Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process of making ?-aminooxyketone and ?-hydroxyketone compounds. The synthetic pathway generally involves reacting an aldehyde or ketone substrate and a nitroso substrate in the presence of a catalyst of the formula (IV): wherein Xa-Xc represent independently nitrogen, carbon, oxygen or sulfur and Z represents a 4 to 10-membered ring with or without a substituent and optionally a further step to convert the ?-aminooxyketone compound formed to the ?-hydroxyketone compound. The present invention results in ?-aminooxyketone and ?-hydroxyketone compounds with high enantioselectivity and high purity. The present invention is also directed to a catalytic asymmetric O-nitroso Aldol/Michael reaction. The substrates of this reaction are generally cyclic ?,?-unsaturated ketone substrate and a nitroso substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process of making ?-aminooxyketone and ?-hydroxyketone compounds. The synthetic pathway generally involves reacting an aldehyde or ketone substrate and a nitroso substrate in the presence of a catalyst of the formula (IV): wherein Xa—Xc represent independently nitrogen, carbon, oxygen or sulfur and Z represents a 4 to 10-membered ring with or without a substituent and optionally a further step to convert the ?-aminooxyketone compound formed to the ?-hydroxyketone compound. The present invention results in ?-aminooxyketone and ?-hydroxyketone compounds with high enantioselectivity and high purity. The present invention is also directed to a catalytic asymmetric O-nitroso Aldol/Michael reaction. The substrates of this reaction are generally cyclic ?,?-unsaturated ketone substrate and a nitroso substrate.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells which is excellent in water repellency and gas diffusivity and which exhibits a high output power density, can be obtained by using, as an electrolyte material for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, a fluoropolymer obtained by contacting a fluoropolymer which is excellent in gas diffusivity and which has alicyclic structures in its main chain and further has sulfonic acid groups, with fluorine gas for fluorination to increase water repellency and stabilize the molecule ends.

Abstract: To provide a fuel cell system provided with a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which is excellent in the power generation characteristics under high temperature and low or no humidity conditions. A fuel cell system 20 comprising a polymer electrolyte fuel cell 22 having a membrane/electrode assembly 10 having a catalyst layer containing a polymer (H) which has repeating units based on a perfluoromonomer having an alicyclic structure and has ion exchange groups, a temperature controlling means for controlling temperature of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell 22, a temperature sensor 38 for detecting temperature of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell 22, and a controlling device 40 for controlling the temperature controlling means based on temperature information from the temperature sensor 38 so that the maximum temperature of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell 22 becomes within the range of from 90 to 140° C.

Abstract: A membrane/electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell capable of exhibiting high power generation performance constantly for a long period of time in a high temperature and low humidity environment, and a polymer electrolyte membrane whereby such a membrane/electrode assembly is obtainable. A polymer electrode membrane 15, comprising a proton conductive polymer which has an electrical conductivity of at least 0.07 S/cm at a temperature of 80° C. at a relative humidity of 40% and which has a water content of less than 15 mass; and a membrane/electrode assembly 10 comprising an anode 13 and a cathode 14 each having a catalyst layer 11, and a polymer electrolyte membrane 15 disposed between the anode 13 and the cathode 14.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane made of a polymer has a low electrical resistance, high heat resistance and is strong against repeats of swelling and shrinkage. Thus, a membrane/electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells having high power generation performance and excellent in durability can be provided. For a polymer electrolyte membrane 15 or for a catalyst layer 11 constituting electrodes 13 and 14, a polymer comprising units (U1) and units (U2) is used: Q1, Q2: a perfluoroalkylene group which may have —O— or the like; Rf1, Rf2: a perfluoroalkyl group which may have —O—; X: an oxygen atom or the like; a: 0 or the like; Y, Z: a fluorine atom, or a monovalent perfluoroorganic group such as —CF3; S: 0 to 1; and t: 0 to 3.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for producing a polyhydric phenol, including the following steps (a) to (d): (a) a first step of producing (4S,5R,6S)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-2-cyclohexcene-1-one from 2-deoxy-scyllo-inosose by a dehydration reaction; (b) a second step of producing 1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene from the (4S,5R,6S)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-2-cyclohexene-1-one obtained in the first step by a dehydration reaction; (c) a third step of producing 4-hydroxycyclohexane-1,3-dione from the 1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene by a catalytic hydrogenation reaction with the use of a metal catalyst; and (d) a fourth step of producing hydroquinone by heating the 4-hydroxycyclohexane-1,3-dione.

Abstract: To provide a polymer electrolyte material for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, which is an electrolyte material having a high ion exchange capacity and a low resistance, and which has a higher softening temperature than a conventional electrolyte material.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane made of a polymer having a low electrical resistance, high heat resistance and is strong against repeats of swelling and shrinkage. Thus, a membrane/electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells having high power generation performance and excellent in durability can be provided.

Abstract: An etching method capable of controlling the film thickness of a hard mask layer uniformly is provided. A plasma etching is performed on a native oxide film by using an etching gas containing, for example, CF4 and Ar while a thickness of a silicon nitride film is being monitored and the etching is finished when the thickness of the silicon nitride film reaches a predetermined value. Then, a plasma etching is performed on a silicon substrate by employing an etching gas containing, for example, Cl2, HBr and Ar and using the silicon nitride film as a mask while a depth of a trench is being monitored and the etching is finished when the depth of the trench reaches a specified value.

