4-Nitro-9,10-di­hydro­phenanthrene and a polymorphic form of 4-nitro­phenanthrene

The crystal structures of 4-nitro-9,10-di­hydro­phenanthrene, C₁₄H₁₁NO₂, (I), and 4-nitro­phenanthrene, C₁₄H₉NO₂, (II), the latter having two crystallographically independent mol­ecules, show that the mol­ecules are not planar. The dihedral angles between the phenyl rings of the bi­phenyl skeletons are 28.64 (8)° for (I), and 10.34 (15) and 11.75 (13)° for the two mol­ecules of (II). The differences in the dihedral angles have an effect on the photochemical reactivity of the mol­ecules.     

Fairly marked enantioselectivity for the hydrolysis of amino acid esters by chemically modified enzymes

The hydrolysis (deacylation) of enantiomeric substrates by the chemically modified enzymes decanoyl-alpha-chymotrypsin and decanoyl-trypsin was studied. Reaction activity for decanoyl-alpha-chymotrypsin was lower than that for the native enzyme, although intriguingly the enantioselectivity was markedly enhanced as compared with the native enzyme. In particular, the apparently complete enantioselective catalysis was attained for the hydrolytic cleavage of p-nitrophenyl N-dodecanoyl-D(L)-phenylalaninates. The enhancement of enantioselectivity, however, was not observed for decanoyl-trypsin. These results suggest that the chemically modified alpha-chymotrypsin by addition of hydrophobic groups has promoted enantioselectivity for the hydrolysis of hydrophobic esters.     

Some studies on the solid solutions in the systems Sr2Nb2O7Eu2Nb2O7 and Sr2Ta2O7Eu2Ta2O7

Preparation of new solid solutions containing divalent europium have been tried in the systems Eu₂Nb₂O₇Sr₂Nb₂O₇ and Eu₂Ta₂O₇Sr₂Ta₂O₇. These solid solutions described as Eu_2xSr_2(1?x)M₂O₇ (M = Nb and Ta) exist in a pure orthorhombic phase in a limited region of x from 0 to about 0.5. The compounds with compositions close to Eu₂M₂O₇ exist but techniques have not been found to prepare them in pure form.     

Dark energy from modified gravity with Lagrange multipliers

We study scalar–tensor theory, k-essence and modified gravity with Lagrange multiplier constraint which role is to reduce the number of degrees of freedom. Dark Energy cosmology of different types (ΛCDM, unified inflation with DE, smooth non-phantom/phantom transition epoch) is reconstructed in such models. It is demonstrated that presence of Lagrange multiplier simplifies the reconstruction scenario. It is shown that mathematical equivalence between scalar theory and F(R)$F(R)$ gravity is broken due to presence of constraint. The cosmological evolution is defined by the second F₂(R)$F_2(R)$ function dictated by the constraint. The convenient F(R)$F(R)$ gravity sector is relevant for local tests. This opens the possibility to make originally non-realistic theory to be viable by adding the corresponding constraint. A general discussion on the role of Lagrange multipliers to make higher-derivative gravity canonical is developed.     

Self-assembly and regioselective photodimerization of anthracene having a dendritic substituent

[reaction: see text] Thermotropic liquid crystallinity can be induced for an anthracene having a dendritic substituent. The photodimerization reaction of an anthracene moiety in the smectic phase proceeded quantitatively and regioselectively.     

Magnetic phase transitions in 187-01187-01187-01

We report SR measurements of Pr₂CuO_4– and (Pr_2–xCe_x)CuO_4– single crystals in the temperature range 4.2K300K. Two spin reorientation phase transitions were observed, although neutron scattering experiment could not detect these phase transitions. These allow us to conclude that magnetic moments of the Cu atoms order in an antiferromagnetic noncollinear cross like structure including a hidden canting spin arrangement.