Two novel dicoumaro-p-menthanes from Gerbera piloselloides (L.) CASS

Two new type dicoumarins (dicoumaro-p-menthanes), named dibothrioclinins I (1) and II (2) were isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Gerbera piloselloides (L.) CASS., collected in Yunnan Province, China. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of MS, 1D ((1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, DEPT and NOE) and 2D ((1)H-(1)H COSY, HMQC, HMBC) NMR spectral analyses. The relative structures of the two compounds were established by NOE difference spectroscopy and further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies.     

An Education in Robustness

A case study is presented of the application of robustness analysis to the choice of examination subjects to be made by a 14-year-old girl. The analysis is conducted in terms of the desirable future career options which may be preserved by different combinations of subjects, and also of the balance with topics selected for their intrinsic interest. The approach, which employs very limited technical apparatus, is justified on a number of grounds-in particular, the crucial importance of uncertainty, and the need for understanding and acceptance by a "client" very unlike the corporate manager. Some tentative conclusions are reached on the extension of such methods to other cases of decision-makers with little, if any, resources to control except their own lives.     

Multi-step polymer-assisted solution-phase (PASP) library synthesis of functionalized diaminobenzamides

A parallel solution-phase library synthesis of functionalized diaminobenzamides is described. The four-step library synthesis is accomplished using polymer-assisted solution-phase (PASP) synthesis techniques. This high-yielding, multi-step sequence utilizes sequestering resins for the removal of reactants, reactant by-products, and employs a resin capture/release strategy as a key library synthesis step. Step one of the sequence relies on the displacement of an activated fluoro-group from the aromatic ring of 1a, b with a variety of primary amines to introduce the first diversity position. Step two is hydrolysis of the benzoate ester to a benzoic acid which is subsequently captured on a polyamine resin, washed, and released to give 4a, b in pure form. Step three utilizes PASP resins to mediate the amide coupling of a benzoic acid with a variety of primary amines to give the aminonitrobenzamides 5a, b and introduces the second diversity position. Step four is the parallel reduction of the aminonitrobenzamides 5a, b to the functionalized diaminobenzamides 6a, b. This library synthesis proceeds with high overall purities which average 80 % over the 4-step sequence.     

Teaching Operational Research Technique

Good technique, i.e. competence in carrying out operational research, is as vital for the practitioner to acquire as competence in the traditional ‘techniques’. It is suggested that universities should teach students how to conduct simple projects prior to alerting them to more sophisticated methodological issues.As an aid to this task, the traditional five or six parts of an operational research project are broken down and extended into 39 steps, and regrouped into three phases. Also, five skills are identified as being conceptually essential to "good" operational research, which students can develop through tackling suitable case studies.     

A theoretical study of five nitrates: Electronic structure and bond dissociation energies

Three density-functional methods (B3P86, B3PW91, and B3LYP) are employed to investigate the O–NO₂ bond lengths, frontier orbital energies, and O–NO₂ bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of n-propyl nitrate (NPN), isopropyl nitrate (IPN), 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (EHN), triethylene glycol dinitrate (Tri-EGDN), and tetraethylene glycol dinitrate (Tetra-EGDN). It is found that the O–NO₂ bond lengthens (destabilizes) in the order of IPN, NPN, EHN, Tetra-EGDN, and Tri-EGDN. From the data of frontier orbital energies (E_HOMO, E_LUMO), and energy gaps (ΔE), we estimate the relative thermal stability ordering of five nitrates and their corresponding radicals. The predicted BDEs of O–NO₂ bond in NPN, IPN, EHN, Tri-EGDN, and Tetra-EGDN, are 176.6, 174.5, 168.1, 156.1, and 159.3 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. Based on the finding that the present results of BDEs are well coincident with the experimental results of apparent activation energies from the literature, we can draw a conclusion that the experimental thermolysis of five nitrates is only unimolecular homolytical cleavage of the O–NO₂ bonds.     

Dispersion state of CuO on CeO2

XRD and XPS are used to study the dispersion state of CuO on ceria surface. The dispersion capacity values of CuO measured by the two methods are consistent, which are of 1.20 mmol CuO/100 m² CeO₂. In addition, the results reveal that highly dispersed Cu²⁺ ions are formed at low CuO loadings and that increasing the CuO content to a value higher than its dispersion capacity produces crystalline CuO after the surface vacant sites on CeO₂ are filled. The atomic composition of the outermost layer of the CuO/CeO₂ samples has been probed by using static secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SSIMS), and the ratim of Cu/Ce are found to be 0.93 and 0.46 for the 1.22 and 0.61 mmol CuO/CeO₂ samples respectively. Temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) profile with two reduction peaks at 156 and 165°C suggests that the reduction of highly dispersed Cu²⁺ ions consists of two steps and is easier than that of CuO crystallites, in which the TPR profile has only one reduction peak at about 249°C. The above experimental results are in good agreement with the prediction of the incorporation model. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

Effect of some factors on the energy band structure of proteins

The effects of four factors (different side chains, side-chain disorder, conformational change, and ions and water) on the energy band structures of proteins have been investigated with the aid of the CNDO/2 crystal orbital method. The results indicate that these factors are very important. The consequences of these effects on the semiconductive properties of proteins are discussed.     

Reversible replication between ordered mesoporous silica and mesoporous carbon

Highly ordered mesoporous silica can be regenerated from a mesoporous carbon CMK-3 that is a negative replica of mesoporous silica SBA-15, indicating reversible replication between carbon and inorganic materials.     

Adsorption of 1,10-phenanthroline within a dodecanethiol monolayer: an approach to a switchable electrode surface

A simple method was used to prepare a "switchable" electrode surface by using self-assembled monolayers of dodecanethiol on a gold electrode. The dodecane-modified electrode was electrochemically inactive until the monolayer was soaked in solutions of 1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2'-bipyridine. The electroactive form of the electrode could be reverted back to the nonelectroactive form by rinsing the electrode. Surface IR results showed that both dodecanethiol and 1,10-phenanthroline exist in the mixed monolayer.     

Mesoscale organization of CuO nanoribbons: formation of "dandelions"

A two-tiered organizing scheme with multiple-length scales for construction of dandelion-like hollow CuO microspheres has been elucidated: (1) mesoscale formation of rhombic building units from smaller nanoribbons via oriented aggregation and (2) macroscopic organization of these units into the CuO microspheres. This self-assembly concept may also be applicable to other metal oxides by creating geometric constraints for constructional units.