Rapid crystallization of amorphous silicon utilizing a radio-frequency thermal plasma torch

The rapid crystallization of amorphous silicon utilizing the radio-frequency (rf) inductive coupling thermal plasma torch of argon is demonstrated. Highly-crystallized Si films were fabricated on thermally grown (th-)SiO₂ and textured a-Si:H:B/SnO₂/glass by adjusting a distance between the tip of the silica tube and the substrate stage and the translational velocity of the substrate stage. The crystallization was promoted efficiently from the bottom to front surface during the solidification and crystallization of liquid Si.     

Toroidal actions on level 1 modules ofU_q (\widehat{\mathfrak{s}\mathfrak{l}}_n )

Recently Varagnolo and Vasserot established that theq-deformed Fock spaces due to Hayashi, and Kashiwara, Miwa and Stern, admit actions of the quantum toroidal algebra with the level (0,1). In the present article we propose a more detailed proof of this fact than the one given by Varagnolo and Vasserot. The quantum toroidal action on the Fock space depends on a certain parameter . We find that with a specific choice of this parameter, the action on the Fock spaces gives rise to the toroidal action on irreducible level-1 highest weight modules of the affine quantum algebra . Similarly, by a specific choice of the parameter, the level (1,0) vertex representation of the quantum totoidal algebra gives rise to a structure on irreducible level-1 highest weight -modules.Supported by the JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists.     

Thiourea-catalyzed Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

Here, we describe our studies on the thiourea-catalyzed Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction. Chemoselective activation of carbonyl compounds via hydrogen bonding to thiourea as a catalyst is the key to drastic rate acceleration of this reaction. The application of chiral bis-thiourea-type organocatalysts, which can form a chiral double hydrogen-bonding network, is effective for enantioselective MBH reaction. A cooperative system of bis-thiourea compounds, synthesized from 1,2-diaminocyclohexane, and a Lewis base effectively promotes the MBH reaction at lower temperature, affording the MBH adducts in 33-95% yield with 44-90% ee. A plausible transition state model of the enantioselective MBH reaction is presented.     

Identification of degradation products in loxoprofen sodium adhesive tapes by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and dynamic pressurized liquid extraction-solid-phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Rapid and unambiguous identification of three degradation products (DP-1, DP-2 and DP-3) found in heat-stressed loxoprofen sodium adhesive tapes (Loxonin tapes) was achieved by LC-MS and dynamic pressurized liquid extraction (PLE)-solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled to LC-NMR without complicated isolation or purification processes. The molecular formulae of the degradation products were determined by accurate mass measurements and product ion analyses and on-line hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange experiments provided information about changes in the degradation of loxoprofen. To compensate for the low sensitivity of NMR, on-line dynamic PLE-SPE was employed and higher concentrations of degradation products trapped on the SPE column were afforded in a shorter time than they would be in such time-consuming sample preparations as pre-concentration after extraction. The loop-storage procedure was used in the LC-NMR analysis to allow the acquisition of the (1)H spectra of the three degradation products in one chromatographic run without affecting the peak separation and to avoid the carry-over of previously eluted DP-1 of high concentration by washing the NMR detection cell prior to the measurement of the DP-2 spectrum. Based on the resulting (1)H NMR spectra in combination with the MS results, DP-1 was successfully identified as an oxidation product having an oxodicarboxylic acid structure formed by the cleavage of the cyclopentanone ring of loxoprofen, DP-2 as a cyclopentanone ring-hydroxylated loxoprofen and DP-3 as a loxoprofen l-menthol ester.     

Copper-catalyzed addition reactions of aromatics and ketones to 2-aza-2,4-cyclopentadienone: facile and efficient transformation of carbonyl-ene-nitriles to 1H-pyrrolin-2(5H)-ones

Copper-catalyzed reactions of carbonyl-ene-nitriles with carbon nucleophiles, such as aromatics and ketones, afforded pyrrolin-2-ones (gamma-lactam) in excellent yield. The reaction mechanism involves addition reactions with a ketimine moiety of the 2-aza-2,4-cyclopentadienone intermediate, which is formed via hydration of a nitrile moiety followed by dehydrative cyclization.     

Reuse of chiral cationic Pd-phosphinooxazolidine catalysts in ionic liquids: highly efficient catalytic asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions

Chiral cationic palladium-phosphinooxazolidine catalysts in ionic liquid afforded excellent enantioselectivity in Diels-Alder reactions and the catalyst was easily recycled eight times without any significant decrease in chemical yields or enantioselectivity (89-99%, 88-99% ee).     

Myrmekiosides a and b, novel mono-o-alkyl-diglycosylglycerols reversing tumor cell morphology of ras-transformed cells from a marine sponge of myrmekioderma sp

Novel mono-O-alkyl-diglycosylglycerols named myrmekiosides A (1) and B (2) were isolated from a marine sponge of Myrmekioderma sp. and their absolute stereostructures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. Myrmekiosides A (1) and B (2) reversed the phenotype of melanoma H-ras transformed NIH3T3 cells at 5 μg/ml.     

Nondestructive elemental depth profiling of Japanese lacquerware ‘Tamamushi‐nuri’ by confocal 3D‐XRF analysis in comparison with micro GE‐XRF

We have applied recently two XRF (micro x‐ray fluorescence) methods [micro‐Grazing Exit XRF (GE‐XRF) and confocal 3D‐XRF] to Japanese lacquerware ‘Tamamushi‐nuri.’ A laboratory grazing‐exit XRF (GE‐XRF) instrument was developed in combination with a micro‐XRF setup. A micro x‐ray beam was produced by a single capillary and a pinhole aperture. Elemental x‐ray images (2D images) obtained at different analyzing depths by micro GE‐XRF have been reported. However, it was difficult to directly obtain depth‐selective x‐ray spectra and 2D images. A 3D XRF instrument using two independent polycapillary x‐ray lenses and two x‐ray sources (Cr and Mo targets) was also applied to the same sample. 2D XRF images of a Japanese lacquerware showed specific distributions of elements at the different depths, indicating that ‘Tamamushi‐nuri’ lacquerware has a layered structure. The merits and disadvantages of both the micro GE‐XRF and confocal micro XRF methods are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.