Absorption and fluorescence of a nonionic detergent in aqueous solution

The absorption and fluorescence spectra of a detergent, polyoxyethylene octylphenyl ether, were measured in water at different concentrations. The absorption spectra had a peak at 275 mμ and a shoulder at 281 mμ. The spectra were independent of concentration below the critical micelle concentration, but the molar extinction coefficients of the peak and the shoulder increased with concentration above the critical micelle concentration. The critical micelle concentration value derived from the absorption data was in good agreement with those obtained by other methods. The fluorescence spectra of the detergent in water were independent of concentration in dilute solutions, if the intensities of the spectra were normalized at the peak at 302 mμ. At higher concentrations, a weak excimer band appeared at 345 mμ, whose intensity increased with concentration. The excimer band manifested itself at a concentration slightly lower than the critical micelle concentration. The main band decreased and the excimer band increased, as the temperature was raised. An excimer band was observed in the same region of the spectra for the pure detergent, either in the solid or liquid state. The equilibrium solid spectra exhibited a very strong excimer emission. It was concluded that the excimers were formed within micelles in the case of aqueous solutions.     

Temperature stabilized optical waveguide modulator

A low drive-voltage optical modulator using a Ti-diffused UNbO₃ optical waveguide has been fabricated. Stabilization against ambient temperature change was realized by using a miniature halfwave plate. The halfwave voltage, 3 dB bandwidth, optical insertion loss and extinction ratio were 3·8 V (at 1·06m wavelength), 850 MHz, 10 dB and 13 dB, respectively. A reduction scheme for the optical absorption caused by metallic electrodes, and an analysis of the modulator high frequency response are also reported.     

Preparation of AB polyacylthioureas and related copolyacylthioureas

Reaction of sulfinylaminobenzoyl chlorides with lead thiocyanate gave sulfinylaminobenzoyl isothiocyanates (SBIs), from which were derived aminobenzoyl isothiocyanate hydrochlorides (ABIHs). AB polyacylthioureas (PATUs) with inherent viscosities of up to 0.28 dL/g were obtained by treating the SBI with an equivalent of water in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Low-temperature solution polyaddition of the ABIH afforded AB PATU with inherent viscosities of up to 0.66 dL/g, which were further increased to as high as 0.75 dL/g by adding lithium bases to the polymerization mixtures. Polyaddition of isophthaloyl diisothiocyanate with intermediate diamines formed by hydrolyzing the adducts of SBI and aromatic diamines afforded copolyacylthioureas with inherent viscosities of up to 1.15dL/g. The copolymers were generally soluble in NMP, whereas solubilities of the AB PATU in analogous solvents were relatively low. Thermogravimetric analyses in both air and nitrogen exhibited weight losses of 5% at 204–236°C for AB PATU and at 170–192°C for the copolymers.     

Phototriggered self-assembly of hydrogen-bonded rosette

Azobenzene-appended melamine M2 and barbiturate B2, both possessing bulky tridodecyloxyphenyl (TDP) wedge(s), were designed and synthesized to establish a photoresponsive hydrogen-bonded supramolecular assembly. The geometrical isomer EE-M2 bearing two E-azobenzene moieties easily complexed with B2, affording a remarkably stable cyclic hexamer EE-M2(3).B2(3) (rosette) in chloroform, toluene, and methylcyclohexane, as confirmed by size exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering, (1)H NMR, and UV-vis studies. The E --> Z photoisomerization of the azobenzene moieties upon irradiation with UV light was significantly suppressed in the rosette because of the steric crowding of the TDP wedges (total of nine TDP wedges in a rosette), whereas irradiation of the monomeric EE-M2 resulted in facile transformation into ZZ-M2 bearing two Z-azobenzene moieties. (1)H NMR studies of the complexation of the initially photogenerated ZZ-M2 with B2 revealed that it is hard for ZZ-M2 to form a rosette with B2 because of the intermolecular steric interaction between the TDP wedges. The photoregulatable complexation efficiency of M2 allowed us to accomplish the phototriggered formation of the rosette by irradiation of a monomeric mixture of ZZ-M2 and B2 using visible light.     

Real-time measurement of nitric oxide using a bio-imaging and an electrochemical technique

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important mediator responsible for numerous physiological phenomena. Transient levels of NO in biological systems usually range from nanomolar to micromolar concentrations, with a rapid return to basal levels normally seen following these increases. Because NO can diffuse only over a local area in limited time due to such low levels of production and due to its short life-time prior to degradation, high spatial and temporal resolutions are required for direct and continuous NO measurement if the physiological role of NO is to be investigated in any system. For such purposes, analytical methods based on bio-imaging and electrochemical techniques for the measurement of NO are useful. In this paper, we describe the successful application of these methods to a number of biological systems. Specifically, complementary application of these methods demonstrate that it is possible to detect real-time NO production from nervous tissue with high spatial and temporal resolutions.     

