Omega- and Omega+ production in central Pb + Pb collisions at 40 and 158A GeV

Results are presented on Omega production in central Pb+Pb collisions at 40 and 158A GeV beam energy. For the first time in heavy ion reactions, rapidity distributions and total yields were measured for the sum Omega(-) + Omega(+) at 40A GeV and for Omega(-) and Omega(+) separately at 158A GeV. The yields are strongly underpredicted by the string-hadronic UrQMD model but agree better with predictions from hadron gas models.     

On Raman optical activity sign-switching between the ground and excited states leading to an unusual resonance ROA induced chirality

Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra recorded for a chiral naphthalene diimide derivative (nBu-NDI–BINAM) dissolved in a series of solvents exhibit strong solute to solvent induced chirality with: (1) dominating bands of solvents, (2) nBu-NDI–BINAM resonance ROA (RROA) bands which are barely visible, (3) monosignate RROA Solvent spectra with an unexpected sign concordant with that of the ECD band of the resonant electronic state, (4) bisignate RROA bands for a few solvents, and (5) superposition of non-resonant and resonant ROA bands of the chiral solvents. The unusual ROA enhancement was explained in terms of resonance energy transfer with resonant Raman emission. The surprising RROA sign-switching was found to be due to specific conformational equilibria where one solute conformer dominates in the ground and the other in the first excited singlet state, and, the signs of the related ECD bands of these two conformers are opposite.

Unusual solute to solvent induced chirality in ROA comes from specific conformer equilibria in the ground and the excited states.     

Ring-expanded bicyclic β-lactams: a structure-chiroptical properties relationship investigation by experiment and calculations

In the present work, the validity of the helicity rule relating the absolute configuration of the bridgehead carbon atom in bicyclic β-lactams to the sign of the 220 nm band observed in their electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra is examined for ring-expanded cephalosporin analogues. To this end, a series of model compounds with a seven-membered ring condensed with the β-lactam unit was synthesized. A key step of their synthesis was either the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) or the free radical cyclization leading to the seven-membered ring with an S, O, or C atom at the 6 position in the bicyclic skeleton. To investigate the scope and limitations of the simple, empirically established helicity rule, a combination of ECD spectroscopy, variable-temperature ECD measurements, X-ray analysis, and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations was used. A comparison of the experimental ECD spectra with the spectra simulated by TD-DFT calculations gives a reasonable interpretation of the Cotton effects observed in the 240-215 nm spectral range. The results suggest that the helicity rule does not apply to the investigated compounds because of the planarity of their amide chromophore. Thus, these compounds do not constitute an exception to the rule that was established for bi- and polycyclic β-lactams with the nonplanar amide chromophore only.     

Phase transition induced improvement in H2 desorption kinetics: the case of the high-temperature form of Y(BH4)3

The high-temperature (HT) phase of Y(BH(4))(3) has been prepared by heating of the as mechanochemically synthesised low-temperature (LT) phase of Y(BH(4))(3) to 194-216 °C and subsequent rapid cooling to ambient temperature. Although the differences in the crystal structure and vibrational spectra for these closely-related polymorphs are rather small, yet the NMR MAS (1)H and CP MAS (89)Y spectra reveal clear differences in the chemical shifts for both nuclei. The thermal decomposition process of both forms differs noticeably below 260 °C, decomposition being faster and more facile for the HT phase. The activation energy for thermal decomposition, calculated according to the Kissinger equation, is nearly three times lower for the HT than for the LT polymorph for the first step of the thermal decomposition signalling giant improvement of kinetics of H(2) desorption.     

Reduction requirements for Ru/(K)Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalytic activity in water-gas shift reaction

This paper is focused upon the influence of potassium on the reduction behavior and catalytic properties of Fe₂O₃, Ru/Fe₂O₃ and Ru/(K)Fe₂O₃ catalysts for the water gas shift (WGS) reaction. The effect of promotion by potassium is attributed to stabilization of a highly dispersed ruthenium phase on the iron oxide surface. The hydrogen reduction behavior of Fe₂O₃ catalysts is strongly influenced by time-pressure dependent processes and comprises two or three heavily overlapped TPR peaks which can be ascribed to the following stages of the iron(III) oxide reduction 3Fe₂O₃ 2Fe₃O₄ 6FeO 6Fe. The appearance of FeO as an intermediate phase was confirmed by XRD. The presence of ruthenium(IV) oxide substantially changes the kinetics of the reduction process. In the case of potassium-doped catalysts, the reduction of Fe₂O₃ is substantially different and is assigned to the reduction phase of KFeO₂. Both ruthenium and potassium have a promoting effect on the catalytic activity for the WGS reaction.From Kinetika i Kataliz, Vol. 45, No. 6, 2004, pp. 930–941.Original English Text Copyright © 2004 by Jówiak, Maniecki, Basiska, Góralski, Fiedorow.This article was submitted by the authors in English.     

