Mössbauer and NMR studies of iron-carbon martensite

The atomic arrangements in Fe-C martensite, especially the interstitial carbon positions have been discussed utilizing⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and¹³C and⁵⁷Fe spin-echo NMR measurements. The experimental result is well explained by the model of two interstices occupancy of carbon in the bct martensite. Especially, the spin-echo spectra by¹³C nuclei showed that two main lines first appear and clear satellite lines gradually rise during the aging at 323K, suggesting the carbon jumps from the tetrahedral to the octahedral interstices and further movements to form a local ordered arrangement.     

Four new ursane-type triterpenes, olibanumols K, L, M, and N, from traditional egyptian medicine olibanum, the gum-resin of Boswellia carterii

Four new ursane-type triterpenes, olibanumols K (1), L (2), M (3), and N (4), were isolated from traditional Egyptian medicine olibanum, the exuded gum-resin from Boswellia carterii BIRDW. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence.     

Structures of novel norstilbene dimer, longusone A, and three new stilbene dimers, longusols A, B, and C, with antiallergic and radical scavenging activities from Egyptian natural medicine Cyperus longus

The methanolic extract of the whole plant of Cyperus longus originating in Egypt was found to show antiallergic effect on ear passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reactions in mice. By bioassay-guided separation, 11 stilbenes and stilbene dimers including a novel norstilbene dimer, longusone A, and three new stilbene dimers, longusols A, B, and C, were isolated. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. Among the isolates, longusol B (IC(50)=96 μM), luteolin (3.0 μM), resveratrol (17 μM), piceatannol (24 μM), and cassigarols E (84 μM) and G (84 μM) were found to inhibit the release of β-hexosaminidase, as a marker of antigen-induced degranulations, in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells. In addition, the methanolic extract and the constituents showed 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (SC(50)=22 μg/ml and 2.8-29 μM, respectively).     

Investigation of void formation beneath thin AlN layers by decomposition of sapphire substrates for self-separation of thick AlN layers grown by HVPE

Void formation at the interface between thick AlN layers and (0 0 0 1) sapphire substrates was investigated to form a predefined separation point of the thick AlN layers for the preparation of freestanding AlN substrates by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). By heating 50–200 nm thick intermediate AlN layers above 1400 °C in a gas flow containing H₂ and NH₃, voids were formed beneath the AlN layers by the decomposition reaction of sapphire with hydrogen diffusing to the interface. The volume of the sapphire decomposed at the interface increased as the temperature and time of the heat treatment was increased and as the thickness of the AlN layer decreased. Thick AlN layers subsequently grown at 1450 °C after the formation of voids beneath the intermediate AlN layer with a thickness of 100 nm or above self-separated from the sapphire substrates during post-growth cooling with the aid of voids. The 79 μm thick freestanding AlN substrate obtained using a 200 nm thick intermediate AlN layer had a flat surface with no pits, high optical transparency at wavelengths above 208.1 nm, and a dislocation density of 1.5×10⁸ cm⁻².     

Series of trinuclear NiIILnIIINiII complexes derived from 2,6-Di(acetoacetyl)pyridine: synthesis, structure, and magnetism

Eighteen trinuclear NiII2LnIII complexes of 2,6-di(acetoacetyl)pyridine (H2L) (Ln=La-Lu except for Pm) were prepared by a "one-pot reaction" of H2L, Ni(NO3)2.6H2O, and Ln(NO3)3.nH2O in methanol. X-ray crystallographic studies indicate that two L2- ligands sandwich two NiII ions with the terminal 1,3-diketonate sites and one LnIII ion with the central 2,6-diacylpyridine site, forming the trinuclear [Ni2Ln(L)2] core of a linear NiLnNi structure. The terminal Ni assumes a six-coordinate geometry together with methanol or water molecules, and the central Ln assumes a 10-coordinate geometry together with two or three nitrate ions. The [Ni2Ln(L)2] core is essentially coplanar for large Ln ions (La, Ce, Pr, Nd) but shows a distortion with respect to the two L2- ligands for smaller Ln ions. Magnetic studies for the Ni2Ln complexes of diamagnetic LaIII and LuIII indicate an antiferromagnetic interaction between the terminal NiII ions. A magnetic analysis of the Ni2Gd complex based on the isotropic Heisenberg model indicates a ferromagnetic interaction between the adjacent NiII and GdIII ions and an antiferromagnetic interaction between the terminal NiII ions. The magnetic properties of other Ni2Ln complexes were studied on the basis of a numerical approach with the Ni2La complex and analogous Zn2Ln complexes, and they indicated that the NiII-LnIII interaction is weakly antiferromagnetic for Ln=Ce, Pr, and Nd and ferromagnetic for Ln=Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, and Er.     

Biomimetic Peptide Catalytic Bond-Forming Utilizing a Mild Brønsted Acid

Since the global peptide drug market demand has been predicted to increase, highly efficient and inexpensive mass scale peptides are required. However, the production process raises questions about the cost of energy input, scale-up production, raw materials, and solvents treatment. This paper introduces 2 methods for the 2–4 mer oligopeptides bond formation for batch reaction utilizing 50–100 mol% of a mild Brønsted acid under the mild condition. One of the methods has been capably adapted to flow synthesis at room temperature using organic solvents with boiling points below 100 °C. The method applies the tert-butoxycarbonyl amino methoxy group, forming the desired dipeptide without solvent at mild temperatures. Furthermore, the conversion of the carboxylic acid leaving the group to phenyl ester promotes peptide bond formation, and the reaction were applied to di, tri, and tetrapeptide bond formation in excellent yield without notable racemization at ambient temperature (up to >99 % yield and 99 : 1 dr). Finally, this study proposes this new production method to overcome the limited scale-up production by reaction device scale: liquid phase biomimetic catalytic peptide flow synthesis utilizing a mild Brønsted acid.     

On some limit theorems of probability distributions

Annals of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics - In Part I the Khintchine’s uniqueness theorem for the class convergence of probability distributions is proved in a natural way by making...     

Silver(I) coordination polymers of fluorescent oligo(phenylenevinylene) with pi-pi stackings: luminescence and conductivity

Three luminescent silver(I)-oligo(phenylenevinylene) complexes, [Ag2(bmsb)(ClO4)2] (1), [Ag2(bmsb)(H2O)4](BF4)2 (2), and [Ag2(bdb)(CF3SO3)2] (3) (bmsb = 1, 4-bis(methylstyryl)benzene, bdb = 4,4'-bis(2, 5-dimethylstryryl)biphenyl), have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Complexes 1 and 2 are 2D networks with unique metallocyclophane motifs. Complex 3 affords a 2D zigzag sheet, in which silver triflates form tubelike double chains and bdb molecules act as linkages. Complex 2 exhibits high electric conductivity because of columnar aromatic stackings formed through intra- and intermolecular pi-pi interactions. Complexes 1-3 in the solid state exhibit luminescence, of which excitation and emission maxima are shifted to longer wavelength as compared to those of the corresponding metal-free ligands.