Unusual ring annulation during condensation of acetylacetone with pyrrole

During the attempted synthesis of bisdipyrromethane from acid-catalyzed condensation of acetylacetone with pyrrole, an unexpected ring annulation led to the formation of 2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolizine-bridged bipyrrole.     

(e, 3e) Differential cross section of He (21 S) and He (23 S)

The angular distribution of the five-fold differential cross section for the electron impact double ionization of He (2¹ S) and He (2³ S) has been studied. The kinematical conditions for maxima/minima in the angular distribution for the two cases have been compared. The two-step process for the double ionization is found to contribute very little in the triplet case.     

Determination of phosphorous in titanium bearing minerals by potentiometric titration using Pb-ion selective electrode

A method for phosphorous determination in titanium bearing minerals by potentiometric titration using a Pb-ion selective electrode has been developed. Sample decomposition is achieved by means of K(2)CO(3) fusion in a platinum crucible at 800 degrees C for 30 min in a muffle furnace, and subsequent leaching with water of the fused melt. The aqueous leachate is neutralised with HClO(4) and subsequent boiling. The obtained solution is used for titration with Pb(ClO(4))(2), and the Pb-ion selective electrode detects the end point. The lowest concentration determinable is 0.02% P(2)O(5) in a solid sample. The method was applied on in-house titanium bearing mineral samples and on IGS-31 ilmenite sample (British Geological Survey, UK). Synthetic samples were prepared and analysed, and phosphorous recovery is in the range 98-106%. The recovery and accuracy of the present method have been validated by spiking experiments and by comparing with the spectrophotometric values, respectively. The precision of the proposed method in terms of relative standard deviation is 2.0%.     

Some exact solutions in string cosmology

Some Bianchi-type string-cosmological models are presented here. The physical implications of the models are briefly discussed     

Microwave absorption studies of MgB2 superconductor

Microwave absorption studies have been carried out on MgB₂ superconductor using a standard X-band EPR spectrometer. The modulated low-field microwave absorption signals recorded for polycrystalline (grain size ∼ 10 μm) samples suggested the absence of weak-link character. The field dependent direct microwave absorption has been found to obey a ✓H dependence with two different slopes, which indicated a transition from strongly pinned lattice to flux flow regime.     

Electrochemical Sensor for Detection of p-Nitrophenol Based on Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles/α-Cyclodextrin Functionalized Reduced Graphene Oxide

p-Nitrophenol (p−NP) is a high priority toxic pollutant and that has harmful effects on human, animals and plants. Thus, the detection and determination of p−NP present in the environment is an urgent as well as highly important requisite. The present article, therefore focused on the construction of a novel electrochemical sensor based on NiO nanoparticles/α-cyclodextrin functionalized reduced graphene oxide modified glassy carbon electrode (NiO−NPs-α-CD-rGO-GCE) for the selective and sensitive detection of p−NP. UV-vis, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), selected area electron diffraction pattern (SAED) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms the formation of highly pure NiO nanoparticles. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to characterize the step-wise electrode modification process. DPV was carried out to quantify p−NP within the concentration range of 1−10 μM and found the detection limit of 0.12 nM on the basis of the signal-to-noise ratio S/N=3. The electrode can able to detect different isomers of nitrophenols. Interferences of other pollutants such as phenol, p-aminophenol, o- and m- nitrophenol, 4-chlorophenol, 2,6-dichlorophenol and ions like K⁺, Cd²⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻ did not affect the sensing of p−NP. The newly developed sensor exhibited diffusion controlled kinetics and had excellent sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility for the detection of p−NP. The electrode showed good recoveries in real sample analysis.     

Visible-light driven Gd2Ti2O7/GdCrO3 composite for hydrogen evolution

A series of Gd(2)Ti(2)O(7)/GdCrO(3) composites are prepared by solid state combustion method using Gd(NO(3))(3), TiO(2), Cr(2)O(3) as metal source and urea as a fuel. The composites are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (DRUV-vis), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements, photoluminescence spectra (PL), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) studies, photocurrent measurements etc. The photocatalytic activity of the composites is examined towards hydrogen production without using any co-catalyst under visible light illumination. The rate of formation of hydrogen is measured by the photocatalytic activity measurement device and gas chromatography (GC). The highest efficiency is observed over the composite GTC (Cr:Gd:Ti = 1:1:1). On the basis of photocurrent measurements and PL, a mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity has been discussed.     

Colorimetric sensing of fluoride ion by new expanded calix[4]pyrrole through anion-π interaction

Three new expanded calix[4]pyrroles were synthesized, where the two dialkylldipyrromethane units are linked via C-C double bonds. One of them, calix[2]bispyrrolylethene, colorimetrically senses fluoride ion only, owing to anion-π interaction in polar aprotic solvents.     

Time evolution of diffusion fringes in the Christiansen effect

When laser radiation is allowed to fall at the diffusion region separating two liquids in a Christiansen filter, a new fringe pattern appears. We termed it as “diffusion fringes”. In the present work, we have studied this interference fringe pattern and its time evolution. It has been observed that there is a definite co-relation between the shape of the fringe pattern and the width of the diffusion region. The time evolution of this fringe patterns indicates that as diffusion region increases the circular fringe becomes elliptical and finally straight. It is believed that a detailed investigation of these diffusion fringes will throw much needed light not only on the theory of the Christiansen effect but also on the rate of diffusion between two molecules.     

Black holes coupled to scalar fields in higher-dimensional Kaluza-Klein theory

We derive in this paper an exact spherically symmetric solution coupled to scalar fields inn-dimensional Kaluza-Klein theory. A seven-dimensional solution is shown as a special case of the general solution. The solution has two even horizons. The inner horizon corresponds to the Schwarzschild black hole and the outer horizon is due to the scalar fields.