D3h‐Symmetric Porphyrin‐Based Rigid Macrocyclic Ligands for Multicofacial Multinuclear Complexes in a One‐Nanometer‐Sized Cavity

The one‐step synthesis of D_3h‐symmetric cyclic porphyrin trimers 1 composed of three 2,2′‐[4,4′‐bis(methoxycarbonyl)]bipyridyl moieties and three porphyrinatozinc moieties was achieved from a nickel‐mediated reductive coupling of meso‐5,15‐bis(6‐chloro‐4‐methoxycarbonylpyrid‐2‐yl)porphyrinatozinc. Although cyclic trimers 1 were obtained as a mixture that included other cyclic and acyclic porphyrin oligomers, an extremely specific separation was observed only for cyclic trimers 1 when using columns of silica gel modified with pyrenylethyl, cyanopropyl, and other groups. Structural analysis of cyclic trimers 1 was carried out by means of NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography. Treatment of an η³‐allylpalladium complex with a cyclic trimer gave a tris(palladium) complex containing three η³‐allylpalladium groups inside the space, which indicated that the bipyridyl moieties inside the ring could work as bidentate metalloligands.     

Kinetic study of the crosslinking reaction of 1,2‐polybutadiene with dicumyl peroxide in the absence and presence of vinyl acetate

The crosslinking reaction of 1,2-polybutadiene (1,2-PB) with dicumyl peroxide (DCPO) in dioxane was kinetically studied by means of Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FTNIR). The crosslinking reaction was followed in situ by the monitoring of the disappearance of the pendant vinyl group of 1,2-PB with FTNIR. The initial disappearance rate (R₀) of the vinyl group was expressed by R₀ = k[DCPO]^0.8[vinyl group]^−0.2 (120 °C). The overall activation energy of the reaction was estimated to be 38.3 kcal/mol. The unusual rate equation was explained in terms of the polymerization of the pendant vinyl group as an allyl monomer involving degradative chain transfer to the monomer. The reaction mixture involved electron spin resonance (ESR)-observable polymer radicals, of which the concentration rapidly increased with time owing to a progress of crosslinking after an induction period of 200 min. The crosslinking reaction of 1,2-PB with DCPO was also examined in the presence of vinyl acetate (VAc), which was regarded as a copolymerization of the vinyl group with VAc. The vinyl group of 1,2-PB was found to show a reactivity much higher than 1-octene and 3-methyl-1-hexene as model compounds in the copolymerization with VAc. This unexpectedly high reactivity of the vinyl group suggested that an intramolecular polymerization process proceeds between the pendant vinyl groups located on the same polymer chain, possibly leading to the formation of block-like polymer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4437–4447, 2004     

Collection of iron(III) from homogeneous aqueous solutions on membrane filters using Chromazurol B with Triton X-100.

A membrane filtration method was examined concerning the effective collection of iron(III) from a homogeneous aqueous solution with Chromazurol B (CAB), one of the triphenylmethane dyes, as a precipitating reagent in the presence of a non-ionic surfactant, polyethylene glycol mono[4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenyl]ether (Triton X-100). A formed blue Fe(III)-CAB complex was collected as a precipitate on a membrane filter by filtration under suction from a homogeneous aqueous solution in the pH range over about 2. The original solution was prepared at a concentration ratio of CAB to Fe(III) of to 10, and that of Triton X-100 to CAB of 10 to 100. It was then adjusted to a pH value of between 1.0 and 6.5. A linear relationship (r = 0.999) was obtained between the initial concentration and the found one of Fe(III) in the range of 2.0 x 10(-5) to 4.0 x 10(-4) mol dm(-3) at a fixed concentration ratio of CAB to Fe(III) of 3 and that of Triton X-100 to CAB of 20. This membrane filtration with CAB and Triton X-100 may be utilized for the separation of Fe(III) as a background species.     

Preparation of a cyclodextrin dimer linked with a bis(picolinyl)cystine moiety and its intra- and intermolecular inclusion behavior

A novel cyclodextrin (CD) dimer linked with a bis(picolinyl)cystine (Cys) moiety was prepared by the coupling of Boc-protected Cys with amino-modified CDs, followed by deprotection of the Boc groups and bispicolinylation. The dimer showed less affinity to an organic guest molecule compared to that of a native CD monomer. It was attributed to an intramolecular inclusion of the pyridine moiety into CD cavity. The dimer caused significant increase of its organic guest affinity by an addition of a copper ion. The included pyridine group may come out of a CD cavity to bind the copper ion and the two CDs included cooperatively and intermolecularly a guest molecule with high affinity.     

A novel synthesis of (+)-biotin from L-cysteine

(+)-Biotin (1) was synthesized in 25% overall yield over 11 steps from L-cysteine. The contiguous asymmetric centers at C-3a and C-6a were formed through a novel and highly stereoselective Lewis base-catalyzed cyanosilylation of alpha-amino aldehyde 3 to provide anti-O-TMS-cyanohydrin 4 with high stereoselectivity and in high yield (anti/syn = 92:8, 96%). Treatment of 4 with a di-Grignard reagent, 1,4-bis(bromomagnesio)butane, followed by carbon dioxide, efficiently installed the 4-carboxybutyl chain at C-4 to give keto acid 5. The final cyclization to bicyclic compound 7b, a precursor to 1, was realized by a palladium-catalyzed intramolecular allylic amination of cis-allylic carbonate 6b that was elaborated from 5.     

