Among the many forms of mesoporous materials, thin films are important for the potential applications of this class of materials. Compared with the powder forms, however, there has been relatively little work done on thin films probably because of the lack of suitable and generalized synthetic mechanisms established. In this account, we will review the issues on mesoporous thin films with emphasis on the necessity of forming films with accessible pores from the film surfaces and on mesoporous thin films with metal oxides other than silica. Various methods that have been tried to utilize mesoporous thin films with accessible pores as templates for the synthesis of nanostructured materials are reviewed with the emphasis on the advantages of the electrochemical deposition technique.

A series of catalysts, $NiO/La_2O_3-ZrO_2/WO_3$, for acid catalysis was prepared by the precipitation and impregnation methods. For the $NiO/La_2O_3-ZrO_2/WO_3$ samples, no diffraction lines of nickel oxide were observed, indicating good dispersion of nickel oxide on the catalyst surface. The catalyst was amorphous to X-ray diffraction up to 300 ${^{\circ}C}$ of calcination temperature, but the tetragonal phase of $ZrO_2$ and monoclinic phase of $WO_3$ by the calcination temperatures from 400 ${^{\circ}C}$ to 700 ${^{\circ}C}$ were observed. The role of $La_2O_3$ in the catalyst was to form a thermally stable solid solution with zirconia and consequently to give high surface area and acidity. The high acid strength and high acidity were responsible for the W=O bond nature of complex formed by the modification of $ZrO_2$ with $WO_3$. For 2-propanol dehydration the catalyst calcined at 400 ${^{\circ}C}$ exhibited the highest catalytic activity, while for cumene dealkylation the catalyst calcined at 600 ${^{\circ}C}$ showed the highest catalytic activity. 25-$NiO/5-La_2O_3-ZrO_2/15-WO_3$ exhibited maximum catalytic activities for two reactions due to the effects of $WO_3$ modifying and $La_2O_3$ doping.

Lipid peroxidation induced by the reaction of cytochrome c with $H_2O_2$ was investigated. When linoleic acid micelles or phosphatidyl choline liposomes were incubated with cytochrome c and $H_2O_2$, lipid peroxidation was increased in cytochrome c and $H_2O_2$ concentrations-dependent manner. Radical scavengers, azide, formate and ethanol prevented lipid peroxidation induced by the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system. Iron specific chelator, desferoxamine also prevented the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system-mediated lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that lipid peroxidation may be induced by the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system via the generation of free radicals. Carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine are present in the muscle and brain of many animals and human. Previous studies show that these compounds have an antioxidant function. In the present study, carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine significantly prevented the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system-mediated lipid peroxidation. Carnosine and related compounds also inhibited the free radical-generating activity of cytochrome c. The results suggest that carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine may prevent lipid peroxidation induced by the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system through a free radical scavenging.

Dimethyl 1-(4-nitrobenzoyl)-8-oxo-2,8-dihydro-1H-pyrazolo[5,1-a]isoindole-2,3-dicarboxylate has been used as an ionophore and o-nitrophenyloctyl ether as a plasticizer in order to develop a poly(vinyl chloride)-based membrane electrode for calcium ion detection. The sensors exhibit significantly enhanced response towards calcium(II) ions over the concentration range $8.0{\times}10^{-7}\;1.0{\times}10^{-1}$ M at pH 3.0-11 with a lower detection limit of $5.0 {\times}10^{-7}$ M. The sensors display Nernstian slope of 29.5 ${\pm}$ 0.5 mV per decade for Ca(II) ions. Effects of plasticizers, lipophilic salts and various foreign common ions are tested. It has a fast response time within 10 s over the entire concentration range and can be used for at least 2 months without any divergence in potentials. The proposed electrode revealed good selectivity and response for $Ca^{2+}$ over a wide variety of other metal ions. The selectivity of the sensor is comparable with those reported for other such electrodes. The proposed sensor was successfully applied as an indicator electrode for the potentiometric titration of a Ca(II) solution, with EDTA.

$Y_2O_2S$:Eu phosphors were synthesized via solid-state reactions. $Y_2O_2S$:Eu phosphor particles of various sizes were obtained by varying the firing temperature and firing time. The photoluminescence properties of these $Y_2O_2S$:Eu phosphors were examined. In addition, the cathodoluminescence properties of the $Y_2O_2S$:Eu phosphors were examined for applied voltages of 3-8 kV. The relationship between the luminescence intensity and particle size of the$Y_2O_2S$:Eu phosphors was investigated. The photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence of the $Y_2O_2S$:Eu phosphors are affected differently by variations in particle size.

Imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquids having unsaturated aliphatic side chains were synthesized and characterized. Most of them are liquid at room temperature and all of them are stable up to $300{^{\circ}C}$. Some imidazolium tetrafluoroborates with an allylic side chain showed much wider voltage windows on the platinum electrode, better conductivities, and lower viscosities compared with the corresponding ionic liquids containing the saturated side chains.

Dion-Jacobson phases $CsCa_2Nb_2FeO_9$ and $CsCa_2Nb_2AlO_9$ were reinvestigated by the Rietveld analysis of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) method, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). These nominal compounds, previously known as the oxygen-deficient layered perovskites with the sequences of $NbO_6-MO_4-NbO_6$ in tripled slab, in fact, were mixed phases of n = 3 Dion-Jacobson phases and impurities such as $Ca_2NbFeO_6$ and $Ca_3Al_2O_6$. The difference of morphology and chemical in-homogeneity between Dion-Jacobson phases and impurities could be clearly identified by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The chemical composition of $CsCa_2Nb_2FeO_9$ was calculated into $Cs_{0.59}Ca_{2.64}Nb_{2.92}Fe_{0.81}$ in small agglomerate crystals and $Cs_{0.95}Ca_{1.97}Nb_{3.08}Fe_{0.15}$ in long plate-like crystals.

The catalytic enantioselective Michael reaction promoted by quaternary ammonium salts from Cinchona alkaloids as a phase-transfer catalyst is described. Treatment of malonates with $\alpha$,$\beta$-unsaturated ketones under mild reaction conditions afforded the corresponding Michael adducts in good yields with good to moderate enantiomeric excesses.

The partial least squares (PLS-1) calibration model based on spectrophotometric measurement, for the simultaneous determination of sulfite and sulfide is described. This method is based on the difference between the rate of the reaction of sulfide and sulfite with Malachite Green in pH 7.0 buffer solution and at 25 ${^{\circ}C}$. The absorption kinetic profiles of the solutions were monitored by measuring the decrease in the absorbance of Malachite Green at 617 nm in the time range 10-180 s after initiation of the reactions with 2 s intervals. The experimental calibration matrix for partial least squares (PLS-1) calibration was designed with 24 samples. The cross-validation method was used for selecting the number of factors. The results showed that simultaneous determination could be performed in the range 0.030-1.5 and 0.030-1.2 $\mu$g m$L ^{-1}$ for sulfite and sulfide, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to simultaneous determination of sulfite and sulfide in water samples and whole human blood.

We have carried out the Glaser oxidative coupling polymerizations of diethynyldiphenylsilane, diethynylmethylphenylsilane,diethynylmethyloctylsilane, and 1,2-diethynyl-1,1,2,2-tetramethyldisilane to afford polycarbosilanes containing diethynyl and organosilane groups in the main chain, such as poly(diethynyldiphenylsilane), poly(diethynylmethylphenylsilane), poly(diethynylmethyloctylsilane), and poly(1,2-diethynyl-1,1,2,2-tetramethyldisilane), respectively. These obtained materials are almost insoluble in common organic solvents such as $CHCl_3$ and THF probably due to the presence of a rigid rod diacetylene group along the polymer main chain. Therefore, the polymers were characterized using several spectroscopic methods in solid state. FTIR spectra of all the polymeric materials show that the characteristic $C \equiv C$ stretching frequencies appear at 2147-2154 $cm ^{-1}$, in particular. The polymers in the solid state exhibit that the strong maximum excitation peaks appear at 260-283 nm and the strong maximum fluorescence emission bands at 367-412 nm, especially. Thermogravimetric analysis of the materials shows that about 55-68% of the initial polymer weights remain at 400 ${^{\circ}C}$ in nitrogen.

A new, simple and fast flow injection analysis (FIA) method has been developed for the indirect determination of nitrite. The proposed indirect automatic method is based on the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate using a lead(IV) dioxide oxidant microcolumn where the flow of the sample through the microcolumn reduces the $PbO_2$ solid phase reagent to Pb(II), which is measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The absorbance of Pb(II) are proportional to the concentration of nitrite in the samples. The calibration curve was linear up to 30 mg $L ^{-1}$, with a detection limit of 0.11 mg $L ^{-1}$ for a 400 mL injected sample volume and a sampling rate of about 80 $h ^{-1}$. The results exhibit no interference from the presence of large amounts of ions. The developed procedure was found to be suitable for the determination of nitrite in foodstuffs and wastewaters. A relative standard deviation better than 0.9% was obtained in a repeatability study. The reliability of the method was established by parallel determination against the standard method.

