A six-step synthesis of (S)-5-ethenyl-3-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)pyridine (SIB-1508Y) from (S)-nicotine

The anti-Parkinson’s agent SIB-1508Y was prepared in six steps from (S)-nicotine in 20% overall yield. The strategy involves a regioselective formylation at C-5 of a 1,4-dihydronicotine intermediate.     

Synthesis and crystal structures of extremely crowded oligophenylenes as model precursors to ‘cubic graphite’

By using drastic conditions for a Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction, it was possible to synthesize an oligophenylene with an extremely dense packing of the benzene rings. Crystallographic data could be obtained and a projection of the structure on the plane of the central phenyl ring reveals that the molecule retained its theoretical threefold symmetry with only minor deviations. Due to its dense packing of interlocked benzene rings, this oligophenylene could be furthermore used as a suitable precursor for constructing a subunit of ‘cubic graphite’.     

On matrices with operator entries

In this paper we consider certain matrix equations in the field of Mikusiński operators, and construct a method for obtaining an approximate solution which allows working with numerical constants instead of operators. The theory of diagonally dominant matrices is applied for the analysis, existence and character of the obtained solutions. We introduce a method for determining approximate solutions of a discrete analogue for operational differential equations and give conditions for their existence. The error of the approximation is estimated.     

Birefringent filter with amplitude beats

In this work, we show a very simple birefringent filter useful to modulate a broadband light spectrum. We first show the generation of various oscillating spectra using two identical multiple-order waveplates. In particular a sinusoidal broadband spectrum with a rapid oscillation is obtained. This spectrum is amplitude modulated by adding another waveplate to the system. This waveplate has a small phase shift, and with the proper orientation generates amplitude beats on the broadband spectrum. Finally, we show how this system can be voltage controlled by means of a ferroelectric liquid crystal modulator. We experimentally demonstrate this behavior with the aid of a portable spectrophotometer, and we provide a theoretical explanation on the basis of the Jones matrix formalism.     

Thee + e −→¯nn cross section predicted remarkably larger than thee + e −→¯pp one

It is shown that all global analyses of nucleon electromagnetic form factor data predict the electron-positron annihilation into neutron-antineutron cross section (for which there are no data till now) to be in a finite energy region substantially larger than the electron-positron annihilation into the proton-antiproton one.Dedicated to the memory of M. Gmitro.     

Optimality relationships forp-cyclic SOR

Summary The optimality question for blockp-cyclic SOR iterations discussed in Young and Varga is answered under natural conditions on the spectrum of the block Jacobi matrix. In particular, it is shown that repartitioning a blockp-cyclic matrix into a blockq-cyclic form,q, results in asymptotically faster SOR convergence for the same amount of work per iteration. As a consequence block 2-cyclic SOR is optimal under these conditions.Research supported in part by the US Air Force under Grant no. AFOSR-88-0285 and the National Science Foundation under grant no. DMS-85-21154 Present address: Boeing Computer Services, P.O. Box 24346, MS 7L-21, Seattle, WA 98124-0346, USA     

IR finite one-loop box scalar integral with massless internal lines

The IR finite one-loop box scalar integral with massless internal lines has been recalculated. The result is very compact, simple and valid for arbitrary values of the relevant kinematic variables. It is given in terms of only two dilogarithms and a few logarithms, all of very simple arguments. Received: 31 January 2002 / Published online: 26 April 2002     

Measurement of surface topography by RGB Shadow-Moiré with direct phase demodulation

In this paper we present the application of a direct demodulation method for the measurement of surface topography by means of Shadow-Moiré. In our set-up, we use three LEDs (with green, red and blue peak wavelengths) to illuminate the grating. Due to the different position of these light sources, a polychromatic Shadow-Moiré fringe pattern is produced, which can be described as the superposition of three monochromatic (red, green and blue) fringe patterns. Taking the image of this polychromatic fringe pattern with a RGB CCD camera, we get a monochromatic fringe pattern stored at each RGB channel of the CCD. The direct demodulation algorithm employed uses these fringe patterns to calculate the wrapped phase map. After unwrapping the phase map using a standard multi-grid technique, we implemented an automatic procedure to detect the area of interest of the phase map by removing low modulation zones and to calculate the absolute value of the phase. In this way it is possible to determine the topography of a surface with a single RGB snapshot maintaining a simple experimental set-up, which is an important feature, especially for the study of dynamic phenomena such as deformations. We present the experimental results obtained after measuring different objects with both smooth and rough surface textures.