A total synthesis of spiruchostatin A

We achieved the total synthesis of the histone deacetylase inhibitor spiruchostatin A, as the prelude to the preparation of a combinatorial library of its analogues. Two key reactions were an asymmetric acetate aldol reaction using a Zr-enolate and macrolactonization using the Shiina method.     

Mössbauer spectrometica analysis of thermal decomposition products of phosphate and oxalate coatings on steel

The deterioration of zinc, zinc—calcium and manganese phosphate coatings and oxalate coatings on steel on heating was investigated by conversion electron Mössbauer spectrometry. and the chemical change of the coatings was analysed on the basis of the thermal characteristics of Zn₃(PO₄)₂·4H₂O, Zn₂Fe(PO₄)₄·4H₂O, CaZn₂(PO₄)₂·2H₂O, Fe₃(PO₄)₂·8H₂O. (Mn, Fe)₅H₂(PO₄)₄·4H₂O and FeC₂O₄·2H₂O. The steel substrate beneath the coatings influenced the thermal decomposition and evaporation of coating materials under the various heating atmospheres. The heat resistance of these coatings and the state of the substrate were also investigated.     

Preparation of Sr2CeO4:Eu3+,Dy3+ white luminescence phosphor particles and thin films by using an emulsion liquid membrane system

Sr(2)CeO(4) and Sr(2)CeO(4):Eu(3+),Dy(3+) phosphor particles and thin films were prepared by using an emulsion liquid membrane (ELM, water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion) system, containing VA-10 (2-methyl-2-ethylheptanoic acid) as extractant (cation carrier). A two-step extraction enabled efficient extraction for Sr(3+) and rare earth ions, and the resulting precursor metal oxalate particles produced in the internal water phase of the ELM system were about 60 nm in diameter. Calcination of the oxalate particles in air gave submicrometer-sized Sr(2)CeO(4) and Sr(2)CeO(4):Eu(3+),Dy(3+) particles, which showed blue and white luminescence, respectively, by UV excitation. Blue and white luminescence phosphor thin films were also prepared by soaking alumina substrates into the W/O emulsion containing precursor oxalate particles, followed by calcination in air.     

Enantioselective uptake of amino acid with overoxidized polypyrrole colloid templated with L-lactate

An overoxidized polypyrrole colloid, which can recognise enantiomers of amino acids has been prepared by a newly developed molecular imprinting technique. A polypyrrole colloid, which had been polymerised from a mixture of pyrrole (monomer), polyvinylpyrrolidone (steric stabiliser), peroxodisulfate (oxidant) and L-lactate (dopant), was overoxidized to create a dopant-complementary cavity. The enantioselectivity of the overoxidized colloid was evaluated by comparing the uptake of L-alanine and L-cysteine with that of the respective D-enantiomers. The L/D uptake ratios for these amino acids were about 2, while phenylalanine showed suppressed uptake for both the enantiomers. The absence of phenylalanine uptake can be explained in terms of the molecular size, which is too large to be accommodated by the cavity created by L-lactate. In contrast, a colloid templated with L-phenyllactate took up L-phenylalanine with a higher enantioselectivity of about 7. A colloid templated with L-lactate was applied to surface chirality analysis through enantioselective adsorption on cysteine-modified gold surfaces. Quartz microbalance experiments and scanning electron microscope observation of the gold surface revealed that the colloidal particle has higher affinity to a surface modified with L-cysteine than to one modified with D-cysteine.     

Diffusion coefficient of 36Cl in silver chloride

Diffusion coefficient of 36Cl in silver chloride was revealed to be about 1 x 10(-10)-4 x 10(-11) cm2 . s-1 in the range of 400 degrees C-200 degrees C by means of radioactive tracer measurements. Activation energy for diffusion was calculated about 0.13 eV. These results were different from those obtained by Maurer and Compton.     

Ca0.8Y2.4Sn0.8O6, a quaternary oxide with mixed occupations of Ca/Y and Y/Sn

A new quaternary oxide, calcium yttrium stannate, Ca_0.8Y_2.4Sn_0.8O₆, is isostructural with Mg₃TeO₆ (trigonal, R). The empirical formula can be expressed as (Ca_0.2667Y_0.7333)₆(Y_0.4Sn_0.6)SnO₁₂. The Ca/Y site has a distorted coordination octa­hedron of O atoms, with Ca/Y—O distances ranging from 2.227 (3) to 2.350 (3) Å, while the octa­hedra of O atoms that coordinate to the Sn and Y/Sn sites are nearly regular, with an Sn—O distance of 2.066 (2) Å and a Y/Sn—O distance of 2.147 (3) Å.     

A mesoporous non-precious metal boride system: synthesis of mesoporous cobalt boride by strictly controlled chemical reduction

Generating high surface area mesoporous transition metal boride is interesting because the incorporation of boron atoms generates lattice distortions that lead to the formation of amorphous metal boride with unique properties in catalysis. Here we report the first synthesis of mesoporous cobalt boron amorphous alloy colloidal particles using a soft template-directed assembly approach. Dual reducing agents are used to precisely control the chemical reduction process of mesoporous cobalt boron nanospheres. The Earth-abundance of cobalt boride combined with the high surface area and mesoporous nanoarchitecture enables solar-energy efficient photothermal conversion of CO₂ into CO compared to non-porous cobalt boron alloys and commercial cobalt catalysts.

Generating high surface area mesoporous transition metal boride is challenging but interesting because incorporation of boron atoms can generate lattice distortion to form amorphous metal boride which has unique properties in catalysis.     

Key aspects of crystalline Mo-V-O-based catalysts active in the selective oxidation of propane

Mo-V-O-based complex metal oxide catalysts were synthesized hydrothermally for the first time, characterized structurally and tested in the selective oxidation of propane to acrylic acid, and the results obtained were compared on the basis of catalyst crystal structures in order to clarify key aspects of alkane selective oxidation over multifunctional metal oxide catalysts. The catalysts tested were black solids of rod-shaped crystals, which had a layer structure in the direction of fiber axis and various high dimensional arrangements of metal octahedra in the cross-section plane. A strong dependency on the octahedra arrangements and a facet dependency were observed, and the roles of metal elements in the course of selective oxidation of propane were clarified by comparing the catalytic performance of various Mo-V-O-based catalysts. We discuss the multi-functional character derived from high dimensional structures of the catalysts and mechanism of the selective oxidation of propane.     

Cooperative C-F...Si interaction in optically active helical polysilanes

Cooperative amplification of the C-F...Si weak interaction between side chains and the main chain was found to afford rigid rodlike helical polysilanes with a preferential screw sense.