Heterocyclizations of hydroxyketones with two‐coordinated (trimethylsilylamino)phosphines, (Me3Si)2N?PE?SiMe3

The reaction of two‐coordinated (trimethylsilylamino)phosphines (Me₃Si)₂N PE SiMe₃ 1 (E = N) and 2 (E = CH) with hydroxycarbonyl compounds proceeded with four‐ or five‐member heterocyclization to yield derivatives of oxaphosphetane, oxaphospholanes, and oxaphospholes. The reaction rate depends on the structure of hydroxyketones as well as on the type of the two‐coordinated phosphorus compound in accordance with the polarity of the P=N and P=C bonds. Thus, reaction was completed in 30 min in the case of the ortho carbonyl phenoxy derivatives with the phosphine 1 , but required 2 h in the case of the alkyl hydroxy carbonyls. All reactions with the phosphine 2 took about 24 h. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 15:413–417, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20033     

Novel branched blockcopolymers from poly(vinylpyridine) by chromium allyl compounds

Novel branched blockcopolymers from polyvinylpyridine are formed by chromium allyl compounds. Our present work shows results for the homopolymerization of vinylpiridine (VP), dimethylacrylamide (DMAA), tert - butylacrylate (t - BA) as well as the graftcopolymerization of poly(vinylpyridine) (PVP), using tris (π - allyl) chromium (TPC) as initiator. PVP activated by TPC was used for grafting with DMAA - “grafting from”. On the other hand living PDMAA polymerized by TPC, was able to react with PVP chain - “grafting onto”.     

Synthesis of novel aminophosphonic acids with hydantoin structure

The novel α‐aminophosphonic acids with hydantoin structure have been synthesized reacting 5,5‐dimetylhydantoin with formaldehyde and phosphorus trichloride, or via Kabachnik–Fields reaction. Their structures were proved by means of IR, ¹H, ¹³C{¹H}, and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 20:87–90, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20515     

Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxicity of surface amino-functionalized water-dispersible multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Surface functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), with amino groups via chemical modification of carboxyl groups introduced on the nanotube surface, using O-(7-azabenzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate (N-HATU) and N,N-diisopropylethylamine (DIEA) is reported. The N-HATU coupling agent provides faster reaction rate and the reaction occurs at lower temperature compared to amidation and acylation-amidation chemistry. The amines, 1,6-hexanediamine (HDA), diethylenetriamine (DETA), triethylenetetramine (TETA) and 1,4-phenylenediamine (PDA) were used. The resulting materials were characterized with different techniques such as FTIR, XRD, elemental analysis, TGA, TEM, UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. MWCNTs functionalized with PDA posses the best dispersibility and electron transfer properties in comparison to the others amines. Functionalized MWCNTs, at the concentrations between 1 and 50 μg ml⁻¹, were not cytotoxic for the fibroblast L929 cell line. However, the concentrations of MWCNTs higher of 10 μg ml⁻¹ reduced cell growth and this effect correlated positively with the degree of their uptake by L929 cells.     

Dimethylsilylaminophosphane heterocyclization of isothiocyanates to diazaphosphole‐thiones through zwitterionic intermediates

Isothiocyanates react with Me₂P‐N(SiMe₃)₂ with elimination of (Me₃Si)₂S to give new structurally characterized heterocyclic diazaphosphole derivatives, and in one case the intermediate zwitterionic compound was isolated and structurally characterized. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 21:196–202, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20595     

Improving quality of service in four-channel WDM ethernet passive optical network

Energy-efficiency and green communications have become dominant topics related to access network implementation, since their energy consumption is a major contributor of energy consumption within the Internet. In this paper we analyze an implementation of a new energy-efficient dynamic bandwidth algorithm in a four-channel Wavelength Division Multiplexing Ethernet Passive Optical Network (WDM EPON), in which wavelength assignments take place per service class and not per Optical Network Unit (ONU). The improved Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation (DBA) algorithm introduces independent bandwidth allocation for each wavelength, which results in efficient bandwidth management and utilization. The mathematical model for new DBA algorithm is described, as are changes to the Multi-Point Control Protocol (MPCP), necessary for its implementation. The obtained results show that the redefined DBA algorithm improves Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and as a consequently enables delivery of enhanced services to end-users. Significant energy savings are achieved without Quality of Service (QoS) degradation, and without network or equipment architecture changes.     

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oils of Satureja thymbra growing wild in Libya

The composition of essential oil isolated from Satureja thymbra, growing wild in Libya, was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The essential oil was characterized by γ-terpinene (39.23%), thymol (25.16%), p-cymene (7.17%) and carvacrol (4.18%) as the major constituents. Antioxidant activity was analyzed using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method. It possessed strong antioxidant activity (IC50 = 0.0967 mg/mL). The essential oil was also screened for its antimicrobial activity against eight bacterial and eight fungal species, showing excellent antimicrobial activity against the microorganisms used, in particular against the fungi. The oil of S. thymbra showed bacteriostatic activity at 0.001-0.1 mg/mL and was bactericidal at 0.002-0.2 mg/mL; fungistatic effects at 0.001-0.025 mg/mL and fungicidal effects at 0.001-0.1 mg/mL. The main constituents thymol, carvacrol and γ-terpinene also showed strong antimicrobial activity. The commercial fungicide bifonazole showed much lower antifungal activity than the tested oil.     

Synthesis and reactivity of N-hydroxy-2-aminoindoles

Catalytic hydrogenation of (2-nitrophenyl)acetonitriles bearing an electron-withdrawing substituent α to the nitrile, using Pd/C and (Ph₃P)₄Pd, affords N-hydroxy-2-aminoindoles in good to excellent yields. (Ph₃P)₄Pd decreases the reduction rate of the intermediate hydroxylamine and acts as a catalyst during the cyclization onto the nitrile.     

Simple characterization of functionally complete one‐element sets of propositional connectives

A set of propositional connectives is said to be functionally complete if all propositional formulae can be expressed using only connectives from that set. In this paper we give sufficient and necessary conditions for a one‐element set of propositional connectives to be functionally complete. These conditions provide a simple and elegant characterization of functionally complete one‐element sets of propositional connectives (of arbitrary arity). (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)