Fractal phenomena in molecular mechanics calculation

It is proposed that in molecular mechanics calculation points belonging to various stable or meta-sta-ble conformtrs are mixed up and form fractal structures in conformation space.The calculation results show the following two phenomena:(i)Two levels of structure with fractal feature were observed.Around the conformer without mirror symmetry points belonging to the conformer and its enantiomer are mixed up and form the first level of fractal structure; on the boundary of the attractive basin o{ each atlractor,points belonging to different attractors form the second level of fractal structure.(ii) The variation of molecular mechanics parameters will influence the structure and area of each attractive basin significantly The above phenomena may become the basis of a new method for solving the troublesome multi-minimum-point problem in molecular mechanics calculation.     

Random Copolymers of 1,5-Dioxepan-2-one

ABSTRACT

Copolymers of 1,5-dioxepan-2-one (DXO) and e-caprolactone (?-CL), δ-valerolactone (δ-VL) or L-lactide (LLA) have been synthesized and characterized. High molecular weight copolymers were obtained using stannous-2-ethyl hexanoate as catalyst in bulk. Reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of DXO and δ-VL were determined at 110°C as r_VL=0.5 and r_DXO=2.3. At high conversion, depolymerization of δ-VL occurred, resulting in lower molecular weight and variations in the copolymer composition.

Physical properties, such as crystallinity and melting temperature of the DXO-copolymers proved to be strongly dependent on the choice of comonomer and on the molar composition of the copolymers. DXO appears to be incorporated into the poly-?-caprolactone (PCL) crystals and to some extent into the poly-δ-valerolactone (PVL) crystals, resulting in a more gradual decrease in crystallinity with increasing amount of DXO.     

Fusion around the barrier for 7Li+12C

Fusion cross-sections for the ⁷Li + ¹²C reaction have been measured at energies above the Coulomb barrier by the direct detection of evaporation residues. The heavy evaporation residues with energies below 3 MeV could not be separated out from the α-particles in the spectrum and hence their contribution was estimated using statistical model calculations. The present work indicates that suppression of fusion cross-sections due to the breakup of ⁷Li may not be significant for ⁷Li + ¹²C reaction at energies around the barrier.     

Secondary ion yields produced by keV atomic and polyatomic ion impacts on a self-assembled monolayer surface

A suite of keV polyatomic or 'cluster' projectiles was used to bombard unoxidized and oxidized self-assembled monolayer surfaces. Negative secondary ion yields, collected at the limit of single ion impacts, were measured and compared for both molecular and fragment ions. In contrast to targets that are orders of magnitude thicker than the penetration range of the primary ions, secondary ion yields from polyatomic projectile impacts on self-assembled monolayers show little to no enhancement when compared with monatomic projectiles at the same velocity. This unusual trend is most likely due to the structural arrangement and bonding characteristics of the monolayer molecules with the Au(111). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using fractal to solve the multiple minima problem in molecular mechanics calculation

This article presents an approach using fractal to solve the multiple minima problem. We use the Newton–Raphson method of the MM3 molecular mechanics program to scan the conformational spaces of a model molecule and a real molecule. The results show each energy minimum, maximum point, and saddle point has a basin of initial points converging to it in conformational spaces. Points converging to different extrema are mixed, and form fractal structures around basin boundaries. Singular points seem to involve in the formation of fractal. When searching within a small region of fractal basin boundaries, the self‐similarity of fractal makes it possible to find all energy minima, maxima, and saddle points from which global minimum may be extracted. Compared with other methods, this approach is efficient, accurate, conceptually simple, and easy to implement. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 21: 1101–1108, 2000     

S-alkylation and S-amination of methyl thioethers--derivatives of closo-[B(12)H(12)](2-). synthesis of a boronated phosphonate, gem-bisphosphonates, and dodecaborane-ortho-carborane oligomers

