Identification of topmost atom on InP (001) surface by coaxial impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy

The topmost atom of InP (001) surfaces, which were annealed at temperatures between 300 and 550°C or sputtered with 1 keV Ar⁺ at 300°C in ultra high vacuum, has been directly identified by means of coaxial impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy (CAICISS). Time-of-flight spectra of the annealed InP (001) surface exhibited both In and P peaks in both azimuth and in [100] azimuth, which revealed that the topmost layer of annealed InP (001) was comprised of In-terminated and P-terminated surfaces. On the other hand, time-of-flight spectrum of the InP (001) sputtered at 300°C revealed only an In peak in azimuth and revealed both In and P peaks in [100] azimuth. This result indicates that the topmost layer on the Ar⁺-sputtered InP (001) surface was completely terminated by In atoms. Furthermore, we indicate that surface damage induced by this sputtering treatment is little. The azimuthal depen-dence of CAICISS intensity scattered from In and P showed twofold symmetry with respect to [100] direction, which originated from the zinc-blende structure.     

A Stereochemical Study of the Isomerization of Cyclopropyl Ethers to Allyl Ethers Catalyzed with Zinc Iodide

Optically active 1-alkoxybicyclo[4.1.0]heptane was converted using zinc iodide as a catalyst to 2-alkoxymethylidenecyclohexane without loss of optical purity. The mechanism of the isomerization was studied using a stereochemical analysis of the product and deuterium labeling experiments. The results indicated that the isomerization takes place through a stepwise mechanism that involves an attack of zinc iodide on the cyclopropane ring to cause ring opening, followed by an intramolecular 1,2-hydride shift with liberation of the zinc iodide.     

Characteristics of Diffraction Gratings Fabricated by the Two-Beam Interference Method Using Photosensitive Hybrid Gel Films

Diffraction gratings of arbitrary periods have been fabricated by the two-beam interference method using photosensitive ZrO₂ gel films and characterized. The ZrO₂ gel films were formed on Si or silica glass substrates from sols that were derived from Zr-butoxide modified chemically with benzoylacetone. The gel films were irradiated with two interference beams from a He-Cd laser (325 nm) and then leached in ethyl alcohol. The above process gave uniform surface-relief gratings of periods ranging from 1.0 to 0.5 m, depending on the incidence angle of the interference beams. The diffraction efficiency, measured in the Littrow configuration using a He-Ne laser (633 nm), showed polarization dependence for the grating of 0.5 m period but not for the gratings of 1.0 m period. The maximum diffraction efficiency was 18% for the grating of 1.0 m period and 28% for that of 0.5 m period in the reflection mode. The present study has proved that the photosensitive gel films are versatile in fabrication of optical devices.     

Data processing method for the determination of accurate molecular weight distribution of polymers by SEC/MALDI-MS.

A novel data processing method for a hyphenated technique, size exclusion chromatography/matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (SEC/MALDI-MS), has been proposed to determine accurate molecular weight distributions on the basis of the individual oligomer species of a polymer. This method is based on the concept that the individual peak intensities of MALDI mass spectrum observed for every SEC fraction with narrow molecular weight distribution could be adjusted to the quantified values to reveal the accurate molecular weight distribution using the signal intensity of the corresponding fraction on the SEC chromatogram observed with a refractive index detector. At first, the theory of the proposed date processing is described in detail. Then, experimental verification of the method is described. This was performed through the characterization of mixtures of three kinds of monodispersed polystyrene reference materials (weight average molecular weight = ca. 6000, 10000, and 18000) as model samples. An accurate trimodal molecular weight distribution for the individual oligomer species of the sample was obtained without any influence of the chromatographic band broadening observed in the original SEC chromatogram. Moreover, the method for depicting the elution profiles of individual oligomer species during SEC separation was also obtained as a "mass chromatogram" using the data processing procedure.     

