Effects of post-deposition annealing on chemical composition of SiNx film in SiO2/SiNx/SiO2/Si stacked structure

To systematically evaluate the quality of SiN_x films in multi-stacked structures, we investigated the effects of post-deposition annealing (PDA) on the film properties of SiN_x within the SiO₂/SiN_x/SiO₂/Si stacked structure by performing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray reflectivity (XRR), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscope–electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS) analyses. The XPS results showed that PDA induces the oxidation of the SiN_x layer. In particular, new finding is that Si-rich SiN_x in the SiN_x layer is preferentially oxidized by PDA even in multi-stacked structure. The XRR results showed that the SiN_x layer becomes thinner, whereas the interface layer between the SiN_x layer and Si becomes thicker. It is concluded by STEM-EELS and XPS that this interface layer is SiON layer. The density of N–H and Si–H bonding within the stacked structure strongly depends on the PDA temperature. Our study helps elucidate the properties of SiN_x films in stacked structures from various perspectives.     

First Cellulose Langmuir‐Blodgett Films towards Photocurrent Generation Systems

Langmuir‐Blodgett films of a cellulose derivative containing porphyrins, porphyrin‐cellulose, were fabricated in order to construct a cellulose‐based molecular photocurrent generation system. On visible light illumination of the LB monolayer film deposited on an ITO electrode, anodic photocurrents were observed with a quantum yield of 1.6% at an applied potential of 0 V versus SCE, and 3.8–4.6% at 0.2–0.3 V versus SCE. These values indicate that the self‐quenching of the photoexcited porphyrins in the cellulose LB film was suppressed, while porphyrin moieties in the LB film had a densely packed structure. This is because the porphyrins are located at a distance of approximately 1.0 nm along the cellulose backbone.

     

Temperature-induced reversal of proton tautomerism: role of hydrogen bonding and aggregation in 7-hydroxyquinolines

UV-vis absorption spectra of 7-hydroxyquinolines in saturated hydrocarbon solvents were measured at various temperatures between 293 and 77 K. The tautomeric equilibrium was found to reverse when the temperature was lowered. At 293 K, the enol form was exclusively present. As the temperature was lowered, the enol form decreased substantially, and the keto form became predominant. A close examination of the spectral changes suggests that the reversal of the tautomeric equilibrium at lower temperatures proceeds in two steps: aggregation of the enol forms by intermolecular hydrogen bonding and further aggregation of the hydrogen-bonded aggregates.     

Inhibitory effects of 3,3',4,5'-tetrahydroxystilbene and 3,3',4,5'-tetrahydroxybibenzyl, the constituents of Cassia garrettiana on antigen-induced histamine release in vitro.

3,3',4,5'-Tetrahydroxystilbene (I) and 3,3',4,5'-tetrahydroxybibenzyl (II), isolated from the heartwood of Cassia garrettiana Craib (Leguminosae), showed inhibitory effects on antigen-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells in vitro. The inhibitory effect of I (IC50 = 30.2 microM) was much stronger than that of II (greater than 100 microM). Compound II, as well as I (IC50 = 7.3 microM) reported previously, also inhibited the histamine release from human peripheral basophils induced by anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) in vitro, and its IC50-value was 68.0 microM. These results suggest that the trans-olefin structure in the molecule may be necessary for I to have an inhibitory effect on histamine release. Considering that disodium cromoglycate did not show any significant inhibitory effect on anti-IgE-induced histamine release from human basophils, the strong inhibitory effects of I in both tests are of considerable interest.     

Synthesis and antifungal activities of a series of (1,2-disubstituted vinyl)imidazoles.

