Classes de symétrie des solides piézoélectriquesSymmetry classes of piezoelectric solids

We apply here the harmonic and Cartan decomposition techniques to piezoelectric material symmetries classification. We show in particular that we shall reduce from 19 to 17 the number of symmetry classes corresponding to the piezoelectric phenomenon. To cite this article: G. Geymonat, T. Weller, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 335 (2002) 847–852.     

Reactivity and structure of the 5-dehydro-m-xylylene anion

The electronic structure of dehydro-m-xylylene anion (DMX-) has been investigated by using chemical reactivity studies and electronic structure calculations. DMX- has been generated in the gas phase via the sequential reaction of trimethyl-3,5-bis(trimethylsilylmethyl)phenylsilane with F- and two molecules of F2. Reactivity and thermochemical properties of the ion indicate a phenyl-like anion (1a), consistent with theoretical predictions. Density functional calculations predict a nonplanar triplet anion, with an allenic singlet anion slightly higher in energy. The driving force for the out-of-plane distortion is more efficient charge delocalization that is achieved at lower symmetry.     

Analyse conformationnelle théorique

Résumé Une étude théorique ab initio SCF-LCAO-MO de la méthylène imine et de l'anion vinyle a été effectuée. Les barrières d'énergie calculées pour l'inversion de l'azote et pour la rotation autour de la liaison C=N sont respectivement de 26–28 kcal/mole et de 57 kcal/mole.La barrière d'inversion du carbanion calculée pour l'anion vinyle est de 39 kcal/mole et l'isomérisation des imines se fait donc par inversion de l'azote. Les anions vinyliques ont une configuration stable.L'origine physique de ces barrières d'inversion est étudiée et caractérisée par les variations des termes énergétiques, de la composition de l'OM du doublet libre et des populations électroniques.La comparaison des processus d'inversion du carbanion, de l'azote et de l'oxonium dans la série CH₂=CH, CH₂=NH et CH₂=OH a permis de mettre en évidence l'évolution des termes énergétiques, de la hauteur de la barrière et des transferts de population.

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Theoretical conformational analysisIV. An ab initio SCF-LCAO-MO study of methylenimine and of vinyl anion

An ab initio SCF-LCAO-MO study of methylenimine and vinyl anion has been performed. The calculated barriers to nitrogen inversion and to rotation about the C=N bond are equal to 26–28 kcal/mole and 57 kcal/mole respectively.The calculated barrier to carbanion inversion in the vinyl anion amounts to 39 kcal/mole. Thus isomerization of imines occurs by a nitrogen inversion process and vinyl anions are configurationally stable.The physical origin of these inversion barriers is studied and characterized by the changes in the energy terms, in lone pair MO composition, and in electron populations.Comparison of the carbanion, nitrogen and oxonium inversion processes in the isoelectronic series CH₂=CH, CH₂=NH and CH₂=OH permits to delineate general trends in the energy terms, barrier height and population transfers.

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Zusammenfassung Für Methylenimin und das Vinylanion wird eine ab initio SCF-LCAO-MO-Studie durchgeführt. Die berechneten Barrieren für die Stíckstoffinversion und die Rotation um die C=N-Bindung betragen 26–28 kcal/Mol bzw. 57 kcal/Mol.Die berechnete Barriere für die Inversion des Carbanions im Vinylanion beträgt 39 kcal/Mol. Daher wird die Isomerisation von Iminen durch einen Stickstoffinversionsprozeß hervorgerufen, und die Konfigurationen von Vinyl-Anionen sind stabil.Der physikalische Ursprung dieser Inversionsbarrieren wird studiert und durch Änderungen in den Energietermen, in der Zusammensetzung von Ione pair-MO's und in den Besetzungszahlen der Elektronen charakterisiert.Ein Vergleich der Inversionsprozesse des Carbanions, des Stickstoffs und des Oxonium-Ions in der isoelektronischen Reihe CH₂=CH^–, CH₂=NH and CH₂=OH⁺ ermöglicht es, allgemeine Züge in den Energietermen, in den Höhen der Barrieren und den Besetzungsübergängen abzuleiten.

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Précédent article de cette série: cf. Réf. [1].

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Laboratoire associé au C.N.R.S.     

