Laser diode integrated with a low radiation loss thickness-tapered beam expander for highly efficient fiber coupling

The optimal structure of a laser diode monolithically integrated with a thickness-tapered beam expander waveguide is demonstrated by analyzing the relationship between fiber coupling efficiencies and radiation losses. It is also found that mode conversion loss is lowered in a ridge waveguide structure than in a buried hetero structure under equivalent fiber coupling. A fabricated ridge waveguide device based on this design shows threshold current as low as 16 mA and narrow beam divergences of 13° and 12°.     

Desulfurization of N,N-dimethylthioformamide by hydrosilane with the help of an iron complex. Isolation and characterization of an iron-carbene complex as an intermediate of C=double bond cleavage

Desulfurization of N,N-dimethylthioformamide (Me(2)NCHS) by hydrosilane has been achieved under photo irradiation in the presence of a methyl iron complex. The reaction sequences have been proposed, in which silyl migration from Fe to S of thioformamide triggers the cleavage of a C=S bond to give a carbene-iron complex. This intermediate was isolated and characterized by X-ray analysis.     

Synthesis, properties, and oxidizing ability of areno-annulated 1,3-dimethyl-10-phenylcyclohepta[4,5]pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine- 2,4(1,3H)-dionylium ions

[structures: see text] Novel areno-annulated 1,3-dimethyl-10-phenylcyclohepta[4,5]pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1,3H)-dionylium ions 12a,b+ x BF4(-) and 16a+ x BF4(-) were synthesized by three-step reactions, starting from the reactions of benzo[b]tropone and naphtho[2,3-d]tropone with 6-anilino-1,3-dimethyluracil. Structural characteristics of 12a,b+ and 16a+ were clarified on inspection of the UV-vis and NMR spectral data as well as by X-ray crystal analyses. The stability of cations 12a,b+ and 16a+ is expressed by the pK(R+) values which were determined spectrophotometrically as the values of ca. 0.5-9.0. The pK(R+) value of the naphtho[b]tropylium ion 4+ was clarified to be much lower, at <0. The electrochemical reduction of 12a,b+ and 16a+ exhibited reduction potentials at -0.46 to -0.67 (V vs Ag/AgNO3) upon cyclic voltammetry (CV). The reduction potentials of the benzotropylium ion and cation 4+ were -0.26 and -0.09 V, respectively. In a search for reactivity, reactions of 12a,b+ x BF4(-) with some nucleophiles, hydride and diethylamine, were carried out. Although the reactions of 12a+ x BF4(-) afforded C11 adduct 19 as a single product, the addition reactions of 12b+ x BF4(-) proceeded at both C9 and C11. The attempted reduction of methyl benzoylformate by using 21 was carried out unsuccessfully. The photoinduced oxidation reaction of 12a,b+ x BF4(-) and 16a+ x BF4(-) toward some amines under aerobic conditions was carried out to give the corresponding imines (isolated by converting to the corresponding 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones) with the recycling number of 3.6-21.7.     

Photodissociation of Cl2SO at 248 and 193 nm in a molecular beam

A pulse molecular beam of Cl₂SO was photodissociated at 248 and 193 nm. The time-of-flight distributions were observed for the photofragments, Cl, ClSO and SO. The primary processes are Cl + ClSO (I), 2Cl + SO (II) and Cl₂ + SO (III). At 193 nm the measured translational energy distributions imply a vibrationally excited ClSO fragment in process (I), and a simultaneous dissociation in process (II). The relative quantum yield is φ_I < φ_II. At 248 nm a radical process (I) is dominant compared to a molecular process (III).     

Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Hydrogenation of α‐Amino‐β‐Keto Ester Hydrochlorides Catalyzed by an Iridium Complex with MeO‐BIPHEP and NaBArF: Catalytic Cycle and Five‐Membered Chelation Mechanism of Asymmetric Hydrogenation

The development of Ir‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides is described. This reaction proceeds through a dynamic kinetic resolution to produce anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid esters in a high diastereo‐ and enantioselective manner. Mechanistic studies have revealed that this unique asymmetric hydrogenation proceeds through reduction of the ketone moiety via the five‐membered transition state involving the chelation between the oxygen of the ketone and the nitrogen of the amine function. The relationship studies between the hydrogen pressure and the stereoselectivity have disclosed two mechanisms dependent on hydrogen pressure. Under low hydrogen pressure (<15 atm), the reaction rate proportionally increased with the hydrogen pressure. However, under the high hydrogen conditions, the reaction rate exponentially accelerated along with the increasing hydrogen pressure, which suggests the participation of two or more of hydrogen atoms.     

