Tigloylshikonin, a new minor Shikonin derivative, from the roots and the commercial root extract of lithospermum erythrorhizon

Tigloylshikonin, a new shikonin derivative esterified with tiglic acid ((E)-2-methylbut-2-enoic acid), was isolated as a minor pigment from a food colorant "Shikon color," a commercial root extract from Lithospermum erythrorhizon SIEBOLD et ZUCCARINI. The structure of tigloylshikonin was elucidated using (1)H, (13)C, the difference nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE), and 2D NMR techniques. Its stereochemistry was determined by chiral-phase HPLC analysis. Tigloylshikonin was also found in the roots of L. erythrorhizon, which indicated that this new shikonin derivative is a typical component of naphthoquinone pigments in the roots of L. erythrorhizon.     

Aromatic character of polycyclic π systems formed by fusion of two or more rings of the same size

The sequential line plot of topological resonance energy (TRE) against the number of π electrons (N(π)) for any polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) is very similar with the same number of extrema to that for benzene. Thus, global aromaticity of a PAH molecular ion strongly reflects that of a benzene molecular ion. Likewise, the N(π) dependence of TRE for any polycyclic π system formed by fusion of two or more rings of the same size reflects that for a monocyclic species of the same ring size. In general, TREs for such polycyclic π systems and their molecular ions can be interpreted consistently by reference to those for neutral and charged monocyclic species of the same ring size.     

Physicochemical properties and plastic crystal structures of phosphonium fluorohydrogenate salts

Fluorohydrogenate salts of quaternary phosphonium cations with alkyl and methoxy groups (tetraethylphosphonium (P(2222)(+)), triethyl-n-pentylphosphonium (P(2225)(+)), triethyl-n-octylphosphonium (P(2228)(+)), and triethylmethoxymethylphosphonium (P(222(101))(+))) have been synthesized by the metatheses of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride and the corresponding phosphonium bromide or chloride precursors. The three salts with asymmetric cations, P(222m)(FH)(2.1)F (m = 5, 8, and 101), are room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) and are characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, density, viscosity, and conductivity measurements. Linear sweep voltammetry using a glassy carbon working electrode shows these phosphonium fluorohydrogenate ILs have wide electrochemical windows (>4.9 V) with the lowest viscosity and highest conductivity in the known phosphonium-based ILs. Thermogravimetry shows their thermal stabilities are also improved compared to previously reported alkylammonium cation-based fluorohydrogenate salts. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction revealed that tetraethylphosphonium fluorohydrogenate salt, P(2222)(FH)(2)F, exhibits two plastic crystal phases. The high temperature phase has a hexagonal lattice, which is the first example of a plastic crystal phase with an inverse nickel arsenide-type structure, and the low-temperature phase has an orthorhombic lattice. The high-temperature plastic crystal phase exhibits a conductivity of 5 mS cm(-1) at 50 °C, which is the highest value for the neat plastic crystals.     

Analysis of repeated impacts on a steel rod with visco-plastic material behavior

In machine dynamics impacts are usually common phenomena, resulting from collisions of moving bodies. Even low velocity impacts might produce high stresses in the contact region, which result in inelastic deformation. Thereby, visco-plastic materials, such as steel, show a significant increase of the yield stress with the strain rate. In machine dynamics repeated collisions occur, resulting in repeated impacts on a previously deformed contact area. Then, inelastic deformation and the resulting residual stresses produced by previous impacts have an influence on the behavior of the following impacts. Thus, the impact behavior varies with the number of impacts. This paper presents a numerical and experimental evaluation of repeated impacts with identical impact velocity up to 3 m/s, whereby the deformation history of the contact area, due to previous impacts, is included. The approach is applied to longitudinal impacts of an elastic steel sphere on a steel rod with distinct visco-plastic material behavior which is identified by Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar tests. A Finite Element analysis and experimental verification using two Laser-Doppler-Vibrometers are performed. It is shown that for an accurate impact simulation the FE model must include the visco-plastic material behavior of the steel. Further it is found that the maximal contact force, the rebound velocity and the coefficient of restitution increase with the number of impacts, while the contact duration decreases with the number of impacts. After several impacts these quantities show saturation to a constant value, indicating no significant additional inelastic deformation in the later impacts. Further, the residual stress distribution, the maximal von Mises stress distribution and the local deformation at the contact point are evaluated and a characteristic force-deformation diagram is obtained. Finally, an analysis is performed to describe the relation between maximal force and remaining crater at the contact point.     

Comment on an anomalous mean free path of heed for plasmon excitation

Several possibilities to interpret an anomalous mean free path of HEED for plasmon excitation are discussed. It is pointed out that more detail analysis in experiments should be necessary to conclude such anomaly.