Observation of the decay K- --> pi(-)mu(+)mu(-) and measurements of the branching ratios for K+/- --> pi(+/-)mu(+)mu(-)

Using data collected with the HyperCP (E871) spectrometer during the 1997 fixed-target run at Fermilab, we report the first observation of the decay K--->pi(-)mu(+)mu(-) and new measurements of the branching ratios for K+/--->pi(+/-)mu(+)mu(-). By combining the branching ratios for the decays K+-->pi(+)mu(+)mu(-) and K--->pi(-)mu(+)mu(-), we measure Gamma(K+/--->pi(+/-)mu(+)mu(-))/Gamma(K+/--->all) = (9.8+/-1.0+/-0.5)x10(-8). The CP asymmetry between the rates of the two decay modes is [Gamma(K+-->pi(+)mu(+)mu(-))-Gamma(K--->pi(-)mu(+)mu(-))]/[Gamma(K+-->pi(+)mu(+)mu(-))+Gamma(K--->pi(-)mu(+)mu(-))] = -0.02+/-0.11+/-0.04.     

Growth of SiC nanowires within stacked SiC fiber fabrics by a noncatalytic chemical vapor infiltration technique

An atmospheric pressure chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) process without metallic catalysts was applied for the growth of SiC nanowires within stacked SiC fiber fabrics. We investigated the effect of the concentration of a reactant gas (CH₃SiCl₃, MTS) on the growth behavior and microstructure of the SiC nanowires. At high concentration of MTS in a H₂+MTS mixture gas, one-dimensional (1D) SiC deposits with diameters of several hundreds of nanometers were formed. Microstructures of the 1D SiC deposits exhibited a strong positional dependency throughout the thickness direction of the stacked fabric due to a depletion of the MTS gas. On the other hand, single-crystalline SiC nanowires with average diameters of 50–60 nm could be obtained at a low concentration of MTS. The SiC nanowires also exhibited a homogeneous growth both in the plane of each fabric layer and throughout the thickness of the sample.     

Atomic rearrangements during the electrochemical treatments of Au(111) covered with irreversibly adsorbed Sb

A morphological variation of Au(111) covered with irreversibly adsorbed Sb was investigated with cyclic voltammetry and EC-STM. At open circuit potential (approximately 0.0 V vs a Ag/AgCl reference electrode), the oxygenated Sb layers were formed as an island on the wide terraces and a terrace at the step edges of Au(111). The ultimate morphology at the open circuit potential was a network adlayer with a (radical3 x radical3)R30 degrees atomic arrangement. When the oxygenated layer was reduced, the adsorption features, such as the island, shrunk or disappeared depending on their sizes. This modification was interpreted in terms of an alloy formation of Sb and Au. All of the Sb atoms, however, were not involved in the alloy formation, although the alloyed and unalloyed domains showed (radical3 x radical3)R30 degrees atomic structures with different brightness in EC-STM images. During oxidation of the reduced Sb layers, the alloyed and unalloyed domains of Sb behaved in a different way: the alloyed Sb was stripped to a soluble species to leave pits, while the unalloyed Sb became an oxygenated adspecies, which desorbed very slowly. A long oxidation led to a Au(111) covered with pits and islands of (1 x 1) without any adsorbed Sb.     

Simultaneous determination of four active constituents in the roots of Scrophularia buergeriana by HPLC-DAD and LC-ESI-MS

The chemical profile of four main bioactive constituents including harpagoside (HS), 8-O-(E-p-methoxycinnamoyl)harpagide (HG), E-cinnamic acid (CA), and E-p-methoxycinnamic acid (MCA), in the extract of Scrophularia buergeriana was studied using HPLC-diode array detector-electrospray-MS (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS). The HPLC-DAD conditions were optimized for the simultaneous analysis of these four compounds. This method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity (r(2) >0.9998), precision (< 2.0% RSD), and recoveries (94.4-115.1%). The LOD of these compounds were ranged from 5.9 to 37.8 ng. In addition, the main compounds in S. buergeriana and S. ningpoensis were quantified using this validated method, which resulted in significant difference in the contents of these compounds between the species.     

ortho-Quinone methides from para-quinones: total synthesis of rubioncolin B

A concise synthesis of rubioncolin B is described, which features an unprecedented intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction involving an ortho-quinone methide and a naphthofuran moiety. The ortho-quinone methide is generated through a surprisingly facile tautomerization of a para-quinone.     

