Isolation, characterization, and theoretical study of La2@C78

A new metallofullerene, La2@C78, has been synthesized by DC arc discharge method, isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography, and characterized by laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry, UV-vis-NIR absorption, differential pulse voltammetry, 13C NMR spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations. The La2@C78/CS2 solution is dark violet and presents several characteristic absorption features at 647, 561, 533, and 386 nm, with an onset around 1000 nm. With respect to empty D3-C78, the capability of La2@C78 as an electron acceptor or donor is stronger. Addition of 1,1,2,2-tetrakis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-1,2-disirane to La2@C78 photochemically, as well as thermally, affords bis- and mono-adducts. Theoretical studies and 13C NMR spectroscopic analysis of La2@C78 indicate that it possesses a D3h-C78 cage (78:5).     

A facile synthesis of aliphatic polybenzoxazoles from a bis(o-aminophenol) or its hydrochloride and aliphatic dinitriles

A facile one-step method for the synthesis of aliphatic polybenzoxazoles has been developed. Thus, a series of aliphatic polybenzoxazoles having inherent viscosities of 0.2–0.7 dL/g in concentrated sulfuric acid were successfully synthesized by the melt polycondensation of alipatic dinitriles with 4,4′-diamino-3,3′-dihydroxybiphenyl (AHB) or its hydrochloride (AHB–HCl) with the elimination of ammonia or ammonium chloride, respectively. Monomer AHB–HCl was more reactive than the parent AHB, thereby affording higher molecular weight polybenzoxazoles in a shorter reaction time. The aliphatic polybenzoxazoles having 6–10 methylene units were highly crystalline with melting temperatures in the range of 187–308°C, which were stable up to 400°C in a melt state in nitrogen. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Photophysical properties of oligo(2,3-thienyleneethynylene)s

Photophysical properties of oligo(2,3-thienyleneethynylene)s (nTE, n denotes the number of thiophene rings, n = 2, 3) in benzene were investigated using steady-state, time-resolved fluorescence, and transient absorption spectroscopies. For 2TE, generation of the radiative S2 and nonradiative S1 states was confirmed. Upon excitation, the S2 state was initially generated and deactivated to the S1 state within 10 ps. The S1 state exhibited the transient absorption band at 470 nm, of which the lifetime was estimated to be 5.3 ns. In the case of 3TE, on the other hand, it was revealed that the radiative S1 state with a transient absorption peak at 650 nm was generated upon excitation. The T1 states of nTE were generated from the S1 states. The quantum yields were estimated to be 0.52 and 0.54 for 2TE and 3TE, respectively. Extremely fast reactions in the higher triplet excited state were indicated for both 2TE and 3TE.     

Alkane Oxidation with Molecular Oxygen Using a New Efficient Catalytic System: N-Hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) Combined with Co(acac)(n)() (n = 2 or 3)

A novel class of catalysts for alkane oxidation with molecular oxygen was examined. N-Hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) combined with Co(acac)(n)() (n = 2 or 3) was found to be an efficient catalytic system for the aerobic oxidation of cycloalkanes and alkylbenzenes under mild conditions. Cycloalkanes were successfully oxidized with molecular oxygen in the presence of a catalytic amount of NHPI and Co(acac)(2) in acetic acid at 100 degrees C to give the corresponding cycloalkanones and dicarboxylic acids. Alkylbenzenes were also oxidized with dioxygen using this catalytic system. For example, toluene was converted into benzoic acid in excellent yield under these conditions. Ethyl- and butylbenzenes were selectively oxidized at their alpha-positions to form the corresponding ketones, acetophenone, and 1-phenyl-1-butanone, respectively, in good yields. A key intermediate in this oxidation is believed to be the phthalimide N-oxyl radical generated from NHPI and molecular oxygen using a Co(II) species. The isotope effect (k(H)/k(D)) in the oxidation of ethylbenzene and ethylbenzene-d(10) with dioxygen using NHPI/Co(acac)(2) was 3.8.     

Large-scale separation of metallic and semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes

In the applications of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), it is extremely important to separate semiconducting and metallic SWNTs. Although several methods have been reported for the separation, only low yields have been achieved at great expense. We show a separation method involving a dispersion-centrifugation process in a tetrahydrofuran solution of amine, which makes metallic SWNTs highly concentrated to 87% in a simple way.     

Determination of some dithiocarbamates by catalytic thermometric titration

The determination of dithiocarbamates by catalytic thermometric titration is described. The dithiocarbamates can be determined in the range 0.5-20 mumole with relative errors of about 5%.     

Analysis of conjugated linoleic acids as 9-anthrylmethyl esters by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A simple and highly sensitive method for determining the fatty acid composition of food lipids containing conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is described. The method is based on the separation of the 9-anthrylmethyl ester derivatives of saturated and unsaturated (conjugated and non-conjugated) fatty acids by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Just like the other fatty acids, CLA reacts readily with 9-anthryldiazomethane at room temperature to produce 9-anthrylmethyl esters without isomerization and decomposition of the conjugated double bonds. Clear resolution of the individual fatty acids as their 9-anthrylmethyl esters is achieved on a highly efficient octadecylsilylated silica column (150- x 3-mm i.d., 3-microm particle size) using a stepwise gradient elution with methanol-water. The method is standardized with commercially available CLA isomers (cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12-octadecadienoic acids, and their cis,cis and trans,trans isomers) and applied for determination of the fatty acid compositions of milk and sdairy products.     

Direct catalytic aldol-type reactions using RCH2CN

[reaction: see text] A copper fluoride-catalyzed cyanomethylation that can be applied to a wide range of ketones and aldehydes was developed using TMSCH(2)CN as a nucleophile. The reaction was extended to a conceptually more advanced copper alkoxide-catalyzed direct addition of alkylnitriles to aldehydes, which can act as a surrogate direct catalytic aldol reaction of esters. These reactions can be applied to the first catalytic enantioselective cyanomethylation of ketones and direct catalytic enantioselective cyanomethylation of aldehydes.     

Aqueous Titanate Sols from Ti Alkoxide-α-Hydroxycarboxylic Acid System and Preparation of Titania Films from the Sols

Aqueous titanate sols were prepared by reactions of titanium tetraisopropoxide (TIP) with -hydroxycarboxylic acids in water. IR and Raman spectra, and elemental analyses of the precipitates obtained from the sols revealed that the carboxylates were chelated to titanium but the Ti species were polymerized to form a cluster that had a colloidal nature. Spin-coating of titania (TiO₂) thin films from these sols was also examined. Interestingly, it was found that (004) preferentially oriented anatase films with refractive index of 2.54 were obtained from TIP-lactic acid-NH₃ (1:1:1, molar ratio) aqueous sol. This crystallographic orientation was characteristic of the TIP-lactic acid-NH₃ (1:1:1) system, and was not affected by the kinds of substrates used and the heating rate of the film. TEM observation indicated that small anatase grains had already formed at 200°C. Therefore, the crystallographic orientation might depend strongly on the structure of the chemical species of the precursor solutions.