On the 2 and the 3-connectedness of ample divisors on a surface

Let X be a nonsingular complex projective surface and let D be an ample divisor on X such that the associated invertible sheaf is spanned by its global sections. We prove that D is 2-connected apart from a few cases we explicitly describe. We also provide a corresponding result for the 3-connectedness when D²10 and for the 4-connectedness when D²17 and D is very ample.     

Sugli insiemi di permutazioni strettamente k-transitivi (k ≥ 3)

Summary Let G be a sharply 3-transitive permutation set on a finite set E of even cardinality and let 1 be in G. The following theorems are proved. G is one of the known examples if and only if there exists a non-identity normal subgroup N of G and an element of E such that NG G.G is a group if and only if G for every G and for every G and for every G .By using the classification of finite single groups a result concerning sharply k-transitive permutation sets k>3 is also proved.

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Dedicato a Guido Zappa in occasione del suo 70° compleanno

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Lavoro eseguito nell'ambito dei progetti finanziati dal Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione.     

Topological properties of the electronic density of CO-MgF2 and OC-MgF2 adducts

By means of Bader's approach on topological properties of the electronic density, the major stability of the O-bonded adduct over the C-bonded one between MgF₂ and CO is reinforced.     

Interactions of dendrimers with selected amino acids and proteins studied by continuous wave EPR and Fourier transform EPR

Interactions of polyamidoamine dendrimers, termed Gn, where n indicates the generation (=number of amidoamine layers), at different protonation levels with selected amino acids and proteins have been investigated by means of continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance (cw-EPR) and pulsed-EPR (electron spin-echo = ESE) analyses. A low-generation dendrimer (G2) and a high-generation one (G6) were labeled with nitroxides for the EPR measurements. Gly, Glu, Arg, and Leu were selected as representative of neutral(zwitterionic)-polar, acidic, basic, and low-polar amino acids, respectively. The water-soluble proteins alpha-chymotrypsin and albumin were selected on the basis of a basic and an acidic isoelectric point, respectively. The cw-EPR spectra were analyzed by computing the line shapes to extract information about the dendrimer-biomolecule interactions. In general, dendrimers at a high protonation level interact stronger with amino acids than those at a low level of protonation. However, even for highly protonated dendrimers, a synergistic effect between hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions promoted the formation of stable Gn-amino acid adducts, as demonstrated by the enhanced interactions with Leu. As expected from acid-base interactions, stable adducts were formed between Arg and highly protonated dendrimers and between Glu and low level protonated dendrimers. The relatively strong dendrimer interactions with the protein chymotrypsin and the poor interactions of dendrimers with albumin demonstrated that the protonated amino groups of the dendrimers are predominantly involved in the interactions with these proteins and indicated a significant role in the interactions with the dendrimers of the hydrophobic external residues of chymotrypsin. Computer-aided analysis of the ESE experiments was consistent with the cw-EPR results and supported the conclusion of a partial complexation of the nitroxides of the dendrimer with Leu and alpha-chymotrypsin.     

The crystal structure of tris(acetonitrile)nitrosylbis(triphenylphosphine)iridium(III) dihexafluorophosphate. An unusual iridium nitrosyl hexacoordinate complex

Summary The structure of [Ir(NCMe)₃(NO)(PPh₃)₂][PF₆]₂ has been ] determined by x-ray methods. Crystals are orthorhombic, space groupPca 2₁ , witha = 21.753(14),b = 11.678(10),c = 18.474(12) Å and Z = 4. The structure has been solved from diffractometer data and refined by full-matrix leastsquares to R = 0.076 for 2776 observed reflections. The cation is a hexacoordinate and not a pentacoordinate species as expected. The extra acetonitrile molecule,trans to the nitrosyl ligand, is much more weakly bound to the metal atom [Ir-N 2.360(26) against 1.965(20) and 1.912(14) Å for the other two acetonitriles]. The nitrosyl is bent [Ir-N-O 111(1)° Å] and acts as the formally one-electron donor NO^–.     

Oriented immobilization of Desulfovibrio gigas hydrogenase onto carbon electrodes by covalent bonds for nonmediated oxidation of H2

The orientation of hydrogenase bound covalently to a pyrolytic graphite edge electrode modified with a 4-aminophenyl monolayer can be modulated via electrostatic interactions during the immobilization step. At low ionic strength and when the amino groups of the electrode surface are mostly protonated, the hydrogenase is immobilized with the negatively charged region that surrounds its 4Fe4S cluster nearer to the protein surface facing the electrode. This allows direct electron transfer between the immobilized hydrogenase and the electrode, which is observed by the strong catalytic currents measured in the presence of the H2 substrate. Therefore, a very stable enzymatic electrode is produced that catalyzes nonmediated H2 oxidation.     

