Abstract: A novel process for producing an optically active amide excellent in chemical selectivity and enantioselectivity by asymmetric hydrogenation of an &agr;,&bgr;-unsaturated amide and also allowing the reaction to proceed efficiently even when a trace amount of a catalyst is used relative to the substrate as compared with the amount in a conventional process. An optically active amide is produced by asymmetric hydrogenation of an &agr;,&bgr;-unsaturated amide derivative in the presence of a transition metal complex containing a specific phosphine-phosphorane compound.

Abstract: The present invention provides liquid culture media for human or animal cells, and the present invention relates to culture media for the low-serum or serum-free culture of human or animal cells, which contains antithrombin III purified from human, bovine, or other animal serum, or antithrombin III derived from recombinant bacteria or cells containing the full length of the antithrombin III gene.

Abstract: A novel process in which an optically active alcohol compound having a desired absolute configuration and a high optical purity can be obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating a &bgr;-keto acid compound through a simple operation. An optically active alcohol represented by general formula (III) as defined is obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating a &bgr;-keto ester compound represented by general formula (I) as defined in the presence of at least one ruthenium complex having as a ligand an optically active tertiary diphosphine compound represented by general formula (II) as defined.

Abstract: A process for producing a diphosphine oxide or diphosphonate represented by formula (1) as defined, which comprises treating, with a base, a phosphine compound represented by formula (2) as defined and adding the thus-treated phosphine compound to a nonpolar solvent having an oxidative metal compound suspended therein so as to effect dimerization. The present invention makes it possible to produce, conveniently, in a high yield and safely, a diphosphine oxide or diphosphonate which is an intermediate for producing a diphosphine compound useful as a ligand of a metal complex serving as a catalyst for asymmetric synthesis reaction.

Abstract: A method for forming double-layer coatings excellent in smoothness and resistant to yellowing is provided which comprises electrodepositing a cationic electrodeposition coating composition to form an uncured cationically electrodeposited coating, applying an intermediate coating composition to said uncured coating to form an uncured intermediate coating, and heating both uncured coatings simultaneously, said cationic electrodeposition coating composition containing a sulfonium group- and propargyl group-containing resin composition.

Abstract: A process for cationic electrodeposition coating which comprises the steps of: (1) immersing a substrate in a cationic electrodeposition coating composition: (2) applying a voltage between an anode and said substrate, which serves as a cathode, to thereby cause coat film deposition; and (3) further applying a voltage to the coat film deposited so as to increase electric resistance per unit volume of said coat film, wherein, in said step (3), coat films are deposited at those sites of the substrate where coat films have not yet been deposited, said cationic electrodeposition coating composition having a time point when the electric resistance per unit volume of the coat film deposited increases in the course of electrodeposition under constant-current conditions.

Abstract: An acetylide-form propargyl-containing resin composition for cationic electrocoating, which comprises a resin having a skeleton of epoxy resin and has a number average molecular weight of 500 to 20,000, and which contains, per 100 grams of the resin composition solids, 5 to 400 millimoles of sulfonium group and 10 to 495 millimoles of propargyl group, the total content of the sulfonium and propargyl groups being not more than 500 millimoles per 100 grams of the resin composition solids, said propargyl group being partly in the form of an acetylide. This resin composition may further contain unsaturated double bond.

Abstract: A method for forming double-layer coatings excellent in smoothness and resistant to yellowing is provided which comprises electrodepositing a cationic electrodeposition coating composition to form an uncured cationically electrodeposited coating, applying an intermediate coating composition to said uncured coating to form an uncured intermediate coating, and heating both uncured coatings simultaneously, said cationic electrodeposition coating composition containing a sulfonium group- and propargyl group-containing resin composition.

Abstract: A novel process in which an optically active alcohol compound having a desired absolute configuration and a high optical purity can be obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating a &bgr;-keto acid compound through a simple operation. An optically active alcohol represented by general formula (III) as defined is obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating a &bgr;-keto ester compound represented by general formula (I) as defined in the presence of at least one ruthenium complex having as a ligand an optically active tertiary diphosphine compound represented by general formula (II) as defined.

Abstract: An electrodeposition coating composition that is excellent in bath stability and that can give a cured film enhanced in hardness and an electrodeposition coating process is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of a 4-substituted azetidinone derivative, which comprises reacting an azetidinone derivative and an amide compound in the presence of a magnesium compound such as those represented by the following formulas (II): and (IV): represented by the following formula (III): MgR5R6  (III) wherein R5 represents a C1-12 alkyl group, a C2-5 alkenyl group, a 5- to 8-membered alicyclic group which may be substituted by a lower C1-4 alkyl group, a phenyl group which may be substituted by a lower C1-4 alkyl group, a lower C1-4 alkoxy group or a halogen atom or a benzyl group which may be substituted by a lower C1-4 alkyl group, a lower C1-4 alkoxy group or a halogen atom, and R6 represents a halogen atom, a methanesulfonyloxy group, a benzenesulfonyloxy group, a p-toluenesulfonyloxy group, a trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy group, an acetoxy group which may be substituted by a halogen atom or a cyano group or an OR7 group (R7 representing

