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A long-standing question in porphyrin chemistry is why pyrrole monomers selectively form tetrapyrrolic macrocycles, whereas the corresponding tripyrrolic macrocycles are never observed. Calix[3]pyrrole, a tripyrrolic porphyrinogen-like macrocycle bearing three sp(3)-carbon linkages, is a missing link molecule that might hold the key to this enigma; however, it has remained elusive. Here we report the synthesis and strain-induced transformations of calix[3]pyrrole and its furan analogue, calix[3]furan. These macrocycles are readily accessed from cyclic oligoketones. Crystallographic and theoretical analyses reveal that these three-subunit systems possess the largest strain energy among known calix[n]-type macrocycles. The ring-strain triggers transformation of calix[3]pyrrole into first calix[6]pyrrole and then calix[4]pyrrole under porphyrin cyclization conditions. The present results help explain the absence of naturally occurring three-pyrrole macrocycles and the fact that they are not observed as products or intermediate during classic porphyrin syntheses.

To develop a system in which a pi-conjugation circuit switched by a redox reaction between 3-pyridone and 3-hydroxypyridine, a ring-contracted analog of oxypyriporphyrin, 2-oxypyritriphyrin(1.2.1) was synthesized for the first time. 2-Oxypyritriphyrin(1.2.1) contains a 14 pi aromatic conjugation circuit with the keto-form of the 3-oxypyridine ring. When 2-oxypyritriphyrin was treated with NaBH4, not only the 3-oxypyridine group, but also the meso-carbons were also reduced to give a colorless porphyrinogen analog. The reduced compound could be oxidized again to provide 2-oxypyritripyhrin in a reversible manner.

Subphthalocyanine (SubPc) macrocycles are known as an interesting class of nonplanar aromatic dyes. Despite documented high fluorescence and singlet oxygen quantum yields, the properties of SubPcs in photodynamic therapy (PDT) are underestimated, because their absorption bands do not reach a significant wavelength range. With this in mind, we combined a SubPc ring and a SubPc ring by introducing a common benzene ring and obtained a SubPc dimer (2) and trimer (3) with the Q-band at the near-IR region, owing to the expansion of the [Formula: see text] electron conjugated system. In this study, we reported1O2generation abilities of 2 and 3based on the applied absolute singlet oxygen quantum yields ([Formula: see text]absolute). Subsequent research revealed that 2 and 3 showed the potential to generate1O2to not only in toluene but also in DMSO. Although the photocytotoxicity of 2 and 3 were investigated upon photo-irradiation with a low light dose of approximately 1.5 J/cm2, 2 and 3 showed almost negligible toxic properties toward HEp2 cells.

An H2O2 molecule was isolated inside hydroxylated open-cage fullerene derivatives by mixing of an H2O2 solution with a precursor molecule followed by reduction of one of carbonyl groups on its orifice. Depending on the reduction sites, two structural isomers for H2O2@open-fullerenes were obtained. The high encapsulation ratio of 81% was attained at low temperature. The structures of the peroxosolvate complexes thus obtained were studied by 1H NMR, X-ray analysis, and DFT calculations, showing a strong hydrogen bonding between the encapsulated H2O2 and the hydroxy group locating at the center of the orifice. This OH group was found to act as a kinetic stopper and the formation of the hydrogen bonding caused thermodynamic stabilization on the H2O2 molecule, both of which prevent its escape out of the cage. One of the peroxosolvates was isolated by HPLC, affording the H2O2@open-fullerene with 100% encapsulation ratio likely due to the intramolecular hydrogen bonding interaction.

A bis(NiII -porphyrinyl)aminyl radical with meso-C6 F5 groups was prepared as a spin-delocalized stable aminyl radical with a doublet spin state. Upon addition of pyridine, both NiII centers became hexacoordinated by accepting two axial pyridines, which triggered a spin-state change of the NiII centers from diamagnetic (S=0) to paramagnetic (S=1). The resulting high-spin NiII centers interact with the aminyl radical ferromagnetically to give rise to an overall sextet state (S=5/2). Importantly, this coordination-induced spin-state switching can be conducted in a reversible manner, in that washing of the high-spin radical with aqueous hydrochloric acid regenerates the original doublet radical in good yield.

