A novel pre-shearing technique for measurement of the electrorheological effect of a side-chain liquid crystalline polysiloxane

A side-chain liquid crystalline polysiloxane derivative possessing mesogens was synthesized. The mesogens included a large dielectrically-anisotropic moiety. Phase transition behaviour was investigated and the electrorheological (ER) effect of the polymer considered. No ER effect was observed in non-sheared polysiloxane derivative because of its high inherent viscosity. However, a large ER effect was observed after pre-shearing. Pre-shearing, i.e. shearing with a high shear rate before the measurements, arranges the terminal mesogens in the shearing direction. Furthermore, a dilution of the sample led to a larger ER effect exceeding 10 000 Pa. We thus were able to demonstrate a new approach for the appearance of the ER effect.     

Effects of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) concentration on the permeability of PEG-grafted liposomes

Poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted liposomes (PEG-liposomes) were prepared from dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) with various amounts of distearoyl-N-monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-succinyl-phosphatidylethanolamines (DSPE-PEG) with PEG molecular weights of 1000, 2000, 3000 and 5000. The effects of DSPE-PEG concentration on the permeability of PEG-liposomes were investigated using carboxyfluorescein (CF). In the gel state, the CF leakage from PEG-liposomes was decreased with increasing mole fractions of DSPE-PEG for all PEG molecular weights. In the liquid-crystalline state, the CF leakage from PEG-liposomes containing DSPE-PEG1000 gradually increased with increasing mole fractions of DSPE-PEG, while that of PEG-liposomes whose molecular weight in PEG units was above 2000 rapidly decreased by the addition of DSPE-PEG. Furthermore, no effect of PEG molecular weight on CF leakage was observed. The relationship between the fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) (or 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH)) and the mole fraction of DSPE-PEG for PEG-liposomes was also investigated. No significant changes in fluorescence polarization of DPH for liposomal bilayer membranes was observed in the gel and liquid-crystalline states due to the addition of DSPE-PEG, while that of TMA-DPH was decreased compared with that of liposomes without DSPE-PEG in both states.     

Acid catalyzed ring contractions in endo-2,8-trimethylene-cis-bicyclo[3.3.0]octyl cations to methylperhydrotriquinacenes. One of the methyl ext

Sulfuric acid catalyzed ring contractions with extrusion of a methyl group were examined for alcohol and olefin derivatives (28–31) of endo-2,8-trimethylene-cis-bicyclo[3.3.0]octane (11), which was one of the two possible progenitors, among altogether 69 isomers, for methylperhydrotriquinacenes (6, 7 and 12), the only methyltricyclodecane intermediates found so far, in the tricycloundecane rearrangement. Only minor amounts (1.6–2.0%) of methylperhydrotriquinacenes were formed from these reactants 28–31, and the results support the earlier theoretical conclusion that the methyl extrusions were in general energetically quite unfavorable processes owing to the formation of primary carbinyl cations at the expense of more stable secondary bridge or tertiary bridgehead ones. Reaction pathways for these precursors 28–31 were discussed with reference to those of perhydrotriquinacene 2-carbinyl cations (33a's), which corresponded to some of the ring contraction product cations from 28–31.     

Novel fluoride transfer in the reaction of tricyclic epoxides with boron trifluoride

Reaction of the tricyclic epoxides ($\text{1a}$) and ($\text{1b}$) with boron trifluoride etherate leads to fluorohydrins ($\text{2a}$) and ($\text{2b}$) derived in the novel fluoride transfer, whereas ($\text{1c}$) undergoes isomerization to spiro ketone ($\text{3}$).     

A modified method using static head-space gas chromatography for determining the stability constants of 1-alkanol/alpha-cyclodextrin complexation

A modification of the conventional static head-space gas chromatography method (SHSGC method) to determine stability constants for 1-alkanol/alpha-CD inclusion complexes was investigated. The 1 : 1 stability constants determined by this modified SHSGC method are in reasonable agreement with the corresponding values reported previously. The modified SHSGC method precludes the necessity of the calibration curve by the use of Henry's law constant of guest. Consequently, the modified SHSGC method is more advantageous than the conventional SHSGC method because the experimental time required for determination of the stability constant is markedly reduced.     

1,21‐Henicosanediol

In the molecular structure of the title compound, C₂₁H₄₄O₂, the hydro­carbon skeleton has an all‐trans conformation. One of the terminal hydroxyl groups is also trans with respect to the skeleton, while the other is gauche. In the crystal structure, the mol­ecules lie parallel to the b axis, forming layers with a thickness of b/2. The packing is similar to that in the smectic A phase of liquid crystals. These features are similar to those of the homologues with an odd number of C atoms, but different from those with an even number.     

Galois rigidity of pro- pure braid groups of algebraic curves

In this paper, Grothendieck's anabelian conjecture on the pro- fundamental groups of configuration spaces of hyperbolic curves is reduced to the conjecture on those of single hyperbolic curves. This is done by estimating effectively the Galois equivariant automorphism group of the pro- braid group on the curve. The process of the proof involves the complete determination of the groups of graded automorphisms of the graded Lie algebras associated to the weight filtration of the braid groups on Riemann surfaces.

     

Alternative synthesis of cystothiazole A

Palladium-catalyzed methoxycarbonylation of (−)-(2R,3S)-1-tert-butyldimethylsiloxy-3-methyl-2-methoxypenta-4-yne 9 derived from (2R,3S)-epoxy butanoate 5 gave the acetylenic ester 10, which was treated with MeOH in the presence of Bu₃P to afford selectively (Z)-β-methoxy acrylate congener 11 in 86% yield. Treatment of (Z)-11 with 99.8% enrichment of CDCl₃ followed by consecutive desilylation and oxidation afforded the left-half aldehyde (+)-2. The overall yield (10 steps from 5; 23%) of (+)-2 via the present route was improved in comparison to that (10 steps from 5; 10%) of the previously reported route. By applying the modified Julia's coupling method, selectivity (E/Z=14:1) of the (E)-form (cystothiazole A 1) against the (Z)-form was improved in comparison to the Wittig method (E/Z=4:1 to 6.9:1).     

Dynamic investigation of a functionally graded layered structure with a crack crossing the interface

The dynamic response of a functionally graded layered structure with a crack crossing the interface is analyzed. The in-plane impact loading condition is considered. By using the Laplace and Fourier integral transforms, singular integral equation method and residue theory, the present problem is reduced to a singular integral equation in the Laplace transform domain. The influences of Young’s modulus ratio, thickness ratio, and crack length and location on the dynamic stress intensity factors (DSIFs) are investigated. Particularly, the DSIFs corresponding to different crack locations are shown in the case when the crack center moves from one layer to another layer through the interface. The peak and static values and overshoot characteristics of the DSIFs are analyzed. It is found that these values typically exhibit kinking behavior when the crack tips arrive at the interface. This study is different from previous other investigations in the following respects: (1) the dynamic response of a crack crossing the interface of a functionally graded structure is studied analytically, which has hardly been done in the past and (2) the present model can be reduced to some important problems, such as a functionally graded coating-substrate structure with a crack in the graded coating or homogeneous substrate or one intersecting the interface.