Towards a Living Radical Polymerization of Styrene by Using Dithiolactone as a New Type of Mediating Agent

In this communication, γ‐phenyl‐γ‐butyrodithiolactone (DTL1) is presented as the first example of a new type of control agent. The styrene polymerization carried out at 60 °C in the presence of DTL1 exhibits living characteristics, without consuming DTL1 during the process. This unprecedented behavior was explained by a mechanism based on the reversible formation of a persistent radical adduct between the DTL1 and the polystyrene macroradicals.

     

Multivariate calibration for the improvement of the quantification of cadmium in the presence of potassium as interferent by total reflection X-ray fluorescence

A multivariate calibration method was applied to improve the accuracy of the determination of cadmium in the presence of potassium by total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF). Due to TXRF's relatively low resolution, a particular interference caused by potassium at line Kα 3.31 keV as interference can compromise the cadmium determination at line Lα 3.13 keV, respectively. The method is based on the hypothesis that the application of a multivariate calibration method, for example, partial least squares, could reduce variations due to interference and, consequently, improve the selectivity and accuracy in Cd determination. In this work, this strategy was evaluated on the X-ray fluorescence emission signals between 2.50 and 3.90 keV for a set of 26 different synthetic calibration mixtures and eight different mixtures for external calibration. Based on a certified reference material (Clay 2—CRM051) with high potassium levels, a significant improvement of accuracy for cadmium determination was observed, overcoming the problems associated with spectral interferences by potassium.     

An unexpected Pummerer rearrangement in the synthetic route to ethyl (2′-hydroxy-4′,5′-methylenedioxyphenyl)acetate: An alternative approach to 2,3-dimethylthio benzofurans

The synthesis of ethyl (2′-hydroxy-4′,5′-methylendioxophenyl)acetate, a fragment of the antihyperglycemic natural coumarin subcoriacin, is reported. We found an expeditious route to the title compound in five steps. Final metal catalyzed acid ethanolysis of the vinylic 1,1-methylthio methylsulfoxide derivative afforded the required aryl acetic ester, but in the absence of metal catalyst, an unexpected Pummerer rearrangement produced the 2,3-dimethylthiofuran derivative as the major product. This last result provides an alternative entry to 2,3-dimethlythiobenzofurans.     

A Diels-Alder reaction / oxa-Michael addition / acyloin rearrangement cascade on tropolonic substrates

We describe a novel pericyclic/anionic cascade reaction on tropolonic substrates that combines a Diels-Alder reaction, an oxa-Michael addition, and an acyloin rearrangement to afford tricyclic α-hydroxy-β-methoxyketones. Spectroscopic, crystallographic, and mechanistic studies indicate that the process requires stabilization of reaction intermediates through intramolecular H-bonding to take place, and suggest that the conjugate addition step involves a catalytic cycle with initial formation of an ammonium enolate and sustained by an alkoxide ion pair. Given the rich functionality and structural complexity generated in a single step, the process could be exploited in the preparation of natural product-like compound libraries.     

On the affine heat equation for non-convex curves

In this paper, we extend to the non-convex case the affine invariant geometric heat equation studied by Sapiro and Tannenbaum for convex plane curves. We prove that a smooth embedded plane curve will converge to a point when evolving according to this flow. This result extends the analogy between the affine heat equation and the well-known Euclidean geometric heat equation.

     

Tensor Fields of Type (0, 2) on the Tangent Bundle of a Riemannian Manifold

To any (0, 2)-tensor field on the tangent bundle of a Riemannian manifold, we associate a global matrix function. Based on this fact, natural tensor fields are defined and characterized, essentially by means of well-known algebraic results. In the symmetric case, this classification coincides with the one given by Kowalski–Sekizawa; in the skew-symmetric one, it does with that obtained by Janyka.     

The crystal structure of a cyclodecabis[1,2,3]selenadiazole

4,5,6,10,11,12-hexahydrocyclodeca[1,2-d6,7-d]bis[1,2,3]selenadiazole, C₁₀H₁₂N₄Se₂, crystallizes in triclinic space group P witha=5.4625(3),b=7.2091(4),c=8.3122(6) , =65.313(5), =77.476(5), =77.442(5)°,V=287.35(4) ³,Z=1. The structure was refined toR=0.031 andR _w=0.030 for 2018 observed reflections. The molecule lies on an inversion center. The cyclodecadiene ring adopts an elongated chair conformation. The near-zero torsion angle of the elongated chair lies at the ring-fusion bonds, with a magnitude of 2.9(3)°. The five atoms of the selenadiazole ring exhibit maximum deviation 0.005(2) from planarity, with the adjacent carbon atoms lying respectively 0.020(2) and 0.059(2) to the same side of this plane. The torsion angles about the bonds comprising the sides of the elongated chair vary in magnitude from 61.0(2)° to 55.7(2)°. The cyclodecadiene C=C bond lengths are 1.368(2) . The selenium-carbon bond length is 1.850(2) . The Se–N distance is quite long, 1.888(2) .