A variety of S-alkylated products was prepared by alkylation of methyl thioethers [MeSB(12)H(11)](2-) (5), [1-(MeS)-2(7,12)-(Me(2)S)B(12)H(10)](-) (6-8), and [1,2(7,12)-(MeS)(2)B(12)H(10)](2-) (9-11) with alkyl halides and tosylates in acetonitrile. Since these methyl thioethers can be prepared easily in B-10-enriched form on a large scale and due to their chemical versatility, they are potentially very attractive boron entities for the design and synthesis of therapeutics for boron neutron capture therapy of cancer. It was found that alkylation of 6-8 can be complicated by an equilibrium which establishes between, on the one hand, one of the former species and, on the other hand, 1,2(7,12)-(Me(2)S)(2)B(12)H(10) (2-4) and [1,2(7,12)-(MeS)(2)B(12)H(10)](2-) (9-11). A boronated phosphonate 1-(MeS(CH(2))(4)P(O)(OEt)(2))-7-(Me(2)S)B(12)H(10) (14g) and a gem-bisphosphonate 1-(MeS(CH(2))(3)CH[P(O)(OEt)(2)](2))-7-(Me(2)S)B(12)H(10) (14h) were prepared from thioether 7 and the corresponding iodide and tosylate, respectively, and subsequently converted to their sodium salts. The propargyl sulfonium salts obtained by alkylation of thioethers 7, 8, 10, and 11 with propargyl bromide have been further converted to two- and three-cage oligomers containing both ortho-carborane and dodecaborane moieties. Methyl thioethers derived from closo-[B(12)H(12)](2-) are excellent participants in Michael addition reactions in the presence of a strong acid. The sulfonium salts with tertiary alkyl and vinyl substituents have been prepared by this method. Methyl thioethers 5-11 react with hydroxylamine-O-sulfonate yielding the corresponding aminosulfonium salts, albeit in lower yields as compared to those in the alkylation reactions. Several derivatives of methyl thioethers 5-11 have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.     

Real meromorphic functions and linear differential polynomials

We determine all real meromorphic functions f in the plane such that f has finitely many zeros, the poles of f have bounded multiplicities, and f and F have finitely many non-real zeros, where F is a linear differential polynomial given by F = f (k) +Σk-1j=0ajf(j) , in which k≥2 and the coefficients aj are real numbers with a0≠0.     

A new mechanism of Raman enhancement and its application

Strong electronic Raman bands corresponding to the transition between 4I9/2 and 4I11/2 manifolds of Nd3+, caused by a Raman-enhancement effect, are observed in the FT-Raman spectrum of Nd2O3. Neither resonance enhancement (RR) nor surface enhancement (SERS) accounts for the Raman enhancement observed here. We propose a new mechanism of Raman enhancement called the "feed-back" mechanism. A YAG laser excites the final state of the Raman transition (4I11/2 of Nd3+) to the 4F3/2 state and causes a significant decrease in the population of Nd3+ at the 4I11/2 state. This causes the population ratio of Nd3+ at 4I9/2 and 4I11/2 to deviate from the value required by Boltzmann's law. To restore equilibrium, Raman scattering is enhanced so that more Nd3+ ions are brought from the 4I9/2 state to the 4I11/2 state. This hypothesis gets support from the temperature-variable FT-Raman spectroscopic results. Additionally, obvious differences between the Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman spectrum of Nd3+ provide further evidence to support the feed-back mechanism. The Raman-enhancement effect confers on the electronic Raman bands a special ability to reflect the variation of coordinated structure around metal ions. The structural variations in polymer-metal ion composites and biomineralization systems have been investigated by using the electronic Raman bands.     

Astrocyte reactivity to Fas activation is attenuated in TIMP-1 deficient mice,an <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>study

Background  

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) is a multifunctional secreted protein with pleiotropic actions, including the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), cell death/survival and growth promoting activities. After inflammatory challenge, the levels of TIMP-1 are highly and selectively upregulated in astrocytes among glial cells, but little is know about its role in these neural cells. We investigated the influence of TIMP-1 null mutation in the reactivity of cultured astrocytes to pro-inflammatory stimuli with TNF-α and anti-Fas antibody.     

Structural basis for the discrepancy of spectral behavior in C-H stretching band between steroids and long chain hydrocarbon compounds

The discrepancies of the spectral behavior for the C-H stretching band between some long chain hydrocarbon compounds and steroids were investigated. At low temperature, the C-H stretching bands exhibit complex fine structure in steroids but remain simple in long chain hydrocarbon compounds. MM3 molecular mechanics calculation indicates that, for long chain hydrocarbon compounds, the C-H groups vibrate with large scale coupling. There exist a few bands where the C-H groups vibrate in synchronous and inphase mode. Thus the variations of dipole moment for these bands are enhanced and the intensities are obviously stronger than others and cover other band in the spectra. This is just the reason why the C-H stretching bands are simple even at low temperature environment. Nevertheless, for the steroids, the C-H stretching bands vibrate with local coupling mode. The synchronous enhancement effect does not occur, the differences of intensities for various modes are not as large as those in long chain hydrocarbo