The cationic Ga(III) and Zn(II) phthalocyanines carrying N-methyl-pyridinium groups at eight peripheral β-positionshave been synthesized. These complexes are highly soluble in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and moderately soluble in water and phosphate buffered saline (PBS); both Ga(III)Cl and Zn(II) complexes have shown no aggregation in water up to 1.2 × 10−4 and 1.5 × 10−5 M, respectively. A higher water-solubility of Ga(III)Cl complex as compared to Zn(II) complex is ascribed to the presence of an axially coordinated chloride. The spectroscopic properties, photogeneration of singlet oxygen (1O2), and cytotoxicity of these complexes have been investigated. The absolute quantum yields (ΦΔabsolute) for the photogeneration of singlet oxygen using Ga(III)Cl and Zn(II) complexes have been determined to be 4.4 and 5.3%, respectively, in DMSO solution. The cytotoxicity and intracellular sites of localization of Ga(III)Cl and Zn(II) complexes have been evaluated in human HEp2 cells. Both complexes, localized intracellularly in multiple organelles, have shown no cytotoxicity in the dark. Upon exposure to a low light dose (1.5 J/cm2), however, Zn(II) complex has exhibited a high photocytotoxicity. The result suggests that Zn(II) complex can be considered as a potential photosensitizer for Photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Polyketone compounds play an important role in organic chemistry as a prominent source of reactivity and functionality. Their chemical properties vary widely depending on the ketone sequence in carbon chains. Although vicinal and β-polyketones have been used for more than 150 years, the recent development of new ketone sequences composed of alternating 1,3- and 1,4-diketones has demonstrated the further potential of polyketones as structurally flexible molecular ropes capable of derivatization to π-conjugated chromophores and molecular assemblies. In this Feature Article, we review the synthetic strategies and reactivities of polyketones with respect to their ketone sequence. Furthermore, recent research on polyketones with hybrid ketone sequences is also discussed, focussing on their structural diversity in chemical transformations including intramolecular cyclization and stereoselective oxidation.

Highlights • Subcellular parts of a living diatom cell was well visualized by digital holographic microscope. • Subcellular parts could be identified as differences of refractive indexes. • The observation was achieved without any pre-treatment of the living cell., Optical diffraction tomography is an emerging label-free microscopic technique with its capability of label-free, quantitative, and rapid imaging of biological samples. In this work, we present the imaging and analysis of a living diatom Cylindrotheca sp. in seawater without using any pretreatment such as fluorescence staining. The 3D refractive index (RI) of a living diatom cell was measured, to which quantitative image analysis was perform to investigate subcellular parts of the diatom. Each part of the cell was well distinguished as RI values and distributions. From the analysis, RI values of frustules, protoplasm, vacuole, and chloroplast were estimated to be in the range of 1.352−1.388, 1.363−1.381, 1.388−1.395, and 1.403−1.436, respectively. Our results suggest that the present method will be a powerful tool not only for observing diatom cells but also for studying various cells and mesoscopic materials.•Subcellular parts of a living diatom cell was well visualized by digital holographic microscope.•Subcellular parts could be identified as differences of refractive indexes.•The observation was achieved without any pre-treatment of the living cell., Graphical abstract Image, graphical abstract

Fused benzene rings to antiaromatic compounds generally improve their stability but attenuate their antiaromaticity. The opposite case is now reported. NiII benzonorcorroles were synthesized and the effect of benzo-fusion on the antiaromaticity was elucidated. The benzo-fusion resulted in significant decrease of the HOMO-LUMO gaps and enhancement of the paratropic ring current effect. Furthermore, the introduction of the benzo groups induced singlet diradical character in the antiaromatic porphyrinoid.

