A new structure of water layer on Cu(111) electrode surface during hydrogen evolution

A layered structure of water molecules formed on a Cu(111) electrode surface during hydrogen evolution in sulfuric acid solution was studied by surface X-ray diffraction and infrared reflection absorption methods. Water molecules in the surface layers take a closest pack-like stacking structure with nearest-neighbor oxygen-oxygen distances in intra-(0.322(5) nm) and inter-(0.275(15) nm) layers of multi-domains; the infrared spectra of the layered water on the Cu electrode surface showed the existence of free OH(OD) and hydrogen-bonded OH(OD) of water molecule.     

Synthesis and Some Properties of 3-Fluoro-4-Cyanophenyl 4′-n-alkylbenzoates

A series of 3-fluoro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-alkylbenzoates, which show monotropic nematic phases, was prepared and their transition temperatures and melting enthalpies were measured. The 3-fluoro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate, 3-chloro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate and 4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate were mixed with a nematic mixture (A) of 4-n-alkoxyphenyl 4′-n-alkylcyclohexane-1′-carboxylates. 3-Fluoro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate decreases the N-1 transition temperature less, increases the birefringence more, and increases the bulk viscosity less than 3-chloro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate, and reduces the threshold voltage to the greatest extent. The dielectric anisotropies of 3-fluoro-4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate and 4-cyanophenyl 4′-n-propylbenzoate determined from a series of solutions of the compounds in nematic mixture (A) are 35.9 and 29.6, respectively.     

Nuclear spin conversion of methane in solid parahydrogen

The nuclear spin conversion of CH(4) and CD(4) isolated in solid parahydrogen was investigated by high resolution Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. From the analysis of the temporal changes of rovibrational absorption spectra, the nuclear spin conversion rates associated with the rotational relaxation from the J=1 state to the J=0 state for both species were determined at temperatures between 1 and 6 K. The conversion rate of CD(4) was found to be 2-100 times faster than that of CH(4) in this temperature range. The faster conversion in CD(4) is attributed to the quadrupole interaction of D atoms in CD(4), while the conversion in CH(4) takes place mainly through the nuclear spin-nuclear spin interaction. The conversion rates depend on crystal temperature strongly above 3.5 K for CH(4) and above 2 K for CD(4), while the rates were almost constant below these temperatures. The temperature dependence indicates that the one-phonon process is dominant at low temperatures, while two-phonon processes become important at higher temperatures as a cause of the nuclear spin conversion.     

Self-assembled two-dimensional ordered arrays of tripod-type molecules on graphite

Tripod-type molecules with long alkyl chains, 1,1,1-tris(4-alkoxyphenyl)ethanes with octadecyloxy or docosyloxy chains, self-assemble into two-dimensional crystallites on drop-casting onto the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. In the two-dimensional crystalline domain, the molecules are organized in a mortise-and-tenon motif, as revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy. The time evolution of the crystallite formation has been followed by the dynamic force mode atomic force microscopy. The tripods may be used as a basis for the extension of a two-dimensional order into three-dimensional molecular architectures.     

Structure Revision of Caesalpinistas A and B and Isolation of a New Furanoditerpenoid from the Cotyledons of Caesalpinia decapetala var. japonica

A known cassane‐type furanoditerpenoid, caesalpinista B ( 1 ), and a new diterpenoid, deoxycaesaljaponin A ( 2 ), were isolated from the cotyledons of Caesalpinia decapetala var. japonica. The previously reported configurational assignments of 1 and the related diterpenoid caesalpinista A ( 3 ) were revised on the basis of X‐ray crystallography and chemical conversion. The structure of 2 was elucidated by spectroscopic data and chemical conversion into 3 .