Design of robust differential microphone arrays with the Jacobi–Anger expansion

Due to their small size, differential microphone arrays (DMAs) are very attractive. Moreover, they have been effective in combating noise and reverberation. Recently, a new class of DMAs of different orders have been developed with the MacLaurin’s series and the frequency-independent patterns. However, the MacLaurin’s series does not approximate well the exponential function, which appears in the general definition of the beampattern, when the intersensor spacing is not small enough. To circumvent this problem, we propose in this paper to approximate the exponential function with the Jacobi–Anger expansion. Based on this approximation and the frequency-independent Chebyshev patterns, we derive first-, second-, and third-order DMAs. Furthermore, in order to improve the robustness of DMAs against white noise amplification, we propose to use more microphones combined with minimum-norm filters. It is also shown that the Jacobi–Anger expansion is optimal from a mean-squared error perspective. Simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed DMAs.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Acyclic Stereotriads Featuring Fluorinated Tetrasubstituted Stereocenters

Elaboration of enantioenriched complex acyclic stereotriads represents a challenge for modern synthesis even more when fluorinated tetrasubstituted stereocenters are targeted. We have been able to develop a simple strategy in a sequence of two unprecedented steps combining a diastereoselective aldol-Tishchenko reaction and an enantioselective organocatalyzed kinetic resolution. The aldol-Tishchenko reaction directly generates a large panel of acyclic 1,3-diols possessing a fluorinated tetrasubstituted stereocenter by condensation of fluorinated ketones with aldehydes under very mild basic conditions. The anti 1,3-diols featuring three contiguous stereogenic centers are generated with excellent diastereocontrol (typically >99 : 1 dr). Depending upon the precursors both diastereomers of stereotriads are accessible through this flexible reaction. Furthermore, from the obtained racemic scaffolds, development of an organocatalyzed kinetic resolution enabled to generate the desired enantioenriched stereotriads with excellent selectivity (typically er >95 : 5).     

The covalent functionalization of few-layered MoTe2 thin films with iodonium salts

Covalent functionalization of 2D materials provides a tailored approach towards tuning of their chemical, optical, and electronic properties making the search for new ways to graft small molecules important. Herein, the reaction with (3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)iodonium salt is revealed as an effective strategy for functionalization of MoTe₂ thin films. Upon decomposition of the salt, the generated radicals graft covalently as aryl-(CF₃)₂ groups at the surface of both metallic (1T’) and semiconducting (2H) polymorphs of MoTe₂. Remarkably, the reactivity of the salt is governed by the electronic structure of the given polymorph. While the functionalization of the metallic MoTe₂ occurs spontaneously, the semiconducting MoTe₂ requires activation by light. The reaction proceeds with the elimination of oxide from the original films yielding the functionalized products that remain protected in ambient conditions, presenting a viable solution to the ageing of MoTe₂ in air.     

Efficient Copper-Catalyzed Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of Unprotected C-Acyl Manno-, Rhamno- and Lyxopyranosides

Due to their high stability towards enzymatic hydrolysis C-acyl glycosidic compounds are useful synthetic intermediates for potential candidates in drug discovery. Syntheses for C-acyl mannosides have remained scarce and usually employ donors obtained from lengthy syntheses. Furthermore, syntheses of unprotected C-acyl mannosides have not been reported so far, due to the incapability of the C-acyl mannoside motif with deprotection conditions for protective groups commonly used in carbohydrate chemistry. Herein, we report an efficient and highly α-selective four-step one-pot method for the synthesis of C-acyl α-d -manno-, l -rhamno- and d -lyxopyranosides from easily accessible persilylated monosaccharides and dithianes requiring only trace amounts of a copper source as catalyst and explain the crucial role of the catalyst by mechanistic studies. Furthermore, the C-acyl α-glycosides were easily isomerized to give rapid access to their β-anomers.     

Determination of parabens in wastewater samples via robot-assisted dynamic single-drop microextraction and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Dynamic single-drop microextraction (SDME) was automatized employing an Arduino-based lab-made Cartesian robot and implemented to determine parabens in wastewater samples in combination with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. A dedicated Arduino sketch controls the auto-performance of all the stages of the SDME process, including syringe filling, drop exposition, solvent recycling, and extract collection. Univariate and multivariate experiments investigated the main variables affecting the SDME performance, including robot-dependent and additional operational parameters. Under selected conditions, limit of detections were established at 0.3 µg/L for all the analytes, and the method provided linear responses in the range between 0.6 and 10 µg/L, with adequate reproducibility, measured as intraday relative standard deviations (RSDs) between 5.54% and 17.94%, (n = 6), and inter-days RSDs between 8.97% and 16.49% (n = 9). The robot-assisted technique eased the control of dynamic SDME, making the process more feasible, robust, and reliable so that the developed setup demonstrated to be a competitive strategy for the automated extraction of organic pollutants from water samples.     

UV/Vis absorption spectroelectrochemistry of folic acid

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - UV/Vis absorption spectroelectrochemistry is a very promising analytical technique due to the complementary information that is simultaneously obtained...