Chemoselective polyesterification by direct polycondensation

A convenient method for the synthesis of polyester‐containing amino substitutes on the aromatic rings of the backbone has been developed. This polyester was prepared by chemoselective polyesterification of isophthalic acid with bisphenol having an amino group in the presence of the condensing agent diphenyl(2,3‐dihydro‐2‐thioxo‐3‐benzoxazolyl)phosphonate ( 1 ) and 1,5‐diazabicyclo[4,3,0]‐5‐nonene as a base. The model reactions were carried out in detail to elucidate appropriate conditions of chemoselective polyesterification. Direct polycondensation of isopthalic acid with 4,4′‐[1‐(4‐aminophenyl)ethylidene]bisphenol proceeded smoothly under mild conditions and produced the desired polyester with a number average molecular weight of 11,000 and M_w/M_n of 2.22. The polymer obtained was characterized by IR, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 78–85, 2001     

The reaction γ +d → π+ + π− +p + n between 570 and 850 MeV andΔ ++ Δ − production

The reaction γ+d → π⁺+π^? +p + n has been measured in a kinematically complete way at incident photon energies from 570 to 850 MeV in steps of 40 MeV. From detailed comparison of measured data with results of event simulations, it is concluded that three different mechanisms, the quasi-free, double-delta and phase space productions, contribute to the reaction. Each of the cross sections corresponding to these mechanisms is determined separately.     

Structure and properties of polypropylene crystallized from the glassy state

Glassy isotactic propylene (PP) films of thickness up to 0.3 mm were obtained by an ultraquenching technique. The structure and properties of the as-quenched and subsequently crystallized samples were characterized by various techniques. Electron microscopy indicates the glass has no structure larger than 25 Å. X-ray diffraction shows PP crystallizes from the glass into a smectic structure at ca. ?20°C and then transforms to monoclinic microcrystals at ca. 40°C; a nodular structure (80 to 100 Å in diameter) was observed on the surface. The transformation temperature increases with the film thickness. Annealing above the α-relaxation temperature results in an increase in the nodule size. A correspondence was found between the diameter of the nodules observed on the surface and long spacings obtained by small-angle X-ray scattering from the bulk. Dynamic mechanical spectra show the presence of two relaxation-like peaks at ca. ?10°C and 10°C for the as-ultraquenched samples. X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and torsion pendulum measurements show PP crystallizes from the glass at a temperature, depending on the rate of heating, that corresponds to the lower relaxation peak temperature.     

A novel method for hydrogen production from liquid ethanol/water at room temperature

We demonstrated that non-catalytic ethanol steam reforming proceeds efficiently and selectively without coking at the conditions of room temperature and atmospheric pressure using low-energy pulsed (LEP) discharge in combination with carbon fiber electrodes.     

EC and α decays of 235Am

EC and decays of ²³⁵Am have been studied using a gas-jet coupled on-line isotope separator. Excited states in ²³⁵Pu have been established for the first time by means of -ray spectroscopy following the EC decay of ²³⁵Am. The deduced log ft value suggests that the ground state of ²³⁵Am should have the 5/2^-[523] configuration. The - coincidence result has revealed that the 5/2^-[523] state in ²³¹Np populated by the favored transition of ²³⁵Am is located at < 15 keV, which allows us to precisely determine the Q value of ²³⁵Am.     

Identification of the new isotope 241Bk

A new neutron-deficient berkelium isotope ²⁴¹Bk produced in the ²³⁹Pu(⁶Li, 4n) reaction has been identified using a gas-jet coupled on-line isotope separator. Cm K and L X-rays associated with the EC decay of ²⁴¹Bk were observed in the mass-241 fraction, and three γ transitions were attributed to the EC decay of ²⁴¹Bk through X-γ coincidences. The half-life of ²⁴¹Bk was determined to be 4.6±0.4 min which is 1/2-1/4 of that of theoretical predictions. The half-life value and the observed γ transitions can be consistently explained as a consequence of the allowed EC transition of π7/2⁺[633] → ν7/2⁺[624]. Received: 14 October 2002 / Accepted: 6 November 2002 / Published online: 17 January 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: asai@tandem.tokai.jaeri.go.jp Communicated by J. ?yst?     

Levels in <Superscript>127</Superscript>La fed by the <Superscript>127</Superscript>Ce beta-decay

The low-lying levels in ¹²⁷La have been studied through the -decay of ¹²⁷Ce ( T_1/2 = 29s) produced by bombarding a ^natMo target with a 185-MeV ³⁵Cl beam. Reaction products were on-line mass-separated, and -ray singles and - coincidence measurements were performed. Conversion electrons were also measured and multipolarities of transitions have been derived. The half-life of the 210.9-keV level was determined to be (1.9±0.3)ns by the - delayed coincidence technique. The level scheme obtained has been compared with calculations based on the Nilsson model.     

Chemical separation of the unknown isotope 252Bk

Rapid chemical separation of berkelium is essential in order to measure the unknown isotope ²⁵²Bk. An anion exchange system of mineral acid and methanol was examined. An elution curve of Bk was obtained using ²⁵⁰Bk produced by the ²⁴⁸Cm+¹⁸O system and the ²⁵¹Bk activity could be measured in the preliminary experiments. The whole chemical separation was completed within 30 minutes.     

Experimental results on proton diffractive dissociation

Properties of proton diffractive dissociation have been investigated for four-prong final states in proton-proton reactions at 360 GeV/c, in particular forpp→ppπ ⁺π^? mπ ⁰(m=0,1,2). Mass distributions and decay angular distributions are given. The decay of the diffractive system is seen to be very anisotropic, and largep _T is suppressed at higher masses. It is found that the “pomeron” couples with a single valence quark of the incident proton, but indications for a diquark-pomeron coupling are also found. Similarities with fragmentation in lepton-hadron deep inelastic scattering are underlined.     

Analysis of electronic structures of 3d transition metal-doped TiO2 based on band calculations

The electronic structures of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) doped with 3d transition metals (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) have been analyzed by ab initio band calculations based on the density functional theory with the full-potential linearized-augmented-plane-wave method. When TiO₂ is doped with V, Cr, Mn, Fe, or Co, an electron occupied level occurs and the electrons are localized around each dopant. As the atomic number of the dopant increases the localized level shifts to lower energy. The energy of the localized level due to Co is sufficiently low to lie at the top of the valence band while the other metals produce midgap states. In contrast, the electrons from the Ni dopant are somewhat delocalized, thus significantly contributing to the formation of the valence band with the O p and Ti 3d electrons. Based on a comparison with the absorption and photoconductivity data previously reported, we show that the t_2g state of the dopant plays a significant role in the photoresponse of TiO₂ under visible light irradiation.