Dephasing of a superconducting flux qubit

In order to gain a better understanding of the origin of decoherence in superconducting flux qubits, we have measured the magnetic field dependence of the characteristic energy relaxation time (T(1)) and echo phase relaxation time (T(2)(echo)) near the optimal operating point of a flux qubit. We have measured T(2)(echo) by means of the phase cycling method. At the optimal point, we found the relation T(2)(echo) approximately 2T(1). This means that the echo decay time is limited by the energy relaxation (T(1) process). Moving away from the optimal point, we observe a linear increase of the phase relaxation rate (1/T(2)(echo)) with the applied external magnetic flux. This behavior can be well explained by the influence of magnetic flux noise with a 1/f spectrum on the qubit.     

Tailoring D‐Amino Acid Oxidase from the Pig Kidney to R‐Stereoselective Amine Oxidase and its Use in the Deracemization of α‐Methylbenzylamine

The deracemization of racemic amines to yield enantioenriched amines using S‐stereoselective amine oxidases (AOx) has recently been attracting attention. However, R‐stereoselective AOx that are suitable for deracemization have not yet been identified. An R‐stereoselective AOx was now evolved from porcine kidney D ‐amino acid oxidase (pkDAO) and subsequently use for the deracemization of racemic amines. The engineered pkDAO, which was obtained by directed evolution, displayed a markedly changed substrate specificity towards R amines. The mutant enzyme exhibited a high preference towards the substrate α‐methylbenzylamine and was used to synthesize the S amine through deracemization. The findings of this study indicate that further investigations on the structure–activity relationship of AOx are warranted and also provide a new method for biotransformations in organic synthesis.     

Octacyanidorhenate(V) Ion as an Efficient Linker for Hysteretic Two-Step Iron(II) Spin Crossover Switchable by Temperature,Light, and Pressure

A two-step hysteretic Fe^II spin crossover (SCO) effect was achieved in programmed layered Cs{[Fe(3-CNpy)₂][Re(CN)₈]}⋅H₂O ( 1 ) (3-CNpy=3-cyanopyridine) assembly consisting of cyanido-bridged Fe^II-Re^V square grid sheets bonded by Cs⁺ ions. The presence of two non-equivalent Fe^II sites and the conjunction of 2D bimetallic coordination network with non-covalent interlayer interactions involving Cs⁺, [Re^V(CN)₈]³⁻ ions, and 3-CNpy ligands, leads to the occurrence of two steps of thermal SCO with strong cooperativity giving a double thermal hysteresis loop. The resulting spin-transition phenomenon could be tuned by an external pressure giving the room-temperature range of SCO, as well as by visible-light irradiation, inducing an efficient recovery of the high-spin Fe^II state at low temperatures. We prove that octacyanidorhenate(V) ion is an outstanding metalloligand for induction of a cooperative multistep, multiswitchable Fe^II SCO effect.     

Synthesis of CF2H‐Containing Oxime Ethers Derivatives from ClCF2H,tert‐Butyl Nitrile and Indoles

Summaryof main observation and conclusion A new and intriguing methodology to access various O-difluoromethylation oxime compounds from CICF2H,TBN and indoles is developed under mild reaction conditions.This strategy can suppress N-difluoromethylation of indoles successfully,in which there are two different active species(:CF2and·NO)while indoles are unprotected,featuringsimple operation and radical involvement.     

Dehydration‐fragmentation mechanism of cathinones and their metabolites in ESI‐CID

