On generalized poly-Bernoulli numbers and related L-functions

Different two generalizations of the Dirichlet L-functions which are based on the construction of Arakawa–Kaneko?s zeta function are treated. Further special values at non-positive integers of such functions are evaluated and generalized poly-Bernoulli numbers are introduced via those values.     

Chirality Induction by Formation of Assembled Structures Based on Anion‐Responsive π‐Conjugated Molecules

Anion‐responsive π‐conjugated compounds having chiral alkyl chains were synthesized. Circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) were observed in the solution‐state assemblies of the chiral anion receptors and those of their anion complexes as salts of a planar triazatriangulenium cation. The CD and CPL spectral patterns of the ion‐pair‐based assemblies were completely opposite to those of the anion‐free assemblies, and this suggests that anion binding and subsequent ion pairing change the chirality of the assembly modes.     

Analysis of Cu segregation to oxide–metal interface of Ni‐based alloy in a metal‐dusting environment

Hard X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HX‐PES) has been realized using high‐brilliance synchrotron radiation. High‐energy photon excitation enables us to probe photoelectrons with larger escape depth compared to conventional PES. This allows us to conduct, without destruction, a study of the embedded interface of materials as the oxide‐ metal interface. We apply HX‐PES to investigate for Cu segregation in the oxide–metal interface during metal‐dusting corrosion. The effective concentration of Cu in the segregation was estimated a few times higher than the bulk concentration. These results on the interface layer can explain the variation in the corrosion resistance. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Facile synthesis of chlorophyll analog possessing a disulfide bond and formation of self-assembled monolayer on gold surface

A chlorophyll analog forming self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on a gold surface was synthesized for the first time. 13(2)-(Demethoxycarbonyl)pheophorbide-a, which was converted from naturally occurring chlorophyll-a, was condensed with 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide to give a chlorin dyad linked by a disulfide bond. The chlorin analog was spontaneously immobilized on a gold substrate by soaking in an acetone solution of the dyad for 24 h. The resulting gold plate exhibited a visible absorption spectrum with about 420- and 675-nm maxima as the Soret and Qy peaks, respectively, indicating that chlorin pi-conjugates were modified on the gold substrate through Au-S bonding. Both visible absorption and fluorescence emission bands of the chlorin chromophores on the gold substrate were red-shifted compared with those of the synthesized chlorin dyad in a homogeneous acetone solution. The measured absorbance at the Soret maximum suggests that the chlorin chromophores on the gold plate were densely packed on a gold surface to form a SAM. Cathodic photocurrents were generated from SAMs of the chlorins on a gold substrate with irradiation of visible-lights above 400 nm. Photoinduced electron transfer from chlorins on the gold substrate to oxygen molecules in an electrolyte solution were attributed to the cathodic photocurrent generation.     

Remarkable CO-catalyst effect of gold nanoclusters on olefin oxidation catalyzed by a manganese-porphyrin complex

The effect of dodecanethiolate-protected metallic nanoclusters of gold (Au:SC12, 1), silver (Ag:SC12), palladium (Pd:SC12), and platinum (Pt:SC12) on the catalytic activity of Mn(TPP)Cl (TPP = tetraphenylporphinato) was investigated in styrene oxidation with iodosylbenzene. Among the four metal clusters, only Au:SC12 led to appreciable acceleration of the catalytic reaction. The major role of the Au cluster was to regenerate the active catalytic path involving Mn(III) and Mn(V) from the deactivated Mn(IV) species. The binary 1/Mn(TPP)Cl catalyst system showed an absorption spectrum characteristic of Mn(III)-porphyrin after reaction, whereas a catalytically ineffective Mn(IV) species was observed as the sole porphyrin species in the absence of the Au cluster or in the presence of Pd, Ag, and Pt clusters. Accordingly, the slow oxidation reaction with Mn(TPP)Cl was accelerated by the addition of Au:SC12, and complete conversion of Mn(IV) into Mn(III) was observed in the absorption spectrum. 1H NMR inspection of the reaction of Au:SC12 and iodosylbenzene revealed that the surface dodecyl groups were partially oxidized into dodecanal and eliminated from the cluster surface, thereby producing unprotected gold sites on the surface. A reactivation mechanism involving the reaction of the Mn-porphyrin and the oxidant activated on the gold surface is proposed.     

Photodegradation of polyethylene in the presence of ferric chloride

Effects of ferric chloride (FeCl₃) on photodegradation of high-density polyethylene (PE) were investigated by using ESR and infrared spectrometry. In the system with irradiation at light of λ > 220 nm, PE irradiated at 77°K yielded an 8-line spectrum, the intensity of which was markedly weakened by using FeCl₃ with the sample, indicating a distinct depression of radical formation. On the other hand, PE with the use of FeCl₃ yielded radicals under irradiation only with light of λ > 300 nm, showing a singlet spectrum with a line width of 15 gauss. For photooxidized PE, almost the same effect of FeCl₃ was observed. On irradiation at room temperature, PE samples with and without FeCl₃ showed a singlet spectrum with line widths of 15 and 25 gauss, respectively. On the other hand, the unsaturated double bond contained in a small amount in PE sample was observed by infrared study to be decreased with photoirradiation; however, the decrease was sharply depressed with the addition of FeCl₃ to the sample. The degradation of carbonyl group in a photooxidized sample was markedly affected by photoirradiation, and the decay was obviously reduced for the sample on addition of FeCl₃. It is concluded that FeCl₃ works upon photodegradation of PE to enhance the Norrish type II reaction and to accelerate the formation of unsaturated double bond in the chain.     

Observation of internal-conversion electrons induced by inelastic nuclear resonant scattering

Measurements of the internal-conversion electron emission due to the inelastic nuclear resonant excitation are reported. thin films of 20 and 1.3 nm thickness were deposited on Si(1 1 1), and the internal-conversion electrons were measured as a function of the photon energy. From the inelastic part of the spectra, the phonon density of states was obtained. Whereas the phonon density of states of 20-nm thick film resembles that of bulk -Fe, the 1.3-nm thick film revealed an obvious softening of the acoustic mode.     

Ammonium chiral borate salt catalyzed asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with α,β-disubstituted enals

In the presence of a catalytic amount of ammonium chiral borate salt, asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with α,β-disubstituted enals proceeded to give the corresponding 1,4-addition products with moderate enantioselectivities.     

Synthesis and healing properties of poly(arylether sulfone)–poly(alkylthioether) multiblock copolymers containing disulfide bonds

Thermoplastic elastomers composed of soft and hard segments are important elastic and processable synthetic polymers. The microphase‐separated soft domains show low glass transition temperature and possess sufficient chain mobility at room temperature. In this study, we report the synthesis and healing properties of multiblock copolymers containing disulfide bonds as dynamic covalent bonds. The multiblock copolymers composed of poly(arylether sulfone) and poly(alkylthioether) segments were synthesized by oxidative coupling polymerization of the corresponding thiol‐terminated oligomers. Atomic force microscopy phase images, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis curves indicated the microphase‐separated morphology of the multiblock copolymer. Self‐healing properties of the polymer were evaluated by changes in the elongation at break of the cut/adhered samples. The elongation recovery increased with UV irradiation time, and the multiblock copolymer showed a 93% recovery after UV irradiation for 5 h. The healing efficiency induced by UV irradiation, determined by subtracting the recovery without UV irradiation, was calculated to be 51%. According to the UV spectra and solubility changes after UV irradiation, the main healing factor in this study was the crosslinking reactions caused by thiyl radicals generated from UV irradiation instead of disulfide exchange reactions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 3545–3553