Superexponential stability of KAM tori

We study the dynamics in the neighborhood of an invariant torus of a nearly integrable system. We provide an upper bound to the diffusion speed, which turns out to be of superexponentially small size exp[-exp(1/)], being the distance from the invariant torus. We also discuss the connection of this result with the existence of many invariant tori close to the considered one.     

Interactions between octyl-β-D-glucoside and α-amino acids or small peptides

The interactions between octyl--D-glucoside and glycine in water have been investigated by surface tension, viscosity, and density measurements. The results show that the -amino acid causes an unexpected lowering of the critical micellar concentration of octyl--D-glucoside. Such a finding has been interpreted in temss of dipole-dipole interactions between the hydrophilic site of the surfactant and the peptidic cosluttes. From three to seven amino acid molecules have been estimated to be coordinated with each glucoside unity in the micellar state. The research has been extended to glycine oligopeptides and L-lysine. The latter compound has effects similar to those observed with glycine whereas diglycine and triglycine show weaker effects on the micellization process.     

Cycloaddition reactions of 2,4-diphenyl-1,3-diazabuta-1,3-dienes with isocyanates and isothiocyanates

The cycloaddition reactions of 1-p-tolyl and 1-benzyl- 2,4-diphenyl-1,3-diazabuta-1,3-dienes with a variety of aryl and alkyl isocyanate and isothiocyanate are described. The reaction mechanism is also discussed.     

Molecular interactions in 1-pentanol +2-methyl-2-butanol mixtures: Static dielectric constant,viscosity and refractive index investigations at 5, 25 and 45°C

Static dielectric constants, refractive indices and viscosities of 1-pentanol +2-methyl-2-butanol mixtures were measured at 5, 25 and 45°C. The results show that the mixing of the two isomers modifies the polarizability and the resistence of viscous flow of the system depending on the composition and temperature. Short range intermolecular interactions producing hetero-alcohol open dimers are considered.     

Aroma composition of red wines by different extraction methods and Gas Chromatography-SIM/MASS spectrometry analysis

One hundred and one volatile compounds, reported in literature as powerful odorants of wine, were quantified by Gas Chromatography-Selective Ion Monitoring/Mass Spectrometry (GC-SIM/MS) in Primitivo, Aglianico, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon red wines. Wine samples were extracted by 3 different extraction methods: 1) separation of the alcoholic fraction from the aqueous phase by salting-out and subsequent extraction by liquid-liquid micro-extraction with 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane (Freon 113); 2) extraction by liquid-liquid micro-extraction with dichloromethane; 3) solid phase extraction (SPE cartridge: 800 mg of LiChrolut EN resin) with pentane-dichloromethane (20:1) and dichloromethane. The selection of the ion fragments used for quantification was directly performed on a red wine sample. For each compound the area of the corresponding peak was normalized respect to the peak of the internal standard and then interpolated in a calibration curve obtained analysing a model wine solution (water, ethanol, tartaric acid and known amounts of analytes and of internal standard). The methods showed a good linearity: r2>0.990, except for farnesol (isomer a and c), octanal, decanal, furaneol and phenylacetic acid with 0.966 < or = r2 < or = 0.990. The 7 most powerful odorants were: beta-damascenone, acetaldehyde, maltol, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl 3-methylbutanoate, 3-methylbutanoic acid and acetal; 7 other slightly less important were: ethyl hexanoate, ethyl acetate, 1-octen-3-ol, butanoic acid, rose oxide, furaneol and sotolon. The Aglianico wines were characterised by the major fermentation compounds (esters, fatty acids and 2-phenylethanol), beta-damascenone, beta-ionone and linalool. The Primitivo wines were characterized by furaneol, methoxypyrazine, gamma-nonalactone and acetaldehyde, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines principally by cask derivates (vanillin, (Z) 3-methyl-gamma-octalactone [(Z) wiskylactone], maltol and eugenol), some aldehydes and 3-isopropyl-2-methoxypyrazine.     