Structure of cypridina biluciferyl,a dimer of cypridina luciferyl radical having bioluminescent activity

Structure of $\text{Cypridina}$ biluciferyl (luciferyl radical dimer), which is produced by chemical oxidation of $\text{C}$. luciferin with such as ferricyanide, was determined to be the symmetric 5,5′-dimer of $\text{C}$. luciferin. It gives light in the presence of $\text{C}$. luciferase, although the bioluminescent rate is very low. We suggest that the biluciferyl is an intermediate in the oxidation of the luciferin to $\text{C}$. luciferinol.     

Synthesis and properties of 7,7-bis(heteroazulen-3-yl)-8,8-dicyano-1,4-quinodimethanes

The synthesis and properties of a novel type of 7,7-bis(heteroazulen-3-yl)-8,8-dicyano-1,4-quinodimethanes (9a-c) are studied. The synthetic method is based on a TFA-catalyzed electrophilic aromatic substitution on the heteroazulenes with 4-(dicyanomethyl)benzaldehyde to afford the corresponding methane derivatives, followed by oxidative hydrogen abstraction with DDQ. The polarization of 9a-c is evaluated by the inspection of their ¹³C NMR and IR spectra. Based on the investigation of the UV-Vis spectra of 9a-c and protonated cations 10a-c, conformational changes of the heteroazulene-moiety and (dicyanomethyl)phenyl group are suggested. In the CV measurements of 9a-c, two reversible reduction waves are observed, indicating the stabilizing ability of heteroazulenes toward the corresponding radical and anion species. Furthermore, 9a-c exhibit two irreversible oxidation waves, which suggest a conformational change in the radical cation during the redox process. The conformational change is rationalized on the basis of the MO calculations.     

Dynamic structural change of a twisted hexaporphyrin complex by highly specific molecular recognition

The highly specific molecular recognition of a twisted hexaporphyrin complex, tris[5,5'-bis[5,10,15-tris[methoxy(ethoxy)(2)carbonylethyl]porphyrinatozinc(II)]-2,2'-bipyridine]ruthenium(II) chloride (2), is described. Complex 2 has two trisporphyrin binding sites and can bind two triamines, tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (3) (K(1) = 3.0 x 10(8) M(-1), K(2) = 3.0 x 10(7) M(-1)), 1,1,1-tris(aminomethyl)ethane (4) (K(1) = 2.0 x 10(7) M(-1), K(2) = 1.4 x 10(6) M(-1)), tris(3-aminopropyl)amine (5) (K(1) = 3.5 x 10(6) M(-1), K(2) = 6.0 x 10(6) M(-1)), and 1,3,5-tris(aminomethyl)benzene (6) (K(1) = 2.9 x 10(6) M(-1), K(2) = 1.2 x 10(6) M(-1)), strongly with its torsional motion. The 1:2 complex between 2 and the best fit triamine 3 showed the nature of the specific rigid structure in the UV-vis, fluorescence, and (1)H NMR spectra and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements.     

Recovery and refining of au by gold-cyanide ion biosorption using animal fibrous proteins

Animal fibrous proteins (AFPs) such as egg-shell membrane (ESM), chicken feather (CF), wool, silk, or elastin are an intricate network of stable and water-insoluble fibers with high surface area and are abundant bioresources. Every AFP tested was found to accumulate gold-cyanide ion from aqueous solutions in high yield, depending on pH and some other parameters. Gold-cyanide ion is adsorbed by AFP at low pH range, with maximum binding observed at approx pH 2.0. Under the certain conditions, gold-cyanide ion was accumulated up to 8.6, 7.1, 9.8, 2.4, and 3.9% of dry weight on ESM, CF, wool, silk, and elastin, respectively. In the case of ESM, it was found that ESM removed gold-cyanide ion almost quantitatively and almost all the gold uptake by ESM was easily desorbed with 0.1M NaOH. ESM can be used repeatedly for the process of gold adsorption-desorption. The gold-biosorptive capacity of ESM that was chemically modified with glutaraldehyde was higher than that of control. In column procedure, ESM packed on column removed gold-cyanide ion from the dilute aqueous solution to extremely low concentrations (nondetectable concentration of below 1 ppb)     

Ni(II)- and Co(II)-phosphine complex catalyzed carboncarbon bond formation between organic tellurides and grignard reagents

Treatment of alkenyl and aryl tellurides with Grignard reagents in the presence of NiCl₂(PPh₃)₂, NiCl₂(Ph₂PCH₂CH₂CH₂PPh₂), or CoCl₂(PPh₃)₂ as catalyst affords the cross-coupling products together with the homo-coupling products of the tellurides in good to moderate yields under mild conditions.