Cyclodextrin-H O: A New System for Asymmetric Epoxidation

Asymmetric epoxidation of trans-cinnam-aldehyde and chalcone by the use of H^2sp>O2sp> as an oxidizing agent in alkaline media in the presence of cyclodextrins gave the corresponding epoxides with enantiomeric excess up to 8 %.     

Development of the overpotential simulator for polymer electrolyte fuel cells and application for optimization of cathode structure

We developed a novel computational method to investigate the influences of the microstructure of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell cathode catalyst layer on the overpotential characteristic toward its optimization. Three-dimensional cathode catalyst layer models were constructed by applying three-dimensional porous structure simulator and developed simulator was used to study the overpotential characteristics. Our results showed that the overpotential decreased as decrease of the standard deviation of the ionomer thickness distribution due to the increase of number of active sites.     

Complexation and back extraction of various metals by water-soluble diglycolamide.

Water-soluble ligands, N,N,N',N'-tetramethyldiglycolamide (TMDGA), N,N,N',N'-tetraethyldiglycolamide (TEDGA), N,N,N',N'-tetrapropyldiglycolamide (TPDGA) and N,N-dipropyldiglycolamic acid (DPDGAc) were prepared and their abilities to complex with and to back-extract the metal cations were investigated. These results indicate that the DGA series and DPDGAc have a stronger complexing ability with Am(III) and Pu(IV) than comparable carboxylic and aminopolycarboxylic acids. Among these ligands, the trend of the strength of their complexing ability is TPDGA approximately TEDGA > TMDGA approximately DPDGAc. TPDGA has significant loss to the extraction solvent due to its high hydrophobicity. It is evident from the present work that TEDGA is the best reagent for the reverse-extraction of not only An(III), (IV) but also Ca(II), Sc(III), Y(III), Zr(IV), La(III), Hf(IV), and Bi(III).     

Reaction of α,β‐unsaturated ketones with cerium(IV) salts in alcohol

Reaction of α,β‐unsaturated ketones with cerium(IV) salts or lanthanide triflates in alcohols gave good yields of the corresponding β‐alkoxy compounds. In the case of 2‐cyclopentenone and 2‐cyclohexenone, the 1,1,3‐trialkoxy acetal derivatives were obtained preferentially accompanied by β‐alkoxyketone, except 2‐cycloheptenone. However, in the reaction of 2‐cycloheptenone with alcohol using cerium(IV) sulfate (CS)‐molecular sieve, 1,1,3‐trialkoxy derivatives were obtained. Also, in the cases of 1‐penten‐3‐one, 4‐hexen‐3‐one and 3‐hepten‐2‐one, 1,1,3‐trialkoxy derivatives were obtained preferentially. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Attomole catechins determination by capillary liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

Attomole quantities of catechins were determined by a capillary liquid chromatography system with electrochemical detection (CLC-ECD) and the system is applied to the determination of catechins in human plasma. The eight catechins: catechin (C), epicatechin (EC), gallocatechin (GC), epigallocatechin (EGC), catechin gallate (Cg), epicatechin gallate (ECg), gallocatechin gallate (GCg), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), were separated within 10 min using a capillary column (0.2 mm i.d.) and a mobile phase of phosphoric acid (85%)-methanol-water (0.5:27.5:72.5, v/v/v), and were detected at +0.85 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Peak heights were found to be linearly related to the amount of catechins injected, from 200 amol to 500 fmol (r > 0.998). The detection limits of the catechins were 61 amol for EGC, 75 amol for EC, 54 amol for GC, 61 amol for C, 67 amol for GCg, 75 amol for EGCg, 75 amol for ECg and 89 amol for Cg (S/N = 3). Because the present method is highly sensitive and allows facile pretreatment for plasma sample, the time courses of concentrations of catechins (GCg, EC, EGCg, ECg, and Cg) and their conjugates in human plasma obtained from a 10 microl plasma sample after ingestion of green tea could be determined.     

Synthesis,Electronic, and Morphological Properties of Tetrahedral Oligothiophenes with n‐Hexyl Terminal Groups

A series of tetrahedral oligothiophenes bearing n‐hexyl groups at the α‐positions of the terminal thiophene rings, (n‐C₆H₁₃(C₄H₂S)_n)₄C (Hex‐TnTM; n=1–4), has been synthesized by Kosugi–Migita–Stille coupling as a key reaction. Thanks to the improved solubility afforded by the terminal n‐hexyl groups, the largest homologue (n=4) was successfully obtained. Whereas the smaller derivatives (n=1, 2) were obtained as liquid substances, the larger derivatives (n=3, 4) were obtained as solids. Hex‐T3 TM partially adopts syn conformations between the adjacent thiophene rings in the crystal, probably owing to the packing force. Hex‐T3 TM not only appeared in the crystalline state but also the amorphous state, which was stable to up to 80 °C. Regardless of the terminal groups, the derivatives of n=2 exhibited a broad fluorescence with large Stokes shifts compared to the corresponding linear analogues, thereby suggesting the presence of intramolecular interactions between the bithiophene moieties. Interactions between terthiophene branches was also suggested in the radical cations of Hex‐T3 TM by cyclic voltammetry measurements.