Unexpected reactions of ferrocene acetal derived from tartaric acid with alkyllithium: competition between proton abstraction and nucleophilic attack

We wished to prepare planar chiral compounds by the lithiation of acetal 2-ferrocenyl-(4S,5S)-bis(methoxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolane (1) with butyllithium followed by the reaction with an electrophile. However, the desired products were not observed and two unexpected products, 1-ferrocenyl-1-pentanol (4) of the nucleophilic attack product and 2-ferrocenyl-4,5-dimethylene-1,3-dioxolane (5) of the proton abstraction product, were isolated. Because the nucleophilic attack on acetal carbon is rarely reported so far and both products 4 and 5 may have some potential uses in organic synthesis, these unexpected reactions are investigated in detail. The mechanisms of these reactions are discussed.     

Syntheses of new model compounds related to an antigenic epitope from Bupleurum falcatum L. and their distributions in various ganglioside-phospholipid monolayers

6-N-[2-(Tetradecyl)hexadecanamido]hexyl beta-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid-(1-->6)-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-galactopyranoside (1) and its clustering compound (2) carrying a tetravalent sugar unit, which are new model compounds related to a major antigenic epitope from antiulcer pectic polysaccharide of Bupleurum falcatum L., were synthesized and the distributions of 1 and 2 in mixed ganglioside (GM1, GD1a or GT1b)/phospholipid (DPPC) monolayers were observed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM images showed that 1 was distributed in the GM1, GD1a and GT1b region of the mixed monolayers, in which 1 was miscible with GD1a. Specific distribution of 1 was observed in the mixed GM1/DPPC monolayer. Compound 2 was miscible with GM1, while 2 formed associations with GD1a and GT1b in the mixed monolayers. The distribution mode of 1 and 2 was different among the mixed ganglioside/DPPC monolayers.     

Melt crystallization and crystal transition of poly(butylene adipate) revealed by infrared spectroscopy

The structure evolution of poly(butylene adipate) (PBA) during isothermal melt crystallization and phase transition processes is investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Detailed IR spectra analysis and band assignment are performed to disclose the bands sensitive to the alpha-form crystalline order of PBA. It is revealed from the in situ IR study that the functionalities within PBA chains alter simultaneously during the melt crystallization process. From the analysis of the spectral changes, it is found that band shifts take place during the phase transition process of PBA from its metastable beta-form crystal to the stable alpha-form. Notable band shifts in the 1300-1100 cm(-1) region indicate that the twist of polymer chains in the alpha-form is located in the C-O-C and C-O linkages. Moreover, the results elucidated that the different segments of molecular chains tune up their conformations synchronously during the beta to alpha crystal transition process of PBA. It is suggested that the betaalpha phase transition process proceeds randomly throughout the solid at a constant rate.     

Quantitative analysis of X-ray absorption spectra using a 2D map representation

A promising possibility for the quantitative analysis of X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra of nanosized electrode materials is demonstrated. We used a 2D map representation technique, which utilizes the values of the first derivatives of the absorbance with respect to the inserted Li(+) content plotted over the two-dimensional space defined by the inserted Li(+) content (mole) versus photon energy (eV) as a single map. The technique was applied to XANES spectra of the Li(y)CoO system in the first Li(+) insertion reaction for determining the structural and electronic variations associated with the change in Li(+) content. The obtained show that the intensities of two peaks at 7725 and 7711 eV increased with the Li(+) content and the difference of intensity change of these two peaks carried out for successive couples of spectra yielded the largest changes at 1.05 and 1.98 mol of Li content. This approach for quantitative analysis of XANES without using conventional simulation techniques enable us to interpret X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) as a quantitative analytical technique with greater confidence.     

Ionic polymers and oligomers with expanded π-conjugation system derived from through-space interaction in piperazinium ring

Reactions of N-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-4-arylpyridinium chlorides (aryl (Ar) = phenyl and 4-pyridyl) with piperazines caused the ring opening of the pyridinium ring and yielded polymers that consisted of 5-piperazinium-3-aryl-penta-2,4-dienylideneammonium chloride units [N(CH(R)CH₂)₂N⁺(Cl⁻)CHCHC(Ar)CHCH, RH, Me, and phenyl]. However, the same reactions occurring in the presence of piperidine yielded oligomers that consisted of 5-piperazinium-3-aryl-penta-2,4-dienylideneammonium chloride units having piperidine and/or piperazine rings at both ends. ¹H NMR spectra suggested that π-electrons of the penta-2,4-dienylideneammonium group of the polymers and the oligomers were delocalized. UV-vis measurements revealed that the π-conjugation system expanded along the polymer and oligomer chains due to the orbital interaction between electrons on the two nitrogen atoms of the piperazinium ring. Conversion of the piperazinium ring from the boat form to the chair form caused decrease in the π-conjugation length. The rate constants of the conversion of the oligomers depended on their chain lengths. The surface of pellets that were molded from the polymers and oligomers exhibited metallic luster. These polymers and oligomers underwent electrochemical oxidation in solution.     

