Mn-Catalyzed Electrochemical Chloroalkylation of Alkenes.

The heterodifunctionalization of alkenes is an efficient method for synthesizing highly functionalized organic molecules. In this report, we describe the use of anodically coupled electrolysis for the catalytic chloroalkylation of alkenes-a reaction that constructs vicinal C-C and C-Cl bonds in a single synthetic operation-from malononitriles or cyanoacetates and NaCl. Knowledge of the persistent radical effect guided the reaction design and development.

Aromatic "Redox Tag"-assisted Diels-Alder reactions by electrocatalysis.

Electrocatalysis was employed to promote Diels-Alder reactions between electronically mismatched substrates. A catalytic amount of electricity was enough to complete the overall reactions and GC-MS monitoring and CV measurements clearly illustrated the electrocatalytic nature of the reactions, which involve an EC-backward-E mechanism. The electrocatalytic Diels-Alder reactions were rationally designed based on the concept of redox tags.

Nonclinical safety profile of tolvaptan.

Purpose: In the present study, the nonclinical safety profile of tolvaptan was evaluated.

Methods: A series of safety pharmacology and toxicology studies were performed in vitro and in mice, rats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs.

Results: In safety pharmacological studies, tolvaptan had no adverse effects on the central nervous, somatic nervous, autonomic nervous, smooth muscle, respiratory and cardiovascular, or digestive systems.

Measurement of Temperature Differences between Micro-regions in Water Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

We have developed a method for measuring the temperature of micro-regions in aqueous solutions using near-infrared spectroscopy that enables us to measure the temperature of biological cells, tissues, and biochemical solutions in vitro. The measurement principle is based on the fact that the peak wavelength of the water absorption band with its center near 1450 nm shifts with changes in temperature. The measurement system, which consists of a biological microscope and two spectrophotometers, can measure respective absorbance spectra for two areas that are each 80 microm in diameter.

Carboxyethylester-polyrotaxanes as a new calcium chelating polymer: synthesis, calcium binding and mechanism of trypsin inhibition.

A carboxyethylester-polyrotaxane was synthesized as a novel calcium chelating polymer in the field of oral drug delivery and characterized in terms of mechanism of trypsin inhibition. Here, carboxyethylester (CEE) groups are introduced to all the primary hydroxyl groups in alpha-cyclodextrins (alpha-CDs), which are threaded onto a poly(ethylene glycol) chain capped with bulky end-groups (polyrotaxane). The solubility of the CEE-polyrotaxane in physiological conditions increased with pH, indicating ionization-related solubility similar to conventional polyacrylates.