Oxygen vacancy promoting catalytic dehydration of formic acid on TiO2(110) by in situ scanning tunneling microscopic observation

The catalytic dehydration reaction processes of formic acid on a TiO2(110) surface at 350 K have been studied to visualize reaction intermediates and their dynamic behaviors by scanning tunneling microscopy. Three types of configurations of adsorbed formates on the surface were identified by their shapes and positions in STM images. Successive STM observations revealed transformations among the three configurations, i.e., bridge formate on a 5-fold coordinated Ti4+ row, bridge formate on an oxygen vacancy site with an oxygen atom of formate and on a 5-fold coordinated Ti4+ ion and with the other formate oxygen atom, and a monodentate formate on an oxygen vacancy site with an oxygen atom of formate. The decomposition of the monodentate formate to carbon monoxide and hydroxyl was also imaged, which is a rate-determining step in the catalytic dehydration of formic acid. Combined with first-principle DFT calculations, the overall reaction processes of the catalytic dehydration of formic acid on the surface have been elucidated. Oxygen vacancies on the surface that can be produced by dehydration of two hydroxyls in situ under the catalytic reaction conditions are essential for the reaction.     

Lanthanide complexes of macrocyclic polyoxovanadates by VO4 units: synthesis, characterization, and structure elucidation by X-ray crystallography and EXAFS spectroscopy

Reactions of a tetravanadate anion, [V(4)O(12)](4-), with a series of lanthanide(III) salts yield three types of lanthanide complexes of macrocyclic polyoxovanadates: (Et(4)N)(6)[Ln(III)V(9)O(27)] [Ln = Nd (1), Sm (2), Eu (3), Gd (4), Tb (5), Dy (6)], (Et(4)N)(5)[(H(2)O)Ho(III)(V(4)O(12))(2)] (7), and (Et(4)N)(7)[Ln(III)V(10)O(30)] [Ln = Er (8), Tm (9), Yb (10), Lu (11)]. Lanthanide complexes 1-11 are isolated and characterized by IR, elemental analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS). Lanthanide complexes 1-6 are composed of a square-antiprism eight-coordinated Ln(III) center with a macrocyclic polyoxovanadate that is constructed from nine VO(4) tetrahedra through vertex sharing. The structure of 7 is composed of a seven-coordinated Ho(III) center, which exhibits a capped trigonal-prism coordination environment by the sandwiching of two cyclic tetravanadates with a capping H(2)O ligand. Lanthanide complexes 8-11 have a six-coordinated Ln(III) center with a 10-membered vanadate ligand. The structural trend to adopt a larger coordination number for a larger lanthanide ion among the three types of structures is accompanied by a change in the vanadate ring sizes. These lanthanide complexes are examined by EXAFS spectroscopies on lanthanide L(III) absorption edges, and the EXAFS oscillations of each of the samples in the solid state and in acetonitrile are identical. The Ln-O and Ln···V bond lengths obtained from fits of the EXAFS data are consistent with the data from the single-crystal X-ray studies, reflecting retention of the structures in acetonitrile.     

A B3LYP study on counterpoise-corrected geometry optimizations for hydrated complexes of [K(H2O)n] and [Na(H2O)n]

We report the basis set dependencies and the basis set superposition errors for the hydrated complexes of K⁺ and Na⁺ ions in relation to the recent studies of the KcsA potassium channel. The basis set superposition errors are estimated by the geometry optimizations at the counterpoise-corrected B3LYP level. The counterpoise optimizations alter the hydration distances by about 0.02–0.03 Å. The enthalpies and free energies for K⁺ + n(H₂O) → [K(H₂O)_n]⁺ and Na⁺ + n(H₂O) → [Na(H₂O)_n]⁺ (n = 1–6) are compared between the theoretical and experimental values. The results show that the addition of diffuse functions to K, Na, and O species are effective. However, it is also found that the counterpoise corrections using diffuse functions work so as to underestimate the free energies for the complexes with increasing the hydration number. The stabilization energies in aqueous solution are larger for a Na⁺ ion than for a K⁺ ion, suggesting the contributions of their dehydration processes to the ion selectivity of the KcsA potassium channel. The changes in coordination distance between the isolated [K(H₂O)₈]⁺ and the [K(H₂O)₈]⁺ in the KcsA potassium channel indicate the importance of hydrogen bondings between the first hydration shell and the outer hydration shells.     

Transparent and flexible field emission display device based on single‐walled carbon nanotubes

A fully transparent and flexible field emission device (FED) has been demonstrated. Single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) coated on arylite substrate were used as electron emitters for the FED and a novel metavanadate phosphor coated on the SWCNTs/arylite film was used as transparent and flexible screen. The SWCNTs/arylite based emitters and the SWCNTs/arylite/metal‐vanadate‐based phosphor showed a transmittance value of 92.6% and 54%, respectively. The assembled device also showed satisfactory transparency and flexibility as well as producing significant current. Metavanadate phosphor is considered to be an excellent candidate due to its superior luminescence properties and easy fabrication onto transparent and flexible conductive substrate at room temperature while retaining reasonable transparency of the substrate. Thus, its transparency and flexibility will open the door to next‐generation FEDs. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Novel Method for the Fabrication of a Charge‐Transfer Complex Crystal by Photoirradiation

A novel method for the fabrication of a charge‐transfer complex crystal was developed. Photoirradiation of a solution of TPP[Co(tbp)(CN)₂] and TPP[Co(Pc)(CN)₂] (tbp=tetrabenzoporphyrin, Pc=phthalocyanine, TPP=tetraphenylphosphonium) gave a molecular conducting crystal of a charge‐transfer complex TPP[Co(tbp)(CN)₂]₂, which was produced by the process in which the photoexcited electron in tbp was transferred from the LUMO of tbp to that of Pc.     

