Characterization of Si-added aluminum oxide (AlSiO) films for power devices

Synthesis of Si-added aluminum oxide (AlSiO) films is attempted as an insulating film with both a wide bandgap and a high dielectric constant. Electrical characteristics of AlSiO films are investigated. Leakage current of the AlO film is suppressed by Si addition and is minimized with Si composition ratio of 12%. Capacitance versus voltage (C-V) measurements are carried out for Au/AlSiO/Si MIS structure. Both flat band shift and hysteresis of the C-V characteristics are suppressed by Si addition. A low leakage current is demonstrated for Au/AlSiO/n-SiC MIS structure.     

9,10‐Diaminoanthracenes Revisited: The Influence of N‐Substituents on Their Electronic States

The electronic and molecular structures of 9,10‐diamino‐substituted anthracenes with different N‐substituents have been re‐examined. In particular, different N‐substituents influence both the electronic and molecular structures of the oxidized species of 9,10‐diaminoanthracenes. The anthrylene moiety of 9,10‐bis(N,N‐di(p‐anisyl)amino)anthracene retains its planarity during the course of two successive one‐electron oxidations, whereas 9,10‐bis(N,N‐dimethylamino)anthracene and 9,10‐bis(N‐p‐anisyl‐N‐methylamino)anthracene undergo a substantial structural change to a butterfly‐like structure through a two‐electron oxidation process. The structural changes observed for the oxidized states are ascribed to significant differences in the frontier molecular orbitals of the above‐mentioned three kinds of 9,10‐diaminoanthracenes due to different extents of mixing between the amine‐localized and anthrylene‐localized orbitals.     

Structures of xantholides A and B,two new guaianolides from xanthium canadense mill.

The structures of xantholides A and B were deduced on the basis of IR and NMR spectra, and confirmed by X-ray analysis. Xantholide A inhibited the larval growth of Drosophila melanogaster.     

Bio-sensing on a chip with compact discs and nanofibers

This paper describes a novel, sensitive detection system for biomolecules (DNA and proteins etc.) that is integrated in a lab-on-a-chip utilizing optical compact discs (CDs) and bio-nanofibers. The new method comprises a microchannel containing CD grating that confines fragments of unique bacterial cellulose fibrils (BC), which have nanometre scale fibers and holes. A maximum of six times higher sensitivity to detect DNA was obtained with this CD and BC system compared to a conventional method. We also demonstrate an effective light-confining effect for biological application with the new method.     

Spontaneous racemization and epimerization behavior in solution of chiral nitroxides

[reaction: see text] Enantiomerically enriched samples of chiral cyclic nitroxides with a 4-hydroxyphenyl group on the stereogenic center bearing the NO radical group undergo unprecedented spontaneous racemization and/or epimerization in aprotic solvents, which can be well accounted for by the multistep equilibrations involving planar quinoid intermediates.     

Hydrophobic scale: a second parameter to elucidating various specific ligand-protein interactions

In the sequence Fourier analysis (SFA) of specific interactions such as those between fibroblast growth factors (FGFs)/FGF receptors (FGFRs), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs)/BMP receptors (BMPRs), or tumor repressor protein p53/mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2), the characteristic frequency peak(s) could be observed with the hydrophobic scale for 20 amino acids as well as 4 nucleotides as the physicochemical parameter, but not successfully with the absolute electronegativity scale. This result implies that these two independent scales should be appropriately selected in various specific ligand-protein interactions, though the critical difference has to be determined.     

Catalytic intermolecular Pauson-Khand-type reaction: strong directing effect of pyridylsilyl and pyrimidylsilyl groups and isolation of Ru complexes relevant to catalytic reaction

Some circumstantial evidence for the directing effect of the 2-pyridylsilyl group in the Ru-catalyzed intermolecular Pauson-Khand-type reaction (PKR) of alkenyl(2-pyridyl)silane, alkyne, and carbon monoxide has been provided. Most importantly, we have succeeded in isolating several monometallic Ru complexes relevant to the catalytic reaction: Ru(vinylsilane)(CO)(3) complexes and ruthenacyclopentene. While the stoichimetric reaction of the Ru(vinylsilane)(CO)(3) complex with an alkyne led to the formation of the corresponding cyclopentenone (PKR product) at 100 degrees C, the ruthenacyclopentene intermediate was quantitatively produced at 50 degrees C. This complex was also converted to a cyclopentenone upon heating at 100 degrees C. Moreover, it was also found that the Ru(vinylsilane)(CO)(3) complex and ruthenacyclopentene serve as catalysts in intermolecular PKR.