m-Diethynylbenzene macrocycles: syntheses and self-association behavior in solution

m-Diethynylbenzene macrocycles (DBMs), buta-1,3-diyne-bridged [4(n)]metacyclophanes, have been synthesized and their self-association behaviors in solution were investigated. Cyclic tetramers, hexamers, and octamers of DBMs having exo-annular octyl, hexadecyl, and 3,6,9-trioxadecyl ester groups were prepared by intermolecular oxidative coupling of dimer units or intramolecular cyclization of the corresponding open-chain oligomers. The aggregation properties were investigated by two methods, the (1)H NMR spectra and the vapor pressure osmometry (VPO). Although some discrepancies were observed between the association constants obtained from the two methods, the qualitative view was consistent with each other. The analysis of self-aggregation by VPO revealed unique aggregation behavior of DBMs in acetone and toluene, which was not elucidated by the NMR method. Namely, the association constants for infinite association are several times larger than the dimerization constant, suggesting that the aggregation is enhanced by the formation of dimers (a nucleation mechanism). In polar solvents, DBMs aggregate more strongly than in chloroform due to the solvophobic interactions between the macrocyclic framework and the solvents. Moreover, DBMs self-associate in aromatic solvents such as toluene and o-xylene more readily than in chloroform. In particular, the hexameric DBM having a large macrocyclic cavity exhibits extremely large association constants in aromatic solvents. By comparing the aggregation properties of DBMs with the corresponding acyclic oligomers, the effect of the macrocyclic structure on the aggregation propensity was clarified. Finally, it turned out that DBMs tend to aggregate more readily than the corresponding phenylacetylene macrocycles, acetylene-bridged [2(n)]metacyclophanes, owing to the withdrawal of the electron density from the aromatic rings by the butadiyne linkages which facilitates pi-pi stacking interactions.     

Synthesis of Indolones via Radical Cyclization of N‐(2‐Halogenoalkanoyl)‐Substituted Anilines

The radical reactions of N‐(2‐halogenoalkanoyl)‐substituted anilines (anilides) of type 1 have been investigated under various conditions. Treatment of compounds 1a – 1o with Bu₃SnH in the presence of (2,2′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) afforded a mixture of the indolones (oxindoles) 2a – 2o and the reduction products 5a – 5o (Table 1). In contrast, the N‐unsubstituted anilides 1p – 1s, 1u , and 1v gave the corresponding reduction products exclusively (Table 1). Similar results were obtained by treatment of 1 with Ni powder (Table 2) or wth Et₃B (Table 3). Anilides with longer N‐(phenylalkyl) chains such as 6 and 7 were inert towards radical cyclization, with the exception of N‐benzyl‐2‐bromo‐N,2‐dimethylpropanamide ( 6b ), which, upon treatment with Ni powder in i‐PrOH, afforded the cyclized product 9b in low yield (Table 4). Upon irradiation, the extended anilides 6, 7, 10 , and 11 yielded the corresponding dehydrobromination products exclusively (Table 5).     

Chemical alteration of nucleic acids and their components—XIII: Reaction of nucleosides with diacyl peroxides

Diacyl peroxides reacted at room tempt with cytidine and adenosine. The former gave 4-acyl and 3-oxido derivatives and the latter gave 6-acyl and 1-oxido derivatives. At 90°, diacetyl peroxide reacted with guanosine, adenosine, cytidine, and uridine by a homolytic process to give their C-methylated derivatives. The latter reaction was accelerated by the presence of a ferrous ion.     

Effect of preswelling of polymers in radiation-induced graft copolymerization

The graft copolymerization of styrene onto preirradiated poly(isobutylene oxide) was studied. An alkyl radical, ? C(CH₃)₂? CH? O? , was mainly observed by the irradiation of preswelled poly(isobutylene oxide) in aerated methanol. Kinetic analysis of the graft copolymerization indicated that the preswelling influenced k_tr and k_t and did not influence of ∫ R_idt and k_p.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic analysis of tetraphenylporphyrinatoantimony(V) complexes linked to boron-dipyrrin chromophore on axial ligands

