Superconductivity of metal deficient silicon clathrate compounds,Ba8-xSi46 (0< x < or = 1.4)

Single crystals of the Ba-containing silicon clathrate superconductor Ba(7.76)Si(46) were prepared using a high-pressure and high-temperature condition (3 GPa, 1300 degrees C). It crystallized in the cubic space group Pm-3n with a = 10.3141(7) A and Z = 1. There are two crystallographically different types of Ba sites, at the centers of Si dodecahederal (Ba@Si(20)) and Si tetrakaidecahedral (Ba@Si(24)) cages. On evacuation at 527 degrees C, a part of Ba atoms were removed from the Ba@Si(20) sites. The superconducting transition temperature (T(c)) decreased from 9.0 to 6.0 K with the decrease of the Ba content from 7.76 to 6.63 Ba/Si(46). The Ba deficient sites and the deficiency were determined by the structural refinement in the single-crystal X-ray analyses.     

Hierarchical organization of photoresponsive hydrogen-bonded rosettes

Hydrogen-bonded disk-shaped aggregates (rosettes) composed of azobenzene-appended melamine and barbiturate or cyanurate are investigated in view of their hierarchical organization and photoresponsive behavior by (1)H NMR and UV/vis spectroscopies, dynamic light scattering, and gelation behavior in aliphatic solvents and liquid crystalline behavior in bulk state. In the bulk state the rosette possessing a sterically bulky tridodecyloxyphenyl substituent in the barbiturate component stacks in an offset arrangement to form a rectangular columnar mesophase, whereas in aliphatic solvents it does not hierarchically organize into higher-order columnar aggregates. This drawback is improved by exchanging the barbiturate component into a more sterically nondemanding N-dodecylcyanurate component. The resulting new rosette stacks in a face-to-face arrangement to form a hexagonal columnar mesophase in the bulk state and hierarchically organizes into elongated fibrous aggregates in cyclohexane, which eventually leads to the formation of organogel. Dynamic light scattering and UV-vis experiments upon UV-irradiation of the columnar aggregates in cyclohexane revealed that the dissociation and the reformation of columnar aggregates can be controlled by the trans-cis isomerization of the azobenzene moiety. Molecular modeling indicates that the rosette possessing cis-azobenzene side chains loses its planarity. Using this photoinduced morphological change of the rosette, photoresponsive organogel is created by the use of a disk-shaped supramolecule the first time.     

The role of precursors in the structure of SiO2-Al2O3 sols and gels by the sol-gel process

Binary sols and gels of SiO₂-Al₂O₃ were prepared using tetraethyl orthosilicate and each of four aluminum compounds; aluminum di (sec-butoxide) ethylacetoacetic ester chelate (AC), aluminum nitrate nonahydrate (AN), aluminum formoacetate (AF), and boehmite sol (BS) made from aluminum i-propoxide. The structure and the evolution of the Si-O-Al bonds in SiO₂-Al₂O₃ sols and gels were investigated by ²⁷Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Infrared absorption spectra, DTA, and X-ray diffraction. The formation of Si-O-Al bonds differs depending on the aluminum compounds used as raw materials. The ratio of Al(IV) to {Al(IV) + Al(VI)} is related to the microstructural homogeneity of the gels. When AC is used as a raw material, the Si-O-Al bonds are formed in the sol state and resultant gel shows good microstructural homogeneity. In case of AN, the Si-O-Al bonds are not formed either in the sol or the wet gel state. The bonds are formed by drying the gel before heat-treatment temperature reaches 300 400°C, resulting in good microstructural homogeneous gel. When AF is used, the Si-O-Al bonds are formed in the sol state but the ratio of Al(IV) to {Al(IV) + Al(VI)} is lower than when using AC. Microstructural homogeneity of the gel is ranked between AC or AN and BS. Using BS, the Si-O-Al bonds are not formed in the sol solution, and the change in the coordination number of the gel is similar to that of boehmite gel. The Microstructural homogeneity of the gel is the worst among the BS gels, which were prepared by using the four aluminum raw materials.     

