Torsional steering controls the stereoselectivity of epoxidation in the guanacastepene a synthesis

[reaction: see text] The stereoselectivity of the key epoxidation step in the synthesis of guanacastepene A is shown to be controlled by torsional steering. In this particular epoxidation reaction, the transition structure energetic difference is enhanced by the great asynchronicity of the forming C-O bonds that intensifies the torsional interactions.     

Direct asymmetric anti-Mannich-type reactions catalyzed by a designed amino acid

The development of catalysts for Mannich-type reactions that afford anti-products with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities under mild conditions and low catalyst loadings (1-5 mol %) is reported. Based on principles gained from the study of (S)-proline-catalyzed Mannich-type reactions that afford enantiomerically enriched syn-products, (3R,5R)-5-methyl-3-pyrrolidinecarboxylic acid (RR35) has been designed to catalyze the direct enantioselective anti-selective Mannich-type reactions. Computational studies of the above reaction using HF/6-31G* level of theory suggested that this design would be highly effective. The catalyst was subsequently synthesized and studied in organocatalytic Mannich-type reactions between unmodified aldehydes and N-PMP-protected alpha-imino esters. In accord with the design principles and in quantitative agreement with the theoretical predictions, reactions catalyzed by this catalyst afforded anti-products in good yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (anti:syn 94:6 to 98:2, >97 to >99% ee).     

Inscribing an axially symmetric polygon and other approximation algorithms for planar convex sets

Given a planar convex set C, we give sublinear approximation algorithms to determine approximations of the largest axially symmetric convex set S contained in C, and the smallest such set S^′ that contains C. More precisely, for any >0, we find an axially symmetric convex polygon QC with area |Q|>(1−)|S| and we find an axially symmetric convex polygon Q^′ containing C with area |Q^′|<(1+)|S^′|. We assume that C is given in a data structure that allows to answer the following two types of query in time T_C: given a direction u, find an extreme point of C in direction u, and given a line ℓ, find C∩ℓ. For instance, if C is a convex n-gon and its vertices are given in a sorted array, then T_C=O(logn). Then we can find Q and Q^′ in time O(^−1/2T_C+^−3/2). Using these techniques, we can also find approximations to the perimeter, area, diameter, width, smallest enclosing rectangle and smallest enclosing circle of C in time O(^−1/2T_C).     

Design,Synthesis,and Biological Evaluation of 5H-Thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxylic Acid Ethyl Ester Derivatives as a Novel Series of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are the most frequently prescribed anti-Alzheimer's drugs. A series of 5H-thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxylic acid ethyl ester derivatives as the novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitors was designed based on virtual screening methods. The target compounds were synthesized with Biginelli reaction and Hantzsch-type condensation of dihydropyrimidines with substituted phenacyl chlorides,and were characterized with elemental analysis,IR,MS,1H NMR,and 13C NMR. The biological evalu...     

Understanding agent-based models of financial markets: A bottom–up approach based on order parameters and phase diagrams

We describe a bottom–up framework, based on the identification of appropriate order parameters and determination of phase diagrams, for understanding progressively refined agent-based models and simulations of financial markets. We illustrate this framework by starting with a deterministic toy model, whereby N$N$ independent traders buy and sell M$M$ stocks through an order book that acts as a clearing house. The price of a stock increases whenever it is bought and decreases whenever it is sold. Price changes are updated by the order book before the next transaction takes place. In this deterministic model, all traders based their buy decisions on a call utility function, and all their sell decisions on a put utility function. We then make the agent-based model more realistic, by either having a fraction _fb$f_b$ of traders buy a random stock on offer, or a fraction _fs$f_s$ of traders sell a random stock in their portfolio. Based on our simulations, we find that it is possible to identify useful order parameters from the steady-state price distributions of all three models. Using these order parameters as a guide, we find three phases: (i) the dead market; (ii) the boom market; and (iii) the jammed market in the phase diagram of the deterministic model. Comparing the phase diagrams of the stochastic models against that of the deterministic model, we realize that the primary effect of stochasticity is to eliminate the dead market phase.     

High performance liquid chromatography characterization of macromolecules

A new method, temperature gradient interaction chromatography(TGIC) is employed for the characterization of macromolecules. Fine and reproducible control of interaction between polymer chains and the alkyl chain bonded silica packing material can be achieved by varying the temperature of the column. This method provides a far superior resolution to the conventional size exclusion chromatography. In addition, this method has a high sample loading capacity to be effective for preparative purpose. Furthermore, this method can be used to characterize binary polymer mixtures, where one component of a polymer mixture is separated by the size exclusion mechanism and the other is by the interaction mechanism simultaneously from single isocratic elution.     

Some Possible Asymmetry Effects of Nuclear Matter in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions

The asymmetry dependence of nuclear incompraeaibility and that of nuclear critical temperature are calculated baaed on a Thomas-Fermi model with Seyler-Blanchard interaction. It is found that the asymmetry effects are big enough to allow for checking the existence of these effects in relativistic heavy-ion collision experiments.     

Simulation of secondary particle formation in seeded emulsion polymerization: The effect of surface charge density

Mathematical modeling and simulation were carried out to investigate the effects of the surface charge density of seed particles on secondary particle formation and the rate of polymerization in the early stage of emulsifier-free seeded emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate. Limited coagulation theory was applied to simulate new particle nucleation. The main factor influencing the capture rate of oligomeric radicals in a growing seed particle was assumed to be the electrostatic repulsion of seed particles. DLVO (Deryagiun-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek) theory was also introduced to estimate the electrical repulsion between seed particles and oligomeric radicals in the aqueous phase. In the case of highly charged seed particles, the adsorption rate of oligomeric radicals in the aqueous phase showed a strong effect on the polymerization rate. The low adsorption of oligomeric radicals results in a low value of the average number of radicals per particle. The surface charge density of seed particles was found to play an important role in limiting the polymerization rate at the beginning of the reaction and even in affecting the formation of secondary particles.     

Type-II Red Phosphorus: Wavy Packing of Twisted Pentagonal Tubes

Elemental phosphorus exhibits fascinating structural varieties and versatile properties. The unique nature of phosphorus bonds can lead to the formation of extremely complex structures, and detailed structural information on some phosphorus polymorphs is yet to be investigated. In this study, we investigated an unidentified crystalline phase of phosphorus, type-II red phosphorus (RP), by combining state-of-the-art structural characterization techniques. Electron diffraction tomography, atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), powder X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy were concurrently used to elucidate the hidden structural motifs and their packing in type-II RP. Electron diffraction tomography, performed using individual crystalline nanowires, was used to identify a triclinic unit cell with volume of 5330 ų, which is the largest unit cell for elemental phosphorus crystals up to now and contains approximately 250 phosphorus atoms. Atomic-resolution STEM imaging, which was performed along different crystal-zone axes, confirmed that the twisted wavy tubular motif is the basic building block of type-II RP. Our study discovered and presented a new variation of building blocks in phosphorus, and it provides insights to clarify the complexities observed in phosphorus as well as other relevant systems.