Enantiomerically pure chiral coordination polymers: synthesis, spectroscopy, and electrochemistry in solution and on surfaces

The two enantiomerically pure bridging ligands (+/-)-[ctpy-x-ctpy] have been prepared employing a two-fold stereospecific alkylation reaction of the enantiomerically pure, chiral terpyridyl-type ligands (+/-)-ctpy. The reaction of each of the enantiomerically pure bridging ligands with Fe(2+) gives rise to chiral coordination polymers whose formation and stoichiometry were followed spectrophotometrically. An assignment of the absolute configuration of the formed helical polymeric structures was carried out on the basis of circular dichroism studies. Highly ordered domains (as determined from STM imaging) of the enantiomerically pure chiral redox polymers could be prepared via the interfacial reaction, over an HOPG substrate, of the bridging ligand in CH(2)Cl(2) and FeSO(4) in water. The degree of polymerization was estimated to be up to 60 from analysis of the STM images of the highly ordered domains on HOPG. The helicality of the domains was compared to the configuration obtained from the circular dichroism studies. The electrochemical properties of the polymers were investigated using cyclic voltammetry and the results compared to those of the respective monomeric complexes. The redox behavior of the iron centers in the polymer was comparable to that of the monomeric complex [Fe((-)-ctpy)(2)](PF(6))(2) as well as to that of [Fe(tpy)(2)](PF(6))(2). The polymeric materials undergo electrodeposition following the two-electron reduction of each bridging ligand unit (one electron per terpyridine group). No ligand-mediated metal-metal interactions were evident from the cyclic voltammetric measurements, suggesting that the metal centers act independently. Moreover, oxidation of the metal centers within the polymeric materials did not give rise to electrodeposition.     

Enhancement of sensitivity in atomic-absorption spectrometry by addition of a graphite lid to a cup furnace

By using a cup furnace covered with a graphite lid, it is possible to enhance the atomic-absorption signal for Cd, Zn, Sb, Pb, In, Cu and Fe in solution and for Pb in tin metal (directly atomized). When the analyte is atomized in the cup furnace, part of it condenses on the lid, from which it can be re-evaporated and atomized to give a second absorption signal and hence greater sensitivity. When the lid is small, so that the temperature lag is short, the initial atomic-absorption intensity is also enhanced. The enhancement is due to an increased residence time of the atomized analyte in the cup.     

Electronic band structure of titania semiconductor nanosheets revealed by electrochemical and photoelectrochemical studies

Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical studies were conducted on self-assembled multilayer films of titania nanosheets on a conductive ITO substrate. Cyclic voltammogram (CV) curves indicated that the titania nanosheet electrode underwent insertion/extraction of Li(+) ions into/from the nanosheet galleries, associated with reduction/oxidation of Ti(4+)/Ti(3+). These processes accompanied reversible changes in UV-vis absorption of the titania nanosheet electrodes. Applying a negative bias of -1.3 V (vs Ag/Ag(+)) and lower brought about absorption reduction where the wavelength is shorter than 323 nm, and vice versa, indicating a flat-band potential of (approximately) -1.3 V and a band gap energy of 3.84 eV. Photocurrents were generated from the titania nanosheet electrodes under a positive bias. The onset potential for photocurrent generation from the titania nanosheet electrodes was around -1.27 V, and the band gap energy estimated from the photocurrent action spectra was 3.82 eV, in excellent agreement with the values obtained from the spectroelectrochemical data. The lack of difference in the band gap energies for titania nanosheet electrodes with different numbers of layers suggests that a nanosheet is electronically isolated in multilayer assemblies without affecting the electronic state of neighboring nanosheets. Similar measurements on the anatase-type TiO(2) electrode revealed that the lower edge of the conduction band for the titania nanosheet is approximately 0.1 V higher than that for anatase, while the upper edge of the valence band is 0.5 V lower.     

The core structure and immunological activities of glycyrrhizan UA, the main polysaccharide from the root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

The controlled Smith degradation and limited hydrolysis of glycyrrhizan UA, the main phagocytosis-activating polysaccharide isolated from the root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis FISCHER, was performed. The reticuloendothelial system-potentiating, anti-complementary and alkaline phosphatase-inducing activities of glycyrrhizan UA and its degradation products were investigated. Methylation analyses of primary, secondary and tertiary Smith degradation products and of the limited hydrolysis product indicated that the core structural features of glycyrrhizan UA include a backbone chain composed of beta-1,3-linked D-galactose. All of the galactose units in the backbone carry side chains composed of mainly alpha-1,5-linked L-arabino-beta-1,6- or 1,3-linked D-galactose residues at position 6. Removal of the arabinosyl side chains caused a pronounced decrease in immunological activity.     

