Synthesis of ternary and quaternary graphite intercalation compounds containing alkali metal cations and diamines

A series of ternary graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) of alkali metal cations (M = Li, Na, K) and diamines [EN (ethylenediamine), 12DAP (1,2-diaminopropane), and DMEDA (N,N-dimethylethylenediamine)] are reported. These include stage 1 and 2 M-EN-GIC (M = Li, d(i) = 0.68-0.84 nm; M = Na, d(i) = 0.68 nm), stage 2 Li-12DAP-GIC (d(i) = 0.83 nm), and stage 1 and 2 Li-DMEDA-GIC (d(i) = 0.91 nm), where d(i) is the gallery height. For M = Li, a perpendicular-to-parallel transition of EN is observed upon evacuation, whereas for M = Na, the EN remains in parallel orientation. Li-12DAP-GIC and Li-DMEDA-GIC contain chelated Li(+) and do not show the perpendicular-to-parallel transition. We also report the quaternary compounds of mixed cations (Li,Na)-12DAP-GIC and mixed amines Na-(EN,12DAP)-GIC, with d(i) values in both cases between those of the ternary end members. (Li,Na)-12DAP-GIC is a solid solution with lattice dimensions dependent on composition, whereas for Na-(EN,12DAP)-GIC, the lattice dimension does not vary with amine content.     

Surprising 1,7-cyclization of vinyl carbonyl ylides generated from reaction of indanetrione with vinyl diazo compounds

Reactions of tricarbonyl compounds with vinyl diazo compounds 2 were carried out. Reaction of 1,2,3-indanetrione with 2a,b,c gave the spiroindan-1,3-dione-2,2′-benzodihydrooxepin 7a,b,c, but not normal products oxirane and dihydrofuran derivatives expected from intermediate vinyl carbonyl ylides 4. Formation of 7 requires isomerization of vinyl carbonyl ylides 4 bearing a (Z)-cyanostyryl group to unstable (E)-form 5 and subsequent cyclization to oxepin 6 followed by a 1,5-hydrogen shift. However, reaction of 2 with six-membered cyclic tricarbonyl compounds 1,2,3-trioxo-2,3-dihydrophenalene 11 and dimethylalloxane 13 gave the dioxole 12 and the dihydrofuran 14, respectively, typical products expected from vinyl carbonyl ylides.     

Visualization of complexes of Hoechst 33258 and DNA duplexes in solution by atomic force microscopy

Tertiary structure changes in DNA duplexes, induced by Hoechst 33258 binding, have been examined by the use of atomic force microscopy. Besides minor groove binding, which is an established mode of binding for this drug, Hoechst 33258 has now been found to show another binding mode, which causes an unwinding of the duplex. When the drug concentration is as high as 0.5 microg/ml, the Hoechst 33258 molecule seems to function as a clamp for two DNA chains and forms a condensate. The condensate was found to have a toroidal shape. By surveying more than 100 microscopic images of such condensates formed in I microg/ml drug solution, a mechanism of toroidal condensate formation has been proposed.     

Reaction of indium ate complexes with allylic compounds. Controlling SN2/SN2′ selectivity by solvents

Vinyl and methylindium ate complexes (indates) were prepared and both the tendency of immigration and regioselectivity toward cinnamyl bromide were investigated. The vinyl group was more preferably transferred than the Me group, giving a regioisomeric mixture of S_N2 and S_N2′ products. The ratio of S_N2/S_N2′ selectivity can be controlled by solvents; in the presence of polar solvents, such as N-butylpyrrolidone (NBP) and THF, the S_N2′ product was mainly obtained, whereas the S_N2 product was selectively prepared in solutions containing hexane. The vinylindium compound, generated by the reaction of allylic-type diindium reagents with imine, was also converted to the corresponding vinyl indate, which was allowed to react with allyl chloride to give a three-component coupling product.     

