Development of a non-invasive method for the determination of the macroscopic neutron cross sections of a sample matrix in large-sample prompt-gamma neutron activation analysis

In order to correct for neutron self-shielding in large-sample prompt gamma NAA, a method has been developed to determine the macroscopic scattering and absorption cross sections, i.e., Σ _a and Σ _s, using four Cu flux monitors placed around the sample. With Monte Carlo computations, the neutron densities throughout the sample and the resulting and the corresponding self-shielding factor as calculated from the Σ _a and Σ _s as obtained through the Cu monitors were compared to the true values. The derived Σ _a and Σ _s were found to be sufficiently accurate as long as Σ _t = Σ _a + Σ _s was less than 0.6 cm⁻¹ and Σ _s/Σ _t was greater than 0.1.     

Paradigms and paradoxes: patterns and estimation of the entropy of formation of aqueous hydrogen containing mono and polynuclear oxyanions

“Simple” energetic patterns, where simple means the use of parameters derived only from the stoichiometry of these species, are relatively rarely discussed in the literature. In addition, entropy studies have been dominated by derivation of the absolute quantity S° rather than the entropy of formation (TΔ_f S ^o). Relationships between the entropy of formation and different parameters such as negative value of the charge of the species, the number of oxygen atoms, the natural logarithm of the molecular weight, the total number of atoms and the number of central atoms that are gases were recently discussed by us for aqueous polynuclear oxyanions. As shown here hydrogen containing anions do not follow this pattern. In this study, new approaches for the estimation of the entropy of formation of aqueous hydrogen containing mono and polynuclear oxyanions are suggested, evaluated and recommended.     

Ferromagnetism in Metallocene-Doped Fullerenes

 Ferromagnetism in fullerene-based systems doped with metallocenes is reviewed. These compounds form a ferromagnetic state by spin-coupling between π electrons on fullerene units, while the metallocene molecules do not contribute to the spin ordering. One of these compounds has the highest critical temperature (19 K) for this class of compound. The magnetic properties of these materials are very strongly dependent on the crystallization conditions. Corresponding author. E-mail: Dragan.Mihailovic@ijs.si Received September 4, 2002; accepted September 6, 2002     

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.     

Methods for Determining the Re-order Point of an (<Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>) Ordering Policy when a Service Level is Specified

This paper deals with a periodic review inventory system. Methods are discussed for determining the re-order point s of an (s, S) order policy, when a certain service level is required. The results differ from those presented for a (Q, s) model which is usually considered in literature and implemented in practice. Methods are discussed for determining the re-order point of an (s, S) policy when demand is normal or gamma distributed. A numerical investigation demonstrates the applicability of the described methods. In particular, it is shown that these methods are superior to a formula that is implemented in many inventory control systems.     

Atomic radical—molecule reactions F + CH<Subscript>3</Subscript>C≡CH: mechanistic study

The reaction of atomic radical F with propyne has been studied theoretically using ab initio quantum chemistry methods and transition state theory. The potential energy surface was calculated at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ (single-point) level using the UMP2/6-311++G(d,p) optimized structures. Two reaction mechanisms including the addition–isomerization–elimination reaction mechanism and the directed hydrogen abstraction reaction mechanism are considered. For the hydrogen abstraction reactions, i.e., the most probable evolution pathway in the title reaction, the HF formation occurs via direct abstraction mechanism dominantly and the H atom picked up by the atomic radical F should come mostly from the methyl group of normal propyne. On the other hand, for the addition–isomerization–elimination mechanism, the most feasible pathway should be the atomic radical F attacking on the C≡C triple bond in propyne (CH₃C≡CH) to form a weakly-bound adduct A1 with no barrier, followed by F addition to the C≡C triple bond to form the low-lying intermediate isomer 5. Subsequently, isomer 5 directly dissociates to P3 H₂CCCHF + H via transition state TS₅/P3. The other reaction pathways on the doublet PES are less competitive due to thermodynamical or kinetic factors. Furthermore, based on the analysis of the kinetics of all channels through which the addition and abstraction reaction proceed, we expect that the competitive power of reaction channels may vary with experimental conditions for the title reaction. The present work will provide useful information for understanding the processes of atomic radical F reaction with other unsaturated hydrocarbons. This material is available from author via E-mail.     