Effect of alcohol sources on synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes

The effect of oxidant species forming an alcohol molecule for hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) growth has been investigated. To use a graphite rod as a filament for HFCVD to decompose alcohol sources, contamination-free sample surface can be obtained and SWCNTs are successively and densely grown at a lower temperature than those by conventional thermal CVD. It is found that the higher the molecule number of alcohol among CH₃OH, C₂H₅OH, and 2-C₃H₇OH is, the lower the initial growth rate of SWCNTs is. As for CH₃OH, diameter distribution of SWCNTs is dynamically changed with the growth time passed, and a negative growth rate is observed at the later stage of growth. The growth kinetics depending on the alcohol sources is discussed on the basis of a capability of the oxidant species to burn away SWCNTs and deactivation of Co catalysts used for the growth.     

Application of solvent extraction and synchronous spectrofluorimetry to the determination of the formation constant for a 1:1 complex of carbazole withβ-cyclodextrin in water-dimethyl sulfoxide medium

Extraction of carbazole in heptane was performed at 25±1°C with an aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) medium containing -cyclodextrin (CD) at consecutive concentrations in the range of 0–10 mM. The fluorescence intensity of carbazole remaining in the heptane phase was measured by synchronous scanning fluorimetry. The apparent formation constant (K _f) for a 1:1 carbazole: CD inclusion complex in water-DMSO medium was determined by using a linear plot of the distribution ratio calculated from the fluorescence intensities vs. the -CD concentration. The values thus obtained ranged from 477 M^–1 in a 10% v/v DMSO medium to 12.1 M^–1 in a 60% v/v medium. Good linear relationships were observed between logK _f and the DMSO concentration ([DMSO]), and also between logK _f and the logarithm of the distribution coefficient (K _d) for carbazole. The formation constant in 100% water was estimated to be approximately 1.0×10³ M^–1 on the basis of the logK _f vs. [DMSO] and the logK _f vs. logK _d correlations.     

Formation of a Ligand‐Assisted Complex of Two RNA Hairpin Loops

The hairpin structure is one of the most common secondary structures in RNA and holds a central position in the stream of RNA folding from a non‐structured RNA to structurally complex and functional ribonucleoproteins. Since the RNA secondary structure is strongly correlated to the function and can be modulated by the binding of small molecules, we have investigated the modulation of RNA folding by a ligand‐assisted formation of loop–loop complexes of two RNA hairpin loops. With a ligand (NCT6), designed based on the ligand binding to the G–G mismatches in double‐stranded DNA, we successfully demonstrated the formation of both inter‐ and intra‐molecular NCT6‐assisted complex of two RNA hairpin loops. NCT6 selectively bound to the two hairpin loops containing (CGG)₃ in the loop region. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of two doubly‐labeled RNA hairpin loops clearly showed the formation of intermolecular NCT6‐assisted loop–loop complex. Förster resonance energy‐transfer studies of RNA constructs containing two hairpin loops, in which each hairpin was labeled with Alexa488 and Cy3 fluorophores, showed the conformational change of the RNA constructs upon binding of NCT6. These experimental data showed that NCT6 simultaneously bound to two hairpin RNAs at the loop region, and can induce the conformational change of the RNA molecule. These data strongly support that NCT6 functions as molecular glue for two hairpin RNAs.     

Safety Evaluation of Far-UV-C Irradiation to Epithelial Basal Cells in the Corneal Limbus

Basal cells in the corneal limbus play an important role in the turnover cycle because they are the source of all cells that constitute the corneal epithelium. We examined the penetration depth of ultraviolet (UV) light in the corneal limbus and assessed the safety of Far-UV-C on stem cells in the basal area of the corneal limbus. Rats were irradiated with UV at peaks of 207, 222, 235, 254 and 311 nm while under anesthesia. The UV penetration depth in the rat corneal limbal epithelium was wavelength dependent: 311 nm UV-B and 254 nm UV-C reached the basal cells of the epithelium, and 235 nm radiation reached the middle area; however, 207 and 222 nm UV-C reached only the superficial layer of the epithelium. Porcine cornea, which is similar to the human eye in size and structure, were irradiated with 222 and 254 nm UV-C. As in rats, 222 nm UV-C reached only the superficial layer of the porcine corneal limbal epithelium. These results indicate that Far-UV-C, such as radiation of wavelengths of 207 and 222 nm, could not reach corneal epithelial stem cells, i.e. the cells remained intact. It is unlikely that the turnover of the corneal epithelium is obstructed or disrupted by exposure to Far-UV-C.