Structure of monardaein,a bis-malonylated anthocyanin isolated from golden balm, monarda didyma

Structure of monardaein was determined to be 3-0-(6-0-$\text{trans}$-p-coumaryl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-5-O- (4,6-di-O-malonyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl) pelargonidin (1).     

Heteroepitaxial growth of gallium nitride on muscovite mica plates by pulsed laser deposition

We have grown GaN films on mica substrates using pulsed laser deposition for the first time and investigated their structural properties using electron beam and X-ray diffraction. We found that GaN (000-1) grows on mica (001) with an in-plane alignment of [11-20] GaN//[010] mica. Despite the large lattice mismatch between GaN and mica, 6 and 43% along the [100] mica and [010] mica directions, respectively, cubic GaN phase or 30° rotated domains are scarcely observed in the film. This phenomenon can be attributed to the enhanced surface migration of film precursors due to the large atomically flat terraces and the weak Van der Waals bonding on the mica surface.     

Performance characteristics of narrow linewidth fiber laser pumped mid-IR difference frequency mixing light source for methane detection.

A high-power, narrow-linewidth Yb fiber laser with a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) pumped difference frequency generation (DFG) in a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal was investigated in detail. A mid-IR power of approximately 2.3 microW at 3.3 micrometers with a slope efficiency of 0.85 mW/W2 was achieved. A Doppler-broadened absorption spectrum of CH4 at 3038.497 cm-1 (3.2911 micrometers) was obtained with a 0.1-m long-gas cell at a pressure of 133 Pa. The linewidth of the DFG source was evaluated to be less than 96 MHz from the observed spectral linewidth. Real-time monitoring of CH4 (approximately 1.78 ppm) in ambient air in a multipass cell which has an optical path length of 10 m was also demonstrated.     

Study of the pseudo-steady-state kinetics of CO2 hydrate formation and stability

This article describes a dynamic model for formation and stability of CO₂-hydrate on the interface of liquid CO₂(LCO₂) and ocean water at large depths. Experimental results indicate that a thin film of hydrate naturally forms on the interfaces between LCO₂ and water, and inhibits diffusion between the two phases. Experiments further shows that the flux of CO₂ through the hydrate film is dependent of the CO₂-concentration in the ambient sea water. The model proposed here explains these phenomena by introducing four major mechanisms; diffusion of water to the LCO₂-phase, formation of hydrate in the LCO₂-hydrate interface, decay of hydrate in the water-hydrate interface, and diffusion of CO₂ through the water phase. The model explains the CO₂ flux not by diffusion through the hydrate film, but suggest a mechanism of continuous hydrate formation and decay. The overall effect is a “moving,” pseudo-steady-state hydrate film due to transport of CO₂ through the film. The film velocity is dependent of liquid-liquid diffusivity parameters and reaction constant, and lacking experimental values of these parameters, an order–of-magnitude analysis is done by fitting the model to experimentally obtained data for the overall film velocity. The motivation for this work is to elucidate options for CO₂ depositions in deep oceans, of which liquid CO2 sequestration is believed to be one of the most feasible. Spreading of CO₂ from a liquid CO₂-lake and associated lowering of pH in the ecosystem surrounding the lake is of large concern. The work presented here concludes that diffusion of CO₂ in the ocean is largely reduced by the hydrate film and suggests that hydrate formation may alleviate some of the environmental concerns regarding deep ocean sequestration of liquid CO₂. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A new nonpeptide tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonist isolated from the plants of Compositae

To find new tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonists from natural sources, we examined the tachykinin antagonist activity in the extracts of approximately 200 species of plants by the use of isolated guinea pig ileum. As a result, we discovered a novel and potent NK1 receptor antagonist in the extract of dried flowers of Matricaria chamomilla L. (chamomile). The structure of the antagonist was established as N1,N5,N10,N14-tetrakis[3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-propenoyl]-1,5,10,14-tetraazatetradecane (tetracoumaroyl spermine, 1a). The Ki values of 1a, estimated from the inhibitory action on the substance P (SP)-induced contraction of the guinea pig ileum and the inhibition of the binding of [3H][Sar9, Met(O2)11]SP to human NK1 receptors, were 21.9 nM and 3.3 nM, respectively. 1a is the first potent NK1 receptor antagonist from natural sources and it has a unique structure of a polyacylated spermine. 1a was concentrated in pollen of Matricaria chamomilla L. and was also found in the extracts of flowers of other four species of Compositae. In addition, we found N1,N5,N10-tris[3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-propenoyl]-1,5,10,14-tetraazatetradecane (2) as a new compound in the extract of flowers of Matricaria chamomilla L., which did not exhibit any tachykinin antagonist activity. A number of related compounds were synthesized, and the structure-activity relationship was studied.     

Evaluation of photoinduced changes in stability constants for metal-ion complexes of crowned spirobenzopyran derivatives by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The photoinduced changes of metal-ion complexing ability of crowned spirobenzopyran derivatives were studied by using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Stability constants for the complexation with various metal ions in methanol under visible-irradiation conditions were determined for the first time by ESI-MS. It was found that the stability constants of crowned bis(spirobenzopyran) derivatives with metal ions are decreased dramatically by visible irradiation due to the disappearance of powerful ionic interaction between phenolate anion(s) of the merocyanine form of their spirobenzopyran moiety and a metal ion bound to their crown ether moiety, and the decrease in the stability constants is more pronounced for the multivalent metal-ion complexes. A theoretical consideration was also made to attain reliable values of stability complexes for metal-ion complexes of crown compounds.