Effondrement de quotients aléatoires de groupes hyperboliques avec torsion

We show that random quotients of hyperbolic groups with ‘harmful’ torsion collapse at densities smaller than expected. To cite this article: Y. Ollivier, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 341 (2005).     

Adductor spasmodic dysphonia: case reports withacoustic analysis following botulinum toxin injection and acupuncture

We analyzed frequency and duration parameters of voice and speech in two men with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (SD). One was treated with botulinum toxin injection; the other received acupuncture therapy. Im provement after acupuncture therapy in terms of standard deviation of fundamental frequency, acoustic perturbation measurements, durational measurements of voice and speech, and spectrographic analysis was comparable to the results achieved with botulinum toxin injection. Voice and speech parameters were stable I year after acupuncture therapy.     

Vapour—liquid equilibrium of the systems 1-propanol—2,2,4-trimethylpentane and 2-propanol-n-hexane

The vapour—liquid equilibrium data were measured for the binary systems 2-propanol—n-hexane at 328.21 K and 1-propanol—2,2,4-trimethylpentane at 328.37 K and 348.52 K by using the recirculation still proposed by Berro et al. (1975). The excess volumes for these systems were measured with an Anton Paar densimeter. The reduction of VLE data and analysis of experimental errors were performed. The NRTL temperature-dependence parameters were estimated. The measured VLE data and the activity coefficients were compared with the values predicted by the chemical-reticular group-contribution method (CRG) (Neau and Péneloux, 1979). For both systems satisfactory agreement was found. This proves that the CRG model can be used to predict the vapour—liquid equilibria of alcohol—alkane systems containing branched components.     

Gluco-indole alkaloids from the bark of Nauclea diderrichii. 1H and 13C NMR assignments of 3alpha-5alpha-tetrahydrodeoxycordifoline lactam and cadambine acid

Detailed (1)H and (13)C NMR assignments of 3alpha-5alpha-tetrahydrodeoxycordifoline lactam and cadambine acid, isolated from the bark of the Nauclea diderrichii (de Wild.) Merr. (Rubiaceae) were achieved by 1D and 2D techniques such as DEPT, HMBC, HMQC, COSY and NOESY.     

Comparison of the dynamics of MIL-53(Cr) and MIL-47(V) frameworks using neutron scattering and DFT methods

The low-frequency modes of MIL-47(V) and MIL-53(Cr) frameworks have been measured by inelastic neutron scattering. The librational modes of benzene are very close in frequency in the two structures. First-principles calculations have been performed to assign the measured spectra. The calculated values of the rotational barriers of the benzene rings are in reasonable agreement with experimental data. The relatively large barriers (413–588 meV) explain the absence of quasi-elastic broadening on the neutron time scale.     

Zinc Substitution of Cobalt in Vitamin B12: Zincobyric acid and Zincobalamin as Luminescent Structural B12‐Mimics

Replacing the central cobalt ion of vitamin B₁₂ by other metals has been a long‐held aspiration within the B₁₂‐field. Herein, we describe the synthesis from hydrogenobyric acid of zincobyric acid ( Znby ) and zincobalamin ( Znbl ), the Zn‐analogues of the natural cobalt‐corrins cobyric acid and vitamin B₁₂, respectively. The solution structures of Znby and Znbl were studied by NMR‐spectroscopy. Single crystals of Znby were produced, providing the first X‐ray crystallographic structure of a zinc corrin. The structures of Znby and of computationally generated Znbl were found to resemble the corresponding Co^II‐corrins, making such Zn‐corrins potentially useful for investigations of B₁₂‐dependent processes. The singlet excited state of Znby had a short life‐time, limited by rapid intersystem crossing to the triplet state. Znby allowed the unprecedented observation of a corrin triplet (E^T=190 kJ mol^?1) and was found to be an excellent photo‐sensitizer for ¹O₂ (Φ_Δ=0.70).     