Study of the feasibility of focused microwave-assisted soxhlet extraction of N-methylcarbamates from soil

A fast microwave-assisted dansylation procedure has been developed for the derivatization of N-nitrosamines prior to high-performance liquid chromatography determination. N-Nitrosomorpholine, N-nitrosodimethylamine, N-nitrosodiethylamine, N-nitrosopyrrolidine and N-nitrosopiperidine are first denitrosated by hydrobromic acid-acetic acid to produce secondary amines, which are then quantitatively dansylated in 5 min using radiation power of 378 W and a maximum pressure of 1.4 bar inside the reactor. The reaction mixture is separated on a C18 column with acetonitrile-water (55:45, v/v) as mobile phase with fluorimetric detection at 531 nm (excitation at 339 nm). The detection limits range from 8 to 75 pg for N-nitrosomorpholine and N-nitrosodiethylamine, respectively. The method was applied to study the recoveries of N-nitrosamines in beer and their determination in cigarette smoke.     

Reaction of allylsilanes and allylstannanes with alkynes catalyzed by electrophilic late transition metal chlorides

The intramolecular reaction of allylsilanes and allylstannanes with alkynes proceeds catalytically in the presence of Pt(II), Pd(II), Ru(II), and Au(III) chlorides. Although more limited, AgOTf also catalyzes the cyclization. Usually, PtCl2 as the catalyst in methanol or acetone gives the best results. The reaction proceeds by exo attack of the allyl nucleophile on the alkyne to form five- or six-membered ring carbocycles. The reaction generally proceeds with anti stereoselectivity. However, a terminally substituted trimethylsilyl derivative reacts by a syn-type addition. The intermediate alkenylpalladium complex has been trapped with allyl chloride to form an allylated derivative with an additional carbon-carbon bond.     

The reaction of tetralones with nitriles: a simple approach to the synthesis of new substituted benzo[h]quinazolines, benzo[f]quinazolines and dibenzo[a,i]phenanthridines

The one-pot reaction of 1-tetralone with nitriles in the presence of triflic anhydride affords in good yields 2,4-disubstituted 5,6-dihydrobenzo[h]quinazolines, which oxidation with DDQ leads to the corresponding benzo[h]quinazolines. 2-Tetralone undergoes identical process forming 1,3-disubstituted 5,6-dihydrobenzo[f]quinazolines. However, when the reaction of 2-tetralone is carried out with methylthiocyanate as nitrile, 5-methylthiotetrahydrodibenzo[a,i]phenanthridines are isolated in good yields. Easy transformations of the methylthio group offer possible access to a variety of substituted dibenzo[a,i]phenanthridines.     

Energetics of the Preyssler anion's molecular orbitals: quantifying the effect of the encapsulated-cation's charge

The ground state electronic properties of metal-exchanged Preyssler heteropolyoxoanions [M(n+)P(5)W(30)O(110)](n-15), in which the encapsulated M(n+) ions are the spherical, diamagnetic ions Na(+), Ca(2+), Sr(2+), Y(3+), La(3+) and Th(4+), are studied using a combination of electrochemical, optical, and NMR experiments. We have designed experiments that focus on the influence of the charge (n) of the encapsulated cations, which themselves have no redox response, and its effect upon the W-O framework MOs. As n increases, the cluster anions accept electrons into their LUMOs with increasing ease, and their lowest-energy LMCT bands reveal a corresponding blue shift, which is indicative of an increase of the LUMO-HOMO energy splitting with increasing n. (183)W NMR spectra are used to identify the atomic origin of the LUMO states, which are shown to be composed primarily of orbitals from the ring of 5 W atoms near M(n+). The cation charge correlates directly and linearly with the half-wave potentials of the first redox couples, the LMCT band energies, and the W chemical shifts. We have combined this suite of experimental results to construct an energy level diagram of the frontier MOs for the Preyssler cluster anions. In so doing, we provide a fundamental perspective that is not otherwise available on the cation's role with specific regard to the electronic behavior of the W-O orbitals. These results are expected to provide benchmarking information as theorists begin to study these large POM systems.