Single-Molecule Study of a Plasmon-Induced Reaction for a Strongly Chemisorbed Molecule

Chemical reactions induced by plasmons achieve effective solar-to-chemical energy conversion. However, the mechanism of these reactions, which generate a strong electric field, hot carriers, and heat through the excitation and decay processes, is still controversial. In addition, it is not fully understood which factor governs the mechanism. To obtain mechanistic knowledge, we investigated the plasmon-induced dissociation of a single-molecule strongly chemisorbed on a metal surface, two O₂ species chemisorbed on Ag(110) with different orientations and electronic structures, using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) combined with light irradiation at 5 K. A combination of quantitative analysis by the STM and density functional theory calculations revealed that the hot carriers are transferred to the antibonding (π*) orbitals of O₂ strongly hybridized with the metal states and that the dominant pathway and reaction yield are determined by the electronic structures formed by the molecule–metal chemical interaction.     

Imaging mass spectrometry distinguished the cancer and stromal regions of oral squamous cell carcinoma by visualizing phosphatidylcholine (16:0/16:1) and phosphatidylcholine (18:1/20:4)

Most oral cancers are oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The anatomical features of OSCC have been histochemically evaluated with hematoxylin and eosin. However, the border between the cancer and stromal regions is unclear and large portions of the cancer and stromal regions are resected in surgery. To reduce the resected area and maintain oral function, a new method of diagnosis is needed. In this study, we tried to clearly distinguish the border on the basis of biomolecule distributions visualized by imaging mass spectrometry (IMS). In the IMS dataset, eleven signals were significantly different in intensity (p?<?0.01) between the cancer and stromal regions. Two signals at m/z 770.5 and m/z 846.6 were distributed in each region, and a clear border was revealed. Tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) analysis identified these signals as phosphatidylcholine (PC) (16:0/16:1) at m/z 770.5 in the cancer region and PC (18:1/20:4) at m/z 846.6 in the stromal region. Moreover, the distribution of PC species containing arachidonic acid in the stromal region suggests that lymphocytes accumulated in response to the inflammation caused by cancer invasion. In conclusion, the cancer and stromal regions of OSCCs were clearly distinguished by use of these PC species and IMS analysis, and this molecular identification can provide important information to elucidate the mechanism of cancer invasion.     

Rapid screening swine foot-and-mouth disease virus using micro-ELISA system

In order to tackle both regional and global foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) epdimics, we hereby develop a rapid microfluidic thermal lens microscopic method to screen swine type O FMDV with good efficiency. The scheme has great merits in terms of field portability, sample volume, assay time, analytical sensitivity, and test reproducibility.     

Development of a microfluidic platform for single-cell secretion analysis using a direct photoactive cell-attaching method

A precise understanding of individual cellular processes is essential to meet the expectations of most advanced cell biology. Therefore single-cell analysis is considered to be one of possible approach to overcome any misleading of cell characteristics by averaging large groups of cells in bulk conditions. In the present work, we modified a newly designed microchip for single-cell analysis and regulated the cell-adhesive area inside a cell-chamber of the microfluidic system. By using surface-modification techniques involving a silanization compound, a photo-labile linker and the 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer were covalently bonded on the surface of a microchannel. The MPC polymer was utilized as a non-biofouling compound for inhibiting non-specific binding of the biological samples inside the microchannel, and was selectively removed by a photochemical reaction that controlled the cell attachment. To achieve the desired single-macrophage patterning and culture in the cell-chamber of the microchannel, the cell density and flow rate of the culture medium were optimized. We found that a cell density of 2.0 × 10(6) cells/ml was the appropriate condition to introduce a single cell in each cell chamber. Furthermore, the macrophage was cultured in a small size of the cell chamber in a safe way for 5 h at a flow rate of 0.2 μl/min under the medium condition. This strategy can be a powerful tool for broadening new possibilities in studies of individual cellular processes in a dynamic microfluidic device.