Determination of acetaminophen by square wave voltammetry at a gold electrode modified by 4-amino-2-mercaptopyrimidine self-assembled monolayers

A 4-Amino-2-mercaptopyrimidine self-assembled monolayer (AMP SAMs/Au) modified gold electrode was prepared. The electrochemical behavior of acetaminophen on the AMP SAMs/Au was studied in Britton-Robinson (BR) buffer solution. Compared to a bare gold electrode, the modified electrode exhibits a significant enhancement in the oxidation current response for acetaminophen. The modified electrode was used for the determination of acetaminophen by square wave voltammetry. The oxidation current increased linearly with the concentration of acetaminophen in the range of 2.0 × 10⁻⁶−4.0 × 10⁻³ M. The modified electrode made it possible to eliminate the interference of dopamine (DA), brucine, epinephrine (EP), and norepinephrine (NE). The practical analytical utility was illustrated by the determination of acetaminophen in a commercially available drug. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of (S)-5,5,5,5′,5′,5′,5′-Hexafluoroleucine

(S)-5,5,5,5′,5′,5′-Hexafluoroleucine ((S)- 13 ) of 81 % ee is prepared from hexafluoroacetone ( l ) and ethyl bromopyruvate (= ethyl 2-oxopropanoate) in 7 steps with an overall yield of 18% (Schemes 1 and 2). Key step in this sequence is the highly enantioselective reduction of the carbonyl group in α-keto ester 4 either by bakers' yeast (91 % ee) or by ‘catecholborane’ 6 utilizing an oxazaborolidine catalyst, yielding hydroxy ester (R)- 5 with 99% ee. The absolute configuration was determined by X-ray analysis of the HCl adduct (S,R)- 9b of (2S)-N-[(R)- l-phenylethyl]-5,5,5,5′,5′,5′-hexafluoroleucine ethyl ester.     

Reversed-phase liquid chromatography and argentation chromatography of the minor capsaicinoids

An investigation of the liquid chromatography of the minor capsaicinoids in a commercial capsaicinoid mixture is reported. Twelve stationary phases including C₈, C₁₈, C₃₀, phenyl, and cation-exchange chemistries were examined in combination with isocratic aqueous methanol and aqueous acetonitrile mobile phases. A phenyl stationary phase and aqueous acetonitrile mobile phase baseline-resolved 7 of 11 capsaicinoids, and selected ion chromatograms (LC–ESI-MS) demonstrated this was the most effective reversed-phase separation. Argentation chromatography with an alkyl or phenyl column and aqueous silver nitrate–methanol mobile phase revealed the presence of the 6-ene-8-methyl and 6-ene-9-methyl homocapsaicin isomers and the absence of 7-ene-9-methyl homocapsaicin. A mixed phenyl–cation-exchange stationary phase (charged with silver ion) enabled unique and useful separations of the capsaicinoids.     

Vibronic coupling in the excited cationic states of ethylene: simulation of the photoelectron spectrum between 12 and 18 eV

The effect of vibronic coupling on structure and spectroscopy is investigated in the excited cationic states of ethylene. It is found from equation of motion coupled cluster singles and doubles method for ionization potential electronic structure calculations in a triple-zeta plus double polarization basis set that ethylene in its third (B (2)A(g)) and fourth (C (2)B(2u)) ionized states does not have a stable minimum-energy geometry. The potential-energy surfaces of these states are energetically distinct and well separated at the ground-state geometry of ethylene, but in a geometry optimization as the structure of the ion relaxes, these surfaces end up in conical intersections and finally in the stable equilibrium geometry of the second ionized state (A (2)B(3g)). The topology of the potential-energy surfaces can be clearly understood using a vibronic model Hamiltonian. Furthermore, by diagonalizing this model Hamiltonian, the photoelectron spectrum of ethylene corresponding to the second, third, and fourth ionized states (12-18 eV) is simulated. Spectra from vibronic simulations including up to quartic coupling constants and using various normal-mode basis sets are compared to those from vertical Franck-Condon simulations to understand the importance of vibronic coupling and nonadiabatic effects and to examine the influence of individual normal modes on the spectrum.