The relationship between cell killing effect and number of lanthanide atoms bound to DNA molecules in cultured HeLa cells treated with rare earth elements

HeLa S-3 cells were treated with several rare earth elements, Ce, La, and Sm, at 37 °C for 1 hour and the relationship between the lethal effects of these elements and the number of the atoms bound to DNA, RNA, and proteins was examined. Among the 3 element, only Ce gave an exponential dose-survival relationship from which the value of mean lethal concentration (D ₀) was determined to be 6.75 mM. By using identically treated cells, the number of Ce atoms combined with DNA, RNA and protein molecules in HeLa cells were determined after fractionation of the cells using neutron activation analysis. In this way, theD ₀ value given as the Ce concentration was replaced by the number of Ce atoms combined with each fraction, then the target volumes, viz., cell killing efficiency, expressed as the reciprocal ofD ₀ value was calculated for each fraction. The results suggested that DNA and RNA could stochiometrically be the primary target molecule for cell killing by Ce.     

Rare earth element concentrations in mature and developing leaves of fern, Blechnacea, collected in the University Forests of Ashiu, Kyoto University

We have investigated the concentrations of REEs in fern leaves collected indifferently to the fern species from 9 sampling sites in Japan using INAA. The results indicated a large variation in the values obtained between fern leaves. In the present investigation we applied the same analytical method on the samples (Blechnaceae, a kind of fern, mature and developing leaves were collected from the same plant) restrictively gathered from the University Forests in Ashiu, Kyoto University. It was demonstrated that the variations in the REE concentrations decreased by one to two order of magnitude, and that the REE contents in developing leaves were also one to two orders of magnitude lower than those in mature leaves. It can be considered that fern accumulates REEs with their growth stages.     

Photocurrent generation from semiconducting manganese oxide nanosheets in response to visible light

Unilamellar nanosheet crystallites of manganese oxide generated the anodic photocurrent under visible light irradiation (lambda < 500 nm), while the nanosheets themselves were stable as revealed by in-plane XRD and UV-visible absorption spectra. The band gap energy was estimated to be 2.23 eV on the basis of the photocurrent action spectrum. The molecular thickness of approximately 0.5 nm may facilitate the charge separation of excited electrons and holes, which is generally very difficult for strongly localized d-d transitions. The monolayer film of MnO2 nanosheets exhibited the incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency of 0.16% in response to the monochromatic light irradiation (lambda = 400 nm), which is comparable to those for sensitization of monolayer dyes adsorbed on a flat single-crystal surface. The efficiency declined with increasing the layer number of MnO2 nanosheets, although the optical absorption was enhanced. The recombination of the excited electron-hole pairs may become dominant when the carriers need to migrate a longer distance than 1 layer through multilayered nanosheets.     

Synthesis of pyridazino[3,4-b]quinoxalines and pyrazolo[3,4-b]-quinoxaline by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction

The pyridazino[3,4-b]quinoxalines 6a,b and pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxaline hydrochloride 9 were synthesized by the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of 6-chloro-2-(1-methylhydrazino)quinoxaline 4-oxide 5 with dimethyl or diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and 2-chloroacrylonitrile, respectively. The reaction mechanisms were postulated for the formation of 6a,b and 9 .     

Determination of rare earth and other elements in algae by ICP-MS and neutron activation analysis

Several rare earth elements (REEs) and other elements in algae were investigated by ICP-MS and INAA. Algae materials were supplied from an IAEA Intercomparison Study:Chlorella vulg. grown under reduced levels of toxic elements (IAEA-391) and IAEA-393 algae was grown in a medium to which certain toxic elements were added. 34–691 mg of algae samples were dissolved in conc, nitric acid using a microwave sampleppreparation system. REEs could be detected in the order of magnitude of 10⁻³ ng/g by ICP-MS. Activation analysis failed to detect any REEs because of a strong interference due mainly to²⁴Na and³²P. The distriubtion patterns of these REEs in algae slightly differed from those ofCarya sp. and tobacco leaves, and differed significantly from that of fern leaves. The distribution pattern was rather similar to that found in the North American shale composite (NASC).