Niche width and scale in organizational competition: A computational approach

In some organizational applications, the principle of allocation (PoA) and scale advantage (SA) oppose each other. While PoA implies that organizations with wide niches get punished, SA holds that large organizations gain an advantage because of scale efficiencies. The opposition occurs because many large organizations also possess wide niches. However, analyzing these theoretical mechanisms implies a possible trade-off between niche width and size: if both PoA and SA are strong, then organizations must be either focused or large to survive, resulting in a dual market structure, as proposed by the theory of resource partitioning. This article develops a computational model used to study this trade-off, and investigates the properties of organizational populations with low/high SA and low/high PoA. The model generates three expected core “corner” solutions: (1) the dominance of large organizations in the strong SA setting; (2) the proliferation of narrow-niche organizations in the strong PoA setting; and (3) a bifurcated or dual market structure if both SA and PoA are present. The model also allows us to identify circumstances under which narrow-niche (specialists) or wide-niche (generalists) organizations thrive. We also use the model to examine the claim that concentrated resource distributions are more likely to generate partitioned or bifurcated populations. We also investigate the consequences of environments comprised of ordered versus unordered positions.     

NMR elucidation of a novel (S)-pentacyclo-undecane bis-(4-phenyloxazoline) ligand and related derivatives

The NMR elucidation of a novel ligand (S)-pentacyclo-undecane bis-(4-phenyloxazoline) and related pentacyclo-undecane (PCU) derivatives is reported. Two-dimensional NMR proved to be a powerful technique in overcoming the difficulties associated with the elucidation of these compounds when only one-dimensional NMR data is utilized. A chiral substituent was introduced to both 'arms' of the PCU skeleton to produce derivatives 1-3. These derivatives display C(1) symmetry with all thecage atoms being nonequivalent. Owing to overlapping of peaks in the (1)H spectra, identification of these diastereomeric protons was very difficult. The (13)C spectra gave rise to clear splitting of the nonequivalent carbons. This is unusual compared to similar PCU derivatives with chiral substituents as splitting of all the diastereomeric cage carbons has not yet been reported. Nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY) correlations of derivatives 1-3 confirm the different conformations of the molecule in which the side 'arms' occupy different orientations with respect to cage moiety.     

Modulated potential electrogenerated chemiluminescence of luminol and Ru(bpy) 3 2+

Chemiluminescence emission intensity is modulated by modulating the potential of a working electrode which is used to generate a key species in the electrogenerated Chemiluminescence (ECL) reaction. The emission is monitored synchronously using a lock-in amplifier. The reactions used in the characterization are luminol with hydrogen peroxide and tris(2,2-bipyridyl)ruthenium (II) (or Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ ) with oxalate. Modulation widths of ± 50 mV yield maximum signals for luminol when centered at 0.45 V (vs Ag/AgCl) and for Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ when centered at 1.05 V. The resulting signal decreases with increasing modulation frequency and shows that luminol/H₂O₂ is a faster ECL system than Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ /oxalate. Working curves for luminol and for oxalate have essentially the same linear range and slope with the modulated potential approach as with a DC electrode potential. This approach provides capability for differentiating the analytical signal from constant background emission or stray light.     

New synthetic routes to a disulfidodinickel(II) complex: characterization and reactivity of a Ni2(mu-eta2:eta2-S2) core

Activation of elemental sulfur by the monovalent nickel complex [PhTt (tBu)]Ni(CO) [PhTt(tBu)=phenyl{tris[(tert-butylmethyl)thio]methyl}borate] generates the disulfidodinickel(II) complex 2. This species is alternatively accessible via thermal decomposition of [PhTt (tBu)]Ni(SCPh3). Spectroscopic, magnetic, and X-ray diffraction studies establish that 2 contains a mu-eta(2):eta(2)-S2 ligand that fosters antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between the Ni (II) ions. This observation is in contrast to the lighter congener, oxygen, which strongly favors the bis(mu-oxo)dinickel(III) structure. 2 oxidizes PPh 3 to SPPh3 and reacts with O2, generating several products, one of which has been identified as [(PhTt (tBu))Ni]2(mu-S) (3).     

Sterically bulky tris(triazolyl)borate ligands as water-soluble analogues of tris(pyrazolyl)borate

The recently synthesized 3-tert-butyl-5-methyl-1,2,4-triazole reacted with KBH4 to give the new potassium tris(3-tert-butyl-5-methyl-1,2,4-triazolyl)borate K(Ttz(tBu,Me)) ligand. Ttz(tBu,Me) formed a four-coordinate (Ttz(tBu,Me))CoCl complex and five-coordinate (Ttz(tBu,Me))CoNO3 and (Ttz(tBu,Me))ZnOAc complexes. When these complexes were compared to their Tp(tBu,Me) analogues, it was found that Ttz(tBu,Me) resulted in negligible steric differences. K(Ttz(tBu,Me)) is more water-soluble than K(Tp(tBu,Me)), so bulky tris(triazolyl)borate ligands should lead to functional models for enzyme active sites in an aqueous environment and the creation of water-soluble analogues of Tp catalysts.     

