Spreading of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine on the surface of sodium deoxycholate aqueous solution

The surface pressure vs. mokcular surface area relations for dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) insoluble monolayer and sodium deoxycholate (SDC) adsorbed monolayer,L and D1, respectively, were obtained from the analyses of surface tensions measured by the Wilhelmy glass plate. Also, D1 was obtained by a drop-weight method. Next, the surface pressure time course,(t), of the SDC aq. was measured by the Wilhelmy plate before and after DPPC was spread on the liquid surface. At DPPC spreading,(t) jumped to a maximum,, and decreased along an exponential curve. The values of with various surface amounts of DPPC and bulk concentrations of SDC were analyzed using a dual surface-region model. The model enabled the estimation of. For better fitting, modified relations were constructed in place of D1. The exponential decrease of(t) was also observed on the SDC adsorbed monolayer which was rapidly compressed by a moving barrier. The(t) relaxation rate constants of the SDC monolayers which were compressed by DPPC spreading and the moving barrier agreed with each other, suggesting a desorption of SDC from the surface.     

Selective chemical vapor deposition synthesis of double-wall carbon nanotubes on mesoporous silica

Double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) have been selectively synthesized over Fe/Co loaded mesoporous silica by catalytic chemical vapor deposition of alcohol. Several silica materials with desired pore diameter and morphology have been investigated for the DWNT growth. The diameter distribution and selectivity of the DWNT are found to depend on the reaction temperature, pore size, and thermal stability of the support material. A high-yield synthesis of DWNTs has been achieved at 900 degrees C over high-temperature stable mesoporous silica. The outer diameter of DWNTs is found to be in the range of 1.5-5.4 nm with a "d" spacing of 0.38 +/- 0.02 nm between inner and outer layers, which is much larger than those of multiwall carbon nanotubes.     

Comparative studies on 99mTc-pyrophosphate and 85Sr-chloride for skeletal imaging

In order to know the potential merits of 99mTc-pyrophosphate (99mTc-PYP) skeletal imaging, a comparative study was carried out by administering to the rabbit 85Sr-chloride (85Sr), classical bone-seeking agent, and 99mTc-PY simultaneously. Radioisotopic distribution was investigated as regards their deposition in the pelvic bones, and sharpness of the skeletal scintigrams, too. Both agents were remarkably affinitive to the skeletal system and there were remarkably differences in their temporal deposition pattern. Marked deposition was observed of either agent in the metaphyses. With 99mTc-PYP, the vertebral and costal systems were delineated symmetrically and each vertebral body was distinctly depicted as such 99mTc-PYP many possess the following merits over 85Sr; (1) owing to its physical properties, sufficiently large radioactivity of 99mTc-can be administered; (2) body burden of radiation absorption is reduced; (3) skeletal scintigrams of high quality are obtainable in a short period of time.     

Electrodeposition of manganese and molybdenum mixed oxide thin films and their charge storage properties

Manganese and molybdenum mixed oxides in a thin film form were deposited anodically on a platinum substrate by cycling the electrode potential between 0 and +1.0 V vs Ag/AgCl in aqueous manganese(II) solutions containing molybdate anion (MoO(4)2-). A possible mechanism for the film formation is as follows. First, electrooxidation of Mn2+ ions with H2O yields Mn oxide and protons. Then, the protons being accumulated near the electrode surface react with MoO(4)2- to form polyoxomolybdate through a dehydrated condensation reaction (by protonation and dehydration). The condensed product coprecipitates with the Mn oxide. Cyclic voltammetry of the Mn/Mo oxide film-coated electrode in aqueous 0.5 M Na2SO4 solution exhibited a pseudocapacitive behavior with higher capacitance and better rate capability than that of the pure Mn oxide prepared similarly, most likely as a result of an increase in electrical conductivity of the film. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy clearly demonstrated that the observed pseudocapacitive behavior results from reversible extraction/insertion of hydrated protons to balance the charge upon oxidation/reduction of Mn3+/Mn4+ in the film.     

Novel ring transformation of quinolines to indole derivatives in two steps via 1,4-dihydroquinoline derivatives

Diphenyl 1-phenoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydroquinoline-4-phosphonates 5c-g, obtained from the reaction of corresponding quinoline derivatives 1 with phenyl chloroformate and triphenyl phosphite in one step, were ozonized in CHCl₃ and CH₃COOH. Treatment of the resulting mixture with NaHCO₃ produced the 3-formyl-1-phenoxycarbonylindole derivatives 8a-e in high yields. The ring transformation of quinolines 1 to indoles 8 proceeds under mild conditions.     

A novel boron-rich quaternary scandium borocarbosilicide Sc3.67−xB41.4−y−zC0.67+zSi0.33−w

A novel quaternary scandium borocarbosilicide Sc_3.67−xB_41.4−y−zC_0.67+zSi_0.33−w was found. Single crystallites were obtained as an intergrowth phase in the float-zoned single crystal of Sc_0.83−xB_10.0−yC_0.17+ySi_0.083−z that has a face-centered cubic crystal structure. Single crystal structure analysis revealed that the compound has a hexagonal structure with lattice constants a = b = 1.43055(8) nm and c = 2.37477(13) nm and space group (No. 187). The crystal composition calculated from the structure analysis for the crystal with x = 0.52, y = 1.42, z = 1.17, and w = 0.02 was ScB_12.3C_0.58Si_0.10 and that agreed rather well with the composition of ScB_11.5C_0.61Si_0.04 measured by EPMA. In the crystal structure that is a new structure type of boron-rich borides, there are 79 structurally independent atomic sites, 69 boron and/or carbon sites, two silicon sites and eight scandium sites. Boron and carbon form seven structurally independent B₁₂ icosahedra, one B₉ polyhedron, one B₁₀ polyhedron, one irregularly shaped B₁₆ polyhedron in which only 10.7 boron atoms are available because of partial occupancies and 10 bridging sites. All polyhedron units and bridging site atoms interconnect each other forming a three-dimensional boron framework structure. Sc atoms reside in the open spaces in the boron framework structure.     

