Book reviews

Please forward books for review to the book review editor: Magdolna Hargittai, Structural Chemistry Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös University, H-1431 Budapest, Pf. 117, Hungary     

Differentiation and electron ionization-induced isomerization of 4,5-Bis(alkylthio)-1,3-dithiole-2-thiones and 1,2-dithiole-3-thiones

The electron impact ionization mass spectra of 4,5-bis(alkylthio)-1,3-dithiole-2-thiones and their 1,2-dithiole-3-thione isomers were studied by accurate mass measurements and linked scans. The relative abundance of ions formed following the extrusion of S₂, CS or CS₂ allows an unambiguous isomer differentiation. Isomerization of molecular ions was studied by means of metastable ion analysis and collision-induced dissociation. The order of reactivity was analogous to that observed in isomerization under photochemical conditions.     

Proximity effects in mass spectrometry. Electron impact ionization-induced cyclization of 1,2-bis(1,4-dithiafulven-6-yl)benzenes

The electron impact ionization mass spectra of o-, m- and p-bis(1,4-dithiafulven-6-yl)benzenes were studied by means of accurate mass measurements, metastable analysis and collision-induced dissociation. Differences observed in the spectra of the ortho isomers are due to a cyclization reaction leading to molecular ions with the same structure as those generated from certain cyclic compounds, as confirmed by comparison of linked scans at constant B/E of metastable and collisionally activated molecular ions. Parallels of this cyclization of molecular ions with their electrochemical or acid-induced isomerization are also discussed.     

Electrochemical characterization of composite membranes based on crown-ethers intercalated into montmorillonite

Oxyethylene macrocyclic compounds (crown-ethers) act as ligands of intracrystalline cations of certain layered silicates as montmorillonites. Stable intercalation materials are formed which are used to prepare organic-inorganic membranes by encapsulating these intercalation compounds with a poly-butadiene thin coating. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is used to study the resulting composite membranes in contact with aqueous electrolytes. From the impedance plots, the ionic resistance of the membranes is obtained. The thickness of the polybutadiene coating is an important factor determining the ability of ions to pass across the membrane. Marked differences in the ionic resistance are observed as a function of the nature of the interlayer macrocyclic compound. For non-intercalated montmorillonite membranes, the ionic resistance is strongly reduced, whereas for some crown-ether intercalated materials such as 18-crown-6 and dibenzo 24-crown-8, iono-selective membranes are obtained. Concerning the nature of the electrolyte, cations exhibiting greater hydration energies show higher difficulties to pass through the membrane and, consequently, the ionic resistance increases.     

The complexification and degree of a semi-algebraic set

The complexification of a semi-algebraic set is the smallest complex algebraic set containing S. Let S be defined by s polynomials of degrees less than d. We prove that the geometric degree of the complexification is less than . Received: 9 January 1997; in final form: 11 August 2000 / Published online: 17 May 2001     

A note about the Gaussian property of the Brownian bridge

The Gaussian property of the Brownian bridge is characterized as an application of Ramachandran's theorem in terms of the independence of the random variables that appear in the Karhunen-Loéve expansion of the process. A reference about the construction of the Brownian bridge by means of functional transformations is also included.     

Analysis of the crystallization kinetics in poly(ethylene oxide) by calorimetric measurements

Summary Differential scanning calorimetric measurements in the early stage of isothermal crystal growth of polyethylene oxide are analysed in the light of irreversible thermodynamics. An accurate evaluation of the equilibrium melting temperature is done by fitting the thermograms obtained at different undercoolings and referring to the activation energy values already known from the literature. Paper presented at the I International Conference on Scaling Concepts and Complex Fluids, Copanello, Italy, July 4–8, 1994.     

Nitrogen bridgehead compounds. Part 70. Studies on quinolizine derivatives. Part 4. Ultraviolet-visible spectra and chemical properties of some quinolizine derivatives and their monocyclic tautomers

Ultraviolet-visible spectra of 4-oxo 1 and 4-imino 2 quinolizines or their monocyclic tautomers 3, 4 have been studied in neutral, acidic and basic ethanolic solution as well as in dimethyl sulfoxide and chloroform. Ring B of 4-oxo and 6-unsubstituted 4-imino compounds can be cleaved by sodium ethanolate more or less easily. Ring B of 6-methyl-4-iminoquinolizines is very unstable and they are present mainly in the monocyclic form which are partly dissociated in ethanol and dimethyl sulfoxide especially in higher dilution or in the presence of sodium ethanolate. In dilute acidic ethanol or chloroform, the dissociation is suppressed and in the latter solvent and in some cases, absorption bands can be observed due to a small amount of the 4-imino-6-methylquinolizines. In acidic solution of compounds 3B=C, 3D, 4E, 4F=G having simultaneously cyano and ethoxycarbonyl groups in 1 and 3 position, not simple reprotonation occurs but irreversible changes can be observed.     

Synchronization Analysis of Coupled Noncoherent Oscillators

We present two different approaches to detect and quantify phase synchronization in the case of coupled non-phase coherent oscillators. The first one is based on the general idea of curvature of an arbitrary curve. The second one is based on recurrences of the trajectory in phase space. We illustrate both methods in the paradigmatic example of the R?ssler system in the funnel regime. We show that the second method is applicable even in the case of noisy data. Furthermore, we extend the second approach to the application of chains of coupled systems, which allows us to detect easily clusters of synchronized oscillators. In order to illustrate the applicability of this approach, we show the results of the algorithm applied to experimental data from a population of 64 electrochemical oscillators.