Direct Electrochemistry of Multi‐Copper Oxidases at Carbon Nanotubes Noncovalently Functionalized with Cellulose Derivatives

This study describes the direct electron transfer of multi‐copper oxidases, i.e., laccase (from Trametes versicolor) and bilirubin oxidase (BOD, from Myrothecium verrucaria) at multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) noncovalently functionalized with biopolymers of cellulose derivatives, i.e., hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), methyl cellulose (MC), and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). The functionalization of the MWNTs with the cellulose derivatives is found to substantially solubilize the MWNTs into aqueous media and to avoid their aggregation on electrode surface. Under anaerobic conditions, the redox properties of laccase and BOD are difficult to be defined with cyclic voltammetry at either laccase/MWNT‐modified or BOD/MWNT‐modified electrodes. The direct electron transfer properties of laccase and BOD are thus studied in terms of the bioelectrocatalytic activities of the laccase/MWNT‐modified and BOD/MWNT‐modified electrodes toward the reduction of oxygen and found to be facilitated at the functionalized MWNTs. The possible application of the laccase‐catalyzed O₂ reduction at the laccase/MWNT‐modified electrode is illustrated by constructing a CNT‐based ascorbate/O₂ biofuel cell with the MWNT‐modified electrode as the anode for the oxidation of ascorbate biofuel.     

Effect of conformational control of chiral oxazaborolidine by π-π stacking interaction of a pentafluorophenyl group toward asymmetric borane reduction

A pentafluorophenyl group can act as a stereo-controlling group in oxazaborolidine-catalyzed asymmetric borane reduction through intramolecular π-π stacking interaction with a phenyl group. The intramolecular π-π interaction in oxazaborolidine bearing pentafluorophenyl group is confirmed by calculations and ¹H NMR study. The interaction affects the enantioselectivity of the asymmetric reduction of acetophenone while the extent is small.     

The Mitsunobu Reaction: Origin,Mechanism, Improvements,and Applications

The Mitsunobu reaction is a widely used and versatile method for the dehydrative oxidation–reduction condensation of an acid/pronucleophile usually with a primary or secondary alcohol that requires the combination of a reducing phosphine reagent together with an oxidizing azo reagent. The utility of this reaction stems from the fact that it is generally highly stereoselective and occurs with inversion of the stereochemical configuration of the alcohol starting material. Furthermore, as carboxylic acids, phenols, imides, sulfonamides, and other compounds can be used as the acid/pronucleophile, this reaction is useful for the preparation of a wide variety of functional groups. This Focus Review of the Mitsunobu reaction summarizes its origins, the current understanding of its mechanism, and recent improvements and applications.     

Deoxypegan-1-one derivatives. synthesis and borohydride reduction of 3-[(E)-arylmethylidene]-3,9-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-b]quinazolin-1(2H)-ones

3-[(E)-Arylmethylidene]-3,9-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-b]quinazolin-1(2H)-ones were prepared by reaction of quinazolyl-2-propionic acid hydrochloride with aromatic aldehydes in acetic anhydride in the presence of Et₃N. 3-[(E)-Arylmethylidene]-1,2,3,9-tetrahydropyrrolo[2,1-b]quinazolin-1-ols were formed by reduction of the 3-arylidene derivatives with sodium borohydride in methanol, readily lost water when heated with acids, and were converted into 3-[(E)-arylmethylidene]-3,9-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-b]quinazolines. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 463–467, September–October, 2006.     

纳米分辨率的三维形貌检测仪

从光干涉方式，瞳窗关系和光源带宽等基本关系出发，利用空间不变系统理论解析了相移显微干涉检测系统中衍射效应的影响。为了减小横向分辨率对纵向分辨率的影响，利用相关信息提取或数字滤波的方法，获得了纳米分辨率的三维形貌。     

Cathodic reduction of SO2 in the presence of organic dihalides

The reaction of the electrolytically generated SO ₂ ^– anion radical with 1,-dihalides is used for the synthesis of sulfur containing heterocycles like oxathiolane-, oxathiane-, thiane- and thiepane-oxides. 1,2-Dihalides are reductively deblocked to give olefines.

