Organoaluminum catalyst for polymerization reaction. Synthesis of isotactic polyacetaldehyde by AIR3–alkali metal hydroxide catalysts in situ

The catalytic behavior of binary systems derived from AIR₃ and alkali metal hydroxide in a molar ratio of 1 to 0.5 in situ for stereospecific polymerization of acetaldehyde was studied for the purpose of preparation of isotactic polyacetal. The polymer obtained can be readily stretched to a film. The polymerization proceeds slowly (in ～20 hr). The polymer yield and stereospecificity of the polymerization by AlEt₃–LiOH (1:0.5) catalyst were not significantly changed by the nature of solvent or dilution as far as studied. AlEt₃–NaOH, AlEt₃–KOH, AlEt₃–CsOH, AliBu₃–LiOH and AlMe₃–LiOH in molar ratios of 1 to 0.5 behaved similarly. AlMe₃–NaOH, AlMe₃–KOH and AliBu₃–NaOH also gave isotactic polymer of high stereoregularity but in lower yields.     

Spontaneous Alternating Copolymerization via Zwitterion Intermediates

This article describes a new concept of copolymerization which occurs spontaneously without any added catalyst. A nucleophilic monomer (M_N) combines with an electrophilic one (M_E) to generate a zwitterion ^[+]M_N—M, which is responsible for the initiation and propagation of copolymerization. Twenty-three novel copolymerizations have been explored on the basis of the new concept. M_N monomers which have been investigated are five- and six-membered cyclic imino ethers, dihydro-2(3H)-furanimine, an azetidine, a cyclic phosphinic acid ester and a Schiff base; the M_E monomers include β-propiolactone, a cyclic dicarboxylic acid anhydride, a sultone, acrylic acid, acrylamide, a β-hydroxyalkyl acrylate and ethylenesulfonamide. In most combinations, alternating 1 : 1 copolymers were produced. In addition to the above-mentioned combinations, the alternating 1 : 1 copolymerization of cyclic phosphite with α-keto acid was discovered.     

Simultaneous analysis of monosaccharides and oligosaccharides by high-performance liquid chromatography with postcolumn fluorescence derivatization

To develop a fluorimetric HPLC technique for the simultaneous microanalysis of reducing mono- and oligosaccharides, the technique of linear gradient elution was introduced into the postcolumn fluorimetric detemination system of reducing saccharides with benzamidine. Fluorescence measurement was performed at 288 nm for excitation and 470 nm for emission and an optimization study for this postcolumn fluorescence derivatization carried out. Under optimum conditions, the detection limits of D-glucose and maltohexaose were 1.78 and 2.59 pmol, respectively. The present method was successfully applied to saccharide analysis and should prove useful for automated simultaneous microanalysis of reducing mono- and oligosaccharides in foods.     

Zirconocene-mediated and/or catalyzed unprecedented coupling reactions of alkoxymethyl-substituted styrene derivatives

Reactions of o-(alkoxymethyl)styrene derivatives with a stoichiometric amount of zirconocene-butene complex (zirconocene equivalent, "Cp(2)Zr") brought about an insertion of the zirconocene species into a benzylic carbon-oxygen bond. The oxidative insertion of Cp(2)Zr to the benzylic carbon-oxygen bond is a result of sequential reactions: (i) formation of zirconacyclopropane by the ligand exchange with o-(alkoxymethyl)styrene, (ii) elimination of the alkoxy group through an aromatic conjugate system giving metalated o-quinodimethane species, and (iii) transfer of zirconium metal to the benzylic position. Through use of a catalytic amount of "Cp(2)Zr", however, unprecedented homo-coupling reactions (dimerization) of o-(alkoxymethyl)styrene derivatives occurred to give a tetracyclic compound. On the other hand, reactions of o-(1-alkoxyisopropyl)styrene derivatives gave rise to the analogous tetracyclic compounds regardless of the amount of "Cp(2)Zr" (stoichiometric or catalytic). Heterocoupling product between o-(1-alkoxyisopropyl)styrene and styrene congeners was obtained in high cis stereo- and regioselectivity by treating o-(1-alkoxyisopropyl)styrene derivatives with "Cp(2)Zr" in the presence of an excess amount of styrene derivatives.     

