An effective method to use ionic liquids as reaction media for asymmetric reduction by Geotrichum candidum

An effective method was developed to use an enzyme in ionic liquids; the asymmetric reduction of ketones by Geotrichum candidum in ionic liquids proceeded smoothly with excellent enantioselectivity when the cell was immobilized on water-absorbing polymer containing water, while the reaction without the polymer did not proceed.     

Potential energy surfaces and nonadiabatic transitions in the asymptotic regions of ICN photodissociation to study the interference effects in the F1 and F2 spin-rotation levels of the CN products

One of the most spectacular yet unsolved problems for the ICN -band photodissociation is the non-statistical spin-rotation F₁ = N + 1/2 and F₂ = N − 1/2 populations for each rotation level N of the CN fragment. The F₁/F₂ population difference function f(N) exhibits strong N and λ dependences with an oscillatory behavior. Such details were found to critically depend on the number of open-channel product states, namely, whether both I (²P_3/2) and I (²P_1/2) are energetically available or not as the dissociation partner. First, in the asymptotic region, the exchange and dipole-quadrupole inter-fragment interactions were studied in detail. Then, as the diabatic basis, we took the appropriate symmetry adapted products of the electronic and rotational wavefunctions for the F₁ and F₂ levels at the dissociation limits. We found that the adiabatic Hamiltonian exhibits Rosen–Zener–Demkov type nonadiabatic transitions reflecting the switch between the exchange interaction and the small but finite spin-rotation interaction within CN at the asymptotic region. This non-crossing type nonadiabatic transition occurs with the probability 1/2, that is, at the diabatic limit through a sudden switch of the quantization axis for CN spin S from the dissociation axis to the CN rotation axis N . We have derived semiclassical formulae for f(N) and the orientation parameters with a two-state model including the 3A′ and 4A′ electronic states, and with a four-state model including the 3A′ through 6A′ electronic states. These two kinds of interfering models explain general features of the F₁ and F₂ level populations observed by Zare's group and Hall's group, respectively. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Preparation of new nitrogen-bridged heterocycles. 56. Syntheses and reactions of 1-[2,2-bis(alkylthio)-1-(ethoxycarbonylacetyl)vinyl]pyridinium salts

The title compounds, readily available from the S-alkylation of pyridinium 1-[alkylthio(thiocarbonyl)](ethoxycarbonylacetyl)methylides with alkyl halides or alkyl bromoacetates, were treated with a base and then a dehydrogenating agent to provide some unique products such as 3-[bis(alkylthio)methylene]-2(3H)-indolizinones and dialkyl 7-methyl-4-oxo-1,4,8,8a-tetrahydro-1,4-thiazino[3,4,5-cd]indolizine-1,5-dicarboxylates. On the other hand, similar reaction of these pyridinium salts in the absence of the dehydrogenating agent afforded alkyl 2-hydroxyindlizine-3-carboxythiolates, whose yields were increased by adding trifluoroacetic acid to the reaction mixture. The structures of some products were confirmed by the X-ray analyses.     

Lannotinidines A-G, new alkaloids from two species of Lycopodium

Seven new Lycopodium alkaloids, lannotinidines A-G (1-7), have been isolated from the club moss Lycopodium annotinum and L. annotinum var. acrifolium. Stereochemistry of 1-7 was elucidated by combination of NOESY correlations and chemical transformation. Lannotinidines B-E (2-5) elevated NGF mRNA expression.     

A highly cis-selective synthesis of 2-ethynylaziridines by intramolecular amination of chiral bromoallenes: improvement of stereoselectivity based on the computational investigation

The base-mediated intramolecular amination of bromoallenes having an axial chirality is described. The treatment of (4S,aR)-4-alkyl-4-[N-(arylsulfonyl)amino]-1-bromobuta-1,2-dienes with NaH in DMF affords 2,3-cis-2-ethynylaziridines in good to excellent selectivity (2,3-cis:trans = 92:8-99:1). The reaction of (4S,aS)-bromoallenes with NaH/DMF also gives 2,3-cis-2-ethynylaziridines selectively (79:21-91:9). These experimental results have been rationalized by B3LYP density functional calculations together with the 6-31+G(d) basis set and the Onsager solvation model. The transition structures for cis-aziridine formation of both (4S,aR)- and (4S,aS)-bromoallenes in DMF are favored over the corresponding trans transition structures by 4.35 and 1.41 kcal/mol, respectively. Furthermore, the calculations predicted that a less polar solvent gives higher cis selectivity for (4S,aS)-bromoallenes. In fact, improvement of the cis selectivity to 99:1 has been realized by using a less polar solvent such as THF. The cyclization of bromoallenes bearing a beta- or gamma-amino group also affords four- and five-membered azacycles in a highly cis-selective manner.     

Dynamic coordination polymers with 4,4'-oxybis(benzoate): reversible transformations of nano- and nonporous coordination frameworks responding to present solvents

Reversible construction of a nanoporous framework from a nonporous framework has been found in the zinc(II) coordination polymer with 4,4'-oxybis(benzoate) (oba). [Zn(2)(oba)(2)(dmf)(2)].2DMF (1), which has 1 nm scale channels, transforms to the nonporous coordination polymer [Zn(oba)(H(2)O)] (2) with the loss of the open framework. Compound 2 on treatment with DMF reversibly yields nanoporous compound 1.     

Molecular interactions between lipid bilayers and a water-soluble polymer

Molecular interactions between lipid bilayers (liposomes) and chondroitin sulfate C (CS), a water soluble polymer, have been investigated in terms of zeta-potential, particle size, microscopic-viscosity, microscopic-polarity of liposomes and permeability of calcein. Microscopic morphology is dramatically changed by the addition of CS to the positively charged liposomes (Pos.L), while it is not changed by the addition to uncharged liposomes (Unc.L) or negatively charged liposomes (Neg.L). The absolute value of the particle size of Pos.L increases with the addition of CS, while the zeta- potential of Pos.L decreases. Permeability of Pos.L decreases with an increase in the concentration of CS. Phase transition temperature of Pos.L is changed after the addition of CS. These values, however, are not changed for the other liposomes by the addition of CS. The results of gel filtration chromatography show that CS is absorbed on the Pos.L surface. Microscopic viscosity is also increased by the addition of CS to Pos.L due to the adsorption of CS.     

Resazurin as an electron acceptor in glucose oxidase-catalyzed oxidation of glucose

The behavior of resazurin (1) as an electron acceptor in glucose oxidase (GOD)-catalyzed oxidation of glucose under anaerobic conditions is described. When a mixture of 1, glucose, and GOD in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4, 0.1 M) was incubated at 25 degrees C, the resulting solution turned purple to fluorescent pink due to the deoxygenated product, resorufin (2). On incubation of 1 with GOD alone or with H2O2 under essentially the same conditions, no color change was seen, indicating that generation of 2 in the enzymatic reaction is brought about through reduction of 1 by the reduced form (GODred) of GOD, which was also supported by the voltammetric behavior of 1. However, it was found that the enzymatic transformation of 1 to 2 is of no practical use as an indicator reaction for glucose determination using only GOD due to a slow reaction of 1 with GODred. Based on a ping-pong type mechanism with a steady-state approximation, KM and kcat for 1 as an electron acceptor from GODred were estimated to be 15+/-1.3 microM and (5.0+/-0.5) x 10(-2) s(-1), respectively.