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Recent progress in the synthesis of calix[3]pyrrole has proven that cyclic polyketones composed of 3,3-dialkylated pentane-2,4-diones as the repeating unit are promising precursors for strained calix-type macrocycles. Toward the synthesis of calix[2]pyrrole and calix[2]furan, which are the most strained congeners among the possible calix[[Formula: see text]]pyrroles and calix[[Formula: see text]]furans, we report the synthesis of a cyclic dimer of 3,3-dimethylpentane-2,4-dione and its furanophane derivative. These compounds were produced from a linear tetraketone precursor. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the furan ring in the furanophane was highly strained with deformation angles [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] of 3.69[Formula: see text] and 16.00[Formula: see text], respectively. These deformation angles were the largest in the series of 1,4-diketone-linked oligofuran macrocycles. Although these two macrocyclic compounds are likely the most promising precursors for calix[2]-type macrocycles, Paal–Knorr-type pyrrole or furan ring formation did not proceed under standard conditions used for calix[3]pyrrole or calix[3]furan. Theoretical calculations indicated that the second aromatic ring formation on the cyclic tetraketone is a highly uphill process whose activation energy cannot be overcome by standard thermal reactions.

Calix[3]pyrrole and its furan derivatives exhibited bathochromically shifted lowest-energy electronic transition bands in their absorption spectra compared with their calix[4]- and calix[6]-pyrrole analogues, despite the repeating units being the same. We also observed fluorescence emission for calix[3]-type macrocycles. The Stokes shift of the furan/pyrrole hybrid macrocycles, calix[2]furan[1]-pyrrole, and calix[1]furan[2]pyrrole, substantially varied depending on the solvent polarity. Non-covalent interaction (NCI) analyses indicated enhanced interactions between neighboring aromatic rings in the calix[3]pyrrole macrocycle, whereas such interactions were weak in calix[4]pyrrole, in which the interchromophore distance is remarkably longer than in calix[3]pyrrole. Theoretical analyses indicated that the red-shifted, lowest-energy bands of calix[3]pyrrole correspond to HOMO–LUMO transitions, the energy gap of which was narrow compared with calix[4]pyrroles. The characteristic absorption bands for calix[3]pyrrole and its related macrocycles are useful as probes for distinguishing such macrocycles from higher calix[[Formula: see text]]pyrrole ([Formula: see text] 4) analogues that exhibit almost identical absorption spectra.

Herein, we propose a convenient method to enable pretreatment of target objects using digital holographic microscopy (DHM). As a test sample, we used diatom frustules (Nitzschia sp.) as the target objects. In the generally used sample preparation method, the frustule suspension is added dropwise onto a glass substrate or into a glass chamber. While our work confirms good observation of purified frustules using the typical sample preparation method, we also demonstrate a new procedure to observe unseparated structures of frustules prepared by baking them on a mica surface. The baked frustules on the mica surface were transferred to a glass chamber with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate solution. In this manner, the unseparated structures of the diatom frustules were clearly observed. Furthermore, metal-coated frustules prepared by sputtering onto them on a mica surface were also clearly observed using the same procedure. Our method can be applied for the observation of any target object that is pretreated on a solid surface. We expect our proposed method to be a basis for establishing DHM techniques for microscopic observations of biomaterials.

Visual observations are frequently used as a preliminary evaluation of the chemical contents of mixtures, but their accuracy largely depends on the observer’s experience and intuition, which are difficult to share. Here, we report component ratio pre-diction using image-based machine learning (ML), which is applicable to analysis of various solid mixtures, such as mix-tures of organics and inorganics, polymorphous crystals, and enantiomers. The trained model with 300 images could predict the sugar/dietary salt weight ratio from an image within 4% error. The ML prediction pipeline was shown to be broadly ap-plicable to polymorphic glycine, D/L-tartaric acid, and four-component systems. As an application demonstration, we also used our ML system to analyze yield of a solid-state decarboxylation reaction. These results demonstrated that accumulation of researchers’ experience derived from visual information can be shared as trained ML models and used as a quantitative analysis method.

Cyclic oligoketones composed of 3,3-dimethylpentane-2,4-diones showed crown ether-like alkali metal ion binding behavior with association constants up to 1.7 x 10(4) M-1 in chloroform/acetonitrile (v/v, 9/1). The binding properties have been used for catalysis in the Finkelstein reaction in a low-polarity solvent. Furthermore, novel ion-binding hosts were generated by terminal functionalization of linear polyketones.

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.