A Water-Gated Organic Thin-Film Transistor for Glyphosate Detection: A Comparative Study with Fluorescence Sensing

This work reports the design of a highly sensitive solid-state sensor device based on a water-gated organic thin-film transistor (WG-OTFT) for the selective detection of herbicide glyphosate (GlyP) in water. A competitive assay among carboxylate-functionalized polythiophene, Cu²⁺, and GlyP was employed as a sensing mechanism. Molecular recognition phenomena and electrical double layer (EDL) (at the polymer/water interface) originated from the field-effect worked cooperatively to amplify the sensitivity for GlyP. The limit of detection of WG-OTFT (0.26 ppm) was lower than that of a fluorescence sensor chip (0.95 ppm) which is the conventional sensing method. In contrast to the previously reported insulated molecular wires to block interchain interactions, molecular aggregates under the field-effect has shown to be effective for amplification of sensitivity through “intra”- and “inter”-molecular wire effects. The opposite strategy in this study could pave the way for fully utilizing the sensing properties of polymer-based solid-state sensor devices.     

Pyrene aromatic arrays on RNA duplexes as helical templates

RNA oligomers having multiple (2 to 4) pyrenylmethyl substituents at the 2'-O-sugar residues were synthesized. UV-melting studies showed that the pyrene-modified RNAs could form duplexes with complementary RNA sequences without loss of thermal stability. Absorption, fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) spectra revealed that the incorporated pyrenes projected toward the outside of A-form RNA duplexes and assembled in helical aromatic arrays along the minor grooves of the RNA duplexes. Results of computer simulations agreed with the assembled structures of the pyrenes. The helical pyrene arrays exhibited remarkably strong excimer fluorescence, which was dependent on the sequence contexts of RNA duplexes.     

Easy access to esters with a benzylic quaternary carbon center from diallyl malonates by palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative allylation

Diallyl 2-alkyl-2-arylmalonates underwent palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative allylation quickly under mild conditions. In contrast, no reaction took place with diallyl 2,2-dialkylmalonates under the same conditions. Electron-donating phosphine ligands were found to be vital for this reaction. Most of the solvents used did not affect the catalytic cycle. Catalysis in [bmim][BF4], a well-known ionic liquid, was inhibited as a result of formation of a hydrogen bond between a carboxylate anion and a [bmim]+ cation; however, the reaction in [bdmim][BF4], in which the acidic proton of [bmim][BF4] was replaced with a methyl group, proceeded smoothly. The catalytic mechanism was investigated using a tetradeuterated substrate and an enzymatically synthesized enantio-enriched allyl methyl 2-methyl-2-phenylmalonate. Even the electron-deficient phosphite ligand was found to be active for catalysis of diallyl 2-methyl-2-(2- or 4-nitrophenyl)malonates.     

Large-scale first-principles molecular dynamics for electrochemical systems with O(N) methods

A method for large-scale first-principles molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on electrochemical systems has been developed by combining the effective screening medium (ESM) method with O(N) density functional theory (DFT). This implementation has been significantly simplified by the introduction of neutral atom potentials, which minimizes the modifications to existing DFT code. In order to demonstrate ability of this implementation, it has been applied to an electrochemical system consisting of a H-Si(111) electrode, which is a candidate anode for high-capacity Li-ion secondary batteries, and a propylene carbonate (PC) solvent to simulate how PC molecules in the vicinity of the electrode surface respond to an imposed electric field. The large-scale MD simulation clearly demonstrates that the combination of the ESM and O(N) DFT methods provides a useful tool for first-principles investigation of complicated electrochemical systems such as high-capacity batteries.