Detailed structural examinations of covalently immobilized gold nanoparticles onto hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces

The modification of flat semiconductor surfaces with nanoscale materials has been the subject of considerable interest. This paper provides detailed structural examinations of gold nanoparticles covalently immobilized onto hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces by a convenient thermal hydrosilylation to form Si-C bonds. Gold nanoparticles stabilized by omega-alkene-1-thiols with different alkyl chain lengths (C3, C6, and C11), with average diameters of 2-3 nm and a narrow size distribution were used. The thermal hydrosilylation reactions of these nanoparticles with hydrogen-terminated Si(111) surfaces were carried out in toluene at various conditions under N2. The obtained modified surfaces were observed by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM). The obtained images indicate considerable changes in morphology with reaction time, reaction temperature, as well as the length of the stabilizing omega-alkene-1-thiol molecules. These surfaces are stable and can be stored under ambient conditions for several weeks without measurable decomposition. It was also found that the aggregation of immobilized particles on a silicon surface occurred at high temperature (> 100 degrees C). Precise XPS measurements of modified surfaces were carried out by using a Au-S ligand-exchange technique. The spectrum clearly showed the existence of Si-C bonds. Cross-sectional HR-TEM images also directly indicate that the particles were covalently attached to the silicon surface through Si-C bonds.     

Elastic-hydrodynamic transition of gel friction

We report the surface sliding friction of a high strength gel against a glass substrate under a normal pressure range of 0.01-2.5 MPa. The friction of the gel swollen with different viscous solvents is investigated over a wide velocity range. A velocity-viscosity conversion relationship is established. From the velocity-viscosity conversion relationship, a master curve that is characteristic to the elastic-hydrodynamic transition is observed. The results indicate that the adsorption model proposed by our previous work is valid even under a pressure up to MPa orders, which is the order of pressure that a cartilage sustains in the articular joints.     

Biotransformation of citrus aromatics nootkatone and valencene by microorganisms

Biotransformations of the sesquiterpene ketone nootkatone from the crude drug Alpiniae Fructus and grapefruit oil, and the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon valencene from Valencia orange oil were carried out with microorganisms such as Aspergillus niger, Botryosphaeria dothidea, and Fusarium culmorum to afford structurally interesting metabolites. Their stereostructures were established by a combination of high-resolution NMR spectral and X-ray crystallographic analysis and chemical reaction. Metabolic pathways of compounds and by A. niger are proposed.     

Laser-induced incandescence study on the metal aerosol particles as the effect of the surrounding gas medium

The fundamental heat transfer phenomena caused by the 1064 nm pulsed laser irradiations on the molybdenum aerosol particles were investigated by monitoring the time evolutions of the incandescence spectra using an ICCD detector with a multichannel spectrograph. The particle temperatures were evaluated from the incandescence spectra with the Planck function, and the cooling processes of the laser-heated particles were investigated. By measuring the decrease in the laser-heated particle temperatures with different surrounding media, the roles of the heat transfer processes such as vaporization, thermal radiation, and heat conduction to the surrounding media were discussed. The influences of the vaporization processes on the total heat transfer phenomena were investigated by monitoring the emissions of the constituent molybdenum atoms in the laser-induced incandescence spectra of the aerosol particles and also by investigating the relationships between the intensity of the incandescence and the fluence of the 1064 nm pulsed laser. The calculations using the theory of heat conduction suggested that the diameters of the particles produced by the photolysis of Mo(CO)6 depended on the nature of the surrounding gases.     

Polarized ethylene. V. Synthesis of 1-substituted indolizine,pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine,and their related compounds using methoxyethylene derivatives

The reaction of pyridinium or isoquinolinium N-ylides with methoxy-substituted ethylenes gave the corresponding indolizine and pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives bearing acetyl, aroyl, cyano, ester group at the 1-position in one step. Pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine, pyrazolo[1,5-a]quinoline, and pyrazolo[5,1-a]isoquinolines were also synthesized in good yields from the corresponding aromatic N-imines and methoxyethylene derivatives.     

