A ditopic calix[6]arene ligand with N-methylimidazole and 1,2,3-triazole substituents: synthesis and coordination with Zn(II) cations

The first member of a new class of ditopic calix[6]arene has been synthesized, which is decorated with three N-methylimidazoles at the small rim and three 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles at the large rim. The coordination of a first Zn(II) cation selectively takes place at the small rim. Addition of a second equivalent results in the complexation of the three triazoles, providing a rare example of 1,2,3-triazole ligands embedded within a supramolecular system.     

Alterations of transmembrane currents in frog atrial heart muscle induced by photoexcited gymnochrome A purified from the crinoid, Gymnochrinus richeri

The effects of gymnochrome A were tested on the electrical activity of the frog atrial heart muscle. Gymnochrome A (1-5 microM) did not alter the resting potential. Gymnochrome A (5 microM) slowed the initial depolarizing phase of the spontaneously beating action potential. Under voltage-clamp conditions gymnochrome A (5 microM) did not affect the electrical constant of the membrane and the kinetic parameters of the peak Na+ current (INa) recorded in the Ringer solution containing tetraethylammonium (2 mM) and Cd2+ (1 mM) but shifted the membrane potential at which the current both activated and reached its maximal value toward more negative membrane potentials. It did not alter the reversal potential for INa, indicating that the selectivity of the Na+ channels had not changed. These observations suggest that gymnochrome A binds to the membrane and shifts the activation of INa on the voltage axis by modifying the free negative fixed charges present at the membrane surface rather than by occupying a specific site on the Na+ channel. Photoexcited gymnochrome A transiently triggered an early outward current which lengthened the time-to-peak of INa and decreased its amplitude. In addition, photoexcited gymnochrome A blocked the background K+ current. This is, to our knowledge, the first time that such effects are reported on the cardiac muscle. These observations suggest that the photoexcitation of gymnochrome produces physico-chemical effects which lead to intracellular changes. Further experiments are required to determine their nature.     

Synthesis of trans-(3S)-amino-(4R)-alkyl- and -(4S)-aryl-piperidines via ring-closing metathesis reaction

[reaction: see text] trans-(3S)-Amino piperidines bearing various alkyl and aryl substituents at the C-4 position were synthesized via a ring-closing metathesis reaction. The absolute stereochemistry was controlled using a protected D-serine as a starting material. Stereoselective hydrogenation of allylamines provided trans-(3S)-amino-(4R)-alkyl- and -(4S)-aryl-piperidines. This procedure presents the first method for the asymmetric synthesis of 4-substituted 3-amino piperidines.     

A novel approach to metal and metal oxide nanoparticle synthesis: the oil-in-water microemulsion reaction method

A novel and straightforward approach, based on oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsions, was developed for the synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles at ambient conditions. It implies the use of organometallic precursors dissolved in nanometre-scale oil droplets of o/w microemulsions. Addition of reducing or oxidizing/precipitating agents results in the formation of metallic or metal oxide nanoparticles, respectively. Nonionic o/w microemulsion systems were chosen, and several key compositions were selected for nanoparticle synthesis at 25 °C. High Resolution Electron Microscopy revealed that small nanoparticles of metals (Pt, Pd and Rh) and nanocrystalline metal oxide (cerium (IV) oxide with cubic type crystalline structure confirmed by XRD), of less than 7 nm can be obtained in mild conditions.     

Study of the elastic stiffness constants of thiourea by Brillouin scattering

All the elastic stiffness constants of thiourea have been measured at room temperature. The value of C₆₆(0.7 × 10¹⁰dynes/cm²) is very low. The C₁₁ and C₃₃ constants exhibit discontinuities at 169 and 202 K. The longitudinal acoustic phonons propagating in the c direction are very strongly damped in the vicinity of 202 K.     

Gold cluster carbonyls: vibrational spectroscopy of the anions and the effects of cluster size, charge, and coverage on the CO stretching frequency

We report the vibrational spectra of the carbonyl complexes of anionic gold clusters in the range of the CO stretching frequency as measured in the gas phase using IR multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy. The investigated complexes contain between 3 and 14 Au atoms and up to 7 CO ligands. Special attention is given to the complexes that exhibit saturation CO coverage as well as to the monocarbonyl species. In conjunction with data from the corresponding cationic complexes we quantify how the CO stretching frequency varies with the charge state of the gold cluster. Our results provide a size- and charge-dependent basis to interpret values of the CO stretching frequency measured for CO on deposited gold clusters in terms of the charge states of the clusters.     

Planarized star-shaped oligothiophenes with enhanced pi-electron delocalization

[structure: see text] Planarized star-shaped oligothiophenes 1 have been synthesized by connecting short-chain oligothiophenes on a benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b':5,6-b' ']trithiophene central core. Their electrochemical and optical properties have been characterized by cyclic voltammetry and UV-visible spectroscopy, respectively. These results associated with theoretical calculations show the advantage of benzotrithiophene as a central core in terms of pi-electron delocalization.     

An oscillatory integral estimate associated to rational phases

Let R(t)=P(t)/Q(t) be a quotient of real polynomials. We show that ∫exp(iR(t)) dt/t has a uniform bound with a bound depending only on the degrees of P and Q and not on their coefficients. Also L^P estimates are obtained for certain associated singular integral operators.     

Halo structure of (14)Be

The two-neutron halo nucleus (14)Be has been investigated in a kinematically complete measurement of the fragments ((12)Be and neutrons) produced in dissociation at 35 MeV/nucleon on C and Pb targets. Two-neutron removal cross sections, neutron angular distributions, and invariant mass spectra were measured, and the contributions from electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) were deduced. Comparison with three-body model calculations suggests that the halo wave function contains a large nu(2s(1/2))(2) admixture. The EMD invariant mass spectrum exhibited enhanced strength near threshold consistent with a nonresonant soft-dipole excitation.