Book reviews

Please forward books for review to the book review editor: Magdolna Hargittai, Structural Chemistry Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös University, H-1431 Budapest, Pf. 117, Hungary     

Dehydration and dehydroxylation of reduced charge montmorillonite

Reduced charge montmorillonites (RCM) were prepared by the thermal treatment of lithiumsaturated montmorillonite. Samples prepared by mild thermal treatment with lithium contained more water sorbed than the original montmorrilonite. When RCMs were prepared, part of the lithium cations reacted with hydroxyl groups in the octahedral sheet and released protons, which reacted with the structure. Acid treatment probably enhanced the surface area. which was reflected in the amount of water sorbed. Deprotonation of hydroxyl groups was proved by the measurements of the ignition loss. The heating of lithium saturated montmorillonite at higher temperatures brough about the collapse of the interlayers and a decrease in the amount of water sorbed.     

Electrochemical characterization of composite membranes based on crown-ethers intercalated into montmorillonite

Oxyethylene macrocyclic compounds (crown-ethers) act as ligands of intracrystalline cations of certain layered silicates as montmorillonites. Stable intercalation materials are formed which are used to prepare organic-inorganic membranes by encapsulating these intercalation compounds with a poly-butadiene thin coating. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is used to study the resulting composite membranes in contact with aqueous electrolytes. From the impedance plots, the ionic resistance of the membranes is obtained. The thickness of the polybutadiene coating is an important factor determining the ability of ions to pass across the membrane. Marked differences in the ionic resistance are observed as a function of the nature of the interlayer macrocyclic compound. For non-intercalated montmorillonite membranes, the ionic resistance is strongly reduced, whereas for some crown-ether intercalated materials such as 18-crown-6 and dibenzo 24-crown-8, iono-selective membranes are obtained. Concerning the nature of the electrolyte, cations exhibiting greater hydration energies show higher difficulties to pass through the membrane and, consequently, the ionic resistance increases.     

聚乙炔的CH面外振动红外光谱研究

采用从头计算方法，计算了反式和顺式聚乙炔的氢原子在垂直于聚乙炔分子面方向振动的红外光谱，计算表明，Gibson等用红外吸收实验所测得的谱线的确是聚乙炔的CH面外振动产生的谱线，经100℃长时间加热后，顺式聚乙炔变为反式聚炔，但波数为740cm^-1的谱级仍保留5％的强度。     

Ce偶-偶同位素低激发态性质的IBM2描述

通过考虑同类核子相干对间的四极相互作用，在IBM2中对Ce偶－偶同位素^128Ce-^138Ce的低激发态能谱和E2跃迁几率及分支比进行了理论分析，计算结果有效地改善了IBM中这些核的γ带能谱的Staggering现象描述，与实验观察到的低激发态结果基本一致。     

A Characterization of Cosmological Time Functions

A characterization of time functions on a spacetime is made by using theMöbius equation. It is shown that a time function characterized in this wayyields past timelike geodesic incompleteness and local Lorentzian warpedproduct decomposition of spacetime, provided that the stress-energy tensoris a fluid. Also, by imposing additional assumptions on the stress-energytensor and global analytic structure of the spacetime, more restrictivedecompositions closer to Robertson–Walker spacetimes are obtained.     

Charge-transfer chromatographic study of the interaction of anticancer drugs with acetyl-β-cyclodextrin

The interaction between 23 anticancer drugs and acetyl-β-cyclodextrin (acetyl-β-CD) was studied by reversed-phase charge-transfer thin-layer chromatography and the relative strength of interaction was calculated. Acetyl-β-CD formed inclusion complexes with 16 compounds, the complex always being more hydrophilic than the uncomplexed drug. The inclusion forming capacity of drugs differed considerably according to their chemical structure. The significant linear correlation between the hydrophobicity and specific hydrophobic surface area of anticancer drugs indicated that they can be considered as a homologous series of compounds, however, their chemical structures are highly different.     

Stereoselective Michael Addition of Carbonyl Compounds to ( E )-β-Nitrostyrene Catalysed by N -Toluensulfonyl-l -proline Amide in Ionic Liquids

Summary. N-Toluensulfonyl-l-prolin amide was tested as catalyst in the enantioselective Michael addition of carbonyl compounds to (E)-β-nitrostyrene in nine ionic liquids under different reaction conditions. The reaction rates and enantioselectivities were strongly dependent on the ionic liquids. Change of enantioselectivity was observed too and it is attributed to both the cation and the anion of ionic liquid. The best yields (up to 98%) and enantioselectivity (70% ee) of product were obtained in a basic ionic liquid [bmim]BF₄ at room temperature.     

On theK-property of some planar hyperbolic billiards

TheK-property is demonstrated for a class of planar billiards satisfying Wojtkowski's principles. Their boundary may consist of convex-scattering, concave and linear pieces. Earlier Wojtkowski showed that these billards had non-zero Lyapunov exponents.