Equilibrium geometry and electronic structure of benzylidene,arylethylidene, and heterocyclic arylidene malononitriles

The equilibrium geometry of some benzylidene, arylethylidene, and heterocyclic arylidene malononitriles has been calculated within the framework of the MNDO –MO formalism. Various structural factors are analyzed and discussed in terms of localized and delocalized MOS and π-interaction between methylene malononitrile (MMN) and aryl moieties. The possibility of charge transfer (CT ) from aryl to MMN moieties has been examined. The presence of a heterocyclic ring introduces a small perturbation into the MMN nuclear frame. p-Substituents have a pronounced effect on the magnitude and direction of the dipole moment. The variation of ionization potentials and bond order with the Hammet σ p are examined and a straight-line relationship is obtained. The correlation between physiological activity and quantum mechanical properties is analyzed in terms of heat of formation, ionization potential, dipole moment, and charge density on the aryl ring. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Concentration of potassium cations in the permeate solution in the presence of N,N-dimethyl-N-2-propenyl-2-propen-1-aminium chloride homopolymer using dead-end nano-or ultrafiltration

The investigation is based on the nano-or ultrafiltration of inorganic salts in the presence of a polyelectrolyte in the feed solution. Cellulose acetate membranes are selected with a pore size of 10–20 nm. The membranes are imaged using atomic force microscope. The membrane is completely impermeable to the polyelectrolyte. Polyelectrolyte concentrations are taken in the range of 0.5–1 g/l to avoid a gel layer formation over the membrane. It is discovered that, at such low polyelectrolyte concentration, inorganic salt concentration in the permeate is higher than in the feed solution. This process therefore deviates from conventional membrane separation processes, where the permeate salt concentration is lower or equal to the salt concentration in the feed solution. It is shown that during the nano-or ultrafiltration of inorganic salts in the presence of polyelectrolyte, the ratio of salt concentration in the permeate to feed increases when the initial salt concentration in the feed solution is low. Concentration polarization has a negative impact on this concentrating effect. In the case of this investigation, KCl, KNO₃, K₂SO₄ are taken as inorganic salts, N,N-dimethyl-N-2-propenyl-2-propen-1-aminium chloride homopolymer is selected as a polyelectrolyte. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

A molecular switch in amyloid assembly: Met35 and amyloid beta-protein oligomerization

Aberrant protein oligomerization is an important pathogenetic process in vivo. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) forms neurotoxic oligomers. The predominant in vivo Abeta alloforms, Abeta40 and Abeta42, have distinct oligomerization pathways. Abeta42 monomers oligomerize into pentamer/hexamer units (paranuclei) which self-associate to form larger oligomers. Abeta40 does not form these paranuclei, a fact which may explain the particularly strong linkage of Abeta42 with AD. Here, we sought to determine the structural elements controlling paranucleus formation as a first step toward the development of strategies for treating AD. Because oxidation of Met(35) is associated with altered Abeta assembly, we examined the role of Met(35) in controlling Abeta oligomerization. Oxidation of Met(35) in Abeta42 blocked paranucleus formation and produced oligomers indistinguishable in size and morphology from those produced by Abeta40. Systematic structural alterations of the C(gamma)(35)-substituent group revealed that its electronic nature, rather than its size (van der Waals volume), was the factor controlling oligomerization pathway choice. Preventing assembly of toxic Abeta42 paranuclei through selective oxidation of Met(35) thus represents a potential therapeutic approach for AD.     

Superheated water extraction, steam distillation and Soxhlet extraction of essential oils of Origanum onites

Superheated water extraction (SWE) at various temperatures (100, 125, 150 and 175°C), steam distillation, and Soxhlet extraction were compared in the extraction of essential oils from two samples of the plant Origanum onites, one cultivated, the other wild. C18 solid-phase extraction was used to elute the essential oils from the SWE aqueous extract. The compositions of the extracted essential oils obtained from all three methods were then characterized by comprehensive GC×GC/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF/MS). The highest essential oil yields were obtained by using SWE at 150°C with a flow rate of 2 mL min^–1 and a pressure of 60 bar for 30 min: these were 3.76 and 4.11% for wild and cultivated O. onites samples, respectively, expressed as a percentage of 100 g of dry (leaf) matter. The yields obtained using SWE at 150°C were slightly higher than those from conventional methods. Steam distillation was performed for 3 h, and Soxhlet extraction was completed in 12 h. The major compounds found were borneol, terpinen-4-ol and carvacrol.     

Kinetics and mechanisms of oxidation of 1-octene and heptanal by crown ether-solubilized potassium permanganate in non-aqueous solvents

The kinetics of oxidation of 1-octene and heptanal by 18-crown-6-ether-solubilized KMnO₄ in benzene and CH₂Cl₂ have been investigated. In benzene, the oxidation of 1-octene is first order with respect to the oxidant and zero order with respect to the substrate, whereas in CH₂Cl₂ the reaction is first order with respect to both substrate and oxidant. The reaction of heptanal followed different kinetics being first order with respect to both substrate and oxidant, regardless of whether benzene or CH₂Cl₂ was employed as the solvent. The values of activation energy E _a, standard enthalpy H ^*, standard entropy change S ^*, and standard free energy G ^*, for the reaction, are reported. Mechanistic pathways for the studied reactions are also proposed.     

An adaptation of homotopy analysis method for reliable treatment of strongly nonlinear problems: construction of homotopy polynomials

In this paper, a new adaption of homotopy analysis method is presented to handle nonlinear problems. The proposed approach is capable of reducing the size of calculations and easily overcome the difficulty arising in calculating complicated integrals. Furthermore, the homotopy polynomials that decompose the nonlinear term of the problem as a series of polynomials are introduced. Then, an algorithm of calculating such polynomials, which makes the solution procedure more straightforward and more effective, is constructed. Numerical examples are examined to highlight the significant features of the developed techniques. The algorithms described in this paper are expected to be further employed to solve nonlinear problems in mathematical physics. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reversible coagulation of colloidal suspension in shallow potential wells: Direct numerical simulation

Brownian dynamics computer simulations of aggregation in 2D colloidal suspensions are discussed. The simulations are based on the Langevin equations, pairwise interaction between colloidal particles and take into account Brownian, hydrodynamic and colloidal forces. The chosen mathematical model enables to predict the correct values of diffusion coefficient of freely moving particle, the mean value of kinetic energy for each particle in ensemble of interacting colloidal particles and residence times of colloidal particles inside the potential wells of different depths. The simulations allow monitoring formation and breakage of clusters in a suspension as well as time dependence of the mean cluster size. The article is published in the original.     

Comparative vapour phase FTIR spectra and vibrational assignment of manganese pentacarbonyls derivatives of the type XMn(CO)5: (where X=Br, Cl, I, H, D, CH3, CD3, CF3)

The infrared spectra of pure Mn(CO)(5)X in the region 4000-400 cm(-1) has been obtained in the vapour phase. The observed spectrum has been analyzed to distinguish the fundamental frequencies, the rotational-vibrational and structure, and overtone and combination frequencies. The assignment of the observed vapour phase frequencies to the fundamental modes of vibration has been made on C(4V) symmetry. The weak peaks due to XMn(CO)(4)((13)CO) molecules have been measured and assigned for all molecules. This study provides a comprehensive comparison of these compounds, with all of these data the assignment of frequencies is reviewed and a set of quite unambiguous assignments made. The significant finding in this regards are that, it is not necessary to assume lower than C(4V) symmetry for XMn(CO)(5) as has been done in previous consideration of some infrared spectrum of these compounds.