The semileptonic decay fraction ofB-mesons in the light of interfering amplitudes

Consequences of the interference between spectator amplitudes for the lifetimes and semileptonic decay fractions ofB ⁰ andB ⁺ mesons are discussed. Extracting these amplitudes from a fit to 11 exclusive hadronicB decay fractions we finda ₁=1.05±0.03±0.10,a ₂=+0.227±0.012±0.022, an inclusive semileptonic decay fraction of (11.2±0.5±1.7)%, and a lifetime ratio (B ⁺)/(B ⁰)=0.83±0.01±0.01.Supported under DOE grant number DE-FG02-91-ER40690     

Molecular orbital studies of the acidity of substituted methanes

CNDO/2 MO studies have been carried out on CH₄, C₂H₆, CHCL₃ CH₃CN, CH₃NO₂, CH₃CHO, CH₃COCH₃, and their corresponding anions, both in the gas phase and in “aqueous solution” The results closely parallel related experimental studies.     

Influence of initial order on the microscopic mechanism of electric field induced alignment of block copolymer microdomains

We investigate the mechanism of microdomain orientation in concentrated block copolymer solutions exposed to a dc electric field by in situ synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). As a model system, we use concentrated solutions of a lamellar polystyrene-b-polyisoprene block copolymer in toluene. We find that both the microscopic mechanism of reorientation and the kinetics of the process strongly depend on the initial degree of order in the system. In a highly ordered lamellar system with the lamellae being aligned perpendicular to the electric field vector, only nucleation and growth of domains is possible as a pathway to reorientation and the process proceeds rather slowly. In less ordered samples, grain rotation becomes possible as an alternative pathway, and the process proceeds considerably faster. The interpretation of our finding is strongly corroborated by dynamic self-consistent field simulations.     

Crystal structures of lanthanide(III) complexes with cyclen derivative bearing three acetate and one methylphosphonate pendants

A series of lanthanide(III) complexes formulated as M[Ln(Hdo3ap)].xH(2)O (M = Li or H and Ln = Tb, Dy, Er, Lu, and Y) with the monophosphonate analogue of H(4)dota, 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-triacetic-10-methylphosphonic acid (H(5)do3ap), was prepared in the solid state and studied using X-ray crystallography. All of the structures show that the (Hdo3ap)(4-) anion is octadentate coordinated to a lanthanide(III) ion similarly to the other H(4)dota-like ligands, i.e., forming O(4) and N(4) planes that are parallel and have mutual angle smaller than 3 degrees . The lanthanide(III) ions lie between these planes, closer to the O(4) base than to the N(4) plane. All of the structures present the lanthanide(III) complexes in their twisted-square-antiprismatic (TSA) configuration. Twist angles of the pendants vary in the range between -24 and -30 degrees, and for each complex, they lie in a very narrow region of 1 degree. The coordinated phosphonate oxygen is located slightly above (0.02-0.19 Angstroms) the O(3) plane formed with the coordinated acetates. A water molecule was found to be coordinated only in the terbium(III) and neodymium(III) complexes. The bond distance Tb-O(w) is unusually long (2.678 Angstroms). The O-Ln-O angles decrease from 140 degrees [Nd(III)] to 121 degrees [Lu(III)], thus confirming the increasing steric crowding around the water binding site. A comparison of a number of structures of Ln(III) complexes with DOTA-like ligands shows that the TSA arrangement is flexible. On the other hand, the SA arrangement is rigid, and the derived structural parameters are almost identical for different ligands and lanthanide(III) ions.     

Strukturdynamische organometall-komplexe: III. Synthese,struktur und bindungsverhältnisse der komplexe (η5-C5H5)Pd(η1-C5H5)PR3

The complexes (η₅-C₅H₅)Pd(η¹-C₅H₅)PR₃ which are prepared from [Cl(PR₃)-Pd]₂(μ-OCOCH₃)₂ and TlC₅H₅ are fluxional in solution. According to the ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra at various temperatures, two dynamic processes occur. The process with the higher activation energy is a π/σ (η⁵/η¹) exchange of the two different cyclopentadienyl ligands, whereas the second one with the lower activation energy presumably is a metallotropic rearrangement (1,2-shift). The coalescence temperature for the η⁵/η¹ exchange depends on the size of the phosphine. The X-ray structural analysis of (C₅H₅)₂PdPPrⁱ₃ proves that it exists as a “frozen” η⁵ + η¹ structure in the crystal with the palladium approximately in a square-planar coordination. The η⁵-bonded cyclopentadienyl ring shows some unusual bonding patterns which are obviously electronic in nature. EHT-MO calculations for (η⁵-C₅H₅)PdCH₃(PH₃) indicate that in this model system alternating CC distances in the ring and a stronger bond of the metal to one of the five carbon atoms of the C₅H₅ ligand are to be expected. The calculations suggest that in similar complexes possessing a six-electron donor ligand like C₅H₅^? and a metal fragment which is isolobal to PdCH₃(PH₃)⁺, analogous distortions should be observed. Some reactions of the compounds (η⁵-C₅H₅)Pd(η¹-C₅H₅)PR₃ are described.     

Rational drug design and high-throughput techniques for RNA targets

RNA molecules are the only known molecules which possess the double property of being depository of genetic information, like DNA, and of displaying catalytic activities, like protein enzymes. RNA molecules intervene in all steps of gene expression and in many other biological activities. Like proteins, RNAs achieve those biological functions by adopting intricate three-dimensional folds and architectures. Further, as in protein sequences, RNA sequences contain signatures specific for three-dimensional motifs which participate in recognition and binding. In regulatory pathways, RNA molecules exist in equilibria between transient structures differentially stabilized by effectors such as proteins or cofactors. Therefore, RNA molecules display their potential as drug targets on different levels, namely in three-dimensional folds, in structural equilibria and in RNA-protein interfaces. Several examples will be described together with the already available techniques for combinatorial synthesis and high-throughput screening of potential drug and target RNA molecules.     

Preparation and x-ray structure analysis of [Rh2Cl2(μ-CO)(μ-vdpp)2] [vdpp=H2C=C(PPh2)2]

Summary The complex [Rh₂Cl₂(-CO)(-vdpp)₂] (1) (vdpp=H₂C=C(PPh₂)₂) was prepared by reaction of [Rh₂(CO)₄-(-Cl)₂] with vdpp. When (1) is allowed to stand overnight under an atmosphere of CO without stirringtrans-[Rh₂Cl₂(CO)₂(-vdpp)₂] is formed as a red precipitate in low yields. On rapid addition of CO the tricarbonyl complex [Rh₂(CO)₂(-CO)(-Cl)(-vdpp)₂]-Cl is formed instead. The chemical behaviour of the vdpp-substituted complex (1) is very similar to that of the corresponding dppm-substituted complex [Rh₂(Cl₂-(-CO)(-dppm)₂] (dppm=H₂C(PPh₂)₂). this similarity also extends to the molecular structures of both compounds. Unit cell parameters of (1): space group Pben (Z=8),a=2344.7(5),b=1506.9(7),c=3021.6(9)pm. Rh-Rh 267.4(1) pm.