Structural,Energetic, and Magnetic Properties of Ag$$_{}$$Rh$$_{m}$$m and Ag$$_{m}$$mRh$$_{}$$ Clusters with $$n \le 20$$n≤20 and $$m=0,1$$m=0,1

At first, a genetic algorithm in combination with either the parametrized density-functional tight-binding method or a Gupta-potential is used to determine the putative global minimum energy structures of mixed Ag\(_{n-m}\)Rh\(_{m}\) and Ag\(_{m}\)Rh\(_{n-m}\) clusters with \(n\le 20\) and \(m=0,1\). Subsequently, the resulting structures are re-optimized with a first-principles method. The results demonstrate that the exchange of a single silver atom by rhodium leads to compact core-shell-like structures with structural motifs well known from the Lennard-Jones system. For the systems of the present study, AgRh\(_{n-1}\) clusters retain their cube-based structural motif and the silver atoms typically avoid the corner positions within a cube if possible. Population analysis of both cluster systems shows that the total magnetic moment is mainly due to unpaired electrons on the rhodium atoms with a small ferro-magnetic contribution of the silver host in Ag\(_{n-1}\)Rh and virtually no contribution to the total magnetic moment from the single silver atom in AgRh\(_{n-1}\) clusters.     

Deposition Morphology and Magnetism of Co,Pt Adatoms and Small CoPt Adclusters on Ni(100) Substrate

Theoretical calculations of Co\(_{n-x}\)Pt\(_x\) (n = 1–3; \(x \le n\)) clusters on Ni(100) surface for their spin and orbital magnetic moments, as well as the magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE), are performed by using the density-functional theory (DFT) method including a self-consistent treatment of spin–orbit coupling (SOC). The results reveal that the ferromagnetic Co atoms in intra Co\(_{n-x}\)Pt\(_x\) adclusters couple ferromagnetically to their underlayer Ni atoms. The predominant inter-interactions between Co adatoms and Ni surface with the partly filled 3d band, together with the secondary intra-interactions between Co adatoms and Pt adatoms with fully filled 5d band, lead to a strongly quenched orbital moment (\(\mu _{\mathrm{{orb}}}^{\mathrm{{Co}}}\) = 0.18–0.14 \(\mu _B\); \(\mu _{\mathrm{{orb}}}^{\mathrm{{Pt}}} \approx \) 0.24–0.19 \(\mu _B\)) but a less quenched spin moment (\(\mu _{\mathrm{{spin}}}^{\mathrm{{Co}}} \approx \) 2.0 \(\mu _B\); \(\mu _{\mathrm{{spin}}}^{\mathrm{{Pt}}} \approx \) 0.35 \( \mu _B\)). The MAEs of CoPt adclusters exhibit a strong dependence on alloying effect rather than size effect, which is direly proportional to SOC strength and orbital moment anisotropy. The oxidations of CoPt clusters always reduce orbital magnetic moments and consequently decrease the corresponding MAEs.     

Assessing protein–ligand binding modes with computational tools: the case of PDE4B

In a first step in the discovery of novel potent inhibitor structures for the PDE4B family with limited side effects, we present a protocol to rank newly designed molecules through the estimation of their IC\(_{50}\) values. Our protocol is based on reproducing the linear relationship between the logarithm of experimental IC\(_{50}\) values [\(\log\)(IC\(_{50}\))] and their calculated binding free energies (\(\Delta G_\mathrm{binding}\)). From 13 known PDE4B inhibitors, we show here that (1) binding free energies obtained after a docking process by AutoDock are not accurate enough to reproduce this linear relationship; (2) MM-GB/SA post-processing of molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories of the top ranked AutoDock pose improves the linear relationship; (3) by taking into account all representative structures obtained by AutoDock and by averaging MM-GB/SA computations on a series of 40 independent MD trajectories, a linear relationship between \(\log\)(IC\(_{50}\)) and the lowest \(\Delta G_\mathrm{binding}\) is achieved with \(R^2=0.944\).     

