Non-secular part of nuclear dipolar broadening detected by zero-field spin relaxation of positive muon

The zero-field spin relaxation function of μ⁺ observed in ZrH₂ has revealed that the second moment of the nuclear dipolar broadening is five times larger than the high-field value. This experiment clearly demonstrates the recovery of the non-secular part of dipolar interaction between unlike spins. A general expression of zero-field relaxation function is presented to account for a slow modulation of random fields on μ⁺ found at room temperature.     

Recent results at LULI on fast electron transport with and without guiding cone in the context of fast ignitor

We present experimental and numerical results obtained at LULI (Laboratoire pour l’Utilisation des Lasers intenses) on propagation and energy deposition of laser-generated fast electrons into conical targets. The experimental measurements were performed by means of several diagnostics in order to assess the predicted benefit of conical targets over standard planar ones. Various configurations have been tried, regarding the laser parameters with the aim of optimizing the laser-to-target coupling. Our best results have been obtained when the laser was frequency-doubled at 0.53 μm, corresponding to interaction conditions without laser pedestal due to the ASE (Amplified Spontaneous Emission). Our data pinpoint the detrimental influence of the pre-plasma generated by the laser pedestal at 1.057 μm, whose confinement is enhanced in conical geometry as evidenced by shadowgraphic measurements which is also confirmed by 2D Cu-Ka transverse images obtained from Cu cones. The consequence is the filling of the cone, preventing the laser beam from efficiently reaching the cone tip. These experimental results are compared to 2D PIC simulations modeling of the laser-cone interaction.     

Determination of the structure of {31}ne by a fully microscopic framework

We perform the first quantitative analysis of the reaction cross sections of {28-32}Ne by {12}C at 240 MeV/nucleon, using the double-folding model with the Melbourne g matrix and the deformed projectile density calculated by antisymmetrized molecular dynamics. To describe the tail of the last neutron of {31}Ne, we adopt the resonating group method combined with antisymmetrized molecular dynamics. The theoretical prediction excellently reproduces the measured cross sections of {28-32}Ne with no adjustable parameters. The ground state properties of {31}Ne, i.e., strong deformation and a halo structure with spin parity 3/2{-}, are clarified.     

A CO Adsorption Site Change Induced by Copper Substitution in a Ruthenium Catalyst for Enhanced CO Oxidation Activity

Ru is an important catalyst in many types of reactions. Specifically, Ru is well known as the best monometallic catalyst for oxidation of carbon monoxide (CO) and has been practically used in residential fuel cell systems. However, Ru is a minor metal, and the supply risk often causes violent fluctuations in the price of Ru. Performance‐improved and cost‐reduced solid‐solution alloy nanoparticles of the Cu‐Ru system for CO oxidation are now presented. Over the whole composition range, all of the Cu_xRu_1?x nanoparticles exhibit significantly enhanced CO oxidation activities, even at 70 at % of inexpensive Cu, compared to Ru nanoparticles. Only 5 at % replacement of Ru with Cu provided much better CO oxidation activity, and the maximum activity was achieved by 20 at % replacement of Ru by Cu. The origin of the high catalytic performance was found as CO site change by Cu substitution, which was investigated using in situ Fourier transform infrared spectra and theoretical calculations.     

Highly enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions of Danishefsky type dienes with electron-deficient alkenes catalyzed by Yb(III)-BINAMIDE complexes

1-Methoxy-3-trimethylsiloxy-1,3-butadiene (Danishefsky's diene) is recognized as a synthetically useful diene due to its high reactivity in the Diels-Alder reaction with electron-deficient alkenes to give oxygen-functionalyzed cyclohexenes and substituted cyclohexenones, which are important building blocks for the total synthesis of natural products. However, the development of catalytic enantioselective versions of Diels-Alder reactions using Danishefsky type dienes with electron-deficient alkenes has been difficult because of the instability of the dienes under Lewis acidic conditions. Only highly reactive CO and CN double bonds are employed in a hetero-Diels-Alder reaction which proceeds under catalysis of chiral Lewis acids. We have developed a new chiral ligand, BINAMIDE, which is easily prepared from 1,1'-binaphtyl-2,2'-diamine by acylation. The highly diastereo- and enantioselective Diels-Alder reaction of Danishefsky type dienes with electron-deficient alkenes in the presence of an Yb(III)-BINAMIDE complex has been developed. The reaction proceeded in an exoselective mode and gave chiral highly functionalized cyclohexene derivatives in good yields.     

