Gas phase derivatization of ammonia with 4-fluoro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole and its application to urease assay.

An ammonia-specific and rapid fluorometric method for determination of ammonia and urease activity was developed. The method is designed to assay ammonia levels or urease activity for the rapid diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. 4-Fluoro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole was used to derivatize ammonia and 4-amino-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole was analysed by high performance liquid chromatography at an excitation wavelength of 455 nm and an emission wavelength of 520 nm. Derivatization was designed to react with ammonia gas produced in a strong alkaline pH sample. The fluorescent intensity was linear in the range of 0.1-10 mM ammonia per tube when the reaction was carried out for 15 min at 37 degrees C. Urease activity, judged as the amount of ammonia production from urea, could be measured at 25 ng per tube (S/N = 1.5) with Jack bean meal urease. Because of its rapidity, this assay is potentially superior to the current standard method in use in clinical settings.     

Photoinduced dissolution and redeposition of Au nanoparticles supported on TiO2

Au particles (mean size ca. 3 nm) supported on TiO(2) particles were irradiated by UV light (>300 nm) in aqueous solutions at 278 K. Photo-induced dissolution of Au nanoparticles followed by redeposition occurred in aqueous solutions containing halogen ions. The dissolution of Au nanoparticles yielded a Au(III) complex with a halogen ion; subsequent reduction of the Au(III) complex caused precipitation of larger Au particles on TiO(2).     

Partition coefficients of ω-phenylalkanols between water and sodium deoxycholate micelles

The partition coefficient of -phenylalkanols [C₆H₅(CH₂)_mpOH, m _p =3–6] between water and micelles of sodium deoxycholate (NaDC) has been determined by a differential spectroscopic method at 25°C. The linear dependence of thestandard free energy change of transfer calculated from the partition coefficient on the alkyl chain length of the alkanols (m _p 4) yields the standard free energy change per methylene group [G^o(CH₂)]. G^o(CH₂) value for the present system, –3.21 kJ-mol ^–1 is larger in magnitude than that for sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)--phenylalkanol system, –2.40 kJ-mol ^–1 . The result indicates that the alkyl chain of -phenylalkanols has higher affinity to NaDC micelles than to SDS micelles although the molecular structure of NaDC is more rigid and bulkier than that of SDS and the aggregation number of micelles of the former is much smaller than that of micelles of the latter. On the basis of the linear relation between the effect of added -phenylalkanols on the critical micelle concentration of NaDC (–dC_cmc/dC_a) and the partition coefficient, it is found that the degree of ionization of NaDC micelles is not influenced by solubilization of -phenylalkanols into the micelles.     

Asymmetric Catalysis with Heterobimetallic Compounds

This review focuses on a new concept in catalytic asymmetric reactions that was first realized for the use of heterobimetallic complexes. As these heterobimetallic complexes function as both a Brønsted base and as a Lewis acid, just like an enzyme, they make possible a variety of efficient catalytic asymmetric reactions. This heterobimetallic concept should prove to be applicable to a variety of new asymmetric catalyses. The first part of this review describes the development of rare-earth–alkali metal complexes such as LnM₃tris(binaphthoxide) complexes (LnMB, Ln = rare-earth metal, M = alkali metal), which are readily prepared from the corresponding rare-earth trichlorides or rare-earth isopropoxides, and their application to catalytic asymmetric synthesis. By using a catalytic amount of LnMB complexes several asymmetric reactions proceed efficiently to give the corresponding desired products in up to 98% ee: LnLB-catalyzed asymmetric nitroaldol reactions (L = Li), LnSB-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reactions (S ? Na), and LnPB-catalyzed asymmetric hydrophosphonylations of either imines or aldehydes (P ? K). Applications of these heterobimetallic catalysts to the syntheses of several biologically and medicinally important compounds are also described. Spectral analyses and computational simulations of the asymmetric reactions catalyzed by the heterobimetallic complexes reveal that the two different metals play different roles to enhance the reactivity of both reaction partners and to position them. From mechanistic considerations, a useful activation of the heterobimetallic catalyses was realized by addition of alkali metal reagents. The second part describes the development of another type of heterobimetallic catalysts featuring Group 13 elements such as Al and Ga as the central metal. Among them, the AlLibis(binaphthoxide) complex (ALB) is an effective catalyst for asymmetric Michael reactions, tandem Michael–aldol reactions, and hydrophosphonylation of aldehydes.     

