A Concise Total Synthesis of the Fungal Isoquinoline Alkaloid TMC-120B

Recent reports of antiepileptic activity of the fungal alkaloid TMC-120B have renewed the interest in this natural product. Previous total syntheses of TMC-120B comprise many steps and have low overall yields (11–17 steps, 1.5–2.9% yield). Thus, to access this compound more efficiently, we herein present a concise and significantly improved total synthesis of the natural product. Our short synthesis relies on two key cyclization steps to assemble the central scaffold: isoquinoline formation via an ethynyl-imino cyclization and an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction to form the furanone.     

Partially dynamic vehicle routing—models and algorithms

In this paper we propose a framework for dynamic routing systems based on their degree of dynamism. Next, we consider its impact on solution methodology and quality. Specifically, we introduce the Partially Dynamic Travelling Repairman Problem and describe several dynamic policies to minimize routing costs. The results of our computational study indicate that increasing the dynamic level results in a linear increase in route length for all policies studied. Furthermore, a Nearest Neighbour policy performed, on the average, uniformly better than the other dispatching rules studied. Among these, a Partitioning policy produced only slightly higher average route lengths.     

Representations of Hecke Algebras and Dilations of Semigroup Crossed Products

A family of Hecke C^*-algebras can be realised as crossed productsby semigroups of endomorphisms. It is shown by dilating representationsof the semigroup crossed product that the category of representationsof the Hecke algebra is equivalent to the category of continuousunitary representations of a totally disconnected locally compactgroup.     

An improved protocol for the preparation of 3-pyridyl- and some arylboronic acids

3-Pyridylboronic acid was prepared in high yield and bulk quantity from 3-bromopyridine via a protocol of lithium-halogen exchange and "in situ quench". This technique was further studied and evaluated on other aryl halides in the preparation of arylboronic acids.     

Nowhere monotone functions and functions of nonmonotonic type

We investigate the relationships between the notions of a continuous function being monotone on no interval, monotone at no point, of monotonic type on no interval, and of monotonic type at no point. In particular, we characterize the set of all points at which a function that has one of the weaker properties fails to have one of the stronger properties. A theorem of Garg about level sets of continuous, nowhere monotone functions is strengthened by placing control on the location in the domain where the level sets are large. It is shown that every continuous function that is of monotonic type on no interval has large intersection with every function in some second category set in each of the spaces , and .