Determination of storage stability of the crude extracts of Ganoderma lucidum using FTIR and 2D-IR spectroscopy

In this paper, the feasibility and advantage of employing FTIR spectroscopy and the corresponding second-derivative spectroscopy combined with 2D-IR spectroscopy for the analysis of water extracts of Ganoderma lucidum with different storage durations were investigated and demonstrated for the first time. In order to compare the second-derivative microscopic fingerprint spectra from the four periods of storage, the range from 1200 to 500 cm⁻¹ has to be ignored due to the detection of starch in the samples and the standard as well. This is crucial because the main characteristic band of polysaccharide was assigned within this range. The addition of starch as outer constituent was considered spoilage of polysaccharide content investigation. In fact, polysaccharide content in G. lucidum plays a main role as anti-cancer properties. The ranges from 1480 to 1200 cm⁻¹ and from 1700 to 1480 cm⁻¹ were interpreted and directly compared. For the range (from 1800 to 400 cm⁻¹), the 22 months sample was closest to the control, followed by 38 months, 13 months and 6 months product. The matching of the extract spectra with the control was not consistent and depended on which range of spectra had been chosen. Many factors can be considered which may have possibly affected inferences of the composition of the extract from different storage durations.     

The effect that 6-tert-butoxyhexyl functionalization has on ethylene polymerization in ansa-zirconocene dichlorides

Ethylene polymerization studies have been carried out with novel precatalysts of the type: [(η⁵-C₁₃H₈)-X(t-BuOC₆H₁₂)Me-(η⁵-C₅H₄)]ZrCl₂ [X=C [1a], Si [2a]], [(η⁵-C₁₃H₈)-XMe₂-(η⁵-(t-BuOC₆H₁₂C₅H₃))] ZrCl₂ [X=C [3a], Si [4a]] in the presence of excess methylalumoxane (MAO) to compare their catalytic activity and to delineate the effect of the 6-t-butoxyhexyl functionality on ethylene polymerization. The precatalysts [1a] and [2a] with the bridge functionality showed higher activity in ethylene polymerization than the corresponding complexes [3a] and [4a] which have it on the Cp ring moiety. On the other hand the silyl bridged complexes [2a] and [4a] produced a higher molecular weight polyethylene than the carbon-bridged one, regardless of the location of functional group.     

New method of fluorination using potassium fluoride in ionic liquid: significantly enhanced reactivity of fluoride and improved selectivity

We have found the new nucleophilic fluorination reaction of some halo- and mesylalkanes to the corresponding fluoroalkanes with KF in the presence of [bmim][BF4] under various reaction conditions. 2-(3-Methanesulfonyloxypropoxy)naphthalene (1) was used as a model compound to optimize this fluorination reaction. Whereas the fluorination of the mesylate 1 with KF in an organic solvent such as CH3CN at 100 degrees C occurred hardly even after 24 h, the same reaction in ionic liquids, [bmim][BF4], as a reaction solvent was completed within 1.5 h, affording the wanted product 2-(3-fluoropropoxy)naphthalene 2a (85%) together with the alkene byproduct 2c (10%). Very interestingly, however, the addition of water (5 equiv) completely eliminated the formation of the undesired alkene 2c and thus gave higher yield of 2a (92%, entry 2). The use of acetonitrile as a cosolvent did not affect the reactivity of the fluorination. The presence of a proper amount of cosolvent was rather desirable (94% yield of 2a). We performed fluorination reactions with other ionic liquids ([bmim][PF6], [bmim][SbF6], [bmim][OTf], and [bmim][N(Tf)2], and two other cosolvents, to find the optimal ionic liquid and cosolvent. Nine different compounds were examined, including the 10 g-synthesis of 2-(fluoromethyl)naphthalene in 93% of isolated yield.     

Atomic arrangements inside Ru and Os nanoislands spontaneously deposited on Pt(111)

The atomic arrangements inside Ru and Os nanoislands spontaneously deposited on Pt(111) electrode surface were observed with electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy. The surperlattice of the pristine Ru nanodeposits is (square root of 3 x square root of 3)R30 degrees -RuO+. Upon reduction, the Ru nanodeposits are compressed to a uniaxially incommensurate (square root of 3 x square root of 2)R30 degrees -Ru structure, which does not change during the following reoxidation. The atomic arrangement inside the pristine Os nanodeposits is an incommensurate (square root of 2 x square root of 2)-OsO+ structure, which does not transform during the subsequent reduction-oxidation cycles. The structures of the Ru and Os nanodeposits are discussed in terms of removal and insertion of oxygen ions depending on electrode potential.