Modeling oil droplets in plateau borders

It is widely known that oil droplets can decrease the stability of aqueous films and foams. While less widely recognized, it has also been observed that oil droplets can, under certain circumstances, increase the stability of foams, especially if they are caught in the Plateau borders. In this paper, how the oil droplet deforms and is, in turn, deformed by the Plateau border is modeled using Surface Evolver. The two dimensionless parameters that affect these shapes are the size of the oil droplet relative to the Plateau border and the ratio of the oil-water interfacial tension to the air-water interfacial tension. The calculated pressures in all the phases were used to obtain the pressure exerted on the oil-water-air pseudoemulsion film, which allows the factors that influence the stability of these droplets in the Plateau border to be investigated. The final section of the paper demonstrates that the presence of an oil droplet in a Plateau border can have a major influence on the drainage of the aqueous phase along the Plateau border. This retardation of the flow would result in the oil droplets in the Plateau borders increasing the stability of foams in which they are found.     

Characterization and dynamics of substituted ruthenacyclobutanes relevant to the olefin cross-metathesis reaction

The reaction of the phosphonium alkylidene [(H(2)IMes)RuCl(2)=CHP(Cy)(3))](+) BF(4)(-) with propene, 1-butene, and 1-hexene at -45 °C affords various substituted, metathesis-active ruthenacycles. These metallacycles were found to equilibrate over extended reaction times in response to decreases in ethylene concentrations, which favored increased populations of α-monosubstituted and α,α'-disubstituted (both cis and trans) ruthenacycles. On an NMR time scale, rapid chemical exchange was found to preferentially occur between the β-hydrogens of the cis and trans stereoisomers prior to olefin exchange. Exchange on an NMR time scale was also observed between the α- and β-methylene groups of the monosubstituted ruthenacycle (H(2)IMes)Cl(2)Ru(CHRCH(2)CH(2)) (R = CH(3), CH(2)CH(3), (CH(2))(3)CH(3)). EXSY NMR experiments at -87 °C were used to determine the activation energies for both of these exchange processes. In addition, new methods have been developed for the direct preparation of metathesis-active ruthenacyclobutanes via the protonolysis of dichloro(1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-2-imidazolidinylidene)(benzylidene) bis(pyridine)ruthenium(II) and its 3-bromopyridine analogue. Using either trifluoroacetic acid or silica-bound toluenesulfonic acid as the proton source, the ethylene-derived ruthenacyclobutane (H(2)IMes)Cl(2)Ru(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)) was observed in up to 98% yield via NMR at -40 °C. On the basis of these studies, mechanisms accounting for the positional and stereochemical exchange within ruthenacyclobutanes are proposed, as well as the implications of these dynamics toward olefin metathesis catalyst and reaction design are described.     

Synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-alpha-alkylidene-gamma-aryl-gamma-butyrolactones via alkenylalumination of oxiranes

Alkenylalumination of substituted styrene oxides with [alpha-(ethoxycarbonyl)alkenyl]diisobutylaluminum, in the presence of BF(3).Et(2)O, affords the corresponding (Z)-alpha-alkylidene-gamma-aryl-gamma-hydroxy esters in 81-100% Z-selectivity. Chromatographic separation of isomers, followed by lactonization with trifluoroacetic acid, provides isomerically pure (Z)-alpha-alkylidene-gamma-aryl-gamma-butyrolactones in 53-78% overall yield. Isomerization of the (Z)-alkylidene hydroxyl esters using LDA, followed by protonation using a bulky proton source, such as BHT, provides a simple route to the corresponding alpha-(E)-alkylidene-gamma-phenyl-gamma-hydroxy esters in 72-78% yield, which were cyclized to obtain the corresponding (E)-butyrolactones in 78-85% yield.     

On the first excited state of137Ba

The first excited state of¹³⁷Ba has been excited by the inelastic scattering of accelerator-produced neutrons. The energy of this state at 283.5 keV is not in agreement with the generally accepted value of 279.2 keV, but is in accord with other recent measurements. No evidence for a doublet of states near this energy is found.     

Photochemical Preparation of Highly Water-Soluble Pendant [60]Fullerene-Aminopolymers

Abstract— In order to introduce fullerene cages into an aqueous environment, pendant [60]fullerene-poly(propionylethyle-neimine-co-ethyleneimine) was prepared photochemical-ly. The pendant polymer is highly water soluble, with equivalent aqueous solubilities of the polymer-bound [60]fullerene much higher than the solubility of [60]ful-lerene in toluene. The photochemical reaction between [60]fullerene and secondary amine moieties in the ami-nopolymers likely follows a photoinduced electron transfer-proton transfer mechanism. The pendant polymer structures, which are represented by dehydrogenated di-and tetra-aminofullerene linkages, were characterized by use of proton and 13C NMR, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, gel-permeation chromatography and optical spectroscopic methods.