Solubility Thermodynamics of CyMe$$_{}$$-BTBP in Various Diluents Mixed with TBP

The two organic ligands 6,6′-bis(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo[1,2,4]triazin-3-yl)[2,2′]bipyridine (CyMe\(_{4}\)-BTBP) and tri-butyl phosphate (TBP) have previously been investigated in different diluents for use within recycling of used nuclear fuel through solvent extraction. The thermodynamic parameters, \(K_{\mathrm{S}}\), \(\Delta C_{p}\), \(\Delta H^{0}\) and \(\Delta S^{0}\), of the CyMe\(_{4}\)-BTBP solubility in three diluents (cyclohexanone, octanol and phenyl trifluoromethyl sulfone) mixed with TBP have been studied at 288, 298 and 308 K, both as pristine solutions and pre-equilibrated with 4 mol\(\cdot \)L\(^{-1}\) nitric acid. In addition, the amount of acid in the organic phase and density change after pre-equilibration have been measured. The solubility of CyMe\(_{4}\)-BTBP increases with an increased temperature in all systems, especially after acid pre-equilibration. This increased CyMe\(_{4}\)-BTBP solubility after pre-equilibration could be explained by acid dissolution into the solvent. Comparing the \(\Delta H^{0}\) and \(\Delta S^{0}\) calculated using \(\Delta C_{p}\) with the same parameters derived from a linear fit indicates temperature independence of all three thermodynamic systems. The change in enthalpy is positive in all solutions.     

Densities,Ultrasonic Velocities,Excess Properties and IR Spectra of Binary Liquid Mixtures of Organic Esters (Ethyl Lactate,Some Organic Carbonates)

Organic esters of carbonic acid {dimethyl carbonate (DMC)/diethyl carbonate (DEC)/propylene carbonate (PC)}, in combination with a lactate ester {ethyl lactate (EL)}, with green chemistry characteristics were chosen for the present study of molecular interactions in binary liquid mixtures. Densities (ρ) and ultrasonic velocities (U) of the pure solvents and liquid mixtures were measured experimentally over the entire composition range at temperatures (303.15, 308.15, 313.15 and 318.15) K and atmospheric pressure. The experimental data was used to calculate thermodynamic and acoustic parameters \( V_{\text{m}}^{\text{E}} \), \( \kappa_{S}^{\text{E}} \), \( L_{\text{f}}^{\text{E}} \), \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,1}}^{{}} \), \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,2}}^{{}} \), \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,1}}^{\text{E}} \), \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,2}}^{\text{E}} \), \( \bar{V}_{ 1}^{\text{E,0}} \) and \( \bar{V}_{ 2}^{\text{E,0}} \) and the excess functions were fitted with the Redlich–Kister polynomial equation to obtain the binary solution coefficients and the standard deviations. It was observed that the values of \( V_{\text{m}}^{\text{E}} \), \( \kappa_{S}^{\text{E}} \) and \( L_{\text{f}}^{\text{E}} \) are positive for the mixtures of (EL + DMC/DEC) and negative for those of (EL + PC) over the entire range of composition and temperature. The positive values of \( V_{\text{m}}^{\text{E}} \), \( \kappa_{S}^{\text{E}} \) and \( L_{\text{f}}^{\text{E}} \) indicate the action of dispersion forces between the component molecules of (EL + DMC/DEC) mixtures whereas negative values for the mixture (EL + PC) suggest the existence of strong specific interactions between the component molecules, probably resulting from chemical and structural contributions. The excess properties have also been analyzed by using the reduced (\( Y^{\text{E}} /x_{1} x_{2} \)) excess function approach and the results are found to be in agreement with those from the corresponding \( Y^{\text{E}} \)(= \( V_{\text{m}}^{\text{E}} \), \( \kappa_{S}^{\text{E}} \) and \( L_{\text{f}}^{\text{E}} \)) values. This is further supported by FTIR spectral analysis.     

