Effect of preparatory conditions on the performance of photopolymerized sol-gel monoliths for capillary electrochromatography

We prepared different photopolymerized sol-gel (PSG) columns by varying the amount of monomer (methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane), porogen (toluene) and catalyst (hydrochloric acid) in the reaction solution containing a photoinitiator (Irgacure 1800). The effects of these variations on the chromatographic behavior of the PSG columns were studied. All of the columns studied exhibited reversed-phase character. The concentration of hydrochloric acid was important for the rigidity of the columns, although it did not affect the separation property. The ratio of monomer solution to porogen was a critical factor in controlling the through-pore size and the surface area of PSG, which were found to significantly affect the separation properties, such as permeability, theoretical plate number, retention time, and separation efficiency, of a mixture of test analytes-thiourea, benzene, and naphthalene. There was no change in the retention order for the test analytes. Short separation times were achieved on PSG columns made from a 10% monomer stock solution and 90% porogen with 1 M hydrochloric acid. Mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and alkylbenzenes were separated with theoretical plate numbers greater than 100 000 plates/m.     

N-substituted hydroxyureas as urease inhibitors

In order to seek a urease inhibitor more potent than hydroxyurea (1), its alkyl- or phenyl-substituted derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their effect on the jack bean urease. Of 16 compounds tested, m-methyl- (10) and m-methoxy-phenyl substituted hydroxyurea (13) showed the most potent inhibitory activities against the enzyme.     

A New Method of Surface Preparation for High Spatial Resolution EPMA/SEM with an Argon Ion Beam

A novel specimen preparation method has been devised utilizing an Ar ion beam with a masking plate and an apparatus for this method has been developed for the preparation of good quality cross sections for high spatial resolution microscopy and microanalysis. This apparatus is defined as a Cross-section Polisher. The method overcomes most of the drawbacks inherent in the traditional method of mechanical grinding and polishing and enabled us to prepare good quality cross sections with much larger areas than those prepared by a focused ion beam method, essentially retaining the excellent characteristics of the latter method. Microstructural observations of corrosion morphology and chemical analysis of corrosion products in a corrosion-resistant alloy (Alloy 825) with a thermal field emission type electron probe X-ray microanalyzer are reported to show the power of the Cross-section Polisher.     

Evaluation of selectivity-determining factors for membrane electrodes based on naphtho-15-crown-5 by liquid-liquid extraction

Liquid-liquid extractions of sodium and potassium picrates with naphtho-15-crown-5 (N15C5) into 1,2-dichloroethane are studied, in order to clarify the factors governing the high potassium ion selectivity of the N15C5-based membrane electrode. The distribution coefficient of N15C5 between water and 1,2-dichloroethane was 1800 at 15°C. The formation constants of the complexes of N15C5 with the sodium ion and the potassium ion in the aqueous phase were less than unity and there was no remarkable difference between their values. Potassium picrate was mainly extracted into 1,2-dichloroethane by forming the 2:1 N15C5-potassium complex, while sodium picrate was extracted by forming the 1:1 complex. The extraction constants for sodium picrate and potassium picrate were 10^3.86 and 10^7.61, respectively, The high potassium selectivity is concluded to be due to the high extractability of the 2:1 potassium complex.     

The bitterness intensity of clarithromycin evaluated by a taste sensor

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a quantitative prediction method using a taste sensor to determine the bitterness of clarithromycin powder suspensions of various concentrations and of a commercial clarithromycin dry syrup product (Clarith dry syrup, Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo) containing aminoalkyl methacrylate polymer as a taste-masker. The bitterness of the clarithromycin dry syrup product dissolved in various beverages was also evaluated in gustatory sensation tests and using the taste sensor. In the sensor measurements, three variables were used to predict bitterness in single and multiple regression analysis: relative sensor output (R), the change of membrane potential caused by adsorption (CPA), and CPA/R ratio. The CPA values for channel 3 of the sensor predicted well the bitterness of clarithromycin powder suspensions and their filtered solutions. For Clarith dry syrup, the sensor output was small, suggesting that aminoalkyl methacrylate polymer was successful in almost complete masking of the bitter taste of the dry syrup product. When the bitterness intensities of mixtures of 1 g of Clarith dry syrup with 25 ml of water, coffee, tea, green tea, cocoa, milk, and a sports drink were examined, a good correlation was obtained between the results from human taste tests and the predicted values calculated on the basis of multiple regression analysis using CPA data from channel 4, and the CPA/R ratio from channel 3 of the taste sensor (r(2)=0.963, p<0.005). Co-administration of 1 g of Clarith dry syrup with an acidic sports drink was found to be the most bitter using either method.     

Characterization of ESR active species on lithium chloride-modified mesoporous silica

The surface of mesoporous silica with regular nanometer-sized pores and high surface area has been modified by metal ions or functional groups to introduce specific interactions. We found that ESR active species were formed on lithium chloride (LiCl)-modified mesoporous silica after heat treatment. The structure and the surface properties of LiCl-modified mesoporous silica were characterized by XRD, ESR, nitrogen adsorption, UV-vis-NIR, and TPD. The results suggest that the ESR active species were generated on the surface in response to heat treatment above 673 K. Moreover, it was found for the first time that LiCl-modified mesoporous silica after the heat treatment has reversible adsorption properties for hydrogen under room temperature and atmospheric pressure.     