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Kathodische Reduktion von SO₂ in Gegenwart organischer Dihalogenide

Zusammenfassung Die Reaktion des elektrolytisch erzeugten SO ₂ ^– -Anionradikals mit 1,-Dihalogeniden führt zu schwefelhaltigen Heterocyclen wie Oxathiolan-, Oxathian-, Thian- und Thiepanoxiden. 1,2-Dihalogenide geben durch reduktive Eliminierung Olefine.

     

Electrocatalytic dehalogenation of α-bromoketones in the presence of Cp2TiCl2

Processes of direct and electrocatalytic (in the presence of electrochemically reduced Cp₂TiCl₂) reduction of three α-bromoketones containing the C(sp³)-Br or C(sp²)-Br bond, viz., 2-bromo-and 2,6-dibromo-4,4-dimethylcyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ones and α-bromo-acetophenone, were studied by cyclic voltammetry and preparative electrolysis. In all cases, the dissociative electron transfer proceeds via the concerted mechanism. Preparative electrolysis of these α-bromoketones in the presence of Cp₂TiCl₂ affords the reductive debromination products in 40–80% yield at low cathodic potentials (−0.85 V vs. Ag/AgCl/KCl). In the case of 2,6-dibromo-4,4-dimethylcyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-one in the potentiostatic regime, only one bromine atom can be eliminated selectively. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 977–983, May, 2007.     

Pheromone, 3.Mitt.: Eine einfache Methode zur Steuerung der Reduktion von α-Alkoxy-carbonylverbindungen

Summary Enantiomerically pure 1,2-diols bearing optionallysyn oranti configurated secondary hydroxylic groups are synthesized from acetal-protected cyanohydrins. After resolution of the diastereomers the cyanohydrins are converted into -alkoxy-ketones by Grignard-reaction followed by reduction using common chelating or non-chelating agents. Among others syntheses of enantiomerically pure pheromones,endo-Brevicomin,exo-Brevicomin and Dispalure are given as examples.

Prof. Dr. Hans Berbalk zum 70. Geburtstag gewidmet     

Comparative analysis of affine scaling algorithms based on simplifying assumptions

We analyze several affine potential reduction algorithms for linear programming based on simplifying assumptions. We show that, under a strong probabilistic assumption regarding the distribution of the data in an iteration, the decrease in the primal potential function will be with high probability, compared to the guaranteed(1). ( 2n is a parameter in the potential function andn is the number of variables.) Under the same assumption, we further show that the objective reduction rate of Dikin's affine scaling algorithm is with high probability, compared to no guaranteed convergence rate.Research supported in part by NSF Grant DDM-8922636.     

Effect of film thickness on the electro-reduction of molecular oxygen on electropolymerized cobalt tetra-aminophthalocyanine films

We studied the electrocatalytic activity of cobalt tetra-aminophthalocyanine (CoTAPc) for the reduction of molecular oxygen (O₂) on adsorbed monomeric and on electropolymerized films of different thicknesses on glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The polymeric films, denoted poly-CoTAPc, were first characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and it appears that the types of phenomena revealed to be occurring depend less on the film thickness in basic than in acid media. For O₂ reduction, the results showed that poly-CoTAPc is more active than the monomeric CoTAPc adsorbed on GC. Indeed, rotating ring-disk electrode data showed that polymeric CoTAPc promotes the four-electron reduction of O₂ to water in parallel to a two-electron reduction to give peroxide. On monomeric and thin films of poly-CoTAPc, a two-electron reduction mechanism predominates. In basic media the activity increases very slightly with thickness, whereas in acid media this increase is more pronounced. This parallels the observed behavior revealed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.