Palladation of diimidazolium salts at the C4 position: access to remarkably electron-rich palladium(II) centers

Palladation of C2-protected diimidazolium salts with Pd(OAc)2 afforded complexes comprising C4-bound N-heterocyclic dicarbene ligands. The reactivity of these complexes towards Lewis acids (AgBF4, AgOAc) and Br?nsted acids (H2SO4, H3PO4, HOAc) revealed that abnormal C4 bonding of the carbenes markedly increases the nucleophilicity of the coordinated palladium center as compared to C2 bonding. Despite its formal +2 charge, the palladium center in these complexes is best described as a Lewis base. The abnormal carbene bonding mode induces new reaction patterns such as the formation of a Pd-Ag adduct. Based on metallation studies including the palladation of a dissymmetric diimidazolium salt, a rationale for the selective activation of the C4-H bond in the diimidazolium precursor salts is proposed.     

Clean Donor Oxidation Enhances the H2 Evolution Activity of a Carbon Quantum Dot–Molecular Catalyst Photosystem

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are new‐generation light absorbers for photocatalytic H₂ evolution in aqueous solution, but the performance of CQD‐molecular catalyst systems is currently limited by the decomposition of the molecular component. Clean oxidation of the electron donor by donor recycling prevents the formation of destructive radical species and non‐innocent oxidation products. This approach allowed a CQD‐molecular nickel bis(diphosphine) photocatalyst system to reach a benchmark lifetime of more than 5 days and a record turnover number of 1094±61 mol_H2 (mol_Ni)^?1 for a defined synthetic molecular nickel catalyst in purely aqueous solution under AM1.5G solar irradiation.     

Changes in silicon elastomeric surface properties under stretching induced by three surface treatments

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) substrates are used in many applications where the substrates need to be elongated and various treatments are used to regulate their surface properties. In this article, we compare the effect of three of such treatments, namely, UV irradiation, water plasma, and plasma polymerization, both from a molecular and from a macroscopic point of view. We focus our attention in particular on the behavior of the treated surfaces under mechanical stretching. UV irradiation induces the substitution of methyl groups by hydroxyl and acid groups, water plasma leads to a silicate-like layer, and plasma polymerization causes the formation of an organic thin film with a major content of anhydride and acid groups. Stretching induces cracks on the surface both for silicate-like layers and for plasma polymer thin coatings. This is not the case for the UV irradiated PDMS substrates. We then analyzed the chemical composition of these cracks. In the case of water plasma, the cracks reveal native PDMS. In the case of plasma polymerization, the cracks reveal modified PDMS. The contact angles of plasma polymer and UV treated surfaces vary only very slightly under stretching, whereas large variations are observed for water plasma treatments. The small variation in the contact angle values observed on the plasma polymer thin film under stretching even when cracks appear on the surface are explained by the specific chemistry of the PDMS in the cracks. We find that it is very different from native PDMS and that its structure is somewhere between Si(O2) and Si(O3). This is, to our knowledge, the first study where different surface treatments of PDMS are compared for films under stretching.     

Diisothiocyanates as heterodienophiles or dipolarophiles in the presence of α‐thioxothioamides or mesoionic thiazoles

Reactions of α‐thioxothioamides ( 1 ) with diisothiocyanates were carried out in the hope of generating the N,N′‐bis(1,3‐thiazoline‐2‐thiones) ( A ). Although that purpose could not be achieved, we succeeded in preparing the monocycloadducts 7 from the phenylene‐1,2‐diisothiocyanate ( 4 ). The benzimidazole derivatives 8 and 9 were also characterized and a mechanism was assumed to account for this intramolecular process. On the other hand, the regioselective synthesis of the N,N′‐biimidazole ( 13 ) containing the phenylene bridge was performed by the treatment of the 5‐aminothiazolium chloride ( 2 ) with the diisothiocyanate ( 4 ) in a basic medium. The mesoionic derivative 13 probably arises from the monoimidazolium‐4‐thiolate ( 12 ) which was shown to react with the salt 2 under similar conditions to give the primary cycloadduct 14 as an intermediate towards the bis(imidazolium) ( 13 ). © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 12:617–624, 2001