Nickel-catalyzed addition of P(O)-H bonds to propargyl alcohols: one-pot generation of phosphinoyl 1,3-butadienes

[reaction: see text] Diphenylphosphine oxide and related P(O)H compounds react with propargyl alcohols at room temperature in the presence of a catalytic amount of Ni(0) complex and Ph(2)P(O)OH to produce high yields of phosphinoyl 1,3-dienes though an efficient in situ dehydration process.     

Radical-initiated homopolymerization and copolymerization of ethyl α-hydroxymethylacrylate

Ethyl α-hydroxymethylacrylate (EHMA) was synthesized and homopolymerized in bulk and in solution. The poly(EHMA) is readily soluble in alcohol, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, and methylene chloride at room temperature. Intramolecular lactone formation occurred when poly(EHMA) was heated to 180–230°C. The kinetics of EHMA homopolymerization was investigated in ethyl acetate, using α,α′-azobisisobutylonitrile as an initiator. The rate of polymerization R_p was expressed by R_p = k[AIBN]^0.50[EHMA]^1.4 and the overall activation energy was calculated as 71.9 kJ/mol. Kinetic constants for EHMA polymerization were obtained as follows: k_p/k = 0.17L^0.9mol^?0.9s^?0.5; 2fk_d = 1.5 × 10^?5 s^?1. The relative reactivity ratios of EHMA(M₂) copolymerization with styrene (r₁ = 0.472, r₂ = 0.564) in ethyl acetate were obtained. Applying the Q-e scheme led to Q = 0.84 and e = 0.35 for EHMA.     

Solvent‐dependent formation of inclusion complexes between methylated cyclodextrins and biodegradable polymers

The inclusion complexes (ICs) of unmodified natural and methylated α‐cyclodextrins (CDs) with biodegradable polymers, polyethylene glycol and poly(ε‐caprolactone), were prepared by two methods, that is, the one using water and the other using chloroform as the solvent for the respective CDs. The ICs obtained were characterized by IR, WAXD, DSC, and ¹³C CP/MAS NMR. It was found that the possibility and the phenomena of IC formation could be varied with the degree of methyl substitution of CD as well as the type of solvents used. Methylated α‐CDs showed the prominent characteristics of IC formation with polymers in the case where chloroform was used than in the case where water was used as the solvent for CDs, while vice versa in the case of native α‐CD. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 879–891, 2008     

Phase-separation and distribution of phenyl groups for PhTES-TEOS coatings prepared on polycarbonate substrate

Phenyltriethoxysilane (PhTES) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) coatings [xPhTES·(100 − x)TEOS (mol%)] (x = 0 − 80) were prepared on polycarbonate (PC) substrate, and adhesion, surface hardness and distribution of phenyl groups were studied. The coatings with more than 60 mol% of PhTES showed good adhesion (≈ 100%), and the pencil hardness of PC substrate (4B) improved to 2B or B after the coatings. Bulk gels with the same compositions were also prepared, and distribution of phenyl groups were estimated using fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy (KBr method for bulk gels and attenuated total reflection (ATR) method for coatings). A significant difference for the distribution of phenyl groups was clearly observed between bulk gels and coatings, suggesting PC substrate affects the distribution of phenyl groups in coatings. The adhesion and FTIR results revealed that there is an interaction caused by π-electrons between benzene rings on PC substrate and phenyl groups of PhTES-TEOS coatings. It was found that the adhesion was strongly correlated with the phenylsilsesquioxane networks formed around PC substrate side.     

Pycnalin, a new α-glucosidase inhibitor from Acer pycnanthum

A new compound, pycnalin (1), together with four known compounds, ginnalins A (2), B (3), C (4), and 3,6-di-O-galloyl-1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol (3,6-di-GAG) (5), were isolated from Acer pycnanthum. The structure of 1 was determined on the basis of 2D-NMR spectral data and synthesis of 1. Pycnalin (1) is the first 1,5-anhydro-D-mannitol linked to a gallic acid, while compounds 2-5 were 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol linked to gallic acids. All compounds were tested in vitro for α-glucosidase inhibitory and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities. Pycnalin (1) exhibited moderate α-glucosidase inhibitory activity as well as free radical scavenging activity. Ginnalin A (2) and 3,6-di-GAG (5), which have two galloyl groups, exhibited potent α-glucosidase inhibition, compared to those of other compounds 1, 3, and 4 containing a galloyl group. These results suggest that α-glucosidase inhibition is influenced by the number of galloyl groups.     

Synthesis and evaluation of 5-thio-L-fucose-containing oligosaccharide

5-Thio-L-fucose-containing trisaccharide H-type II was synthesized. The 3',4'-O-isopropylidene-2-azido-2-deoxylactoside derivative, which was prepared from lactose by azidonitration of lactal, was used as a starting material. By regio- and stereoselective 5-thio-L-fucosylation of the 6,6'-dibenzoate 5 with 5-thiofucosyl trichloroacetimidate 6 and subsequent deprotection gave the 5-thio-L-fucose-containing H-type II 1. Conformational analysis of the 5-thio-L-fucose-containing H-type II and the native H-type II was carried out through NOESY experiments. The observed NOE values between N-acetylglucosamine and galactose, and galactose and fucose were same for these two trisaccharides. However, NOE values between fucose and N-acetylglucosamine were significantly different. Binding of the 5-thio-L-fucose-containing H-type II to lectins and antibodies were in some case stronger and in some case weaker than those of the native trisaccharide.     

Controlling the dissociative ionization of ethanol with 800 and 400 nm two-color femtosecond laser pulses

Ethanol molecules were irradiated with a pair of temporally overlapping ultrashort intense laser pulses (10(13)-10(14) Wcm(2)) with different colors of 400 and 800 nm, and the dissociative ionization processes have been investigated. The yield ratio of the C-O bond breaking with respect to the C-C bond breaking was varied in the range of 0.17-0.53 sensitively depending on the delay time between the two laser pulses, and the absolute value of the yield of the C-O bond breaking was found to be increased largely when the Fourier-transform limited 800 nm laser pulse overlaps the stretched 400 nm laser pulse, demonstrating an advantage of the two-color intense laser fields in controlling chemical bond breaking processes.     

Size, position and direction control on GaAs and InAs nanowhisker growth

The self-organized, position-controlled and parallel growth of GaAs and InAs nanowhiskers is successfully demonstrated by using a metal–organic chemical vapour deposition method. The growth takes place preferentially along the 111 As direction with the aid of the catalytic effect of Au nanodroplets, and not along 111 Ga or In directions. The diameter and length of the whisker can be controlled artificially down to 10 nm and to over 1 μm, respectively. Doping and composition control of p- or n-type such as GaAs–InAs heterostructure formation are possible along the length direction of the whisker by changing the source gases. In order to control the growth position of the whisker, positioning of a Au nanodroplet is essential and realized by a lithographic method. By choosing the [111]B direction to the substrate surface and normal to the patterned side edges, and by positioning the Au nanodroplet on the side wall, the positioned planar nanowhisker growth and bridging are successfully demonstrated. The growth mechanism of the nanowhiskers is revealed by the scanning and transmission electron microscope observations. Nanometer-size Au-alloy droplets play an important role in the growth of the whiskers. The whisker growth process is governed by the vapor–liquid–solid growth mechanism.