Adsorption of anions to zirconium(IV) and titanium(IV) chemically immobilized on gel-phase

Adsorption behaviors of 25 anions to zirconium(IV) and titanium(IV) chemically immobilized on a gel-phase were studied by ion chromatography and by batch adsorption experiments. The affinities of Zr(IV) to iminodiacetate as an anchoring group and to anions as a sample are much stronger than those of Ti(IV). On a Zr(IV) column, fourteen anions showed no retention, four anions showed pH-dependent retention in a low pH region, and seven anions were irreversibly adsorbed at pH <7. In the last group, fluoride was adsorbed both by the ligand exchange mechanism and the addition mechanism, while phosphate, arsenate and selenite were only by the ligand exchange mechanism. The structures of the adsorbed species are discussed.     

Density functional theory investigation of Eu(III) complexes with beta-diketonates and phosphine oxides: model complexes of fluorescence compounds for ultraviolet LED devices

The density functional theory was employed to investigate Eu(III) complexes with three beta-diketonates and two phosphine oxides (complex M1: Eu(bdk)3(TPPO)2, complex M2: Eu(bdk)3(TMPO)2, and complex M3: Eu(bdk)3(TPPO)(TMPO)) deemed to be the model complexes of the fluorescence compounds for the ultraviolet LED devices we have recently developed. For each complex, two minimum energy points corresponding to two different optimized geometries (structures A and B) have been found, and the difference of the energy between two minimum energy points is found to be quite small (less than 1 kcal/mol). Vertical excitation energies and oscillator strengths for each complex at two optimized geometries have been obtained by the time-dependent density functional theory, and the character of the excited states has been investigated. For complex M3, the absorption edge is red-shifted, and the oscillator strengths are relatively large. The efficiency of intersystem crossing and energy transfer from the triplet excited state to the Eu(III) ion is considered by calculating DeltaE(ISC) (the energy difference between the first singlet excited state and the first triplet excited state) and DeltaE(ET) (the difference between the excitation energy of the complex for the first triplet excited state and the emission energy of the Eu(III) ion for 5D to 7F).     

Palladium(0) complexes coordinated with substituted olefins and tertiary phosphine ligands

New palladium(0) complexes with a variety of coordinated olefins [Pd(olefin)(PMePh₂)₂] (II) (olefin = styrene, ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, methacrylonitrile, and dimethyl maleate), were prepared by the reactions of [PdEt₂(PMePh₂)₂] (I) with corresponding olefins in toluene. These complexes were characterized by means of elemental analysis, IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy and the chemical reactions. The dissociation of the coordinated olefin from complex II in solution was confirmed by spectroscopic studies of [Pd(mma)(PMePh₂)₂] (mma = methyl methacrylate). From the variable temperature NMR study, kinetic parameters for the dissociation process were determined as E_a = 7 kcal/mol, and ΔS³ (293 K) = -30 cal/deg · mol. Some new hydrido complexes, [Pd(H)ClL₂] (IV) (L = PMePh₂, PEtPh₂ and PEt₂Ph), were prepared by the reactions of [Pd(olefin)L₂] with dry HCl.     

Improved assay for catechol-O-methyltransferase activity utilizing norepinephrine as an enzymatic substrate and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

We have previously established a rapid catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) assay using norepinephrine (NE) as a natural substrate and flow-injection analysis. In this study, the method is improved for screening of COMT inhibitors or activators using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic separation with fluorescence detection. The excess substrate, NE, was removed by the addition of borate in the eluent for HPLC to make an ionic complex with NE, which was eluted faster than the enzymatic product, normetanephrine. The method had good precision and accuracy, and was able to assay one sample in 5 min, showing the usability for screening of COMT inhibitors or activators.     

γ-irradiation of polypropylene in vacuum and in air

Polypropylene films were irradiated with ⁶⁰Co γ-rays in vacuum or in air and stored in air. Just after irradiation, the concentration of carbonyl group of the sample irradiated in air only increased with dose. The concentrations of both samples increased with storage time. The more the absorbed doses, the higher the increasing rates. The increasing rate of the concentration of carbonyl group during irradiation in air was higher than those during storage in air. Just after irradiation, the tensile strengths and the elongations of the both samples somewhat increased with dose at the doses less than 5 Mrad, but decreased at doses more than 13 Mrad. The tensile strength and the elongation of the sample irradiated in air decreased with storage time. Those of the sample irradiated in vacuum also decreased with storage time but the decreasing rates were much smaller than those in the sample irradiated in air. The gel fractions of the samples irradiated in vacuum and annealed in vacuum were somewhat higher than those irradiated in vacuum and not annealed. To elucidate high oxidation rate in the sample irradiated in air during and after irradiation, reaction mechanisms were discussed. To clarify the difference of mechanical properties between the samples irradiated in vacuum and in air, the effect of crosslink was considered, together with the oxidation.     