Tetraphenylporphyrinatoantimony(V) complexes, linked to boron-dipyrrin chromophores on axial ligands, were synthesized. The fluorescence spectra of 1a, 1b and 1c (3-[4-(N,N′-difluorobornyl-5-dipyrrinyl)phenyl]propoxo(methoxo)antimony(V) tetraphenylporphyrin bromide (1a); 6-[4-(N,N′-difluorobornyl-5-dipyrrinyl)phenyl]hexyloxo(methoxo)antimony(V) tetraphenylporphyrin bromide (1b); bis{3-[4-(N,N′-difluorobornyl-5-dipyrrinyl)phenyl]propoxo}antimony(V) tetraphenylporphyrin bromide (1c)) were analyzed under the excitations of N,N′-difluorobornyl-5-dipyrrinylphenyl (Bdpy) and tetraphenylporphyrinatoantimony(V) (Sb(TPP)) chromophores. Under the irradiation of Bdpy chromophore, the excitation energy was transferred from Bdpy chromophore to the Sb(TPP) moiety at 0.13–0.40 of the quantum yields, even in a polar solvent. On the other hand, the emission of Sb(TPP) chromophores was quenched by Bdpy chromophores at rate constants of 10⁸–10⁹ s⁻¹, independent of on the solvent polarity. Under the excitation of the Bdpy chromophore of 1d (3-[4-(N,N′-difluorobornyl-5-dipyrrinyl)phenyl]propoxo(phenyloxo)antimony(V) tetraphenylporphyrin bromide) involving both the Bdpy and the phenoxy chromophores on the axial ligands, the excited singlet state of the Sb(TPP) chromophore generated by the energy transfer from the Bdpy chromophore was quenched by the phenoxy ligand via non-radiative processes involving electron transfer. However, rapid back electron-transfer may occur because no absorption of the anion radical of Sb(TPP) was observed by nanosecond laser photolysis.     

Polyether-bridged sexithiophene as a complexation-gated molecular wire for intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer

The porphyrin-sexithiophene-fullerene triad 2, where the two central thiophene units of the sexithiophene spacer are bridged with a crown-ether-like polyether chain, undergoes efficient intramolecular electron transfer from the photoexcited porphyrin moiety to the fullerene through the sexithiophene. However, complexation with a sodium cation in the crown ether ring causes complete suppression of electron transfer as a result of a drastic conformational change of the sexithiophene backbone. Furthermore, decomplexation resumes the photoinduced electron transfer. This on/off switching phenomenon indicates that the polyether-bridged sexithiophene can function as a complexation-gated molecular wire.     

A distance-controlled oligopeptide linker as a novel photo-induced energy transfer switch by secondary structural transition

By using an oligopeptide chain as a functional linker and introducing coumarin 2 and coumarin 343 at the chain ends, an effective photo-induced energy transfer system was constructed and energy transfer from coumarin 2 to coumarin 343 was switched on and off by a solvent-induced helix-coil secondary transition of the oligopeptide chain.     

A New Supramolecular Tetraruthenated Cobalt (II) Porphyrazine Displaying Outstanding Electrocatalytical Performance in Oxygen Evolution Reaction

A new supramolecular electrocatalyst for Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) was synthesized from a central multibridging cobalt tetrapyridylporphyrazine (CoTPyPz) species by attaching four [Ru(bpy)₂Cl]⁺ groups. Both CoTPyPz and the tetraruthenated cobalt porphyrazine species, TRuCoTPyPz, form very homogenous molecular films just by dropcasting their methanol solutions onto GCE electrodes. Such films exhibited low overpotentials for O₂ evolution, e.g., 560 e 340 mV, respectively, displaying high stability, typically exceeding 15 h. The kinetic parameters obtained from the Tafel plots showed that the peripheral complexes are very important for the electrocatalytic activity. Hyperspectral Raman images taken along the electrochemical process demonstrated that the cobalt center is the primary active catalyst site, but its performance is enhanced by the ruthenium complexes, which act as electron-donating groups, in the supramolecular system.     

Synthesis of a “molecular rope curtain”: Preparation and characterization of a sliding graft copolymer with grafted poly(ethylene glycol) side chains by the “grafting onto” strategy

A sliding graft copolymer (SGC) with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) side chains was prepared by ester formation between terminal carboxyl groups of oxidized PEG methyl ether with molecular weight of 2000 (mPEG2000‐COOH) and hydroxyl groups of a polyrotaxane consisting of PEG and cyclodextrins (CDs). Formation of the SGC structure was confirmed by ¹H NMR, attenuated total reflectance Fourier‐transformed infrared, and gel permeation chromatography. The SGC was soluble in good solvents of PEG and insoluble in poor solvents of PEG. Estimation of the number of grafted mPEG chains suggested a “rope‐curtain” like structure, in which an mPEG chain is connected to each CD ring. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Synthetic study of kosinostatin aglycone: synthesis of BCDE rings using alkoxycarbonylmethylation of diazonaphthoquinone

A synthetic study of kosinostatin aglycone is reported. Synthesis of key intermediate lactone 3, which corresponds to the BCDE ring fragment, was accomplished, and the precursor BCD ring fragment 5 was synthesized via two routes. First, 5 was synthesized from 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde 16 by the combination of typical known transformations including efficient application of non-aqueous OsO₄ oxidation in the presence of PhB(OH)₂. However the synthesis required 15 long steps, and its main difficulty was ortho-alkoxycarbonylmethylation of 1-naphthol. Next we attempted to apply our recently developed alkoxycarbonylmethylation of diazonaphthoquinone for the synthesis of 5, and 5 was successfully synthesized in 9 steps from the same starting compound 16. Finally, 5 was stereoselectively converted to lactone 3 via trifluoroacetic acid-mediated cyclization of the 3,4-epoxycylohexanecarboxylic acid derivative.