Deuterium relaxation time ofα-d-tryptophan included in cyclodextrin host molecules

Deuterium relaxation times ofd- andl--d-tryptophan included in -cyclodextrin derivatives were directly measured by deuterium NMR spectroscopy. The results showed that the molecular motion of the tryptophan molecule was strongly restricted even in the cavity of unmodified -cyclodextrin and the additional recognition groupings — ammonium and carboxylate — on -cyclodextrin did not affect the molecular motion of tryptophan, though the association constants were significantly enhanced.Deceased on March 22, 1987.     

Dynamic kinetic resolution of amino acid amide catalyzed by D-aminopeptidase and alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam racemase

Amino acid amide racemizing activity was discovered in alpha-amino-epsilon-caprolactam (ACL) racemase (EC 5. 1. 1. 15) from Achromobacter obae. The enzymatic synthesis of d-alanine from l-alanine amide has been demonstrated by use of d-aminopeptidase (DAP; EC 3. 4. 11. 19) from Ochrobactrum anthropi C1-38 and ACL racemase. The conversion of 45 mM l-alanine amide was carried out at 30 degrees C for 7 h; l-alanine amide was completely converted to d-alanine, and no l-alanine was detected. The result of successive enzymatic reaction shows that the combination of ACL racemase and DAP can be applied for dynamic kinetic resolution of dl-amino acid amides to yield d-amino acids.     

Determination of very low levels of inorganic and organic mercury in natural waters by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry after preconcentration on a chelating resin

Inorganic and organic mercury at ng l^?1 levels in fresh waters are collected simultaneously on a column of a dithiocarbamate-treated resin and quantitatively eluted with slightly acidic aqueous thiourea solution. Mercury vapor is generated from inorganic mercury by reduction with alkaline SnCl₂ solution, and from inorganic and organic mercury with a CdCl₂SnCl₂ solution, for determination by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. The range of determination is 0.2–5,000 ppt (ng l^?1) for 20-l water samples.     

Micro-determination of total phthalate esters in biological samples by gas-liquid chromatography.

A method was investigated in which all of the phthalate esters in biological samples were determined as phthalic acid by gas-liquid chromatography. The method is based on the separation of phthalate esters from the sample with n-hexane, saponification of the esters with an alkaline ethanolic solution to give phthalic acid, purification of the acid by extraction with diethyl ether and column chromatography using silica gel, and conversion of the acid into bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) phthalate with a 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol solution containing boron trifluoride. The derivative obtained is highly sensitive to an electron-capture detector, giving a sensitivity of 0.1 pg. Biological samples fortified with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate at levels of 5-100 ppb were analyzed, with recoveries of 70-100%.     

Cationic carbohydroxylation of alkenes and alkynes using the cation pool method

The reactions of an N-acyliminium ion pool with alkenes and alkynes gave gamma-amino alcohols and beta-amino carbonyl compounds, respectively, after treatment with H(2)O/Et(3)N. The present reaction serves as an efficient method for cationic carbohydroxylation of alkenes and alkynes. When vinyltrimethylsilane was used as an alkene, the reaction was highly diastereoselective and served as an access to an enantiomerically pure alpha-silyl-gamma-amino alcohol. [reaction: see text]     

A plug and play microfluidic device

Chip-to-world interface is a major issue in the field of microfluidics and its applications. We developed a plug and play microfluidic device composed of a fluid driving unit and a polymer chip containing microfluidic channels and reservoirs. The one and only connection of the device to the external world is a set of electric control lines for the driving unit. Just putting the reagents and samples onto the reservoirs, the chip can be operated for chemical or biochemical reaction and analysis. We demonstrate here that silicon-based micropumps embedded in the present device allow us to achieve flexible fluidic manipulations with minimum time delay and dead volume.     

Comprehensive characterisation of the E phase of 6-octyl-2-phenylazulene

Molecular dynamics in the soft crystal, E phase of 6-octyl-2-phenylazulene was studied by X-ray diffraction, and dielectric and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies. Clear dielectric dispersion is observed due to the head-to-tail disordering in a kHz range around 400 K. The CH stretching frequencies exhibit more pronounced shifts at the phase transition point from the high-temperature ordered crystal to the E phase than that at the melting from the E phase to the isotropic liquid. The results are discussed in comparison with a typical E series, 4-n-alkyl-4′-isothiocyanatobiphenyl (n being the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group).     

Tailoring D‐Amino Acid Oxidase from the Pig Kidney to R‐Stereoselective Amine Oxidase and its Use in the Deracemization of α‐Methylbenzylamine

The deracemization of racemic amines to yield enantioenriched amines using S‐stereoselective amine oxidases (AOx) has recently been attracting attention. However, R‐stereoselective AOx that are suitable for deracemization have not yet been identified. An R‐stereoselective AOx was now evolved from porcine kidney D ‐amino acid oxidase (pkDAO) and subsequently use for the deracemization of racemic amines. The engineered pkDAO, which was obtained by directed evolution, displayed a markedly changed substrate specificity towards R amines. The mutant enzyme exhibited a high preference towards the substrate α‐methylbenzylamine and was used to synthesize the S amine through deracemization. The findings of this study indicate that further investigations on the structure–activity relationship of AOx are warranted and also provide a new method for biotransformations in organic synthesis.