Pyrrocorphin is an air-sensitive porphyrinoid with a highly reduced hexahydroporphyrin core. In contrast, pyrrolidine-fused pyrrocorphin (Pyr) obtained by successive 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of azomethine ylide to 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin is less air-sensitive. In order to reveal the effect of highly reduced porphyrin rings on the physicochemical properties of their metal complexes, we have prepared diamagnetic (S=0) Ni(II) complex Ni(II)(Pyr). The addition of excess pyridine (Py) to the toluene solution of Ni(II)(Pyr) yielded five-coordinate Ni(II)(Pyr)(Py), which was then completely converted to six-coordinate paramagnetic (S=1) Ni(II)(Pyr)(Py)2. The latter was characterized by UV-Vis, 1H NMR, CV, SQUID, and X-ray crystallography as well as DFT calculations. As compared with analogous complexes of porphyrin (Por), chlorin (Chl), and isobacteriochlorin (Iso) reported by Herges and co-workers (R. Herges et al., Inorg. Chem. 2015), Ni(II)(Pyr)(Py)2 has longer equatorial NiN and shorter axial NiN bonds. The CV study has shown a large decrease in HOMO-LUMO gap as the reduction of porphyrin ring proceeds, which has further been confirmed by UV-Vis and DFT calculation. Titration studies using 1H NMR and UV-Vis have shown that the first binding constant of pyridine toward Ni(II)(Pyr) is ca. 4 times as large as that of Ni(II)(Iso) and ca 230 times as large as that of Ni(II)(Por). Thus, we have concluded that the binding constant of pyridine to Ni(II) porphyrinoid increases by the following order: Por

In contrast to the general tendency that six coordinate iron(iii) porphyrin complexes with neutral oxygen ligands adopt a high-spin state in a wide range of temperature, some complexes with substituted pyridine N-oxides have exhibited spin-crossover from high-spin to low-spin states with decreasing temperature both in solution and in the solid state.

Samples are usually placed onto a horizontal microscope stage for microscopic observation. However, to observe the influence of gravity on a sample or study afloat behavior, it is necessary to make the microscope stage vertical. To accomplish this, a sideways inverted microscope tilted by 90° has been devised. To observe samples with this microscope, sample containers such as Petri dishes or glass slides must be secured to the stage vertically. A device that can secure sample containers in place on a vertical microscope stage has been developed and is described here. Attachment of this device to the stage allows observation of sample dynamics in the vertical plane. The ability to regulate temperature using a silicone rubber heater also permits observation of temperature-dependent sample behaviors. Furthermore, the temperature data is transferred to an internet server. Temperature settings and log monitoring can be controlled remotely from a PC or smartphone.

Dinuclear rhodium(I) complexes, [Rh(4-Me-pf) (cod)]2 (1), [Rh(3,5-Me2-pf) (cod)]2 (2), [Rh(4-Me-pf) (nbd)]2 (3), [Rh(3,5-Me2-pf) (nbd)]2 (4), and [Rh(2,6-F2-pf) (nbd)]2 (5), have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray structure analysis, 1H, 13C, and 19F NMR, UV–vis, ESI-TOF-MS, and elemental analysis. In these complexes, two rhodium atoms are bridged by two formamidinato ligands and each rhodium atom is coordinated by one chelating cod or nbd ligand to form an approximately square planar coordination structure with two nitrogen atoms and two double bonds. The Rh··Rh distances are in the range of 3.2668 to 2.9726 A, suggesting a direct bonding interaction between two rhodium atoms. Variable temperature NMR studies in CD2Cl2 solution have revealed that 1–5 exhibit a novel dynamic behavior, that is, an interconversion between two enantiomers. The activation parameters for racemization have been determined by the line shape analyses of the 1H and 19F NMR spectra taken at various temperatures. Variable temperature NMR studies have also revealed that the rotation rates of the four aryl groups around N–C(aryl) bonds are extremely different in each complex. The cyclic voltammetry study has shown that the oxidation potentials corresponding to Rh23+/Rh2+ are 0.41 V in the cod complexes (1 and 2) while those in the nbd complexes (3–5) have shown negative shift by ca. 0.2 V. The reasons for the difference in dynamic behaviors and redox properties among these complexes have been discussed.