Study on the pressure induced charge transfer phase transition in (C5H11)4N(FeFe(C2O2S2)3) by means of μSR spectroscopy

We have investigated the magnetic properties of iron mixed-valence complexes, (n-C_nH_2n+1)₄N[Fe^IIFe^III(dto)₃] (dto = C₂O₂S₂, n = 3, 5), in which not only a ferromagnetic transition but also a novel charge transfer phase transition (CTPT) take place [1]. This CTPT can be observed under ambient pressure for n = 3, while it appears abruptly above 0.5 GPa for n = 5 [2]. Recently, we have measured the muon spin relaxation (μSR) for the CTPT of n = 3, which revealed the dynamical process of electron-transfer between Fe^II and Fe^III and its frequency was estimated at about 0.1 MHz [3]. To investigate the pressure induced CTPT for n = 5, we carried out the μSR measurement for n = 5 at 150 K between 0.30 and 0.64 GPa with the ⁴He gas-operated pressure system. The asymmetry of the muon spin relaxation for n = 5 with Cu-Be pressure cell was almost constant up to 0.55 GPa, while it rapidly decreased with increasing pressure above 0.60 GPa. This result shows that the applied pressure causes the spin fluctuation due to the CTPT, which induces the decrease of the asymmetry of muon spin relaxation. This experiment can correctly decide the phase transition pressure from the absence to the appearance of the CTPT for n = 5.     

Selective flow-injection determination of methanol in the presence of ethanol based on a multi-enzyme system with chemiluminescence detection

A highly selective flow-injection system was developed for the determination of methanol. The system consisted of three immobilized enzymes with luminol chemiluminescence detection. First, methanol was oxidized in the presence of alcohol oxidase to yield formaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide produced was then destroyed by catalase. The formaldehyde formed in the first stage was further oxidized by NAD⁺-formaldehyde dehydrogenase. The NADH formed was oxidized by 1-methoxy-5-methylphenazinium methylsulphate (1-MPMS), and finally the reduced 1-MPMS was spontaneously oxidized and hydrogen peroxide was produced. The concentration of the hydrogen peroxide produced, which was proportional to the initial concentration of methanol, was determined by luminol chemiluminescence. The determination range was from 0.1 to 100 mg l⁻¹ and the response time was less than 2 min per sample with a relative standard deviation of less than 3%. The system showed good selectivity for methanol; the response was ca. 50 times higher than for ethanol.     

Nonlinear optical side‐chain polymers post‐functionalized with high‐β chromophores exhibiting large electro‐optic property

Electro‐optic side‐chain polymers have been synthesized by the post‐functionalization of methacrylate isocyanate polymers with novel phenyl vinylene thiophene vinylene bridge (FTC) nonlinear optical chromophores. For this application, FTC‐based chromophores were modified in their electronic donor structure, exhibiting much larger molecular hyperpolarizabilities compared with the benchmark FTC. Of these new chromophores, absorption spectra, hyper‐Rayleigh scattering experiment, and thermal analysis were carried out to confirm availability as effective nonlinear optical units for electro‐optic side‐chain polymers. The electro‐optic coefficients (r₃₃) of obtained polymers were investigated in the process of in situ poling by monitoring the temperature, current flow, poling field, and electro‐optic signal. Compared with the nonsubstituted analogue, benxyloxy modified FTC chromophore significantly achieved higher nonlinear optical property, exhibiting molecular hyperpolarizability at 1.9 μm of 4600 × 10^?30 esu and an r₃₃ value of 150 pm/V at the wavelength of 1.31 μm. Synthesized electro‐optic polymers showed high glass transition temperature (T_g), so that the temporal stability examination exhibited >78% of the electro‐optic intensity remaining at 85 °C over 500 h. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation Using Alkenylsulfides

Highly stereoselective C-C bond forming reactions were developed on the basis of nucleophilic addition of alkenylsulfides to aldehydes, imines, and α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds.     

Co-hydrolysis products of tetraethoxysilane and methyltriethoxysilane in the presence of tetramethylammonium ions: Part 2 [1]

²⁹Si NMR peaks due to species with the double four-membered ring siloxane backbone composed of both Si(O^–)_4/2 and CH₃Si(O^–)_3/2 units, (CH₃) _n Si₈O _{20 – n} ^{/(8 – n) –} (n=1–3), formed by co-hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane and methyltriethoxysilane in the presence of tetramethylammonium ions in methanol have been assigned. It has been found that ²⁹Si NMR peaks due to Si(OSi)₃(O^–) units shift to lower frequencies by replacement of the adjacent Si(O^–)_4/2 units by CH₃Si(O^–)_3/2 units, in other words, with increasing m value in Si[OSi(O^–)₃]_{3 – m} [OSi(CH₃) (O^–)₂] _m (O^–) (m=0–2). Peaks from CH₃ Si(OSi)₃ units in the species have also appeared as separated due to the kind of neighbor structural units. On the basis of the assignments, positions of CH₃Si(O^–)_3/2 units in the cubic octameric siloxane framework of (CH₃) _n Si₈O _{20 – n} ^{/(8 – n) –} (n=2, 3), for both of which three isomers are present, have been estimated.