Self-assembly and regioselective photodimerization of anthracene having a dendritic substituent

[reaction: see text] Thermotropic liquid crystallinity can be induced for an anthracene having a dendritic substituent. The photodimerization reaction of an anthracene moiety in the smectic phase proceeded quantitatively and regioselectively.     

A helical amplification system composed of artificial nucleic acids

Herein we report an amplification system of helical excess triggered by nucleic acid hybridization for the first time. It is usually impossible to prepare achiral nanostructures composed of nucleic acids because of their intrinsic chirality. We used serinol nucleic acid (SNA) oligomers for the preparation of achiral nanowires because SNA oligomers with symmetrical sequences are achiral. Nanowire formation was confirmed by atomic force microscopy and size exclusion chromatography. When a chiral nucleic acid with a sequence complementary to SNA was added to the nanostructure, helicity was induced and a strong circular dichroism signal was observed. The SNA nanowire could amplify the helicity of chiral nucleic acids through nucleobase stacks. The SNA nanostructures have potential for use as platforms to detect chiral biomolecules under aqueous conditions because SNA can be readily functionalized and is water-soluble.

Herein we report an amplification system of helical excess triggered by nucleic acid hybridization for the first time.     

Insulinomimetic zinc(II) complexes with natural products: in vitro evaluation and blood glucose lowering effect in KK-Ay mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus

In vitro insulinomimetic activities of Zn(II) complexes with three natural products, betaine, L-lactic acid, and D-(-)-quinic acid (qui), were found in rat adipocytes treated with epinephrine in terms of the inhibition of free fatty acid release. Based on the results, the blood glucose lowering effect in KK-A(y) mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus was observed by daily i.p. injections of a monomeric zinc(II) complex, Zn(qui)(2), for 13 d.     

Vibrational spectra and molecular conformations of unbranched dialkyl selenides

The IR and Raman spectra of six unbranched dialkyl selenides, namely ethylmethyl selenide, methylpropyl selenide, butylmethyl selenide, diethyl selenide, ethylpropyl selenide and dipropyl selenide, have been systematically investigated. The spectra are analysed on the basis of the spectral examination and the normal coordinate treatment. The CH₂-Se stretching wavenumbers of the dialkyl selenides correlate well with the conformation about the CSe-C-C bond axes. The molecular conformation in the solid and liquid states is studied by utilizing this correlation in conjunction with the wave-numbers of the CH₂ rocking and skeletal deformation vibrations. The conformational stability in the liquid state is also examined and the enthalpy difference between the trans and gauche forms of ethylmethyl selenide is obtained as 0.22 ± 0.05 kcal mol^?1, the gauche form being more stable. The conformational stability of dialkyl ethers, sulphides and selenides are comparatively discussed.     

Microdetermination of halogens in organic compounds

Summary Safford andStragand have described a method for the microdetermination of halogens using a silver-gauze-absorbent. The procedure is very simple, but unfortunately the results are not precise enough to enable the method to be recommended.The method has been modified. The sample is burned in an atmosphere of oxygen using a platinum catalyst, and the halogen formed is quantitatively absorbed on electrolytic silver wool in a special absorption-funnel, which is then weighed. The method is precise and accurate (standard deviation of the results: 0.12 per cent). Silver wool presents a much greater surface than silver-gauze and absorbs on an average 160 mg of chlorine per gram, i. e. forty or fifty times as much as a piece of silvergauze of the same dimensions. The charge in an absorption-funnel therefore has a long life for routine analysis of halogen compounds. The operating temperature range of the silver-wool is wide, so that precise control is not neccessary. The method compares favourably in accuracy, precision and simplicity with established methods.

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Zusammenfassung Safford undStragand veröffentlichten eine Methode zur Mikro-Halogenbestimmung mit Hilfe eines Silberdrahtnetzes als Absorptionsmittel. Dieses Verfahren ist sehr einfach, aber seine Resultate leider nicht genau genug, um es zu empfehlen. Die Methode wurde daher modifiziert. Die Substanz wird in einer Sauerstoff-Atmosphäre über einem Platinkontakt verbrannt, das Halogen quantitativ in einem besonderen Absorptionsröhrchen über elektrolytischer Silberwolle absorbiert und dann gewogen. Diese Methode ist genau und verläßlich (mittlere Abweichung der Resultate: 0,12%). Silberwolle bietet eine viel größere Oberfläche als Silberdrahtgeflecht und absorbiert durchschnittlich 160 mg Chlor pro Gramm, das heißt 40- bis 50mal mehr als Silberdrahtgeflecht gleichen Ausmaßes. Die Füllung eines Absorptionsr öhrchens reicht daher für viele Serienanalysen von Halogenverbindungen. Das geeignete Temperaturbereich für Silberwolle ist groß, eine genaue Kontrolle daher nicht nötig. Die Genauigkeit und Einfachheit der Methode ist auch im Vergleich mit bekannten Analysenverfahren durchaus zufriedenstellend.

