Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) measurements on red TL (RTL) quartz samples using a new automated OSL/TL measuring system

A new automated OSL/TL measuring system, equipped with a small X-ray irradiator applicable to a single-aliquot method, has been developed. To ensure cross check between OSL and RTL, the naturally accumulated doses evaluated with OSL and RTL measurements were compared. The results nearly agreed with each other, although the ages estimated from the experimental data were different from the real ages of Shin-Yakushiji temple because of the uncertainty of the annual dose. Nevertheless, it was concluded that the application of this system to the dating could be performed owing to uses of the luminescence measurements.     

Reactions of a Silylyne Complex with Aldehydes: Formation of W−Si−O−C Four-Membered Metallacycles and Their Metathesis-Like Fragmentation

A tungsten silylyne complex having a W≡Si triple bond reacted with two molecules of aldehydes at room temperature to give W−Si−O−C four-membered metallacycles by [2+2] cycloaddition and subsequent formyl hydrogen transfer from one aldehyde molecule to another. Upon heating to 70 °C, the four-membered metallacycles underwent metathesis-like fragmentation cleanly to afford carbyne complexes and “silanoic esters,” in a manner similar to that of metallacyclobutadiene, an intermediate of alkyne metathesis reactions, and dimerization of the latter products gave 1,3-cyclodisiloxanes. The “silanoic ester” was also trapped by pivalaldehyde to give a [2+2] cycloaddition product in high yield.     

Star-Shaped Ruthenium Complexes as Prototypes of Molecular Gears

The design and synthesis of two families of molecular-gear prototypes is reported, with the aim of assembling them into trains of gears on a surface and ultimately achieving controlled intermolecular gearing motion. These piano-stool ruthenium complexes incorporate a hydrotris(indazolyl)borate moiety as tripodal rotation axle and a pentaarylcyclopentadienyl ligand as star-shaped cogwheel, equipped with five teeth ranging from pseudo-1D aryl groups to large planar 2D paddles. A divergent synthetic approach was followed, starting from a pentakis(p-bromophenyl)cyclopentadienyl ruthenium(II) complex as key precursor or from its iodinated counterpart, obtained by copper-catalyzed aromatic Br/I exchange. Subsequent fivefold cross-coupling reactions with various partners allowed high structural diversity to be reached and yielded molecular-gear prototypes with aryl-, carbazole-, BODIPY- and porphyrin-derived teeth of increasing size and length.     

Length dependence of the optical transition energies of the exactly solvable Hubbard model for linear polyenes

Some accurate results on the length dependence of the excitation energies from the ground state to ionic excited states in the Hubbard model of linear polyenes are obtained based on the method of Lieb and Wu. To this end, it is first shown that singly ionic excited states with “plus” alternancy symmetry in the Hubbard model are described by the wave functions in which the two electron operator [∑(?)ⁿCC] is acted on (N ? 2)-electron covalent eigenstates. Then by solving the Lieb-Wu equations the exact excitation energies of the lowest ionic state, which corresponds to the E state in this model, are calculated for systems with up to 50 electrons. The result, together with a correction for the end effect, indicates that the excitation energies do not decrease as 1/N but converge to the limiting value more rapidly when the number of electrons N becomes large.     

Neutron activation analysis of trace metals in the hair and organs of small animals treated chronically with Hg and Mn

For the purpose of studying the secretion of exogenous toxic metals into hair, relation between their concentrations in hair and those in organs, and the metal shift, Hg or Mn was orally administered to guinea pigs for protracted periods, the distributions of metals in hair and organs were examined by means of neutron activation analysis. It was found that the administration of Hg at high dose resulted in abnormally high Hg levels in hair from the 2nd dosing week and in organs after 25 week dosing, and in a reduced motor activity after 25 week administration. There occurred metal shifts in hair as well. Administration of Mn at high doses, on the other hand, showed no such biological influences, although a dose-dependent increase of Mn in hair was detected with time.     

Redox behavior of ferrocene-containing rotaxane: transposition of the rotaxane wheel by redox reaction of a ferrocene moiety tethered at the end of the axle

A rotaxane with a ferrocene moiety at the axle terminus was prepared. The redox potential of the ferrocene moiety decreased by ca. 80 mV when the rotaxane had a crown ether wheel capable of moving on the axle. Thus, the stabilization of the oxidized state of the ferrocene moiety is assumed to accompany the transposition of the wheel component on the axle toward the ferrocene moiety. [reaction--see text]     

Manganese(II) o ctacyanotungstate(V)-based magnet containing a noncoordinated aromatic molecule

We have prepared a pillared layer magnetic material containing a noncoordinated aromatic molecule, [{MnII(pyrimidine)(H2O)}2{MnII(H2O)2}{WV(CN)8}2](pyrimidine)2.2H2O. This compound has one-dimensional channels (6.2 x 2.1 A) that are occupied by noncoordinated pyrimidine. The magnetization versus temperature plots showed the magnetic phased transition temperature (TC) was 47 K. The magnetization versus external magnetic field plots showed that the saturation magnetization (MS) value was 13.0 muB at 2 K. This MS value indicates that an antiferromagnetic interaction operates between the WV (S = 1/2) and MnII (S = 5/2) ions. The magnetic hysteresis loop showed that the coercive field (HC) was 17 G at 2 K.     

Solvent extraction of technetium in urine with TBP

The solvent extraction of technetium from urine with TBP has been investigated. The distribution ratio of technetium was determined as a function of HCl concentration and reaction time. The distribution ratio in the HCl-TBP system containing urine is consistently lower than that without urine. The chemical forms of technetium in urine, analyzed by paper chromatography, indicated that pertechnetate was reduced in the presence of HCl and that the reduction of pertechnetate was enhanced by urine. The observed decrease in the distribution ratio was attributed to the enhanced reduction of pertechnetate by urine.