On the Landau-Teller approximation for energy exchanges with fast degrees of freedom

We revisit the Landau-Teller heuristic approach to adiabatic invariants and, following Rapp, use it to investigate the energy exchanges between the different degrees of freedom, in simple Hamiltonian systems describing the collision of fast rotating or vibrating molecules with a fixed wall. We critically compare the theoretical results with particularly accurate numerical computations (quite small energy exchanges, namely of one part over 10³⁰, are measured).     

Fractal relaxed Dirichlet problems

Given aself similar fractal K ? ? ⁿ of Hausdorff dimension α>n?2, andc ₁>0, we give an easy and explicit construction, using the self similarity properties ofK, of a sequence of closed sets? _h such that for every bounded open setΩ?? ⁿ and for everyf ∈ L²(Ω) the solutions to $$\left\{ \begin{gathered} - \Delta u_h = f in \Omega \backslash \varepsilon _h \hfill \\ u_h = 0 on \partial (\Omega \backslash \varepsilon _h ) \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \right.$$ converge to the solution of the relaxed Dirichlet boundary value problem $$\left\{ \begin{gathered} - \Delta u + uc_1 \mathcal{H}_{\left| K \right.}^\alpha = f in \Omega \hfill \\ u = 0 on \partial \Omega \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \right.$$ (H _∣ ^α denotes the restriction of the α-dimensional Hausdorff measure toK). The condition α>n?2 is strict.     

Recognition of guests bearing donor and acceptor hydrogen bonding groups by heteroditopic calix[4]arene receptors

The synthesis of new hosts specifically designed for the recognition of neutral guests bearing donor-acceptor hydrogen bonding groups is described. These hosts are characterized by the presence of two distinct binding region in close proximity: the rigid π-donor cavity and the H-bond donor N-methylene-N′-phenylureido group inserted onto the upper rim of the calix[4]arene skeleton. The binding abilities of these receptors were investigated toward a series of neutral ditopic organic molecules in CDCl₃ solution by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The results obtained show that rigidity of the calix[4]arene apolar cavity is the control element in determining efficiency. In fact, compared with the more rigid 2, host 10, where the rigidity of the cone structure is maintained by hydrogen bonding of the OH of the lower rim, a decrease of efficiency of almost one order of magnitude was observed. The cooperative effect of the two binding region of host 2 was verified with different classes of ditopic guests. Good efficiency in the recognition of urea derivatives and dimethylsulfoxide was achieved.     

Synthesis of new tren-based tris-macrocycles. Anion cluster assembling inside the cavity generated by a bowl-shaped receptor

The synthesis of three new tris-macrocycles, containing three [12]aneN(4) (L1), [12]aneN(3)O (L2), or [14]aneN(4) (L3) moieties appended to a tren unit, is reported. The crystal structure of the [(Na(ClO(4))(6)) subset L1(2)H(13)]Na(6)Cl(2)(ClO(4))(12) compound shows the anionic cluster [Na(ClO(4))(6)](5)(-) assembled inside the cavity defined by two bowl-shaped polyammonium receptors, held by multiple charge-charge and hydrogen bond interactions.     

Photocleavage studies of fluorescent amino acid conjugates bearing different types of linkages

The synthesis and photochemistry of 3-oxo-3H-benzopyran derivatives linked through ester, anhydride, urethane and carbonate bonds to representative l-amino acids, at the amino and carboxylic acid groups at the main chain or the hydroxyl group at the side chain, were carried out. The stability to photolysis of the resulting conjugates was studied at different wavelengths of irradiation (254, 300 and 350 nm), the anhydride and ester linkages being the most sensitive in the studied conditions.     

A comparative analysis of various gradient methods for geometry optimization at the ab initio SCF-MO level

Various techniques, already suggested for improving the computational efficiency of the force relaxation method, have been applied here in conjunction with the variable metric algorithms suggested by Murtagh and Sargent and by Fletcher. Various tests have been performed to assess the computational efficiency of the resulting minimization procedures. In addition, procedures where the steps are defined in terms of a parabolic fitting of the forces in approximated normal coordinates have been tested. In all cases the forces are computed analytically.     

Matrix-isolation FT-IR spectra and theoretical study of dimethyl sulfate

The preferred conformations of dimethyl sulfate and their vibrational spectra were studied by matrix-isolation FT-IR spectroscopy and theoretical methods (DFT and MP2, with basis sets of different sizes, including the quadruple-zeta, aug-cc-pVQZ basis). Conformer GG (of C2 symmetry and exhibiting OSOC dihedral angles of 74.3 degrees ) was found to be the most stable conformer in both the gaseous phase and isolated in argon. Upon annealing of the matrix, the less stable observed conformer (GT; with C1 symmetry) quickly converts to the GG conformer, with the resulting species being embedded in a matrix-cage which corresponds to the most stable matrix-site for GG form. The highest energy TT conformer, which was assumed to be the most stable conformer in previous studies, is predicted by the calculations to have a relative energy of ca. 10 kJ mol-1 and was not observed in the spectra of the matrix-isolated compound.