Information flow due to controlled interference in entangled systems

We point out that controlled quantum interference corresponds to measurement in an incomplete basis and implies a nonlocal transfer of classical information. A test of whether such a generalized measurement is permissible in quantum theory is presented. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Generation and characterization of ionic and neutral [HS-P-OH]<Superscript>+/·</Superscript> and S=P(OH)<Stack><Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>+/·</Superscript></Stack> in the Gas Phase by Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Computational Chemistry

Dissociative electron ionization of diethyl dithiophosphate (I) and O,O′-diethyl methylphosphonothioate (II) generates moderately abundant m/z 81 ions of composition [P, O, S, H₂]⁺. From tandem mass spectrometry experiments and theoretical calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), G2, and G2 (MP2) levels it is concluded that the majority of the ions have the structure of HS-P-OH⁺ (1a ⁺) and it is separated by high-energy barriers from its isomers P(= S)OH₂⁺ (1b ⁺), P(= O)SH₂⁺ (1c ⁺), HP(= S)OH⁺ (1d ⁺), and HP(= O)SH⁺ (1e ⁺). Low-energy (metastable) ions 1a ⁺ dissociate via losses of H₂O and H₂S to yield m/z 63 (PS⁺) and m/z 47 (PO⁺) product ions, respectively. These reactions involve isomerization of 1a ⁺ into the stable isomers 1b ⁺ and 1c ⁺. Neutralization-reionization experiments confirm the theoretical prediction that radical 1a ^· is a stable species in the gas-phase. Variable-time NR experiments indicated that only a small fraction of metastable 1a ^· radicals dissociate in the 0.4–4.6 μs time window, while most dissociations occurred on a shorter time scale. RRKM calculations were performed to investigate unimolecular dissociation kinetics of 1a ^· which were found to be in agreement with the fragmentation observed in the NR spectrum. The 70-eV electron ionization of (I) and diethyl chlorothiophosphate (III) yields m/z 97 ions, predominantly of the structure S = P(OH)₂⁺ (2a ⁺). This conclusion follows from tandem mass spectrometry experiments and theoretical calculations. The calculations predict that (2a ⁺) is separated by high-energy barriers from its isomers O = P(SH)OH⁺ (2b ⁺), S = P(= O)OH₂⁺ (2c ⁺), and O = P(= O)SH₂⁺ (2d ⁺). Neutralization-reionization experiments confirmed that 2a ^· radical is a kinetically stable species on the time scale of up to 5 μs, which is in agreement with ab initio calculations. However, owing to a mismatch of Franck-Condon factors a large fraction of 2a ^· dissociates by loss of SH^· yielding O=P-OH.     

A mild and efficient acetylation of alcohols, phenols and amines with acetic anhydride using La(NO3)3·6H2O as a catalyst under solvent-free conditions

A wide variety of alcohols, phenols and amines are efficiently and selectively converted into the corresponding acetates by treatment with acetic anhydride in the presence of catalytic amounts of La(NO₃)₃·6H₂O under solvent-free conditions at room temperature. The method is compatible with acid sensitive hydroxyl protecting groups such as TBDMS, THP, OBz, OBn, Boc and some isopropylidenes and offers excellent yields of the mono acetates of 1,3-, 1,4- and 1,5-diols.     

Sulfonic acid–functionalized Wang resin (Wang-OSO3H) as polymeric acidic catalyst for the ecofriendly multicomponent synthesis of polyhydroquinolines via Hantzsch condensation

An efficient and green approach has been developed for the synthesis of polyhydroquinoline derivatives via Hantzsch condensation reaction directly from corresponding substituted aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes, β-keto compounds, active methylene compounds, and ammonium chloride using recyclable polymer-supported sulfonic acid catalyst under aqueous conditions. Environmental acceptability, operational simplicity, low cost, excellent functional group compatibility, and high yields are the important features of this protocol.     

Boron Nitride Nanosheets Improve Sensitivity and Reusability of Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a useful multidisciplinary analytic technique. However, it is still a challenge to produce SERS substrates that are highly sensitive, reproducible, stable, reusable, and scalable. Herein, we demonstrate that atomically thin boron nitride (BN) nanosheets have many unique and desirable properties to help solve this challenge. The synergic effect of the atomic thickness, high flexibility, stronger surface adsorption capability, electrical insulation, impermeability, high thermal and chemical stability of BN nanosheets can increase the Raman sensitivity by up to two orders, and in the meantime attain long‐term stability and extraordinary reusability not achievable by other materials. These advances will greatly facilitate the wider use of SERS in many fields.     

Gorenstein dimension of modules over homomorphisms

Given a homomorphism of commutative noetherian rings R→S and an S-module N, it is proved that the Gorenstein flat dimension of N over R, when finite, may be computed locally over S. When, in addition, the homomorphism is local and N is finitely generated over S, the Gorenstein flat dimension equals , where E is the injective hull of the residue field of R. This result is analogous to a theorem of André on flat dimension.     

Characterization and catalytic functionalities of copper oxide catalysts supported on zirconia

A series of zirconia supported copper oxide catalysts with varying copper loadings (1.2-19.1 wt %) were prepared by impregnation method. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), and temperature-programmed desorption of CO2. Copper dispersion and metal area were determined by N2O decomposition method. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate the presence of crystalline CuO phase beyond 2.7 wt % of Cu on zirconia. UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra suggest the presence of two types of copper species on the ZrO2 support. XPS peaks intensity ratio of Cu 2p3/2 and Zr 3d5/2 was compared with Cu dispersion calculated from N2O decomposition. TPR patterns reveal the presence of highly dispersed copper oxide at lower temperatures and bulk CuO at higher temperatures. The basicity of the catalysts was found to increase with Cu loading, and the activity of the catalysts was also found to increase with the increase in Cu loading up to 2.7 wt % Cu loading. The catalytic properties were evaluated for the dehydrogenation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone and were related to surface properties of the copper species supported on zirconia.     

Improved sequencing of oxidized cysteine and methionine containing peptides using electron transfer dissociation

Oxidative modifications to the side chains of sulfur-containing amino acids often limit the number of product ions formed during collision-induced dissociation (CID) and thus make it difficult to obtain sequence information for oxidized peptides. In this work, we demonstrate that electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) can be used to improve the sequence information obtained from peptides with oxidized cysteine and methionine residues. In contrast to CID, ETD is found to be much less sensitive to the side-chain chemistry, enabling extensive sequence information to be obtained in cases where CID fails to provide this information. These results indicate that ETD is a valuable technique for studying oxidatively modified peptides and proteins. In addition, we report a unique and very abundant product ion that is formed in the CID spectra of peptides having N-terminal cysteine sulfinic acid residues. The mechanism for this unique dissociation pathway involves a six-membered cyclic intermediate and leads to the facile loss of NH(3) and SO(2), which corresponds to a mass loss of 81 Da. While the facile nature of this dissociation pathway limits the sequence information present in CID spectra of peptides with N-terminal cysteine sulfinic acid residues, extensive sequence information for these peptides can be obtained with ETD.     

Hilbert-Samuel functions of modules over Cohen-Macaulay rings

For a finitely generated, non-free module over a CM local ring , it is proved that for the length of is given by a polynomial of degree . The vanishing of is studied, with a view towards answering the question: If there exists a finitely generated -module with such that the projective dimension or the injective dimension of is finite, then is regular? Upper bounds are provided for beyond which the question has an affirmative answer.