A series of vinylimidazoles containing a hetero atom such as sulfur or oxygen at a beta-position of the vinyl group was prepared and the antifungal activities were tested. It was found that sulfur-substituted derivatives such as (E)-1-[2-(methylthio)-1-[2-(pentyloxy)phenyl]ethenyl]-1H-imidazole (5a-5) and (E)-1-[1-[2-(hexyloxy)phenyl]-2-(methylthio)ethenyl]-1H-imidazole (5a-6) showed excellent antifungal activities against dermatophytes and yeast cells. The stereochemistry of the hydrochloride salt of 5a-5 was determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure-activity relationships were discussed.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of exocyclic olefins using arene tricarbonyl chromium complex-catalyzed hydrogenation. I. Efficient synthesis of carbacyclin and its analogs

An efficient synthesis of carbacyclin and its analogs (2-7) is described in which the stereospecific 1,4-hydrogenation of a 1,3-diene to an internal monoene plays a key role. That is, arene.Cr(CO)3 complex-catalyzed 1,4-hydrogenation of the dienes 13 and 58, obtainable from the Corey lactone in good yields, under high H2 pressure afforded the exocyclic olefins 14 and 61 stereospecifically in excellent yields, and these intermediates were converted to therapeutically useful carbacyclin (2) and its analogs 3-7 in a usual way.     

Highly selective photoinduced perfluoroalkylation of vinylsilanes and its application to synthesis of water-shedding polysilanes

The functionalization of polysilanes is an important subject in materials science because functionalized polysilanes are expected to exhibit potentially innovative properties. This research aims at the addition of a water-shedding property to polysilanes by introducing perfluoroalkyl groups into their skeleton. The photoinduced iodoperfluoroalkylation of various vinylsilanes takes place successfully upon irradiation with a xenon lamp: vinylmonosilanes undergo iodoperfluoroalkylation with perfluoroalkyl iodides (R_fI) regioselectively, and the corresponding perfluoroalkylated silanes are obtained in moderate to high yields. Detailed optimization of the photoinduced iodoperfluoroalkylation has been investigated to apply this method to the functionalization of polysilanes. Polysilanes having vinyl groups can be synthesized by the reductive coupling of dichlorovinylsilanes with samarium diiodide (SmI₂) and samarium metal (Sm) upon irradiation with visible light. The synthesized vinylpolysilanes and R_fI (about 1.0 mM CHCl₃ solution) are coated on a glass plate sequentially, and then the following photoirradiation with light of a wavelength over 300 nm successfully adds an excellent water-shedding property to the glass plate.     

Synthesis and characterization of a biphenyl-linked hemicryptophane and an endohedral cobalt(II) complex

Hemicryptophanes are covalent molecular cages, constructed from a cyclotriveratrylene-based host unit and a functional unit linked by covalent spacers, which have been designed to accommodate endohedral functionalities in the cavity. In this study, the synthesis and characterization of the rigid, biphenyl-linked hemicryptophane 1 were investigated by NMR, ESI-MS, and X-ray crystallography. The structure of the inclusion complex, in which a dichloromethane molecule was constructed encapsulated within 1, was characterized by X-ray crystallography. An endohedral, cobalt(II) hemicryptophane complex 2 was also synthesized and characterized ESI-MS and X-ray crystallography. The X-ray crystal structure of 2 showed that the biphenyl-linked hemicryptophane had three components—a molecule each of chloroform and acetonitrile, and a cobalt(II) ion—within its cavity.     

Bioavailability study of commercial sustained-release preparations of diclofenac sodium in gastrointestinal physiology regulated-dogs.

The gastrointestinal (GI) physiology of beagle dogs was regulated with a combined-treatment of intramuscular pentagastrin (10 micrograms/kg x 2) and intravenous atropine sulfate (0.02 mg/kg x 1). Here, the gastric acidity, the gastric emptying time and the small intestinal transit time in the regulated-dogs were respectively around pH 2, 0.7h and 4h, approximating those in healthy humans. The superiority of the regulated-dogs over the intact dogs was confirmed in comparative bioavailability studies by using two classes of commercial preparations. Both the conventional tablet and the sustained-release capsule of diclofenac sodium exhibited simple and similar average plasma concentration-time curves of free diclofenac in the intact dogs, while the latter preparation is reported to reveal a bimodal plasma curve of the drug in healthy humans. The regulated-dogs, however, permitted a bimodal average plasma pattern of the drug for the capsules due to an approximation of the GI physiology between humans and these classes of the dogs. The combined-treatment of beagle dogs with pentagastrin and atropine sulfate seems to supply a useful animal model in predicting the absorption characteristics of the sustained-release preparations and poor water-soluble drugs.