Visible-light-sensitive photocatalytic reaction on chromium-containing mesoporous silica: selective partial oxidation of propane with molecular oxygen

The photocatalytic reactivities of chromium-containing mesoporous silica molecular sieves (Cr-HMS) under visible light irradiation have been investigated. Cr-HMS involves tetrahedral chromium oxide (Cr-oxide) moieties which are highly dispersed and incorporated in the framework of molecular sieve with two terminal Cr=O groups. In the presence of propane with molecular oxygen, a partial oxidation proceeded under visible light irradiation to produce acetone and acrolein, with high selectivity, while a complete oxidation proceeded under UV light irradiation mainly to produce CO₂. The charge-transfer excited state of the tetrahedral Cr-oxide moieties plays a significant role in the photocatalytic reactions.     

Spin-relaxation and magnetoresistance in FM/SC/FM tunnel junctions

The effect of spin relaxation on tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) in a ferromagnet/superconductor/ferromagnet (FM/SC/FM) double tunnel junction is theoretically studied. The spin accumulation in SC is determined by balancing of the spin-injection rate and the spin-relaxation rate. In the superconducting state, the spin-relaxation time τ_s becomes longer with decreasing temperature, resulting in a rapid increase of TMR. The TMR of FM/SC/FM junctions provides a useful probe to extract information about spin-relaxation in superconductors.     

Chemically modified proton‐conducting membranes based on sulfonated polyimides: Improved water stability and fuel‐cell performance

A series of branched/crosslinked sulfonated polyimide (B/C‐SPI) membranes were prepared and evaluated as proton‐conducting ionomers based on the new concept of in situ crosslinking from sulfonated polyimide (SPI) oligomers and triamine monomers. Chemical branching and crosslinking in SPI oligomers with 1,3,5‐tris(4‐aminophenoxy)benzene as a crosslinker gave the polymer membranes very good water stability and mechanical properties under an accelerated aging treatment in water at 130 °C, despite their high ion‐exchange capacity (2.2–2.6 mequiv g^?1). The resulting polymer electrolytes displayed high proton conductivities of 0.2–0.3 S cm^?1 at 120 °C in water and reasonably high conductivities of 0.02–0.03 S cm^?1 at 50% relative humidity. In a single H₂/O₂ fuel‐cell system at 90 °C, they exhibited high fuel‐cell performances comparable to those of Nafion 112. The B/C‐SPI membranes also displayed good performances in a direct methanol fuel cell with methanol concentrations as high as 50 wt % that were superior to those of Nafion 112. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3751–3762, 2006     

Gaseous adsorption properties of a silica-pillared layered manganese oxide

Adsorptions of N(2), H(2)O, and organic vapors including CH(2)Cl(2), CCl(4), c-C(6)H(12), C(6)H(6), n-C(6)H(14), and n-C(9)H(20) on a silica-pillared layered manganese oxide (SiHMnO) and nonane-preadsorbed SiHMnO were examined. It is found that SiHMnO has a microporosity with a wide pore width distribution showing different pore wall affinities. Micropores with smaller width preferentially accommodate the nonane preadsorbate while the surface hydrophilicity of pore wall leads to an easier detachment of the adsorbed nonane molecules. H(2)O adsorption influences both the porosity and the surface properties by accelerating a sufficient hydrolysis of the remained TEOS molecules in SiHMnO. Examinations using Dubinin-Radeshkevich (DR) equation and isosteric heat of adsorption of organic molecules provide evidences that the wall surface of micropores with smaller and larger width have less affinity toward nonpolar and polar organic vapors, respectively.     

5-Fluorouracil derivatives with serum protein binding potencies

To develop an optimal delivery system for 5-fluorouracil (5FU) using serum protein as a drug carrier, a series of its benzyl derivatives was synthesized. Then their binding to the serum protein was investigated by equilibrium dialysis. The benzyl derivatives of 5FU were strongly bound to rat plasma protein or human serum albumin. The bound percentage increased with increasing hydrophobicity. It was suggested that the benzyl derivative of 5FU existed in the blood as a complex with serum albumin and circulated for a long time as a polymeric drug does.     

The first total synthesis of (+/-)-linderol A, a tricyclic hexahydrodibenzofuran constituent of Lindera umbellata bark, with potent inhibitory activity on melanin biosynthesis of cultured B-16 melanoma cells

[reaction in text] The first total synthesis of (+/-)-linderol A, a hexahydrodibenzofuran isolated from Lindera umbellata bark, with potent inhibitory activity on melanin biosynthesis of cultured B-16 melanoma cells was achieved via a 20-step of reaction in 7.64% overall yield starting from 4,6-dimethoxysalicylaldehyde.     

Visual observation of contact-induced intercrystalline migration of aromatic species adsorbed in zeolites by fluorescence microscopy.

Intercrystalline migration and a migration-assisted chemical reaction of adsorbed aromatic species between zeolite particles in physical contact were visualized by fluorescence microscopy coupled with a particle manipulation technique. The luminescence color characteristics of particular zeolite particles originating from the specific photochemistry of adsorbed species was exploited to follow the migration of the molecules. Two examples are shown that are relevant to the visualization of the time-dependent migration process: A one guest-two sets of zeolite crystals system: chrysene (Chry)-loaded zeolite Na+ -X (the sodium form of zeolite X) crystals were placed in contact with unloaded Tl+ -X (thallium-exchanged X) crystals and allowed to stand at room temperature. Initially, the blue fluorescence of Chry was detected only from the Na+ -X particles, but later, the development of green phosphorescence emission was discernible from the Tl+ -X which suggests that Chry migrated from the Na+ -X to the Tl+ -X crystals. A two guest-species systems: Electron-donating Chry-loaded Na+ -X crystals were placed in contact with electron-accepting 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB)-loaded Na+ -X or Na+ -Y crystals. With time, the former system (Chry/Na+ -X and TCNB/Na+ -X) gave rise to the emission of Chry-TCNB charge-transfer complexes resulting mainly from the migration of Chry while the latter system (Chry/Na+ -X and TCNB/Na+ -Y) afforded the same emission resulting largely from the migration of TCNB. The present investigation reveals that there is a certain direction for guest migration depending on the zeolite host and the nature of host-guest or guest-guest interaction.     

Convenient synthetic routes to α-oligosiloxanylacrylonitriles

Novel 1,4-elimination reaction of C,N-bis(trimethylsilyl)-C- trimethylsiloxymethylketenimine and retro Diels-Alder reaction of 2-oligosiloxanyl-5-norbornene-2-carbonitrile cleanly gave α-oligosiloxanylacrylonitriles in excellent yield.