A principal component method to impute missing values for mixed data

We propose a new method to impute missing values in mixed data sets. It is based on a principal component method, the factorial analysis for mixed data, which balances the influence of all the variables that are continuous and categorical in the construction of the principal components. Because the imputation uses the principal axes and components, the prediction of the missing values is based on the similarity between individuals and on the relationships between variables. The properties of the method are illustrated via simulations and the quality of the imputation is assessed using real data sets. The method is compared to a recent method (Stekhoven and Buhlmann Bioinformatics 28:113–118, 2011) based on random forest and shows better performance especially for the imputation of categorical variables and situations with highly linear relationships between continuous variables.     

[18F]CuCF3: A [18F]Trifluoromethylating Agent for Arylboronic Acids and Aryl Iodides

Positron emission tomography has emerged as the leading method for medical imaging with fluorine‐18 as the most widely used radioactive isotope. Here we report a semi‐automated method for the preparation of valuable [¹⁸F]trifluoromethylcopper, as well as its use for the radiosynthesis of [¹⁸F]trifluoromethylarenes and heteroarenes. Mild conditions of [¹⁸F]trifluoromethylation make this method particularly useful for the radiosynthesis of pharmacologically relevant [¹⁸F]trifluoromethylarenes and heteroarenes.     

A chloride-anion insensitive colorimetric chemosensor for trinitrobenzene and picric acid

A new receptor, the bisTTF-calix[2]thiophene[2]pyrrole derivative 3, has been prepared from the Lewis acid-catalyzed condensation of 2,5-bis(1-hydroxymethylethyl)thiopheno-TTF and pyrrole. This new system is found to form complexes with the electron-deficient guests, trinitrobenzene (TNB) and picric acid (PA), which serve as models for nitroaromatic explosives. The binding phenomenon, which has been studied in organic solution using proton nuclear magnetic resonance and absorption spectroscopies, results in an easy-to-visualize color change in chloroform that is independent of the presence of chloride anion, a known interferant for an earlier tetrakisTTF-calix[4]pyrrole TNB chemosensor. Support for the proposed binding mode comes from a preliminary solid state structure of the complex formed from TNB, namely TNB⊂3. A color change is also observed when dichloromethane solutions of chemosensor 3 are added to solvent-free samples of TNB, PA, and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene supported on silica gel. Figure A new bis-tetrathiafulvalene calix[2]thiophene[2]pyrrole derivative has been prepared that gives rise to an easy-to-visualize color change in the presence of the model nitroaromatic explosives trinitrobenzene and picric acid. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Facile syntheses of quater-, penta-, and sexipyrroles

alpha,alpha-Linked oligopyrroles are attractive precursors for both expanded porphyrin and conducting polymer chemistry. We demonstrate facile methods for synthesizing quater-, penta-, and sexipyrroles from more readily available bi- and terpyrrole intermediates. These products demonstrate stability in their brightly colored oxidized forms, while reduction using borohydride reagents gives the corresponding all-pyrrole oligomers, which oxidize readily in air. The oxidized quater- and sexipyrroles were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Synchronization of chaos in non-identical parametrically excited systems

In this paper, we investigate the synchronization of chaotic systems consisting of non-identical parametrically excited oscillators. The active control technique is employed to design control functions based on Lyapunov stability theory and Routh–Hurwitz criteria so as to achieve global chaos synchronization between a parametrically excited gyroscope and each of the parametrically excited pendulum and Duffing oscillator. Numerical simulations are implemented to verify the results.     

Surface stress, kinetics, and structure of alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers

The surface stress induced during the formation of alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold from the vapor phase was measured using a micromechanical cantilever-based chemical sensor. Simultaneous in situ thickness measurements were carried out using ellipsometry. Ex situ scanning tunneling microscopy was performed in air to ascertain the final monolayer structure. The evolution of the surface stress induced during coverage-dependent structural phase transitions reveals features not apparent in average ellipsometric thickness measurements. These results show that both the kinetics of SAM formation and the resulting SAM structure are strongly influenced both by the surface structure of the underlying gold substrate and by the impingement rate of the alkanethiol onto the gold surface. In particular, the adsorption onto gold surfaces having large, flat grains produces high-quality self-assembled monolayers. An induced compressive surface stress of 15.9 +/- 0.6 N/m results when a c(4x2) dodecanethiol SAM forms on gold. However, the SAMs formed on small-grained gold are incomplete and an induced surface stress of only 0.51 +/- 0.02 N/m results. The progression to a fully formed SAM whose alkyl chains adopt a vertical (standing-up) orientation is clearly inhibited in the case of a small-grained gold substrate and is promoted in the case of a large-grained gold substrate.     

Synthesis and reactivity of pyrrolo[3,2-d][1,3]oxazine-2,4-dione. Access to new pyrrolo[3,2-e][1,4]diazepine-2,5-diones

A convenient synthesis of pyrrolo[3,2-d][1,3]oxazine-2,4-dione 4 is described and its reactivity towards various nucleophiles studied. The regioselective ring opening of anhydride 4 or its N-alkylated analog 25 in the presence of alanine or proline afforded, respectively, imidazolidinedione 22 and N-protected pyrrolo[3,2-e][1,4]diazepines 30 and 31 in a one-pot process. In a last part of this study, an alternative route to produce a library of eight non protected pyrrolo[3,2-e][1,4]diazepine-2,5-diones 35a–h is described to overcome the limited reactivity of anhydride 4.     

Pincer ligands with an all-phosphorus donor set: subtle differences between rhodium and palladium

The synthesis of a new, all-phosphorus pincer PP(NEt2)P ligand L3(NEt2), which is derived from 2-indolylphosphine and features a central N(2)P(NEt(2)) core, is described. This 'PPP' species shows coordination toward Rh as a neutral trisphosphine ligand. Tridentate diphenylphosphine-derived PP(H)P ligands L1(H) and L2(H), featuring a secondary phosphine core, show 'ambivalent' coordination, acting as persistent neutral triphosphine ligands with Rh, and as easily-formed monoanionic phosphido(bisphosphine) pincer ligands toward Pd. These subtle differences, which might be more general for group 9 and 10 metal complexes with this ligand set, are explained by comparative DFT calculations (BP86; def2-TZVP level of theory) for the Rh and Pd species involved, including those with the structurally related PN(H)P ligands. The optimized structure for complex PdCl(L2) indicates minimal overlap of available Pd d-orbitals with the lone pair of the central, deprotonated phosphorus atom (formally a phosphido fragment), suggesting that it behaves predominantly like a bulky phosphine instead of a phosphido fragment.