Abstract: An ultra micro indentation testing apparatus comprises: a lever stand provided with a center lever having a silicon probe and a diamond indenter disposed therein; a moving mechanism for moving the lever stand in a triaxial direction; in indentation mechanism for pushing the diamond indenter in a sample; a displacement gage for measuring a displacement of the silicon probe or the diamond indenter; and an optical picture device for positioning the silicon probe or the diamond indenter and observing the surface of the sample. The apparatus has, in combination, a hardness measuring function based on the measurement of the force and depth of the diamond indenter pushed in the surface of the sample, an atomic force microscopic function of acquiring the shape of the surface of the sample based on a displacement of the diamond indenter or the silicon probe, and an optical microscopic function of observing the surface of the sample by the optical picture device.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing optically active azetidine-2-carboxylic acid with good efficiency, expedience, and commercial advantage, which comprises cyclizing an optically active 4-amino-2-halogenobutyric acid in an optical yield of as high as 90% or more. It is a process for producing optically active azetidine-2-carboxylic acid of the general formula (2), in which * denotes an asymmetric carbon atom, which comprises cyclizing an optically active 4-amino-2-halogenobutyric acid of the general formula (1), in which X represents a halogen atom and * denotes an asymmetric carbon atom, in the presence of an oxide of an alkaline earth metal, a hydroxide of an alkaline earth metal excepting barium, or an organic amine.

Abstract: An optically active amino acid derivative is produced by N-protecting an optically active 3-haloalanine derivative followed by cyclization, or cyclizing this derivative followed by N-protection to thereby give an optically active N-protected-aziridine-2-carboxylic acid derivative which is protected by a benzenesulfonyl group substituted by nitro at the 2- and/or 4-positions and then treating this product with an organic metal reagent, or by N-protecting an optically active 3-haloalanine derivative to thereby give N-protected-aziridine-2-carboxylic acid which is protected by a benzenesulfonyl group substituted by nitro at the 2- and/or 4-positions and then treating this product with an organic metal reagent. According to this process, natural and unnatural optically active amino acids can be produced from inexpensive materials by using simple procedures.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to produce an optically active N-substituted azetidine-2-carboxylic acid by an efficient, expendient and commercially profitable process. The present invention provides a production method of an optically active N-substituted azetidine-2-carboxyic acid represented by the general formula (2): in the formula, R represents a substituted oxycarbonyl type protecting group or a substituted sulfonyl type protective group and * represents an asymmetric carbon atom which comprises cyclizing an optically active 4-substituted amino-2-halobutyric acid represented by the general formula (1): in the formula, R represents a substituted oxycarbonyl type protective group or a substituted sulfonyl type protective group, X represents a halogen atom and * represents an asymmetric carbon atom, in the presence of a base.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing optically active azetidine-2-carboxylic acid with good efficiency, expedience, and commercial advantage,

Abstract: There is provided a ultra micro indentation testing apparatus comprising: a lever stand (4) provided with a center lever (3) having a silicon probe (1) and a diamond indenter (2) disposed therein; a moving mechanism (7) for moving the lever stand (4) in a triaxial direction; aindentationg-in mechanism (6) for pushing the diamond indenter (2) in a sample; a displacement gage (10) for measuring a displacement of the silicon probe (1) or the diamond indenter (2); and an optical picture device (11) for use in positioning the silicon probe (1) or the diamond indenter (2) and observing the surface of the sample; wherein the apparatus has, in combination, all of the hardness measuring function based on measurement of the force and depth of the diamond indenter pushed in the surface of the sample, the atomic force microscopic function of acquiring the shape of the surface of the sample based on a displacement of the diamond indenter or the silicon probe, and the optical microscopic function of observing the surface o

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to produce an optically active N-substituted azetidine-2-carboxylic acid by an efficient, expedient and commercially profitable process.

