Conversion of acids to benzimidazoles with transition metal/zeolites

Transition metal/Y zeolites were prepared using microwave solid state and aqueous solution ion exchange methods. The activity of these zeolites was investigated in a conversion of acids to benzimidazoles reaction between 4-methyl-1, 2-phenylenediamine and 3-nitrobenzoic acid. The yield of these reactions increased in order of CuY < Fe²⁺Y < NiY < CoY < NaY < CrY < MnY < ZnY for both methods. The solid state ion-exchanged zeolites showed higher activity in comparison to the aqueous solution exchange. Yields of products in the presence of the ZnY zeolite were of the order of 69–83%. It seems that the Lewis sites are better sites compared to the Bronsted sites for this reaction.     

Note on varying speed of light cosmologies

The various requirements on a consistent varying speed of light (‘VSL’) theory are surveyed, giving a short check-list that needs to be satisfied by such theories.     

Method to evaluate the strength of interfaces in polymeric systems

It is shown that CT (compact tension) specimens known from fracture mechanics are adequate to study the strength of interfaces between polymers. The interface is coplanar with the initial notch. The capability of this method is demonstrated by quantifying: (a) the healing procedure of cracks in polystyrene; (b) by elaborating the influence of powders on the welding process in polystyrene; (c) by measuring the strength of interfaces between the different polymers SAN, PMMA, HIPS, PS, PC, and (d) by characterising the influence of a compatibilizer in the interface between PE and HIPS.     

First observation of yrast band in odd-odd162Lu

High spin states of the odd-odd¹⁶²Lu nucleus have been studied via¹⁴⁷Sm(¹⁹F,4nγ)¹⁶²Lu reaction at 95 MeV beam energy. Level scheme for yrast band based onπ[h_11/2 v[i_13/2] quasiparticle configuration was established up to I ^π = (23^?) for the first time. This band shows the signature inversion in energy before backbending generally appeared in this mass region. It is stressed that the signature splitting in¹⁶²Lu is larger than that in the¹⁶⁰Tm nucleus.     

Robinson-Trautman equations and Chandrasekhar's special perturbation of the Schwarzschild metric

A perturbation wave solution of the Robinson-Trautman equations is proved to be a perturbation of the Schwarzschild black hole which describes an outgoing axial gravitational wave and corresponds to a special case of Chandrasekhar's algebraically special perturbation of the Schwarzschild metric.