Synthesis and Electrochemistry of Tetraphenylporphyrins Containing an Antimony-Carbon sigma-Bond

The following five antimony(V) tetraphenylporphyrins with sigma-bonded antimony-carbon bonds were synthesized: [(TPP)Sb(CH(3))(2)](+)PF(6)(-), [(TPP)Sb(OCH(3))(OH)](+)PF(6)(-), [(TPP)Sb(CH(3))(OH)](+)ClO(4)(-), [(TPP)Sb(CH(3))(OCH(3))](+)ClO(4)(-), and [(TPP)Sb(CH(3))(F)](+)PF(6)(-). Each compound is stable toward air and moisture and has a high melting point (>250 degrees C). The electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry of these sigma-bonded porphyrins were examined in benzonitrile or dichloromethane containing 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate as supporting electrolyte and the data compared to those for three previously synthesized OEP derivatives containing similar sigma-bonded and/or anionic axial ligands. Each porphyrin shows two reversible reductions and up to a maximun of one oxidation within the potential window of the solvent. Spectroelectrochemical data indicate formation of a porphyrin pi anion radical upon the first reduction as do ESR spectra of the singly reduced species. However, a small amount of the Sb(III) porphyrin products may be generated via a chemical reaction following electron tranfer. An X-ray crystallographic analysis of [(TPP)Sb(CH(3))(F)](+)PF(6)(-) is also presented: monoclinic, space group C2/c, Z = 8, a = 24.068(5) ?, b = 19.456(4) ?, c = 18.745(3) ?, beta = 94.69(2) degrees, R = 0.056.     

Speed Tuning of the Formation/Dissociation of a Metallorotaxane

Switching between the formation/dissociation of rotaxanes is important to control the function of various types of rotaxane-based materials. We have developed a convenient and simple strategy, the so-called “accelerator addition”, to make a static rotaxane dynamic without apparently affecting the chemical structure. As an interlocked molecule that enables tuning of the formation/dissociation speed, a metallorotaxane was quantitatively generated by the complexation of a triptycene-based dumbbell-shaped mononuclear complex, [PdL₂]²⁺ (L=2,3-diaminotriptycene), with 27C9. As a result of the inertness of the Pd²⁺-based coordination structure, the metallorotaxane was slowly formed (the static state). This rotaxane formation was accelerated 27 times simply by adding Br⁻ as an accelerator (the dynamic state). A similar drastic acceleration was also demonstrated during the dissociation process when Cs⁺ was added to the metallorotaxane to form the free axle [PdL₂]²⁺ and the 27C9-Cs⁺ complex.     

Isolation, structure, and synthesis of dolastatin D, a cytotoxic cyclic depsipeptide from the sea gare Dolabella auricularia

Dolastatin D (1), a cytotoxic cyclic depsipeptide possessing the novel β-amino acid (2R,3R)-3-amino-2-methylbutanoic acid [(2R,3R]-3] as a component, has been isolated from the Japanese sea hare Dolabella auricularia. The absolute stereostructure of 1 was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical degradation and was further confirmed by synthesis.     

Observation and analysis of the 2g(1D) ion-pair state of I2: the g/u mixing between the 1u(1D) and 2g(1D) states

We report the analysis of the 2g(1D) ion-pair state of I2 by perturbation-facilitated optical-optical double resonance. The present study began with the observation of the 2g(1D)-A' 3Pi(2u) emission at around 230 nm during the analysis of the ultraviolet emissions originating form the 1u(1D) ion-pair state. The identification of this new transition helped us to specify the wavelengths for detecting the 2g(1D) state by emission, and also to estimate its absolute position. The intermediate states used to observe the 2g(1D) state were the B 3Pi(0u(+))-b' 2u mixed states by the hyperfine interaction, which allowed us to combine the X 1Sigmag(+) ground state with the 2g(1D) state in the (1+1) photon excitation following the optical selection rules for one-photon transitions: 2g(1D)<--b' 2u-B 3Pi(0u(+))<--X 1Sigmag(+). Our analysis covered the 2g(1D) state in the 0< or =v< or =12 and 9< or =J< or =40 ranges. The molecular constants and Rydberg-Klein-Rees (RKR) potential of the 2g(1D) state were reported. We discussed the occurrence of the 2g(1D)-A' 3Pi(2u) emission, when exciting to the 1u(1D) v=0 state, and attributed it to the g/u mixing between the 2g(1D) and 1u(1D) states by the hyperfine interaction. The effect of the perturbation on measured line intensities and lifetimes was evident.     

