Concise total synthesis of (-)-deoxocuscohygrine and (-)-dihydrocuscohygrine

The concise enantioselective total synthesis of C(2)-asymmetrical (-)-deoxocuscohygrine and (-)-dihydrocuscohygrine are described. Double-diastereoselective additions of normal Grignard reagent to bis(1,3-oxazolidine) have been deployed to construct chiral diamine fragments as a key step.     

Preparation and mechanical properties of bacterial cellulose nanocomposites loaded with silica nanoparticles

Bacterial cellulose (BC), which is produced by Gluconacetobacter xylinus (Ga. xylinus) in culture, is made up of a three-dimensional network of ribbon-shaped bundles of cellulose microfibrils. In the current studies, we used two processes to prepare nanocomposites of BC filled with silica particles. In Process I, Ga. xylinus was incubated in medium containing silica sol Snowtex 0 (ST 0, pH 2–4) or Snowtex 20 (ST 20, pH 9.5–10.0). The elastic modulus at 20 °C was improved by keeping the amount of silica in the nanocomposites below 4% when ST 20 was used and below 8.7% when ST 0 was used. This process allowed incorporation of 50% silica in BC. Inclusion of higher amounts of silica reduced the modulus at 20 °C and the strength of the nanocomposites below that of BC. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the silica particles disturb the formation of ribbon-shaped fibrils and affect the preferential orientation of the ( ) plane. We also produced BC-silica nanocomposites by Process II, wherein the BC hydrogel was immersed in different concentrations of silica sols, allowing silica particles to diffuse into the BC hydrogel and lodge in the spaces between the ribbon-shaped fibrils. This method increased the modulus at 20°C and the strength compared to the BC matrix, but it was difficult to load the BC with more than 10% silica in this way.     

Very strong hydrogen bonds in a bent chain structure of fluorohydrogenate anions in liquid Cs(FH)2.3F

The structure of liquid Cs(FH)(2.3)F was revealed using a combination of high-energy x-ray and neutron diffraction measurements. We found that the strongest intermolecular H-F hydrogen bonds at an average distance of 1.36 A are accompanied by the formation of a high degree of bending of the oligomer chain in the melt, with [angle]FHF=150 degrees . A reverse Monte Carlo simulation showed that the average number of atoms per chain is 4.4. A detailed chain analysis of the atomic configuration revealed that (FH)(2)F(-) oligomer chains are the major entities in the liquid, and asymmetrical FHF(-) are formed owing to the strong H-F hydrogen bonds. The results suggest that an average of one or two HF molecules bond to each of the 11 fluorine atoms surrounding a cesium ion.     

Application to Photocatalytic H2 Production of a Whole‐Cell Reaction by Recombinant Escherichia coli Cells Expressing [FeFe]‐Hydrogenase and Maturases Genes

A photocatalytic H₂ production system using an inorganic–bio hybrid photocatalyst could contribute to the efficient utilization of solar energy, but would require the development of a new approach for preparing a H₂‐forming biocatalyst. In the present study, we constructed a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli expressing the genes encoding the [FeFe]‐hydrogenase and relevant maturases from Clostridium acetobutylicum NBRC 13948 for use as a biocatalyst. We investigated the direct application of a whole‐cell of the recombinant E. coli. The combination of TiO₂, methylviologen, and the recombinant E. coli formed H₂ under light irradiation, demonstrating that whole cells of the recombinant E. coli could be employed for photocatalytic H₂ production without any time‐consuming and costly manipulations (for example, enzyme purification). This is the first report of the direct application of a whole‐cell reaction of recombinant E. coli to photocatalytic H₂ production.     

Total synthesis of valeriananoids A, B, and C via autocatalytic diastereoselective domino Michael reaction

Natural enantiomers of unique tricyclic sesquiterpenoids, valeriananoids A-C 1-3, have been synthesized starting from bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,5-dione derivative 11, which was obtained by diastereoselective catalytic domino Michael reaction of oxophorone 5 with 8-phenylmenthyl acrylate 10 by LDA or silica-gel-base (NMAP-Li). The tricyclic ring was closed selectively by intramolecular 6-endo-trig mode cyclization of the ketyl radical, which was generated from keto-allylether 25 by either lithium or sodium naphthalenide.     

