[reaction: see text]. In the presence of GaCl3, silyl enol ethers derived from alpha-substituted beta-ketoesters or malonates are ethenylated at the alpha-carbon atom with trimethylsilylethyne in high yields. Ethenylmalonates can also be synthesized by this method.

Au nanoparticles dispersed SiO2-TiO2 composite films have been prepared by a novel wet process, Liquid Phase Deposition (LPD) method. The composite films were characterized by XRD, XPS, TEM, ICP, SEM and UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy. The results showed that the SiO2-TiO2 composite films containing Au III and Au I ionic species were co-deposited from a mixed solution of ammonium silicofluoride, ammonium hexafluorotitanate, boric acid and tetrachloroauric acid. The heat treatment induced the reduction of Au ions and formation of Au nanoparticles in the film. TEM observation revealed that the Au nanoparticles with 5-10 nm in diameter were found to be dispersed uniformly in the SiO2-TiO2 matrix. The optical absorption band due to the surface plasmon resonance of dispersed Au particles were observed at the wavelength of 550 nm and shifted toward longer wavelength with increasing heat treatment temperature.

Bismuth plated films have been used as a high-temperature joining in SiC power device because of their outstanding melting point. Electroless bismuth plating intended to have a "weak acidic" was investigated using Sn 2+ ion as the reducing agent and citrate as the complexing agent. Complex baths exhibited good stability, and pure bismuth films were deposited. Experiments in polarization characteristics confirmed the mixed potential theory including local potential-current relationships for bismuth deposition.

The significant enhancement of fluorescent quantum yields for CdTe nanocrystals (from 1 to 60 %) through chemical surface modifications is described, enabling us to synthesize monolayer-functionalized nanocrystals with controlled flurescent properties. Several detailed structural characterization for the purified nanocrystals upon reaction revealed that the process relies on the surface chemical attachment of thiolate ligands on the nanocrystal surface, probably with a defect site at the nanocrystal surface being compensated, allowing an increase in the probability of radiative recombination of excitons generated in the nanocrystals. The surface of the obtained nanocrystals could be further modified with other type of molecules through ligand exchange reaction without significant changes in structural and optical characteristics of the nanocrystals.

Small Copper (I) oxide, Cu2O, nanoparticles dispersed in diamine-terminated polyethyleneoxide (PEO-NH2) matrix have been successfully prepared by vacuum evaporation of copper onto the molten PEO-NH2. The obtained composite were characterized by TEM, electron diffraction, TG-DTA and FT-IR spectroscopy. The stable composite, in which the Cu2O nanoparticles are stabilized through interaction between NH2 chain end groups of PEO molecules and Cu2O nanoparticles was obtained when the samples were heat-treated at 110 • C. The mean size of the Cu2O nanoparticles increased from 2.5 to 3.5 nm in diameter upon increasing the amount of initial Cu deposition. The obtained composite material having a waxy texture was soluble in many solvents without aggregation and can be handled as a simple chemical compound for starting material in various applications.