Synthesis of cyclic endiamino peptides

Several building blocks for endiamino peptides, as well as several cyclic endiamino peptides themselves, and pyrazin-6-one, which embodies the endiamino group, were prepared. The variety of synthesized compounds shows the potential of this synthesis in the preparation of many different groups of compounds.     

Likonides A and B: new ansa farnesyl quinols from the marine sponge Hyatella sp

[structure: see text] Two novel ansa farnesyl quinols, designated likonides A and B, were isolated together with avarone from the Kenyan sponge Hyatella sp. The compounds are of a unique ansa structure. The structures and stereochemistry of the compounds were elucidated by interpretation of MS, two-dimensional NMR, and CD experiments.     

Generalized method for wave-front analysis

We suggest and demonstrate a new method for wave-front analysis based on common-path phase-shift interferometry. We introduce a formalism and an iterative mathematical algorithm in which the wave front is transformed, modified, and inversely transformed. The resulting intensity data are sufficient to reconstruct the entire wave front. In a more restricted case, in which the wave-front modifications are arbitrarily applied over arbitrary spatial regions of the wave front, the wave front is reconstructed semianalytically by use of a model that allows a local solution, followed by an iterative algorithm. Measurement results indicating that the suggested approach has an improved measurement accuracy with respect to existing quantitative phase measurement methods are presented.     

Microcavity confinement based on an anomalous zero group-velocity waveguide mode

We propose and demonstrate a mechanism for small-modal-volume high-Q cavities based on an anomalous uniform waveguide mode that has zero group velocity at a nonzero wave vector. In a short piece of a uniform waveguide with a specially designed cross section, light is confined longitudinally by small group-velocity propagation and transversely by a reflective cladding. The quality factor Q is greatly enhanced by the small group velocity for a set of cavity lengths that are separated by approximately pi/k0, where k0 is the longitudinal wave vector for which the group velocity is zero.     

Dynamic all-optical tuning of transverse resonant cavity modes in photonic bandgap fibers

Photonic bandgap fibers for transverse illumination containing half-wavelength microcavities have recently been designed and fabricated. We report on the fabrication and characterization of an all-optical tunable microcavity fiber. The fiber is made by incorporating a photorefractive material inside a Fabry-Perot cavity structure with a quality factor Q >200 operating at 1.5 microm. Under short-wavelength transverse external illumination, a 2 nm reversible shift of the cavity resonant mode is achieved. Dynamic all-optical tuning is reported at frequencies up to 400 Hz. Experimental results are compared with simulations based on the amplitude and kinetics of the transient photodarkening effect measured in situ in thin films.     

Negombins A-I, new chlorinated polyfunctional diterpenoids from the marine sponge Negombata species

Nine novel compounds designated negombins A-I (1-9) were isolated, together with latrunculin, from the Tanzanian sponge Negombata sp. The nine are sacculatane type diterpenes, previously only known from liverworts. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by interpretation of MS and 1D and 2D NMR spectra. A possible biogenesis initiated by the naturally rare chloronium ion is suggested, possibly hinting to a guest microorganism as the source of the compounds. Compound 4 is toxic to brine shrimp larvae.     

Synthesis of acetylenes via dehydrobromination using solid anhydrous potassium phosphate as the base under phase-transfer conditions

Phase-transfer catalyzed preparation of acetylenes from the corresponding vicinal dibromo compounds via double dehydrobromination using the mild solid base, anhydrous potassium phosphate, under very mild conditions is reported.     

An optimal gradient method for smooth strongly convex minimization

Mathematical Programming - We present an optimal gradient method for smooth strongly convex optimization. The method is optimal in the sense that its worst-case bound on the distance to an optimal...