Gomadalactones A, B, and C: novel 3-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane compounds in the contact sex pheromone of the white-spotted longicorn beetle, Anoplophora malasiaca

The ether extract of the females of white-spotted longicorn beetle Anoplophora malasiaca showed activity as contact sex pheromone to males. The extract was fractionated, and a pheromonal activity was revealed only when three fractions; n-hexane, n-hexane/EtOAc 9:1, and EtOAc were blended. The relative structures of gomadalactone A, B, and C, three active components isolated from the EtOAc fraction, were determined by spectroscopic studies to be (1S^∗,4R^∗,5S^∗)-5-hydroxy-4-[(E)-7-hydroxy-4-methylhept-3-enyl]-4,8-dimethyl-3-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-7-en-2,6-dione, (1R^∗,4R^∗,5R^∗)-5-hydroxy-4-[(E)-7-hydroxy-4-methylhept-3-enyl]-4,8-dimethyl-3-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-7-en-2,6-dione, and (1S^∗,4R^∗,5S^∗,8S^∗)-5-hydroxy-4-[(E)-7-hydroxy-4-methylhept-3-enyl]-4,8-dimethyl-3-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-2,6-dione, respectively.     

Reactions of 4-acetoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3-ones with some nucleophiles

O-Acetates of 4-hydroxy and 4-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3-ones reacted with nucleophiles such as phenols, indoles and ethanethiol. The major reaction center is the positively-charged nitrogen atom. In the reaction with 2-methylindole, 6-position of the benzoxazinone ring is another major reaction center.     

Surface Organometallic Chemistry——Surface Supported Triruthenium Ketenylidene Clusters and Their Performance in ~(13)CO Isotopic Exchange and Alkylation Reactions

Recently, metal clusters supported on some solids which simultaneously exhibit many excellent properties of both metal clusters and supports have been intensively studled. Such surface organometallic chemistry, which concerns the synthesis, structure, reactivity and catalytic activity of surface-supported organometallfc compounds is a new     

Novel photosensitive polymer based on polycarbodiimide and photoamine generator

A novel photosensitive polymer based on end‐capped polycarbodiimide (E‐PCD) and the photoamine generator N‐{[(4,5‐dimethoxy‐2‐nitrobenzyl)oxy]carbonyl}‐2,6‐dimethylpiperidine (1) was developed. The E‐PCD was prepared by polycondensation of tolylene‐2,4‐diisocyanate in the presence of 3‐methy‐1‐phenyl‐2‐phospholene‐1‐oxide as a catalyst. The reaction of carbodiimide and secondary amine was studied. The nucleophilic addition of amine to the carbodiimide moiety proceeded smoothly and provided a guanidine base that acted as a crosslinking agent. A lithographic evaluation of the system of E‐PCD and 1 revealed that the dissolution rate of the exposed area after the postexposure bake decreased drastically, although no obvious change of the dissolution rate in the unexposed area was observed. The E‐PCD containing 10 wt % 1 functioned as a negative working photosensitive polymer when it was exposed to 365‐nm UV light, postbaked at 120 °C for 5 min, and developed with toluene at 25 °C. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 329–336, 2000     

Structural study of (Li2S)50(GeS2)50 glass by X-ray and neutron diffraction

(Li₂S)₅₀(GeS₂)₅₀ glass was characterized by high-energy X-ray diffraction. The results were compared with previous neutron diffraction data. Moreover, Reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) modeling was performed using the X-ray and neutron data in order to obtain a three-dimensional structural model. The RMC model showed that the Ge–S framework structure was formed mainly by the connection of corner-sharing GeS₄ tetrahedra. Furthermore, many lithium ions were coordinated by three non-bridging sulfurs and one bridging sulfur.