Asymptotic Analysis of the Current-Voltage Curve of a pnpn Semiconductor Device

We consider the one-dimensional steady-state semiconductor deviceequations modelling a pnpn device. There are two relevant scalingsof the equations corresponding to small and large applied voltages.In both scalings, the semiconductor equations can be consideredas singularly perturbed. It turns out that the small-voltagescaling breaks down for current values between two saturationcurrents. In that interval, the large-voltage scaling has tobe employed. For both scalings, we derive the first-order termsof an asymptotic expansion and show that the reduced problemhas a solution. An example verifies that the current-voltagecurves obtained have the expected qualitative structure.     

The absorption of pulsed CO2-laser radiation by ethylene at total pressures from 25 to 3000 Torr

The absorption of pulsed CO₂-laser radiation by ethylene has been measured at total pressures from 25 to 3000 Torr, using the P(12) and P(14) lines in the 10.6 m band, with incident fluences from 0.1 to 0.7 J/cm². Marked deviations from the Beer-Lambert absorption law were observed, with the effective absorption coefficient varying with pressure, fluence, absorption path-length and the addition of non-absorbing gas. Pressure broadening of the rotational lines of the ethylene absorption spectrum was shown to be the major cause of these deviations, together with lesser effects which can be attributed to the rise in temperature of the absorbing gas during the laser pulse.     

Kinetic studies of nickel speciation in model solutions of a well-characterized humic acid using the competing ligand exchange method

Publications on the binding characteristics of metals with humic acid (HA) are sparse. Here we investigated the release of nickel from Ni(II)-HA complexes using model solutions of three different [Ni(II)]/[HA] mole ratios at three different pH values; we also compared the results with those of [Ni(II)]/[FA] complexes from previous work in this laboratory. Ligand exchange kinetics using the competing ligand exchange method (CLEM) were studied using two different techniques: graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) with Chelex 100 resin as the competing ligand, and adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (AdCSV) with dimethylglyoxime as the competing ligand to measure the rate of dissociation of Ni(II)-HA complexes. The results of the kinetic studies showed that as the [Ni(II)]/[HA] mole ratio was decreased, the rate of dissociation of Ni(II)-HA complexes decreased, and the proportion of free Ni²⁺ ions plus very labile nickel complexes decreased while the proportion of the less labile kinetically distinguishable components increased. Generally, the rate of dissociation of Ni(II)-HA complexes was slower than that of Ni(II)-FA complexes. Studies on the validity of the kinetic model showed that the concentrations of chemical species varied in a reasonable way with pH and the [Ni(II)]/[HA] mole ratios, indicating that the kinetically distinguishable components have chemical significance and the kinetic model is valid.     

Stereospecific rearrangements during the synthesis of pyrrolidines and related heterocycles from cyclizations of amino alcohols with vinyl Sulfones

Conjugate additions of amino alcohols derived from alpha-amino acids to vinyl sulfones, followed by N-benzylation, chlorination, and intramolecular alkylation, provide a convenient route to substituted pyrrolidines. The process is accompanied by the stereospecific rearrangement of substituents from the alpha-position of the amine to the beta-position of the product and takes place via the corresponding aziridinium ion intermediates. Another type of rearrangement was observed during the reaction of (2-piperidine)methanol or 2-(2-piperidine)ethanol with phenyl trans-1-propenyl sulfone, in which the methyl group appears to migrate from the beta- to the alpha-position of the sulfone moiety. This process involves the isomerization of phenyl trans-1-propenyl sulfone to phenyl 2-propenyl sulfone by the addition-elimination of catalytic benzenesulfinate anion to the former vinyl sulfone, followed by conjugate addition of the amino group to the latter sulfone. Chlorination and intramolecular alkylation then afford the corresponding rearranged indolizidine and quinolizidine derivatives, respectively.     

Synthesis of Tricyclic beta-Methylene Spiro Lactones Related to Bakkenolides by Successive Radical Cyclization-High Pressure Diels-Alder Reactions

The synthesis of some novel bakkenolides and their epi-spiro analogues was achieved by a new approach. Photolysis of allyl 1-(phenylseleno)-2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylates 7-9 afforded the corresponding spiro lactones 10-12 by radical cyclization via group transfer of the phenylseleno group. Selenoxide elimination of 11 and 12 produced the corresponding beta-methylene lactones 14 and 15. Diels-Alder cycloaddition of lactone11 with piperylene failed at ambient pressure, but proceeded in generally good yield in the presence of various Lewis acids at pressures of ca. 16 kbar, to give mixtures of beta-exo, alpha-endo, and beta-endo cycloadducts 19, 21, and 23, respectively. The preponderance of endo products 21 and 23, formed via highly hindered, but more compact, transition states was attributed to the high pressure and resulted in trans-dimethyl configurations of the products. The facial selectivity was dependent upon the Lewis acids, and the greatest alpha:beta ratio was observed with catalysts of the type TiCl(2)(OR)(2). Epimerization of the C-4 methyl group in 21 and 23 to furnish the corresponding cis-dimethyl analogues was achieved via exo-epoxidation, regioselective reduction, oxidation to the corresponding 3-keto derivatives, and base-catalyzed equilibration, thereby affording (+/-)-3,6-dioxobakkenolide-A (39) and its epi-spiro derivative 28, respectively. When the radical cyclization step was performed subsequent to the Diels-Alder cycloaddition by photolysis of perhydrindane 43, only the epi-spiro product 44 was obtained.