Dispersion and separation of small-diameter single-walled carbon nanotubes

The dispersion of small-diameter single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) produced by the CoMoCAT method in tetrahydrofuran (THF) with the use of amine was studied. The absorption, photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopies showed that the dispersion and centrifugation process leads to an effective separation of metallic SWNTs from semiconducting SWNTs. Since this method is simple and convenient, it is highly applicable to an industrial utilization for widespread applications of SWNTs.     

Hadamard transform capillary electrophoresis combined with laser-induced fluorometry using electrokinetic injection

Hadamard transform capillary electrophoresis (HTCE) based on electrokinetic injection allows laser-induced fluorescence detection using a small laser, namely the laser-diode-pumped YAG laser, as an excitation source. A small hole is fabricated at the center of a capillary by laser ablation; this hole functions as an inlet port for a sample solution. Therefore, the sample solution can be introduced electrophoretically into the capillary through the small hole. Multiple sample injection is accomplished by introducing a buffer solution from the end of the capillary and the sample solution through the hole. Both solutions are injected using two sets of high-voltage power supplies and migrate toward the opposite end of the capillary. A fluorescent analyte, rhodamine B, is successfully detected in the case of both single and multiple injection according to the Hadamard sequence code. By transforming the data encoded by the Hadamard matrix, the decoded data showed an increase in the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio by a factor of 9.8. In the case of the sample containing two amino acids labeled with rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RBITC), although the concentration of every component including free RBITC is lower than the concentration limit of detection obtained by single injection, a substantial improvement in the sensitivity is achieved and all components are identified by the Hadamard transform technique.     

84% catalyst activity of water-assisted growth of single walled carbon nanotube forest characterization by a statistical and macroscopic approach

We propose a statistical and macroscopic analysis to estimate the catalyst activity of water-assisted growth (super-growth) of single-walled nanotubes (SWNT) and to characterize SWNT forests. The catalyst activity was estimated to be 84% (+/-6%), the highest ever reported. The SWNT forest was found to be a very sparse material where SWNTs represent only 3.6% of the total volume. This structural sparseness is believed to play a critical role in achieving highly efficient growth.     

Synthesis of pyrrolidine-fused [34]- and [36]octaphyrins via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition

[reaction: see text] The utility of expanded porphyrins as a dipolarophile in cycloaddition reactions has been investigated. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of meso-octakis(pentafluorophenyl)[36]octaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1) with an azomethine ylide provides mono- and bis-pyrrolidine-fused octaphyrins regio- and stereoselectively. Treatment of the cycloadduct with MnO(2) afforded [34]octaphyrin quantitatively.     

Ru(II)-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of 1,2-bis(propiolyl)benzenes with monoalkynes leading to substituted anthraquinones

[2 + 2 + 2] cycloadditions of 1,2-bis(propiolyl)benzenes with monoalkynes were effectively catalysed by Cp*RuCl(cod) under mild conditions to give substituted anthraquinones in moderate to high yields.     

5-Chloro-8-quinolyl group as high efficient phosphate protecting group for the synthesis of oligoribonucleotides

5-Chloro-8-quinolyl group is found to be very suitable for the protecting group on phosphates in the internucleotidic bonds. The oligoribonucleotides were obtained in good yields by a simple procedure using this phosphate protecting group.     

A new synthesis of dienone lactones using a combination of hypervalent iodine(III) reagent and heteropoly acid

The oxidation of non-phenolic alkanoic acid derivatives to oxygen heterocycles was investigated; a new oxidative route to dienone lactones has been developed using a combination of hypervalent iodine(III) reagent, phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate)(PIFA), and heteropoly acid (HPA).     

Selective matching of catalyst element and carbon source in single-walled carbon nanotube synthesis on silicon substrates

We have studied the compatibility of various catalysts for ethylene and ethanol chemical vapor deposition (CVD) syntheses of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on Si substrates. A strong selectivity between the catalyst elemental species and carbon source was found; SWNT yield for Fe (Co) catalysts was much higher for ethylene (ethanol) CVD than for ethanol (ethylene) CVD. This strong and completely opposite selectivity implies significantly different SWNT growth mechanisms for ethanol and ethylene CVD on Si substrates.     

Catalytic mechanism of class A beta-lactamase. I. The role of Glu166 and Serl30 in the deacylation reaction

The tetrahedral intermediate formation process, which is the first step in the deacylation reaction by class A beta-lactamase, was investigated by the ab initio molecular orbital method. In this study, benzyl penicillin was used as the substrate. From the results of our molecular dynamics study of the structure of beta-lactam antibiotics-beta-lactamase complex, the substrate, Ser70, Lys73, Ser130, Glu166 and a water molecule for the deacylation reaction were considered for construction of a model for calculation. The calculation results indicated that Glu166 plays a role in holding a water molecule, which is necessary for the deacylation reaction, and that the hydrogen bond network among Lys73Nzeta, Ser130Ogamma, and the carboxyl group of the beta-lactam antibiotics was formed by the uptake of beta-lactam antibiotics by beta-lactamase. The activation energy for this reaction was 33.3 kcal/mol, and it is very likely that the reaction occurred at body temperature. Subsequent calculation results obtained by using the model excluding Ser130 and the carboxyl group of the substrate indicated that the activation energy for this reaction was 40.8 kcal/mol, which is 7.5 kcal/mol higher than that of the previous reaction. It was found that the hydrogen bond network plays an important role in decreasing the activation energy for the tetrahedral intermediate formation reaction. Lys73Nzeta, which is located at the edge of the hydrogen bond network, played a role in forming a hydrogen bond with Glu166Oepsilon in order to help the deacylation reaction. The role of amino acid residues around the active site of class A beta-lactamase was also discussed.     

Reactions of guaiazulene with methyl terephthalaldehydate and 2-hydroxy- and 4-hydroxybenzaldehydes in methanol in the presence of hexafluorophosphoric acid: comparative studies on molecular structures and spectroscopic, chemical and electrochemical properties of monocarbocations stabilized by 3-guaiazulenyl and phenyl groups

Reaction of guaiazulene (1) with methyl terephthalaldehydate (2) in methanol in the presence of hexafluorophosphoric acid at 25 °C for 2 h under aerobic conditions gives (3-guaiazulenyl)[4-(methoxycarbonyl)phenyl]methylium hexafluorophosphate (5) in 94% yield. Similarly, reactions of 1 with 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde (3) and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (4) under the same reaction conditions as 2 give (3-guaiazulenyl)(2-hydroxyphenyl)methylium hexafluorophosphate (6) and (3-guaiazulenyl)(4-hydroxyphenyl)methylium hexafluorophosphate (7) in 89 and 97% yields, respectively. Comparative studies on the molecular structures as well as the spectroscopic, chemical and electrochemical properties of the monocarbocation compounds 5-7 stabilized by 3-guaiazulenyl and 4-(methoxycarbonyl)phenyl (or 2-hydroxy- or 4-hydroxyphenyl) groups are reported.