Reversible cleavage and recombination of an acetylenic carbon-carbon bond on a tetrairon cluster coupled with a two-electron redox reaction

Two-electron reduction of [(eta5-C5H4Me)4Fe4(mu3-CH)2(mu3-CO)2](PF6)2 (1) results in the coupling of two methylidyne ligands to form (eta5-C5H4Me)4Fe4(HCCH)(mu3-CO)2 (2), the two-electron oxidation of which reproduces 1. Structures of 1 and 2 were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Investigations on poly(vinyl chloride). IV. Effects of metal chlorides on the thermal decomposition of poly(vinyl chloride)

The effects of various metal oxides upon the thermal decomposition of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) were previously reported. In this work, 23 metal chlorides were investigated to determine their effects on the thermal decomposition of PVC by pyrolysis–gas chromatography at 500°C. Each metal chloride exhibits influences on the course of thermal decomposition of PVC almost similar to the corresponding metal oxide except for a few elements; the metal chlorides from acidic metal oxides accelerate the thermal decomposition of PVC, but the metal chlorides from basic metal oxides do not. On comparing the effects of metal oxides and metal chlorides on the thermal decomposition of PVC, most metal chlorides were found to accelerate the thermal decomposition of PVC more than the corresponding metal oxides, owing to ease of addition of the chlorine atoms released from metal chloride to the dehydrochlorinated chains. It is concluded from these results that the thermal decomposition of PVC containing metal salts is markedly influenced by the ease with which chlorine atoms are released from the corresponding metal chloride.     

Electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid and serotonin at a boron-doped diamond electrode modified with poly(N,N-dimethylaniline)

The electrochemical oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) and serotonin (5-HT) at a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode modified with poly(N,N-dimethylaniline) (PDMA) has been studied. The oxidation potentials of 5-HT and AA overlapped after mixing of the two chemicals, due to interference of AA at the bare BDD electrode. However, after modifying the BDD electrode with a cationic polymer (PDMA), the oxidation peaks of 5-HT and AA were separated. PDMA-coated BDD electrodes can be used for simultaneous detection of these species.     

Nonclassical urea oligomers. IV. Polymerization of (S)-1-(N-phenyl-carbamoyl)-2-methylaziridine. A synthesis of optically active crystalline oligomer with narrow molecular weight distribution

In the presence of Et₂SO₄, (S)-1-(N-phenyl-carbamoyl)-2-methylaziridine gave an oligomer with a structure of [CH₂? CHCH₃? N(CONHPh)]_n. The oligomer has optically active isotactic configuration and narrow molecular weight distribution (DP ca. 8). The net polymerization behavior of the monomer and chemical property, such as absorptivity of Et₂SO₄, of the oligomer are analogous to the case of 1-(N-phenyl-carbamoyl)-aziridine. The ring opening occurs with retention of the configuration at the asymmetric carbon atom and the oligomer can be crystallized at around 90°C.     

Amphidinolide h, a potent cytotoxic macrolide, covalently binds on actin subdomain 4 and stabilizes actin filament

The actin-targeting toxins have not only proven to be invaluable tools in studies of actin cytoskeleton structure and function but they also served as a foundation for a new class of anticancer drugs. Here, we describe that amphidinolide H (AmpH) targets actin cytoskeleton. AmpH induced multinucleated cells by disrupting actin organization in the cells, and the hyperpolymerization of purified actin into filaments of apparently normal morphology in vitro. AmpH covalently binds on actin, and the AmpH binding site is determined as Tyr200 of actin subdomain 4 by mass spectrometry and halo assay using the yeast harboring site-directed mutagenized actins. Time-lapse analyses showed that AmpH stimulated the formation of small actin-patches, followed by F-actin rearrangement into aggregates via the retraction of actin fibers. These results indicate that AmpH is a novel actin inhibitor that covalently binds on actin.     

Monomer-catalyst complexes in the stereospecific polymerization of aliphatic aldehyde. The structure and chemical behavior of the aldehyde complex of [R2AlOCR′NPh]2

The reaction between some aliphatic aldehydes (acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde and butyraldehyde) and the typical stereospecific polymerization catalyst R₂AlOCR′NPh has been studied in an attempt to elucidate the initiation mechanism of the polymerization reaction. The monomer-catalyst (1/1) complexes obtained from these aldehydes and R₂AlOCR′NPh possess excellent catalytic activity towards the stereospecific polymerization. The structure of the complex in solution has been determined by NMR and IR spectra and compared with the structure determined by X-ray structure analysis. The presence of pentacoordinate aluminum in the complex has been demonstrated, for the first time, by X-ray studies.The structure of the aromatic monoaldehyde complex has also been studied and shown to be identical with that of the aliphatic aldehyde complex mentioned above. The chemical behavior of these aldehyde complexes towards Lewis bases and Lewis acids has also been studied. The aldehyde moiety of the R₂AlOCR′NPh - MeCHO complex is liberated by the action of a strong Lewis base such as trimethylamine oxide and hexamethylphosphoramide, and is easily exchanged for another kind of aldehyde. The trimethylaluminum complex, Me₂AlOCPhNPh · MeCHO · AlMe₃, which only leads to the formation of amorphous polyacetaldehyde in contrast to Me₂AlOCPhNPh · MeCHO, has been isolated and its structure determined by IR, NMR and X-ray studies in order to establish the relationship between its structure and its chemical behavior.