Polarized ethylenes. IV. Synthesis of polarized ethylenes using thioamides and methyl dithiocarboxylates and their application to syntheses of pyrazoles,pyrimidines, pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines,and 5-aza[2.2.3]cyclazines

Polarized ethylenes having both electron-donating (an amino or a methylthio group) and electron-accepting (cyano, carbamoyl, methyl ester) groups on the adjacent two olefinic carbon atoms were prepared by the condensation of S-alkylthioamidinium salts or methyl dithiocarboxylates with the corresponding active methylene compounds in good yields. These polarized ethylenes were alternatively synthesized by the reaction of thioamides or methyl dithiocarboxylates with tetracyanoethylene oxide in good yields. Reactions of these polarized ethylenes with hydrazine or guanidine derivatives occurred smoothly to give the corresponding pyrazole and pyrimidine derivatives in good yields. The synthesis of 5-aza[2.2.3]cyclazine derivatives using polarized ethylenes is also described.     

Formulation study for lansoprazole fast-disintegrating tablet. III. Design of rapidly disintegrating tablets

Lansoprazole fast-disintegrating tablets (LFDT) are a patient-friendly formulation that rapidly disintegrates in the mouth. LFDT consist of enteric-coated microgranules (mean particle size, approximately 300 microm) and inactive granules. In the design of the inactive granules, mannitol was used as a basic excipient. Microcrystalline cellulose, low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose (L-HPC), and crospovidone were used as binders and disintegrants. A new grade of L-HPC (L-HPC-33), with a hydroxypropoxy group content of 5.0-6.9%, was developed and it has no rough texture due to a decrease in water absorption. It was clarified that L-HPC-33 could be useful as a binder and disintegrant in rapidly disintegrating tablets. LFDT contain enteric-coated microgranules in tablet form. The enteric-coated microgranule content in LFDT affect qualities such as tensile strength, disintegration time in the mouth, and dissolution behavior in the acid stage and in the buffer stage of LFDT. The 47.4% content of the enteric-coated microgranules was selected to give sufficient tensile strength (not less than 30 N/cm(2)), rapid disintegration time in the mouth (not more than 30 s), and dissolution behavior in the acid stage and buffer stage similar to current lansoprazole capsules. Compression force affected the tensile strength and the disintegration time in the mouth, but did not affect the dissolution behavior in the acid and buffer stages.     

Carbon-carbon bond cleavage of diynes through the hydroamination with transition metal catalysts

The C-C bond cleavage of terminal and internal diynes takes place readily in the presence of catalytic amounts of Ru3(CO)12 or Pd(NO3)2 and of 2-aminophenol, giving the corresponding benzoxazoles and ketones in good to high yields. There are two different modes of the bond cleavage: (a) an alkyne C-C triple bond is cleaved, and (b) the C-C single bond between the two alkyne groups is cleaved.     

NANOSECOND LASER PHOTOLYSIS OF PHOBORHODOPSIN: FROM Natronobacterium pharaonis APPEARANCE OF KL AND L INTERMEDIATES IN THE PHOTOCYCLE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

Abstract— Photochemical and subsequent thermal reactions of pharaonis phoborhodopsin (ppR; absorption maximum, 498 nm) from Natronobacrerium pharaonis were investigated by nanosecond laser photolysis at 20°C. The experimental results clearly showed the presence of two intermediates in the photocycle of ppR besides the K, M and O intermediates detected previously. One was formed immediately after the excitation of ppR with a blue pulse (pulse width, 17 ns; wavelength, 460 nm), and the other was formed by the thermal reaction of this species. The new intermediates' absorption maxima were 512 and 488 nm, their extinction coefficients were 0.85- and 0.68-times smaller than that of ppR, and their lifetimes were 990 ns and 32 μs, respectively. The absorption and kinetic characteristics of these intermediates relative to ppR were similar to those of the KL and L intermediates of bacteriorhodopsin (bR). The formation of KL intermediates from both ppR and bR were observed only at room temperatures. On the other hand, the formation of L intermediate of bR was observed at both of room and low temperature, whereas that from ppR only at room temperature. The unique formation of L intermediate of ppR at room temperature is discussed in relation to high thermal stability of K intermediate of ppR.     

A simple and practical method for the stereoselective synthesis of (Z)-1-iodo-1-alkenes from 1,1-diiodo-1-alkenes

Treatment of the 1,1-diiodo-1-alkenes 8, prepared from the corresponding aldehydes with CI₄/PPh₃, with ZnCu/AcOH in THF-MeOH gave the (Z)-1-iodo-1-alkenes 9, selectively, in good yields.