Diamagnetic muon yields of metal acetylacetonates

Diamagnetic muon yields /P_D/ in various metal acetylacetonates were measured at room temperature by the muon spin rotation technique. We have found a clear difference in P_D between complexes of typical elements and those of transition elements. We suggest that partially filled inner orbitals play some important role in determining the diamagnetic yield in these complexes.     

Thermoanalytical characterization of carbon/carbon hybrid material, Apple Woodceramics

Woodceramics, a carbon/carbon composite of plant-originated carbon reinforced by glassy carbon from phenolic resin, was prepared from apple pomace at carbonizing temperatures of 1073 K (AWC800) and 1473 K (AWC1200), and characterized by thermoanalytical methods and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric (TG) showed complicated overlapping reactions similar to those of coal. The initial temperature of pyrolysis was obtained by fitting logistic functions to observed TG data. The results suggested that AWC1200 contained more volatile matter than AWC800. In an inert atmosphere, complicated devolatilization takes place. In an oxidizing atmosphere, thermal change occurs roughly in four steps: desorption of physically adsorbed matter; pyrolysis into aliphatic and aromatic fragments; ignition; combustion of char. The oxidation resistance of AWC1200 was superior to AWC800.     

Mössbauer and ESR study of the formation of phthalocyanineiron(II) pyridine adduct in the supercage of NaY,KY, and RbY zeolite

Phthalocyanineiron(II) (FePc) and phthalocyaninato[(2-)bispyridine]iron(II) (FePc(py)₂) synthesized in supercage of NaY, KY and RbY zeolite have been characterized by Mössbauer and ESR spectroscopy. The yield of formation of the pyridine adduct depends on the ionic radius of the alkali ions introduced into the supercage, but not on the number of iron ions trapped in the cages, suggesting that free space in the supercage was the most important factor for the formation of the FePc-py-adducts.     

Femtosecond intermolecular electron transfer in condensed systems

We have investigated the ultrafast intermolecular electron transfer (ET) from an electron-donating solvent (aniline (AN) or N, N-dimethylaniline (DMA)) to an excited dye molecule (oxazines (Nile blue and oxazine 1) or coumarins). A non-exponential time dependence was observed in AN and can be explained by solvent reorientation and nuclear motion of the reactants. However, in DMA, a single exponential process was observed for Nile blue (160 fs) and oxazine 1 (280 fs), which can be explained by assuming that the rate of ET is limited mainly by ultrafast nuclear motion. A clear substituent effect on intermolecular ET was observed for the 7-aminocoumarins. When the alkyl chain on the 7-amino group is extended and a hexagonal ring with the benzene moiety is formed, the rate of ET is reduced by three orders of magnitude. This effect can be explained by a change in the free energy difference of the reaction and by the vibrational motion of the amino group.     

Evaluation of Photocatalytic Activity of Transparent Anatase Nanocrystals-Dispersed Silica Films Prepared by the Sol-Gel Process with Hot Water Treatment

Anatase nanocrystals were precipitated mainly at the surface of the silica-titania gel films with hot water treatment, whereas the addition of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in the films led to the dispersion of anatase nanocrystals in the whole of the films after the treatment. Both films with and without PEG showed high photocatalytic activities for acetaldehyde, NO _x and stearic acid in the gas-solid system, and for methylene blue and potassium iodide in the liquid-solid system. The addition of PEG improved the photocatalytic activities of the resultant films due to the smaller anatase crystallites and the porous film structure. The residual silica under-layer of the superficially anatase-precipitated films is expected to act as a protective one for an organic polymer substrate against the photocatalytic degradation.     

Two novel aromatic glycosides,pueroside-A and -B,from puerariae radix

Two novel aromatic glycosides were obtained from Puerariae Radix and their chemical structures were characterized.     

Preparation of Titania Nanosheet-Precipitated Coatings on Glass Substrates by Treating SiO2-TiO2 Gel Films with Hot Water Under Vibrations

Titania nanosheet-precipitated coatings have been prepared by treating SiO₂-TiO₂ gel films on glass substrates with hot water at 90°C under vibration. Longitudinal vibrations at about 6 Hz during the treatment enhanced the formation of titania nanosheet. The titania nanosheet consisted of several layers with a spacing of about 0.6 nm and was identified as hydrated titania with a lepidocrocite-type structure. The morphology of the titania nanosheet-precipitated coatings is probably achieved by lowering of the concentration of hydrolyzed titania species at the surface due to rapid water flow driven by the vibrations. The coatings were transparent in the visible range and showed high photocatalytic activity and antifogging property.     

Molecular orbital calculation of Mössbauer parameters for Sn(CH3)nH4−n (n=0, 1, 2, 3) and their photoproducts in low temperature matrices

Mössbauer parameters of tin compounds, Sn(CH₃)₂H_4–n (n=0, 1, 2, 3, 4), isolated in low temperature matrices were related to electronic properties at the tin nuclei obtained by molecular orbital calculations. Structures of novel species, Sn(CH₃)₂ and Sn(CH₃)H, produced via photodissociation of matrix-isolated Sn(CH₃)₃H and Sn(CH₃)₂H₂, respectively, were determined on the basis of molecular orbital calculations as compared with Mössbauer parameters. The correlations between Mössbauer quadrupole splitting and calculated electric field gradient using STO-3G or MINI-4 were found to depend on the valence of tin atoms because of poor allowance for basis sets in describing highly polar molecules.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed one-pot hydroformylation of alkenes using carbon dioxide as a reactant

A new hydroformylation of alkenes using carbon dioxide as a reactant is shown to take place in the presence of ruthenium cluster complexes and halide salts. Similar or even better yields of alcohols were formed as compared to the conventional hydroformylation with CO under the same reaction conditions. The reaction proceeded in three steps: CO₂ is first converted to CO; then it is used as a reagent for hydroformylation to give aldehyde; subsequently, it is hydrogenated to alcohol. ESI-mass spectrometric analyses of the reaction solutions indicated formation of four kinds of ruthenium anionic complexes including tetra-, tri-, and mononuclear species. On the basis of experimental findings, possible roles of these complexes are discussed.