Inclusive ϕ production inK − p interactions at 110 GeV/c and search for structure in φ π−

Results on inclusive ? production inK ^? p interactions at 110 GeV/c are presented. The production cross section is found to be larger than in πp andpp interactions at similar energies, suggesting OZI allowed \(s\bar s\) fusion to be the dominant mechanism in ? production. Thex distributions of ? and \(\bar K^{*0} \) are found to be similar to each other over the entirex range suggesting an overall strangeness suppression factor of 0.20±0.04 in the sea to be the dominant source of the difference in the cross section for ? and \(\bar K^{*0} \) . There is no evidence of a narrowφπ ^? state around 2.1 GeV/c² as suggested byK ⁺ experiments, but there is some excess of events in the region 1.94?1.98 GeV/c² consistent with theF-meson mass as observed ine ⁺ e ^? experiments.     

Ascorbate-induced oxidation of formate by peroxodisulfate: product yields,kinetics and mechanism

The slow reaction between peroxodisulfate and formate is significantly accelerated by ascorbate at room temperature. The products of this induced oxidation, CO₂ and oxalate (C₂O^2– ₄), were analyzed by several methods and the kinetics of this reaction were measured. The overall mechanism involves free radical species. Ascorbate reacts with peroxodisulfate to initiate production of the sulfate radical ion (SO^– ₄), which reacts with formate to produce carbon dioxide radical ion (CO^– ₂) and sulfate. The carbon dioxide radical reacts with peroxodisulfate to form CO₂ or self-combines to form oxalate. Competition occurring between these two processes determines the overall fate of the carbon dioxide radical species. As pH decreases, protonation of the carbon dioxide radical ion tends to favor production of CO₂.     

Broadband and band-selective IMPRESS-gHMBC: compensation of refocusing inefficiency with synchronized inversion sweep

Compensation of refocusing inefficiency in a gHMBC experiment by replacing the rectangular pi pulse with a pair of adiabatic pulses with synchronized inversion sweep (CRISIS) significantly improves the performance of the gHMBC experiment. The CRISIS-gHMBC experiment retains the pure absorptive shapes in F1 and hence results in better lineshape and higher resolution than the current versions of magnitude mode gHMBC spectra. When used as a broadband experiment, CRISIS-gHMBC, owing to better refocusing efficiency of the adiabatic pulse pairs, gives improved performance across the 13C spectral width. Moreover, it is shown that CRISIS-gHMBC is a robust and improved alternative and when used along with the IMPRESS (Improved Resolution using Symmetrically Shifted pulses) technique further increases the sensitivity and resolution without additional experimental time. The IMPRESS-CRISIS combination is demonstrated for broadband gHMBC and band-selective gHMBC experiments. The ICbs-gHMBC [IMPRESS-CRISIS-band-selective gHMBC] experiment is an attractive and better alternative to individual band-selective gHMBC.     

Copper(II) chloride complexes with multimodal ligands based on the cyclotriphosphazene platform

The reaction of hexakis(2-pyridyloxy)cyclotriphosphazene (L) and hexakis(4-methyl-2-pyridyloxy)cyclotriphosphazene (MeL) with copper(ii) chloride afford the complexes [CuLCl(2)], [(CuCl(2))(2)(MeL)], [CuLCl]PF(6) and [Cu(MeL)Cl]PF(6). The single-crystal X-ray structure of [CuLCl(2)] shows the copper ion to be in a square based pyramidal distorted trigonal bipyramidal (SBPDTBP) environment (tau= 0.47) with L acting as a kappa(3)N donor, coordinating via the nitrogen atoms from two non-geminal pyridyloxy pendant arms, a nitrogen atom in the phosphazene ring and two chloride ions. In the dimetallic complex, [(CuCl(2))(2)(MeL)], the geometry about both (symmetry related) copper(ii) centres is also SBPDTBP (tau= 0.57) with a 'N(3)Cl(2)' donor set. In the monocation of [CuLCl]PF(6), L acts as a kappa(5)N donor, bonding to the copper(ii) centre through the nitrogen atoms of four pyridyloxy pendant arms, a phosphazene ring nitrogen atom and a chloride ion to give an elongated rhombic octahedral coordination sphere. The phosphazene ring atoms remain virtually coplanar in all three structures as a consequence of the phenoxy-hinge, which links the pyridine pendant donors to the cyclotriphosphazene platform, allowing the formation of six-membered chelate rings. The spectroscopic (mass spectral, EPR and electronic) and magnetic properties of the complexes are discussed. The EPR and variable temperature magnetic susceptibility results for the dicopper complex, [(CuCl(2))(2)(MeL)], point to a very weak electronic interaction between the metal atoms.     

