Column chromatographic boron isotope separation at 5 and 17 MPa with diluted boric acid solution

Boron isotopic fractionation factor (S) between boron taken up in strongly basic anion exchange resin and boron in aqueous solution was determined by breakthrough column chromatography at 5 and 17 MPa at 25 degrees C, using 0.1 mM boric acid solution as feed solution. The S values obtained were 1.018 and 1.012, respectively, which were smaller than the value reported by using the same chromatographic method at the atmospheric pressure at 25 degrees C with the boron concentration of 10mM, but were larger than the values under the same condition with much higher concentration of 100 and 501 mM. Calculations based on the theory of isotope distribution between two phases estimated that 21% (5 MPa) and 47% (17 MPa) of boron taken up in the resin phase was in the three-coordinated B(OH)(3)-form, instead of in the four-coordinated B(OH)(4)-form, at high pressures even with a very diluted boric acid solution. We discussed the present results by introducing (1) hydration and (2) a partial molar volume difference between isotopic molecules. Borate may have been partially dehydrated upon transfer from the solution phase to the resin phase at high pressures, which resulted in smaller S values compared with those at the atmospheric pressure. Instead, it may be possible that the difference in the isotopic partial molar volume difference between B(OH)(3) and B(OH)(4)(-) caused the S value to decrease with increasing pressure.     

Application of a stepwise flow ratiometry without phase separation to the determination of the chloroform/water distribution coefficients of volatile diazines

The chloroform/water distribution coefficients (K(D)) of sixteen diazine compounds were determined by a stepwise flow ratiometry. An aqueous solution of analyte was delivered and merged with chloroform. The flow rate ratio of both the phases was varied stepwise under a constant total (chloroform+aqueous) flow rate. The analyte was extracted to chloroform while both the phases, which were segmented by each other, were passing through an extraction coil. The segmented stream was then led to a UV/Vis detector directly without phase-separation. The absorbance of the chloroform and aqueous phases (A(o) and A(a), respectively) was each measured at the maximum absorption wavelength of the analyte. The plots of A(-1) against R(f), (AR(f))(-1) against R(f)(-1), and AR(f) against A gave straight lines, where A was A(o), A(a) or the sum of them (A(S)). The K(D) of the analyte was calculated from the slopes and intercepts of the plots. The log K(D) values obtained for the analytes (-0.5-1.4) were agreed well with the values measured by a shake-flask method. The present method is simple, rapid (5 min/determination) and applicable to the volatile compounds with reasonable precision (standard deviation of log K(D)<0.07).     

Peptide [4]Catenane by Folding and Assembly

A topologically complex peptide [4]catenane with the crossing number of 12 was synthesized by a folding and assembly strategy wherein the folding and metal‐directed self‐assembly of a short peptide fragment occur simultaneously. The latent Ω‐looped conformation of the Pro‐Gly‐Pro sequence was found only when pyridines at the C‐ and N‐termini coordinatively bind metal ions (Ag^I or Au^I). Crystallographic studies revealed that the Ω‐looped motifs formed four M₃L₃ macrocycles that were intermolecularly entwined to generate an unprecedented peptide [4]catenane topology.     

Measurement of the cosmic-ray antiproton spectrum at solar minimum with a long-duration balloon flight over antarctica

The energy spectrum of cosmic-ray antiprotons (p's) from 0.17 to 3.5 GeV has been measured using 7886 p's detected by BESS-Polar II during a long-duration flight over Antarctica near solar minimum in December 2007 and January 2008. This shows good consistency with secondary p calculations. Cosmologically primary p's have been investigated by comparing measured and calculated p spectra. BESS-Polar II data show no evidence of primary p's from the evaporation of primordial black holes.     

Search for antihelium with the BESS-Polar spectrometer

In two long-duration balloon flights over Antarctica, the Balloon-borne Experiment with a Superconducting Spectrometer (BESS) collaboration has searched for antihelium in the cosmic radiation with the highest sensitivity reported. BESS-Polar I flew in 2004, observing for 8.5 days. BESS-Polar II flew in 2007-2008, observing for 24.5 days. No antihelium candidate was found in BESS-Polar I data among 8.4×10(6) |Z|=2 nuclei from 1.0 to 20 GV or in BESS-Polar II data among 4.0×10(7) |Z|=2 nuclei from 1.0 to 14 GV. Assuming antihelium to have the same spectral shape as helium, a 95% confidence upper limit to the possible abundance of antihelium relative to helium of 6.9×10(-8)} was determined combining all BESS data, including the two BESS-Polar flights. With no assumed antihelium spectrum and a weighted average of the lowest antihelium efficiencies for each flight, an upper limit of 1.0×10(-7) from 1.6 to 14 GV was determined for the combined BESS-Polar data. Under both antihelium spectral assumptions, these are the lowest limits obtained to date.     

Preparation of hemispherical particles by cleavage of micrometer-sized,spherical poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene composite particle with Janus structure: effect of molecular weight

Micrometer-sized, hemispherical polymer particles were prepared as a result of cleavage of spherical Janus poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/polystyrene (PS) composite particle by treating particles with acetone/water solutions. The original PMMA/PS composite particles were prepared by the slow evaporation of toluene from homogeneous PMMA/PS/toluene droplets dispersed in aqueous solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate in advance. Appropriate molecular weights of PMMA and PS were necessary for occurrence of the cleavage of the Janus composite particle, resulting in PMMA and PS hemispherical particles. The cleavage depended on the composition of the acetone/water solution, which was explained by selective solvent absorption into the polymer phases. The results strongly support the cleavage mechanism of Janus composite polymer particles that had been proposed earlier.     

Reductive aldol-type reaction of α,β-unsaturated esters with aldehydes or ketones in the presence of Rh catalyst and Et2Zn

The reaction of RhCl(PPh₃)₃ with Et₂Zn easily generated a rhodium–hydride complex (Rh−H) that added to α,β-unsaturated esters to form rhodium enolate complexes by formal 1,4-reduction. These rhodium enolates gave the corresponding Reformatsky-type reagents through transmetalation, and they reacted with various aldehydes and ketones to give reductive aldol-type products in good to excellent yields.     

Preparation of hemispherical polymer particles via phase separation induced by microsuspension polymerization

Micrometer-sized, hemispherical polystyrene (PS) particles were successfully prepared by microsuspension polymerization of homogeneous styrene/hexadecane (HD) droplets dispersed in polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether (Emulgen 931) aqueous solution, followed by rapid removal of HD from formed PS/HD particles with a “Janus” structure. It was important for the formation of the morphology of Janus particles in thermodynamically stable state to carry out the polymerization slowly. The formation of by-product small PS particles by emulsion polymerization was suppressed by the additions of CuCl₂ as a water-soluble inhibitor and NaCl to decrease the solubility of styrene in the aqueous phase.