Mg-catalyzed enantioselective benzylic C-H bond functionalization of isoindolinones: addition to imines

Access to chiral isoindolinones: The Mg-catalyzed enantioselective benzylic C-H bond functionalization of isoindolinones is described. A Bu(2) Mg/Schiff base catalyst (1:1) promoted the enantioselective addition of N-Boc-isoindolinones to aryl, heteroaryl, alkenyl, and alkyl imines, giving 3-substituted isoindolinones in 84-99?%?ee and 50:50-91:9?d.r. (see scheme).     

Asymmetric synthesis of dihydropyranones from ynones by sequential copper(I)-catalyzed direct aldol and silver(I)-catalyzed oxy-Michael reactions

Ynones as diene surrogates: the asymmetric synthesis of enantiomerically enriched substituted dihydropyranones is described. The products are obtained in two steps by a copper(I)-catalyzed direct aldol reaction of ynones followed by a silver-catalyzed oxy-Michael reaction. This easy method is compatible with both aromatic and aliphatic substrates, and provides excellent chemoselectivity under mild reaction conditions.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of spirooxindoles by a mannich-type reaction of isothiocyanato oxindoles

Easy access: a strontium/Schiff base complex as catalyst for the title reaction provided straightforward access to enantiomerically enriched spiro[imidazolidine-4,3'-oxindole] compounds, as well as a spiro[imidazoline-4,3'-oxindole] through a two-step conversion from the Mannich adduct.     

The defect and transport properties of acceptor doped TlBr: role of dopant exsolution and association

The role of acceptor dopants (S and Se) in controlling the ionic conductivity of single crystal TlBr, grown by the vertical Bridgman method, was examined as a function of temperature with the aid of impedance spectroscopy. Several features in the conductivity were identified and related to acceptor dopant-Br vacancy association, acceptor dopant exsolution, and Br vacancy mobility. The corresponding enthalpies for these processes were extracted from the data and were found to be equal to H(a) = 0.42 ± 0.07 eV, H(sol) = 1.55 ± 0.18 eV and H(m,Br) = 0.31 ± 0.02 eV respectively, the latter consistent with earlier studies on donor doped and undoped TlBr. A long term conductivity decay in the extrinsic region, attributed to S or Se exsolution, was observed. The time constant associated with exsolution was found to be thermally activated with an activation energy of 0.47 ± 0.1 eV. Estimates for Se solubility at different temperatures are provided.     

LSI-based amperometric sensor for bio-imaging and multi-point biosensing

We have developed an LSI-based amperometric sensor called "Bio-LSI" with 400 measurement points as a platform for electrochemical bio-imaging and multi-point biosensing. The system is comprised of a 10.4 mm × 10.4 mm CMOS sensor chip with 20 × 20 unit cells, an external circuit box, a control unit for data acquisition, and a DC power box. Each unit cell of the chip contains an operational amplifier with a switched-capacitor type I-V converter for in-pixel signal amplification. We successfully realized a wide dynamic range from ±1 pA to ±100 nA with a well-organized circuit design and operating software. In particular, in-pixel signal amplification and an original program to control the signal read-out contribute to the lower detection limit and wide detection range of Bio-LSI. The spacial resolution is 250 μm and the temporal resolution is 18-125 ms/400 points, which depends on the desired current detection range. The coefficient of variance of the current for 400 points is within 5%. We also demonstrated the real-time imaging of a biological molecule using Bio-LSI. The LSI coated with an Os-HRP film was successfully applied to the monitoring of the changes of hydrogen peroxide concentration in a flow. The Os-HRP-coated LSI was spotted with glucose oxidase and used for bioelectrochemical imaging of the glucose oxidase (GOx)-catalyzed oxidation of glucose. Bio-LSI is a promising platform for a wide range of analytical fields, including diagnostics, environmental measurements and basic biochemistry.     

Multinuclear metalladithiolenes: focusing on electronic communication in mixed-valent states

This Perspective addresses our recent studies relating to metalladithiolenes and their cluster complexes that exhibit peculiar electronic communication in mixed-valent (MV) states. Chapter 1 provides an introduction for the Perspective. Chapter 2 enumerates a series of phenylene-annulated π-conjugated trinuclear metalladithiolenes with intense electronic communication in the MV states. Chapter 3 treats heterometal cluster complexes synthesized by integrating zero-valent metal carbonyls on mononuclear metalladithiolenes, taking advantage of the coordination unsaturation of the latter. In the field of MV chemistry, their electronic communication through metal-metal bonds and potential inversion behavior are intriguing properties. Chapter 4 describes hexanuclear and nonanuclear heterometal cluster complexes created in combination with the methods introduced in Chapters 2 and 3. The resultant heterometal cluster complexes feature electronic communication through the vast phenylene-annulated π-conjugated trinuclear metalladithiolene frameworks, the intensity of which correlates with their planarity. Each chapter describes the synthesis, structural features, and electrochemical properties of the relevant compounds.     

A single-molecule enzymatic assay in a directly accessible femtoliter droplet array

The enzyme assay in a femtoliter chamber array is a simple and efficient method for concentrating the reaction product; it greatly improves the detection sensitivity down to the single-molecule level. However, in previous methods, controlling the initiation and termination of the reaction in each chamber is difficult once enclosed. Furthermore, the recovery of the enzyme and product is also difficult. To overcome these drawbacks, we developed a femtoliter droplet array in which the individual droplets are fixed on the substrate and are directly accessible from outside. A hydrophilic-in-hydrophobic micropatterned surface was used for the preparation of the droplets. When the aqueous solution on the surface is exchanged with oil, the hydrophilic surface retains the aqueous solution, and more than 10(6) dome-shaped droplets that are usable for further assay can be prepared simultaneously. The curvature radius of the droplet obeys the Young-Laplace equation, and the volume can be precisely controlled by the micropipette, which applies pressure into the droplet. Changing the pressure makes the addition, collection, and exchange of the aqueous content for individual droplets possible. Using these advantages, we successfully measured the kinetic parameters of the single-molecule enzyme β-galactosidase and rotary motor protein F(1)-ATPase enclosed in a droplet.     

Intensely blue-fluorescent 2,5-bis(benzoimidazol-2-yl)pyrazine dyes with improved solubility: their synthesis, fluorescent properties, and application as microenvironment polarity probes

In order to improve the solubility of intensively fluorescent 2,5-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl)pyrazine (BBIP), we synthesized new BBIP derivatives (2, 3a,b, and 5a,b) possessing two alkyl chains at the N-1 and N-1′ positions of the two benzimidazole moieties. Characterization of these compounds demonstrated that they exhibit high fluorescence intensity even in protic solvents, as well as solvatochromic fluorescence, in which their fluorescence maxima in aqueous methanol exhibited bathochromic shift with increasing ?_r value of the medium. We utilized 5a as a microenvironment polarity probe to indicate the variation in polarity around the backbone of the temperature-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) by measuring the spectral change caused by the thermal phase transition of the polymer.     

Oryzamutaic acids H-J, new alkaloids from an Oryza sativa mutant with yellow endosperm

Three new nitrogen-containing heterocyclic alkaloids, oryzamutaic acids H-J (1-3), were isolated from the endosperm (polished rice) of an Oryza sativa mutant. The structures and relative stereochemistries of 1-3 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. The presence of three carbons, each bound to a carboxyl group and a nitrogen atom in the structure of 1, suggests that oryzamutaic acids H-J (1-3) are generated from three molecules of a single amino acid.