt to be adsorbed at the [111] and [100] facets of silver nanosheets, respectively. Obvious polymerization will take place on the boundary of the [111] and [100] facets. The PPy layer stays stable on the [100] facets. Meanwhile, newly formed silver atoms and silver nanosheets will further ripen and grow on the [111] facets. In a word, the morphology of final products and the formation process are determined by the reaction site between AgNO3 and the pyrrole monomer, which is influenced by PVP.     

Small angle X-ray scattering from lamellar phase for β-3,7-dimethyloctylglucoside/water system: comparison with β-n-alkylglucosides

Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is measured for the lamellar phase in aqueous systems of 1-o-β-3,7-dimethyoctyl-D-glucopyranoside (β-Glc(Ger)), which has recently been prepared by us, 1-o-β-decyl-D-glucopyranoside (β-GlcC₁₀), and 1-o-β-octyl-D-glucopyranoside (β-GlcC₈). The repeat distance d obtained from the position of the diffraction peak does not follow the swelling law d = 2δ_hc/_hc, where δ_hc and _hc are the thickness and the volume fraction of the hydrophobic layer, respectively. This may result from the fact that δ_hc increases and, equivalently, the surface area per surfactant molecule (a_s) decreases with increasing concentration. So we calculate δ_hc and a_s from the observed d value at each concentration using the above swelling law. The half-thickness δ_hc increases in the order β-GlcC₈ < β-Glc(Ger) < β-GlcC₁₀ at a fixed concentration. On the other hand, the data on a_s for β-GlcC₁₀ and β-GlcC₈ lie on the same line and the data for β-Glc(Ger) lies above this line. These results suggest that the cross-sectional area of the geranyl chain is larger than that of the glucose headgroup. Existence of water filled defects in bilayer sheets is also discussed based on the SAXS pattern and the concentration dependence of d.     

Synthesis of novel 1,4-, 3,4-, and 4,5-dihydropyrimidines: First successful POCl3 chlorination and regioselective alkoxycarbonylation

Chlorination of 5,6-dihydropyrimidine-4-(3H)-one derivatives (1) with POCl₃ gave 1,4(3,4)-dihydropyrimidines (3), whose alkoxycarbonylation (ClCOOREt₃N or NaH) afforded regioselectively novel compounds (4). A new Pummerer rearrangement of compound (1, X= ---S(O)CH₃) with ₃, gave compound (5h).