Convenient synthesis of 3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl compounds from aromatic aldehydes by means of the TBAF-mediated Horner reaction

A simple synthesis of 3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl compounds by means of the TBAF-mediated Horner reaction is described. The reagent, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyldiphenylphosphine oxide, was readily prepared either by Arbuzov reaction of ethyl diphenylphosphinite with 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl iodide or by treating chlorodiphenylphosphine with trifluoroacetic acid and water. Treatment of the phosphine oxide with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of TBAF at room temperature afforded the corresponding 3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl compounds in good yields. The present method is very convenient for preparing 3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl compounds from aromatic aldehydes in terms of availability of the reagent, operational simplicity, and good yields of the products.     

Preparation of a novel molecularly imprinted polymer using a water-soluble crosslinking agent

A molecularly imprinted polymer was prepared using a water-soluble crosslinking agent. An ionic complex was utilized as the assembly for the template molecule and the functional monomer, and water as porogenic solvent during preparation of the imprinted polymer. The results of chromatographic evaluations for the prepared polymer suggested that the polymer had much lower hydrophobicity compared with usual octadecyl group bonded silica or the usual molecular imprinted polymer prepared from ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate, and the selective recognition ability for template molecule in the completely aqueous condition.     

The characteristic fragment ions and visualization of cationic starches on pulp fiber using ToF‐SIMS

Time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) was used to investigate the distribution of cationic starch on pulp fiber. To identify the characteristic fragment ions of the cationic starches, deuterium‐labeled cationic starches were prepared and analyzed using ToF‐SIMS. The starch 2‐hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride derivative generated characteristic fragments at m/z 58 and 59, which were identified as [H₂C?N(CH₃)₂]⁺ and [N(CH₃)₃]^+·, respectively. The fragmentation patterns were also suggested. From the imaging analysis, the adsorption of the cationic starch on fibers was uneven on individual fibers, as well as between fibers. This may have been on account of fiber morphology and structure. On examining scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, the quaternary ammonium starch derivative (QS) did not penetrate the fiber. No migration of cationic starch was observed under various drying conditions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cloning and sequence analysis of the poly(3-hydroxyalkanoic acid)-synthesis genes ofPseudomonas acidophila

Pseudomonas acidophila can grow with CO₂ as a sole carbon source by the possession of a recombinant plasmid that clones genes that confer chemolithoautotrophic growth ability derived from the H₂-oxidizing bacteriumAlcaligenes hydrogenophilus. H₂-oxidizing bacteria produce poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid) (PHB) from CO₂, but recombinant P.acidophila can produce the more useful biopolymer poly(3-hydroxyalkanoic acid) (PHA). In this study, thepha genes ofP. acidophila were cloned and a sequence analysis was carried out. A gene library was constructed using the cosmid vector pVK102. A recombinant cosmid carrying thepha genes was selected by the complementation of a PHB-negative mutant ofAlcaligenes eutrophus H16. The resulting recombinant cosmid pIK7 contained a 14.8-kb DNA insert. Subcloning was done, and the recombinant plasmid pEH74 was selected by hybridization with theA. eutrophus H16pha genes.Escherichia coli possessing pEH74 produced PHB, indicating that pEH74 contained thepha genes ofP. acidophila. The nucleotide sequences of the PHA-synthesis genesphaA (3-ketothiolase),phaB (acetoacetyl-CoA reductase), andphaC (PHA synthase) in pEH74 were determined. The homologies ofphaA, phaB, andphaC betweenP. acidophila andA. eutrophus H16 were 64.7, 76.1, and 56.6%, respectively.

     

Distributed computing and NMR constraint-based high-resolution structure determination: applied for bioactive Peptide endothelin-1 to determine C-terminal folding

Distributed computing has been implemented to the solution structure determination of endothelin-1 to evaluate efficiency of the method for NMR constraint-based structure calculations. A key target of the investigation was determination of the C-terminal folding of the peptide, which had been dispersed in previous studies of NMR, despite its pharmacological significances. With use of tens of thousands of random initial structures to explore the conformational space comprehensively, we determined high-resolution structures with good convergences of C-terminal as well as previously defined N-terminal structures. The previous studies had missed the C-terminal convergence because of initial structure dependencies trapped in localized folding of the N-terminal region, which are strongly constricted by two disulfide bonds.     

