From the SmA to the Hexatic,Including the SmC*, SmC*A and SmC*re Phases: A 2H NMR Relaxation Study

The molecular dynamics of a ferroelectric liquid crystal, denoted ZLL 7/* , is investigated by means of ²H NMR relaxation. The spin–lattice (T_1Q and T_1Z) and spin–spin (T₂) relaxation times of two isotopomers of ZLL 7/* , labeled on the phenyl and biphenyl fragments, are measured and their behavior upon passing from the SmA to the hexatic phase, through the ferroelectric SmC*, antiferroelectric SmC*_A, and re‐entrant ferroelectric SmC*_re phases, is discussed. A comparison between the measured T₂ and T₂*, directly related to the experimental linewidth, provides information on the heterogeneity of the system, thus allowing confirmation of previous hypotheses concerning the structural and ordering properties of the SmC*_A and SmC*_re phases. The possibility to look at different sites of the core of the ZLL 7/* smectogen reveals a peculiar sensitivity of the phenyl moiety with respect to the biphenyl fragment, which may be justified by its vicinity to the chiral centers. Interestingly, the trend of the longitudinal relaxation times is characterized by a minimum that corresponds to the SmC*_A and SmC*_re phases, which is reproducible for the two isotopomers and at several Larmor frequencies. A quantitative analysis of T_1Q and T_1Z is performed in the SmA and SmC* phases, for which the narrowing regime approximation is valid. A multifrequency approach is applied to self‐consistently determine the diffusion coefficients for the overall molecular motions, namely spinning and tumbling, and the internal rotations around the para axes of the phenyl and biphenyl fragments. The effect of the magnetic field in unwinding the helical structure of the SmC* phase (for H>9 T) allows observation of a sensitive change in the rotational diffusion coefficients in the frustrated unwound SmC* phase with respect to the SmC* phase.     

Sharp estimates for the anisotropic torsional rigidity and the principal frequency

In this paper we generalize some classical estimates involving the torsional rigidity and the principal frequency of a convex domain to a class of functionals related to some anisotropic nonlinear operators.     

Synthesis and photochemistry of 3-(o-stilbeneyl)-4-H/Me/Ph-sydnones; intramolecular cyclization to 1,2-benzodiazepines and/or quinolines

Stilbeneylsydnone derivatives were synthesized by a sequence of reactions in good yields. Irradiation of 3-stilbeneyl-4-methylsydnone 4 gives 1H-1,2-benzodiazepine derivative 7 as the main product along with 2-methylquinoline derivative 20. Irradiation of 3-stilbeneyl-4-phenylsydnone 5 afforded only 1H-1,2-benzodiazepine derivative 8 whereas on irradiation of 4-unsubstituted 3-stilbeneylsydnone 3 no benzodiazepine derivative was detected. An efficient novel photochemical approach to 1H-1,2-benzodiazepines has been found from the new 3-(o-stilbeneyl)-4-substituted-sydnones via intramolecular 1,7-electrocyclization reaction of the photogenerated nitrile imines.     

Parahydrogen studies of H2 addition to Ir(I) complexes containing chiral phosphine-thioether ligands: implications for catalysis

Ir(CO)[CpFe{eta5-C5H3(PPh2)CH2SR}]Cl [R = Ph and (t)Bu], containing a kappa2:P,S ligand, undergoes H2 addition across the S-Ir-CO axis under kinetic control to form two distinct diastereoisomeric products, which then rearrange via S dissociation in a process that can be hijacked for useful catalysis, but ultimately form a single diastereoisomer of the thermodynamic product where the hydride ligands are trans to chloride and phosphine.     

Mechanistic study on the coupling reaction of aryl bromides with arylboronic acids catalyzed by (iminophosphine)palladium(0) complexes. Detection of a palladium(II) intermediate with a coordinated boron anion

The complexes [Pd(eta2-dmfu)(P-N)] [P-N = 2-(PPh2)C6H4-1-CH=NR, R = C(6)H(4)OMe-4; CHMe2; C6H3Me2-2,6; C6H3(CHMe2)-2,6] react with an excess of BrC6H4R1-4 (R1= CF3; Me) yielding the oxidative addition products [PdBr(C6H4R1-4)(P-N)] at different rates depending on R [C6H4OMe-4 > C6H3(CHMe2)-2,6 > CHMe2 approximately C6H3Me2-2,6] and R1 (CF3> Me). In the presence of K2CO3 and activated olefins (ol = dmfu, fn), the latter compounds react with an excess of 4-R2C6H4B(OH)2 (R2= H, Me, OMe, Cl) to give [Pd(eta2-ol)(P-N)] and the corresponding biaryl through transmetallation and fast reductive elimination. The transmetallation proceeds via a palladium(II) intermediate with an O-bonded boron anion, the formation of which is markedly retarded by increasing the bulkiness of R. The intermediate was isolated for R = CHMe2, R1 = CF3 and R2= H. The boron anion is formulated as a diphenylborinate anion associated with phenylboronic acid and/or as a phenylboronate anion associated with diphenylborinic acid. In general, the oxidative addition proceeds at a lower rate than transmetallation and represents the rate-determining-step in the coupling reaction of aryl bromides with arylboronic acids catalyzed by [Pd(eta2-dmfu)(P-N)].     

Artificial neural networks in chemometrics: History, examples and perspectives

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are non-linear computational tools suitable to a great host of practical application due to their flexibility and adaptability. However, their application to the resolution of chemometric problems is relatively recent (early 1990s).In this communication, different artificial neural networks architectures are presented and their application to different kinds of chemometric problems (mainly classification and regression) is discussed by means of examples taken from the authors' experience, stressing the pros and cons of ANNs with respect to traditional chemometric techniques.     

MTDSC Calibration Dependence of the Instrumental Response Upon Experimental Conditions

The heat capacity calibration ‘constants’ of a commercial MTDSC system (TA 3100) were determined in a variety of experimental conditions. For a given modulation frequency, the calibration constants are the same within a few percents for different temperatures, and over a wide range of modulation amplitudes and scan rates. This variation decreases below 1% if hidden instrumental constraints are taken into account, which are related with the capability of the control system to achieve the desired temperature program. On the other hand, the calibration constant changes substantially with the period, and takes anomalously high values for the short modulation periods (20+40 s). Rules to optimize the accuracy of the system are given. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Novel Method to Obtain a β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Compound by Solid State Reaction: the Ketoprofen Case Revisited

The ketoprofen/beta-cyclodextrin (-CD) inclusion compounds may be conveniently obtained through a solid state reaction at room temperature in the presence of saturated water vapour. Relative to the corresponding complexes produced with the usual coprecipitation method, the new compounds have a higher ketoprofen content and/or different properties. In particular, the formation reaction is not accompanied by a loss of hydration water, which is released in distinct stages upon heating. The thermodynamics of the dehydration process is discussed.