Palladium-catalyzed nucleophilic benzylic substitutions of benzylic esters

A palladium complex generated in situ from [Pd(eta3-C3H5)(cod)]BF4 and DPPF is a good catalyst for benzylic alkylation of benzyl methyl carbonate with the carbanion of dimethyl malonates. The catalytic reaction is applicable to a wide range of the benzylations of benzylic esters with malonates. The catalytic activity was heavily affected by the bite angle of the bidentate phosphine ligand on palladium. DPEphos ligand is superior to DPPF in the case of palladium-catalyzed benzylic amination of benzylic esters.     

Synthesis and crystal structure analysis of Sr8Cu3In4N5 and Sr0.53Ba0.47CuN

Single crystals of new quaternary compounds Sr₈Cu₃In₄N₅ and Sr_0.53Ba_0.47CuN were prepared, respectively, from a Sr–Cu–In–Na melt under 7 MPa of N₂ and from a Sr–Ba–Cu–In–Na melt under 0.5 MPa of N₂ by slow cooling from 1023 to 823 K. The crystal structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Sr₈Cu₃In₄N₅ has an orthorhombic structure (space group, Immm, Z=2, a=3.8161(5) Å, b=12.437(2) Å, c=18.902(2) Å), and is isostructural with Ba₈Cu₃In₄N₅. It contains nitridocuprates of isolated units ⁰[CuN₂] and one-dimensional linear chains _∝¹[CuN_2/2] and one-dimensional indium clusters _∝¹[In₂In_2/2]. Sr_0.53Ba_0.47CuN crystallizes in an orthorhombic cell, space group Pbcm, Z=4, a=5.4763(7) Å, b=9.2274(12) Å, c=9.0772(12) Å. The structure contains infinite zig-zag chains _∝¹[CuN_2/2] which kink at every second nitrogen atom.     

Measurement of pork freshness using potentiometric sensor

This study evaluated pork freshness using potentiometric solid-state electrodes in order to detect chemical indices such as reduced compounds, organic compounds and sulfides, which are produced during the initial stage of putrefaction in meat. Pt, CuS and Ag₂S electrodes selected as solid-state electrodes have, respectively, been used to detect the organic compounds (regarded as chemical indices of deterioration in meat freshness). The outputs of these electrodes have been analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple regression analysis (MRA) in order to find the correlation with the results of viable bacterial counts. By using the potentiometric sensor, the pork freshness was evaluated and the PCA and MRA corresponded to the degree of bacterial increases more simply and rapidly than other methods such as viable bacterial counts or a biosensor.     

Reactions of [(eta(6)-arene)RuCl(2)](2) with Aromatic Phosphines Containing Methoxy Groups in 2,6-Positions

Reactions of [(eta(6)-arene)RuCl(2)](2) 1 (arene = p-cymene (a), 1,2,3,4-Me(4)C(6)H(2) (b), 1,2,3-Me(3)C(6)H(2) (c)) with tris(2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)phosphine (TDMPP) led to loss of two molecules of CH(3)Cl to give (eta(6)-arene)Ru[{2-O-C(6)H(3)-6-OMe}(2){C(6)H(3)(OMe)(2)-2,6}], 2a-c, which contains a trihapto ligand (eta(3)-P,O,O) derived from TDMPP, whereas the 1,3,5-Me(3)C(6)H(3) (1d), 1,2,3,5-Me(4)C(6)H(2) (1e), and C(6)Me(6) (1f) complexes did not react with TDMPP. The structures of 2a and 2b were confirmed by X-ray analyses: for 2a, a = 11.691(2) ?, b = 15.228(2) ?, c = 10.320(1) ?, alpha = 95.93(1) degrees, beta = 113.783(9) degrees, gamma = 83.86(1) degrees, triclinic, P&onemacr;, Z = 2, R = 0.051; for 2b, a = 17.79(2) ?, b = 15.43(1) ?, c = 20.93(1) ?, beta = 91.25(8) degrees, monoclinic, P2(1)/n, Z = 8, R = 0.056. Bis(2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)phenylphosphine (BDMPP) reacted with 1a, 1b, and 1d at room temperature to give (eta(6)-arene)RuCl[PPh(2-O-C(6)H(3)-6-OMe){C(6)H(3)(OMe)(2)-2,6}], 3a,b,d, which contains a dihapto (eta(2)-P,O) ligand derived from BDMPP by an X-ray analysis of 3a: a = 12.33(1) ?, b = 14.246(8) ?, c = 11.236(9) ?, alpha = 91.47(8) degrees, beta = 117.28(6) degrees, gamma = 111.70(6) degrees, triclinic, P&onemacr;, Z = 2, R = 0.040. A similar reaction with 1f recovered the starting materials, but that in refluxing MeCN produced [(eta(6)-C(6)Me(6))Ru[PPh(2-O-C(6)H(3)-6-OMe}(2)], 4f, containing a trihapto (eta(3)-P,O,O) ligand derived from BDMPP. Complex 1d reacted with BDMPP at reflux in MeCN/CH(2)Cl(2) and resulted in a loss of an arene ring to give a five-coordinate complex, Ru[eta(2)-P,O-PPh(2-O-C(6)H(3)-6-OMe){C(6)H(3)(OMe)(2)-2,6}](2)(MeCN), 5. Treatment of (2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)diphenylphosphine (MDMPP) with 1f gave (eta(6)-C(6)Me(6))RuCl[eta(2)-P,O-PPh(2)(2-O-C(6)H(3)-6-OMe)],6f, and that with 1b gave (eta(6)-1,2,3,4-Me(4)C(6)H(2))RuCl[eta(2)-P,O-PPh(2)(2-O-C(6)H(3)-6-OMe}], 6b, and (eta(6)-1,2,3,4-Me(4)C(6)H(2))RuCl(2)[eta(1)-P-PPh(2){C(6)H(3)(OMe)(2)-2,6}],7b. The phosphine ligand of 6b acted as a bidentate ligand derived from MDMPP: a = 8.074(4) ?, b = 16.816(3) ?, c = 18.916(4) ?, beta = 94.05(3) degrees, monoclinic, P2(1)/n, Z = 4, R = 0.051. Transformation of 7b to 6b readily occurred accompanying an elimination of MeCl. Reaction of 1a with MDMPP eliminated an arene ring to give the octahedral compound RuCl(2)[eta(2)-P,OMe-PPh(2){C(6)H(3)(MeO)(2)-2,6}](2), 8. An X-ray analysis of 8 showed that two MDMPP ligands were in a cis-position: a = 10.596(14) ?, b = 27.586(12) ?, c = 13.036(8) ?, beta = 108.17(7) degrees, monoclinic, P2(1)/n, Z = 4, R = 0.035.     

