Adjacent- versus remote-site electron injection in TiO2 surfaces modified with binuclear ruthenium complexes

Nanocrystalline thin films of TiO2 cast on an optically transparent indium tin oxide glass were sensitized with ruthenium homo- and heterobinuclear complexes, [LL'Ru(BL)RuLL']n+ (n = 2, 3), where L and L' are 4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine (dcb) and/or 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and BL is a rigid and linear heteroaromatic entity (tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c:3",2"-h:2'",3'"-j]phenazine (tpphz) or 1,4-bis([1,10]phenanthroline[5,6-d]imidazol-2-yl)benzene (bfimbz)). The photophysical behavior of the RuII-RuII diads in solution indicated the occurrence of intercomponent energy transfer from the upper-lying Ru --> bpy charge-transfer (CT) excited state of the Ru(bpy)(2) moiety to the lower-lying Ru --> dcb CT excited state of the Ru(bpy)(dcb) (or Ru(dcb)(2)) subunit in the heterobinuclear complexes. These sensitizer diads adsorbed on nanostructured TiO2 surfaces in a perpendicular or parallel attachment mode. Adsorption was through the dcb ligands on one or both chromophoric subunits. The behavior of the adsorbed species was studied by nanosecond time-resolved transient absorption and emission spectroscopy, as well as by photocurrent measurements. In the TiO2-adsorbed samples where BL was bfimbz, the electron injection kinetics was very fast and could not be resolved because an electron is promoted from the metal center to the dcb ligand directly linked to the semiconductor. In the TiO2-adsorbed samples where BL was tpphz, for which, in the excited state, a BL localization of the lowest-lying metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) is observed, slower injection rates (9.5 x 10(7) s(-1) in [(bpy)(2)Ru(tpphz)Ru(bpy)(dcb(-))](3+)/TiO2 and 5.5 x 10(7) s(-1) in [(bpy)(dcb)Ru(tpphz)Ru(bpy)(dcb(-))](3+)/TiO2) were obtained. Among the systems, the heterotriad assembly [(bpy)(2)Ru(bfimbz)Ru(bpy)(dcb(2-))](2+)/TiO2 gave the best photovoltaic performance. In the first case, this was attributed to a fast electron injection initiated from a dcb-localized MLCT; in the second case, this is attributed to improved molecular orientation on the surface, which was due to rigidity and, at the same time, linearity of the heterotriad system, resulting in a slower charge recombination between the injected electron and the hole.     

The Christiansen effect of brightly colored colloidal dispersion with an amphiphilic polymer

A novel coloration phenomenon in a colloidal dispersion with an amphiphilic polymer was found. The dispersion consists of tetrahydrofuran (THF), an aqueous solution of sodium thiosulfate (Na(2)S(2)O(3).5H(2)O), and hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC). The dispersion was emulsified by HPC as an amphiphilic polymer, so that the aqueous phase was confined in droplets in the THF matrix. It typically appeared bluish violet at room temperature and turned into blue with increasing temperature. In this system, the refractive indices of the inside and outside of the droplet coincided at a certain wavelength at which the light passes through without scattering, which is called the Christiansen effect. The color observed was successfully simulated by Mie's scattering theory in combination with the Christiansen effect.     

Precursor mediated cycloaddition reaction of ethylene to the Si(100)c(4 x 2) surface

We report the direct observation of a precursor state for the cycloaddition reaction (the di-sigma bond formation) of ethylene on Si(100)c(4 x 2) using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy at low temperature, and the meta-stable precursor state is identified as a weakly bonded pi-complex type. The activation energy from the pi-complex precursor to the di-sigma bonded species is experimentally estimated to be 0.2 eV. First-principles calculations support the pi-complex precursor mediated cycloaddition reaction of ethylene on Si(100)c(4 x 2).     

Novel immobilized zinc(II) affinity chromatography for phosphopeptides and phosphorylated proteins

Immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) is now a widely accepted technique for the separation of natural or artificial products that is beginning to find industrial applications. Here, we introduce a novel procedure for the separation of phosphopeptides and phosphorylated proteins by immobilized zinc(II) affinity chromatography. The phosphate-binding site of the affinity gel is an alkoxide-bridged dinuclear zinc(II) complex, the 1,3-bis[bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino]propan-2-olato dizinc(II) complex (Phos-tag), which is linked to a highly cross-linked 4% (w/v) agarose. The affinity gel (Phos-tag agarose) was prepared by the quantitative reaction of N-hydroxysuccinimide-activated Sepharose and a Phos-tag derivative having a 2-aminoethylcarbamoyl group in dry CH3CN. Phosphopeptides were retrieved in a quantitative and highly selective manner by a spin column method using Phos-tag agarose at room temperature. Furthermore, in this study, we demonstrate a simple, rapid, and reusable affinity column chromatography for the separation of phosphorylated proteins such as ovalbumin, alpha(s1)-casein, and beta-casein at physiological pH.     

Atmospheric concentration of 210Pb and 7Be at Sarufutsu, Hokkaido, Japan

The atmospheric concentration of ²¹⁰Pb and ⁷Be was observed at Sarufutsu on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsuk in Hokkaido, Japan. Measurements were carried out during the period from February to August, 2001. The atmospheric concentrations of ²¹⁰Pb and ⁷Be ranged from 0.2 to 2.5 mBq/m³ and from 0.0 to 4.2 mBq/m³, respectively. The seasonal variation pattern of the atmospheric concentration of ²¹⁰Pb indicated that the air mass from Chinese Continent reached the coast of the Sea of Okhotsuk.     