Thermodynamic Properties of Ternary Ionic Liquid Mixture Containing a Common Ion: Excess Molar Volumes,Excess Isentropic Compressibilities,Excess Molar Enthalpies and Excess Heat Capacities

In the present investigations, the excess molar volumes, \( V_{ijk}^{\text{E}} \), excess isentropic compressibilities, \( \left( {\kappa_{S}^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \), and excess heat capacities, \( \left( {C_{p}^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \), for ternary 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (i) + 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (j) + 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (k) mixture at (293.15, 298.15, 303.15 and 308.15) K and excess molar enthalpies, \( \left( {H^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \), of the same mixture at 298.15 K have been determined over entire composition range of x _i and x _j . Satisfactorily corrections for the excess properties \( V_{ijk}^{\text{E}} \), \( \left( {\kappa_{S}^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \), \( \left( {H^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \) and \( \left( {C_{p}^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \) have been obtained by fitting with the Redlich–Kister equation, and ternary adjustable parameters along with standard errors have also been estimated. The \( V_{ijk}^{\text{E}} \), \( \left( {\kappa_{S}^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \), \( \left( {H^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \) and \( \left( {C_{p}^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \) data have been further analyzed in terms of Graph Theory that deals with the topology of the molecules. It has also been observed that Graph Theory describes well \( V_{ijk}^{\text{E}} \), \( \left( {\kappa_{S}^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \), \( \left( {H^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \) and \( \left( {C_{p}^{\text{E}} } \right)_{ijk} \) values of the ternary mixture comprised of ionic liquids.     

Lego-like spheres and tori

Given a connected surface \({\mathbb {F}}^2\) with Euler characteristic \(\chi \) and three integers \(b>a\ge 1<k\), an \((\{a,b\};k)\)-\({\mathbb {F}}^2\) is a \({\mathbb {F}}^2\)-embedded graph, having vertices of degree only k and only a- and b-gonal faces. The main case are (geometric) fullerenes (5, 6; 3)-\({\mathbb {S}}^2\). By \(p_a\), \(p_b\) we denote the number of a-gonal, b-gonal faces. Call an \((\{a,b\};k)\)-map lego-admissible if either \(\frac{p_b}{p_a}\), or \(\frac{p_a}{p_b}\) is integer. Call it lego-like if it is either \(ab^f\)-lego map, or \(a^fb\)-lego map, i.e., the face-set is partitioned into \(\min (p_a,p_b)\) isomorphic clusters, legos, consisting either one a-gon and \(f=\frac{p_b}{p_a}\,b\)-gons, or, respectively, \(f=\frac{p_a}{p_b}\,a\)-gons and one b-gon; the case \(f=1\) we denote also by ab. Call a \((\{a,b\};k)\)-map elliptic, parabolic or hyperbolic if the curvature \(\kappa _b=1+\frac{b}{k}-\frac{b}{2}\) of b-gons is positive, zero or negative, respectively. There are 14 lego-like elliptic \((\{a,b\};k)\)-\({\mathbb {S}}^2\) with \((a,b)\ne (1,2)\). No \((\{1,3\};6)\)-\({\mathbb {S}}^2\) is lego-admissible. For other 7 families of parabolic \((\{a,b\};k)\)-\({\mathbb {S}}^2\), each lego-admissible sphere with \(p_a\le p_b\) is \(a^fb\) and an infinity (by Goldberg–Coxeter operation) of \(ab^f\)-spheres exist. The number of hyperbolic \(ab^f\,(\{a,b\};k)\)-\({\mathbb {S}}^2\) with \((a,b)\ne (1,3)\) is finite. Such \(a^f b\)-spheres with \(a\ge 3\) have \((a,k)=(3,4),(3,5),(4,3),(5,3)\) or (3, 3); their number is finite for each b, but infinite for each of 5 cases (a, k). Any lego-admissible \((\{a,b\};k)\)-\({\mathbb {S}}^2\) with \(p_b=2\le a\) is \(a^f b\). We list, explicitly or by parameters, lego-admissible \((\{a,b\};k)\)-maps among: hyperbolic spheres, spheres with \(a\in \{1,2\}\), spheres with \(p_b\in \{2,\frac{p_a}{2}\}\), Goldberg–Coxeter’s spheres and \((\{a,b\};k)\)-tori. We present extensive computer search of lego-like spheres: 7 parabolic (\(p_b\)-dependent) families, basic examples of all 5 hyperbolic \(a^fb\) (b-dependent) families with \(a\ge 3\), and lego-like \((\{a,b\};3)\)-tori.     

