Molecular recognition of l-leucyl-l-alanine: enantioselective inclusion of alkyl methyl sulfoxides

A simple aliphatic dipeptide, l-leucyl-l-alanine (Leu-Ala), includes several alkyl methyl sulfoxides enantioselectively to form inclusion crystals. From single-crystal X-ray analyses of three inclusion compounds of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), isobutyl methyl sulfoxide, and benzyl methyl sulfoxide, it was elucidated that Leu-Ala molecules self-assemble to form layer structures and the sulfoxides are included via hydrogen bonding in a cavity between these layers. The inclusion cavity has methyl group and isobutyl group at its each side, and the guest sulfoxide is placed in such a manner that its methyl group faces toward the methyl of the Leu-Ala cavity. When the alkyl group of the sulfoxide is comparably large, it is located in the residual space of the cavity to attain effective crystal packing. Thus, the sulfoxides having a comparably large group such as isobutyl, butyl, and benzyl are included with a high (R)-enantioselectivity in Leu-Ala crystals.     

Metallic Na formation in/on NaCl crystals with irradiation by electron or vacuum ultraviolet photons

Metallic Na was formed in/on NaCl single crystals by irradiating them with a variety of radiation sources, namely, 21 MeV electron pulses, an electron beam of 30 keV and photon fluxes in the VUV region. The physical states were analysed using several methods, optical absorption, lifetime measurement of positron annihilation, Auger electron spectroscopy and UV photoelectron spectroscopy. Metallic Na was obtained in different physical states; clusters were formed in bulk, thin layers (islands) and thick layers on the surface.     

(2,7-Disubstituted-1,8-biphenylenedioxy)bis(dimethylaluminum) as bidentate organoaluminum Lewis acids: elucidation and synthetic Utility of the double electrophilic activation phenomenon

A series of (2,7-disubstituted-1,8-biphenylenedioxy)bis(dimethylaluminum) (2) has been readily prepared in situ by treatment of the requisite 2,7-disubstituted-1,8-biphenylenediol (1) with Me3Al (2 equiv) in CH2Cl2 at room temperature; this primarily relies on the successful establishment of a new synthetic procedure of 1 starting from inexpensive m-anisidine. Evaluation of 2 as a bidentate organoaluminum Lewis acid has been performed by the reduction of ketonic substrates using Bu3SnH as a hydride source in comparison to the conventional monodentate Lewis acid dimethylaluminum 2,6-xylenoxide (11), uncovering the significantly high activation ability of 2 toward carbonyl. Particularly, (2,7-dimethyl-1,8-biphenylenedioxy)bis(dimethylaluminum) (2a) exerted the highest reactivity, which has also been emphasized in the Mukaiyama aldol reaction. The structure of the bidentate Lewis acid 2 was unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of 2g possessing a bulky 3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl substituent, revealing the rigid dimeric assembly in the solid state. The double electrophilic activation of carbonyl substrate by 2a has been supported by low-temperature 13C NMR analysis as well as theoretical study using the Gaussian 98 program. Moreover, unique stereoselectivity has been observed in the 2a-promoted Mukaiyama Michael addition, and highly chemoselective functionalization of carbonyl compounds in the presence of their acetal counterparts has been realized using 2a. Finally, the effectiveness of 2a for the activation of ether functionality has been demonstrated in the Claisen rearrangement of allyl vinyl ethers.     

Study on Segmental Motion and Ion Binding in Polyelectrolyte Solutions by Ultrasonic Spectroscopy

The ultrasonic absorption spectra of aqueous solutions of polyacrylate (PA), polyphosphate (PP), and polystyrenesulfonate (PSS), neutralized by tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH), were measured. The effects of addition of tetramethylammonium chloride (TMACl) and sodium chloride (NaCl) to the polyelectrolyte solutions were investigated in the frequency range from 500 kHz to 100 MHz. Two ultrasonic relaxation processes due to the local segmental motions were observed. The relaxation frequency for TMAPP solution decreased as the ionic strength was increased by the addition of TMACl. For the other two polymer solutions, the ionic strength did not affect the relaxation spectra. The addition of NaCl led to an increase of the ultrasonic absorption, which was ascribed to ion binding. The ultrasonic absorption due to the ion binding was estimated by subtracting the contribution of the segmental motion from the measuring ultrasonic spectra. The volume changes accompanying the ion binding for polyacrylate and polyphosphate salts were estimated to be 5 and 8 cm³-mol^?1, respectively.     

γ-Ray-induced polymerization of α-haloacrylic acids

The γ-ray induced polymerizations of α-chloroacrylic acid, mp 66°C, and α-bromo-acrylic acid, mp 72°C, were investigated in the temperature range from 35°C to 85°C. An analysis of polymerization kinetics was made, and results were similar to those reported in the literature for other vinyl monomers. On heating of the polymer obtained, elimination of hydrogen halide takes place, and intramolecular lactone formation is observed. The rate of lactone formation of poly(α-chloroacrylic acid) obtained in the solid-state polymerization was found to be higher than that in the liquid state, because a highly isotactic configuration of polymers, tends to be formed in the solid-state polymerization, and elimination of hydrogen chloride is facilitated with an isotactic 5₂ helix structure.     