Enantioselective synthesis of the optically active alpha-methylene-beta-hydroxy esters, equivalent compounds to Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts, using successive asymmetric aldol reaction and oxidative deselenization

[Chemical reaction: See text] The asymmetric aldol reaction of a tetra-substituted ketene silyl acetal including an alkylseleno group with aldehydes has been developed by the promotion of Sn(OTf)2 coordinated with a chiral diamine to afford the corresponding aldols having chiral quaternary centers at the alpha-positions. The facile oxidative deselenization of these aldol compounds produces optically active alpha-methylene-beta-hydroxy esters which correspond to adducts prepared by the asymmetric Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction.     

Oligothiophene-containing coumarin dyes for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

We have developed oligothiophene-containing coumarin dyes fully functionalized for dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO(2) solar cells (DSSCs). DSSCs based on the dyes gave good performance in terms of incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) in the range of 400-800 nm. A solar energy-to-electricity conversion efficiency (eta) of 7.4% was obtained with a DSSC based on 2-cyano-3-[5'-(1,1,6,6-tetramethyl-10-oxo-2,3,5,6-tetrahydro-1H,4H,10H-11-oxa-3a-aza-benzo[de]anthracen-9-yl)-[2,2']bithiophenyl-5-yl]acrylic acid (NKX-2677) under simulated AM 1.5G irradiation (100 mW cm(-2)) with a mask: short-circuit current density (J(sc)) = 13.5 mA cm(-2); open-circuit voltage (V(oc)) = 0.71 V; fill factor (FF) = 0.77. Transient absorption spectroscopy measurements indicated that electron injection from NKX-2677 to the conduction band of TiO(2) is very rapid (<100 fs), which is much faster than the emission lifetime of the dye (1.0 ns), giving a highly efficient electron injection yield of near unity.     

Different reaction modes for the oxidative dimerization of epoxyquinols and epoxyquinones. Importance of intermolecular hydrogen-bonding

An oxidative dimerization reaction, involving the three successive steps of oxidation, 6 pi-electrocyclization, and Diels-Alder reaction, has been experimentally and theoretically investigated for the three 2-alkenyl-3-hydroxymethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one derivatives epoxyquinol 3, epoxyquinone 6, and cyclohexenone 10. Of the sixteen possible modes of the oxidation/6 pi-electrocylization/Diels-Alder reaction cascade for the epoxyquinone 6, and eight for the cyclohexenone 10, only the endo-anti(epoxide)-anti(Me)-hetero and endo-anti(Me)-hetero modes are, respectively, observed, while both endo-anti(epoxide)-anti(Me)-hetero and exo-anti(epoxide)-anti(Me)-homo reaction modes occur with the epoxyquinol 3. Intermolecular hydrogen-bonding is found to be the key cause of formation of both epoxyquinols A and B with 3, although epoxyquinone 6 and cyclohexenone 10 both gave selectively only the epoxyquinol A-type product. In the dimerization of epoxyquinol 3, two monomer 2H-pyrans 5 interact with each other to afford intermediate complex 28 or 29 stabilized by hydrogen-bonding, from which Diels-Alder reaction proceeds. Theoretical calculations have also revealed the differences in the reaction profiles of epoxyquinone 6 and cyclohexenone 10. Namely, the rate-determining step of the former is the Diels-Alder reaction, while that of the latter is the 6 pi-electrocyclization.     

Pre-irradiation induced grafting of styrene into crosslinked and non-crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene films for polymer electrolyte fuel cell applications. II: Characterization of the styrene grafted films

Crosslinked and non-crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene films (RX-PTFE and V-PTFE films, respectively) were irradiated by γ-ray and then grafted with styrene in liquid phase. Microscope FT-IR spectroscopy, TGA, solid state ¹³C CP/MAS and high resolution HS/MAS NMR spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) study were used to get the structural information of the styrene grafted RX-PTFE and V-PTFE films. From microscope FT-IR spectra of the grafted RX-PTFE films, the “grafting front mechanism” was proved. TGA analysis showed that the grafted films have a small degradation step and two main degradation steps. In the ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectra of the non-grafted films, there are no signal due to the absence of the hydrogen atom. While in the spectra of the grafted films, there are signals attributed to the polystyrene grafts. In the ¹³C HS/MAS NMR spectra of the grafted films, the relative intensity of the peaks attributed to the polystyrene grafts increased while the relative intensity of the peak attributed to PTFE matrix decreased with the increase in the DOG. From WAXD patterns, the intensity of the crystalline peak decrease with the increase in the DOG. The grafted films were sulfonated by chlorosulfonic acid and the results of highest IEC value exceeded 3.0. Those results will be reported in the near future.