Abstract: An etching amount calculating method that can stably and accurately calculate the amount of etching even if a disturbance is added. Superposed interference light resulting from superposition of interference light of reflected light from a mask film and reflected light from the bottom of a concave portion on other interference light is received. A waveform in a predetermined time period is extracted from a superposed interference wave calculated from the superposed interference light. The period of an interference wave of the reflected light from the mask film and the reflected light from the bottom is detected from the distribution of frequencies of the extracted waveform. The steps described above are repeated while shifting the predetermined time period by a predetermined time, and the detected periods are integrated and averaged at each repetition. The etching amount of the concave portion is calculated based on the integrated and averaged periods.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing an alcohol from a lactone or a carboxylic acid ester, which enables to produce an alcohol from a lactone or a carboxylic acid ester under relatively mild conditions with high yield and high catalytic efficiency. This method also enables to produce an optically active alcohol from an optically active lactone or an optically active carboxylic acid ester. Specifically disclosed is a method for producing an alcohol by hydrogen reducing a lactone or a carboxylic acid ester in the presence of a catalyst containing ruthenium and a phosphine compound represented by the following general formula (1): wherein R1 represents a spacer; R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1-12 carbon atoms, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; and R8, R9, R10, R11, R12 and R13 independently represent an alkyl group having 1-12 carbon atoms, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group.

Abstract: A neutralization apparatus comprising an ion generation element employing a novel, high efficiency discharge system capable of generating high concentration ions with a low ozone concentration. In the neutralization apparatus, the ion generation element is a minute electrode ion generation element consisting of a discharge electrode and an induction electrode having minute protrusions arranged in one direction on a plane, and a thin dielectric film sandwiched between them.

Abstract: A fluorosulfonyl group-containing monomer having a high polymerization reactivity and plural fluorosulfonyl groups, a fluorosulfonyl group-containing polymer and a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer, obtained by using the monomer.

Abstract: It is to provide a membrane/electrode assembly excellent in the power generation characteristics under low or no humidity conditions and under high humidity conditions; and an electrolyte material having a low water content, suitable for a catalyst layer of a membrane/electrode assembly. It is to use an electrolyte material, which comprises a polymer (H) having ion exchange groups converted from precursor groups in a polymer (F), the polymer (F) having repeating units (A) based on a perfluoromonomer having a precursor group of an ion exchange group and a 5-membered ring to which the precursor group is bonded and repeating units (B) represented by the formula (u2), and having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 2.3 dL/g. wherein R1 to R4 are a fluorine atom, a C1-6 perfluoroalkyl group or the like.

Abstract: To provide a fuel cell system provided with a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which is excellent in the power generation characteristics under high temperature and low or no humidity conditions. A fuel cell system 20 comprising a polymer electrolyte fuel cell 22 having a membrane/electrode assembly 10 having a catalyst layer containing a polymer (H) which has repeating units based on a perfluoromonomer having an alicyclic structure and has ion exchange groups, a temperature controlling means for controlling temperature of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell 22, a temperature sensor 38 for detecting temperature of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell 22, and a controlling device 40 for controlling the temperature controlling means based on temperature information from the temperature sensor 38 so that the maximum temperature of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell 22 becomes within the range of from 90 to 140° C.

Abstract: It is to provide a membrane/electrode assembly excellent in the power generation characteristics under low or no humidity conditions and under high humidity conditions, and an electrolyte material suitable for a catalyst layer of the membrane/electrode assembly. It is to use an electrolyte material, which comprises a polymer (H) having ion exchange groups converted from precursor groups in a polymer (F) having repeating units (A) having a precursor group represented by the formula (g1) and repeating units (B) based on a perfluoromonomer having a 5-membered ring, and having a density of at most 2.03 g/cm3, the polymer (H) having an ion exchange capacity of from 1.3 to 2.3 meq/g dry resin: wherein Q1 and Q2 are a perfluoroalkylene group having an etheric oxygen atom, or the like, and Y is F or the like.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process of making ?-aminooxyketone and ?-hydroxyketone compounds. The synthetic pathway involves reacting an aldehyde or ketone substrate and a nitroso substrate in the presence of a catalyst of the formula (IV): wherein Xa-Xc represent independently nitrogen, carbon, oxygen or sulfur and Z represents a 4 to 10-membered ring with or without a substituent and optionally a further step to convert the ?-aminooxyketone compound formed to the ?-hydroxyketone compound which results in ?-aminooxyketone and ?-hydroxyketone compounds with high enantioselectivity and high purity. The present invention is also directed to a catalytic asymmetric O-nitroso Aldol/Michael reaction involving a cyclic ?,?-unsaturated ketone substrate and a nitroso substrate. This methodology involves reacting the cyclic ?,?-unsaturated ketone substrate and the nitroso substrate in the presence of a proline-based catalyst, to provide a heterocyclic product.

Abstract: A plasma processing method for performing a plasma process on a target object placed in a chamber includes a first plasma process of turning a gas containing at least a halogen element into plasma to generate first plasma, thereby processing the target object; a second plasma process, subsequent to the first plasma process, of supplying a gas containing oxygen into the chamber to generate second plasma, thereby processing the chamber and the target object; and a third plasma process, subsequent to the second plasma process, of turning a gas containing at least fluorine into plasma to generate third plasma, thereby processing the target object.

Abstract: In a substrate processing control method, a first process acquires a first-reflectance-spectrum of a beam reflected from the first-fine-structure and a second-reflectance-spectrum of a beam reflected from the second-fine-structure for each of varying-pattern-dimensions of the first-fine-structure when the pattern-dimension of the first-fine-structure is varied. A second process acquires reference-spectrum-data for each of the varying-pattern-dimensions of the first-fine-structure by overlapping the first-reflectance-spectrum with the second-reflectance-spectrum. A third process actually measures beams reflected from the first and the second-fine-structure, respectively, after irradiating light beam on to the substrate and acquiring reflectance-spectrums of the actual-measured beams as actual-measured spectrum data.