Single-crystal growth of Tl2Ru2O7 pyrochlore using high-pressure and flux method

Single crystals of the thallium ruthenium pyrochlore have been grown by flux method under high oxygen pressure. The growth conditions were determined by direct observations using in situ powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) method under high pressure and high temperature. The crystals were grown using NaCl-KCl flux at 1350 °C and B₂O₃ flux at 1150 °C. High growth temperature of 1350 °C for the NaCl-KCl flux caused Pt contamination from the crucible and oxygen deficiency for the crystals obtained. The crystal growth using B₂O₃ flux proceeded at lower temperature by grain growth with material transfer through B₂O₃. The crystal obtained was characterized by single-crystal XRD method, and was found to have a stoichiometric composition, Tl₂Ru₂O_7−δ (δ=0), with a structural phase transition around 120 K. The grain growth technique with B₂O₃ is efficient for high-temperature single-crystal growth under high pressure.     

Towards the development of synthetic routes using theoretical calculations: an application of in silico screening to 2,6-dimethylchroman-4-one

This study describes an attempt to develop a synthetic route using theoretical calculations, i.e., in silico synthesis route development. The KOSP program created four potential synthetic routes for generating 2,6-dimethylchroman-4-one. In silico screening of these four synthetic routes was then performed. In silico screening involves theoretical analysis of synthetic routes prior to actual experimental work. A synthetic route using the Mitsunobu reaction had already been reported by Hoddgets et al. Theoretical investigations were also conducted on two S(N)Ar reactions as well as a Michael reaction before they were examined experimentally. In silico screening using DFT calculations indicated that only the Michael reaction was likely to produce the target. Experimental work confirmed that the target was obtained in a yield of 76.4% using the Michael reaction. The other two routes, except for the Mitsunobu reaction, failed to generate the target. Our results demonstrate that theoretical calculations can be used to narrow down the number of experiments that need to be conducted when developing novel synthetic routes.     

Taste masking of propiverine hydrochloride by conversion to its free base

The aim of the present study was to mask the bitterness of propiverine hydrochloride (P-4) by converting it to propiverine free base. Fine granules comprising the free base, which was converted from P-4 by desalination, were prepared. By using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis, and powder X-ray diffraction spectra, we confirmed that P-4 had been converted into propiverine free base by desalination during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the conversion into free base appeared to result in decreased solubility, and both the taste testing sensor and tasting volunteers determined that it masked the bitterness of P-4. On using the gustatory sensation test, the bitterness of the P-4 fine granules was confirmed to be weakened. The dissolution rate and bioavailability of fine granules of the free base were compared with tablets of P-4. The dissolution rate and bioavailability of the fine granules and tablets were almost the same. We successfully masked the taste of P-4 by converting it into free base using a manufacturing process that was suitable for commercial manufacturing.     

The effect of water immersion on short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials in human

Background  

Water immersion therapy is used to treat a variety of cardiovascular, respiratory, and orthopedic conditions. It can also benefit some neurological patients, although little is known about the effects of water immersion on neural activity, including somatosensory processing. To this end, we examined the effect of water immersion on short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) elicited by median nerve stimuli. Short-latency SEP recordings were obtained for ten healthy male volunteers at rest in or out of water at 30°C. Recordings were obtained from nine scalp electrodes according to the 10-20 system. The right median nerve at the wrist was electrically stimulated with the stimulus duration of 0.2 ms at 3 Hz. The intensity of the stimulus was fixed at approximately three times the sensory threshold.     

Ion conduction mechanisms and thermal properties of hydrated and anhydrous phosphoric acids studied with 1H, 2H, and 31P NMR

To understand the behaviors of phosphoric acids in fuel cells, the ion conduction mechanisms of phosphoric acids in condensed states without free water and in a monomer state with water were studied by measuring the ionic conductivity (sigma) using AC impedance, thermal properties, and self-diffusion coefficients (D) and spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) with multinuclear NMR. The self-diffusion coefficient of the protons (H+ or H3O+), H2O, and H located around the phosphate were always larger than the diffusion coefficients of the phosphates and the disparity increased with increasing phosphate concentration. The diffusion coefficients of the samples containing D2O paralleled those in the protonated samples. Since the 1H NMR T1 values exhibited a minimum with temperature, it was possible to determine the correlation times and they were found to be of nanosecond order for a distance of nanometer order for a flip. The agreement of the ionic conductivities measured directly and those calculated from the diffusion coefficients indicates that the ion conduction obeys the Nernst-Einstein equation in the condensed phosphoric acids. The proton diffusion plays a dominant role in the ion conduction, especially in the condensed phosphoric acids.     

Polarized spectroscopy and hybrid materials of chiral Schiff base Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) complexes with included or separated azo-groups

Chiral Schiff base complexes containing azo-groups, bis(N-R-1-naphtylethyl-4-phenyldiazenylsalicydenaminato) nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II) complexes affording a distorted square planar trans-[MN₂O₂] coordination geometry were prepared newly. Organic/inorganic hybrid materials in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cast films of them (a containing type) or the analogous chiral Schiff base complexes, bis(N-R-1-phenylethyl-3,5-dichlorosalicydenaminato) nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II), and azobenzene (AZ) (a separated type) were assembled for comparison of polarized UV light induced molecular arrangement caused by Weigert effect. Investigation of parameters for optical anisotropy of metal complexes as well as AZ suggested that the degree of increasing optical anisotropy of the containing type is higher than that of the separated type based on π-π^∗ (of which characteristic band appeared around 380 nm), n-π^∗, and d-d bands of polarized absorption electronic spectra. Rigid nickel(II) or zinc(II) complexes are easy to increase optical anisotropy than flexible copper(II) complexes for both types.     

Dynamic and microscopic X-ray characterization of a compound chevron layer in electroclinic liquid crystals

The local layer structure of surface stabilized electroclinic liquid crystals has been analysed by time-resolved synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction. At a low applied electric field, the initial bookshelf structure starts to respond above a threshold voltage. With a low to medium applied field of triangular form, the layer structure transforms reversibly between the bookshelf (low field) and the compound chevron (high field), in which the vertical and horizontal chevrons alternate along the layer. When the horizontal chevron component appears, a stripe texture can be seen in an optical micrograph. With increasing field, the horizontal chevron becomes a dominant structure while the vertical chevron still remains. The layer spacing changes in correlation with the chevron angle during the field application. At high field, surface molecules partly rearrange, resulting in alignment deterioration at the interface. The layer response time for an a.c. square wave field is of the order of a few µs to ten µs, which is close to the optical response. The appearance of the compound chevron is discussed in conjunction with the anchoring effect.     

Back to the future: 30 years in challenging smectic liquid crystal displays and in clarifying scientific wonders

A Commentary on the paper “New fluorine-containing ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds showing tristable switching„, by Y. Suzuki, T. Hagiwara, I. Kawamura, N. Okamura, T. Kitazume, M. Kakimoto, Y. Imai, Y. Ouchi, H. Takezoe and A. Fukuda. First published in Liquid Crystals, 6, 167-174 (1989).