Polysilanes having oxyethylenic side chains, {CH3-Si-CH2CH2CH2O(CH2CH2O)mR1}n where (m = 0,1,2,3) and R1 = CH3 and C2H5, have been prepared. A polysilane of m = 3 and R = CH3 is soluble in alcohols, acetonitrile, and water. Surface tensions of these polysilanes are larger than those of the polysilanes ever reported. While dispersion component stays almost constant(ca. 30–40 dyn/cm), polar component increases with increasing oxygen atom numbers in the side chain. Copolymers also keep the high values of surface tension.

A chiral crown ether 1 was synthesized from (R)-1,1′-bi-2-naphthol. Chiral rotaxanes were prepared by end-capping of pseudorotaxanes consisting of 1 and secondary ammonium salts. An ammonium salt bearing terminal anthracene group gave stable pseudorotaxane. Chiral induction was observed during end-capping by radical conjugate addition of a bulky thiol to the pseudorotaxane bearing methacrylate group at the terminus.

Selective O-acylation of aminoalcohols by a bulky acid anhydride in the presence of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid and dibenzo-24-crown-8 afforded [2]rotaxane in high yields. An acid halide could be used as an acylating reagent in the presence of silver trifluoromethanesulfonate.

Asymmetric induction and diastereomeric ratio in the enzymatic oxygenation of various sulfides to the corresponding sulfoxides with hepatic mirosomal cytochrome P-450 obtained from phenobarbital pretreated rabbit were investigated in comparison with those of nonenzymatic oxidation with m-chloroperbenzoic acid and sodium metaperiodate. While substantial asymmetric inductions were observed in the sulfoxides formed by the enzymattc oxygenations, diastereomeric ratios of the sutfoxides formed were also quite different from those obtained by oxidation with m-chloroperbenzoic acid and sodium metaperiodate.

Sulfinyl sulfone was confirmed as a stable intermediate in direct NMR study on the oxidation of thiosulfonic S-ester with MCPBA in CDCL3, by comparing the chemical shifts with those of the authentic sample prepared by condensation method.