Critical chain length that divides small molecule crystallization from macromolecular crystallization is an important index in macro-organic chemistry to predict chain-length dependent properties of oligomers and polymers. However, extensive research on crystallization behavior of individual oligomers has been inhibited by difficulties in their synthesis and crystallization. Here, we report on the determination of critical chain length of macromolecular crystallization for structurally flexible polyketones consisting of 3,3-dimethylpentane-2,4-dione. Discrete polyketone oligomers were synthesized via stepwise elongation up to 20-mer. Powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction showed that the critical chain length for polyketones existed at an unexpectedly short chain length, 5-mer. While shorter oligomers adopted unique conformations and packing structures in the solid state, higher oligomers longer than 4-mer produced helical conformations and similar crystal packing. The critical chain length helped with understanding the inexplicable changes in melting point in the shorter chain length region resulting from chain conformations and packing styles.

In this study, two biomolecule solutions were distinguished using the capacity difference in the near-infrared photoluminescence (PL) of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Biosensing techniques using sensitive responses of SWNTs have been intensively studied. When a small amount of an oxidant or reductant solution was injected into the SWNT suspensions, the PL intensity of the SWNTs is significantly changed. However, distinguishing between different molecules remains challenging. In this study, we comparably injected saponin and banana solutions, which are known antioxidant chemicals, into an SWNT suspension. The SWNTs were solubilized by wrapping them with DNA molecules. The results show that 69.1 and 155.2% increases of PL intensities of SWNTs were observed after injection of 20 and 59 μg/mL saponin solutions, respectively. Subsequently, the increase in PL was saturated. With the banana solution, 18.1 and 175.4% increases in PL intensities were observed with 20 and 59 μg/mL banana solutions, respectively. Based on these results, the two antioxidant molecules could be distinguished based on the different PL responses of the SWNTs. In addition, the much higher saturated PL intensities observed with the banana solution suggests that the banana solution increased the capacity of the PL increase for the same SWNT suspension. These results provide helpful information for establishing biosensing applications of SWNTs, particularly for distinguishing chemicals.

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.

The recent discovery of calix[3]pyrrole, a porphyrinogen-like tripyrrolic macrocycle, has provided an unprecedented strain-induced ring expansion reaction into calix[6]pyrrole. Here, we synthesized calix[n]furan[3-n]pyrrole (n=1∼3) macrocycles to investigate the reaction scope and mechanism of the ring expansion. Single crystal X-ray analysis and theoretical calculations revealed that macrocyclic ring strain increases as the number of inner NH sites increases. While calix[1]furan[2]pyrrole exhibited almost quantitative conversion into calix[2]furan[4]pyrrole within 5 minutes, less-strained calix[2]furan[1]pyrrole and calix[3]furan were inert. However, N-methylation of calix[2]furan[1]pyrrole induced a ring-expansion reaction that enabled the isolation of a linear reaction intermediate. The mechanism analysis revealed that the ring expansion consists of regioselective ring cleavage and subsequent cyclodimerization. This reaction was further utilized for synthesis of calix[6]-type macrocycles.

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.

An H

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).

Accepted: 2020-07-14, 資料番号: PA2120045000

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.

Diatoms are one of the earth's major oxygen producers. For that reason, studying the floating phenomena of living diatom cells in water is an important research subject. Efficiency of photosynthesis of diatom cells may be heavily affected by their floating behavior. In our previous research, we devised a ‘tumbled’ microscope, a device created by tilting an inverted microscope (CKX53, OLYMPUS) by 90 degrees, due to which allowed observation with a sample stage perpendicular to the ground. When we observed a Petri dish filled with diatom cell suspension, the floating behavior of diatom cells were well visualized. Cyclotella meneghiniana was isolated and subcultured in bold modified basal freshwater nutrient solution liquid medium (B5282-500ML, Sigma-Aldrich) at 18 °C. Before the microscopic observation, cell suspension was cultured for two weeks after the final subculture. Observation was performed at room temperature, 30 °C, and 40 °C with a temperature sensor in the center of the chamber (inside). Observations were started as soon as the sample was installed. In a typical image obtained using the tumbled microscope, the diatom cells were found to move from the top to the bottom. In order to analyze floating velocity and trajectory, observation was continued for 35 min at room temperature, 30 °C, and 40 °C. Tracking analysis was carried out using the two-dimensional motion image measurement software Move-tr/2D. The average speed of 100 cells was 7.0 ± 4.3 μm/s at room temperature, 85.6 ± 31.9 μm/s at 30 °C and 470.1 ± 279.8 μm/s at 40 °C. In this study, we devised the unique observation to visualize the temperature dependence of diatom cells.

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.

Accepted: 2021-01-31, 資料番号: PA2120041000

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.

Fused benzene rings to antiaromatic compounds generally improve their stability but attenuate their antiaromaticity. The opposite case is now reported. Ni

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.