Various cathinone‐derived designer drugs (CATs) have recently appeared on the drug market. This study examined the mechanism for the generation of dehydrated ions for CATs during electrospray ionization collision‐induced dissociation (ESI‐CID). The generation mechanism of dehydrated ions is dependent on the amine classification in the cathinone skeleton, which is used in the identification of CATs. The two hydrogen atoms eliminated during the dehydration of cathinone (primary amine) and methcathinone (secondary amine) were determined, and the reaction mechanism was elucidated through the deuterium labeling experiments. The hydrogen atom bonded to the amine nitrogen was eliminated with the proton added during ESI, in both of the tested compounds. This provided evidence that CATs with tertiary amine structures (such as dimethylcathinone and α‐pyrrolidinophenones [α‐PPs]) do not undergo dehydration. However, it was shown that the two major tertiary amine metabolites (1‐OH and 2″‐oxo) of CATs generate dehydrated ions in ESI‐CID. The dehydration mechanisms of the metabolites of α‐pyrrolidinobutiophenone (α‐PBP) belongs to α‐PPs were also investigated. Stable‐isotope labeling showed the dehydration of the 1‐OH metabolite following a simple mechanism where the hydroxy group was eliminated together with the proton added during ESI. In contrast, the dehydration mechanism of the 2″‐oxo metabolite involved hydrogen atoms in three or more locations along with the carbonyl group oxygen, indicating that dehydration occurred via multiple mechanisms likely including the rearrangement reaction of hydrogen atoms. These findings presented herein indicate that the dehydrated ions in ESI‐CID can be used for the structural identification of CATs.     

Local crystal structure of nano-manganese-oxide gold adsorbent

The local crystal structure of dried and deuterated nano-manganese-oxide powder samples was studied via atomic pair distribution function analysis of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data. The protonated sample shows ultrahigh efficiency as a gold adsorbent even from ppt-level aqueous solutions such as seawater. We show that the nano-manganese-oxide particles have an R-MnO₂-type local crystal structure. The possible role of the protons on the surface of the nano-particles is discussed.     

Effects of Al concentration and resulting long-period superstructures on the plastic properties at room temperature of Al-rich TiAl single crystals

The role of Al₅Ti₃ and h-Al₂Ti long-period superstructures on the plastic properties of TiAl at room temperature is investigated on five single crystals with aluminium content comprised between 54.7 at.%, and 62.5 at.%. After annealing at 1200°C for 1?h, the Al₅Ti₃ superstructure develops in the L1₀ (γ) matrix upon increasing Al concentration except for Ti–62.5 at.%Al where h-Al₂Ti substitutes for Al₅Ti₃. The CRSS for <110]{111} first increases abruptly with the development of the Al₅Ti₃-type ordering. Then, the CRSS reaches a plateau at which dislocations assemble in groups of four to prevent extra anti-phase boundary (APB) from being engendered during glide throughout the Al₅Ti₃ phase. In Ti–62.5 at.%Al, the CRSS for ordinary slip further increases upon the precipitation of h-Al₂Ti in the L1₀ phase, whereas it decreases when the crystal is fully transformed into single-phased Al₅Ti₃. <101] superlattice dislocations are primarily activated under both the [210] and [1?1?8.6] load orientations irrespective of the Al concentration, but the dislocation microstructure strongly depends on orientation as well as on the degree of Al₅Ti₃ ordering. In the [210] orientation, the frequency of the decomposition of <101] dislocations into 1/2<110] and 1/2<112] dislocations decreases abruptly with the development of Al₅Ti₃. This is interpreted in terms of the increased difficulty to move ordinary dislocations. Under the [1?1?8.6] orientation, the density of faulted dipoles diminishes remarkably with the development of Al₅Ti₃. This is consistent with the transformation of the low energy extrinsic stacking fault of the L1₀ phase into a higher energy complex extrinsic stacking fault.     

Multinuclear cobalt–salen complexes with phenylene linker for epoxide polymerizations

Di‐ and trinuclear cobalt (Co)–salen complexes with a benzene ring as a rigid linker were explored for epoxide polymerizations. The dinuclear Co–salen complex with a 1,2‐phenylene linker showed higher catalytic activity than the dinuclear Co–salen complex with a 1,3‐phenylene linker and the trinuclear Co–salen complex with a 1,3,5‐benzenetriyl linker for the copolymerization of propylene oxide (PO) with carbon dioxide. A combination of the absolute configuration of the two Co–salen moieties was found to affect its catalytic activity. The optimized dinuclear Co–salen complex with a heterochiral combination demonstrated highest activity and maintained its catalytic activity under a low catalyst concentration. The heterochiral dinuclear Co–salen complex also showed high activity for the copolymerization of PO with cyclic anhydride. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 2150–2159