The mass renormalization for the translational Brownian motion

The damped harmonic oscillator is modeled as a local mode X with mass m and frequency \(\omega _{0}\) immersed in a phonon bath with spectral density function \(j_{0}(\omega \)). This function behaves as \(\omega ^{s}\, (s= 1,2,3,\ldots )\) when \(\omega \rightarrow 0\). The limit \(\omega _{0} = 0\) represents translational (free) Brownian motion. The earlier work (Hakim and Ambegaokar in Phys Rev A 32:423, 1985) concluded that the so defined limit transition is prohibited for spectral densities with \(s<2\). In the present study we demonstrate that a specially constructed preliminary excitation changing the original bath spectrum as \(j_{0}(\omega ) \rightarrow j(\omega )\) allows for treating the free damped motion of X with no restriction for the initial spectrum dimensionality. This procedure validates the finite mass renormalization (i.e. \(m\rightarrow M\) when \(\omega _{0}\rightarrow 0)\) for the conventional bath spectra with \(s=1,2\). We show that the new spectral density \(j(\omega )\) represents the momentum bilinear interaction between mode X and the environmental modes, whereas the conventional function \(j_{0}(\omega )\) is inherent to the case of bilinear coordinate interaction in terms of the same variables. The translational damping kernel is derived based on the new spectral density.     

Transition-metal dichalcogenide heterostructure solar cells: a numerical study

We evaluate the tunneling short-circuit current density \(J_{TU}\) in a p–i–n solar cell in which the transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructure (\(\hbox {MoS}_2/\hbox {WS}_2\) superlattice) is embedded in the intrinsic i region. The effects of varying well and barrier widths, Fermi energy levels and number of quantum wells in the i region on \(J_{TU}\) are examined. A similar analysis is performed for the thermionic current \(J_{TH}\) that arises due to the escape and recapture of charge carriers between adjacent potential wells in the i-region. The interplay between \(J_{TU}\) and \(J_{TH}\) in the temperature range (300–330 K) is examined. The thermionic current is seen to exceed the tunneling current considerably at temperatures beyond 310 K, a desirable attribute in heterostructure solar cells. This work demonstrates the versatility of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides when utilized as fabrication materials for van der Waals heterostructure solar cells.     

Solvent extraction of calcium and strontium into nitrobenzene by using synergistic mixture of hydrogen dicarbollylcobaltate and diphenyl-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-butylcarbamoylmethyl phosphine oxide

Extraction of microamounts of calcium and strontium by a nitrobenzene solution of hydrogen dicarbollylcobaltate (H⁺B^?) in the presence of diphenyl-N-butylcarbamoylmethyl phosphine oxide (DPBCMPO, L) has been investigated. The equilibrium data have been explained assuming that the species HL⁺, \( {\text{HL}}_{2}^{ + } \), \( {\text{ML}}_{2}^{2 + } \), \( {\text{ML}}_{3}^{2 + } \) and \( {\text{ML}}_{4}^{2 + } \) (M²⁺ = Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺) are extracted into the organic phase. The values of extraction and stability constants of the cationic complexes in nitrobenzene saturated with water have been determined. In the considered nitrobenzene medium, it was found that the stability of the \( {\text{SrL}}_{2,{\text{org}}}^{2 + } \) complex is somewhat higher than that of species \( {\text{CaL}}_{2,{\text{org}}}^{2 + } \), while the stability constants of the remaining strontium complexes \( {\text{SrL}}_{3,{\text{org}}}^{2 + } \) and \( {\text{SrL}}_{4,{\text{org}}}^{2 + } \) are smaller than those of the corresponding complex species \( {\text{CaL}}_{n}^{2 + } \) (n = 3, 4).     

