Cationic gel crystals and amorphous solids of lightly cross-linked poly(2-vinylpyridine) spheres in the deionized aqueous suspension

Colloidal crystallization and amorphous solidification of deionized suspensions of the polydispersed cationic gel spheres of lightly cross-linked poly(2-vinylpyridine), CAIBA-P2VP (107～113 nm in diameter, ±19～22 nm in dispersity), have been studied from the reflection spectroscopy, morphology, phase diagram, and elastic property. Crystallization takes place even for the polydispersed cationic gel spheres by the significant contribution of the extended electrical double layers formed around the spheres. Critical concentrations of melting coexisted with ion exchange resins were around 0.02 in volume fraction and high compared with those of other cationic and anionic gel crystals examined hitherto. The densities (ρ) of CAIBA-P2VP in suspension state, i.e., weight percent of the gel spheres divided by the corresponding volume percent, was around 0.3. The ρ values decreased sharply with decreasing size of P2VP gel spheres, which supports the small gel spheres containing much water inside and being softer than the large ones. The closest intersphere distances of the crystals and/or amorphous solids were much longer than the hydrodynamic diameters of the gel spheres especially at low sphere concentrations. Fluctuation parameters (b) evaluated from the rigidities of CAIBA-P2VP (0.15～0.28) were large compared with those of gel crystals of large-sized P2VP-based cationic gel spheres, anionic thermosensitive gel spheres of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (0.05～0.09) and further much larger than those of typical colloidal hard spheres (around 0.03). The dispersity in sphere size played an important role for distinguishing crystal and amorphous solid. Importance of the extended electrical double layers around the cationic gel spheres is supported in addition to the excluded volume effect of the sphere themselves on the crystallization and/or solidification.     

Induced Fitting and Polarization of a Bromine Molecule in an Electrophilic Inorganic Molecular Cavity and Its Bromination Reactivity

Dodecavanadate, [V₁₂O₃₂]^4? (V12), possesses a 4.4 Å cavity entrance, and the cavity shows unique electrophilicity. Owing to the high polarizability, Br₂ was inserted into V12, inducing the inversion of one of the VO₅ square pyramids to form [V₁₂O₃₂(Br₂)]^4? (V12(Br2)). The inserted Br₂ molecule was polarized and showed a peak at 185 cm^?1 in the IR spectrum. The reaction of V12(Br2) and toluene yielded bromination of toluene at the ring, showing the electrophilicity of the inserted Br₂ molecule. Compound V12(Br2) also reacted with propane, n‐butane, and n‐pentane to give brominated alkanes. Bromination with V12(Br2) showed high selectivity for 3‐bromopentane (64 %) among the monobromopentane products and preferred threo isomer among 2‐,3‐dibromobutane and 2,3‐dibromopenane. The unique inorganic cavity traps Br₂ leading the polarization of the diatomic molecule. Owing to its new reaction field, the trapped Br₂ shows selective functionalization of alkanes.     

Effects of Roxadustat on Erythropoietin Production in the Rat Body

Anemia is a major complication of chronic renal failure. To treat this anemia, prolylhydroxylase domain enzyme (PHD) inhibitors as well as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) have been used. Although PHD inhibitors rapidly stimulate erythropoietin (Epo) production, the precise sites of Epo production following the administration of these drugs have not been identified. We developed a novel method for the detection of the Epo protein that employs deglycosylation-coupled Western blotting. With protein deglycosylation, tissue Epo contents can be quantified over an extremely wide range. Using this method, we examined the effects of the PHD inhibitor, Roxadustat (ROX), and severe hypoxia on Epo production in various tissues in rats. We observed that ROX increased Epo mRNA expression in both the kidneys and liver. However, Epo protein was detected in the kidneys but not in the liver. Epo protein was also detected in the salivary glands, spleen, epididymis and ovaries. However, both PHD inhibitors (ROX) and severe hypoxia increased the Epo protein abundance only in the kidneys. These data show that, while Epo is produced in many tissues, PHD inhibitors as well as severe hypoxia regulate Epo production only in the kidneys.     

The Phosphorus Bond,or the Phosphorus-Centered Pnictogen Bond: The Covalently Bound Phosphorus Atom in Molecular Entities and Crystals as a Pnictogen Bond Donor

The phosphorus bond in chemical systems, which is an inter- or intramolecular noncovalent interaction, occurs when there is evidence of a net attractive interaction between an electrophilic region associated with a covalently or coordinately bonded phosphorus atom in a molecular entity and a nucleophile in another, or the same, molecular entity. It is the second member of the family of pnictogen bonds, formed by the second member of the pnictogen family of the periodic table. In this overview, we provide the reader with a snapshot of the nature, and possible occurrences, of phosphorus-centered pnictogen bonding in illustrative chemical crystal systems drawn from the ICSD (Inorganic Crystal Structure Database) and CSD (Cambridge Structural Database) databases, some of which date back to the latter part of the last century. The illustrative systems discussed are expected to assist as a guide to researchers in rationalizing phosphorus-centered pnictogen bonding in the rational design of molecular complexes, crystals, and materials and their subsequent characterization.     

Dynamic behaviors of ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules under an applied electric field

The dynamic changes in ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) molecular alignments under an applied electric field are examined by observing the formation of conoscopic figures with a time resolution of 0.1 ms. Close agreements between observed and simulated conoscopic figures under low voltage (30 V) were obtained. Under high voltage (120 V), however, the observed conoscopic figures became blurred between 0.8 ms and 1.1 ms after reversal of the electric field. The light scattering producing the blurriness occurred due to the development of fast transient molecular alignments during the switching transition above the applied voltage 70 V.