Spontaneous membrane fusion induced by chemical formation of ceramides in a lipid bilayer

Mere chemical generation of ceramide and related double-chain lipids in the membrane of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) induces fusion of the vesicles. The lipids can be successfully prepared by dehydrocondensation between single-chain lipids (fatty acids and sphingosine or its analogues) in a lipid bilayer of the SUV by using a combination of 2-chloro-4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine and amphiphilic tertiary amine catalysts, a process that can be compared to a successive enzyme model system for a fatty acyl-CoA synthetase followed by acyltransferase. The SUV spontaneously undergoes membrane fusion upon this internal chemical stimulation by the artificial enzyme system.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetra-ortho-Substituted Axially Chiral Biaryls through Rhodium-Catalyzed Double [2 + 2 + 2] Cycloaddition

[reaction: see text] We have established an enantioselective synthesis of both C2 symmetric and unsymmetric tetra-ortho-substituted axially chiral biaryls through rhodium-catalyzed double [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition (up to >99% ee). This method serves as an attractive new route to enantioenriched tetra-ortho-substituted axially chiral biaryls in view of the one-step access to substrate diynes and tetraynes starting from readily available alkynes.     

Cu-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective sulfonylation of multi-substituted allenes

Regio- and stereoselective sulfonylation of allenes under Cu catalysis is described. Allenyl sp carbons exclusively react with TsCN to give the corresponding alkenyl sulfones. The reaction is initiated by addition of tosyl radical to form benzyl radical intermediates, which determines the reaction pathway. The structure of the products is highly dependent on the substituents on allenes.     

PHOTOOXYGENATION OF METHYL LINOLEATE SENSITIZED BY PORPHYRINS AND DYES IN ACETONITRILE SOLUTION AND AQUEOUS EMULSION SYSTEMS

Photooxygenation reaction of an unsaturated fatty acid ester, methyl linoleate (methyl 9- cis. 12- cis -octadecadienoate, ML-H), sensitized by porphyrins and several types of dyes has been studied in aqueous emulsion and acetonitrile solution under air at 40°C. The oxygen (O₂) uptake proceeded slowly in the absence of sensitizers upon irradiation of an aqueous emulsion and an acetonitrile solution of ML-H (20 m M ) at ℷ_ex > 290 nm (11.4 and 6.1 μmol h^-1, respectively). The rate of O₂ uptake was enhanced by a catalytic amount (0.1 m M ) of porphyrins and dyes; hematoporphyrin (HP), zinc tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridiniumyi)porphyrin (ZnTMPyP), methylene blue (MB), rose bengal (RB), acridine orange (AO), and acriflavine (AF). In both systems, the sensitized photooxidation of ML-H by O₂ proceeded equimolarly to produce isomeric mixture of C9 and C13 hydroperoxides having the trans,cis and trans,trans conjugated diene configurations, independent of the types of the sensitizers used. The yield ratio of trans,trans/ trans,cis products in the MB-sensitized photooxygenation in acetonitrile and aqueous emulsion were almost equal (0.32 and 0.35. respectively). The sensitizing activity of the sensitizers, as measured by the quantum yield of O₂ uptake, increased in the order: MB (≃ 0) < ZnTMPyP < RB < HP < AF < AO in the aqueous emulsion and AO < AF < HP < RB = MB in the acetonitrile solution. The order in homogeneous acetonitrile solution was interpreted by the sensitizing ability of the dyes to produce singlet oxygen, while that in heterogeneous aqueous emulsion was correlated to the lipophilicity of dyes as well as the singlet-oxygen-producing ability.