Luminescence Properties of Tb-Doped Yttrium Disilicate Prepared by the Sol–Gel Method

A sol–gel method for the synthesis of nanosized powders of yttrium disilicate doped with Tb^{3 +} is presented. The influence of grain size and annealing temperature on the structure and luminescence properties of the materials obtained has been investigated. The preparation of glass-ceramic composite has been also described. The effect of incorporating the nanocrystals into sol–gel silica glasses on their physicochemical properties has been shown and discussed. A lack of influence of the annealing above 1300°C on the lifetimes measured for the nanocrystals embedded in the glass, as compared to the Y₂Si₂O₇:Tb^{3 +} powders, has been observed.     

Solid state NMR spectroscopy as a precise tool for assigning the tautomeric form and proton position in the intramolecular bridges of o-hydroxy Schiff bases

Two analogous Schiff bases, (S,E)-2-((1-hydroxy-3-methyl-1,1-diphenylbutan-2-ylimino)methyl)phenol (1) and (S,Z)-2-hydroxy-6-((1-hydroxy-3-methyl-1,1-diphenylbutan-2-ylamino)methylene)cyclohexa-2,4-dienone (2), exist in the solid state as phenol-imine and keto-amine tautomers, respectively. Their crystal structures were solved using the X-ray diffraction method. Sample 1 forms orthorhombic crystals of space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), while 2 forms monoclinic crystals of space group P2(1). In each sample, one molecule is in the asymmetric unit of the crystal structure. One-dimensional and two-dimensional solid state NMR techniques were used for structure assignment and for inspection of the (13)C and (15)N δ(ii) of the chemical shift tensor (CST) values. NMR study indicates that the span (Ω = δ(11)-δ(33)) and the skew (κ = 3(δ(22)-δ(iso)/Ω) are extremely sensitive to change in the tautomeric form of the Schiff bases. Theoretical calculations of NMR shielding parameters for 1 and 2 and a model compound with reduced aliphatic residue were performed using the GIAO method with B3LYP functional and 6-311++g(d,p) basis sets. From comparative analysis of the experimental and theoretical parameters, it was concluded that the position of hydrogen in the intramolecular bridge has tremendous influence on (13)C and (15)N CST parameters. Inspection of Ω and κ parameters allowed for the establishment of the nature of the hydrogen bonding and the assignment of the equilibrium proton position in the intramolecular bridges in the solid state.     

Preparation, Structure, and Thermal Decomposition of Co(II) Complexeswith 2,3- and 2,5-Dichlorobenzoic Acid and Imidazole

Summary.  The reaction products of Co(II)-2,3- and -2,5-dichlorobenzoate with imidazole (1, 2; CoL ₂⋯2imdċ2H₂O, L=C₇H₃Cl₂O, imd=imidazole) were characterized by their spectroscopic and thermochemical properties. The compounds crystallize in the monoclonic system with space group = P2₁/c, a=13.848(3), b=12.841(3) ?, c= 7.064(2) ?, β=98.12 °, V=1243.5(4) ?³, Z=2 for 1 and space group =P2₁/n, a=13.293(3), b= 6.964(2), c=13.800(3) ?, β=108.92(3) °, V=1208.6(4) ?³, Z=2 for 2. The complexes lose their crystal water in one step at 333 K and subsequently decompose to CoO with intermediate formation of Co₃O₄. Received August 9, 1999. Accepted (revised) February 11, 2000     

Spectrochemical Properties of Noncubical Transition Metal Complexes in Solutions. XIV. Angular Overlap Studies of bis(Salicylidene-2-aminothiazole)Copper(II) in Various Solvents

The copper(II) complex [Cu(sat)], where Hsat is salicylidene-2-aminothiazole (bidentate Schiff - base), was studied in variety of solvents. In the solid state, the complex is black. It has been characterized by elemental analysis, solubility in common solvents, molar conductivity, and ultraviolet (UV) and visible (Vis) spectroscopy. The complex is easily soluble in common solvents such as chloroform, dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and 1,4-dioxane. The known crystal structure of similar compounds shows planar coordination geometry for the copper center. Combined multitechnique experiments have been applied to confirm the structure of the complex in solutions. The molar conductivities indicate their nonelectrolyte properties in all these solvents. The spectroscopic measurements were used to study the coordination properties of donoratoms and their bonding abilities.     

Multinuclear magnetic resonance studies of 2‐aryl‐1,3,4‐selenadiazoles

2‐Aryl‐1,3,4‐selenadiazoles were studied by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N and ⁷⁷Se NMR spectroscopy. The results (chemical shifts and coupling constants) were correlated with Hammett substituent parameters as well as calculated chemical shifts and bond lengths. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.