Unique thermal behavior of acrylic PSAs bearing long alkyl side groups and crosslinked by aluminum chelate

An acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), bearing octadecyl acrylate, methyl acrylate and acrylic acid groups, and crosslinked by aluminum acetylacetonate (AlACA), displayed behavior unique among acrylic PSAs in that its adhesion, which decreases with an increase in temperature, began to increase again from around 150 °C. In order to understand this behavior, the structure and thermal properties of the PSA were investigated in detail, along with another PSA crosslinked by a covalent crosslinking agent (Az). From thermal mechanical analysis, the PSA with ionic crosslinks (AlACA) showed three softening points at 20, 60, and 160 °C. In comparison, the PSA covalently crosslinked by Az only exhibited two softening points (at 20 and 60 °C). The softening point at 160 °C is clearly related to ionic chelate crosslinking. DSC measurements indicated that the softening point at 20 °C resulted from melting of the ordered octadecyl group, and the softening point at 60 °C was due to an increase in the mobility of the main chain. The temperature dependence of viscoelastic measurements revealed that the viscosity of the PSA crosslinked by AlACA increased at around 160 °C. From these results, we considered that the distinctive adhesion of the PSA crosslinked by AlACA could be due to ligand exchange at the aluminum crosslinking points, which are chelated by carboxy groups built in the main chain.     

Peumusolide A, unprecedented NES non-antagonistic inhibitor for nuclear export of MEK

A new polyketide peumusolide A was disclosed as an unprecedented NES non-antagonistic inhibitor for nuclear export of MEK, a promising scaffold for antitumor agents with novel mechanism of action, from Peumus boldus Molina. The absolute stereostructure as well as optical purity was established by use of the two synthesized enantiomeric model lactones. In addition, the Δε values in their CD spectra were demonstrated to be the conclusive index for determination of not only configuration at C-3 but also optical purity of natural congeneric polyketides. Peumusolide A was revealed to show NES non-antagonistic action by the biotinylated probe and to inhibit proliferation of MEK-activated tumor cells selectively.     

A regiocontrolled synthesis of substituted indoles by palladium-catalyzed coupling of 2-bromonitrobenzenes and 2-bromoacetanilides

The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of 2-bromonitrobenzenes or 2-bromoacetanilides with ethylene has been used to produce a variety of substituted indoles. The mild reaction conditions and selectivity inherent in the coupling reaction have been utilized to produce regiochemically pure 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-substituted indoles.     

Effect of molecular weight distribution on the structure and mechanical properties of ultradrawn,ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene cast from solution. II. Drawability and mechanical properties

The effect of molecular weight distribution (MWD) on the ultradrawability and mechanical properties of solution-cast films of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) has been investigated using tensile and dynamic mechanical measurements. The MWD has a marked effect on ultradrawability and thus on the ultimate mechanical properties such as the tensile modulus. It is proposed that UHMW-PE with a narrow MWD(N-PE) attains the ultimate structure at a lower draw ratio than UHMW-PE with a broad MWD(B-PE) because of the existence in the latter of less fully extended intercrystalline tie chains. It is found that, at the same drawing temperature (100°C), N-PE shows a higher modulus than B-PE at draw ratios up to 150 x, which is assumed to be the ultimate value for N-PE.     

Characteristics of a Grating-Folded Optical Directional Coupler

We developed a new optical add/drop multiplexer composed only of a grating-folded directional coupler. We found that in this multiplexer, the power drop becomes maximal when the grating-coupling strength is equal to that of directional coupling. At this maximum power, both power transfer between the waveguides and power reflection take place simultaneously at the grating. The power drop approaches 1 when the grating length increases.     

Ionic conduction in CuxAg1−xBrTe solid solutions

The ionic conduction of cation substituted CuBrTe, Cu_xAg_1−xBrTe solid solutions, is investigated in the temperature range between 100 and 400 K. The change of electrical conductivities with temperature in the range of 0.94≤x<1 shows the characteristics of second-order rather than first-order phase transitions. The replacement of Cu with the Ag cation in Cu_xAg_1−xBrTe leads to an increase in conductivity especially in the β and γ-phases.