Parallel pseudospectral electronic structure: II. Localized Møller–Plesset calculations

We have developed a parallel version of our pseudospectral localized Møller–Plesset electronic structure code. We present timings for molecules up to 1010 basis functions and parallel speedup for molecules in the range of 260–658 basis functions. We demonstrate that the code is scalable; that is, a larger number of nodes can be efficiently utilized as the size of the molecule increases. By taking advantage of the available distributed memory and disk space of a scalable parallel computer, the parallel code can calculate LMP2 energies of molecules too large to be done on workstations. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 1030–1038, 1998     

Synthesis of Oligonucleotides Carrying Anchoring Groups and Their Use in the Preparation of Oligonucleotide–Gold Conjugates

Oligodeoxynucleotide conjugates 1 – 15 carrying anchoring groups such as amino, thiol, pyrrole, and carboxy groups were prepared. A post‐synthetic modification protocol was developed. In this method 2′‐deoxy‐O⁴‐(p‐nitrophenyl)uridine‐3‐phosphoramidite was prepared and incorporated in oligonucleotides. After assembly, the modified nucleoside was made to react with different amines carrying the anchoring groups. At the same time, protecting groups were removed to yield the desired oligonucleotide conjugates. In a second approach, amino, thiol, and carboxylic groups were introduced into the 3′‐end of the oligonucleotides by preparing solid supports loaded with the appropriate amino acids. Oligonucleotide gold conjugates were prepared and their binding properties were examined.     

Shaped Corrugated Horns for Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropy Measurements

Novel corrugated horn have been modelled, manufactured and measured which give low-sidelobe patterns required by CMB Anisotropy experiments. These horns have a Back-to-Back structure with mode filtering at their centres. They are corrugated to give axial symmetric low-sidelobe patterns, profiled to reduce their length, and have a Gaussian flare at their entrance apertures to further suppress sidelobes to -40dB. Modelling and experimental results show excellent agreement to well below 50 dB.     

Analysis of hydroxy fatty acids as pentafluorobenzyl ester,trimethylsilyl ether derivatives by electron ionization gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Electron ionization (EI) gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of pentafluorobenzyl ester-trimethyl sllyl ether (PFB-TMS) derivatives of hydroxy-subshtuted fatty acids provides structural information comparable to that obtained in analysis of methyl ester-trimethyl silyl ether (Me-TMS) derivatives. Use of this derivative eliminates the need to prepare two separate derivatives, the PFB-TMS derivative for molecular weight determination by electron capture ionization (negative ions) analysis and the Me-TMS derivative for structural determination by EI GC/MS analysis. The relative abundance of fragment ions observed during EI GC/MS analysis of these derivatized unsaturated fatty acids indicates the location of the —OTMS substituents relative to double bond positions in those cases studied. The most abundant fragment ions are observed when the compound contains an unsaturation two carbon atoms removed from the —OTMS ether carbon (the β-OTMS position). The “saddle effect” observed in the GC/MS analyses of some derivatized monohy— droxy unsaturated fatty acids is suggested to be due to a thermally allowed pericyclic double bond rearrangement and indicates the presence of a conjugated diene one carbon atom removed from the —OTMS ether carbon (the α-OTMS position). The saddle effect is most prominent for fatty acids that contain additional unsaturation separated by a single methylene unit from the conjugated diene moiety.     

Fragmentation characteristic of glutathione conjugates activated by high-energy collisions

Product ion spectra of fifteen monoglutathione and diglutathione conjugates have been measured using activation by 6000-eV collisions with helium in the third field-free region of a four-sector tandem mass spectrometer of EBEB configuration. Fragmentation patterns in the cation spectra have been analyzed for decompositions of the glutathione moiety that would permit recognition of an unknown as a glutathione conjugate. Five spectra from an earlier study of high-energy collisional activation on a BEEB four-sector instrument have also been included in this analysis. A suite of appropriate ions was found to occur consistently, including ions of m/z 307 comprising the glutathione tripeptide and the complementary ion [MH — 307]⁺ or the ion radical [MH — 306]^+’.     

Synthesis of (+)-(R)-Tiruchanduramine

The absolute stereochemistry of the marine alkaloid (+)-(R)-tiruchanduramine was established via a convergent total synthesis in six steps and 15.5% overall yield from Fmoc-D-Dab(Boc)-OH.     

Diisobutylaluminum borohydride: An efficient reagent for the reduction of tertiary amides to the corresponding amines under ambient conditions

A synthetically simple mixed metal hydride, diisobutylaluminum borohydride [(iBu)₂AlBH₄], is easily generated from a 1:1 mixture of borane-dimethylsulfide (BMS) and diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL). The reduction of tertiary amides using (iBu)₂AlBH₄ is complete within five minutes under ambient conditions and the product tertiary amines were isolated in 70–99% yields by a simple acid-base extraction. This new methodology, reported herein, works well for reduction of tertiary aliphatic and aromatic amides as well as lactams to the corresponding amines and product isolation and purification does not require column chromatography.     

Maximum number of collisions among identical hard spheres

It is proved that the maximum number of collisions among three identical hard spheres in more than one dimension is four. It is conjectured that the maximum number of collisions amongn hard spheres ind dimensions is independent ofd, provideddn-1.