Immobilization of chlorophyll derivatives into mesoporous silica and energy transfer between the chromophores in mesopores

Chlorophyll derivatives possessing triethoxysilyl groups have been synthesized for the first time and grafted on mesoporous silica to construct an efficient energy transfer system between the chromophores.     

A convenient synthesis of 1-bromoolefins and acetylenes by a chain extension of aldehydes

Aldehydes are easily converted to 1-bromoolefins or terminal acetylenes by the use of Wittig reaction of bromomethylenetriphenylphosphorane which is prepared from bromomethyltriphenylphosphonium bromide with potassium tert-butoxide.     

Novel polysiloxane formation process from dimethyldiethoxysilane in the presence of oxalic acid

Polysiloxane formation in dimethyldiethoxysilane (DMDES)-ethyl alcohol (EtOH(D))-oxalic acid (OA) (DMDES:EtOH(D):OA=1:2:0.5) and DMDES-dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-OA (DMDES:DMSO:OA=1:2:0.5) systems was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ²⁹Si-nuclear magnetic resonance. While the DMDES-EtOH(D)-OA system was homogeneous, the DMDES-DMSO-OA system consisted of two immiscible phases. In both systems, ethoxy-terminated linear oligomers ((EtO)Me₂SiO(Me₂SiO)_nSiMe₂(OEt); n=0–4, Et = C₂H₅, Me = CH₃) and cyclic tetramer ((Me₂SiO)₄) were identified. The reaction mechanism for polysiloxane formation is discussed.     

Thorium,uranium and plutonium isotopes in the Arkansas River

Radiochemical measurements of the concentrations of thorium, uranium and plutonium isotopes were carried out for the samples of Arkansas River collected at six locations in the states of Colorado and Oklahoma. The uranium to thorium ratios in the river samples were found to be highly variable and generally much greater than the ratios found in soils and in rainwater. An attempt has been made to determine the apparent²³⁰Th ages (or the times which elapsed since the last major disruption of the radioactive equilibria) from the observed²³⁰Th/²³²Th and²³⁴U/²³²Th ratios in the water samples.     

Anion-exchange behaviour of a number of metal ions on DEAE-cellulose in hydrobromic and hydriodic acid media

Summary The adsorption behaviour of 48 metal ions on DEAE-cellulose layers has been investigated in aqueous hydrobromic and hydriodic acid media. R_F values are given as a function of the hydrobromic and hydriodic acid concentration over the ranges 0.01–6 mol dm^–3 and 0.01–3 mol dm^–3, respectively, and are compared with those obtained with Avicel SF. R_F spectra are comparatively simple in both media, reflecting the strong affinity of the bromide and iodide ions to the DEAE-cellulose phase. Pd, Pt, Re, Au and Hg are distributed chromatographically in either system, while most other metal ions exhibit rather extreme R_F values of near unity or zero. Therefore, the selectivity of the systems is particularly high for Pd, Pt, Re, Au and Hg, providing the possibility of their excellent selective separations.     

Flow analysis of silicate rocks for zirconium

A flow analysis system involving the on-line configuration of an anion-exchange column has been examined to enrich and determine trace concentrations of zirconium of several ppm to hundred ppm levels in silicate rocks and minerals. About 100 mg of sample is decomposed by fusion with a mixture of boric acid and lithium carbonate and taken up with 1M hydrochloric acid to a total of 100 ml. Depending upon the concentration of zirconium, either a 1- or 4-ml aliquot is introduced into an aqueous carrier stream, merged with sulphuric acid and passed through a small volume anion-exchange column. The enriched zirconium is then back eluted with hydrochloric acid, colour-developed with Arsenazo III, and detected spectrophotometrically at 665 nm.     

Synthetic studies on glycosphingolipids from protostomia phyla: synthesis of a glycosphingolipid analogue from the parasite Spirometra erinacei

Novel neutral glycosphingolipids isolated from the plerocercoids of a tapeworm, Spirometra erinacei, may be expected to be involved in host-parasite interactions. We have synthesized this glycosphingolipid analogue containing 2-branched fatty alkyl residue in place of ceramide. Glycosylation of nonreducing-end trisaccharide derivative 15 with the reducing-end disaccharide derivative 17 in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate (TMSOTf) gave the desired oligosaccharide derivative in good yield. The fully per-O-acylated 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl glycoside 19 was converted to glycosylimidate 20, which was condensed with 2-(tetradecyl)hexadecanol and subsequently deacylated to give the target glycosphingolipid analogue 22.     

Plutonium-244 fission xenon in carbonaceous inclusions of primitive meteorites

A total of 13 samples of diamond separates studied so far, all contain excess ²⁴⁴Pu fission xenon. On the other hand, none of the SiC separates contains excess ²⁴⁴Pu fission xenon, while 5 out of 10 samples of graphite separates studied so far contain excess ²⁴⁴Pu fission xenon.