Synthesis of a novel tetracationic acidic organic salt based on DABCO and its applications as catalyst in the Knoevenagel condensation reactions in water

Synthesis of a novel tetracationic acidic organic salt based on DABCO containing two sulfonic acid groups in the skeleton and four hydrogensulfate groups as counterion is described. Its catalytic efficiency in the Knoevenagel condensation of aldehydes with active cyclic methylene compounds in water is investigated. While 2,2'-(phenylmethylene)bis(3-hydroxy-5,5-dimethylcyclohex-2-enone) derivatives were obtained in 40–98% isolated yields in the reaction of aldehydes with dimedone, the corresponding Knoevenagel adducts were provided in 85–95% yields using 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid. In addition, a DABCO-based polycationic organic salt polymer was prepared and characterized for the first time.     

Modeling interface shear behavior of granular materials using micro-polar continuum approach

Recently, the authors have focused on the shear behavior of interface between granular soil body and very rough surface of moving bounding structure. For this purpose, they have used finite element method and a micro-polar elasto-plastic continuum model. They have shown that the boundary conditions assumed along the interface have strong influences on the soil behavior. While in the previous studies, only very rough bounding interfaces have been taken into account, the present investigation focuses on the rough, medium rough and relatively smooth interfaces. In this regard, plane monotonic shearing of an infinite extended narrow granular soil layer is simulated under constant vertical pressure and free dilatancy. The soil layer is located between two parallel rigid boundaries of different surface roughness values. Particular attention is paid to the effect of surface roughness of top and bottom boundaries on the shear behavior of granular soil layer. It is shown that the interaction between roughness of bounding structure surface and the rotation resistance of bounding grains can be modeled in a reasonable manner through considered Cosserat boundary conditions. The influence of surface roughness is investigated on the soil shear strength mobilized along the interface as well as on the location and evolution of shear localization formed within the layer. The obtained numerical results have been qualitatively compared with experimental observations as well as DEM simulations, and acceptable agreement is shown.     

Cavity shape effect on pKa prediction of small amines

Cavity shape affects the free energy of solvation by which pK_a changes. In this work, we have used different level of theories and basis sets combine with the PCM model of solvation to predict acidity constants of small ammonium ions during their protonation in aqueous solution. Three different kinds of models including UAHF, Bondi, and Pauling have been chosen to study that how a cavity shape changes acidity constant. Contrary to the previous results of literature for bulky ammonium ions, the difference between our results is not very much. Predictions show that in some levels and basis sets UAHF model is the best, while in some other cases it is the worst.     

Synthesis of the proposed structure of mucoxin via regio- and stereoselective tetrahydrofuran ring-forming strategies

An enantioselective total synthesis of the proposed structure of mucoxin (1) is described. Mucoxin, an annonaceous acetogenin isolated from bioactive leaf extracts of Rollinia mucosa, is the first acetogenin containing a hydroxylated trisubstituted tetrahydrofuran (THF) ring. This natural product is a highly potent and specific antitumor agent against MCF-7 (breast carcinoma) cell lines (ED50 = 3.7 x 10(-3) microg/mL compared to adriamycin, ED50 = 1.0 x 10(-2) microg/mL). The total synthesis described herein features two regio- and stereoselective THF ring-forming reactions. The 2,3,5-trisubstituted THF portion (C13-C17) was accessed using a highly regioselective cyclization of a methylene-interrupted epoxydiol, and the 2,5-disubstituted THF ring (C8-C12) was conveniently assembled via a 1,2-n-triol cyclization strategy. The spectral data of the synthetic material and two of its diastereomers did not match the reported data for the natural product. On the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis of the synthesized molecule, we reason that the spectral discrepancies are due to stereochemical misassignment of the natural product.     

Investigation of hydrazine addition to functionalized furans: synthesis of new functionalized 4,4′-bipyrazole derivatives

The addition of hydrazine to functionalized furans 2a-d leads to a variety of 4,4′-bipyrazoles 4a-c depending on the structure of the starting materials. In one example, compound 2c was first converted to an intermediate, furo[3,4-d]pyridazine 3c which was then transformed into 4,4′-bipyrazole 4c on reacting with hydrazine.     

Construction of the Superposition of Displaced Fock States and Entangled Displaced Fock States

In this paper, at first we will construct the superposition of two displaced Fock states and two-mode entangled displaced Fock states mathematically by presenting theoretical methods. In these methods, we will introduce new operators using the parity and displacement operators. It will be observed that the superposition of two displaced Fock states and two-mode entangled displaced Fock states are constructed via the action of the introduced operators on one-mode and two-mode Fock states, respectively. Next, we will show that the presented methods have the potential ability to produce the superposition consist of more than two displaced Fock states and multi-mode entangled displaced Fock states, too.     

A signal subspace approach for modeling the hemodynamic response function in fMRI

Many fMRI analysis methods use a model for the hemodynamic response function (HRF). Common models of the HRF, such as the Gaussian or Gamma functions, have parameters that are usually selected a priori by the data analyst. A new method is presented that characterizes the HRF over a wide range of parameters via three basis signals derived using principal component analysis (PCA). Covering the HRF variability, these three basis signals together with the stimulation pattern define signal subspaces which are applicable to both linear and nonlinear modeling and identification of the HRF and for various activation detection strategies. Analysis of simulated fMRI data using the proposed signal subspace showed increased detection sensitivity compared to the case of using a previously proposed trigonometric subspace. The methodology was also applied to activation detection in both event-related and block design experimental fMRI data using both linear and nonlinear modeling of the HRF. The activated regions were consistent with previous studies, indicating the ability of the proposed approach in detecting brain activation without a priori assumptions about the shape parameters of the HRF. The utility of the proposed basis functions in identifying the HRF is demonstrated by estimating the HRF in different activated regions.     

Nano-sized layered aluminium or zinc-manganese oxides as efficient water oxidizing catalysts

Nano-sized layered aluminium or zinc-manganese oxides were synthesized and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectrometry, dynamic light scattering and atomic absorption spectroscopy. These oxides showed efficient water oxidizing activity in the presence of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate as a non-oxo transfer oxidant. Amounts of dissolved manganese, zinc or aluminium, and water oxidation activities of these oxides were reported and compared with other manganese oxides. A mechanism for oxygen evolution and possible roles for zinc or aluminium ions are also proposed.