Selective formation of non-conjugated olefins by samarium(II)-mediated elimination/isomerization of allylic benzoates

Aromatic allylic benzoates can be selectively transformed to the corresponding benzoate eliminated olefin by the action of samarium diiodide. Depending on the substrate and the elimination conditions, high selectivity for the non-conjugated alkene product can be achieved.     

Catalytic Enantioselective Direct Aldol Addition of Aryl Ketones to α‐Fluorinated Ketones

The catalytic enantioselective synthesis of α‐fluorinated chiral tertiary alcohols from (hetero)aryl methyl ketones is described. The use of a bifunctional iminophosphorane (BIMP) superbase was found to facilitate direct aldol addition by providing the strong Brønsted basicity required for rapid aryl enolate formation. The new synthetic protocol is easy to perform and tolerates a broad range of functionalities and heterocycles with high enantioselectivity (up to >99:1 e.r.). Multi‐gram scalability has been demonstrated along with catalyst recovery and recycling. ¹H NMR studies identified a 1400‐fold rate enhancement under BIMP catalysis, compared to the prior state‐of‐the‐art catalytic system. The utility of the aldol products has been highlighted with the synthesis of various enantioenriched building blocks and heterocycles, including 1,3‐aminoalcohol, 1,3‐diol, oxetane, and isoxazoline derivatives.     

Riemann-Roch-Grothendieck and torsion for foliations

In this article we prove a Riemann-Roch-Grothendieck theorem for the characteristic classes of a flat vector bundle over a foliation whose graph is Hausdorff. We assume that the strong foliation Novikov-Shubin invariants of the flat bundle are greater than three times the codimension of the foliation. Using transgression, we define a torsion form which in the odd acyclic case determines a Haefliger cohomology class which only depends on the foliation and the flat bundle. We construct examples where this torsion class is highly non-trivial.     

Improved branching ratio measurement for the decay K(0)(L) --> &mgr;(+)&mgr;(-)

We report results from Experiment 871, performed at the BNL AGS, of a measurement of the branching ratio K(0)(L)-->&mgr;(+)&mgr;(-) with respect to the CP-violating mode K(0)(L)-->pi(+)pi(-). This experiment detected over 6200 candidate &mgr;(+)&mgr;(-) events, a factor of 6 more than that seen in all previous measurements combined. The resulting branching ratio gamma(K(0)(L)-->&mgr;(+)&mgr;(-))/gamma(K(0)(L)-->pi(+)pi(-)) = (3. 474+/-0.057)x10(-6) leads to a branching fraction B(K(0)(L)-->&mgr;(+)&mgr;(-)) = (7.18+/-0.17)x10(-9), which is consistent with the current world average, and reduces the uncertainty in this decay mode by a factor of 3.     

Surface layer self diffusion in icosahedral Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystals

The self diffusion of Mn and Pd in a single grain icosahedral Al_69.9Pd_20.5Mn_9.6 quasicrystal has been determined by low energy ion scattering (LEIS). The diffusion was determined by depositing different elements (Pd, Mn) on the surface and measuring the rate of change in surface composition as a function of temperature by LEIS. The surface composition was monitored over the temperature range of 355-575 K for Mn and 440-745 K for Pd and compared to model calculations to allow the activation energy for diffusion to be determined. Activation energies of 0.20 ± 0.01 eV for Mn and 0.64 ± 0.03 eV for Pd have then been measured for self diffusion in i-Al-Pd-Mn, respectively. No deviation from Arrhenius behavior was detected in the temperature range covered by the present experiments. From the low values of activation energy we propose that this range of diffusion is phason related, reflecting the specific nature of the icosahedral structure.     

Initial Measurements of Plasma Potential in the Core of the MST Reversed Field Pinch with a Heavy Ion Beam Probe

Measurement of the plasma potential in the core of MST marks both the first interior potential measurements in an RFP, as well as the first measurements by a Heavy Ion Beam Probe (HIBP) in an RFP. The HIBP has operated with (20-110) keV sodium beams in plasmas with toroidal currents of (200-480) kA over a wide range of densities and magnetic equilibrium conditions. A positive plasma potential is measured in the core, consistent with the expectation of rapid electron transport by magnetic fluctuations and the formation of an outwardly directed ambipolar radial electric field. Comparison between the radial electric field and plasma flow is underway to determine the extent to which equilibrium flow is governed by E×B. Measurements of potential and density fluctuations are also in progress.Unlike HIBP applications in tokamak plasmas, the beam trajectories in MST (RFP) are both three-dimensional and temporally dynamic with magnetic equilibrium changes associated with sawteeth. This complication offers new opportunity for magnetic measurements via the Heavy Ion Beam Probe (HIBP). The ion orbit trajectories are included in a Grad-Shafranov toroidal equilibrium reconstruction, helping to measure the internal magnetic field and current profiles. Such reconstructions are essential to identifying the beam sample volume locations, and they are vital in MST's mission to suppress MHD tearing modes using current profile control techniques. Measurement of the electric field may be accomplished by combining single point measurements from multiple discharges, or by varying the injection angle of the beam during single discharges.The application of an HIBP on MST has posed challenges resulting in additional diagnostic advances. The requirement to keep ports small to avoid introducing magnetic field perturbations has led to the design and successful implementation of cross-over sweep systems. High levels of ultraviolet radiation are driving alternative methods of sweep plate operation. While, substantial levels of plasma flux into the HIBP diagnostic chambers has led to the use of magnetic plasma suppression.     

Matrix characterization of oscillation for double sequences

The notion of oscillation for ordinary sequences was presented by Hurwitz in 1930. Using this notion Agnew and Hurwitz presented regular matrix characterization of the resulting sequence space. The primary goal of this article is to extend this definition to double sequences, which grants us the following definition: the double oscillation of a double sequence of real or complex number is given P-lim sup_{(m,n)→∞;(α,β)→∞}|S _m,n -S _α,β |. Using this concept a matrix characterization of double oscillation sequence space is presented. Other implication and variation shall also be presented.