Synthesis and polymerization of N‐(4‐tetrahydropyranyl‐oxyphenyl)maleimide

N‐(4‐Tetrahydropyranyl‐oxy‐phenyl)maleimide (THPMI) was prepared and polymerized by radical or anionic initiators. THPMI could be polymerized by 2,2′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) and potassium tert‐butoxide. Radical polymers (poly(THPMI)r) were obtained in 15–50% yields for AIBN in THF at 65°C after 2–5 h. The yield of anionic polymers (poly(THPMI)a) obtained from potassium tert‐butoxide in THF at 0°C after 20 h was 91%. The molecular weights of poly(THPMI)r and poly(THPMI)a were M_n = 2750–3300 (M_w/M_n = 1.2–3.3) and M_n = 11300 (M_w/M_n = 6.0), respectively. The difference in molecular weights of the polymers was due to the differences in the termination mechanism of polymerization and the solubility of these polymers in THF. The thermal decomposition temperatures were 205 and 365°C. The first decomposition step was based on elimination of the tetrahydropyranyl group from the poly(THPMI). Positive image patterns were obtained by chemical amplification of positive photoresist composed of poly(THPMI) and 4‐morpholinophenyl diazonium trifluoromethanesulfonate used as an acid generator. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 341–347, 1999     

Spin Excitations in the Field-Induced Phase of the Quasi-One-Dimensional S = 1 Heisenberg Antiferromagnet NDMAP

The S = 1 quasi-one-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet [Ni(C₅H₁₄N₂)₂N₃](PF₆), abbreviated as NDMAP, has been studied by electron spin resonance in a magnetic field above the critical field (H _c). We studied angular and frequency dependences of spin excitations. The angular dependence of the spin excitations in the vicinity of H _c is explained well by a phenomenological field theory, but the agreement between the experiment and the calculation is not satisfactory above 10 T. In high magnetic fields above 15 T, we obtained some characteristic spin excitations which are well explained by conventional antiferromagnetic resonance modes. These results suggest that the spin excitations change from a quantum state to a classical one due to the suppression of quantum fluctuations by high magnetic fields.     

Ultrasonic intensity microscopy for imaging of living cells

Ultrasound intensity microscopy was developed for in vivo imaging. This paper describes the preliminary results obtained using 300 MHz ultrasound intensity microscopy for in vitro characterization of cell cultures. The novelty of the approach lies in the fact that it allows remote, non-contact and disturbance-free imaging of cultured synovial cells and the changes in the cells’ properties due to external stimulants such as transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1). The intensity imaging method has potential for extracting mechanical cell properties and monitoring the effects of drugs.Ultrasound propagates through a thin specimen such as cultured cells and is reflected at the interface between the specimen and substrate. A two-dimensional distribution of the ultrasonic intensity, which is closely related to the mechanical properties, is visualized to analyze cell organs, such as the nucleus at the central part and the cytoskeleton at the peripheral zone. After stimulation with TGF-β1, the ultrasonic intensity at the actin zone was significantly increased compared with the control.     

A variety of spin-crossover behaviors depending on the counter anion: two-dimensional complexes constructed by NH...Cl- hydrogen bonds, [FeIIH3LMe]Cl.X (X = PF6 -, AsF6 -, SbF6 -, CF3SO3 -; H3L(Me) = Tris[2-{[(2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene]amino}ethyl]amine)

A family of spin-crossover (SC) complexes, [Fe(II)H(3)L(Me)]Cl.X (X(-) = PF(6) (-), AsF(6) (-), SbF(6) (-), CF(3)SO(3) (-)), 1-4, has been synthesized, in which H(3)L(Me) denotes the hexadentate N(6) tripod-like ligand tris[2-{[(2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene]amino}ethyl]amine, containing three imidazole groups, with a view to establishing the effect of the counter anion on the SC behavior. These complexes have been found to crystallize in the same monoclinic crystal system with similar cell dimensions. The general crystal structure consists of a two-dimensional (2D) extended network constructed by NH...Cl- hydrogen bonds between Cl- and the imidazole NH groups of three neighboring [Fe(II)H(3)L(Me)]2+ ions, while the anion X exists as an isolated counter anion and occupies the space between the 2D sheets. Magnetic susceptibilities and M?ssbauer spectra have revealed a variety of SC behaviors depending on the counter anion, including a one-step HS<==>(HS + LS)/2 (1, X = PF(6) (-)), a two-step HS<==>(HS + LS)/2<==>LS with a slow thermal relaxation (2, X = AsF(6) (-)), a gradual one-step HS<==>LS (3, X = SbF(6) (-)), and a steep one-step HS<==>LS with hysteresis (4, X = CF(3)SO(3) (-)). The complexes assume the space group P2(1)/n in the HS state, P2(1) in the HS + LS state, and P2(1)/n in the LS state. The Fe-N bond lengths and the N-Fe-N bond angles are indicative of the HS, HS + LS, and LS states. The molecular volumes, V, of the counter anions have been evaluated by quantum-chemical calculations as follows: 53.4 A(3) (BF(4) (-)), 54.4 A(3) (ClO(4) (-)), 73.0 A(3) (PF(6) (-)), 78.5 A(3) (AsF(6) (-)), 88.7 A(3) (SbF(6) (-)), and 86.9 A(3) (CF(3)SO(3) (-)). The size and shape of the counter anion affects the flexible 2D network structure constructed by the hydrogen bonds, leading to modifications of the SC behavior. These estimated relative sizes of the counter anions correlate well with the observed SC behaviors.