Iron twin-coronet porphyrins as models of myoglobin and hemoglobin: amphibious electrostatic effects of overhanging hydroxyl groups for successful CO/O2 discrimination

Inspired by the observation of polar interactions between CO and O(2) ligands and the peptide residues at the active site of hemoglobin and myoglobin, we synthesized two kinds of superstructured porphyrins: TCP-IM, which contains a linked imidazole ligand, and TCP-PY, which contains a linked pyridine ligand, and examined the thermodynamic, kinetic, and spectroscopic (UV/Vis, IR, NMR, and resonance Raman) properties of their CO and O(2) complexes. On both sides of each porphyrin plane, bulky binaphthyl bridges form hydrophobic cavities that are suitable for the binding of small molecules. In the proximal site, an imidazole or pyridine residue is covalently fixed and coordinates axially to the central iron atom. In the distal site, two naphtholic hydroxyl groups overhang toward the center above the heme. The CO affinities of TCPs are significantly lower than those of other heme models. In contrast, TCPs have moderate O(2) binding ability. Compared with reported model hemes, the binding selectivity of O(2) over CO in TCP-IM and TCP-PY complexes is greatly improved. The high O(2) selectivity of the TCPs is mainly attributable to a low CO affinity. The comparison of k(on)(CO) values of TCPs with those of unhindered hemes indicates the absence of steric hindrance to the intrinsically linear CO coordination to Fe(II) in TCP-IM and TCP-PY. The abnormally large k(off)(CO) values are responsible for the low CO affinities. In contrast, k(off)(O(2)) of TCP-PY is smaller than those of other pyridine-coordinated model hemes. For the CO adducts of TCPs, unusually low nu(Fe-CO) and unusually high nu(C-O) frequencies are observed. These results can be ascribed to decreased back-bonding from the iron atom to the bound CO. The lone pairs of the oxygen atoms of the hydroxyl groups prevent back-bonding by exertion of a strong negative electrostatic interaction. On the other hand, high nu(Fe-O(2)) frequencies are observed for the O(2) adducts of TCPs. In the resonance Raman (RR) spectrum of oxy-TCP-IM, we observed simultaneous enhancement of the Fe-O(2) and O-O stretching modes. Furthermore, direct evidence for hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl groups and bound dioxygen was obtained by RR and IR spectroscopy. These spectroscopic data strongly suggest that O(2) and CO binding to TCPs is controlled mainly by the two different electrostatic effects exerted by the overhanging OH groups: destabilization of CO binding by decreasing back-bonding and stabilization of O(2) binding by hydrogen bonding.     

Three-Dimensional Information Acquisition Using a Compound Imaging System

The TOMBO (thin observation module by bound optics) system is a compound imaging system inspired by a biological visual system. Various interesting features can be utilized in the applications of the TOMBO system: in this paper, we present an effective method for three-dimensional information acquisition. An image captured by the TOMBO system is composed of multiple images observed from several viewpoints. Distance between the TOMBO system and an object can be estimated using disparity of the captured images. A new method for estimation of the object distance is introduced. In the experiment, multiple object distances can be successfully estimated by the proposed method. Using the obtained distances for image reconstruction, we can generate a composite image focussing on multiple objects.