Abstract: A curing agent for epoxy resin which comprises at least one selected from 1-aminopyrrolidine and its salt.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a friction material having excellent friction and wear characteristics even at a high temperature, and excellent productivity and workability. The friction material of the present invention is blended with scaly boehmite as a friction adjustment agent.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for preparing an exo-methylenepenam compound wherein a cephem compound is reduced with a metal having a standard oxidation-reduction potential of up to −0.3 (V/SCE) in an amount of at least one mole per mole of the cephem compound and with a metal compound having a higher standard oxidation reduction potential than the metal and in an amount of 0.

Abstract: An electroconductive fiber comprising a fibrous core material whose surface is coated with an electroconductive substance, the fibrous core material having an average fiber length of 1 to 5 &mgr;m, an average fiber diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 &mgr;m and an aspect ratio of 3 or more, electroconductive resin composition containg the electroconductive fibers, and electroconductive thread prepared by spinning the electroconductive resin composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polycrystalline hexagonal boron nitride compound comprising fine crystals of the order of nanometers. The present invention also provides a hexagonal boron nitride characterized in that the boron nitride is 20 to 200 nm in mean particle size and comprises at least 80 wt. % of particles having sizes in the range of the mean particle size ±30%. The present invention further provides a fine hexagonal boron nitride powder characterized in that the powder comprises particles in the form of circular disks or elliptical disks having a minor axis La, a major axis Lb and a thickness t which satisfy the following expressions 50 nm≦La≦Lb≦400 nm 20 nm≦t≦150 nm t≦La 0.5≦La/Lb≦1.0.

Abstract: A titanium dioxide photocatalyst having a monoclinic crystal structure is prepared by subjecting a titanium dioxide hydrate fiber to a heat treatment at a temperature of 80 to 350° C., and then further heat treatment at a temperature of 360 to 650° C., and a multifunctional material is obtained by use of the photocatalyst.

Abstract: A process for preparing halogenated &bgr;-lactam compounds, characterized in that a &bgr;-lactam amino compound of the formula (1) is reacted with nitrous acid or nitrite in a slurry dispersion state in water, under acid condition in the presence of halogen molecules, thereby obtaining a halogenated &bgr;-lactam compound of the formula (4) wherein n is an integer of 0 to 2; A is the formula (2) or (3); R1 and R2 are the same or different and are hydrogen atom, halogen atom, C1˜C3 alkyl group, C2˜C4 alkenyl group, C2˜C4 alkynyl group, nucleophilic group, or CH2R3; and R3 is halogen atom or nucleophilic group  wherein A is as defined above; X1 is hydrogen atom or halogen atom; and X2 is halogen atom.

Abstract: A carbon-coated titania powder containing titanium nitride in which at least part of the surface of the titania powder containing titanium nitride is coated with carbon.

Abstract: This invention provides a plant growth sheet structure which includes a base web layer and a core layer integrally coupled together in this order, a base web layer, a plant seed holding layer and a core layer integrally coupled together in this order, or a base web layer, a core layer, a plant seed holding layer and a cover web layer integrally coupled together in this order, and is provided at its surface with plant protection projections, and also provides a natural turf sheet structure including a natural turf grown on the plant growth sheet structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing an exo-methylenepenam compound represented by the general formula (5) characterized in that a &bgr;-lactam halide compound represented by the general formula (2) is subjected to an electroreduction process to obtain the exo-methylenepenam compound.

Abstract: A halogenating agent of the formula (1) and a method of halogenating hydroxyl group wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and are each ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl or allyl; X is chlorine atom or bromine atom; and Y is chlorine ion, bromine ion, dichlorophosphate ion, dibromophosphate ion, chlorosulfonate ion, bromosulfonate ion, chlorooxalate ion or bromooxalate ion.

Abstract: A 4-aryl-4-substituted pyrazolidine-3,5-dione derivative represented by the formula (1) is useful as an effective component of a miticide, insecticide or herbicide wherein R1 and R2 are each independently alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or R1 and R2, when taken together, represent saturated or unsaturated bivalent hydrocarbon group having 3 or 4 carbon atoms which may optionally be substituted with alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or halogen atom, X is alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, haloalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or halogen atom, Y is halogen atom or nitro group, and n is an integer of 0 to 3.

