Small and high-density GeSiC dots stacked on buried Ge hut-clusters in Si

Self-assembled GeSiC dots stacked on a Ge hut-cluster layer buried in Si have been investigated. The critical thickness for formation of GeSiC dots is reduced owing to the strain fields from the buried hut-clusters. By utilizing the stacked structure, the dot size is decreased and the uniformity is improved. The highest density of the GeSiC dots with stacked structures is 7.4×10¹⁰ cm⁻², which is six times larger than that of single GeSiC dots. The formation of the self-assembled GeSiC dots is strongly influenced by being stacked with buried Ge dots as well as C incorporation.     

Improvement of Dispersion and Release Properties of Nifedipine in Suppositories by Complexation with 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin

Geometries, electronic properties and NMR-shielding of cucurbit[5]uril, decamethylcucurbit[5]uril, cucurbit[6]uril, cucurbit[7]uril, and cucurbit[8]uril are investigated with DFT calculations. All molecules are highly symmetrical with a distinct geometric flexibility. In addition with a characteristic partial charge distribution these findings account for their chemical complex building ability.     

Analysis of traces of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by adsorption on cobalt phthalocyanine and barium salts of sulphophthalocyanines followed by thermal desorption gas chromatograph

Small amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in aqueous solution were almost completely adsorbed on barium salts of copper (II) sulphophthalocyanines and cobalt (II) phthalocyanine, which were precipitated from the solution. Recoveries of the PAHs from the precipitates by thermal desorption gas chromatography were 71–95%. The method is useful for the concentration and analysis of medium molecular weight, thermally stable PAHs.     

Improvement of some pharmaceutical properties of nocloprost by β- and γ-Cyclodextrin Complexation

Inclusion complexation of nocloprost, a potent antiulcer prostaglandin derivative, with -, -, and -cyclodextrins (CyDs) in aqueous solutions has been studied by the solubility method and¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. The steric requirement of host-guest interaction was reflected in the magnitude of the stability constants and the thermodynamic parameters of the inclusion complexes. Solid complexes of nocloprost with - and -CyDs in a molar ratio of 1 : 2 were obtained on the basis of aBs-type phase solubility diagram. The X-ray diffraction data suggested that nocloprost is included in the cylindrical channel formed by coaxial alignment of -CyD molecules to give a channel type structure. Release and thermal behavior of the solid complexes was examined and compared with nocloprost itself. The results indicated that the -CyD complex may have great utility among the three CyDs, being a rapid dissolving form of nocloprost with improved thermal stability.     

Total Synthesis of Natural PI-091, a New Platelet Aggregation Inhibitor of Microbial Origin

The total synthesis of a new platelet aggregation-inhibiting gamma-lactam PI-091 (1) gave a 1:1 diastereomeric mixture at the gamma-ketal carbon. The high-yielding aldol reaction of an appropriately protected 1,3,4-trihydroxy-4-methyldecan-2-one 42, prepared from D-glucose, with the kinetically generated enolate of 3-methyl-2-butanone provided 43. The resulting diastereomeric mixture of the aldol adduct 43 was converted to a 2,4-alkylated furan 45 via an intramolecular ketalization followed by dehydration. The addition of a singlet oxygen to the alpha-trimethylsilylated furan 48derived from 45 under photochemical conditions efficiently provided an alpha,gamma-dialkylated gamma-hydroxy gamma-lactone 47. The transformation of methyl ketal 52 prepared from 47 into gamma-hydroxy gamma-lactam 53 was achieved by exposure to liquid ammonia in MeOH. The total synthesis of 1 was achieved from 52 through the Dess-Martin periodinane oxidation of the secondary hydroxy group in the side chain. The present total synthesis revealed that the stereogenic carbon center in the side chain in natural 1 is S.     

Use of odorless thiols: formal asymmetric Michael addition of hydrogen sulfide to alpha-substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

[reaction: see text] The Michael addition to alpha-substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated esters and amides using complex A containing a chiral odorless thiol proceeded diastereoselectively. The Michael adducts were converted to beta-mercapto esters and amides via a Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement with boron trifluoride etherate and a thiol exchange reaction using odorless 1-dodecanethiol. This conversion constitutes a formal asymmetric Michael addition of hydrogen sulfide to alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds using odorless thiols instead of the toxic hydrogen sulfide.     

Some Pharmaceutical Properties of a New Branched Cyclodextrin, 6-O-α-(4-O- α-D-Glucuronyl)-D-glucosylβ-cyclodextrin

Some physicochemical and biological properties of a new branched cyclodextrin, 6-O--(4-O--d-glucuronyl)-d-glucosyl--cyclodextrin GUG--CyD) were investigated. Further, theinteraction of GUG--CyD with several drugs was studied by the solubility and spectroscopic methods, and compared with those of parent -CyD and 6-O--maltosyl--CyD(₂--CyD).The hemolytic activity of GUG--CyD on rabbit erythrocytes was lower than those of -CyD and ₂--CyD. GUG--CyD and ₂--CyD showed negligible cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells up to at least 0.1 M. The inclusion ability of GUG--CyD to neutral and acidic drugs was comparable to or slightly smaller than those of -CyD and ₂--CyD, probably because of a steric hindrance of the branched sugar. On the other hand, GUG--CyD showed greater affinity for the basic drugs, compared with -CyD and ₂--CyD, owing to the electrostatic interaction of its carboxylate anion with positive charge of basic drugs. Thus GUG--CyD may be useful as a safe solubilizing agent particularly for basic drugs.     

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.     

Preparation of Molecule‐Responsive Microsized Hydrogels via Photopolymerization for Smart Microchannel Microvalves

Microdevices designed for practical environmental pollution monitoring need to detect specific pollutants such as dioxins. Bisphenol A (BPA) has been widely used as a monomer for the synthesis of polycarbonate and epoxy resins. However, the recent discovery of its high potential ability to disrupt human endocrine systems has made the development of smart systems and microdevices for its detection and removal necessary. Molecule‐responsive microsized hydrogels with β‐cycrodextrin (β‐CD) as ligands are prepared by photopolymerization using a fluorescence microscope. The molecule‐responsive micro‐hydrogels show ultra‐quick shrinkage in response to target BPA. Furthermore, the flow rate of a microchannel is autonomously regulated by the molecule‐responsive shrinking of their hydrogels as smart microvalves.

     

Contribution of conformational change of polymer structure to electrochemomechanical deformation based on polyaniline

The pH dependencies of electrochemomechanical deformation (ECMD) including the cyclic voltammetry and the expansion ratio in conducting polymers, polyaniline (PANI), and poly(o-methoxyaniline) film were studied to elucidate the mechanisms. It was found that the ECMD is governed by the conformational change of polymer structure as well as the insertion of bulky ions in the manner of comparable magnitude. Expansion ratios >20% in the ECMD were demonstrated for the thickness direction of PANI film. The results suggest that the magnitude of ECMD can be improved by choosing the preparation method of films.