Low-temperature STM/STS studies on boron-doped (1 1 1) diamond films

We have performed scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) experiments on (1 1 1)-oriented epitaxial films of heavily boron-doped diamond (T_c∼5.4 K). We present that tunneling conductance spectra show temperature-dependent spatial variations. In the low-temperature region (T=0.47 K), the tunneling spectra do not show strong spatial dependence and a superconducting energy gap is observed independent of the surface morphology. In the high-temperature region (T=4.2 K), on the other hand, the tunneling conductance spectra show significant spatial dependence, indicating the inhomogeneous distribution of the superconducting property due to the distribution of boron atoms.     

The reaction of 2-arylsulfonyloxytropones and active methylene compounds The formation of 8-hydroxy-2H-cyclohepta[b]furan-2-one and 2-amino-8H-cyclohepta[b]furan-8-one derivatives

Reaction of 2-arylsulfonyloxytropones (IV) and active methylene compounds, diethyl malonate, ethyl acetoacetate, ethyl cyanoacetate, malononitrile or cyanoacetamide, in the presence of NaOEt give 8-hydroxy-2H-cyclohepta[b]furan-2-one derivatives (V) and/or 2-amino-8H-cyclohepta[b]furan-8-one derivatives (VII), in addition to azulene derivatives (1) or 2H-cyclohepta(b]furan-2-one derivatives (II), known to be obtained by the reaction of 2-chlorotropones or 2-methoxytropones with active methylene compounds. Relative yields of products are influenced markedly by conditions, e.g. base type or molar ratios. The formation of V and VII is characteristic of 2-arylsulfonyloxytropones, not being observed with 2-chlorotropones or 2-methoxytropones. A reaction course involving elimination of the arylsulfonyl group as arenesulfinate ion is presented.     

Ab-initio calculations of Raman, IR-active vibrational modes in isotopically modified B12 icosahedral clusters

Computational calculations of Becke's three-parameter hybrid method using the LYP correlation functional (B3LYP) have been performed on (B₁₂H₁₂)²⁻ dodecaborane anions with different boron isotopic compositions. This was done in order to investigate isotopic dependence of vibrational spectral properties of B₁₂ icosahedra, and for comparison of the optical vibrational properties of the icosahedral molecule with the characteristics of inter- or intra-icosahedral optical phonon vibrational modes in boron-rich crystals.     

Sigmatropic Rearrangements of Hypervalent‐Iodine‐Tethered Intermediates for the Synthesis of Biaryls

Metal‐free dehydrogenative couplings of aryliodanes with phenols to afford 2‐hydroxy‐2′‐iodobiaryls have been developed. This reaction proceeds through ligand exchange on the hypervalent iodine atom followed by a [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement and with complete regioselectivity. This coupling, in combination with in situ oxidation by mCPBA, enables the convenient conversion of iodoarenes into desirable biaryls. The obtained biaryls have convertible iodo and hydroxy groups in close proximity, and are thus synthetically useful, as exemplified by the controlled syntheses of π‐extended furans and a substituted [5]helicene. DFT calculations clearly revealed that the rearrangement is sigmatropic, with C?C bond formation and I?O bond cleavage proceeding in a concerted manner. Acetic acid, which was found to be the best solvent for this protocol, renders the iodine atom more cationic and thus accelerates the sigmatropic rearrangement.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Insertion of Isocyanides into the C−S Bonds of Heteroaryl Sulfides

Insertion of tert‐butyl isocyanide into the C(sp²)?S bonds of heteroaryl sulfides is catalyzed by a palladium diphosphine complex. Thioimidates generated through this reaction could be readily hydrolyzed under acidic conditions to yield the corresponding thioesters, which are of synthetic use. This insertion is useful because starting heteroaryl sulfides were readily prepared by either conventional ways or through sulfur‐specific extended Pummerer reactions.     

