Asymmetric polymerization of N‐substituted maleimides with chiral oxazolidine–organolithium

Asymmetric anionic homopolymerizations of achiral N‐substituted maleimides (RMI) were performed with lithium 4‐alkyl‐2,2‐dialkyloxazolidinylamide. All obtained polymers were optically active, exhibiting opposite optical rotation to that of a corresponding oxazolidinyl group at the terminal of the main chain. This suggests that opposite optical rotation to the corresponding chiral oxazolidine was induced to the polymer main chain. In the polymerization using a fluorenyllithium (FlLi)–oxazolidine complex, the obtained polymer with a fluorenyl group at the polymer end showed a negative specific rotation. This also suggests that asymmetric induction took place in the polymer main chain. The asymmetric induction was supported by the circular dichroism (CD) and GPC analysis with polarimetric detector. Optical activity of the polymer was attributed to different contents of (S,S) and (R,R) structures formed from threo‐diisotactic additions, as supported by the ¹³C‐NMR spectra of the polymers and the model compounds. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 473–482, 1999     

Hydrostatic Extrusion of Poly(L-Lactide)

Poly-L-Lactide(PLLA) has been used as a bone fracture fixation material for several years. However, its mechanical properties are still not satisfied. To improve its mechanical properties, we examined the hydrostatic extrusion procedure on the PLLA rods made by Injection Molding process. The extrusion ratio was adjusted to 3, 6, 9, and 12. The molecular weight of the PLLA decreased from 260,000 to 200,000 after injection molding process, but it did not change during the hydrostatic extrusion procedure. The melting point of PLLA hydrostatic extrusion products were increased with the extrusion ratio, but the increment was not obviouse. Extrusion products having low extrusion ratio had α-form crystal in them, extrusion products having high extrusion ratio had both of α and β-form crystall in them. At extrusion temperature of 145°C, PLLA rods showed the best flowing trends in the pressure medium of PEG 400. Extrusion temperature is placed in the range of crystalline transition temperature and melting point of PLLA. At extrusion ratio 9∼12, the extrusion products showed the best mechanical properties. The highest bending strength of the extrusion product was over than 350MPa. It is far stronger than that of the human cortical bone (200MPa). SEM observations showed that the fiber structure began to appear at an extrusion ratio ER=3, and at the extrusion ratio ER=6, the chain axes of PLLA became aligned to the extrusion direction. The structure of extrusion products at the high extrusion ratio showed highly oriented fiber structure composed of micro-fibril. At high extrusion ratio tranformation from α-crystal to β-crystal was also observed.     

Variation of the Alexander-Conway polynomial under Dehn surgery

Let ε₁ and ε₂ belong to {±1}. When the ε₁-surgery along a knot K₁ in S³ produces the same homology sphere as the ε₂-surgery along a knot K₂ in S³, then the Casson surgery formula implies that ε₁Δ_K1″(1)=ε₂Δ_K2″(1), where Δ(t) denotes the symmetric Alexander polynomial. For any pair (Λ₁(t),Λ₂(t)) of possible knot Alexander polynomials such that ε₁Λ₁″(1)=ε₂Λ₂″(1), we exhibit a pair (K₁,K₂) of knots in S³ such that Δ_K1(t)=Λ₁(t), Δ_K2(t)=Λ₂(t) and the ε₁-surgery along K₁ produces the same homology sphere as the ε₂-surgery along K₂.     

Evaluation of the Secondary Pore Structure of Hydrothermally- and Acid-treated Faujasite Type Zeolites

With regard to H-Y type zeolites dealuminated by hydrothermal and acid treatments, their physical properties were characterized by measurements of 29Si- and 27Al-MAS-NMR, IR, and X-ray diffraction. The secondary pores were quantitatively analyzed by the t-plot method for nitrogen adsorption isotherm at liquid nitrogen temperature and were then compared with the results of samples dealuminated by SiCl4 treatment.The plateau region of the nitrogen adsorption isotherm diminished as hydrothermal and acid treatments proceeded, with the result that the shape of the t-plot changed to that of three straight sections. This t-plot shape suggested that the secondary pores with relatively consistent sizes could develop with the progress of the treatment. On the other hand, SiCl4 treatment was found to produce less secondary pores than hydrothermal and acid treatments. The surface area of micropores calculated from the t-plots gave a considerably higher value than values obtained from the BET equation and from that calculated geometrically. This is attributable to the micropore filling effect.     

Peierls transition in TaS3

Transition-metal trichalcogenide, TaS₃, with an orthorhombic structure was found to undergo a metal-semiconductor transition at 270 K. Electron diffraction reveals diffuse scattering above room temperature and superlattice spots at a lower temperature. These phenomena are interpreted in terms of Peierls transition.     

Surface characterization of modified glass fibers by inverse gas chromatography

The dispersive component of the surface free energy _d ^s of glass fibers and their acid-base interaction can be evaluated by the measurement of specific retention volumes of several kinds of probe molecules by use of an inverse gas chromatography. The effect of the treatment of glass fibers with silane-coupling agents was also evaluated. The specific retention volumes of n-alkanes changed linearly with theirC number or vapor pressure. Those of polar molecules varied with their donor number (DN) or acceptor number (AN). The _s ^d values and electron-accepting or donating abilities depended upon the kind of functional groups contained in the coupling agents.