Abstract: The present invention provides a monolayer sheet structure of primary hepatocytes that could not be formed by conventional cell layer formation technology, along with a simple method of forming such a monolayer sheet structure, and this invention is a monolayer sheet structure formed as a confluent monolayer of primary hepatocytes cultured on a culture substrate, said monolayer sheet structure is formed by treating the hepatocytes with a protein-phosphorylation inhibitor having an indolo [2,3-a] carbazole or other similar structure in the monolayer formation stage.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel diphosphine compound which is useful as a ligand of catalysts for asymmetric synthesis reactions, particularly asymmetric hydrogenation reaction. Particularly, it provides a diphosphine compound represented by a general formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 each independently represents a cycloalkyl group, an unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group or a five-membered aromatic heterocycle residue.

Abstract: The present invention has for its object to provide a basic cationic electrodeposition coating composition with does not detract from either storage stability or bath stability even though it is basic and which does not make the coating equipment such as the electrodeposition tank and associated piping corroded, and a method for producing it. The present invention is directed to a basic cationic electrodeposition coating composition having a hydrogen ion concentration within the range of 7.5 to 12.0 in terms of hydrogen ion exponent (pH), and a method for producing it.

Abstract: Disclosed is a ruthenium-phosphine complex usable as the catalyst giving a high enantiomer excess in an asymmetric reaction and a method for producing the complex. The ruthenium-phosphine complex is represented by formula (1): [{(RuX(L)}2(&mgr;-X)3]−[R22NH2]+  (1) wherein R2 represents hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or benzyl and L represents a diphosphine ligand represented by formula (2): wherein R1 represents an optionally substituted phenyl group and X represents a halogen atom. The method for preparing a ruthenium-phosphine complex represented by formula (1) is characterized in that a ruthenium complex represented by the formula [RuX(arene)(L)]X and an ammonium salt represented by the formula R22NH.HX are reacted with each other.

Abstract: An acetylide-form propargyl-containing resin composition for cationic electrocoating, which comprises a resin having a skeleton of epoxy resin and has a number average molecular weight of 500 to 20,000, and which contains, per 100 grams of the resin composition solids, 5 to 400 millimoles of sulfonium group and 10 to 495 millimoles of propargyl group, the total content of the sulfonium and propargyl groups being not more than 500 millimoles per 100 grams of the resin composition solids, said propargyl group being partly in the form of an acetylide. This resin composition may further contain unsaturated double bond.

Abstract: An aliphatic hydrocarbon group-containing resin composition for cationic electrocoating, which comprises a resin having a skeleton of epoxy resin and has a number average molecular weight of 500 to 20,000, and which contains, per 100 grams of the nonvolatile matter in said resin composition, (a) 5 to 400 millimoles of sulfonium group, (b) 80 to 355 millimoles of at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon group containing 8 to 24 carbon atoms and optionally containing unsaturated double bond within its chain, and (c) 10 to 315 millimoles of at least one member selected from among propargyl group and a terminal unsaturated double bond-containing organic group containing 3 to 7 carbon atoms; the total content of said (a), said (b) and said (c) being not more than 500 millimoles per 100 grams of the nonvolatile matter in said resin composition.

Abstract: An acetylide-form propargyl-containing resin composition for cationic electrocoating, which comprises a resin having a skeleton of epoxy resin and has a number average molecular weight of 500 to 20,000, and which contains, per 100 grams of the resin composition solids, 5 to 400 millimoles of sulfonium group and 10 to 495 millimoles of propargyl group, the total content of the sulfonium and propargyl groups being not more than 500 millimoles per 100 grams of the resin composition solids, said propargyl group being partly in the form of an acetylide. This resin composition may further contain unsaturated double bonds.

Abstract: A method of stabilization of electrolyte bath in electrocoating by immersing a substrate in the bath filled with a cationic electrocoating composition containing a basic resin and an amine compound and carrying out electrocoating; wherein said basic resin in said bath contains, per 100 grams of the resin solids, 10 to 300 millimoles of sulfonium group and 50 to 2,000 millimoles of carbon—carbon unsaturated bond, and said amine compound is contained in an amount of 1 to 50 millimoles per 100 grams of the basic resin solids in the bath, said amount being not less than 5 mole percent relative to the sulfonium group content in said basic resin, so that the sulfonium group remaining in the coat amount to not more than 50% relative to the sulfonium group contained in the electrocoating composition in said bath.

Abstract: A multilayer coating film which comprises: a cationic electrodeposition coat formed from an epoxy-based cationic electrocoating composition containing 5 to 300 millimoles of sulfonium group and 50 to 2,000 millimoles of carbon-carbon unsaturated bond per 100 g of the resin solid content, with carbon-carbon triple bond accounting for at least 15% of said carbon-carbon unsaturated bond; and a top coat formed thereon.