Highly anti-diastereoselective reduction of 2-alkyl-3-oxo amides by potassium triethylborohydride

Potassium triethylborohydride was found to reduce 2-alkyl-3-oxo amides to the corresponding 3-hydroxy amides with excellent $\text{anti}$-diastereoselectivity (>99:1), and in combination with asymmetric acylation, a useful route to optically active $\text{anti}$-2-alkyl-3-hydroxy acids was developed.     

Evaluation of pore size distribution in boundary region of micropore and mesopore using gas adsorption method

This paper discusses an accurate method of pore size distribution evaluation in boundary regions of micropores and mesopores using the gas adsorption process on the basis of the capillary condensation theory, which is liable to be underestimated with the existing BJH and DH methods. A typical nitrogen adsorption isotherm for highly ordered mesoporous silica, which has cylindrical pores with diameter smaller than 4 nm, is considered to be type IV and it is well known for the steep increase of the amount adsorbed through capillary condensation in the region of the relative pressure P/P0 smaller than 0.4. In calculating the distribution of the pore size from the change of the amount adsorbed due to capillary condensation, it is important to accurately predict both the multilayer thickness t of the adsorbed nitrogen molecules and the critical radius rc where capillary condensation occurs. It is necessary to consider the curvature of the adsorption layer-gas phase interface when predicting the multilayer thickness t of nitrogen adsorbed within the pore of highly ordered mesoporous silica. Revision of the Kelvin equation is also required when rc is to be predicted. While the predicted value of t based on the Broekhoff and de Boer theory is matched well with the value of t which is actually measured using highly ordered mesoporous silica, and the predicted value of rc based on the GTKB-Kelvin-cylindrical equation that has been revised considering the effect of the interfacial curvature on the interfacial tension of the adsorption layer-gas phase interface is matched with the value of rc which is actually measured using highly ordered mesoporous silica. A combination method of the Broekhoff and de Boer equation and the GTKB-Kelvin-cylindrical equation is proposed as a means of accurately evaluating, from the nitrogen adsorption isotherm, the pore size distribution in the highly ordered mesoporous silica in boundary region of micropore and mesopore. The proposed new method of pore size evaluation features high accuracy and offers the convenience of obtaining the pore size distribution without repeated calculations by employing the same algorithm as DH method. The pore size predicted by the Halsey equation and the Kelvin equation of the conventional DH method is about 20% smaller than the pore size predicted by the newly proposed evaluation method.     

A spectroscopic study on defluorination of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) by alkyllithium/electron-donating solvents

Defluorination of PTFE by alkyllithium/electron-donating solvents such as N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA), hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) was studied by means of spectroscopy such as ESR, 7Li- and 13C-NMR, XPS, UV-Vis and IR. Based on the experimental results, it was concluded that an electron from radical species, which was generated in the alkyllithium/electron-donating solvent, was transferred onto PTFE molecule so as to eliminate fluorine atoms from the PTFE and to form carbon-centered radicals on the PTFE; concomitantly, the alkyl group of the alkyllithium was transferred onto the PTFE. Combined with the experimental results of the phenyllithium/HMPA system, mechanism of the fluorine atom elimination reactions from PTFE by the radical species is discussed.     

Cyclopolycondensation. XIII. New synthetic route to fully aromatic poly(heterocyclic imides) with alternating repeating units

Fully aromatic poly(heterocyclic imides) of high molecular weight were prepared by the cyclopolycondensation reactions of aromatic diamines with new monomer adducts prepared by condensing orthodisubstituted aromatic diamines with chloroformyl phthalic anhydrides. The low-temperature solution polymerization techniques yielded tractable poly(amic acid), which was converted to poly(heterocyclic imides) by heat treatment to effect cyclodehydration at 250–400°C under reduced pressure. In this way, the polyaromatic imideheterocycles such as poly(benzoxazinone imides), poly(benzoxazole imides), poly(benzimidazole imides) and poly(benzothiazole imides) were prepared, which have excellent processability and thermal stability both in nitrogen and in air. The poly(amic acids) are soluble in such organic polar solvents as N,N-dimethyl-acetamide, N-methylpyrrolidone, and dimethyl sulfoxide, and the films can be cast from the polymer solution of poly(amic acids) (η_inh = 0.8–1.8). The film is made tough by being heated in nitrogen or under reduced pressure to effect cyclodehydration at 300–400°C. The polymerization was carried out by first isolating the monomer adducts, followed by polymerization with aromatic diamines. On subsequently being heated, the open-chain precursor, poly(amic acid), undergoes cyclodehydration along the polymer chain, giving the thermally stable ordered copolymers of the corresponding heterocyclic imide structure.