Abstract: An optically active amino acid derivative is produced by N-protecting an optically active 3-haloalanine derivative followed by cyclization, or cyclizing this derivative followed by N-protection to thereby give an optically active N-protected-aziridine-2-carboxylic acid derivative which is protected by a benzenesulfonyl group substituted by nitro at the 2- and/or 4-positions and then treating this product with an organic metal reagent, or by N-protecting an optically active 3-haloalanine derivative to thereby give N-protected-aziridine-2-carboxylic acid which is protected by a benzenesulfonyl group substituted by nitro at the 2- and/or 4-positions and then treating this product with an organic metal reagent.

Abstract: A 2- or 4-nitrobenzenesulfonamide is allowed to react with an alkali metal alkoxide to remove a nitrobenzenesulfonyl group to thereby obtain an amine corresponding to the amide. Furthermore, a method for producing an amine derivative by allowing the resulting amine without isolation to react with an activated, substituted oxycarbonyl compound or an activated acyl compound is provided. According to this method, a corresponding free amine and its substituted derivative can be produced easily and industrially advantageously from the 2- or 4-nitrobenzenesulfonamide without using a thiol compound.

Abstract: A 2- or 4-nitrobenzenesulfonamide is allowed to react with an alkali metal alkoxide to remove a nitrobenzenesulfonyl group to thereby obtain an amine corresponding to the amide. Furthermore, a method for producing an amine derivative by allowing the resulting amine without isolation to react with an activated, substituted oxycarbonyl compound or an activated acyl compound is provided. According to this method, a corresponding free amine and its substituted derivative can be produced easily and industrially advantageously from the 2- or 4-nitrobenzenesulfonamide without using a thiol compound.

Abstract: A testing method is provided for determining the hardness of a micro region, using indentation curves indicating relations between observed penetration depths and indenting forces when an arbitrary shaped indenter is pushed into standard samples of plural types. The method involves (1) measuring relations between observed penetration depths and indenting forces when the arbitrary shaped indenter is pushed into standard samples of plural types, to prepare the indentation curves, (2) determining a reference function indicative of macro hardness, by standardizing the relations between the indenting forces and macro hardness at the same penetration depth as an index, for the indentation curves of the standard samples of plural types, (3) measuring a relation between the penetration depth and indenting force of an arbitrary sample, and (4) determining the hardness of a micro region from the measured value in step (3) according to the reference function as determined in step (2).

Abstract: An industrial advantage process for producing high-purity 3-hydroxytetrahydrofuran easily and simply, which comprises reducing a 4-halo-3-hydroxybutyric acid ester (1) with a boron hydride compound and/or an aluminum hydride compound as a reducing agent in an organic solvent immiscible with water; treating the reaction mixture with an acid and water to thereby effect conversion to the corresponding 4-halo-1,3-butanediol and at the same time giving an aqueous solution containing said compound; carrying out the cyclization reaction of the 4-halo-1,3-butanediol in said aqueous solution; extracting the resulting 3-hydroxytetrahydrofuran from the 3-hydroxytetrahydrofuran-containing aqueous solution using an organic solvent immiscible with water; and isolating the 3-hydroxytetrahydrofuran by concentration and/or distillation of the solution obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides an economically advantageous and efficient process for producing an optically active homophenylalanine derivative of the general formula (IV), and an intermediate therefor and a process for producing it. The present invention relates to a process for producing homophenylalanine derivative of the general formula (IV) which comprises reacting a .beta.-benzoylacrylic acid derivative of the general formula (II) with a 1-arylethylamine derivative of the general formula (III) and reducing the resultant .gamma.-oxo-homophenylalanine derivative of the general formula (I).

Abstract: A process for preparing an enol silyl ether compound from a diazoacetoacetic acid ester having the general formula (IV): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a lower alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, phenyl group, a substituted phenyl group, an aralkyl group or allyl group, and R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same or mutually different and each is a lower alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which comprises reacting a diazoacetoacetic acid ester having the general formula (I): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 is the same as defined above, with a trialkylsilyl chloride having the general formula (II): ##STR3## wherein R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same as defined above, in an inert solvent in the presence of an organic base and an alkali halide having the general formula (III):MX (III)wherein M is an alkaline metal and X is bromine atom or iodine atom. The desired compound is useful as an intermediate for synthesis of carbapenem .beta.-lactam antibiotics.