Neutron activation analysis of ivory of African elephants

Instrumental neutron activation analysis was applied to 61 ivory samples of which origin countries are known. 12 elements such as Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cs, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Sc, Sr and Zn, were determined in all samples. The factor score of each sample was calculated for each factor by making use of principal component analysis in order to determine their origins. The results were compared with those by stable isotope analysis (¹³C and¹⁵N).     

New synthetic routes to biscarbonylbipyridinerhenium(I) complexes cis,trans-[Re(X2bpy)(CO)2(PR3)(Y)n+ (X2bpy = 4,4'-X2-2,2'-bipyridine) via photochemical ligand substitution reactions, and their photophysical and electrochemical properties

Photochemical ligand substitution of fac-[Re(X2bpy)(CO)3(PR3)]+ (X2bpy = 4,4'-X2-2,2'-bipyridine; X = Me, H, CF3; R = OEt, Ph) with acetonitrile quantitatively gave a new class of biscarbonyl complexes, cis,trans[Re(X2bpy)(CO)2(PR3)(MeCN)]+, coordinated with four different kinds of ligands. Similarly, other biscarbonylrhenium complexes, cis,trans-[Re(X2bpy)(CO)2(PR3)(Y)]n+ (n = 0, Y = Cl-; n = 1, Y = pyridine, PR'3), were synthesized in good yields via photochemical ligand substitution reactions. The structure of cis,trans-[Re(Me2bpy)(CO)2[P(OEt)3](PPh3)](PF6) was determined by X-ray analysis. Crystal data: C38H42N2O5F6P3Re, monoclinic, P2(1/a), a = 11.592(1) A, b = 30.953(4) A, c = 11.799(2) A, V = 4221.6(1) A3, Z = 4, 7813 reflections, R = 0.066. The biscarbonyl complexes with two phosphorus ligands were strongly emissive from their 3MLCT state with lifetimes of 20-640 ns in fluid solutions at room temperature. Only weak or no emission was observed in the cases Y = Cl-, MeCN, and pyridine. Electrochemical reduction of the biscarbonyl complexes with Y = Cl- and pyridine in MeCN resulted in efficient ligand substitution to give the solvento complexes cis,trans-[Re(X2bpy)(CO)2(PR3)(MeCN)]+.     

New picrotoxane terpenoids from Picrodendron baccatum

Two new picrotoxane norditerpenoid lactones, picrodendrins X (1) and Y (2), and four new picrotoxane sesquiterpenoid lactones, picrodendrins Z (3), α (4), β (5) and picrodendrioside A (6) were isolated from the bark and leaves of Picrodendron baccatum. Their structures were determined by spectral analysis and X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

Preparation of high‐temperature polyurethane by alloying with reactive polyamide

A series of novel poly(urethane amide) films were prepared by the reaction of a polyurethane (PU) prepolymer and a soluble polyamide (PA) containing aliphatic hydroxyl groups in the backbone. The PU prepolymer was prepared by the reaction of polyester polyol and 2,4‐tolylenediisocyanate and then was end‐capped with phenol. Soluble PA was prepared by the reaction of 1‐(m‐aminophenyl)‐2‐(p‐aminophenyl)ethanol and terephthaloyl chloride. The PU prepolymer and PA were blended, and the clear, transparent solutions were cast on glass substrates; this was followed by thermal treatments at various temperatures to produce reactions between the isocyanate group of the PU prepolymer and the hydroxyl group of PA. The opaque poly(urethane amide) films showed various properties, from those of plastics to those of elastomers, depending on the ratio of the PU and PA components. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed two glass‐transition temperatures (T_g's), a lower T_g due to the PU component and a higher T_g due to the PA component, suggesting that the two polymer components were phase‐separated. The rubbery plateau region of the storage modulus for the elastic films was maintained up to about 250 °C, which is considerably higher than for conventional PUs. Tensile measurements of the elastic films of 90/10 PU/PA showed that the elongation was as high as 347%. This indicated that the alloying of PU with PA containing aliphatic hydroxyl groups in the backbone improved the high‐temperature properties of PU and, therefore, enhanced the use temperature of PU. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3497–3503, 2002     

Synthesis of trifluoromethylthiazoles and their application to azo dyes

3-Bromo-1,1,1-trifluoropropan-2-one ( 2 ) reacted with thiourea and N-monosubstituted thioureas to give the corresponding 4-trifluoromethylthiazoles, respectively. In the reactions with N,N'-diphenylthiourea and thioamides, the considerably stable intermediates, 4-hydroxy-4-trifluoromethylthiazoline derivatives 7 and 8 , were isolated. The reaction of ethyl 2-bromo-4,4,4-trifluoro-3-oxobutanoate ( 4 ) with thiourea was carried out under the gentle conditions to give both thiazole-5-carboxylate 10 and 4-hydroxythiazoline 11 . The thiazole 10 was applied to the azo dye synthesis and the absorption maxima of thus obtained azo dyes were discussed.