Catalytic transformation of methane over in-loaded ZSM-5 zeolite in the presence of ethene

Methane is shown to react with ethene over In-loaded ZSM-5 to higher hydrocarbons such as propene and toluene at around 673 K. Such methane conversion is not catalyzed by proton-exchanged ZSM-5 (H-ZSM-5) under the same conditions, only C2H4 being converted to higher hydrocarbons. By using 13C-labeled methane (13CH4) as a reactant, the reaction paths for the formation of propene, benzene and toluene were examined. 13C-labeled propene (13CC2H6) is formed by the reaction of 13CH4 with C2H4. The lack of 13C-labeled benzene revealed that propene is not transformed to benzene, which instead originates entirely from C2H4. The 13C atom is inserted both into the methyl group and benzene ring in the toluene formed. This indicates that toluene is formed by two reaction paths; the reaction of 13CC2H6 with butenes formed by the dimerization of C2H4 and the reaction of benzene with 13CH4. The existence of the latter path was proved by the direct reaction of 13CH4 with benzene. The reaction of methane with benzene was also carried out in a continuous flow system over In-loaded ZSM-5. The reaction afforded 7.6% and 0.9% yields of toluene and xylenes, respectively, at 623 K.     

TYROSINE-SENSITIZED PHOTODIMERIZATION OF THYMINE IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION

Abstract. Photodimerization of thymine in aqueous solution in the presence of tyrosine was studied with monochromatic UV irradiation. The total dimer formation was sensitized in the presence of tyrosine. The action spectrum of sensitized total dimer formation has a peak near 280 nm corresponding to the absorption maximum of tyrosine. Triplet quenchers reduced the sensitization substantially. It seems probable that tyrosine-sensitized photodimerization of thymine occurred via triplet-triplet energy transfer from tyrosine to thymine.     

Preparation and properties of aromatic copolyamides from aromatic diisocyanates and aromatic dicarboxylic acids

Wholly aromatic random copolyamides of high molecular weights were prepared by the high-temperature solution polycondensation of an aromatic diisocyanate, 4,4′-methylenedi(phenyl isocyanate) or 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate, with a mixture of isophthalic acid and 4,4′-oxydibenzoic acid. Glass transition temperatures of the polyamides and copolyamides were between 229 and 273°C; this depended on the combination of diisocyanates and dicarboxylic acids used. These aromatic copolyamides showed better solubility in various organic solvents and reduced crystallinity, compared to the corresponding homopolyamides. The copolyamides prepared from 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate had greater solubility and higher glass transition temperatures than those obtained from 4,4′-methylenedi(phenyl isocyanate).     

Amplification of chirality from molecules into morphology of crystals through molecular recognition

We have found a novel type of morphological chiral tuning on inorganic helical crystals through stereochemical recognition of organic molecules. Helical forms consisting of twisted twins emerged from triclinic crystals under diffusion-limited conditions. The proportion of the right- and left-handed helices was precisely tuned with the addition of a specified amount of chiral molecules, such as d- and l-glutamic acids. The chiral molecules recognized the enantiomeric surface of the triclinic crystal and then changed the growth behavior of the helical morphology. As a result, the microscopic chiral information, at a molecular level, was amplified into the macroscopic helices consisting of inorganic achiral components.     

Radical-initiated homo- and copolymerization of α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone

The kinetics of α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone (α-MBL) homopolymerization was investigated in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) with azobis(isobutyronitrile) as initiator. The rate of polymerization (R_p) was expresed by R_p = k[AIBN]^0.54[α-MBL]^1.1 and the overall activation energy was calculated as 76.1 kJ/mol. Kinetic constants for α-MBL polymerization were obtained as follows: k_p/k_t^1/2 = 0.161 L^1/2 mol^?1/2·s^?1/2; 2fk_d = 2.18 × 10^?5 s^?1. The relative reactivity ratios of α-MBL(M₂) copolymerization with styrene (r₁ = 0.14, r₂ = 0.87) were obtained. Applying the Q–e scheme led to Q = 2.2 and e = 0.65. These Q and e values for α-MBL are higher than those for MMA