On the Rate of Convergence of Two Bernstein–Bézier Type Operators for Bounded Variation Functions

In this paper we study the rate of convergence of two Bernstein–Bézier type operatorsB^(α)_nandL^(α)_nfor bounded variation functions. By means of construction of suitable functions and the method of Bojanic and Vuillemier (J. Approx. Theory31(1981), 67–79), using some results of probability theory, we obtain asymptotically optimal estimations ofB^(α)_nandL^(α)_nfor bounded variation functions at points of continuity and points of discontinuity.     

Variational method for calculating molecular multipole polarizabilities using atom centered extended trial functions

An improvement of the variational method for calculating the electronic multipole polarizabilities is proposed. This modification allows the computation of the polarizabilities at any point and the results are compatible with the relations existing for a change of origin. It is applied to H₂, HF, CO and N₂ by using SCF wavefunctions developed on a limited basis. The computed polarizabilities are systematically too large but this discrepancy is attributed to the fact that the ground state is too far from the exact wavefunction.E.R.A. au C.N.R.S. No. 22.     

End-on versus side-on coordination of dioxygen model ab initio calculations for the adducts of Co(acacen)

From ab initio calculations, the ground state electronic configuration is found for the three possible structures (linear, bent or perpendicular) of the cobalt-dioxygen unit in the adducts Co(acacen) LO₂(L=none, H₂O, CN^?, CO). The bent structure is energetically the most favourable, being slightly more stable than the linear one (by 4–26 kcal/mole depending on the fifth ligand L) but much more stable than the perpendicular one (by 46–82 kcal/mole). These results are rationalized in terms of the main metal-ligand interactions, with the bent structure stabilized by a 3d _z ²-1π _g ^/a interaction and the perpendicular structure destabilized by a four-electron destabilizing interaction 3d _xz -1π _g ^/a .     

Polymerization of hex-1-ene initiated by diimine complexes of nickel and palladium

The effect of monomer concentration, reaction temperature and initiator structure on the activity, molar mass, branching and thermal properties of poly(hex-1-ene)s was investigated for the polymerization of hex-1-ene initiated by four α-diimine complexes of nickel and palladium. Hex-1-ene polymerization exhibits an apparent negative kinetic order with respect to monomer concentration. Polymerization of hex-1-ene initiated by MAO activated 1,4-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)acenaphtenediiminenickel(II) dibromide (1a/MAO) proceeds in living-like fashion not only at sub-zero temperatures but even at 20 °C. However, molar masses of the polymers are higher than predicted values in agreement with an initiator efficiency lower than one.     

Synthesis,structure and reactivity of imidazo[1,2-a][1,8]naphthyridines

The synthesis and reactivity of imidazo[1,2-a][1,8]naphthyridines are reported. Electrophilic substitution reactions were studied and the site of the reaction was established with the aid of high-field ¹H and ¹³C nmr spectra. The experimental C-1 position reaction was correlated with a CNDO/2 calculations.     

CLIP: similarity searching of 3D databases using clique detection

This paper describes a program for 3D similarity searching, called CLIP (for Candidate Ligand Identification Program), that uses the Bron-Kerbosch clique detection algorithm to find those structures in a file that have large structures in common with a target structure. Structures are characterized by the geometric arrangement of pharmacophore points and the similarity between two structures calculated using modifications of the Simpson and Tanimoto association coefficients. This modification takes into account the fact that a distance tolerance is required to ensure that pairs of interatomic distances can be regarded as equivalent during the clique-construction stage of the matching algorithm. Experiments with HIV assay data demonstrate the effectiveness and the efficiency of this approach to virtual screening.     

Une extension de la méthode CNDO/2 á l'étude des complexes d'éléments de transition

An extension of the CNDO/2 formalism, similar to the method of Clack, Hush and Yandle but with a different parametrisation, is proposed for investigating the electronic structure of transition metal complexes. The results for Ni(CO)₄ and Ni(PF₃)₄ agree well with those ofab initio calculations and with some experimental data. Such a semi-empirical approach may be performed, usingab initio results as reference data, in order to interpret the physical and chemical behaviour of largeseries of complexes in their ground state.

     

Thin films of metal dibenzotetraaza [14] annulene complexes.: Part 3. Dimerization and alternated dimerizations of γ-substituted Ni complexes

The electrochemical behaviour of some Ni γ-monosubstituted dibenzotetraaza [14] annulene complexes has been investigated. The oxidation in CH₂Cl₂ of the complex containing a 4-carboxybenzyl group leads to the corresponding γ-γ dimer whose electrochemical properties have been studied. The electrode surface can be coated by thin films of this dimer using CH₃CN instead of CH₂Cl₂; however, the resulting modified electrode is poorly stable. The oxidation of the complex containing 1-(4-carboxybenzyl)pyrrole as γ substituent involves γ-γ dimer formation before the formation of a regular polypyrrole film. The film displays reversible electrochemical reduction of the metal centre (Ni(II)/Ni(I)) and two successive oxidations of the macrocycle (Mc/Mc^•+ and Mc^•+/Mc²⁺). The complex containing a bromo(4-carboxybenzyl) group offers an unusual feature in that polymeric films can be obtained following an original procedure based on alternated dimerizations. This is a consequence of the formation of two different dimers obtained by anodic and cathodic processes.     

Dissection of human tropoelastin: solution structure, dynamics and self-assembly of the exon 5 peptide

The elastic properties of elastin have essentially been discussed in terms of dominant entropic components, with questions still remaining about whether the basic mechanism is compatible with the classical theory of rubber elasticity. A better understanding of the structure-function relationships in terms of the protein's elastic properties remains an important goal in elastin science. Recently, we succeeded in the exon-by-exon synthesis of all polypeptide sequences encoded by the so-called hydrophobic exons and almost all of the cross-linking exons of human tropoelastin. Among these, the peptide encoded by exon 5 (PGGLAGAGLGA) has been extensively studied by classical spectroscopic methods, such as CD and NMR spectroscopy, and by molecular dynamics simulations. The results obtained clearly evidenced a large flexibility of the polypeptide chain, which oscillates between rather extended conformations, such as PPII, and folded ones, such as beta turns. At the supramolecular level, we obtained evidence by TEM that shows that the peptide encoded by exon 5 is able to self-assemble in fibrillar structures, a result indicating that the "information" for self-assembly is also contained within a small domain of tropoelastin.