Radiation-induced addition reaction of carbon tetrachloride onto 1,2-polybutadiene

The γ-ray-induced addition reaction of carbon tetrachloride onto syndiotactic 1,2-polybutadiene film and liquid 1,2-polybutadiene was carried out at room temperature. In the film gelation was pronounced and the rate of addition increased as the crystallinity of the polymer decreased. In the liquid gelation, which makes the polymer insoluble in carbon tetrachloride, did not take place, although a definite crosslinking reaction was noticed. In this case the appearance of the product changed from a viscous liquid to a white powder as the reaction proceeded. Its structure was compared with that of chlorinated 1,2-polybutadiene. The addition of carbon tetrachloride to the vinyl group in liquid 1,2-polybutadiene caused an anti-Markownikoff-type reaction and was accompanied by an unexpectedly large vinyl depletion in the polymer. The total decrease in the vinyl group was found to be much larger than that brought about by the addition of carbon tetrachloride. This discrepancy was attributed to a cyclization and crosslinking reaction ascribed to the vinyl group bound by the main chain. Cyclization and crosslinking were less noticeable in the chlorination than in the carbon tetrachloride.     

2-Oxo-1,3-dioxoles as specific substrates for measurement of arylesterase activity

Various 4-arylthiomethyl-2-oxo-1,3-dioxole derivatives IIIa-o were synthesized. Their hydrolysis rates by arylesterase (EC 3.1.1.2) and cholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) in human serum were evaluated. Some of them were not hydrolyzed by cholinesterase, but were hydrolyzed easily by arylesterase. Among the substrates, sodium 4-((5-methyl-2-oxo-1,3-dioxol-4-yl)methylthio)benzenesulfonate (IIIg) was selected for its substrate reactivity toward arylesterase and its good water solubility. In addition, neither aliesterase (EC 3.1.1.1), acetylesterase (EC 3.1.1.6) nor cholesterol esterase (EC 3.1.1.13) hydrolyzed the compound. IIIg is thus concluded to be a specific substrate for arylesterase. Our assay system for serum arylesterase using IIIg can be readily applied to an automatic analyzer in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis.     

Solvent extraction of permanganates (Na, K) by 18-crown-6 ether from water into 1,2-dichloroethane: elucidation of an extraction equilibrium based on component equilibria

Ion-pair formation constants (K_MLA mol⁻¹ dm³) of Na⁺– and K⁺–18-crown-6 ether (18C6) complexes with MnO₄⁻ in water (w) were determined potentiometrically at 25 °C. Simultaneously, extraction constants (K_ex mol⁻² dm⁶) of the permanganates with 18C6 from w into 1,2-dichloroethane at 25 °C were obtained from the spectrophotometric determination of distribution ratios of the permanganates. These K_ex values were divided into K_MLA and other three component equilibrium constants and thereby extraction-selectivity and -ability were discussed in comparison with corresponding metal picrate–18C6 extraction systems reported before.     

Ionic liquid crystal as a hole transport layer of dye-sensitized solar cells

Use of a new ionic liquid crystal, 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide, and iodine as an electrolyte of dye-sensitized solar cells leads to a high short circuit photocurrent density and a high light-to-electricity conversion efficiency, due to a self-assembled structure of the imidazolium cations, resulting in high conductivity of the electrolyte.     

Seven-membered vibsane-type diterpenes with a 5,10-cis relationship from Viburnum awabuki

New five seven-membered vibsane-type diterpenes named 5-epi-vibsanin C, 5-epi-vibsanin H, 5-epi-vibsanin K, 18-O-methyl-5-epi-vibsanin K and 5-epi-vibsanin E have been isolated from the leaves of Viburnum awabuki (Caplifoliaceae). Their structures have been elucidated by analyses of spectroscopic data and comparison of their spectral data with those of the previously known seven-membered vibsane-type diterpenes. The occurrence of these seven-membered vibsane-type diterpenes with a cis relationship on the C-5 and C-10 positions in nature have been predicted by conformational analysis of vibsanin B, an eleven-membered vibsane-type diterpene. Vibsanin C, 5-epi-vibsanin C and 5-epi-vibsanin H exhibited moderate cytotoxic activities on KB cells.