We have employed a technique of corona excited supersonic expansion to generate electronically excited but jet-cooled o-tolunitrile. The vibronically well-resolved emission spectrum of the jet-cooled o-tolunitrile in the $S_{1}\rightarrow S_{0}$ transition was recorded in the uv region using a Fourier transform spectrometer equipped with a Quartz-uv beam splitter. The electronic transition and vibrational mode frequencies in the ground electronic state were accurately determined from the analysis of the spectra observed.

The interaction between tetraethylammonium chloride (TEACl) with ICl and tetraethylammonium iodide (TEAI) and aza-15-crown-5 (A15C5) with $I_2$ and ICl have been examined spectrophotometrically in acetonitrile solution. The results of TEACl-ICl indicate the formation of $ICl_2$ - through equilibrium reaction. In the case of TEAI-$I_2$ and A15C5-$I_2$, the equilibrium formation of $I_3$ - is confirmed. The interaction of TEAI-ICl begins with the simultaneous production of $I_2$ and IC$I_2$ - (at TEAI/ICl < 0.5) as well as continues with the simultaneous consumption of $I_2$ and formation of I$I_3$ - (at TEAI/ICl > 0.5). Similar behavior is also observed for A15C5-ICl system. However, the changes are seen at A15C5/ICl mole ratios less and more than 0.66. Several equations have been suggested for the formation of detected species. The formation constants of various reactions were evaluated from the computer fitting of the absorbance-mole ratio data. IR spectra of A15C5 and 1:1 A15C5:ICl or A15C5:$I_2$ complexes are compared and the effect of complexation on absorption bands is discussed.

Novel bis- and tris-crown ethers were synthesized from 1-aza and diaza-crown ethers with 2-acryloyloxy-methyl crown ethers through Michael addition. The synthesized bis- and tris-crown ethers were characterized by their elemental analyses, $^1H$-NMR, $^{13}C$-NMR, mass spectra, IR spectra, respectively. The complexation behavior of the bis- and tris-crown ethers with $Li^+$, $Na^+$, $Na^+$, $Rb^+$, $Cs^+$ was examined by $^1H$-NMR, FAB mass, and UV spectrometry.

The complexation of N,N'-4,5-(ethylenedioxy)benzenebis(salicylideneimine), (salphen$H_2$) with uranyl ion was studied in acetonitrile solution spectrophtometrically, and the formation constant of the resulting 1 : 1 complex was evaluated. The salphen$H_2$ ligand was used as an ionophore in plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) matrix membrane sensor for uranyl ion. The prepared sensors exhibited a near Nernstian response, 28.0-30.9 mV/decade for uranyl ion over the concentration range $1.0\;{\times}\;10^{-2}$ to $1.0\;{\times}\;10^{-6}$M with a limit of detection of $3.2\;{\times}\;10^{-7}$ M. The proposed electrode could be used at a working pH range of 1.5 - 4.0.

Various extraction procedures were investigated using reference materials and samples to evaluate extraction efficiency and effectiveness. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to measure total arsenic and to quantitate arsenic species when coupled to an HPLC (high pressure liquid chromatography). Arsenic species were extracted from rice flour (NIST SRM 1568a) with water/methanol mixtures using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). Total arsenic extraction efficiency ranged from 42 to 64%, for water and various methanol concentrations. From spinach (NIST SRM 1570), freeze-dried apple, and rice flour (NIST SRM 1568a), arsenic species were extracted with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) at 100 ${^{\circ}C}$. Total arsenic extraction efficiency was 90% for spinach, 75% for freeze-dried apple, and 83% for rice flour. Enzymatic extraction with alpha-amylase and sonication resulted in extraction efficiency of 104% for rice flour, 98% for freeze-dried apple, and 7% for spinach. Chromatograms of arsenic species extracted by the optimum extraction methods were obtained, and the species were quantified. Arsenite (As(III)), arsenate (As(V)), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) were found in the apple sample, and DMA and As(V) in the rice flour sample. As(V) and MMA were found in three herbal dietary supplement samples.

2,2-Dimethyl-3,4-dialkoxy-substituted 6-aminobenzopyran analogues (eg., 7 and 8) were identified as prolyl 4-hydroxylase inhibitors via a screening process using HSC-T6 and LI 90 cells that express an immortalized rat hepatic stellate cell line and as part of a test of the type I collagen contents employing the ELISA method. A subsequent lead optimization effort based on solid-phase parallel synthesis led to the identification of 2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dialkoxy-substituted 6-aminobenzopyrans as potent inhibitors of prolyl 4-hydroxylase.