Modelling of the NO + CO reaction over inhomogeneous surfaces

A phenomenological model of \(\mathrm {CO}\) oxidation with \(\mathrm {NO}\) reaction proceeding over composite (supported) catalysts is proposed and solved numerically using the finite difference method. The model is based on the coupled system of PDEs subject to nonclassical conjugate conditions at the catalyst-support interface and includes: the bulk diffusion of reactants from a bounded vessel towards the catalyst surface and the bulk one of the reaction products from the surface into the same vessel, adsorption and desorption of particles of reactants, and surface diffusion of adsorbed molecules. The readsorption of the reaction product N\(_2\)O is also taken into account. The influence of the rate constants of the adsorbed particle jumping via the catalyst-support interface and reaction rate constants on the surface reactivity is investigated. It is shown that the turnover rates of the CO and NO into products N\(_2\)O, CO\(_2\), and N\(_2\) are nonmonotonic time functions and depending on values of the kinetic parameters may possess one or two maxima. The N\(_2\)O readsorption in case of the existence of two maxima essentially increases the turnover rates and extends the duration of their high values. The mechanism and conditions for arising of the second maximum is discussed. It is also shown that the variation of the particle jumping rate constants influences differently the size of the jump discontinuity of concentrations of different adsorbates at the catalyst-support interface.     

Hierarchical enumeration of Kekulé’s benzenes,Ladenburg’s benzenes,Dewar’s benzenes,and benzvalenes by using combined-permutation representations

The group hierarchy for each skeleton of ligancy 6 is formulated to be: point group (PG \({\varvec{G}}_{\sigma }\)) \(\subseteq \) RS-stereoisomeric group (RS-SIG \({\varvec{G}}_{\sigma \widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}}\)) \(\subseteq \) stereoisomeric group (SIG \(\widetilde{{\varvec{G}}}_{\sigma \widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}}\)) \(\subseteq \) isoskeletomeric group (ISG \(\widetilde{\widetilde{{\varvec{G}}}}_{\sigma \widetilde{\sigma }\widehat{I}}\) = \({\varvec{S}}^{[6]}_{\sigma \widehat{I}}\)), where we start from the PG \({\varvec{G}}_{\sigma }\) = \({\varvec{D}}_{6h}\) for the Kekulé benzene skeleton, from the PG \({\varvec{G}}_{\sigma }\) = \({\varvec{D}}_{3h}\) for the Ladenburg benzene skeleton, from the PG \({\varvec{G}}_{\sigma }\) = \({\varvec{C}}_{2v}\) for the Dewar benzene skeleton, or from the PG \({\varvec{G}}_{\sigma }\) = \({\varvec{C}}_{2v}\) for the benzvalene skeleton. After these groups are constructed as combined-permutation representations, the calculation of the respective cycle indices with chirality fittingness (CI-CFs) and the introduction of ligand-inventory functions are conducted to give generation functions for 3D-based enumerations (for PGs and RS-SIGs) and 2D-based enumerations (for SIGs and ISGs). The enumeration results are discussed by means of isomer-classification diagrams, in which equivalence classes under enantiomerism (for PGs), RS-stereoisomerism (for RS-SIGs), stereoisomerism (for SIGs), and isoskeletomerism (for ISGs) are illustrated schematically. The implicit connotations of the conventional terms “skeletal isomerism”, “positional isomerism”, and “constitutional isomerism” are discussed, where the effects of the concept of isoskeletomerism are emphasized.     

Thermo Physical and Spectroscopic Properties of Binary Liquid Systems: Ethanoic Acid/Propanoic Acid/Butanoic Acid with 2-Methylaniline

