Mono-Gold(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Intermolecular Reaction of Ynones with Styrenes: Tandem Diels–Alder and Ene Sequence

Gold-catalyzed intermolecular reaction leading to dihydronaphthalene derivatives in one pot from two equivalents of ynones with respect to styrene is uncovered. The [4+2] Diels–Alder cycloaddition of ynones and styrenes is catalyzed by a mono-gold(I) complex and the conjugated acid to provide an unstable 3,8a-dihydronaphthalene to subsequently undergo an intermolecular ene-type reaction with the π-activated ynone to afford multi-component coupling dihydronaphthalene products. Linear relationships between chiral ligand-gold complexes and chiral dihydronaphthalene products proves mono-gold catalysis that triggers an asymmetric tandem Diels–Alder and ene reaction sequence.     

In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Observation of Melted Germanium Encapsulated in Multilayer Graphene

Germanene is a two-dimensional germanium (Ge) analogous of graphene, and its unique topological properties are expected to make it a material for next-generation electronics. However, no germanene electronic devices have yet been reported. One of the reasons for this is that germanene is easily oxidized in air due to its lack of chemical stability. Therefore, growing germanene at solid interfaces where it is not oxidized is one of the key steps for realizing electronic devices based on germanene. In this study, the behavior of Ge at the solid interface at high temperatures is observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To achieve such in situ heating TEM observation, this work fabricates a graphene/Ge/graphene encapsulated structure. In situ heating TEM experiments reveal that Ge like droplets move and coalesce with other Ge droplets, indicating that Ge remains as a liquid phase between graphene layers at temperatures higher than the Ge melting point. It is also observed that Ge droplets incorporate the surrounding amorphous Ge as Ge nuclei, thereby increasing its size (domain growth). These results indicate that Ge crystals can be grown at the interface of van der Waals materials, which will be important for future germanene growth at solid interfaces.     

Formation of multiple aerial LED signs in multiple lanes formed with AIRR by use of two beam splitters

Optical Review - We propose multiple aerial imaging system by use of two beam splitters in the optical system of aerial imaging by retro-reflection (AIRR). The AIRR optical system consists of a...     

Self‐Healing,Expansion–Contraction,and Shape‐Memory Properties of a Preorganized Supramolecular Hydrogel through Host–Guest Interactions

Supramolecular materials cross‐linked between polymer chains by noncovalent bonds have the potential to provide dynamic functions that are not produced by covalently cross‐linked polymeric materials. We focused on the formation of supramolecular polymeric materials through host–guest interactions: a powerful method for the creation of nonconventional materials. We employed two different kinds of host–guest inclusion complexes of β‐cyclodextrin (βCD) with adamantane (Ad) and ferrocene (Fc) to bind polymers together to form a supramolecular hydrogel (βCD‐Ad‐Fc gel). The βCD‐Ad‐Fc gel showed self‐healing ability when damaged and responded to redox stimuli by expansion or contraction. Moreover, the βCD‐Ad‐Fc gel showed a redox‐responsive shape‐morphing effect. We thus succeeded in deriving three functions from the introduction of two kinds of functional units into a supramolecular material.     

On minimal nonscattering solution for focusing mass-subcritical nonlinear Schrödinger equation

We consider time global behavior of solutions to the focusing mass-subcritical NLS equation in a weighted L² space. We prove that there exists a threshold solution such that (i) it does not scatter; (ii) with respect to a certain scale-invariant quantity, this solution attains minimum value in all nonscattering solutions. In the mass-critical case, it is known that ground states are this kind of threshold solution. However, in our case, it turns out that the above threshold solution is not a standing wave solution.     

Synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing glucuronosyl-diacylglycerol through direct glycosylation

We describe a total synthesis of a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-containing glucuronosyldiacylglycerol (GlcADG), which is a surrogate glycolipid whose synthesis is remarkably upregulated in plant membranes under phosphorus-depleted conditions. Glycosylation between the glucuronide donor bearing 3,4-dimethoxybenzyl (DMPM) protecting groups and di-acylglycerol acceptor proceeded smoothly in the presence of gold(I) catalyst to provide the protected α-isomer of GlcADG as the major product.     

Direct profiling of the phospholipid composition of adult <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caenorhabditis elegans</Emphasis> using whole-body imaging mass spectrometry

A protocol for the direct analysis of the phospholipid composition in the whole body of adult soil nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), was developed, which combined freeze-cracking of the exoskeletal cuticle and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS). Biomolecules in the m/z range from 700 to 900 were more effectively detected in the freeze-cracked than from simple frozen adult nematode bodies. Different distribution of biomolecules was observed in a nematode body when the matrix was applied with a sublimation deposition method. The whole-body IMS technique was applied on genetically deficient mutant C. elegans to combine whole-body lipidomics and genetics, by comparing the fatty acid compositions, especially of the phosphatidylcholine (PC) species, between the wild-type and fat-1 mutants, which lack the gene encoding an n-3 fatty acid desaturase. A significant reduction of PC(20:5/20:5) and PC(20:4/20:5) and a marked increase of PC(20:4/20:4), PC(20:3/20:4), and PC(20:3/20:3) were detected in the fat-1 mutants in positive ion mode. In addition, phospholipid compositions other than PCs were analyzed in negative ion mode. A loss of a possible phosphatidylinositol (PI) with 18:0/20:5 and a compensative accumulation of putative PI(18:0/20:4) were detected in the fat-1 mutants. In conclusion, the whole-body MALDI-IMS technique is useful for the profiling of multiple biomolecules in C. elegans in both intra- and inter-individual levels.     

Universal temperature dependence of the magnetization of gapped spin chains

A Haldane chain under applied field is analyzed numerically, and a clear minimum of magnetization is observed as a function of temperature. We elucidate its origin using the effective theory near the critical field and propose a simple method to estimate the gap from the magnetization at finite temperatures. We also demonstrate that there exists a relation between the temperature dependence of the magnetization and the field dependence of the spin-wave velocity. Our arguments are universal for general axially symmetric one-dimensional spin systems.