Abstract: A process for preparing an allenyl .beta.-lactam compound represented by the formula (4), characterized by reacting the hydroxyl group of a .beta.-lactam compound represented by the formula (1) with a reactive functional group derivative of sulfonic acid represented by the formula (2) to convert the compound of the formula (1) to a .beta.-lactam compound represented by the formula (3), thereafter reacting the resulting .beta.-lactam compound with a basic anion exchange resin of the type having a tertiary organic base fixed to the resin and isolating the resulting allenyl .beta.

Abstract: The manganese complex of the invention is one represented by the formula (1 )[Mn(H.sub.2 NNHCONH.sub.2).sub.3 ](NO.sub.3).sub.2 (1)and showing weight loss of not higher than 1% after heating at 107.degree. C. for 400 hours. The manganese complex has high heat stability and is used as an active component of an air bag gas generating composition. The air bag gas generating composition of the invention contains the above-mentioned manganese complex. The air bag gas generating composition comprising a complex mixture of the manganese complex and magnesium complex of semicarbazide and/or carbohydrazide features a high rate of combustion residue in an inflator.

Abstract: A process for preparing a 2-isocephem derivative characterized in that a thioacetic acid derivative which itself is basic or a mixture of a base and a thioacetic acid derivative is caused to act on a 2-azetidinyl-3,4-dihalogeno-2-butenoic acid compound represented by the general formula (1) in a water-containing organic solvent to obtain a 3-halomethyl-2-isocephem derivative represented by the general formula (2), and a process for preparing a 2-oxaisocephem derivative characterized in that a base is caused to act on a 2-azetidinyl-3,4-dihalogeno-2-butenoic acid compound represented by the general formula (1) in a water-containing organic solvent to obtain a 3-halomethyl-2-oxaisocephem derivative represented by the general formula (3) ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, amino or protected amino, R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or lower alkoxyl, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, when taken together, form a cyclic amino protecting group, R.sup.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing an exo-methylenepenam compound represented by the general formula (5) characterized in that a .beta.-lactam halide compound represented by the general formula (2) is reduced with a metal having a standard oxidation-reduction potential of up to -0.3 (V/SCE) in an amount of at least one mole per mole of the halide compound and with a metal compound having a higher standard oxidation-reduction potential than the metal in an amount of 0.0001 to 10 moles per mole of the halide compound, or is subjected to an electroreduction process to obtain the exo-methylenepenam compound.

Abstract: This invention aims to provide titanate whiskers which are excellent in heat resistance, chemical resistance and reinforcing effect and are low in coefficient of thermal conductivity.The titanate whiskers of the invention are those represented by the formulaA.sup.I.sub.v A.sup.II.sub.w M.sup.II.sub.x M.sup.III.sub.y Ti.sub.8-z O.sub.16wherein A.sup.I is at least one member selected from alkali metals, A.sup.II is Ba, M.sup.II is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Mg, Co, Ni, Zn, Cu and Mn, M.sup.III is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Al, Sc, Cr, Fe and Ga, and v, w, x, y and z are real numbers which fulfill 0.5.ltoreq.2x+y.ltoreq.2.5, 2x+y=v+2w, and z=x+y.

Abstract: A process for preparing a .beta.-lactam halide compound represented by the formula (2) characterized by halogenating the allenyl group of an allenyl .beta.-lactam compound represented by the formula (1) with a cupric halide and a metal halide to obtain the .beta.-lactam halide compound ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or amino or protected amino, R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, lower alkoxyl, lower acyl, or lower alkyl having a hydroxyl group or protected hydroxyl group as a substituent, R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom or carboxylic acid protecting group, and R.sup.4 is a hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent, or the group --S--S(O)n-Ar, n being 0 to 2, Ar being aryl which may have a substituent ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same as defined above, X and Y are each halogen atom.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing an allenyl .beta.-lactam compound represented by the formula (II) or a process for preparing a 3-halocephem compound of the formula (III) by altering the reaction conditions with use of a .beta.-lactam halide compound represented by the formula (I) serving as the starting material ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom, amino or protected amino, R.sub.2 is aryl which may have a substituent, n is 0 to 2, R.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom or carboxylic acid protective group, X is a halogen atom, and Y is a halogen atom or a leaving group ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, n and R.sub.3 are as defined above ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.3 and X are as defined above.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing 3-norcephem compound represented by the formula (2), characterized in that a hydride reagent is acted on a halogenated .beta.-lactam compound represented by the formula (1) in the presence of a cuprous compound ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom, amino group or protected amino group, R.sub.2 is an aryl or substituted aryl, n is 0 to 2, R.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom or carboxylic acid protective group, X is a halogen atom, and Y is a halogen atom or a leaving group ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 are as defined above.