all-anti-octasilane: conformation control of silicon chains using the bicyclic trisilane as a building block

The perfect all-anti-octasilane composed of two bicyclic trisilane units with trimethylsilyl groups at the termini has been synthesized. Its X-ray crystal structure and spectroscopic data demonstrate the effective sigma-delocalization over the silicon framework, which is a definitive difference from the unconstrained n-Si8Me18.     

Monitoring of intercellular messengers released from neuron networks cultured in a microchip

A cellular biochemistry analysis system was integrated on a quartz glass microchip with a microchamber for cell culture followed by a microchannel for detecting with a thermal lens microscope (TLM). Nerve cells from rat hippocampus were successfully cultured to form neural networks in the microchip. An aqueous solution of glutamate, which is known as a neurotransmitter, was introduced to stimulate the cultured neuron to release a retrograde messenger, arachidonate which is considered to be critical for neuronal plasticity, especially for long-term potentiation (LTP). After the introduction, the solution that flowed through the culture chamber was analyzed using the UV-TLM (excitation wavelength, 244 nm). The measured signal intensity was dependent on glutamate solution concentration, and the neurons were considered to release the retrograde messenger according to the glutamate concentration. This system is suitable for time-course monitoring of ultra trace amounts of chemicals released from very small amount of cultured cells.     

Synthesis and characterization of Dithia[3.3](2,6)pyridinophane-containing polymers: application to the palladium-catalyzed Heck reaction

[reaction: see text] We synthesized zigzag polymers consisting of dithia[3.3](2,6)pyridinophane units that were flipped rapidly as a result of syn-[anti]-syn isomerization. Pyridinophane units were fixed in the syn form by complexation with palladium, and the resulting polymer complex exhibited a high catalytic activity for the Heck coupling reaction.     

Liquid core waveguide spectrophotometry for the sensitive determination of nitrite in river water samples.

A flow injection analysis system was built with a liquid core waveguide spectrophotometric detector using an 80 cm Teflon AF-1600 capillary tube (2,2-bistrifluoromethyl-4,5-difluoro-1,3-dioxole/tetrafluoroethylene). The system was applied to determine nitrite ion in river water samples. The lower limit of detection for nitrite was 2.1 nmol dm(-3) (0.1 ng dm(-3) as NO(2)(-)) and the relative standard deviation of measurements was typically 0.56% (n = 5) at 0.21 micromol dm(-3).     

Preparation of microporous polymer-encapsulated Pd nanoparticles and their catalytic performance for hydrogenation and oxidation

Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) encapsulated by conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) were prepared by the Pd-catalyzed polymerization followed by a thermal treatment with N₂ or H₂. The Pd catalysts were embedded in the porous network during polymerization and used as a precursor for the generation of Pd NPs in CMP. Although no Pd NPs were formed in the as-synthesized Pd/CMPs, Pd NPs with 1.6–3.5 nm size were formed after the thermal treatment. The obtained Pd/CMP-N₂ and -H₂ catalysts were highly selective in the hydrogenation of 4-nitrostyrene to 4-ethylnitrobenzene, whereas Pd NPs supported on carbon (Ketjen black) gave a fully reduced product, 4-ethylaniline. Substituents in CMP framework could change the catalytic activity of Pd NPs; hydroxy-substituted CMP encapsulated Pd NPs showed higher catalytic activity than Pd/CMP-H₂ for benzyl alcohol oxidation.     

A quantum deformation of the Virasoro algebra and the Macdonald symmetric functions

A quantum deformation of the Virasoro algebra is defined. The Kac determinants at arbitrary levels are conjectured. We construct a bosonic realization of the quantum deformed Virasoro algebra. Singular vectors are expressed by the Macdonald symmetric functions. This is proved by constructing screening currents acting on the bosonic Fock space.     

Raman spectroscopy of melamine at high pressures up to 60 GPa

In this work, the Raman scattering of melamine was studied under high pressure up to 60 GPa. The behavior of the most intensive peaks of the Raman spectrum of melamine, 677 cm^?1 and 985 cm^?1 modes, and their line widths do not show any phase transition or indication of formation of sp ³ bonds. Comparing the behavior of the line width of the Raman peaks of graphite under pressure and that of melamine leads us to conclude that the s-triasine (C–N) ring is more rigid than the C–C graphite ring. High pressure results with melamine suggest that the direct phase transition g-C₃N₄ to dense C₃N₄ phase should occur above 60 GPa.     

Solvolytic cleavage of alkenylpentafluorosilicates catalyzed by copper(II) acetate. A stereoselective synthesis of (E)-alkenyl ethers from alkynes

(E)-Alkenylpentafluorosilicates, obtainable from acetylenes via hydrosilylation-silicate formation, react with alcohols in the presence of a catalytic amount of copper(II) acetate under an atmosphere of air (oxygen) at room temperature to form (E)-alkenyl ethers stereoselectively in satisfactory yields. Similar reaction with water gives aldehydes.     

Silafunctional compounds in organic synthesis. 27. (Isopropoxydimethylsilyl)methyl grignard reagent: A new nucleophilic hydroxymethylating agent for aldehydes and ketones

Nucleophilic hydroxymethylation of aldehydes and ketones has been achieved by the reaction with the (isopropoxydimethylsilyl)methyl Grignard reagent and the subsequent oxidative cleavage of the carbon-silicon bond.