Densities (ρ), speeds of sound (u), and viscosities (η) are reported for binary mixtures of 2-methylaniline with carboxylic acids (ethanoic acid, propanoic acid and butanoic acid) over the entire composition range of mole fraction at T?=?(303.15–318.15) K and at atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa). The excess properties such as excess molar volume (V _m ^E ), excess isentropic compressibility (κ _S ^E ) and excess Gibbs energy of activation of viscous flow (G^*E) are calculated from the experimental densities, speeds of sound and viscosities. Excess properties are correlated using the Redlich–Kister polynomial equation. The partial molar volumes, \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,1}} \) and \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,2}} \), partial molar isentropic compressibilities, \( \bar{K}_{\text{s,m,1}} \) and \( \bar{K}_{\text{s,m,2}} \), excess partial molar volumes, \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,1}}^{\text{E}} \) and \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,2}}^{\text{E}} \), and excess partial molar isentropic compressibilities, \( \bar{K}_{\text{s,m,1}}^{\text{E}} \) and \( \bar{K}_{\text{s,m,2}}^{\text{E}} \), over whole composition range, partial molar volumes, \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,1}}^{ \circ } \) and \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,2}}^{ \circ } \), partial molar isentropic compressibilities, \( \bar{K}_{\text{s,m,1}}^{ \circ } \) and \( \bar{K}_{\text{s,m,2}}^{ \circ } \), excess partial molar volumes, \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,1}}^{{ \circ {\text{E}}}} \) and \( \bar{V}_{{{\text{m}},2}}^{{ \circ {\text{E}}}} \), and excess partial molar isentropic compressibilities, \( \bar{K}_{\text{s,m,1}}^{{ \circ {\text{E}}}} \) and \( \bar{K}_{\text{s,m,2}}^{{ \circ {\text{E}}}} \), of the components at infinite dilution have also been calculated from the analytically obtained Redlich–Kister polynomials. The excess molar volume V^E results are analyzed using the Prigogine–Flory–Patterson theory. Analysis of each of the three contributions viz. interactional V^E(int.), free volume V^E(fv.) and characteristic pressure p* to V^E showed that the interactional contributions are positive for all systems while the free volume and characteristic pressure p* contributions are negative for all the binary mixtures. The results are analyzed in terms of attractive forces between 2-methylaniline and carboxylic acids molecules. Good agreement is obtained between excess quantities and spectroscopic data.     

Experimental Investigation on the Effect of a Microsecond Pulse and a Nanosecond Pulse on NO Removal Using a Pulsed DBD with Catalytic Materials

In this study, an experimental investigation of the removal of NO from an atmospheric air stream has been carried out with a non-thermal plasma dielectric barrier discharge reactor filled with different catalytic materials. TiO\(_2\), CuO–MnO\(_2\)–TiO\(_2\), CuO–MnO\(_2\)–Al\(_2\)O\(_3\) catalysts were used to study the synergy between the plasma and the catalysts. The NO\(_\mathrm{{x}}\) removal efficiency and by-products formation were studied as a function of energy density, pulse rise time and width using a plasma catalytic configuration. It was observed that the shorter pulses are more efficient for NO\(_\mathrm{{x}}\) removal but at the expense of higher by-products formation such as N\(_2\)O and O\(_3\). A comparison has been made between an in-plasma catalytic configuration and a post-plasma catalytic configuration. Among all the three catalysts that were studied, CuO–MnO\(_2\)–TiO\(_2\) catalyst showed the best performance with respect to the removal efficiency as well as the by-products formation in both the in-plasma and the post-plasma catalytic configuration. In general, the post-plasma configuration showed better results with respect to low by-products formation.     

Extending the McClelland formula for total $$\pi $$-electron energy

The McClelland formula, based on the upper bound \(\sqrt{2mn}\), is capable of reproducing over 99.5% of the total \(\pi \)-electron energy (\(E_\pi \)) of a conjugated hydrocarbon, whose molecules possess n carbon atoms and m carbon–carbon bonds. Its weak point is that it predicts equal \(E_\pi \)-values for all isomers. We now show how this failure can be overcome, offering a general strategy for extending McClelland’s formula. By means of one of these extensions, \(E_\pi \) is related with the energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital, and the error of the new formula is diminished by more than \(50\%\) relative to the standard McClelland approximation.     