The passivation phenomenon of platinum in fused lithium chloride + potassium chloride eutectic: Part II. Chlorine overpotential and superpassivation of platinum

Platinum is known to have a very high chlorine overpotential, about 0.8 V, in fused lithium chloride + potassium chloride eutectic. The high overpotential can be ascribed to the formation of the thick passivation film of platinum chlorides. The high chlorine overpotential was decreased by the addition of alkali metal oxides and a reversible chlorine evolution was revealed in a similar manner as the graphite electrode. The reversible chlorine evolution was ascribed to the formation of the oxide passivation film. The chlorine overpotential at the oxide film was increased stepwise as the applied potential was made more positive. The stepped transitions of the chlorine overpotential was ascribed to the valence change of the oxide film. Platinum shows a typical N-shaped passivation at +0.65 V versus Ag/AgCl(0.1) which has been ascribed to the dissolution of platinum into Pt(II) ions and following formation of the passivation film of supersaturated Pt(II) chloride. Platinum was found to show another passivation phenomenon at high temperatures, above 450°C. The N-shaped current-potential curve was observed at +1.8 V which was far more positive than the potential of the standard chlorine electrode. The dissolution of platinum prior to the passivation was found to occur due to the formation of high valence platinum ions such as Pt⁶⁺ and Pt⁸⁺.     

Profiling analysis of oligosaccharides in antibody pharmaceuticals by capillary electrophoresis

Carbohydrate chains in glycoprotein pharmaceuticals have important roles for the expression of their biological activities. Therefore, development of an assessment method for the carbohydrate chains is an important parameter for quality control of glycoprotein pharmaceuticals such as newly developed therapeutic antibodies. In this report, we applied capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection to the analysis of carbohydrate chains after releasing with glycoamidase followed by derivatization with 3-aminobenzoic acid. We found that four major oligosaccharides present in antibody pharmaceuticals were successfully separated with good resolution. The present method showed good precision in both migration times and relative peak areas, and gave comparable accuracy with that using a derivatization method with 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate.     

Encapsulating property of ap-t-butylcalix[6]arene derivative: Formation of charge-transfer complexes of alkadienes with iodine in the presence of octopus-type calix[6]arene

This paper deals with the ability ofp-tert-butylcalix[6]arene derivative1, which has six 3,6,9-trioxadecyl substituents at the phenolic oxygens, to encapsulate CT complexes of alkadienes with iodine. By adding I₂ to alkadienes in CH₂Cl₂ in the presence of1, the absorbance at 363 nm, which was ascribed to I ₃ ^– ion, increased in the order: 1,5-hexadiene<1,9-decadiene 1,7-octadiene. The reactivity features of the CT complexes in the presence of1 are discussed.     

Contribution of individual zinc ligands to metal binding and peptide folding of zinc finger peptides

Little is known about the contribution of individual zinc-ligating amino acid residues for coupling between zinc binding and protein folding in zinc finger domains. To understand such roles of each zinc ligand, four zinc finger mutant peptides corresponding to the second zinc finger domain of Sp1 were synthesized. In the mutant peptides, glycine was substituted for one of four zinc ligands. Their metal binding and folding properties were spectroscopically characterized and compared to those of the native zinc finger peptide. In particular, the electronic charge-transfer and d-d bands of the Co(II)-substituted peptide complexes were used to examine the metal coordination number and geometry. Fluorescence emission studies revealed that the mutant peptides are capable of binding zinc despite removing one ligand. Circular dichroism results clearly showed the induction of an alpha-helix by zinc binding. In addition, the structures of certain mutant zinc finger peptides were simulated by molecular dynamics calculation. The information indicates that His23 and the hydrophobic core formed between the alpha-helix and the beta-sheet play an essential role in alpha-helix induction. This report demonstrates that each ligand does not contribute equally to alpha-helix formation and coordination geometry in the zinc finger peptide.     

NLO‐active maleimide copolymers with ­high glass transition temperatures

We synthesized some novel rigid NLO‐active maleimide copolymers bearing DR‐1 moieties ( PMPD , PHSD and PHND ). All copolymers exhibited high T_g's (190～197 °C), good solubilities for common solvents and excellent film‐forming properties. Dependence of film thickness on the d₃₃ value for the poled copolymer films induced by corona poling was investigated and it was demonstrated that in less than thickness of 0.3 µm decrease of the thickness gives rise to remarkable increase in the d₃₃ value. The poled copolymer films exhibited large d₃₃ values (270 × 10^?9 esu (film thickness 0.13 µm) for PMPD , 290 × 10^?9 esu (0.12 µm) for PHSD and 350 × 10^?9 esu (0.08 µm) for PHND ) as well as large r₃₃ values (51.0 pmV^?1 for PMPD and 60.4 pmV^?1 for PHND ) which are significantly large compared to the value of LiNbO₃ (31 pmV^?1) as a typical EO material. The d₃₃ values of the poled copolymers were kept constant even after standing 1000h at 80 °C, although a small decrease was observed at an initial stage. Further, the d₃₃ values did not change up to ca. 123 °C upon heating at the rate of 10 °C/min in all cases. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.