Simultaneous detection of ammonia and humidity using transmission surface plasmon resonance technique

Abstract

Gas sensing by using the transmission surface plasmon resonance (T-SPR) technique was demonstrated. Polyacrylic acid (PAA)/5-nm-thick gold/40-nm-thick silver/polycarbonate grating substrate structure (Sensor A) responded to ammonia; however, it exhibited a strong humidity dependence. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/5-nm-thick gold/40-nm-thick silver/polycarbonate grating substrate structure (Sensor B) as the sensing material was also prepared and it mainly responded to humidity. The T-SPR properties of Sensors A and B were observed simultaneously by a stacking arrangement that enabled us to obtain the responses by using a single spectrophotometer. The ammonia concentration under various humidity conditions could be accurately obtained by simultaneous measurement of Sensors A and B.     

Synthetic Studies on Spirolides A and B: Formation of the Upper Carbon Framework Based on a Lewis Acid Template-Catalyzed Diels–Alder Reaction

The upper fragment of spirolides A and B, which are marine phycotoxins that exhibit strong antagonistic activities on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, was constructed. The functionalized cyclohexene in spirolides was stereoselectively synthesized from the bicyclic lactone, which could be readily accessed by the Lewis acid template-catalyzed asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction of the pentadienol and methyl acrylate.     

Creation of Chiral Thixotropic Gels through a Crown–Ammonium Interaction and their Application to a Memory‐Erasing Recycle System

A unique class of oligothiophene‐based organogelator bearing two crown ethers at both ends was synthesized. This compound could gelatinize several organic solvents, forming one‐dimensional fibrous aggregates. From the observation of circular dichroism, it was confirmed that the helical handedness of the fibrous assembly is controllable by the chirality of 1,2bisammonium guests, thus suggesting that one guest molecule bridges two gelator molecules through the crown–ammonium interaction. Interestingly, we have found that such chirality is created by thermal gelation, whereas it disappears by thixotropic gelation. The new finding implies that the present organogel system is applicable as a reversible switching memory device, featuring memory creation by a heat mode and memory erasing by a mechanical mode.     

Direct Introduction of a Dimesitylboryl Group Using Base‐Mediated Substitution of Aryl Halides with Silyldimesitylborane

The first dimesitylboryl substitution of aryl halides with a silylborane bearing a dimesitylboryl group in the presence of alkali‐metal alkoxides is described. The reactions of aryl bromides or iodides with Ph₂MeSi?BMes₂ and Na(OtBu) afforded the desired aryl dimesitylboranes in good to high yields and with high borylation/silylation ratios. Selective reaction of the sterically less‐hindered C?Br bond of dibromoarenes provided monoborylated products. This reaction was used to rapidly construct a D‐π‐A aryl dimesityl borane with a non‐symmetrical biphenyl spacer.     

Dumbbell-Shaped 2,2’-Bipyridines: Controlled Metal Monochelation and Application to Ni-Catalyzed Cross-Couplings

2,2’-Bipyridine ligands (dsbpys) with dumbbell-like shapes and differently substituted triarylmethyl groups at the C5 and C5’ positions showed high ligand performance in the Ni-catalyzed cross-electrophile coupling and the Ni/photoredox-synergistically catalyzed decarboxylative coupling reactions. The superior ligand effects of dsbpys compared to the conventional bpy ligands were attributed to the monochelating nature of dsbpys.