Cationic cobalt(I) carbonyl compounds containing complexed cyclobutadienes

The first examples of cationic carbonyl complexes of cobalt-containing substituted cyclobutadiene ligands are reported. The carbon monoxide ligands in these complexes are labile, and can be displaced by benzene.     

Synthesis of cyclopropanes via organoiron methodology: preparation of rac-dysibetaine CPa

The cyclopropane containing betaine, rac-dysibetaine CPa, was prepared from (1-methoxycarbonylpentadienyl)-Fe(CO)2PPh3+ by nucleophilic addition of nitromethane anion followed by oxidatively induced reductive elimination.     

Curvature induced flow pattern transitions in serpentine mini-channels

Experimental investigation of the phase interactions in two-phase mini-channel serpentine systems is performed with a focus on determining the effect of radius of curvature of the serpentine on two-phase flow pattern transitions. The initial formation of two-phase flow patterns in T-junction contactors and the resulting effect on the flow through serpentine geometries are studied to predict the initiation of bubble breakup and/or coalescence in planar serpentine arrangements. Bubble breakup maps are developed for each of the serpentine geometries, identifying curvature-induced shifts in the transitions between flow patterns.     

Rapid synthesis and zebrafish evaluation of a phenanthridine-based small molecule library

A Heck cyclisation approach is described for the rapid synthesis of a library of natural product-like small molecules, based on the phenanthridine core. The synthesis of a range of substituted benzylamine building blocks and their incorporation into the library is reported, together with a highly selective cis-dihydroxylation protocol that enables access to the target compounds in an efficient manner. Biological evaluation of the library using zebrafish phenotyping has led to the discovery of compound 20c, a novel inhibitor of early-stage zebrafish embryo development.     

Gromov–Hausdorff limits of Kähler manifolds and algebraic geometry

We prove a general result about the geometry of holomorphic line bundles over Kähler manifolds.     

Photoenhanced uptake of NO2 by pyrene solid films

We report uptake kinetics measurements of the heterogeneous reaction of gas phase NO2 with solid films of pyrene. By using a coated flow tube equipped with several near-ultraviolet (UV) emitting lamps (range 300-420 nm), we examined the effect of actinic radiation on the heterogeneous loss kinetics of nitrogen dioxide. With atmospherically relevant concentrations of NO2, (20-119 ppbv), the uptake ranged from below 10(-7) in the dark to 3.5 x 10(-6) under near-UV irradiation. Under illuminated conditions, the uptake coefficient decreased markedly with increasing gas-phase concentration, suggestive of a Langmuir-Hinshelwood-type surface reaction mechanism. The NO2 reactivity was not a function of deposited Pyrene mass or of the relative humidity (in the range 10-89%) and depended linearly on the intensity of illumination. Gas-phase product analysis indicated that approximately 50% of the NO2 loss could be accounted for by HONO and NO release. These experimental results are discussed along with a possible nitration mechanism.     

Constant Scalar Curvature Metrics on Toric Surfaces

The main result of the paper is an existence theorem for a constant scalar curvature Kahler metric on a toric surface, assuming the K-stability of the manifold. The proof builds on earlier papers by the author, which reduce the problem to certain a priori estimates. These estimates are obtained using a combination of arguments from Riemannian geometry and convex analysis. The last part of the paper contains a discussion of the phenomena that can be expected when the K-stability does not hold and solutions do not exist. Received: May 2008, Revision: December 2008, Accepted: December 2008