The preparation of 2,6-diaminopyrazine, 2,6-diazidopyrazine and some of their derivatives

A much improved synthesis of the heretofore difficultly obtainable 2,6-diaminopyrazine (4) was afforded by the low-pressure catalytic hydrogenation (palladium on carbon) of 2,6-diazido-pyrazine (2) ; reaction of 2,6-dichloropyrazine (1) and sodium azide gave 2 in 84% yield. The outcome of the reduction was found to be solvent dependent: 1,2-dimethoxyethane containing aqueous ammonia gave 4 in 83% yield; 1,2-dimethoxyethane alone gave 5-aminotetrazolo[1,5-a]-pyrazine (3) in 26% yield. Additional alternative syntheses of 3 and 4 are described. A number of acyl and azo derivatives of 4 were prepared. Reactions of 2 with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and ethyl acetate (base catalyzed) leading to vic-triazole derivatives are also described.     

A first-principles density-functional calculation of the electronic and vibrational structure of the key melanin monomers

We report first-principles density-functional calculations for hydroquinone (HQ), indolequinone (IQ), and semiquinone (SQ). These molecules are believed to be the basic building blocks of the eumelanins, a class of biomacromolecules with important biological functions (including photoprotection) and with the potential for certain bioengineering applications. We have used the difference of self-consistent fields method to study the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, Delta(HL). We show that Delta(HL) is similar in IQ and SQ, but approximately twice as large in HQ. This may have important implications for our understanding of the observed broadband optical absorption of the eumelanins. The possibility of using this difference in Delta(HL) to molecularly engineer the electronic properties of eumelanins is discussed. We calculate the infrared and Raman spectra of the three redox forms from first principles. Each of the molecules have significantly different infrared and Raman signatures, and so these spectra could be used in situ to nondestructively identify the monomeric content of macromolecules. It is hoped that this may be a helpful analytical tool in determining the structure of eumelanin macromolecules and hence in helping to determine the structure-property-function relationships that control the behavior of the eumelanins.     

Kinetics of the thermal unimolecular decomposition of hex-1-ene-3-yne. Heat of formation and resonance stabilization energy of the 3-ethenylpropargyl radical

The thermal unimolecular decomposition of hex-1-ene-3-yne (HEY) has been investigated over the temperature range 949–1230 K using the technique of very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP). One reaction pathway is the expected C₅? C₆ bond fission to form the resonance-stabilized 3-ethenylpropargyl radical. There is a concurrent process producing molecular hydrogen which probably occurs via the intermediate formation of hexatrienes and cyclohexa-1,3-diene. RRKM calculations yield the extrapolated high-pressure rate parameters at 1100 K given by the expressions 10^16.0±0.3 exp(?300.4 ± 12.6 kJ mol^?1/RT) s^?1 for bond fission and 10^13.2+0.4 exp(?247.7 ± 8.4 kJ mol^?1/RT) for the overall formation of hydrogen. The A factors were assigned from the results of previous studies of related alkynes, alkenes, and alkadienes. The activation energy for the bond fission reaction leads to ΔH [H₂CCHCC?H₂] = 391.9, DH [H₂CCHCCCH₂? H] = 363.3, and a resonance stabilization energy of 56.9 ± 14.0 kJ mol^?1 for the 3-ethenylpropargyl radical, based on a value of 420.2 kJ mol^?1 for the primary C? H bond dissociation energy in alkanes. Comparison with the revised value of 46.6 kJ mol^?1 for the resonance energy of the unsubstituted propargyl radical indicates that the ethenyl substituent (CH₂?CH) on the terminal carbon atom has only a small effect on the propargyl resonance energy. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The chemistry of electrogenerated transition metals species - the insertion of olefins into a nickelcarbon bond

