Structures and fusion parameters of methoxycarbonyl-benzenes and -naphthalenes

The heats of fusion of methoxycarbonyl-benzenes (12 isomers) and -naphthalenes (32 isomers) have been determined by the differential scanning calorimetric method and the correlation of numbers and positions of methoxycarbonyl groups against the parameters of fusion (melting point, enthalpy and entropy) are discussed. The enthalpy—entropy relationship shows two correlation lines depending on the symmetry of the molecules including the positions of the substituents.     

Novel soft chemical method for optically transparent Ru(bpy)3-K4Nb6O17 thin film

A unique guest-guest ion exchange method was developed for preparing a thin film of a nano-layered K(4)Nb(6)O(17).3H(2)O that possesses both (1) optical transparency and (2) ion-exchangeability under ambient conditions without calcination at high temperature. An optically transparent Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)-K(4)Nb(6)O(17) hybrid thin film, a photoresponsive electrode, was successfully prepared by the guest-guest exchange method by use of the intercalation compound MV(2+)-K(4)Nb(6)O(17) as a precursor. The optically transparent Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)-K(4)Nb(6)O(17) hybrid thin films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, SEM, AFM, IR, and UV spectroscopies, as well as elemental analysis. The electrochemical behavior of the ITO/Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)-K(4)Nb(6)O(17) hybrid thin film electrode was studied; it also exhibits swift photoresponse in the visible region.     

Explosive fragmentation of a thin ceramic tube using pulsed power

This study experimentally examined the explosive fragmentation of thin ceramic tubes using pulsed power. A thin ceramic tube was threaded on a thin copper wire, and high voltage was applied to the wire using a pulsed power generator. This melted the wire and the resulting vapor put pressure on the ceramic tube, causing it to fragment. We examined the statistical properties of the fragment mass distribution. The cumulative fragment mass distribution obeyed the double exponential or power law with exponential decay. Both distributions agreed well with the experimental data. Finally, we obtained universal scaling for fragmentation, which is applicable to both impact and explosive fragmentation.     

AuBr(3)-catalyzed [4 + 2] benzannulation between an enynal unit and enol

The reaction of enynals 1, including o-alkynylbenzaldehydes, and carbonyl compounds 2 in the presence of a catalytic amount of AuBr3 in 1,4-dioxane at 100 degrees C gave the functionalized aromatic compounds 3 in high yields. The AuBr3-catalyzed formal [4 + 2] benzannulation proceeds most probably through the coordination of the triple bond of 1 to AuBr3, the formation of a pyrylium auric ate complex via the nucleophilic addition of the carbonyl oxygen atom, the reverse electron demand-type Diels-Alder addition of the enols, derived from 2, to the auric ate complex, and subsequent dehydration and bond rearrangement. Similarly, the AuBr3-catalyzed reactions of 1 with acetal compounds afforded the corresponding aromatic compounds in good yields.     

Frequency dependence of acoustic properties of aqueous glucose solutions in the VHF/UHF range

The bioultrasonic spectroscopy system was employed for measurements of velocity and attenuation coefficient of glucose solutions in the VHF/UHF range. The relation between the slope of the square of velocity and the relaxation parameters, and the relation between the frequency exponent on attenuation coefficient and the relaxation parameters are investigated. In order to carry out numerical calculations, a model for a single relaxation process is employed, wherein the attenuation coefficient is expressed as (A/( 1 + (f/falpha)2) + B)f2 where falpha is the attenuation relaxation frequency, and A and B are constants. The numerical calculations show that the slope of the square of the velocity is determined uniquely by the velocity relaxation frequency fv and v(infinity)2 - v(0)2 where v0 is the zero-frequency velocity and v(infinity) is the infinite-frequency velocity, and that the frequency exponent on the attenuation coefficient is determined uniquely by falpha and A/B. For experimental considerations, the velocities and the attenuation coefficients of 5, 15, and 25% concentration aqueous solutions of glucose were measured in the frequency range 20 to 700 MHz. The data for the 5 and 15% aqueous solutions can be explained using the single relaxation model. However, the data for the 25% aqueous solution suggest the existence of multirelaxation processes.     

Facile synthetic access to and biological evaluation of the macrocyclic core of apoptolidin

Oxidative cleavage of the C-20/C-21 bond in apoptolidin (1) provides two fragments of similar complexity, facilitating a divide-and-diversify strategy for the determination of the structural basis for apoptolidin's biological activity, the remarkably selective induction of apoptosis in sensitive cell lines. The ability of compounds derived from this cleavage to inhibit mitochondrial F(0)F(1)-ATPase is reported. [structure: see text]     

Effect of refraction index and thickness of the light guide in the position-sensitive gamma-ray detector using compact PS-PMTs

We constructed a position-sensitive gamma-ray detector consisting of an array of BGO scintillators, a light guide and compact PS-PMTs. The effects of refractive index and thickness of the light guide of a glass plate on the detector performance were investigated. A light guide with higher refractive index and smaller thickness is found better for a good spatial resolution.     

Irreversible helix rearrangement from Cis‐transoid to Cis‐cisoid in poly(p‐n‐hexyloxyphenylacetylene) induced by heat‐treatment in solid phase

Polymerization of p‐n‐hexyloxyphenylacetylene (pHPA) by using a [Rh(norbornadine)Cl]₂‐triethylamine catalyst was carried out at room temperature to afford stereoregular helical poly(p‐n‐hexyloxyphenylacetylene)s (PpHPAs). When ethanol and n‐hexane were used as polymerization solvents, a bright yellow PpHPAs, poly( Y ) with M_n = 8.5 × 10⁴ and its purple red polymer, poly( R ) with M_n = 5.3 × 10⁴ were obtained in 95% yields and 84% yields, respectively. Diffuse reflective UV–vis spectra of poly( Y ) and poly( R ) in solid phase showed different broad absorption peaks at 445 and 575 nm, respectively. X‐Ray diffraction patterns of poly( Y ) and poly( R ) showed typical columnar structures assignable to cis‐transoid and cis‐cisoid structures, respectively, which were also supported by molecule mechanics calculation. Poly( Y ) was irreversibly transformed to a reddish‐black polymer, poly( Y‐B ), which columnar diameter was nearly the same as that of poly( R ). Further, poly( Y ) showed an exothermic peak in the differential scanning calorimetry trace at 80 °C for 1 h in N₂ gas. Thus, these findings suggest a thermally irreversible rearrangement from an unstable cis‐transoid form, poly( Y ) with a stretched cis‐transoid helix to a stable cis‐cisoid form, poly( R ), with a contracted cis‐cisoid helix in the solid phase to give poly( Y → B ) with the cis‐cisoid form. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012