Thermal degradation mechanisms of liquid crystalline aromatic polyesters studied by pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

The thermal degradation mechanisms of liquid crystalline aromatic polyesters (LCPs) prepared from p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHB), biphenol (BP), and terephthalic acid (TA) were studied by pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The LCP containing deuterated terephthalate units and the LCPs that have different comonomer ratios were examined. On the basis of the pyrolysis products determined, the origin of the main pyrolysis products (benzene, phenol, biphenyl, phenyl benzoate, etc.) from the corresponding comonomer units were estimated and their thermal degradation mechanisms were eventually discussed in detail.     

In-beam electron impact mass spectrometry of aliphatic alcohols

The characteristics of the in-beam electron impact mass spectra of six isomers of undecanol as well as several 1-alkanols have been examined. In addition to the characteristic ions observed in the conventional electron impact spectra, the [2M+1]⁺, [2M+1-H₂O]⁺, [2M+1-2H₂O]⁺, [2M-R or R′]⁺, [2M-H₂O? R or R′]⁺, [2M? 2H₂O? R or R′]⁺ and [M+1? H₂O]⁺ peaks are common in the in-beam electron impact mass spectra of the undecanol isomers of structure RCH(OH)R′. Deuterium labelling experiments have shown that the extra proton in the protonated dimer ions, [2M+1]⁺, originates from the hydroxy group. The processes which produce the important peaks in the high m/e regions are discussed.     

NUCLEIC ACID HYBRIDIZATION ACCOMPANIED WITH EXCIMER FORMATION FROM TWO PYRENE-LABELED PROBES

Abstract— We developed a novel nucleic acid hybridization method based on excimer formation. We used two different 16-mer oligonucleotide probes that had a combined continuous-sequence run that was complementary to a target 32-mer. Prior to hybridization, the adjacent terminal ends (i.e. the 3'-terminal of one probe and the 5'-terminal of the other probe) were each labeled with one pyrene residue. When these probes simultaneously hybridized to the target, a 495 nm broad fluorescence band was produced. The intensity of this band increased as the intensity of the pyrene monomer bands decreased, indicating that the 495 nm band was attributed to the pyrene excimer. The excimer fluorescence, easily differentiated from the monomer bands for emission wavelength, opens up a new way to perform homogeneous hybridization assays and in vivo imaging of nucleic acids.     

Reversible cleavage and recombination of an acetylenic carbon-carbon bond on a tetrairon cluster coupled with a two-electron redox reaction

Two-electron reduction of [(eta5-C5H4Me)4Fe4(mu3-CH)2(mu3-CO)2](PF6)2 (1) results in the coupling of two methylidyne ligands to form (eta5-C5H4Me)4Fe4(HCCH)(mu3-CO)2 (2), the two-electron oxidation of which reproduces 1. Structures of 1 and 2 were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Synthesis of β-mercuri ketones by the reaction of siloxycyclopropanes with mercuric acetate and their conversion to α-methylene ketones and γ-ketoesters

Siloxycyclopropanes were quantitatively converted to β-acetoxymercuri ketones by the reaction with mercuric acetate. Successive treatment with palladium chloride or palladium chloride/carbon monoxide gave α-methylene ketones or γ-ketoesters, respectively, in good yields.     

Hexagonal columnar porphyrin assembly by unique trimeric complexation of a porphyrin dimer with pi-pi stacking: remarkable thermal behavior in a solid

On heating, syn-diporphyrin zinc complexes fused with bis(ethano)dimethoxyanthracene, the crystal structure of which showed a unique trimeric assembly, extruded one ethylene molecule at 240-310 degrees C to give a porphyrin-naphthoporphyrin diad, and the second retro-Diels-Alder reaction and concomitant decomposition of the methoxy groups occurred at 280-350 degrees C to give the anthraquinone-fused diporphyrin, while the first thermal conversion of the anti-diporphyrin zinc complex occurred in a much lower temperature range (180-230 degrees C).