Extraction Equilibria between Benzene and Water of Uni- and Bivalent Metal Picrates with Lariat 16-Crown-5: Effect of the Side Arms on the Extraction Ability and Selectivity

The overall extraction constants (K_ex) of uni- andbivalent metal picrates with 15-(2,5-dioxahexyl)-15-methyl-16-crown-5(L16C5) were determined between benzene and water at 25°C. TheK_ex values were analyzed into the constituent equilibriumconstants, i.e., the extraction constant of picric acid, the distributionconstant of the crown ether, the stability constant of the metalion–crown ether complex in water, and the ion-pair extraction constantof the complex cation with the picrate anion. The K_ex valuedecreases in the orders Ag⁺ > Na⁺ >Tl⁺ > K⁺ > Li⁺ andPb²⁺ > Ba²⁺ > Sr²⁺ for theuni- and bivalent metals, respectively, which are the same as those observedfor 16C5. The extraction selectivity was found to be governed by theselectivity of the ion-pair extraction of the L16C5–metal picratecomplex rather than by that of the complex formation in water. Theextraction ability of L16C5 is smaller for all the metals than that of 16C5,which is mostly attributed to the higher lipophilicity of L16C5. Differencesin the extraction selectivity between L16C5 and 16C5 were observed for thebivalent metals but little for the univalent metals. The side-arm effect onthe extraction selectivity was interpreted on the basis of the negativecorrelation between the effect on the complex stability constant in waterand that on the ion-pair extraction constant.     

Highly Selective Separation of Rhodopsin from Bovine Rod Outer Segment Membranes Using Combination of Divalent Cation and Alkyl(thio)glucoside

The micellization process of bovine rod outer segment (ROS) membranes is investigated utilizing a series of neutral detergents. It is found that when alkyl(thio)glucosides with an appropriate hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (e.g. octylthioglucoside) are used in combination with a divalent cation, rhodopsin is selectively extracted from ROS membranes at a specific detergent-to-membrane ratio. This allows remarkable purification of rhodopsin by a single-step solubilization, because the residual membranes are heavily aggregated in the presence of divalent cation and are therefore easily sedimented by low-speed centrifugation. The absorption spectrum of the supernatant reproducibly exhibits an A₂₈₀/A₅₀₀ value of 1.6, an excellent value that could rarely be obtained by chromatographic purification. The degree of purification also depends on the type of divalent cation included in the solubilization solution; specific binding of IIB-series cations (Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺) to ROS membranes is suggested to play an important role in the solubilization process. The present result represents a unique example of selective solubilization of a specific membrane protein from highly aggregated membranes.     

Determination of chemical form of antimony in contaminated soil around a smelter using X-ray absorption fine structure.

Only limited information is available about the behavior of antimony (Sb) in contaminated soils. However, understanding the behavior of Sb in contaminated soils is important, because the toxicity or solubility of this element depends on its chemical state. In this study, we investigated the levels of Sb and the chemical forms of Sb in the soil around a smelter using X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectra. The highest Sb concentration in the contaminated soil was 2900 mg/kg dry soil. According to Sb-K edge X-ray absorption near edge (XANE) spectra, the Sb in the soil was in the form of Sb(V) compounds. The similarity of extended XAFS (EXAFS) spectra suggests that Sb speciation was independent of the sampling site, which indicates that Sb or Sb2O3 emitted from the smelter was converted into Sb(V) compounds in the soil.     

Titanocene(II)-Promoted Reactions of 2-(Alk-1-yn-1-yl)-2-(Trialkylsilyl)-1,3-dithianes with Olefins and Carbonyls

Abstract

Trialkylsilyl group-directed regioselective transformations of alkynyl thioacetals to alkynylcyclopropanes and enynes are described.     

Synthetic studies on glycosphingolipids from protostomia phyla: synthesis of a glycosphingolipid analogue from the parasite Spirometra erinacei

Novel neutral glycosphingolipids isolated from the plerocercoids of a tapeworm, Spirometra erinacei, may be expected to be involved in host-parasite interactions. We have synthesized this glycosphingolipid analogue containing 2-branched fatty alkyl residue in place of ceramide. Glycosylation of nonreducing-end trisaccharide derivative 15 with the reducing-end disaccharide derivative 17 in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate (TMSOTf) gave the desired oligosaccharide derivative in good yield. The fully per-O-acylated 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl glycoside 19 was converted to glycosylimidate 20, which was condensed with 2-(tetradecyl)hexadecanol and subsequently deacylated to give the target glycosphingolipid analogue 22.     

Development of efficient photocatalytic systems for CO2 reduction using mononuclear and multinuclear metal complexes based on mechanistic studies

Photocatalytic systems for CO₂ reduction using metal complexes, especially rhenium(I) complexes as a main component, are reviewed: mononuclear Re(I) complexes, mixed systems with two different Re(I) complexes, and supramolecule systems with a Re(I) complex connected to a ruthenium(II) complex. We focus on the mechanistic studies and the architecture for constructing the photocatalytic systems based on the mechanism.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Ritter‐Type Reaction of Unactivated Alkenes with Dichloramine‐T

It was shown that dichloramine‐T ( 1 ) reacted with cyclohexene in acetonitrile to give N¹‐(2‐chlorocyclohexyl) amidine 2a and N‐(2‐chlorocyclohexyl)acetamide ( 3 ) via the competitive addition of acetonitrile and N‐chloro‐N‐tosylamino anion to cyclohexenechloronium ion. This reaction can be catalyzed by Cu(OAc)₂, primarily affording 2a . Furthermore, the resulting 2a can be cyclized to benzimidazol 14a in good yield by treating with KOH in dioxane.