Visible light-induced degradation of ethylene glycol on nitrogen-doped TiO2 powders

The photocatalytic degradation processes of ethylene glycol (EG) during the UV or visible light irradiation of pure anatase and nitrogen (N)-doped TiO2 powders (TiO(2-x)N(x), x = 0, 0.002, 0.003, and 0.007) were investigated using time-resolved diffuse reflectance (TDR) and solid-state NMR spectroscopies. The TDR spectra and time traces observed for the charge carriers indicated that the scavenging of photogenerated holes (h+) by EG occurred during the 355-nm laser photolysis of the N-doped TiO2 powders, while no direct oxidation reaction of EG by h+ occurred during the 460-nm laser photolysis, although the charge carriers were sufficiently generated upon excitation. The solid-state magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR measurements revealed that EG is preferentially chemisorbed on the surface of the N-doped TiO2 powders, in contrast to the pure TiO2, and degrades under visible light irradiation.     

One-dimensional surface reconstruction as an atomic-scale template for the growth of periodically striped Ag films

The role of the In/Si(111)-(4 x 1)-In surface as an atomic-scale geometrical template for the growth of Ag thin films is clarified by scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction. Low-temperature grown Ag films are found to have stripe structures with a transverse periodicity equal to that of indium chains of the In/Si(111)-(4 x 1)-In. The stripes exhibit a structural transformation at the thickness of 6 monolayers (ML); this relaxation allows the stripes to persist up to a thickness as large as 30 ML (approximately = 7 nm) while maintaining their mean periodicity. We attribute this stability to a coincidental matching of the periodicity and the corrugation amplitude between the Ag film and the substrate, which is realized by periodic insertion of stacking faults into a Ag fcc crystal.     

Self-assembled octameric cage constructed by the potassium salt of p-tert-butylcalix[6]arene p-bromophenylalanine derivative in the solid state

Potassium salts of p-tert-butylcalix[6]arene p-bromophenylalanine derivative formed sizable octameric cages in the solid state that were revealed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

Influence of the variance of degree distributions on the evolution of cooperation in complex networks

We study how initial network structure affects the evolution of cooperation in a spatial prisoner’s dilemma game. The network structure is characterized by various statistical properties. Among those properties, we focus on the variance of the degree distribution, and inquire how it affects the evolution of cooperation by three methods of imitation. For every method, it was found that a scale-free network does not always promote the evolution of cooperation, and that there exists an appropriate value of the variance, at which cooperation is optimal.     

Finite-time blow-up for quasilinear degenerate Keller–Segel systems of parabolic–parabolic type

This paper deals with the quasilinear degenerate Keller–Segel systems of parabolic–parabolic type in a ball of ${\mathbb{R}}^N$ ($N\ge 2$). In the case of non-degenerate diffusion, Cie?lak–Stinner [3], [4] proved that if $q>m+\frac{2}{N}$, where m denotes the intensity of diffusion and q denotes the nonlinearity, then there exist initial data such that the corresponding solution blows up in finite time. As to the case of degenerate diffusion, it is known that a solution blows up if $q>m+\frac{2}{N}$ (see Ishida–Yokota [13]); however, whether the blow-up time is finite or infinite has been unknown. This paper gives an answer to the unsolved problem. Indeed, the finite-time blow-up of energy solutions is established when $q>m+\frac{2}{N}$.     

Photoinduced charge separation in titania nanotubes

The photocatalytic one-electron oxidation reaction of an aromatic compound during UV light irradiation of titania nanotubes and nanoparticles was investigated using time-resolved diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Remarkably long-lived radical cations of the aromatic compound and trapped electrons were observed for the nanotubes when compared to those for nanoparticles. The influences of the morphology on the one-electron oxidation process of an aromatic compound adsorbed on the surface were discussed in terms of the charge recombination dynamics between the radical cation and electrons in TiO2.     

Halichonic acid,a new rearranged bisabolene-type sesquiterpene from a marine sponge Halichondria sp.

A new compound, halichonic acid (1), was isolated from a marine sponge Halichondria sp., together with (6R,7S)-7-amino-7,8-dihydro-α-bisabolene (2). The structure of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and ECD spectrum calculation to be a rearranged bisabolene-type sesquiterpene having a 3-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonene moiety. Compound 2 was cytotoxic against HeLa cells with an IC₅₀ value of 50?μM, whereas 1 did not show cytotoxicity even at 50?μM. It is possible that 1 is biosynthesized from farnesyl pyrophosphate and glycine, with rearrangement.     

Mean dimension and an embedding problem: An example

For any positive integer D, we construct a minimal dynamical system with mean dimension equal to D/2 that cannot be embedded into (([0, 1] ^D )^?, shift).     

Aerobic Toluene Oxidation Catalyzed by Subnano Metal Particles

Subnanocatalysts (SNCs) containing various noble metals (Cu, Ru, Rh, Pd, or Pt) with sizes of approximately 1 nm were synthesized using dendritic poly(phenylazomethine)s as a macromolecular template. These materials exhibit high catalytic performance during toluene oxidation without the use of harmful solvents or explosive oxidants, resulting in the formation of valuable organic products, including benzoic acid as the major product. In particular, Pt₁₉ SNC with a narrow particle size distribution exhibits extraordinary catalytic activity, with a turnover frequency of 3238 atom^?1 h^?1, which is 1700 times greater than that obtained by commercial Pt/C catalysts.     

Scalable Total Syntheses and Structure–Activity Relationships of Haouamines A,B, and Their Derivatives as Stable Formate Salts

Haouamines A, B, and their derivatives were synthesized via Suzuki–Miyaura coupling and three key cyclization reactions as follows: the newly developed palladium(0)-catalyzed arylative cyclization of phenylalanine-derived alkyne–aldehydes with 2-bromoarylboronic acid (an “anti-Wacker”-type cyclization); BF₃ ⋅ OEt₂-promoted Friedel–Crafts-type cyclization of symmetrical electron-rich aromatic rings adjacent to a tertiary allylic alcohol leading to the indeno-tetrahydropyridine skeleton; and (cyanomethyl)trimethylphosphonium iodide-mediated macrocyclization of amino alcohols to afford aza-paracyclophane precursors. The palladium-catalyzed reduction of mono- and di-triflate intermediates in the later stages enabled the alteration of both the position and number of hydroxyl groups on the C-ring. The instability of haouamine B was dramatically improved by salt formation with formic acid. An unambiguous evaluation of the cytotoxicity of the prepared haouamine derivative formates with and without hydroxyl groups at different positions on the C-ring indicated that the catechol structure in haouamine B produced weak cytotoxicity.