Abstract: A terminally-modified polybranched polyimide which can be efficiently complexed with an inorganic material is obtained by reacting a component (a): tetracarboxylic dianhydride; a component (b): as an amine component, a mixture of a triamine and a diamine (which may be composed of a triamine only); and a component (c): as a terminal component, a compound selected from general formulae (1-1) to (1-4). H2N—X—R1??(1-1) (In the formula, X represents a single bond or an alkylene group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R1 represents a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group). H2N—X—R1??(1-2) (In the formula, X is as defined above, and R1 represents a sulfur-containing heterocyclic group or an aryl group having a thiol or thioether group in the molecule.) (In the formula, R represents a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group.) (In the formula, R represents a monovalent residue.

Abstract: An aligned metal-particle film, in which metal particles are aligned in a polymer as a layer with a certain interval in parallel with a substrate is disclosed. The aligned metal-particle film is manufactured by forming a polymer film containing a metal component on a reflecting substrate; and irradiating the polymer film with light at a particular wavelength, whereby metal particles are aligned in parallel with the substrate in the polymer.

Abstract: A terminally-modified polybranched polyimide which can be efficiently complexed with an inorganic material is obtained by reacting a component (a): tetracarboxylic dianhydride; a component (b): as an amine component, a mixture of a triamine and a diamine (which may be composed of a triamine only); and a component (c): as a terminal component, a compound selected from general formulae (1-1) to (1-4). H2N—X—R1??(1-1) (In the formula, X represents a single bond or an alkylene group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R1 represents a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group). H2N—X—R1??(1-2) (In the formula, X is as defined above, and R1 represents a sulfur-containing heterocyclic group or an aryl group having a thiol or thioether group in the molecule). (In the formula, R represents a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group). (In the formula, R represents a monovalent residue).

Abstract: Disclosed is a biological molecule-immobilized carbon membrane which comprises a porous carbon membrane and a biological molecule (e.g., an enzyme) immobilized on the carbon membrane, wherein the porous carbon membrane has three-dimensional cancellous pores through which fluid can permeate. The carbon membrane can have a large amount of a biological molecule (e.g., an enzyme) immobilized thereon and can also have a higher level of enzymatic activity or the like compared to a conventional one. Therefore, the carbon membrane is useful as an electrode for a bio-sensor or a bio-fuel cell.

Abstract: An aligned metal-particle film, in which metal particles are aligned in a polymer as a layer with a certain interval in parallel with a substrate is disclosed. The aligned metal-particle film is manufactured by forming a polymer film containing a metal component on a reflecting substrate; and irradiating the polymer film with light at a particular wavelength, whereby metal particles are aligned in parallel with the substrate in the polymer.

Abstract: The method for producing an aldehyde or ketone compound from a corresponding primary or secondary alcohol at relatively high temperature within a short time with a high yield including a step (1) of reacting a sulfoxide compound with an activating agent to produce an activation reaction product; a step (2) of reacting the activation reaction product with a primary or secondary alcohol to produce an alkoxysulfonium salt; and a step (3) of reacting the reaction product with a base to produce an aldehyde or ketone; wherein at least one of the steps, preferably the step (1) and step (2), are carried out by using a microreactor.

Abstract: The method for producing an aldehyde or ketone compound from a corresponding primary or secondary alcohol at relatively high temperature within a short time with a high yield including a step (1) of reacting a sulfoxide compound with an activating agent to produce an activation reaction product; a step (2) of reacting the activation reaction product with a primary or secondary alcohol to produce an alkoxysulfonium salt; and a step (3) of reacting the reaction product with a base to produce an aldehyde or ketone; wherein at least one of the steps, preferably the step (1) and step (2), are carried out by using a microreactor.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a process for producing a 2?-O-acetyl-4?-formyl-8,9-anhydroerythromycin A 6,9-hemiketal compound 4, and it provide a process for producing an erythromycin compound which comprises reacting a formylating agent with a 2?-O-acetylerythromycin A compound 2 to obtain 2-?-O-acetyl-4?-O-formylerythromycin A compound 3, then, acting an acid on Compound 3 to subject to hemiketalation, and then adding an aqueous basic solution in an aqueous solution to precipitate Compound 4 as free crystals.

