Highly emissive pi-conjugated alkynylpyrene oligomers: their synthesis and photophysical properties

We newly prepared para- and meta-linked alkynylpyrene oligomers and examined their photophysical properties. Oligomerization of monomeric building blocks was performed by CuI-promoted oxidative coupling reaction. The resulting oligomers mainly consist of 2-mer to 6-mer that were assigned on the basis of MALDI-TOF mass spectra, and the 2-mer, 3-mer, and 4-mer were isolated and fully characterized. From their absorption and fluorescence spectra, the para-linked oligomers were found to be somewhat pi-conjugated compared with meta-linked ones, and the fluorescence quantum yields decreased with increasing oligomer length (Phif = 0.79-0.55).     

Cyclopolycondensations. VII. Preparation of aromatic poly(ureido acids) by the low-temperature solution polymerization and cyclodehydration to fully aromatic polyquinazolinediones

Fully aromatic polyquinazolinediones (IV) of high molecular weight were obtained by thermal cyclodehydration of aromatic poly(uredio acids) (III) prepared by the polyaddition reaction of 4,4′-diaminobiphenyl-3,3′-dicarboxylic acid (I) with aromatic diisocyanates (II). From the kinetic study of reactions of model systems (anthranilic acid with phenyl isocyanate) in the presence of a variety of basic catalysts, it was established that tertiary amines had the highest catalytic activity for the formation of ureido linkage. The optimum polymerization conditions were determined by the study of reaction variables such as monomer concentration, polymerization temperature, monomer ratio, and catalyst concentration. The effect of polarity and purity of organic solvents and reactants was also studied.     

Ab initio calculations of transport properties of atomic bridges by the recursion-transfer-matrix method

We present an efficient self-consistent method for approaching quantum transport through atomic-scale structures. Using the recursion-transfer-matrix (RTM) method with a separable form of nonlocal pseudopotentials, scattering waves propagating between metallic electrodes through nano-bridged structures are efficiently calculated on the basis of the density-functional formalism. We performed calculations with this method of the conductance of Al atomic wires with various kinds of single atoms mixed at the contact to one electrode. We found that the transport properties are considerably affected by the bonding nature of the atom at the contact. The conductance is largely determined by the atomic species at the contact and does not change much as the length of the atomic wire increases.     

Novel fluorescent asparaginyl-N-acetyl-d-glucosamines (Asn-GlcNAc) for the resolution of oligosaccharides in glycopeptides, based on enzyme transglycosylation reaction

Several fluorescent asparaginyl-N-acetyl-d-glucosamines (Asn-GlcNAcs), i.e., DBD-Asn-GlcNAc, NBD-Asn-GlcNAc, NDA-Asn-GlcNAc, PS-Asn-GlcNAc, FITC-Asn-GlcNAc, DMEQ-Asn-GlcNAc and DBD-PZ-Boc-Asn-GlcNAc, were synthesized as the acceptors for the resolution of oligosaccharides in glycopeptides. The resolution of oligosaccharides is based on the transglycosylation reaction with end-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (Endo-M), isolated from Mucor hiemalis. The synthesis of each fluorescent acceptor was carried out in a one-pot reaction of Asn-GlcNAc and the corresponding fluorescent tagging reagent. The transglycosylation reaction using Endo-M proceeds at RT in neutral phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) and reached maxima at around 30 min. When Fmoc-Asn-GlcNAc (acceptor) was enzymatically reacted with Disialo-Asn (donor) in the presence of Endo-M, the ratio of Disialo-Asn-Fmoc (transglycosylation product) was almost comparable with the decreasing ratio of Fmoc-Asn-GlcNAc. Therefore, the transglycosylation activity of Endo-M from Disialo-Asn (donor) and fluorescent-Asn-GlcNAc (acceptor) was calculated from the decreasing ratio of fluorescent-Asn-GlcNAc. The order was NDA-Asn-GlcNAc > DBD-Asn-GlcNAc Fmoc-Asn-GlcNAc > NBD-Asn-GlcNAc DMEQ-Asn-GlcNAc > DNS-Asn-GlcNAc > PS-Asn-GlcNAc > FITC-Asn-GlcNAc. On the other hand, the activity with a fluorescent acceptor (DBD-PZ-Boc-Asn-GlcNAc), labeled to a carboxylic acid group in the Asn residue, was the strongest among the synthesized acceptors.     

Synthetic studies of carzinophilin. Part 1: Synthesis of 2-methylidene-1-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane systems related to carzinophilin

Synthesis of the model compounds of carzinophilin carrying 2-methylidene-1-aza-bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane systems was achieved. Formation of malonylidenes or N-acyl-glycinylidenepyrrolidines was carried out by utilizing Eschenmoser's sulfide contraction or Herdeis's condensation between the 2-methylthio-Δ¹-pyrrolone derivatives and ethyl nitroacetate, respectively. The 1-azabicyclo-[3.1.0]hexane systems were constructed by base-promoted aziridine formation.     

Chiral Sc-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reactions of thiols with enones in water

Asymmetric Michael reactions of thiols with enones were catalyzed by a Sc(OTf)(3)-chiral bipyridine complex at room temperature in water without using any organic solvents, to afford the desired sulfides in high yields with high enantioselectivities.     

Surface segregation of poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) in a mixture with poly(methyl methacrylate)

Poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA) exhibits excellent blood compatibility. To understand why such a surface functionality exists, the surface of PMEA should be characterized in detail, structurally and dynamically, under not only ambient conditions, but also in water. However, a thin film of PMEA supported on a solid substrate can be easily broken, namely it is dewetted. Our strategy to overcome this difficulty is to mix PMEA with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Differential scanning calorimetry and cloud point measurements revealed that the PMEA/PMMA blend has a phase diagram with a lower critical solution temperature. The blend surface was also characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in conjunction with microscopic observations. Although PMEA is preferentially segregated over PMMA at the blend surface due to its lower surface free energy, the extent of segregation in the as-prepared films was not sufficient to cover the surface. Annealing the blend film at an appropriate temperature, higher than the glass transition temperature and lower than the phase-separation temperature of the blend, enabled us to prepare a stable and flat surface that was perfectly covered with PMEA.