Additivity Factors in the Binding of the Diethyltin(IV) Cation by Ligands Containing Amino and Carboxylic Groups at Different Ionic Strengths

Complex formation constants were determined potentiometrically (by a ISE-H⁺, glass electrode) in the systems, M²⁺ – L^z – H⁺ [M²⁺ = (C₂H₅)₂Sn²⁺, L^z = malonate, glycinate and ethylenediamine] at t = 25 ^∘C and 0.1 mol-L⁻¹≤ I/ ≤ 1 mol-L⁻¹ in NaCl_aq (0.1 mol-L⁻¹ ≤ I ≤ 0.75 mol-L⁻¹ for the ethylenediamine system). Thermodynamic values of formation constants, at infinite dilution, are [± 95% confidence interval, ^Tβ_pqr refer to the equilibrium, pM²⁺ + qL^z + rH⁺ = M_pL_qH_r^(2+z+r)]: for malonate, log₁₀ ^Tβ₁₁₀ = (5.47 ± 0.10); for glycinate, log₁₀ ^Tβ₁₁₀ = (9.54 ± 0.08), log₁₀ ^Tβ₁₁₁ = (12.97 ± 0.10); and for ethylenediamine, log₁₀ ^Tβ₁₁₀ = (10.47 ± 0.10), log₁₀ ^Tβ₁₂₀ = (16.17 ± 0.12) and log₁₀ ^Tβ₁₁₁ = (15.46 ± 0.10). The dependence on ionic strength of the formation constants was modeled by a simple Debye–Hückel type equation and by the SIT approach. By analyzing the stability of the species in the three different systems we found a simple additivity rule that can be expressed by the relationship: log₁₀ K = 6.46 n_N + 3.96 n_O − 0.60 (n_N²+ n_O²), with a mean deviation, ε(log₁₀ K) = 0.15 (K = equilibrium constant for the interaction of the organometal cation with the unprotonated or protonated ligand, n_N = number of amino groups and n_O = number of carboxylic groups of the ligand(s) involved in the formation reaction of complex species).     

DFT description of the magnetic properties and electron localization in dinuclear di-mu-oxo-bridged manganese complexes

Density functional theory (DFT) was applied to describe the magnetic and electron-transfer properties of dinuclear systems containing the [MnO2Mn]n+ core, with n=0,1,2,3,4. The calculation of the potential energy surfaces (PESs) of the mixed-valence species (n=1,3) allowed the classification of these systems according to the extent of valence localization as Class II compounds, in the Robin-Day classification scheme. The fundamental frequencies corresponding to the asymmetric breathing vibration were also computed.     

Di- and trinuclear Zn2+ complexes of calix[4]arene based ligands as catalysts of acyl and phosphoryl transfer reactions

The calix[4]arene scaffold, blocked in the cone conformation by proper alkylation of the lower rim hydroxyls, was used as a convenient molecular platform for the design of bi- and trimetallic Zn2+ catalysts. The catalytic activity of the Zn2+ complexes of calix[4]arenes decorated at the 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,2,3-positions of the upper rim with 2,6-bis[(dimethylamino)methyl]pyridine units were investigated in the cleavage of ester 6 and of the RNA model compound HPNP. High rate enhancements, up to 4 orders of magnitude, were observed in a number of catalyst-substrate combinations. Interestingly the order of catalytic efficiency among regioisomeric dinuclear complexes in the cleavage of ester 6 is 1,2-vicinal > 1,3-distal, but it is reversed in the reaction of HPNP. The higher efficiency of trinuclear compared to dinuclear complexes provides an indication of the cooperation of three Zn2+ ions in the catalytic mechanism.     

Separation and analysis of the major constituents of cloves by micellar electrokinetic chromatography

A micellar electrokinetic chromatographic method was developed and applied for the first time to the separation and quantification of the main components of cloves, namely eugenol and beta-caryophyllene. The analytes were separated in less than ten minutes in an unmodified fused silica capillary (effective length: 40.0 cm) using a background electrolyte composed of 25 mM carbonate buffer (pH 10.0) and 60 mM sodium dodecylsulfate. Analyte concentrations were determined in clove oil and in methanolic clove extracts after simple sequential dilution with methanol and background electrolyte, and the resulting electropherograms showed no interference due to other components. Precision assays gave satisfactory results, with mean standard deviation of peak areas lower than 4.7% (lower than 1.5% for migration times). The eugenol content of a commercial clove oil was about 70% (RSD% = 3.2), while that of beta-caryophyllene was about 15% (RSD% = 4.2); in clove extracts, on the other hand, eugenol was approximately 15% (RSD% = 4.7) and beta-caryophyllene 4% (RSD% = 5.1). Accuracy was also good (mean recovery >98%).