Controllable donor-acceptor neutral [2]rotaxanes

In pursuit of a neutral bistable [2]rotaxane made up of two tetraarylmethane stoppers--both carrying one isopropyl and two tert-butyl groups located at the para positions on each of three of the four aryl rings--known to permit the slippage of the pi-electron-donating 1,5-dinaphtho[38]crown-10 (1/5DNP38C10) at the thermodynamic instigation of pi-electron-accepting recognition sites, in this case, pyromellitic diimide (PmI) and 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylate diimide (NpI) units separated from each other along the rod section of the rotaxane's dumbbell component, and from the para positions of the fourth aryl group of the two stoppers by pentamethylene chains, a modular approach was employed in the synthesis of the dumbbell-shaped compound NpPmD, as well as of its two degenerate counterparts, one (PmPmD) which contains two PmI units and the other (NpNpD) which contains two NpI units. The bistable [2]rotaxane NpPmR, as well as its two degenerate analogues PmPmR and NpNpR, were obtained from the corresponding dumbbell-shaped compounds NpPmD, PmPmD, and NpNpD and 1/5DNP38C10 by slippage. Dynamic 1H NMR spectroscopy in CD2Cl2 revealed that shuttling of the 1/5DNP38C10 ring occurs in NpNpR and PmPmR, with activation barriers of 277 K of 14.0 and 10.9 kcal mol(-1), respectively, reflecting a much more pronounced donor-acceptor stabilizing interaction involving the NpI units over the PmI ones. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of the three neutral [2]rotaxanes and their dumbbell-shaped precursors have also been investigated in CH2Cl2. Interactions between 1/5DNP38C10 and PmI and NpI units located within the rod section of the dumbbell components of the [2]rotaxane give rise to the appearance of charge-transfer bands, the energies of which correlate with the electron-accepting properties of the two diimide moieties. Comparison between the positions of the visible absorption bands in the three [2]rotaxanes shows that, in NpPmR, the major translational isomer is the one in which 1/5DNP38C10 encircles the NpI unit. Correlations of the reduction potentials for all the compounds studied confirm that, in this non-degenerate [2]rotaxane, one of the translational isomers predominates. Furthermore, after deactivation of the NpI unit by one-electron reduction, the 1/5DNP38C10 macrocycle moves to the PmI unit. Li+ ions have been found to strengthen the interaction between the electron-donating crown ether and the electron-accepting diimide units, particularly the PmI one. Titration experiments show that two Li+ ions are involved in the strengthening of the donor-acceptor interaction. Addition of Li+ ions to NpPmR induces the 1/5DNP38C10 macrocycle to move from the NpI to the PmI unit. The Li+-ion-promoted switching of NpPmR in a 4:1 mixture of CD2Cl2 and CD3COCD3 has also been shown by 1H NMR spectroscopy to involve the mechanical movement of the 1/5DNP38C10 macrocycle from the NpI to the PmI unit, a process that can be reversed by adding an excess of [12]crown-4 to sequester the Li+ ions.     

High-resolution laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry imaging of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxic side effects

Two-dimensional elemental mapping (bioimaging) via laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was performed on 5 μm thick formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded kidney tissue sections from Cynomolgus monkeys administered with increasing pharmacological doses of cisplatin. Laterally resolved pixels of 1 μm were achieved, enabling elemental analysis on a (sub-)cellular level. Zones of high Pt response were observed in the renal cortex, where proximal tubules are present, the epithelium of which is responsible for partial reabsorption of cisplatin. Histopathological evaluation, of hematoxylin and eosin-stained serial sections, adjacent to the sections probed via LA-ICP-MS, revealed minimal to mild cisplatin-related lesions (<100 μm) in the renal cortex. Necrotic proximal tubules with sloughed epithelial cells in their lumen could be linked directly to the areas with the highest accumulation of cisplatin, indicating a direct link between cellular concentration and toxicity, thereby providing more insight into the mechanisms through which renal damage occurs.     

Dynamic stability of externally pressurized elastic rings subjected to high rates of loading

Of interest here is the influence of loading rate on the stability of structures where inertia is taken into account, with particular attention to the comparison between static and dynamic buckling. This work shows the importance of studying stability via perturbations of the initial conditions, since a finite velocity governs the propagation of disturbances. The method of modal analysis that determines the fastest growing wavelength, currently used in the literature to analyze dynamic stability problems, is meaningful only for cases where the velocity of the perfect structure is significantly lower than the associated wave propagation speeds.