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Résumé Safford etStragand ont décrit une méthode de microdosage des halogènes par fixation sur toile d'argent. La technique en est très simple mais elle ne permet pas d'obtenir des résultats de précision suffisante. Elle a été modifiée par les auteurs.La prise d'essai est brûlée en atmosphère d'oxygène en présence d'un catalyseur de platine et les halogènes formés sont quantitativement fixés sur de la laine d'argent électrolytique dans un tube d'absorption spécial qui est ensuite pesé. La méthode est précise et exacte (l'écart type des résultats est égal à 0,12 pour cent). La laine d'argent présente une surface beaucoup plus élevée que la toile d'argent et fixe en moyenne environ 160 mg de chlore par gramme, soit, pour le même encombrement, quarante à cinquante fois plus que la toile d'argent. Il en résulte une longue durée de la charge du tube d'absorption lors d'analyses en série des composés halogénés. La température de la laine d'argent peut varier dans un large domaine de sorte qu'il n'est pas nécessaire d'en assurer une régulation précise. La méthode se compare favorablement aux méthodes classiques quant à son exactitude, sa précision et sa simplicité.

     

Role of each part of cyanobiphenyl-containing polymers in porous-film preparation by using the breath-figure method

ABSTRACT

The breath-figure method using the condensation of water droplets can easily fabricate regular porous films. Although the method is simple, the phenomenon itself requires the control of many parameters that change throughout the process. Therefore, we require a unified understanding of polymers for the fabrication of ordered porous films. In this study, to clarify the required molecular structures of polymers to form a regular porous structure, we systematically explored poly(methacrylate)s with cyanobiphenyl moieties connected by dodecyl groups in the side chain (P11CB); these could form a hexagonal ordered porous structure on the entire film surface. The comparison of P11CB and P11B, which is a P11CB without cyano groups, showed that the local polar groups in hydrophobic polymers promote the formation of ordered porous films. Furthermore, no holes were formed in films of P0CB which is a P11CB without alkyl spacers due to its hydrophilicity. Long alkyl chains resulted in changed hydrophilic polymers to hydrophobic polymers. The introduction of long alkyl chains as a spacer between the biphenyl moiety and polymer backbone is preferred in the cases of particularly few amounts of biphenyl groups in the polymer. The biphenyl groups showed the ability to improve film formability.     

Orientation of cylindrical microdomains of triblock copolymers by in situ stress–strain‐ birefringence measurements

The orientation behavior of polystyrene‐block‐hydrogenated polyisoprene‐block‐polystyrene (SEPS) with cylindrical microdomains of polystyrene (PS) dispersed in the rubbery segments was investigated by simultaneous measurements of stress and birefringence during uniaxial stretching. The stress increased sharply with strain below the yield strain and then it gradually increased. In contrast, the birefringence changed little below the yield strain, increased sharply with strain above the yield strain up to a strain of 0.5, and then gradually increased. The characteristic birefringence behavior is attributed to the form birefringence induced by the orientation and the parallel arrangement of the cylindrical microdomains associated with the orientation of the rubbery segments. The orientation function of the cylindrical microdomains f evaluated by analyzing the form birefringence agrees well with that obtained from the SAXS result. The f was almost zero below the yield strain and it increased sharply with strain up to a strain of 0.5 and then was constant above a strain of 0.5. These results suggest that the orientation of the cylindrical microdomains occur above the yield strain up to a strain of 0.5 and that the orientation does not increase above a strain of 0.5 in spite of the continuous orientation of the rubbery ethylene–propylene segments. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 715–723, 2009     

Unipolar charging of nanoparticles by the Surface-discharge Microplasma Aerosol Charger (SMAC)

In this paper, we report the development of a novel unipolar charger for nanoparticles, a system that achieves low particle loss and high charging efficiency without the use of sheath air. The efficient unipolar charging of the system is realized mainly by the surface-discharge microplasma unit, a device previously applied with good success to the neutralization or charging of submicron particles [Kwon et al., 2005, Aerosol Sci. Technol., 39, 987–1001; 2006, J. Aerosol Sci., 37, 483–499]. The unipolar charger generates unipolar ions using the surface discharge of a single electrode with a DC pulse supply. This marks an advance from our previous method of generating bipolar ions with the use of dual electrodes in earlier studies. We evaluated the efficiency of the penetration (or loss) and charging of nanoparticles in the size range of 3–15 nm, then compared the charging efficiencies measured with those predicted by diffusion charging theory. More than 90% of inlet nanoparticles penetrated the charger (less than 10% of the particle were lost) without the use of sheath air. Other chargers have only realized this high penetration efficiency by relying on sheath air flow. Moreover, the measured charging efficiencies agreed well with those predicted by diffusion charging theory and were somewhat higher and more size-dependent than the charging efficiencies of other nanoparticle chargers.     

Integrated-optic variable delay line and its application to a low-coherence reflectometer

We propose a large-scale variable delay line based on planar light-wave circuit technology and its application as a reference arm in an optical low-coherence reflectometer. This variable delay line is composed of 16 asymmetrical delay arm pairs sandwiched between 2 optical switches, which select the path for a needed delay. This configuration enables us to eliminate the need for a moving part in the reflectometer. We can scan the reference arm over a length of 262.1 mm with a step of less than 1.0 microm in air and achieve reflectometer sensitivity of about -47 dB.     

Lattice dynamics of wurtzite-type crystals

To deal with the lattice dynamics of wurtzite-type crystals, we have applied the polarizable-ion model following Born and Huang. On the basis of this we have calculated from macroscopic quantities the microscopic ones, namely the effective ionic charges and the electronic polarizabilities. Their values have led to the following relations: the anisotropy of the effective ionic charge has a regular correspondence with the structural anisotropy, and the electronic polarizability increases regularly with increasing unit-cell volume.