Densities and Speeds of Sound of Binary Liquid Mixtures of 1,4-Butanediol with 2-Methoxyethanol and 2-Propoxyethanol at <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis> = (303.15, 308.15, 313.15 and 318.15) K

Densities, ρ, and speeds of sound, u, for the binary liquid mixtures of 1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD) + 2-alkoxyethanols {2-methoxyethanol (2-ME), or 2-propoxyethanol (2-PE)} over the whole composition range have been measured at T = (303.15, 308.15, 313.15 and 318.15) K, and at atmospheric pressure (p = 0.1 kPa). Experimental data for the densities and speeds of sound have been used to derive the quantities like excess molar volume, \( V_{\text{m}}^{\text{E}} \), excess isentropic compressibility, \( \kappa_{S}^{\text{E}} \), excess molar isentropic compressibility, \( K_{{S,{\text{m}}}}^{\text{E}} \), excess speed of sound, \( u^{\text{E}} \), and excess isobaric thermal expansion \( \alpha_{p}^{\text{E}} \). These excess parameters were correlated by Redlich–Kister polynomials. Excess partial molar volumes (\( \bar{V}_{\text{m,1}}^{\text{E}} \) and \( \bar{V}_{\text{m,2}}^{\text{E}} \)) and their limiting values at infinite dilution (\( \bar{V}_{\text{m,1}}^{{ 0 {\text{E}}}} \) and \( {\bar{\text{V}}}_{\text{m,2}}^{{ 0 {\text{E}}}} \)) have been calculated from the experimental density measurements and were analytically obtained using the Redlich–Kister polynomials. The results are discussed in terms of intermolecular interactions and their dependence on composition and temperature.     

Binary self-similar chemical structures

The recursive series \(f_{n+1} =l\cdot f_n +m\cdot f_{n-1} \) (l, m = 1,2,3...) defines the generators of a chain of components L and S, \(\left\{ {\begin{array}{l} L\rightarrow \underbrace{LL{\ldots }L}_l\underbrace{SS{\ldots }S}_m \\ S\rightarrow L \\ \end{array}} \right\} \), such that L and S have a geometric dimension equal to \(d = 0, 1, 2, 3,{\ldots }\). If L, S are the atoms of two different elements A, B (dimension \(d = 0\)) or two self-similar structures with \(d > 0\) that are composed of these elements, then such a generator forms a self-similar binary structure with the dimension \(d+1\) (a quasicrystal), composed of \(\hbox {A}_{x^{\prime }}\hbox {B}\), where \(x^{\prime }\) depends solely on the parameters l and m. In this study, the stoichiometric coefficient \(x^{\prime }\) was calculated for about 20 of such quasicrystals. The generator was found to enable, for certain values of l and m, the formation of structures with degenerate symmetry, that is, the transition from self-similar to translational symmetry. Thus, the generated structures can be divided according to l and m into three groups: structures that contain only one type of homobonds, A–A, with self-similarity as the only permissible symmetry; structures that at least sometimes contain both types of homobonds, A–A and B–B, with self-similarity as the only permissible symmetry; and structures that sometimes show translational symmetry. All of the researched structures in the first group have the same estimated values of internal energy and configuration entropy determined by the isotopic composition. All structures in the second group have the same configuration entropy but different internal energies. In the third group, the configuration entropy of structures that show translational symmetry is lower than that of the self-similar structures. On the other hand, internal energy favours (that is, is lower in) structures with translational symmetry over self-similar structures only when the energy of the A–B bonds is higher than the mean energy of A–A and B–B bonds. In other words, self-similar systems can be energetically more stable compared to crystals as long as the energy of the A–B heterobonds is low. The method for generating self-similar objects proposed in this paper seems to be the first method in which the means of generation do not change with the geometric dimension d of the generated structure.     

Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids Containing the Trifluoroacetate Anion: Thermodynamic Study

New experimental vapor pressures and vaporization enthalpies of the ionic liquids \( [ {\text{C}}_{2} {\text{mim][CF}}_{3} {\text{CO}}_{2} ] \) and \( [ {\text{C}}_{4} {\text{mim][CF}}_{3} {\text{CO}}_{2} ] \) have been measured by the QCM method. The solution enthalpies of these ionic liquids were measured by using high-precision solution calorimetry and were used for calculation the aqueous enthalpy of formation \( \Delta_{\text{f}} H_{\text{m}}^{ \circ } ({\text{CF}}_{ 3} {\text{CO}}_{2}^{ - } ,_{{}} {\text{aq}}) \) of the anion for combination with quantum-chemical results. The solubility parameters of the ILs under study have been derived from experimental \( \Delta_{\text{l}}^{\text{g}} H_{\text{m}}^{ \circ } \)(298.15 K) values and were used for estimation of miscibility of some common solutes with \( [ {\text{C}}_{n} {\text{mim][CF}}_{3} {\text{CO}}_{2} ] \).     