The nickel(1) complex, Ni(teta)⁺, formed by cathodic reduction of the corresponding nickel(11) complex, reacts rapidly with alkyl bromides to form an unstable intermediate containing a nickelcarbon bond. When the electrolysis medium also contains an activated olefin an insertion reaction occurs. The new metalcarbon bond is cleaved by further reduction and overall the reduction of Ni(teta)²⁺ in the presence of RBr and CH₂CHY leads to high yiels of RCH₂CH₂Y.     

Aggregation and solubility behavior of asphaltenes and their subfractions

Asphaltenes from four different crude oils (Arab Heavy, B6, Canadon Seco, and Hondo) were fractionated in mixtures of heptane and toluene and analyzed chemically, by vapor pressure osmometry (VPO), and by small angle neutron scattering (SANS). Solubility profiles of the asphaltenes and their subfractions indicated strong cooperative asphaltene interactions of a particular subfraction that is polar and hydrogen bonding. This subfraction had lower H/C ratios and modestly higher N, V, Ni, and Fe contents than the less polar and more soluble subfraction of asphaltenes. VPO and SANS studies indicated that the less soluble subfractions formed aggregates that were considerably larger than the more soluble subfractions. In general, asphaltene aggregate size increased with decreasing solvent aromaticity up to the solubility limit, beyond which the aggregate size decreased with heptane addition. The presence of a low wavevector Q feature in the scattering curves at 25 degrees C indicated that the individual aggregates were flocculating; however, the intensity of the feature was diminished upon heating of the samples to 80 degrees C. The solubility mechanism for Canadon Seco asphaltenes, the largest aggregate formers, appears to be dominated by aromatic pi-bonding interactions due to their low H/C ratio and low nitrogen content. B6 and Hondo asphaltenes formed similar-sized aggregates in heptol and the solubility mechanism is most likely driven by polar interactions due to their relatively high H/C ratios and high nitrogen contents. Arab Heavy, the least polar asphaltene, had a H/C ratio similar to Canadon Seco but formed the smallest aggregates in heptol. The enhancement in polar and pi-bonding interactions for the less soluble subfraction indicated by elemental analysis is reflected by the aggregate size from SANS. The less soluble asphaltenes contribute the majority of species responsible for aggregation and likely cause many petroleum production problems such as pipeline deposition and water-in-oil emulsion stabilization.     

P and H NMR studies of the transesterification polymerization of polyphosphonate oligomers

Polymeric phosphonate esters are an interesting class of organophosphorus polymers because both the polymer backbone and phosphorus substituents can be modified. These polymers have been prepared by ring-opening polymerizations of cyclic phosphites, stoichiometric polycondensations of dimethyl phosphonate with diols in conjunction with diazomethane treatment and by transesterification of polyphosphonate oligomers. Our initial attempts to prepare high molecular weight polymeric phosphonate esters by the transesterification methods were unsuccessful. Results indicate that the reactions of dimethyl phosphonate with diols to form polyphosphonate oligomers with only methyl phosphonate end groups are plagued by a serious side reaction that forms phosphonic acid end groups. These end groups do not participate in the transesterification reaction and limit the molecular weights of the polymers that can be obtained. The phosphonic acid end groups can be converted into reactive methyl phosphonate end groups by treatment with diazomethane, however diazomethane is explosive and the polymerization is slow. An alternative route for the production of high molecular weight polymers is the transesterification of the 1,12-bis(methyl phosphonato)dodecane, formed by the reaction of excess dimethyl phosphonate and 1,12-dodecanediol, with a Na₂CO₃ promoter. This allows polymers with molecular weights of up to 4.5×10⁴ to be prepared, and no phosphonic acid end groups are observed in these polymers. Thermal analyses of the poly(1,12-dodecamethylene phosphonate) have shown that this polymer has reasonable thermal stability (onset of thermal decomposition at 273 °C). This polymer also undergoes a cold crystallization process at 15 °C similar to that which has been observed in some polyesters, polyamides and elastomers.