Sesquilinear quantum stochastic analysis in Banach space

A theory of quantum stochastic processes in Banach space is initiated. The processes considered here consist of Banach space valued sesquilinear maps. We establish an existence and uniqueness theorem for quantum stochastic differential equations in Banach modules, show that solutions in unital Banach algebras yield stochastic cocycles, give sufficient conditions for a stochastic cocycle to satisfy such an equation, and prove a stochastic Lie–Trotter product formula. The theory is used to extend, unify and refine standard quantum stochastic analysis through different choices of Banach space, of which there are three paradigm classes: spaces of bounded Hilbert space operators, operator mapping spaces and duals of operator space coalgebras. Our results provide the basis for a general theory of quantum stochastic processes in operator spaces, of which Lévy processes on compact quantum groups is a special case.     

Separation of natural product using columns packed with Fused‐Core particles

Three HPLC columns packed with 3 μm, sub‐2 μm, and 2.7 μm Fused‐Core (superficially porous) particles were compared in separation performance using two natural product mixtures containing 15 structurally related components. The Ascentis Express^TM C18 column packed with Fused‐Core particles showed an 18% increase in column efficiency (theoretical plates), a 76% increase in plate number per meter, a 65% enhancement in separation speed and a 19% increase in back pressure compared to the Atlantis T3^TM C18 column packed with 3 μm particles. Column lot‐to‐lot variability for critical pairs in the natural product mixture was observed with both columns, with the Atlantis T3 column exhibiting a higher degree of variability. The Ascentis Express column was also compared with the Acquity^TM BEH column packed with sub‐2 μm particles. Although the peak efficiencies obtained by the Ascentis Express column were only about 74% of those obtained by the Acquity BEH column, the 50% lower back pressure and comparable separation speed allowed high‐efficiency and high‐speed separation to be performed using conventional HPLC instrumentation.     

Linear versus bent bonding in metal-phosphinidene complexes: Theoretical studies of the electrophilic phosphinidene complexes [(Cp)(CO)2MPMe)], [(Cp)(CO)3MPMe)] (M = Cr, Mo, W)

Density functional theory calculations have been performed for the title phosphinidene complexes using the exchange correlation functionals BP86 and B3LYP. The optimized bond lengths and angles of the model compounds are in excellent agreement with experiment. The M-P bond lengths in linear phosphinidene complexes correspond to a Pauling bond order of ∼ 3. The bent geometries at phosphorus in the bent metal phosphinidene complexes are consistent with the presence of a trivalent phosphorus(III) center which is singly bonded to carbon and doubly bonded to transition metal. The analysis of the delocalized Kohn-Sham orbitals shows the polarization of the M-P σ bonding orbitals towards the phosphorus atom in the MPMe bonds, while in the MPMe bond, the contributions of metal and phosphorus are almost the same. In the linear phosphinidene complexes the contributions of the covalent bonding ΔE_orb are more than the electrostatic interaction ΔE_elstat. The bent phosphinidene complexes have a lower degree of covalent bonding than the linear phosphinidene complexes. The major differences between the linear and bent phosphinidene complexes are found in the degree of π-bonding. The MPMe bonds show a true M-P π bond and a deviated π bond due to slight bent M-P-C bond angles. The MPMe bonds show a true M-P π bond and a lone-pair on phosphorus.     

Where on Earth has our water come from?

The presence of water in the Earth has long been an enigma. However, computer modelling techniques have shown that the adsorption of water onto the fractal surfaces of interplanetary dust particles, which are present in the planetary accretion disk, is sufficiently strong to provide a viable origin of terrestrial water.     

Manipulating double-decker molecules at the liquid-solid interface

We have used a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to manipulate heteroleptic phthalocyaninato, naphthalocyaninato, and porphyrinato double-decker (DD) molecules at the liquid-solid interface between 1-phenyloctane solvent and graphite. We employed nanografting of phthalocyanines with eight octyl chains to place these molecules into a matrix of heteroleptic DD molecules; the overlayer structure is epitaxial on graphite. We have also used nanografting to place DD molecules in matrices of single-layer phthalocyanines with octyl chains. Rectangular scans with a STM at low bias voltage resulted in the removal of the adsorbed DD molecular layer and substituted the DD molecules with bilayer-stacked phthalocyanines from phenyloctane solution. Single heteroleptic DD molecules with lutetium sandwiched between naphthalocyanine and octaethylporphyrin were decomposed with voltage pulses from the probe tip; the top octaethylporphyrin ligand was removed, and the bottom naphthalocyanine ligand remained on the surface. A domain of decomposed molecules was formed within the DD molecular domain, and the boundary of the decomposed molecular domain self-cured to become rectangular. We demonstrated a molecular "sliding block puzzle" with cascades of DD molecules on the graphite surface.     