Abstract: A production process, especially a continuous production process, for a biphenyltetracarboxylic acid tetraester characterized by carrying out, in parallel, a step of preliminarily mixing a phthalic acid diester and a palladium compound-containing catalyst to prepare a starting mixture, a step of continuously or intermittently supplying the starting mixture to a reactor, a step of conducting oxidative dimerization reaction of the phthalic acid diester in a temperature range of from 140° C. and lower than 250° C. while supplying molecular oxygen to the reactor to form a reaction mixture in the reactor, and a step of continuously or intermittently removing a portion of the reaction mixture from the reactor.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a process for producing a 2?-O-acetyl-4?-O-formyl-8,9-anhydroerythromycin A 6,9-hemiketal compound 4, and it provide a process for producing an erythromycin compound which comprises reacting a formylating agent with a 2?-O-acetylerythromycin A compound 2 to obtain 2?-O-acetyl-4?-O-formylerythromycin A compound 3, then, acting an acid on Compound 3 to subject to hemiketalation, and then adding an aqueous basic solution in an aqueous solution to precipitate Compound 4 as free crystals.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a process for producing a 2′-O-acetyl-4″-O-formyl-8,9-anhydroerythromycin A 6,9-hemiketal compound 4, and it provide a process for producing an erythromycin compound which comprises reacting a formylating agent with a 2′-O-acetylerythromycin A compound 2 to obtain 2′-O-acetyl-4″-O-formylerythromycin A compound 3, then, acting an acid on Compound 3 to subject to hemiketalation, and then adding an aqueous basic solution in an aqueous solution to precipitate Compound 4 as free crystals.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a process for producing an erythromycin compound by subjecting a 2′-O-acetyl-4″-O-formyl-11-oxo-8,9-anhydroerythromycin A 6,9-hemiketal compound 1 to alkylation, which comprises reacting Compound 1 with an alkylating agent in the presence of a base in a mixed solvent of 0.18 to 1.05 equivalent of water based on Compound 1 and an organic solvent to give a 2′-O-acetyl-4″-O-formyl-11-oxo-12-alkoxy-8,9-anhydroerythromycin A 6,9-hemiketal compound 3.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel 7a-alkoxy-4H-pyrano-[3,2-d]-oxazol-2(3H)-one represented by the formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group; R3 represents an alkyl group, a cyclo-alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, provided that a 2-alkenyl group is excluded from the alkenyl group of R3; and R4 represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group or a cyano group, and a process for producing the same which comprises reacting 5-alkoxy-2(3H)-oxazolone with an &agr;,&bgr;-unsaturated ketone in the presence of a Lewis acid in a solvent.

Abstract: A production process, especially a continuous production process, for a biphenyltetracarboxylic acid tetraester characterized by carrying out, in parallel, a step of preliminarily mixing a phthalic acid diester and a palladium compound-containing catalyst to prepare a starting mixture, a step of continuously or intermittently supplying the starting mixture to a reactor, a step of conducting oxidative dimerization reaction of the phthalic acid diester in a temperature range of from 140° C. and lower than 250° C. while supplying molecular oxygen to the reactor to form a reaction mixture in the reactor, and a step of continuously or intermittently removing a portion of the reaction mixture from the reactor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing 4-alkoxycarbonyl-2-oxazolidinone compound represented by the formula (III): wherein R1 represents H, an alkyl group, an cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group or a phenyl group, R2 represents H, an alkyl group, a phenyl group or an alkenyl group, R3 represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, or a phenyl group, and R4 represents H, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, acycloalkyl group, alkynyl group, an aryl group, a 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an acetyl group or a benzoyl group, which comprises reacting a 5-alkoxy-2(3H)oxazolone compound represented by the formula (I): wherein R1, R2 and R3 have the same meanings as defined above, and an aldehyde compound represented by the formula (II): R4CHO  (II) wherein R4 has the same meaning as defined above, in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel 7a-alkoxy-4H-pyrano-[3,2-d]-oxazol-2(3H)-one represented by the formula (I): 1

Abstract: The present invention is to provided a trifluoro-substituted benzoic acid, an ester thereof, particularly 2,3,4-trifluoro-5-iodobenzonic acid, 2,3,4-trifluoro-5-trifluoromethylbenzonic acid, esters thereof, which are useful as a starting material for synthesizeing a quinolonecarboxylic acid compound useful as a medicine, an anti-bacterial agent or an antiviral agent, and processes for preparing these compounds and 2,4,5-trifluoro-3-iodobenzonic acid, 2,4,5-trifluoro-3-trifluoromethylbenzoic acid and esters thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a trifluoro-substituted benzoic acid, an ester thereof, particularly 2,3,4-trifluoro-5-iodobenzoic acid, 2,3,4-trifluoro-5-trifluoromethylbenzoic acid, esters thereof, which are useful as a starting material for synthesizing a quinolonecarboxylic acid compound useful as a medicine, an anti-bacterial agent or an antiviral agent, and processes for preparing these compounds and 2,4,5-trifluoro-3-iodobenzoic acid, 2,4,5-trifluoro-3-trifluoromethylbenzoic acid and esters thereof.

Abstract: In a process for preparing an optically active .beta.-hydroxyester derivative by enantioselective aldol addition reaction between an aldehyde and a ketene silylacetal, the enantioselective aldol addition reaction is performed in the presence of an organic base and a platinum-containing catalyst composed of an optically active bisphosphine-platinum complex having two P--Pt bondings which are equivalent to each other, showing in its .sup.31 P NMR spectrum a single peak assigned to P--Pt bonding.

Abstract: The present invention discloses the compound represented by the formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are hydrogen atoms, R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group or an amino group, or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 in combination represent .dbd.O or .dbd.NOR.sub.11, where R.sub.11 represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 in combination represent .dbd.O, Y represents --N(R.sub.6) (R.sub.7) or --N.sup.+ (R.sub.8) (R.sub.9) (R.sub.10)X.sup.- ; where R.sub.6 to R.sub.10 each represent a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, etc., and X.sup.- represents an anion,a pharmaceutical composition containing the same and a process for producing the same.