Enantioselective epoxidations of alkenes catalyzed by (salen)Mn(III) in aqueous surfactant systems

An aqueous reaction medium, based on a surfactant solution of diethyltetradecylamine N-oxide (AOE-14), was developed for the enantioselective epoxidation of 1,2-dihydronaphthalene and of various cis-β-alkyl styrenes with increasing hydrophobicity, using bleach as oxidant and the Jacobsen chiral (salen)Mn(III) as catalyst. AOE-14 is able to both solubilize all reactants in water and bind the metal of the salen complex acting as coligand. Its use leads to good yields (>75%) and to ee values ranging from 75% up to 91% even in the case of cis-β-alkyl styrenes where lower cis/trans epoxide ratios are observed. The ratio of surfactant/substrate used is 1:1 or 4:1, much lower than those generally used in the literature.     

Basic Substances,a Sustainable Tool to Complement and Eventually Replace Synthetic Pesticides in the Management of Pre and Postharvest Diseases: Reviewed Instructions for Users

Synthetic pesticides are widely used to protect crops from pathogens and pests, especially for fruits and vegetables, and this may lead to the presence of residues on fresh produce. Improving the sustainability of agriculture and, at the same time, reducing the adverse effects of synthetic pesticides on human health requires effective alternatives that improve the productivity while maintaining the food quality and safety. Moreover, retailers increasingly request fresh produce with the amounts of pesticides largely below the official maximum residue levels. Basic substances are relatively novel compounds that can be used in plant protection without neurotoxic or immune-toxic effects and are still poorly known by phytosanitary consultants (plant doctors), researchers, growers, consumers, and decision makers. The focus of this review is to provide updated information about 24 basic substances currently approved in the EU and to summarize in a single document their properties and instructions for users. Most of these substances have a fungicidal activity (calcium hydroxide, chitosan, chitosan hydrochloride, Equisetum arvense L., hydrogen peroxide, lecithins, cow milk, mustard seed powder, Salix spp., sunflower oil, sodium chloride, sodium hydrogen carbonate, Urtica spp., vinegar, and whey). Considering the increasing requests from consumers of fruits and vegetables for high quality with no or a reduced amount of pesticide residues, basic substances can complement and, at times, replace the application of synthetic pesticides with benefits for users and for consumers. Large-scale trials are important to design the best dosage and strategies for the application of basic substances against pathogens and pests in different growing environments and contexts.     

Unexpected high ordering of a [60]Fullerene nitroxide in the nematic phase of 4-4'-azoxyanisole

A nitroxide [60]fullerene adduct containing a pyrrolidine-1-oxyl group has been synthesized. Its orientational order in the nematic phase of the liquid crystal solvent 4,4'-azoxyanisole (PAA) has been measured from the variation of the EPR spectral parameters on passing from the isotropic to the nematic phase. Highly resolved EPR lines allow for precise evaluation of the shifts of the g , a N and a H values. Since the g and the hyperfine tensors are known, the order matrix could be obtained. This is compared with the one calculated with a theoretical model based on short range solute-solvent interactions, which predicts a considerable degree of orientation of the molecular axes, despite the almost spherical shape of the molecule. The agreement with experimental findings is quite good and it is further improved if a bent structure of the pyrrolidine ring is taken into account.     

Numerical method for evaluating the response of rotating shafts to excitation

Summary To obtain an accurate forecast of the behaviour of a shaft rotating on lubricated bearings under excitation, an adequate model must be introduced to represent the response of the bearings; a linear model of the response is sufficient for many practical purposes, but allowance must be made for the variation of film stiffness, cross-stiffness, etc., with direction. As a consequence the shaft must be assumed to move in an elliptical, rather than circular, whirl. The phenomenon which must be analyzed is thus more complex than that envisaged in König's study, for instance, see Ref. [2]. We show here nevertheless that it is possible to devise an appropriate generalization of the Myklestad-Holzer method, so that the problem can be solved by matrix manipulations.

