Reduction of nitrite to NO in an organised triphasic medium by platinum carbonyl clusters and redox active dyes as electron carriers

Artificial electron donors such as leuco methylene blue and leuco safranin O reduce nitrite ion to nitric oxide. The reaction is effected in a U-tube where nitrite ion and dye in two aqueous layers are separated by a layer of dichloromethane (a close model for a biological liquid membrane) that contains the platinum carbonyl cluster ([Bu(4)N]2[Pt12(CO)24], Chini cluster). On passing dihydrogen an electron transfer chain involving dihydrogen, the dye, the clusters and the nitrite ion is initiated. The cluster catalytically reduces the dye in the presence of dihydrogen, the reduced dye migrates across the phase boundaries and in turn reduces the nitrite ions. The resultant nitric oxide in the effluent gas has been identified by its reactions with cobalamine and myoglobin. When safranin O is the dye, an adduct is formed between the reduced dye and NO. It has been identified by spectroscopic techniques and its probable structure investigated by DFT calculations.     

Gentile statistics and restricted partitions

In a recent paper (Tranet al, Ann. Phys.311, 204 (2004)), some asymptotic number theoretical results on the partitioning of an integer were derived exploiting its connection to the quantum density of states of a many-particle system. We generalise these results to obtain an asymptotic formula for therestricted or coloured partitionsp _k ^s (n), which is the number of partitions of an integern into the summand of sth powers of integers such that each power of a given integer may occur utmostk times. While the method is not rigorous, it reproduces the well-known asymptotic results fors = 1 apart from yielding more general results for arbitrary values ofs.     

Synthesis of Cu–Ni Alloy Powder Directly from Metal Salts Solution

Cu–Ni alloy powders were synthesized directly from metal nitrate solution. Combustion, ultrasonic mist combustion and ultrasonic pyrolysis processes were applied and Cu–Ni alloy powder was successfully synthesized by mist combustion and ultrasonic pyrolysis of nitrate salts in a reducing atmosphere. X-ray diffraction data showed that the copper and the nickel atoms were completely mixed. For Cu–Ni alloy powder prepared by ultrasonic mist combustion, powder was a hollow sphere and consisted of nano-sized particles. For Cu–Ni alloy powder prepared by ultrasonic pyrolysis, particles consisted of nano-scale particles loosely coagulated. The synthesis temperature was 800°C, which is much lower than the liquidus of a Cu–Ni binary system. Metal alloying by mist pyrolysis, named chemical alloying, has many advantages: (1) no crucible, ball or jar is needed, (2) low synthesis temperature below the liquidus of the alloy system, (3) no extraction step is needed, (4) no cation contamination, (5) direct synthesis of fine powder from metal salts and (6) a simple and inexpensive process. The disadvantage is the contamination of organic elements from the solvent and the salt.     

Diffraction phase microscopy with white light

We present white light diffraction phase microscopy (wDPM) as a quantitative phase imaging method that combines the single shot measurement benefit associated with off-axis methods, high temporal phase stability associated with common path geometries, and high spatial phase sensitivity due to the white light illumination. We propose a spatiotemporal filtering method that pushes the limit of the pathlength sensitivity to the subangstrom level at practical spatial and temporal bandwidths. We illustrate the utility of wDPM with measurements on red blood cell morphology and HeLa cell growth over 18 hours.     

Applications of the Collective Field Theory for the Calogero–Sutherland Model

We use the collective field theory known for the Calogero–Sutherland model to study a variety of low-energy properties. These include the ground state energy in a confining potential up to the two leading orders in the particle number, the dispersion relation of sound modes with a comparison to the two leading terms in the low temperature specific heat, large amplitude waves, and single solution solutions. The two-point correlation function derived from the dispersion relation of the sound mode only gives its nonoscillatory asymptotic behavior correctly, demonstrating that the theory is applicable only for the low-energy and long wavelength excitations of the system.     

Chiral rhodium carboxylates as asymmetric hydrogenation catalysts

The comparative catalytic activities of a few chiral rhodium carboxylato complexes in combination with chiral and achiral phosphines are described. In the hydrogenation of α-acetamidocinnamic acid and its methyl ester, differences are observed in turnover numbers and enantioselectivities. Diastereomeric interactions between chiral carboxylato and chiral phosphine moieties resulting in different rates are clearly seen. Arrhenius plots of (+) and (-) DIOP [DIOP = 2,3 isopropylidene 2,3 dihydroxy-1,4bis (diphenylphosphino) butane] with rhodium (-) mandalato complex give markedly different activation energies.