Coherent oscillations in ultrafast fluorescence of photoactive yellow protein

The ultrafast photoinduced dynamics of photoactive yellow protein in aqueous solution were studied at room temperature by femtosecond fluorescence spectroscopy using an optical Kerr-gate technique. Coherent oscillations of the wave packet were directly observed in the two-dimensional time-energy map of ultrafast fluorescence with 180 fs time resolution and 5 nm spectral resolution. The two-dimensional map revealed that four or more oscillatory components exist within the broad bandwidth of the fluorescence spectrum, each of which is restricted in the respective narrow spectral region. Typical frequencies of the oscillatory modes are 50 and 120 cm(-1). In the landscape on the map, the oscillatory components were recognized as the ridges which were winding and descending with time. The amplitude of the oscillatory and winding behaviors is a few hundred cm(-1), which is the same order as the frequencies of the oscillations. The mean spectral positions of the oscillatory components in the two-dimensional map are well explained by considering the vibrational energies of intramolecular modes in the electronic ground state of the chromophore. The entire view of the wave packet oscillations and broadening in the electronic excited state, accompanied by fluorescence transitions to the vibrational sublevels belonging to the electronic ground state, was obtained.     

Molecular-Integrated Phospholipid Polymer Nanoparticles with Highly Biofunctionality

Surface modifications of nanoparticles with phospholipid polymers composed of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), are summarized. The MPC can be available for various polymerization methods such as conventional radical polymerization and living radical polymerization, and easily copolymerized with other vinyl compounds. The MPC polymers have been widely used as biocompatible coating and stabilizer for nanoparticles even when they are under biological environment. Additionally, for immobilization of biomolecules, such as antibody and enzyme, the MPC polymers having active ester group are applicable. These MPC polymers coated on the nanoparticles immobilize protein under mild condition and the protein maintained bioactivity well. Moreover, introduction of functional inorganic nanocrystals inside of the nanoparticles is effective to obtain good imaging tool for specific cells. The potential of molecular integration on nanoparticles based on MPC polymer chemistry will be expanded nanobiosensing, nanoimaging and nanodiagnostic system.     

Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Iridium Catalyzed Carbonyl (α‐Cyclopropyl)allylation via Transfer Hydrogenation

The first examples of diastereo‐ and enantioselective carbonyl α‐(cyclopropyl)allylation are reported. Under the conditions of iridium catalyzed transfer hydrogenation using the chiral precatalyst (R)‐Ir‐ I modified by SEGPHOS, carbonyl α‐(cyclopropyl)allylation may be achieved with equal facility from alcohol or aldehyde oxidation levels. This methodology provides a conduit to hitherto inaccessible inaccessible enantiomerically enriched cyclopropane‐containing architectures.     

High pressure synthesis and structure of a new magnetoplumbite-type cobalt oxide SrCo12O19

A new magnetoplumbite-type hexagonal cobalt oxide, SrCo₁₂O₁₉, has been synthesized at a high pressure of 3 GPa and its structural and magnetic properties have been studied using single crystalline samples. Bond-valence calculations for five crystallographically independent Co sites show a rather wide charge distribution from +2.15 to +3.50. Magnetic measurements have revealed anisotropic magnetic behavior below a magnetic ordering temperature of 80 K. Comparative discussions on the structure-property relationship for SrCo₁₂O₁₉ and related compounds suggest the presence of localized spins with a uniaxial anisotropy at the trigonal bipyramidal site.     

On coarse geometric aspects of Hilbert geometry

We begin a coarse geometric study of Hilbert geometry. Actually we give a necessary and sufficient condition for the natural boundary of a Hilbert geometry to be a corona, which is a nice boundary in coarse geometry. In addition, we show that any Hilbert geometry is uniformly contractible and with coarse bounded geometry. As a consequence of these we see that the coarse Novikov conjecture holds for a Hilbert geometry with a mild condition. Also we show that the asymptotic dimension of any two-dimensional Hilbert geometry is just two. This implies that the coarse Baum–Connes conjecture holds for any two-dimensional Hilbert geometry via Yu’s theorem.