Ferroelectric Behavior of a Hexamethylenetetramine‐Based Molecular Perovskite Structure

We report the development of a molecular ferroelectric material inspired by the hexamethylenetetramine (hmta) non‐centrosymmetric molecular rotator. The bromide salt of diprotonated hmta (hmtaH₂) crystalized as (hmtaH₂)(NH₄)Br₃ in a metal‐free ABX₃ perovskite‐type structure, in which the A and B sites are occupied by hmtaH₂²⁺ and ammonium cations, respectively. The compound crystallized in the Pma2 polar space group. A distorted polar perovskite structure formed owing to the distortion of {(NH₄)Br₆} octahedrons that are stabilized through the formation of NH???Br hydrogen bonds and the orientational ordering of positive charges on the non‐centrosymmetric hmtaH₂ molecules. This spontaneous polarization exhibited ferroelectric behavior with a nominally high Curie temperature (>400 K), in which the electrical switching of polarization originates from the rotation of the hmtaH₂ unit.     

Ariakemicins A and B, novel polyketide-peptide antibiotics from a marine gliding bacterium of the genus Rapidithrix

Ariakemicins A (1) and B (2), unusual linear hybrid polyketide-nonribosomal peptide antibiotics, were discovered from the fermentation extract of the marine gliding bacterium Rapidithrix sp. These metabolites were positional isomers with regard to a double bond and chromatographically inseparable, rendering the structure study on a mixture basis. The ariakemicins were composed of threonine, two omega-amino-(omega-3)-methyl carboxylic acids with diene or triene units, and delta-isovanilloylbutyric acid. The antibiotics selectively inhibited the growth of Gram-positive bacteria.     

Iridoid and acyclic monoterpene glycosides, kankanosides L, M, N, O, and P from Cistanche tubulosa

Three iridoid glycosides, kankanosides L, M, and N, and two acyclic monoterpene glycosides, kankanosides O and P, were isolated from fresh stems of Cistanche tubulosa (Orobanchaceae) together with eight iridoid glycosides, five acyclic monoterpene glycosides, three phenylpropanoid glycosides, and four lignan glycosides. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence.     

Finite sheeted covering maps over 2-dimensional connected, compact Abelian groups

Let G be a 2-dimensional connected, compact Abelian group and s be a positive integer. We prove that a classification of s-sheeted covering maps over G is reduced to a classification of s-index torsionfree supergroups of the Pontrjagin dual . Using group theoretic results from earlier paper we demonstrate its consequences. We also prove that for a connected compact group Y:

(1)

Every finite-sheeted covering map from a connected space over Y is equivalent to a covering homomorphism from a compact, connected group.

(2)

If two finite-sheeted covering homomorphisms over Y are equivalent, then they are equivalent as topological homomorphisms.

     

Zero distribution and division results for exponential polynomials

An exponential polynomial of order q is an entire function of the form

$$g(z) = {P_1}(z){e^{{Q_1}(z)}} + ...{P_k}(z){e^{{Q_k}(z)}},$$

where the coefficients P_j(z),Q_j(z) are polynomials in z such that

$$\max \{ deg({Q_j})\} = q.$$

It is known that the majority of the zeros of a given exponential polynomial are in domains surrounding finitely many critical rays. The shape of these domains is refined by showing that in many cases the domains can approach the critical rays asymptotically. Further, it is known that the zeros of an exponential polynomial are always of bounded multiplicity. A new sufficient condition for the majority of zeros to be simple is found. Finally, a division result for a quotient of two exponential polynomials is proved, generalizing a 1929 result by Ritt in the case q = 1 with constant coefficients. Ritt’s result is closely related to Shapiro’s conjecture that has remained open since 1958.

     

Synthesis,crystal structures and magnetic properties of nitronyl nitroxide radical-coordinated copper(II) complexes

Transition Metal Chemistry - The coordination compound constructed for nitronyl nitroxide radical NIT-Ph-4-Br and CuII(hfac)2(H2O)2 building blocks...     

Preparation of Microporous ORMOSILs by Thermal Degradation of Organically Modified Siloxane Resin

Silicon containing materials have traditionally been used in microelectronic fabrication. Semi-conductor devices often have one or more arrays of patterned interconnect levels that serve to electrically couple the individual circuit elements forming an integrated circuit. These interconnect levels are typically separated by an insulating or dielectric film. Previously, a silicon oxide film was the most commonly used material for such dielectric films having dielectric constants (k) near 4.0. However, as the feature size is continuously scaling down, the relatively high k of such silicon oxide films became inadequate to provide efficient electrical insulation. As such, there has been an increasing market demand for materials with even lower dielectric constant for Interlayer Dielectric (ILD) applications, yet retaining thermal and mechanical integrity. We wish to report here our investigations on the preparation of ultra-low k ILD materials using a sacrificial approach whereby organic groups are burnt out to generate low k porous ORMOSIL films. We have been able to prepare a variety of organically modified silicone resins leading to highly microporous thin films, exhibiting ultra-low k from 1.80 to 2.87, and good to high modulus, 1.5 to 5.5 GPa. Structure property influences on porosity, dielectric constant and modulus will be discussed.     

Measurements of the solubilities of derivatized amino acids in supercritical carbon dioxide

The solubilities of phenylalanine and tyrosine in supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO₂) were measured after derivatization as the N-acetyl amino acid ethyl ester, N-carbobenzoxy amino acid and N-acetyl amino acid. Using an SCCO₂ flow system, a measuring method of the saturated solubilities of the derivatized amino acids was established in which the contact height of the extraction cell, i.e. a packed column, is increased till the concentration of a derivatized amino acid at the exit of the cell reaches a plateau. The solubilities of N-acetyl phenylalanine ethyl ester (APEE) exceeded 0.001 mole fraction, which is higher than those of caffeine produced in industrial SCCO₂ processes. A possible way of separating the amino acid mixtures using polarity differences in different amino acid side chains was demonstrated using the solubility data of the N-acetyl-amino acid ethyl esters in SCCO₂, as the solubilities of APEE are higher than those of N-acetyl tyrosine ethyl ester by two orders of magnitude.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 3-substituted 8-hydroxy-3,4-dihydroisocoumarins from (S)-4-isopropyl-2-(2-methoxy-6-methylphenyl)oxazoline

Reaction of the laterally lithiated (S)-4-isopropyl-2-(2-methoxy-6-methylphenyl)oxazoline with p-tolualdehyde gave an inseparable mixture of the addition products in low diastereoselectivity. However, the (S,S)-product cyclized to the corresponding 3,4-dihydroisocoumarin faster than the (S,R)-product on silica gel, which allowed to be produced both enantiomers of 8-methoxy-3-(p-tolyl)-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin in moderate to good optical purity [S-enantiomer: 75% ee; R-enantiomer: 96% ee]. This procedure was applied to the short-step synthesis of optically active 3,4-dihydroisocoumarin natural products such as (R)-8-hydroxy-3-(1-tridecyl)-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin and (R)-phyllodulcin.