Higgs search: present and future

In this talk I review theoretical bounds on mass of the Higgs scalar in the Standard Model (SM) and then summarise current experimental limits from the LEP experiments. Following this I discuss the search strategies for the SM Higgs at LEP 200 and the TeV energye ⁺ e ^? colliders which are under discussion. This will be followed by a summary of the Higgs search potential of the pp supercolliders such as SSC/LHC. I then close with a brief discussion of a ‘Dark Higgs’ whose dominant decay modes are into invisible channels.     

Chemoenzymatic asymmetric synthesis of harzia lactone A stereomers

A facile chemoenzymatic synthesis of the harzia lactone A enantiomers was developed. A lipase-catalyzed acylation and an enantio-controlled substrate and reagent-controlled Sharpless’ asymmetric dihydroxylation are the key features of the synthesis.     

Facile synthesis of 2,3,7,8-tetramethyl-2,2′-dipyrrin trifluoroacetate and its X-ray crystal structure

3,4-Dimethyl-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid was converted to 2,3,7,8-tetramethyl-2,2′-dipyrrin by the action of trifluoroacetic acid and ethyl orthoformate. A crystal of the dipyrrin was grown from dichloromethane-n-hexane and an X-ray crystallographic structure of its trifluoroacetate salt was determined. Correspondence: David A. Lightner, Department of Chemistry, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557-0020, USA.     

Recovery of americium from analytical solid waste containing large amounts of uranium,plutonium and silver

Trace metallic impurity analysis by spectroscopic techniques is one of the important steps of chemical quality control of nuclear fuel materials. Depending on the burn-up and the storage time of the fuel, there is an accumulation of ²⁴¹Am in plutonium based fuel materials due to β decay of ²⁴¹Pu. In this paper, attempts were made to develop a method for separation of ²⁴¹Am from 1.2 kg of analytical solid waste containing 70% U, 23% Pu, 5% Ag and 1–2% C as major constituents along with other minor constituents generated during trace metal assay of plutonium based fuel samples by d. c. arc carrier distillation atomic emission spectrometry. A combination of ion exchange, solvent extraction and precipitation methods were carried out to separate ~45 mg of ²⁴¹Am as Am(NO₃)₃ from 15 L of the analytical waste solution. Dowex 1×4 ion exchange chromatographic method was used for separation of Pu whereas 30% TBP–kerosene was utilized for separation of U. Am was separated from other impurities by fluoride precipitation followed by conversion to nitrate. The recovery of Pu from ion exchange chromatographic separation step was ~93% while the cumulative recovery of Am after separation process was found to be ~90%.     

High-nuclearity manganese and iron complexes with the anionic ligand methyl salicylimidate

The three novel clusters [Mn6O4(OMe)2(OAc)4(Mesalim)4] (3), [Mn8O2(OH)2(OMe)12(OAc)2(Mesalim)4] (4), and [Fe10O4(OMe)14Cl2(Mesalim)6] (5) have been synthesized from a simple bidentate ligand HMesalim (HMesalim = methyl salicylimidate). Starting from the mononuclear complex [Mn(Mesalim)2(OAc)(MeOH)].MeOH (1), either the hexanuclear complex 3 or the octanuclear complex 4 is obtained after recrystallization, depending upon the reaction conditions and solvents used. Similarly, starting from the purple-colored mononuclear complex [Fe(Mesalim)2Cl] (2), the orange-colored decanuclear iron(III) cluster 5 has been obtained upon recrystallization from methanol. Complex 3, which could also be prepared directly from manganese acetate and the ligand, has a face-sharing double-cubane [Mn6O6] core, unique in transition metal chemistry. Compounds 4 and 5 are composed of [M3O4] partial cubanes. All complexes belong to a class of oxo-bridged cubic close-packed molecular clusters resembling the metal oxide/hydroxide ores. Complex 4 exhibits intramolecular ferromagnetic interactions, as evidenced from dc magnetic susceptibility studies (1.8-300 K), resulting in a high-spin ground state, probably with S(T) = 8. Complex 4 displays single molecule magnet behavior as indicated by frequency and temperature dependences of its ac susceptibility. An Arrhenius plot gave relatively large experimental activation energy of 36.0 K. The magnetic properties of complexes 3 and 5 are dominated by antiferromagnetic interactions leading to zero-spin ground states.