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Sommario Per prevedere con accuratezza l'ampiezza di vibrazione di un asse lievemente sbilanciato che ruoti su supporti lubrificati è necessario rappresentare adeguatamente il comportamento dei supporti stessi.Un modello lineare è sufficiente per molti scopi pratici purchè si tenga conto che la risposta non ha generalmente simmetria assiale. Di conseguenza è necessario poter considerare casi nei quali la traiettoria di ciascun punto dell'asse è ellittica piuttosto che circolare. Perciò si richiede una generalizzazione del metodo di König; generalizzazione che è indicata nel presente lavoro. Il metodo proposto fa però ancora uso di semplici operazioni matriciali.

     

Anelastic deformation as an internal parameter

Summary We consider continua for which a local configuration exists, whence the instantaneous elastic strain must be measured. Relations involving stress, strain and strain rate are indicated, which are compatible with objectivity and with the Clausius-Duhem inequality. Definitions and a theorem of Coleman and Gurtin regarding continua with internal parameters are adapted to advantage.

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Sommario Si studiano continui per i quali esiste una configurazione locale (variabile nel tempo) e a partire dalla quale va misurata istante per istante la deformazione elastica. Si specificano le relazioni permesse dalla disguaglianza di Clausius Duhem e dal principio di obbiettività e si adattano al caso alcune definizioni ed un teorema di Coleman e Gurtin sui continui con parametri interni.

     

How to embed three-dimensional flexible electrodes in microfluidic devices for cell culture applications

This communication describes a simple, rapid and cost effective method of embedding a conductive and flexible material within microfluidic devices as a means to realize uniform electric fields within cellular microenvironments. Fluidic channels and electrodes are fabricated by traditional soft-lithography in conjunction with chemical etching of PDMS. Devices can be deformable (thus allowing for a combination of electro-mechanical stimulation), they are made from inexpensive materials and easily assembled by hand; this method is thus accessible to a wide range of laboratories and budgets.     

Reaktionen in monomolekularen Filmen und ihre Beziehungen zur Molekülstruktur

Ohne ZusammenfassungÜbersetzt von J. Matula (Wien).     

Low-lying electronic states of Ben clusters (n = 7, 10, 13) and of the Be7H system

Self-consistent-field (SCF) calculations have been performed by means of a pseudopotential (PP) technique on medium-size Be_n clusters (n = 7, 10, 13). Correlation effects have been taken into account through multireference double-excitation configuration-interaction (MRD CI) procedure. Particular attention has been paid to the existence of Be clusters with many nearly degenerated states of singlet and triplet spin multiplicity. The SCF ordering of these states is frequently reversed in CI. Planar and non-planar Be clusters show comparable high stabilities caused by a strong sp hybridization. Two sections of the potential energy surface for the interaction of a H atom with the Be₇(7,0) cluster have been determined. Two regions of low energy found in this energy surface: one inside and the second outside the cluster border, are separated by an energy barrier. The CI results, indicating the directly overhead position as the absolute minimum of the surface, are in qualitative agreement with previous SCF studies on similar systems. The modifications of the cluster geometry (shrinkage or relaxation) caused by the interaction with the H atom in the directly overhead position are found to be very small.     

Computational study on the interaction of water with 2- and 3-hydroxypyridine and the corresponding pyridones

SCF –MO –LCAO ab-initio computations were carried out for the four tautomers 2-pyridone, 2-hydroxypyridine, 3-pyridone, and 3-hydroxypyridine interacting with a water molecule placed at different positions and orientations around each of them. The computed interaction energies were fitted by an analytical potential consisting of a 6–12 Lennard-Jones term plus a Coulombic one. The root-mean-square deviation of the fit is 2.5 kJ/mol. We report isoenergy contour maps for some important cross sections and obtain a qualitative trend of the solvation entropy, in agreement with available experimental data. The obtained potentials were used for Monte Carlo simulation of four clusters consisting of a tautomer molecule as solute and 50 water molecules, at 300 K. The problem of the transferability of fitting constants is also examined.     

A note on heuristics for the traveling salesman problem

We introduce subclasses of the traveling salesman problem (TSP) and analyze the behaviour of heuristics on them. We derive bounds for the performance of the algorithms.