Absolute infrared intensities in some metal carbonyls and the charge flux model of the dipole derivatives

The absolute intensities of the four infrared active modes of certain metal carbonyls, M(CO)₄ or M(CO)₆, are analyzed from the point of view of the equilibrium charge-charge flux model of the dipole derivatives. It is shown that the charges obtained from the bending modes, assuming negligible flux for these modes, are apparently identical with those reported by previous authors. However, such charges are much too sensitive to the choice of L matrix (which transforms the normal coordinates to symmetry coordinates) to permit any conclusions. The carbonyl stretching mode implies values of the dipole derivative three- to sixfold greater than in gaseous CO. It seems most reasonable to attribute most of this enhancement to charge flux between the metal and carbon atoms.     

Diffusion approximation to a queueing system with time-dependent arrival and service rates

A time nonhomogeneous diffusion approximation to a single server-single queue service system is obtained. Under various assumptions on the time-dependent functions appearing in the infinitesimal moments, transient and steady-state behaviour are analyzed. In particular, a diffusion approximation characterized by space-linear and time-varying moments is studied. The density of the busy period and the probability for the busy period to terminate are obtained. Finally, estimates of the goodness of the diffusion approximation are given.     

The alkaloid brachycerine is induced by ultraviolet radiation and is a singlet oxygen quencher

The effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on chlorophyll content and accumulation of the anti-inflammatory monoterpene-indole alkaloid brachycerine in plants and calli of Psychotria brachyceras (Rubiaceae) were investigated. In this study, we also investigated a protective role for brachycerine against stress conditions. Calli and tip cuttings incubated in nutrient media were daily supplemented with 4 or 16 h of UV. High-performance liquid chromatography analyses of methanolic extracts showed only traces of brachycerine in irradiated aseptic cultures, with no alkaloid being observed in control calli. In cuttings, a 10-fold increase in brachycerine content was seen after exposure for 16 h to UV-C, whereas a 4 h daily supplementation doubled the amount of the alkaloid in leaves. Exposure to a UV-B source also doubled the alkaloid yield. In vitro brachycerine was able to quench singlet oxygen. The data indicate a potential protective role for brachycerine against UV radiation, acting as a UV filter (absorption peaks are within the UV range) and a reactive oxygen species scavenger. In addition, UV radiation may be used to increase yields of this compound of pharmaceutical interest.     

Chemical characterization of gorse pyrolytic oils by capillary gas chromatography

Thermochemical conversion of biomass produces solid charcoal, gaseous fuels, and condensable oils. Because these oils vary widely in composition depending on the cellulosic feedstock and the operating conditions used, analysis of the oils is necessary in order to determine the best ways of utilizing or disposing of them. The major components of the organic oil from pyrolysis of gorse have been characterized by capillary gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. A qualitative study of the aqueous oil from the same source has also been attempted.     

Exploring the solid-phase synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted beta-lactams: scope and limitations

This work describes a comprehensive study on the solid-phase synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted beta-lactams. In situ generated ketenes react with immobilized aldimines under mild conditions to generate libraries of beta-lactams in good to very good overall isolated yields. Different commercially available solid supports were studied, with the cost-effective Wang resin proving to be the most effective. The utility of the protocol was also demonstrated by the highly efficient asymmetric versions when homochiral ketenes or homochiral aldimines were used. A practical technique for the preparation of manual solid-phase parallel libraries of biologically interesting beta-lactam compounds, using Mukaiyama's salt as dehydrating agent, is also presented. Reactions were easily monitored by FT-IR and gel-phase 13C NMR using conventional equipment.     

Bioactivity and chemical composition of the leaf essential oils of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium and Zanthoxylum setulosum from Monteverde, Costa Rica

The leaf essential oils of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium and Zanthoxylum setulosum (Rutaceae) from Monteverde, Costa Rica have been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The principal constituents of Z. rhoifolium leaf oil were germacrene D (14.6%), limonene (12.5%), trans-2-hexenal (11.3%), beta-elemene (9.2%), 2-undecanone (9.2%), myrcene (7.9%), bicyclogermacrene (7.5%), and germacrene A (5.2%). The leaf oil of Z. setulosum was composed largely of beta-phellandrene (37.5%), beta-caryophyllene (13.7%), alpha-pinene (11.9%), germacrene D (10.9%), myrcene (5.9%), and nerolidol (5.4%). The essential oils were screened for in-vitro cytotoxic activity against Hep G2, MCF-7, and PC-3 human tumor cell lines; antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli; and for Artemia salina (brine shrimp) lethality. Neither Z. rhoifolium nor Z. setulosum leaf oils exhibited cytotoxicity or antibacterial activity. Both oils showed activity against A. salina.     

Oxazolinethiones and oxazolidinethiones for the first copper-catalyzed desulfurative cross-coupling reaction and first sonogashira applications

Cyclic thionocarbamates, namely chiral oxazolidinethiones (OZT) and aromatic oxazolinethiones (OXT), were involved, for the first time, in Sonogashira cross-coupling. A cooperative effect of two different copper (I) species-CuI and CuTC-accounts for this new copper-catalyzed desulfurative carbon-carbon cross-coupling reaction. This cooperative reactivity could also be extended to other copper (I) catalysts.     

Homogeneous Hilbert scheme

Let be a locally noetherian scheme and an -graded -algebra of finite type. We say that is a homogeneous variety over . In this paper we prove that the functor

is representable by an -scheme that is a disjoint union of locally projective schemes over . The proof is very simple, and it only makes use of the theory of graded modules and standard flatness criteria. From this, one obtains an elementary construction (which does not make use of cohomology) of the ordinary Hilbert scheme of a locally projective -scheme.