Studies with enaminonitriles: Synthesis and chemical reactivity of 2‐phenyl‐3‐piperidin‐1‐yl acrylonitrile under microwave heating

Benzyl cyanide reacts with triethylorthoformate and piperidine in DMF solution to yield the title compound 2 . This reacted with aromatic amines to yield either aminoacrylonitriles or quinoline depending on reaction conditions and substitution pattern on the aromatic amine. The reaction of compound 2 with hydrazine hydrate could only be effected in the microwave oven and resulted in the formation of aminopyrazole 7 . Diazotization of 7 and coupling with an active methylene reagent afforded pyrazolo[5,1‐c]‐[1,2,4]triazine derivatives.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Photocatalytic Behavior of SiO2@nitrized-TiO2 Nanocomposites Obtained by a Straightforward Novel Approach

We report on the facile synthesis of SiO₂@nitrized-TiO₂ nanocomposite (NST) by calcination of TiO₂ xerogel with OctaAmmonium POSS® (N-POSS; POSS=polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes). The as-obtained nanoporous mixed oxide is constituted by uniformly distributed SiO₂ and nitrized-TiO₂, where the silica component is present in an amorphous state and TiO₂ in an anatase/rutile mixed phase (92.1 % vs. 7.9 %, respectively) with very small anatase crystallites (3.7 nm). The TiO₂ lattice is nitrized both at interstitial and substitutional positions. NST features a negatively charged surface with a remarkable surface area (406 m² g⁻¹), endowed with special adsorption capabilities towards cationic dyes. Its photocatalytic behavior was tested by following the degradation of standard aqueous methylene blue and methyl orange solutions under UV and visible light irradiation, according to ISO 10678:2010. For comparison, analogous investigations were carried out on a silica-free N−TiO₂, obtained by using NH₄Cl as nitrogen source.     

Solid body motion prediction using a unit quaternion-based solver with actuator disk

A six-Dof motion solver based on unit quaternions and an actuator disk model are implemented for ship hydrodynamics predictions. The six-Dof module is tested using the water entry phenomenon of a free falling sphere. The displacement history and impacting forces are analyzed. A KCS (KRISO container ship) model with the allowances of sinkage and trim is then simulated and validated. The actuator disk model is used to replace a real propeller. The open-water test of a KP458 propeller is first carried out to obtain the thrust and torque coefficients, using both the multi-run and single-run approaches. Oblique Towing Tank (OTT) tests using the actuator disk are conducted at last and the results agree well with the experiments. These models can be used for simulating six-Dof motions and captive model tests of ships.     

Some reactions with ω-bromoacetophenone: Synthesis of Δαβ-butenolide and its transformation into pyrrole derivatives

ω-Bromoacetophenone reacts with the sodium salt of ethyl cyanoacetate to afford α-cyano-β-phenyl-Δ^αβ-butenolide. This butenolide undergoes azo coupling with diazotized aromatic amines (ArNH₂) to afford the hydrazo derivatives. These hydrazo derivatives (ArPh, 4-ClC₆H₄, 4-MeC₆H₄, 4-MeOC₆H₄) were transformed into the corresponding 3(2H)-pyridazinone derivatives on stirring in methanol in the presence of potassium hydroxide. These latter compounds were converted into the corresponding 3-cyano-2,5-dihydroxy-4-phenyl-N-arylpyrrole derivatives on reduction with zinc dust in refluxing acetic acid, presumably via reductive cleavage of the N N bond of the pyridazine followed by recyclization via loss of ammonia.     

Investigating Route to Chaos in Nonlinear Plasmonic Dimer

The route to chaos of a plasmonic dimer formed of two identical nanoparticles with Kerr-type nonlinear response and illuminated by an external electric field is reported. It is shown that this system has a complex dynamical behavior with chaotic nature. This complexity is analyzed using Lyapunov exponents, the Kaplan–Yorke dimension, and correlation dimensions. The existence of familiar period-doubling sequences route to chaos is pointed out, and domains corresponding to the onset of period doubling and chaos in the plane of parameters are evidenced.     

Dynamic light scattering by weakly ionized gels: Effects of inhomogeneities and non-ergodicity

Small angle neutron scattering and light scattering experiments have been performed on partially neutralized poly(acrylic acid) solutions and gels. The structure factor obtained from small angle scattering and static light scattering reveals the absence of significant contribution from large scale inhomogeneities in the gels as soon as the ionization degree exceeds 9·10⁻³. The comparison of the time and ensemble averages of the autocorrelation function of scattered light intensity shows that the gels behave with respect to that experiment as ergodic media.     

Dominant ferromagnetic coupling over antiferromagnetic in Ni doped ZnO: First-principles calculations

Frontiers of Physics - This article presents a review of our present understanding of the spin structure of the unpolarized hadron. Particular attention is paid to the quark sector at leading...     

Robust sensor fault estimation for fractional-order systems with monotone nonlinearities

Nonlinear Dynamics - This paper investigates the problem of sensor fault estimation for systems with monotone nonlinearities and unknown inputs. To the best of our knowledge, such a particular...     

Mechanistic Insight into Heptosyltransferase Inhibition by using Kdo Multivalent Glycoclusters

The synthesis of unprecedented multimeric Kdo glycoclusters based on fullerene and calix[4]arene central scaffolds is reported. The compounds were used to study the mechanism and scope of multivalent glycosyltransferase inhibition. Multimeric mannosides based on porphyrin and pillar[5]arenes were also generated in a controlled manner. Twelve glycoclusters and their monomeric ligands were thus assayed against heptosyltransferase WaaC, which is an important bacterial glycosyltransferase that is involved in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. It was first found that all the multimers interact solely with the acceptor binding site of the enzyme even when the multimeric ligands mimic the heptose donor. Second, the novel Kdo glycofullerenes displayed very potent inhibition (K_i=0.14 μm for the best inhibitor); an inhibition level rarely observed with glycosyltransferases. Although the observed “multivalent effects” (i.e., the enhancement of affinity of a ligand when presented in a multimeric fashion) were in general modest, a dramatic effect of the central scaffold on the inhibition level was evidenced: the fullerene and the porphyrin scaffolds being by far superior to the calix‐ and pillar‐arenes. We could also show, by dynamic light scattering analysis, that the best inhibitor had the propensity to form aggregates with the heptosyltransferase. This aggregative property may contribute to the global multivalent enzyme inhibition, but probably do not constitute the main origin of inhibition.     

Impact of Nonthermal Atmospheric Plasma on the Structure of Cellulose: Access to Soluble Branched Glucans

We have investigated the effect of non‐thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) on the structure of microcrystalline cellulose. In particular, by means of different characterization methods, we demonstrate that NTAP promotes the partial cleavage of the β‐1,4 glycosidic bond of cellulose leading to the release of short‐chain cellodextrins that are reassembled in situ, preferentially at the C6 position, to form branched glucans with either a glucosyl or anhydroglucosyl terminal residue. The ramification of cellulosic chain induced by NTAP yields branched glucans that are soluble in DMSO or in water, thus opening a straightforward access to processable glucans from cellulose. Importantly, the absence of solvent and catalyst considerably facilitates downstream processing as compared to (bio)catalytic processes which typically occur in diluted conditions.