Thiol-terminated hydroxy-functional polymer as a transtab toward polymer latex particles

Hydroxy-functional macrodisulfides have been synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate or 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate in 2-propanol. Mean degrees of polymerization of the polymer chains beside the disulfide were fixed at 30, 60, and 90; since ATRP has reasonably good living character, the molecular weight distribution is relatively narrow. Furthermore, the macrodisulfides were reduced to synthesize corresponding thiol-terminated polymers with relatively narrow molecular weight distributions. ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance and gel permeation chromatography were used to characterize the macrodisulfides and thiol-terminated polymers in terms of their chemical structure, molecular weight, and polydispersity, respectively. Dispersion polymerizations of styrene using the thiol-terminated hydroxy-functional polymers as a transtab (chain transfer agent + colloidal stabilizer) in ethanol resulted in colloidally stable submicrometer-sized polystyrene latex particles. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and elemental microanalysis were used to characterize the particles in terms of their morphologies, particle sizes and their distributions, and chemical compositions.     

Stereoscopic story visualization in literary works demonstrated by Shakespeare’s plays

Abstract  

A stereoscopic method of identifying story patterns in literary works is newly developed. The pattern is extracted from textual information by the detection of thematically assigned keywords, and depicted as visual imageries. The applicability of the method is demonstrated in several of Shakespeare’s plays. The complex scenario patterns in Shakespeare’s tragedies are successfully captured with applying the method for two different themes in each play. As the result, the organization of story accompanying multiple themes in a single play has been obtained as a pair of visual imageries, i.e. stereoscopic story visualization. This approach, in combination with a quadrant analysis of the plots, allows us in interpretation further complexity of human psychology in the characters and scene-by-scene transitions in each play.     

Stacked 1,3,5-tris[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethynyl]benzenes: dimer and conjugated microporous polymer

A new [2.2]paracyclophane compound consisting of two 1,3,5-tris[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethynyl]benzenes stacked in proximity to each other. The compound exhibited a unique absorption band (cyclophane band) and an emission from the phane state, both of which were derived from the π-π stacking of the poorly extended conjugation systems of 1,3,5-tris[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethynyl]benzene. In addition, a conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) that comprises pseudo-para-substituted [2.2]paracyclophane was prepared. The obtained CMP is regarded as a polymer, in which 1,3,5-tris[(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethynyl]benzenes are infinitely stacked to form a network structure. The CMP exhibited a type I nitrogen gas sorption profile and an H4-like hysteresis loop, and possessed the slit-like mesopores with a BET surface area of 501 m² g⁻¹.     

Hydrosilanes are not always a reducing reagent: a ruthenium-catalyzed introduction of primary alkyl groups to electron-rich aromatic rings using esters as a source of the alkyl groups

A triruthenium cluster, (μ₃, η², η³, η⁵-acenaphthylene)Ru₃(CO)₇ effectively catalyzes primary-alkylation reaction of electron-rich aromatic rings using a combination of hydrosilane and ester as a source of the primary-alkyl group. The reaction involves electrophilic substitution of arenes by carbocationic species stabilized by a neighboring alkoxy or siloxy group generated during the reduction of esters giving alkylated arenes after reductive removal of the alkoxy or siloxy group at the benzylic position.     

New approach to oligotriazoles using a cobalt complex of propargyl azides as a synthetic component

We have developed an efficient method for preparation of triazolamers using a dicobalt hexacarbonyl complex of propargyl azides (CPA) as a synthetic component. Several types of CPAs possessing the side chains found in the natural amino acids were prepared by Nicholas reaction as well as by a reaction of propargyl azides with dicobalt octacarbonyl. Triazolamers with both amino and carboxyl termini were readily synthesized by repetitive reaction sequence involving a copper-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition followed by an oxidative deprotection.     

Ultrafast Encapsulation of Metal Nanoclusters into MFI Zeolite in the Course of Its Crystallization: Catalytic Application for Propane Dehydrogenation

Encapsulating metal nanoclusters into zeolites combines the superior catalytic activity of the nanoclusters with high stability and unique shape selectivity of the crystalline microporous materials. The preparation of such bifunctional catalysts, however, is often restricted by the mismatching in time scale between the fast formation of nanoclusters and the slow crystallization of zeolites. We herein demonstrate a novel strategy to overcome the mismatching issue, in which the crystallization of zeolites is expedited so as to synchronize it with the rapid formation of nanoclusters. The concept was demonstrated by confining Pt and Sn nanoclusters into a ZSM-5 (MFI) zeolite in the course of its crystallization, leading to an ultrafast, in situ encapsulation within just 5 min. The Pt/Sn-ZSM-5 exhibited exceptional activity and selectivity with stability in the dehydrogenation of propane to propene. This method of ultrafast encapsulation opens up a new avenue for designing and synthesizing composite zeolitic materials with structural and compositional complexity.     

Estimation of 47Sc and 177Lu production rates from their natural targets in Kyoto University Research Reactor

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - To assess the capability of Kyoto University Research Reactor to supply the domestic needs of medical isotopes, its neutron flux has been fully...     

Selective adsorption and stable solidification of radioactive cesium ions by porous silica gels loaded with insoluble ferrocyanides

Development of highly functional cesium selective adsorbents for the decontamination of high-activity-level water(HALW) from the Fukushima NPP-1 accident is very urgent. In order to selectively adsorb the radioactive cesium, three kinds of novel porous silica gels loaded with insoluble ferrocyanides(SLFC) were prepared using a successive impregnation/precipitation method. Based on the results of previous research, the SLFC composites have relatively large uptake ratio above 95%, distribution coefficients(Kd) above 103 cm3/g, and excellent adsorption kinetics even in seawater. The solidification results also indicate that zeolites have an excellent Cs immobilization characteristic, gas-trapping and self-sintering abilities, and low leachability. We chose three kinds of SLFC composites to achieve the optimization of solidification by mixing with nine kinds of additives at high temperatures(up to 1200 °C). The Cs contents in the three composites were estimated to be below 30% of the initial contents and decreased with the three stages at calcination temperatures ranging from 25 to 1200 °C. By contrast, the Cs immobilization ratio was markedly lowered by mixing with additives: of those, allophane had the best immobilization result. By increasing the additive ratio to 50 wt%, the Cs immobilization ratio became almost 100% and no volatilization of Cs was detected even after calcination at 1200 °C. This result indicates that calcination of the mixture of SLFC composites after adsorbing Cs+ ions and specific additives under appropriate ratio is effective for stable solidification.