Preparation of (Cyanomethylene)tributylphosphorane: a new mitsunobu-type reagent

(Cyanomethylene)tributylphosphorane (CMBP), which promoted the alkylation of various nucleophiles (HA) with alcohols (ROH) to give RA (Mitsunobu-type reaction), was prepared in two steps starting from chloroacetonitrile.     

Deracemization of α-monosubstituted cyclopentanones in the presence of a TADDOL-type host molecule

Racemic α-monosubstituted cyclopentanones were converted to optically active forms by a thermodynamically controlled deracemization using TADDOL-type host molecule 1 in alkaline aqueous MeOH. The efficiency of this conversion was strongly influenced by the ratio of the solvent components (H₂O/MeOH) and the functionality and architecture of the α-side-chain on the cyclopentanones. For example, (R)-2-(2-benzyloxyethyl)cyclopentanone (9) was obtained in 89% yield with 97% ee using a 7:3 mixture of H₂O/MeOH as the solvent. X-ray analytical studies were also carried out and disclosed the nature of this chiral molecular recognition process in the solid phase.     

Mesoporous Zirconium Phenylenesiliconate‐phosphonate Hybrids with Ordered Lamellar Nanostructures

Novel ordered lamellar mesostructure pZrPS‐2 was hydrothermally prepared by using zirconium propoxide and 4‐(EtO)₂OPC₆H₄Si(OEt)₃ (pPPS‐E), which was hydrolyzed to organic building units substituted with both siliconate and phosphonate groups, in the presence of C_nTAB and TMAOH. The pZrPS‐2 materials were obtained at a Zr/PPS ratio of 2 or higher and the basal spacing was increased by using a longer‐chain surfactant (n=12–18). Removal of the occluded surfactants at 300 °C resulted in retention of the lamellar structure with negligible shrinkage of the interlayer distance. Nitrogen adsorption studies revealed the ordered mesoporous nature of pZrPS‐2 with a pore diameter of approximately 2 to 3 nm. The lamellar structure is assumed to be composed of layers that include zirconia‐based crystalline nanodomains and interlayer pillars mainly based on PPS units. Although lamellar structures with the same crystalline phase also formed when no surfactant was added or when the meta isomer of PPS was used, no mesoporous materials were obtained except pZrPS‐2. A possible schematic model to elucidate these results is also proposed.     

Quasi-point incoherent ArF<Superscript>∗</Superscript> excimer emission source at 193 nm using a laser-produced plasma

We have demonstrated proof-of-principle of an incoherent ArF^∗ emission source with a quasi-point emission geometry using a laser-produced plasma in an Ar/F₂/He/Ne mixed gas. The VUV emission characteristics, such as the emission size, were dependent on those of the plasma-initiating laser. The average emission power was 10 μW at a repetition rate of 10 Hz at 193 nm. The average power conversion efficiency of the 193-nm emission from the plasma-initiating Nd:YAG laser was 6.3×10⁻⁶. The average emission power at 193 nm was proportional to that of the plasma-initiating laser, indicating the scaling of the emission source.     

An application of oxide and silver electrode on the BaO-doped Bi2O3 electrolyte

Oxide and silver paste were applied on the BaO-doped Bi₂O₃ electrolyte and their behavior was studied as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. Interface resistance of most oxide/electrolyte were of the same order of magnitude with those of Ag paste/electrolyte in air (300–500°C). A high electrode capacitance of (0.8–1.7)×10^?2 F/cm² was observed for the silver electrode at 450°C in the P_O2 region of 1–10^?5 atm.     

Highlights of Supersymmetry, Superstrings, and M-Theory

The present lecture is a beginer's guide to supersymmetry, superstrings, and M-theory. It addresses students and scientists whose basic research topic in theoretical physics is a different one but who, nonetheless, wish to gain a glimpse into this exciting new field of theoretical physics.     

NEAR-INFRARED-FT-RAMAN STUDY OF AGGREGATION OF BACTERIOCHLOROPHYLL c IN WHOLE LIVING Chlorobium limicola

Near-infrared excited Fourier-transform Raman spectra have been measured for whole living Chlorobium limicola f. thiosulfatophilum to explore in situ structure of bacteriochlorophyll c (BChl-c). The spectra, whose Raman bands are preresonance enhanced via a Qy band of BChl-c, did not contain contributions from the major components of bacteria such as proteins and lipids. Therefore, the spectra provide selective structural information about BChl-c in the chlorosomes in a totally nondestructive manner. A marker band, appearing at 1605 cm-1 for the coordination number of the Mg atom, shows that BChl-c in the chlorosomes is five coordinate. The Raman spectrum of living bacteria closely resembles that of BChl-c in water-saturated carbon tetrachloride (w-std CC14) where it is comprised of dimer, tetramer and polymer spectra. However, a band assigned to a C=O stretching mode of the 131-keto group is identified only at 1641 cm-1. A band arising from the free keto carbonyl group, which appears in the spectrum of BChl-c in w-std CC14, is not observed in the spectra of bacteria. These observations suggest that BChl-c in the chlorosomes forms mostly coordinate polymeric species whose structure is very similar to that of BChl-c in w-std CC14.     

Unified field theories with U(N) internal symmetries: G

Gauge theories for extended SU(N) conformal supergravity are constructed which are invariant under local scale, chiral, proper conformal, supersymmetry and internal SU(N) transformations. The relation between intrinsic parity and symmetry properties of their generators of the internal vector mesons is established. These theories contain no cosmological constants, but technical problems inherent to higher derivative actions are pointed out.