The origin of the decline in the photocatalytic activity of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> in the decomposition of NO: TPD spectra of the adsorbed NO species

In order to investigate the cause of the decline in the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ in the decomposition of NO in a flow reaction system, detailed TPD measurements of the photocatalysts were carried out after the photoreactions. It was found that the TPD peak assigned to the adsorbed NO species observed at around 524 K is directly associated with a decline in the photocatalytic activity. The TPD spectrum of the adsorbed NO species consisted of three different types of species. The -adsorbed species of NO, formed under UV irradiation on the active surface sites, was found to cause a remarkable decline in the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂. It was also found that this decline could be recovered to its original activity by heat treatment with Ar and/or O₂ at around 573 K.     

Construction of Biaryls from Aryl Sulfoxides and Anilines by Means of a Sigmatropic Rearrangement

An unprecedented S−N variant of the benzidine rearrangement for construction of biaryls has been developed. Aryl sulfoxides underwent dehydrogenative coupling with anilines by successive treatment with trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid to provide the corresponding 2-amino-2′-sulfanyl- and/or 4-amino-4′-sulfanylbiphenyls. Mechanistic studies indicate that the C−C-bond-forming sigmatropic rearrangement proceeds intramolecularly from dicationic S−N-tethered species.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of bacterial cellulose/chitosan porous scaffold

A family of polysaccharide based scaffold materials, bacterial cellulose/chitosan (BC/CTS) porous scaffolds with various weight ratios (from 20/80 to 60/40 w/w%) were prepared by freezing (−30 and −80 °C) and lyophilization of a mixture of microfibrillated BC suspension and chitosan solution. The microfibrillated BC (MFC) was subjected to 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpyperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation to introduce surface carboxyl groups before mixing. The integration of MFC within chitosan matrix was performed by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC)-mediated cross-linking. The covalent amide bond formation was determined by ATR-FTIR. Because of this covalent coupling, the scaffolds retain their original shapes during autoclave sterilization. The composite scaffolds are three-dimensional open pore microstructure with pore size ranging from 120 to 280 μm. The freezing temperature and mean pore size take less effect on scaffold mechanical properties. The compressive modulus and strength increased with increase in MFC content. The results show that the scaffolds of higher MFC content contribute to overall better mechanical properties.     

C−F Arylation of Polyfluorophenols by Means of Sigmatropic Dearomatization/Defluorination Sequence

Selective C−F arylation of polyfluorophenols with aryl sulfoxides has been accomplished by means of a sigmatropic dearomatization/defluorination sequence. This sequence consists of three processes: 1) interrupted Pummerer reaction to form S−O-tethered sulfonium salt; 2) C−C-forming [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement with dearomatization; and 3) Zn-mediated defluorinative rearomatization. The present biaryl construction provides a facile access to polyfluorinated biaryls that is difficult to synthesize by other methods. The synthetic utility of the strategy is clearly demonstrated by the synthesis of a fluorinated analogue of Maxipost, a potassium channel modulator.     

Combined molecular and supramolecular bottom-up nanoengineering for enhanced nonlinear optical response: experiments, modeling, and approaching the fundamental limit

The authors study the combination of two independent strategies that enhance the hyperpolarizability of ionic organic chromophores. The first molecular-level strategy is the extension of the conjugation path in the active chromophore. The second supramolecular-level strategy is the bottom-up nanoengineering of an inclusion complex of the chromophore in an amylose helix by self-assembly. The authors study a series of five (dimethylamino)stilbazolium-type chromophores with increasing conjugation length between the (dimethylamino)phenyl donor ring and the pyridinium acceptor ring in conjunction with four amylose helices of differing molecular weights. The first hyperpolarizabilities of the self-assembled inclusion complexes, as determined with frequency-resolved femtosecond hyper-Rayleigh scattering at 800 and 1300 nm, are compared with experimental values for the free chromophores in solution and with theoretical values. While the experimental values for the hyperpolarizability in solution are lower than the theoretically predicted values, an enhancement upon inclusion is observed, with the longest chromophore in the best amylose helix showing an enhancement by one order of magnitude. Molecular modeling of the inclusion of the chromophore suggests that the coplanarity of the two rings is more important than all-trans configuration in the conjugation path. The fundamental limit analysis indicates that the inclusion inside the amylose helix results in an optimal excited-level energy spacing that is responsible for breaching the apparent limit.