Nested wreath groups and their applications to phylogeny in biology and Cayley trees in chemistry and physics

Nested wreath product groups arise from looped or recursive structures that contain repeated copies of the same structure one within the other. Phylogeny trees in biology, Cayley trees, Bethe lattices, NMR graphs of non-rigid molecules, ammoniated ammonium ions are all examples of structures that exhibit such nested wreath product automorphism groups. We show that the conjugacy classes, irreducible representations and character tables of these nested group structures can be generated using multinomial generating functions cast in terms of matrix types that can be simplified into generalized cycle type polynomials. The nested wreath product groups rapidly increase in orders, for example, a simple wreath product group \(\hbox {S}_{7}[\hbox {S}_{7}]\) consists of \((7!)^{8}\) or \(4.1633\times 10^{23}\) operations, 481,890 conjugacy classes, spanning a 481,891 \(\times \) 481,891 character table that would occupy 232,217,972 pages. We have obtained powerful recursive relations for the conjugacy classes, character tables and the orders of various conjugacy cases of any nested wreath product \(\{[\hbox {S}_{\mathrm{n}}]\}^{\mathrm{m}}\) or \(\hbox {S}_{\mathrm{n}}[\hbox {S}_{\mathrm{n}}[\hbox {S}_{\mathrm{n}}{\ldots }.[\hbox {S}_{\mathrm{n}}]]{\ldots }.]\) with order \(\left( {n!}\right) ^{a_m},\,\hbox {a}_{\mathrm{m}}=(\hbox {n}^{\mathrm{m}}-1)/(\hbox {n}-1)\). We have obtained the character tables of phylogenetic trees of any order, character tables of Cayley trees of degrees 3 and 4 and for Cayley trees of larger degrees, we have derived exact analytical expressions for the conjugacy classes and IRs for up to \(\{[\hbox {S}_{7}]\}^{\mathrm{m}}\) with order \((7!)^{137257}\) for \(\hbox {m}=7\). Applications to colorings of phylogenic trees in biology are considered.     

Volumetric,Acoustic and Transport Properties of Metformin Hydrochloride Drug in Aqueous <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-Glucose Solutions at <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis> = (298.15–318.15) K

Apparent molar volumes, apparent molar adiabatic compressibilities and viscosity B-coefficients for metformin hydrochloride in aqueous d-glucose solutions were determined from solution densities, sound velocities and viscosities measured at T = (298.15–318.15) K and at pressure p = 101 kPa as a function of the metformin hydrochloride concentrations. The standard partial molar volumes (\( \phi_{V}^{0} \)) and slopes (\( S_{V}^{*} \)) obtained from the Masson equation were interpreted in terms of solute–solvent and solute–solute interactions, respectively. Solution viscosities were analyzed using the Jones–Dole equation and the viscosity A and B coefficients discussed in terms of solute–solute and solute–solvent interactions, respectively. Adiabatic compressibility (\( \beta_{s} \)) and apparent molar adiabatic compressibility (\( \phi_{\kappa }^{{}} \)), limiting apparent molar adiabatic compressibility (\( \phi_{\kappa }^{0} \)) and experimental slopes (\( S_{\kappa }^{*} \)) were determined from sound velocity data. The standard volume of transfer (\( \Delta_{t} \phi_{V}^{0} \)), viscosity B-coefficients of transfer (\( \Delta_{t} B \)) and limiting apparent molar adiabatic compressibility of transfer (\( \Delta_{t} \phi_{\kappa }^{0} \)) of metformin hydrochloride from water to aqueous glucose solutions were derived to understand various interactions in the ternary solutions. The activation parameters of viscous flow for the studied solutions were calculated using transition state theory. Hepler’s coefficient \( (d\phi /dT)_{p} \) indicated the structure making ability of metformin hydrochloride in the ternary solutions.