Spin selectivity in the oxygenation of singlet phenylhalocarbenes with oxygen

Singlet phenylhalocarbenes are shown to react with triplet oxygen and the apparent spin-forbidden oxygenation rates are strongly dependent on substituents, i.e. in the decreasing order of Br>Cl?F for halogen and of p-NO₂>H?p-MeO for p-substituents. These results suggest the oxygenation of triplet halocarbene equilibrated with ground-state singlet, resulting in the first estimation of energy difference between the singlet and triplet states.     

Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts reactions of ethenetricarboxylates and substituted pyrroles and furans and intramolecular reaction of benzene derivatives

Compared to enantioselective Friedel–Crafts reactions of indoles, reactions of alkylidene malonates with monocyclic aromatic compounds generally proceed with low enantioselectivity. The Friedel–Crafts reactions of ethenetricarboxylates 1 and monocyclic heteroaromatic compounds, such as substituted pyrroles and furans were investigated. The reaction of 1 with 2,4-dimethylpyrrole in the presence of a chiral bisoxazoline–copper(II) complex (10 mol %) in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature gave alkylated products in up to 72% ee. The reaction of 1 with 2-substituted furans gave alkylated products in 46–62% ee. The absolute stereochemistry of the furan Friedel–Crafts product 7e was determined by transformation to the known 2,3-dimethylbutyric acid. The intramolecular reaction of benzene derivatives gave cyclized products up to 56% ee.     

Tsallis’ non-extensive free energy as a subjective value of an uncertain reward

Recent studies in neuroeconomics and econophysics revealed the importance of reward expectation in decision under uncertainty. Behavioral neuroeconomic studies have proposed that the unpredictability and the probability of an uncertain reward are distinctly encoded as entropy and a distorted probability weight, respectively, in the separate neural systems. However, previous behavioral economic and decision-theoretic models could not quantify reward-seeking and uncertainty aversion in a theoretically consistent manner. In this paper, we have: (i) proposed that generalized Helmholtz free energy in Tsallis’ non-extensive thermostatistics can be utilized to quantify a perceived value of an uncertain reward, and (ii) empirically examined the explanatory powers of the models. Future study directions in neuroeconomics and econophysics by utilizing the Tsallis’ free energy model are discussed.     

In operando quantitation of Li concentration for a commercial Li‐ion rechargeable battery using high‐energy X‐ray Compton scattering

Compton scattering is one of the most promising probes for quantitating Li under in operando conditions, since high‐energy X‐rays, which have high penetration power, are used as the incident beam and the Compton‐scattered energy spectrum has specific line‐shapes for each element. An in operando quantitation method to determine the Li composition in electrodes has been developed by using line‐shape (S‐parameter) analysis of the Compton‐scattered energy spectrum. In this study, S‐parameter analysis has been applied to a commercial coin cell Li‐ion rechargeable battery and the variation of the S‐parameters during the charge/discharge cycle at the positive and negative electrodes has been obtained. By using calibration curves for Li composition in the electrodes, the change in Li composition of the positive and negative electrodes has been determined using the S‐parameters simultaneously.     

Viscosity change in aqueous hectorite suspension activated by DC electric field

The change in the viscosity of deionized aqueous hectorite suspensions by applying an electric field was investigated. The deionized suspensions had low viscosity, which was almost the same as that of its solvent, water. Upon applying a DC electric field of the order of a few volt per millimeter to the deionized suspension, the viscosity started to increase gradually and reached a constant value that was high enough relative to the original value. Regarding the mechanism of the electrically induced stress increase, it is highly plausible that a three-dimensional network structure formed under the electric field due to a deformation of the electrical double layer.     

Recent progresses in the synthesis of functionalized isoxazoles

Isoxazole is an important pharmacophore that is critical for biological activity. The isoxazole ring ranks 33rd in frequency among the 351 ring systems found in marketed drugs, thus suggesting a great deal of interest in the synthesis of functional isoxazoles. In recent years, various approaches have been developed for the synthesis and functionalization of isoxazoles. This comprehensive survey summarizes the recent new synthetic approaches to functionalized isoxazoles, with particular focus on the last three years with regard to the following reaction types: (1) 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, (2) condensation, (3) cycloisomerization, and (4) direct functionalization.