Observation of spin splittings in the 2B1 state of no2 by means of polarization spectroscopy

Polarizition spectroscopy was applied to the analysis of the ²B₁ (K′ = 0)-²A, subbands of NO₂ at 474 and 455 nm. The lines of the     

Biosynthetic study of FR-900848: unusual observation on polyketide biosynthesis that did not accept acetate as origin of acetyl-CoA

The biosynthetic pathway of a potent antifungal agent, FR-900848, has been examined by administration of several ¹³C-labeled precursors to Streptoverticillium fervens HP-891. Although none of the ¹³C-labeled acetate was incorporated into FR-900848, the labeling pattern of FR-900848 derived from d-[U-¹³C₆]glucose revealed that the fatty acid backbone of FR-900848 has been biosynthesized via a polyketide pathway. These unusual results strongly show that the major pathway to provide acetyl-CoA in this microorganism is glycolysis. Feeding experiments with d-[U-¹³C₆]glucose, [1,3-¹³C₂]glycerol, and l-[Me-¹³C]methionine provided information on the biosynthetic origin of structurally unusual parts (polycyclopropane and aminonucleoside) in this antibiotic.     

High-speed electrophoretic analysis of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone derivatives of monosaccharides on a quartz microchip with whole-channel UV detection

1-Phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) derivatives of monosaccharides were analyzed by electrophoresis on a quartz microchip with whole-channel UV detection. Rapid separation of PMP derivatives of aldopentoses was achieved by plain-zone electrophoresis in a neutral phosphate buffer with the height equivalent to a theoretical plate at the micrometer level. Zone electrophoresis as borate complexes was also successful for the separation of PMP derivatives of a few aldoses, which were separated within 1 min. Separation by microchip electrophoresis was compared to that by capillary electrophoresis, and the difference was discussed in terms of column efficiency and sample column capacity.     

Specialist gelator for ionic liquids

Cyclo(l-beta-3,7-dimethyloctylasparaginyl-L-phenylalanyl) (1) and cyclo(L-beta-2-ethylhexylasparaginyl-L-phenylalanyl) (2), prepared from L-asparaginyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester, have been found to be specialist gelators for ionic liquids. They can gel a wide variety of ionic liquids, including imizazolium, pyridinium, pyrazolidinium, piperidinium, morpholinium, and ammonium salts. The mean minimum gel concentrations (MGCs) necessary to make gels at 25 degrees C were determined for ionic liquids. The gel strength increased at a rate nearly proportional to the concentration of added gelator. The strength of the transparent gel of 1-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate ([C(4)py]BF(4)), prepared at a concentration of 60 g L(-1) (gelator 1/[C(4)py]BF(4)), was ca. 1500 g cm(-2). FT-IR spectroscopy indicated that a driving force for gelation was intermolecular hydrogen bonding between amides and that the phase transition from gel to liquid upon heating was brought about by the collapse of hydrogen bonding. The gels formed from ionic liquids were very thermally stable; no melting occurs up to 140 degrees C when the gels were prepared at a concentration of 70 g L(-1) (gelator/ionic liquid). The ionic conductivities of the gels were nearly the same as those of pure ionic liquids. The gelator had electrochemical stability and a wide electrochemical window. When the gels were prepared from ionic liquids containing propylene carbonate, the ionic conductivities of the resulting gels increased to levels rather higher than those of pure ionic liquids. The gelators also gelled ionic liquids containing supporting electrolytes.     

Excitation-energy dependence of the radiative decay rate of s-triazine vapor: Participation of a higher singlet electronic state than S1 in the fluorescence emission

Emission spectra, quantum yields and decays of the fast emission component of s-triazine vapor following excitation into various vibronic levels in S₁ are reported. A monotonic increase of the radiative decay constant with increasing excitation energy suggests that a singlet electronic state higher than S₁ should participate in the fluorescence emission.     

Excitation-energy dependence of phosphorescence quantum yield of benzaldehyde vapour at low pressure

The phosphorescence quantum yield of benzaldehyde vapour was measured at low pressure (down to 2 mtorr) as a function of excitation wavelength. The quantum yield is essentially constant in the range of excitation energy corresponding to the S₁(n,π^*) state, but it decreases very rapidly as the excitation energy is raised to the value corresponding to S₂(π,π^*), indicating that the phosphorescence property of the benzaldehyde molecule varies, depending on the nature of the singlet state to which the molecule is initially excited.