Correction to: Foreword to the memorial issue for Professor Roberto Marassi

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry -     

Three-dimensional visualization of columnar vortices in rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection

Journal of Visualization -  To enrich the three-dimensional experimental details of vortex structures in rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection, we established a technique...     

Off-axial plasma displacement suitable for antihydrogen production in AEgIS experiment

Antihydrogen experiments are currently based on non neutral electron, positron or antiproton plasma manipulation techniques in cylindrical Malmberg-Penning traps. An experimental study of a plasma manipulation technique based on off-axis diocotron displacement is presented. The use of the autoresonant excitation of (1, 0) diocotron mode of pure electron plasma allows a precise positioning of the plasma by moving it across the magnetic field and allows dumping such plasma in a desired angular position. The experimental procedure described here will pave the way to positron loading into an off-axial Penning trap terminated with a positronium converter target as it is proposed for the AEgIS experimental apparatus. The technique was studied over a range of confining magnetic field values and reproduces experimental conditions similar to most of the currently running antihydrogen experiments. The efficiency of the autoresonant excitation – in terms of plasma expansion rate and particle loss – is analyzed, studying the behaviour of electron plasma subjected to large off-axial displacements, showing that this method fulfills the requirements imposed by the AEgIS experiment.     

Studies on decarboxylation reactions. Part 5 . Micellar catalysis and mixed solvents effects on the decarboxylation of some N-alkyl- or N-aryl-substituted 5-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-carboxylic acids

The effect of micelles and mixed solvents on the decarboxylation of some N-alkyl- or N-aryl-substituted 5-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-carboxylic acids has been studied. The data support the unimolecular decarboxylation mechanism proposed by us. Moreover, they show that mixed solvents and micelles have different effects on reactivity of the amino acids under study.     

Methylation of 2-phenylamino-1,3,4-thiadiazole. A structure debated

The true identity of the 4-methyl-5-phenylimino-δ²-1,3,4-thiadiazoline (A) has been demonstrated. The reactions, previously reported in the literature to give A have been repeated and the structure of the compounds obtained has been established.     

Polystyrene-supported proline and prolinamide. Versatile heterogeneous organocatalysts both for asymmetric aldol reaction in water and α-selenenylation of aldehydes

A simple and efficient synthesis of polystyrene-supported proline and prolinamide has been carried out. Polystyrene-supported proline has been used as organocatalyst in the asymmetric aldol reaction between cyclohexanone and substituted benzaldehydes in water without any additive. High yields, diastereoselectivities and ee values have been observed. The versatility of this resin was demonstrated in the α-selenenylation of aldehydes. Both proline and prolinamide resins gave high yields. Recycling studies showed that the proline resin gave better results than prolinamide resin.     

Determination of ethyl formate in magnesium chloride used as Ziegler-Natta catalyst support by Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflectance spectrometry

FT-IR Spectroscopy with total attenuated reflectance (ATR) was used for the quantitative determination of ethyl formate coordinated in inorganic matrices such as magnesium chloride. The spectra were recorded directly on solutions obtained by dissolving the inorganic Ziegler-Natta supports in water. The method proposed is sensitive and rapid and appears to be very reliable when compared with other methods, such as solvent extraction followed by gaschromatographic or thermogravimetric analysis.     

Thermodynamic properties of superconducting 2H-NbSe2 exhibiting anisotropy and strong-coupling effect

A simple semi-empirical model which takes account of effects of the anisotropy and the strong coupling interaction in the expression of the energy gap together with the ellipsoidal energy spectrum is proposed to explain results of specific heat measurements on layer structure compound 2H-NbSe₂. The thermodynamic properties such as the electronic specific heat and the thermodynamic critical field deduced from this model give good agreements with experimental results.     

Regioselective epoxide ring opening. Steroselective synthesis of a tetrahydropyran ring

The stereoselective synthesis of a 2-substituted tetrahydropyran with adjacent alkoxy-bearing stereogenic centre is described. The key steps of this synthesis were the stereoselective epoxidation of an allylic alcohol and the regioselective epoxide ring opening by lithium aluminum hydride. The regio and stereoselective synthesis of a trihydroxyselenide and a trihydroxysulfide is also described. The latter compounds are not suitable for cyclization to tetrahydrofuran ring.