Lantern-type dinuclear complexes, cis-[Ru2{3,5-(CF3)2-pf}2(O2CMe)2Cl] and [Ru2{3,5-(CF3)2-pf}3(O2CMe)Cl] (3,5-(CF3)2-pf− = N,N′-bis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]formamidinate anion), were prepared and characterized. The cis-(2:2) and (3:1) arrangements of the formamidinate and acetate bridging ligands around the Ru25+ core were confirmed by the X-ray crystal analysis as well as 1H and 19F NMR spectra (measured at 25 °C in CD2Cl2), where paramagnetic shifts were observed for the signals due to the unpaired electrons in the dinuclear core. Variable-temperature magnetic moments (2–300 K) showed the existence of three unpaired electrons in the dinuclear units with the large D values (60 cm−1 for the cis-(2:2) Ru25+ complex and 50 cm−1 for the (3:1) Ru25+ complex). The electronic state with S = 3/2 was also ascertained by the EPR spectra measured in solid at 4 K and in frozen toluene/dichloromethane solution at 15 K, absorption spectra in dichloromethane and cyclic voltammograms (CVs) in THF using tetra-n-butyl ammonium perchlorate (TBAP) as electrolyte.

Pd77Cu6Si17 thin film metallic glasses of which thicknesses were 10, 20 and 28 µm were bent by laser forming. The working conditions were changed and crystallization of thin films was investigated. When the laser power was changed under fixing the scanning velocity to 40 mm/s and the Q-switch frequency to 3 kHz, crystallization was observed at laser irradiated surface and/or the reverse side to the laser irradiation. In a case of changing the scanning velocity under fixing the Q-switch frequency to 3 kHz and the laser power to 2.0 W for the film thickness of 20 µm and 3.0 W for the film thickness of 28 µm, the working conditions without crystallization were found at high scanning velocity. When the Q-switch frequency was changed under fixing the scanning velocity to 40 mm/s and the laser power to 2.0 W for the film thickness of 20 µm and 3.0 W for the film thickness of 28 µm, the working conditions without crystallization were found at low Q-switch frequency.

Ca2+-signaling in downstream effectors is supported by many kinds of Ca2+-binding proteins, which function as a signal mediator and a Ca2+-buffering protein. We found in Arabidopsis thaliana a new type of Ca2+-binding protein, CCaP1, which consists of 152 amino acid residues, and binds (45)Ca2+ even in the presence of a high concentration of Mg2+. We found two other proteins with similar motifs, CCaP2 and CCaP3. These three proteins had no organelle localization signal and their green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions were detected in the cytosol. Real-time PCR and histochemical analysis of promoter-beta-glucuronidase fusions revealed that CCaP1 was predominantly expressed in petioles while CCaP2 was expressed in roots. CCaP3 was hardly expressed. Expression of CCaP1 and CCaP2 was enhanced in darkness and became maximal after 24 h. Immunoblotting revealed petiole-specific accumulation of CCaP1. Expression of CCaP1 and CCaP2 was suppressed by a high concentration of Ca2+ and other metal ions. Deletion of sucrose from the medium markedly increased the mRNA levels of CCaP1 and CCaP2 within 2 h. Gibberellic acid enhanced the expression of CCaP1 and CCaP2 by 5- and 2.5-fold, respectively, after 6 h. CCaP1 and CCaP2 were suppressed in the petiole and the root, respectively, by light and the product of photosynthesis (sucrose) or both. These results suggest that CCaP1 functions as a mediator in response to continuous dark or gibberellic acid.

In plants, Ca(2+), phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PtdInsPs) and inositol phosphates are major components of intracellular signaling. Several kinds of proteins and enzymes, such as calmodulin (CaM), protein kinase, protein phosphatase, and the Ca(2+) channel, mediate the signaling. Two new Ca(2+)-binding proteins were identified from Arabidopsis thaliana and named PCaP1 and PCaP2 [plasma membrane (PM)-associated Ca(2+) (cation)-binding protein 1 and 2]. PCaP1 has an intrinsically disordered region in the central and C-terminal parts. The PCaP1 gene is expressed in most tissues and the PCaP2 gene is expressed predominantly in root hairs and pollen tubes. We recently demonstrated that these proteins are N-myristoylated, stably anchored in the PM, and are bound with phosphatidylinositol phosphates, especially PtdInsP2s. Here we propose a model for the switching mechanism of Ca (2+)-signaling mediated by PtdInsPs. Ca(2+) forms a complex with CaM (Ca(2+)-CaM) when there is an increase in the cytosol free Ca(2+). The binding of PCaPs with Ca(2+)-CaM causes PCaPs to release PtdInsPs. Until the release of PtdInsPs, the signaling is kept in the resting state.