New fabrication approach to develop a high birefringence photo-crosslinked film based on a sulfur-containing liquid crystalline molecule with large temperature dependence of birefringence

ABSTRACT

We present a new fabrication approach to achieve a high birefringence film by means of photopolymerization based on an alkylthio-containing rod-like liquid crystalline molecule exhibiting large temperature dependence of birefringence. We designed a new reactive mesogen having alkylthio linkages (BPM–S). It was found that BPM–S had a larger increment of birefringence with decreasing temperature, relative to commercially available alkoxy analog LC242. This result could be thought to be due to enhanced intermolecular attractive interaction for an alkylthio mesogen implied by the proximity of laterally neighboring molecules and cybotactic nematic tendency based on wide-angle X-ray measurement. The uniaxially-aligned photo-polymerized film for BPM–S showed higher birefringence than that for LC 242.     

Supramolecular graphyne: a C(sp)-H...N hydrogen-bonded unique network structure of 2,4,6-triethynyl-1,3,5-triazine

The crystallization of 2,4,6-triethynyl-1,3,5-triazine (2) leads to a pi-stacked layered structure of a C(sp)-H...N hydrogen-bonded unique hexagonal network structure, which may be regarded as a supramolecular analogue of a hitherto unknown graphyne network: in-plane intermolecular interactions are short and linear H...N contacts (2.31 and 2.34 A) and the interlayer separation is 3.23 A.     

Synthesis of MoVNbTe(Sb)O(x) composite oxide catalysts via reduction of polyoxometalates in an aqueous medium

The synthesis of MoVNbTe(Sb)O(x)() composite oxide catalysts based on the self-organization of polyoxometalates (POMs) was investigated. The catalysts which were synthesized via reduction of POMs by using reducing agents under mild conditions and/followed by calcination in an O(2)-excluded atmosphere which superior performance for propane (amm)oxidation. It was suggested that the metastable phase formed at an elevated temperature with a specific oxidation state corresponds to the catalytic activity.     

Phase transition of Ta2NiO6 with the trirutile-type structure under high pressure and high temperature

High-pressure phase transition of Ta₂NiO₆ with the trirutile-type structure was investigated from the viewpoint of crystal chemistry. A new quenchable high-pressure phase was found in the pressure range higher than 7 GPa and 900°C. The high-pressure phase has an orthorhombic cell (a=4.797(1) Å, b=5.153(2) Å and c=14.85(1) Å and space group; Abm2), and it is more dense by 9.6% than the trirutile-structured phase. Infrared spectra of the trirutile-type phase and the high-pressure phase show that Ni²⁺ ions in the high-pressure phase are still in octahedral sites. The crystal structure of the high-pressure phase is considered as a cation-ordering trifluorite-type structure, which can be stabilized by a crystal field effect of Ni²⁺ ions.     

Design and modeling of microwave photonic devices

Different types of finite element methods (FEMs) for microwave and optical waveguides are reviewed and are utilized for modeling of a traveling-wave (TW) optical modulator, as one of the typical microwave photonic devices. Using the quasi-TEM and the full-wave vector FEM solvers for microwave waveguides and the scalar FEM solver for optical waveguides, the behaviour of a TW Z-cut Ti:LiNbO3 Mach–Zehnder optical modulator with a ridge structure is investigated.     

The influence of oxygen on the continuum emission from ion-bombarded metal surfaces

Spectral scans of 12 metals: Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mo, Ni, Pd, Si, Ti and W under Ar⁺ ion bombardment have been taken with and without backfilled oxygen in the target chamber to study the effect of oxygen on the emission of continuum radiation. Some of the observed broad band features can be attributed to sputtered metal-oxide molecular emission while other continua remain unidentified. In all cases except Pd, increasing the partial pressure of oxygen enhances the continuum emission.     

New synthetic method for orsellic acid type macrolides by intramolecular alkylation of protected cyanohydrin. The synthesis of (±)-zearalenone.

Zearalenone was synthesized by a general cyclization method of orsellic acid type macrolides having ketone moiety using the intramolecular alkylation of the protected cyanohydrin. This alkylation tolerates the presence of ester group and requires short reaction time.     

New bis- and tris-annulation reagents for the syntheses of CD rings of steroids,bearing a functionalized 18-methyl group,by the palladium-catalyzed cyclization

2-Substituted 2-alkoxycarbonyl-3-vinylcyclopentanones (2), easily prepared by the palladium-catalyzed cyclization of 2-substituted 3-oxo-8-phenoxy-6-octenoates (1), are very suitable building blocks for CD rings of steroids, bearing particularly a functionalized 18-methyl group.