A Compact Narrow-Band Tunable Optical Transversal Filter

We present a compact narrow-band tunable optical transversal filter with phase-variable taps. A transmission bandwidth of the comb filter is less than 0.2nm and can be continuously tuned in the entire FSR.     

Adsorption of fission products onto soils using a fission multitracer

The adsorption behavior of fission products to various soils was studied using a multitracer. The multitracer was prepared by neutron irradiation of ²³⁵U. Distribution coefficients of fission products were obtained for seventeen kinds of Japanese soils. It was found that zirconium, niobium, and rare earth elements show high distribution coefficients for all soil samples, however, elements like alkali metals show varied values.     

Determination of chemical form of antimony in contaminated soil around a smelter using X-ray absorption fine structure.

Only limited information is available about the behavior of antimony (Sb) in contaminated soils. However, understanding the behavior of Sb in contaminated soils is important, because the toxicity or solubility of this element depends on its chemical state. In this study, we investigated the levels of Sb and the chemical forms of Sb in the soil around a smelter using X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectra. The highest Sb concentration in the contaminated soil was 2900 mg/kg dry soil. According to Sb-K edge X-ray absorption near edge (XANE) spectra, the Sb in the soil was in the form of Sb(V) compounds. The similarity of extended XAFS (EXAFS) spectra suggests that Sb speciation was independent of the sampling site, which indicates that Sb or Sb2O3 emitted from the smelter was converted into Sb(V) compounds in the soil.     

A novel method for preparation of 2-(methyl- or phehnylthio)alkanoic esters

Ethyl 2-acetylalkanoate gave ethyl 2-(methyl- or phenylthio)alkanoate in high yield on treatment wiht CH₃SSO₂CH₃, PhSSO₂Ph, or PhSSPh in the presence of small excess of EtONa in EtOH. Application of the present method to synthesis of pellitorine and the queen substance is also described.     

Di(triptycyl)carbene: a fairly persistent triplet dialkylcarbene

The title carbene was generated and characterized by matrix spectroscopy (ESR and UV/vis) and laser flash photolysis along with theoretical calculations, which revealed interesting effects of triptycyl groups on structure and reactivities of carbenes.     

Synthesis of directly linked zinc(II) porphyrin-imide dyads and energy gap dependence of intramolecular electron transfer reactions

A series of zinc(II) porphyrin-imide dyads (ZP-Im), in which an electron donating ZP moiety is directly connected to an electron accepting imide moiety in the meso position, have been prepared for the examination of energy gap dependence of intramolecular electron transfer reactions with large electronic coupling. The nearly perpendicular conformation of the imide moiety towards the porphyrin plane has been revealed by Xray crystal structures. The energy gap for charge separation, 1ZP* - Im --> ZP+ - Im-, is varied by changing the electron accepting imide moiety to cover a range of about 0.8 eV in DMF. Definitive evidence for electron transfer has been obtained in three solvents (toluene, THF, and DMF) through picosecond-femtosecond transient absorption studies, which have allowed us to determine the rates of photoinduced charge separation, 1ZP* - Im --> ZP+ - Im-, and subsequent thermal charge recombination ZP+ - Im- --> ZP - Im. The free-energy gap dependence (energy gap law) has been probed from the normal to the nearly top region for the charge separation rate alone, and only the inverted region for the charge recombination rate. Although both of the energy gap dependencies can be approximately reproduced by means of the simplified semiclassical equation, when we take into consideration the effect of the high frequency vibrations replaced by one mode of averaged frequency, many features, including the effects of solvent polarity and the electron tunneling matrix element on the energy gap law, differ considerably from those of the previously studied porphyrin-quinone systems, which have weaker interchromophore electronic interactions.     

A SYNTHETIC ROUTE TO 3-METHYLTHIO-2-ALKANONES STARTING FROM 3-ALKYL-2,4-PENTANEDIONES

Abstract

An efficient preparation of a 3-methylthio-2-alkanone (1) has been realized by the reaction of a 3-alkyl-2,4-pentanedione (8) with one mol-equiv of S-methyl methanethiosulfonate (4) in the presence of excess EtONa in EtOH. Furthermore, treatment of 8 with 4 and K₂CO₃ in refluxing acetone, followed by addition of MeOH and heating the resulting mixture, gave 1 in a high yield. These methods were applied to synthesis of pseudoionone.     

Inclusion of Poly(ethylene glycol)s by Crystalline (R)-(1-Naphthyl)glycyl-(R)-phenylglycine

Abstract

Crystallization of (R)-(1-naphthyl)glycyl-(R)-phenyl-glycine [(R,R)-1] in the presence of oligo(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ethers 2(n) or poly(ethylene glycol)s (PEGs, 3(M_n )) afforded inclusion compounds. The ratio of (R,R)-1/the guest polymer (2 or 3) was proportional to the length of the polymer chain. The crystal structure of a hepta(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether-included compound was disclosed by X-ray crystallography which showed that (R,R)-1 molecules form a sheet and the guest molecule penetrates the crystal lattice of (R,R)-1 through a one-dimensional channel on the sheet. Powder X-ray analysis revealed that, regardless of the length of the guest polymer, the distance between the neighboring sheets remains unchanged (12.0–12.3 Å) in these inclusion crystals. By thermal analysis, it was shown that the decomposition points of these inclusion compounds became higher with the longer PEG included. The inclusion phenomenon enabled the fractionation of PEGs with various molecular weights, among which longer PEG was preferably included.