Synthesis of nonplanar bipyridyls bridged by disilane and disiloxane and their phosphorescent copper complexes

Disilane- and disiloxane-bridged bipyridyls ( DSBPy and DSOBPy ) were prepared and their optical properties were investigated in comparison with those of previously reported monosilane- and monogermane-bridged counterparts. The UV–visible absorption and photoluminescence bands of DSBPy and DSOBPy were blue-shifted as a result of elongation of the bridging units from monosilane and monogermane to disilane and disiloxane, likely due to the enhanced twisting of the bipyridyl units. Phosphorescent complexes DSBPy–Cu and DSOBPy–Cu were prepared by the interaction of DSBPy and DSOBPy with Cu₂I₂(PPh₃)₂. X-ray diffraction studies of their single-crystal structures revealed polymeric structures composed of repeat units of DSBPy or DSOBPy and [Cu^II(PPh₃)]₂. Organic light-emitting diodes with the ITO/PEDOT:PSS/ DSBPy–Cu or DSOBPy–Cu :PCTSQ/TAZ/Al structure were fabricated to examine the applications of the complexes as electroluminescent materials. The devices emitted yellow light with emission maxima at approximately 600 nm, and maximal luminance reached 120 and 190 cd m⁻² for devices based on DSBPy–Cu and DSOBPy–Cu , respectively. The performance of the DSOBPy–Cu -based device was improved by using TAZ as the dopant of the emissive layer, and luminance was increased to 390 cd m⁻².     

Palladium complexes bearing an N‐heterocyclic carbene–sulfonamide ligand for cooligomerization of ethylene and polar monomers

Herein, we report the synthesis of palladium complexes bearing an N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐sulfonamide bidentate ligand and their application in ethylene oligomerization and ethylene/polar monomer cooligomerization. These catalysts could smoothly catalyze ethylene oligomerization and ethylene/methyl acrylate cooligomerization albeit the performance was lower compared to that of a NHC–phenoxide catalyst. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 474–477     

Exact WKB analysis of a Schrödinger equation with a merging triplet of two simple poles and one simple turning point,II — Its relevance to the Mathieu equation and the Legendre equation

We develop the exact WKB analysis of an M2P1T (merging two simple poles and one simple turning point) Schrödinger equation. In Part II, using a WKB-theoretic transformation to the algebraic Mathieu equation constructed in Part I, we calculate the alien derivative of its Borel transformed WKB solutions at each fixed singular point relevant to the simple poles through the analysis of Borel transformed WKB solutions of the Legendre equations. In the course of the calculation of the alien derivative we make full use of microdifferential operators whose symbols are given by the infinite series that appear in the coefficients of the algebraic Mathieu equation and the Legendre equation.     

Hyperpolarized 13C Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Fumarate Metabolism by Parahydrogen-induced Polarization: A Proof-of-Concept in vivo Study

Hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]fumarate is a promising magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarker for cellular necrosis, which plays an important role in various disease and cancerous pathological processes. To demonstrate the feasibility of MRI of [1-¹³C]fumarate metabolism using parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP), a low-cost alternative to dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (dDNP), a cost-effective and high-yield synthetic pathway of hydrogenation precursor [1-¹³C]acetylenedicarboxylate (ADC) was developed. The trans-selectivity of the hydrogenation reaction of ADC using a ruthenium-based catalyst was elucidated employing density functional theory (DFT) simulations. A simple PHIP set-up was used to generate hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]fumarate at sufficient ¹³C polarization for ex vivo detection of hyperpolarized ¹³C malate metabolized from fumarate in murine liver tissue homogenates, and in vivo ¹³C MR spectroscopy and imaging in a murine model of acetaminophen-induced hepatitis.     

Fast enclosure for the minimum norm least squares solution of the matrix equation AXB = C

Fast algorithms for enclosing the minimum norm least squares solution of the matrix equation AXB = C are proposed. To develop these algorithms, theories for obtaining error bounds of numerical solutions are established. The error bounds obtained by these algorithms are verified in the sense that all the possible rounding errors have been taken into account. Techniques for accelerating the enclosure and obtaining smaller error bounds are introduced. Numerical results show the properties of the proposed algorithms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical study of free-piston shock tunnel performance

A free-piston shock tunnel (FPST) is one of the most useful ground testing facilities for hypervelocity flow research of re-entry vehicles and scramjet engines. For an efficient operation with tuned piston motion, the design of facility and the comprehension of the physical phenomena in a FPST, a numerical simulation which can properly predicts the flow with actual losses is required. But there are few successful numerical methods which can simulate its overall performance. In the present study, numerical method was developed by using the KRC shock capturing scheme and by modeling the flow losses in suitable forms for a quasi-1D numerical computation. The present numerical results were compared with the data obtained in two different facilities, T4 and T5. The applicability of the present numerical method as a design tool is discussed briefly.This article was processed using Springer-Verlag T_EX Shock Waves macro package 1.0 and the AMS fonts, developed by the American Mathematical Society.     

Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of 2,2′‐Diethynyl‐ biphenyls Involving Cleavage of a Carbon–Carbon Triple Bond

A ruthenium complex catalyzes a new cycloisomerization reaction of 2,2′‐diethynylbiphenyls to form 9‐ethynylphenanthrenes, thereby cleaving the carbon–carbon triple bond of the original ethynyl group. A metal–vinylidene complex is generated from one of the two ethynyl groups, and its carbon–carbon double bond undergoes a [2+2] cycloaddition with the other ethynyl group to form a cyclobutene. The phenanthrene skeleton is constructed by the subsequent electrocyclic ring opening of the cyclobutene moiety.     

Single-Round DNA Aptamer Selection by Combined Use of Capillary Electrophoresis and Next Generation Sequencing: An Aptaomics Approach for Identifying Unique Functional Protein-Binding DNA Aptamers

In DNA aptamer selection, existing methods do not discriminate aptamer sequences based on their binding affinity and function and the reproducibility of the selection is often poor, even for the selection of well-known aptamers like those that bind the commonly used model protein thrombin. In the present study, a novel single-round selection method (SR-CE selection) was developed by combining capillary electrophoresis (CE) with next generation sequencing. Using SR-CE selection, a successful semi-quantitative and semi-comprehensive aptamer selection for thrombin was demonstrated with high reproducibility for the first time. Selection rules based on dissociation equilibria and kinetics were devised to obtain families of analogous sequences. Selected sequences of the same family were shown to bind thrombin with high affinity. Furthermore, data acquired from SR-CE selection was mined by creating sub-libraries that were categorized by the functionality of the aptamers (e. g., pre-organized aptamers versus structure-induced aptamers). Using this approach, a novel fluorescent molecular recognition sensor for thrombin with nanomolar detection limits was discovered. Thus, in this proof-of-concept report, we have demonstrated the potential of a “DNA Aptaomics” approach to systematically design functional aptamers as well as to obtain high affinity aptamers.