Structural studies of the carbon monoxide complex of [NiFe]hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F: suggestion for the initial activation site for dihydrogen

The carbon monoxide complex of [NiFe]hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F has been characterized by X-ray crystallography and absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopy. Nine crystal structures of the [NiFe]hydrogenase in the CO-bound and CO-liberated forms were determined at 1.2-1.4 A resolution. The exogenously added CO was assigned to be bound to the Ni atom at the Ni-Fe active site. The CO was not replaced with H(2) in the dark at 100 K, but was liberated by illumination with a strong white light. The Ni-C distances and Ni-C-O angles were about 1.77 A and 160 degrees, respectively, except for one case (1.72 A and 135 degrees ), in which an additional electron density peak between the CO and Sgamma(Cys546) was recognized. Distinct changes were observed in the electron density distribution of the Ni and Sgamma(Cys546) atoms between the CO-bound and CO-liberated structures for all the crystals tested. The novel structural features found near the Ni and Sgamma(Cys546) atoms suggest that these two atoms at the Ni-Fe active site play a role during the initial H(2)-binding process. Anaerobic addition of CO to dithionite-reduced [NiFe]hydrogenase led to a new absorption band at about 470 nm ( approximately 3000 M(-1)cm(-1)). Resonance Raman spectra (excitation at 476.5 nm) of the CO complex revealed CO-isotope-sensitive bands at 375/393 and 430 cm(-1) (368 and 413 cm(-1) for (13)C(18)O). The frequencies and relative intensities of the CO-related Raman bands indicated that the exogenous CO is bound to the Ni atom with a bent Ni-C-O structure in solution, in agreement with the refined structure determined by X-ray crystallography.     

Self-assembly of flexible supramolecular metallacyclic ensembles: structures and adsorption properties of their nanoporous crystalline frameworks

The syntheses, structures, and N2 adsorption properties of six new supramolecular metallacycles are reported. Flexible ditopic linkers, 1-4, with systematically varied lengths and conformational degrees of freedom were synthesized utilizing ester linkages. They were used in combination with (dppp)M(OTf)2, where M = Pt(II) and Pd(II), and cis-(Me3P)2Pt(OTf)2 to form flexible supramolecular metallacycles 5-10 in 88-98% isolated yields. Their structures were characterized via multinuclear NMR and X-ray crystallography. The metallacycles stack to form porous structures in the crystalline state. The pore dimensions depend on both the phosphorus ligands attached to the metals and the flexible linkers. Adsorption studies on the porous materials show that 5a, 6, 8, and 9 held 11.7, 16.5, 5.7, and 6.8 cm3/g STP of N2 at 77 K, respectively. A guest-exchange study with nitromethane and toluene reveals that the nanopore in 5 is flexible, a property which was transferred from the linker to the supramolecular structure in the solid state.     

Chromatographic molecular recognition for catechol-related compounds using thiacalix[4]arene as an effective selector

Thiacalix[4]arene (5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,26,27,28-tetrahydroxy-2,8,14,20-tetrathiacalix[4]arene) is an amphiphilic molecule comprising four p-tert-butylphenol-like groups ortho-linked by single sulfur atoms. This molecule has a high electron density area owing to the close proximity of the hydroxyl groups and sulfur atoms. We studied the applicability of this interesting compound as a selector for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) thereby presumably exploiting this feature. Firstly, uniformly sized polymer particles were prepared by using a multi-step swelling and polymerization method with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as a cross-linker. Methacrylic acid (MAA) was introduced onto the surface of the resulting polymer particles through a new modification method. Thiacalix[4]arene was chemically bonded through the MAA group by using 1,4-dibromobutane as a spacer to reduce steric hindrance around the MAA and the polymer particle itself. The performance of the prepared polymer-based thiacalix[4]arene-modified stationary phase was evaluated with HPLC. Specific chromatographic retention behavior was observed for catechol relative to positional isomers of xylene, cresol, and benzene-diol. Catecholamine and catechol showed specific chromatographic retention behavior.