Analysis of caffeic acid derivatives in echinacea extracts by liquid chromatography particle beam mass spectrometry (LC–PB/MS) employing electron impact and glow discharge ionization sources

A liquid chromatography–particle beam/mass spectrometry (LC–PB/MS) method with electron impact (EI) and glow discharge (GD) ionization sources is presented for the determination of caffeic acid derivatives in echinacea tinctures. In this work, two commercially available echinacea ethanolic extracts were used as the test samples for the separation, identification, and quantification of the caffeic acid derivatives (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, cichoric acid, and caftaric acid), which are suggested to have beneficial medicinal properties. Detailed evaluations of the two primary controlling parameters for EI (electron energy and source block temperature) and GD (discharge current and pressure) sources were performed to determine optimal instrument operation conditions. The mass spectra obtained from both ion sources provide clear and simple molecular fragmentation patterns for each of the target analytes. The absolute detection limits for the caffeic acid derivatives were determined to be at subnanogram levels for both the EI and GD sources. The separation of the caffeic acid derivatives in echinacea was accomplished by reversed-phase chromatography using a C₁₈ column and a gradient elution system of water containing 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid and methanol, with an analysis time of less than 40 min. A standard addition method was employed for the quantification of each of the caffeic acid derivatives in the tincture.     

Feedback control of bursting and multistability in chaotic systems

With a modulated CO₂ laser as a standard model of periodically driven multistable systems, we experimentally demonstrate that a small-amplitude optoelectronic feedback perturbation can efficiently transform a bursting chaotic system to a nonchaotic one. Numerical simulations are in excellent agreement with the experimental results. The control has also been equally effective in the case of a driven FitzHugh-Nagumo model of Neuroscience.     

Novel thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines: their design, synthesis, crystal structure analysis and pharmacological evaluation

Novel thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines containing a cyclohexane ring fused with a six- or five-membered heterocyclic moiety along with a benzylic nitrile were designed as potential inhibitors of PDE4. Expeditious synthesis of these compounds was carried out via a multi-step sequence consisting of a few key steps such as Gewald reaction, Dieckmann type cyclisation and Krapcho decarboxylation. This newly developed strategy involved construction of the thienopyrimidine ring followed by the cyclohexanone moiety and subsequently the fused heterocyclic ring. A number of thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine based derivatives were synthesized using this method some of which showed promising PDE4B inhibitory properties. One of them was tested for PDE4D inhibition in vitro and dose dependent inhibition of TNF-α. A few selected molecules were docked into the PE4B protein the results of which showed good overall correlations to their observed PDE4B inhibitory properties in vitro. The crystal structure analysis of representative compounds along with hydrogen bonding patterns and molecular arrangement present within the molecule is described.     

A tandem enyne/ring closing metathesis approach to 4-methylene-2-cyclohexenols: an efficient entry to otteliones and loloanolides

A short and efficient approach to a 4-methylene-2-cyclohexenone substructure present in otteliones and loloanolides is described. This strategy involves a tandem enyne/ring closing metathesis as the key reaction to construct this labile core unit.     

Structural impact of iron ions on BaBiBO4 glasses: Spectroscopic and dielectric investigations

Transparent glasses of composition 10BaO.20Bi₂O₃.(70 ? x)B₂O₃.xFe₂O₃ (wt.%) where 0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0, were characterized by XRD and SEM. Physical, spectroscopic and dielectric properties were investigated. At higher dopant of Fe₂O₃, EPR results revealed that, the number of Fe³⁺ ions participate in the resonance is decreased by forming a new signal at g ≈ 3.015 due to increase of antiferromagnetic interaction of Fe³⁺ ions and/or formation of low spin Fe³⁺ ions in the glass matrix. With initial 0.5 wt.% doping of Fe₂O₃, less dense glass is formed with colloids of metallic Bi⁰ atoms. The absorption bands at 604 and 712 nm in F5 glass are ascribed to Bi⁰ and Bi⁺ radicals respectively. No characteristic Fe³⁺ absorption bands (spin-forbidden) are found. Fe²⁺ ions are increased at higher concentration of Fe₂O₃. Higher concentration of Fe₂O₃ is favorable for BO₂O^?, BO₃, BiO₆ and FeO₆ symmetry unit leads to low band gap and high Urbach energy. By doping of Fe₂O₃ the dielectric parameters like dielectric constant (ε′), loss (tanδ and ac electrical conductivity (σ_ac) are found to increase.