Stereoselective organocatalytic one-pot α,α-bifunctionalization of acetaldehyde by a tandem Mannich reaction/electrophilic amination

The first asymmetric organocatalyzed one-pot α,α-bifunctionalization of acetaldehyde with two different electrophiles is described. A diarylprolinol silyl ether-catalyzed reaction of acetaldehyde with an imine and di-tert-butyl azodicarboxylate affords syn-2,3-diaminoalcohols with excellent ee values of up to 98%. This methodology was successfully applied to the synthesis of a chiral α,β-diaminocarboxylic acid.     

Novel polycarbonate-based polyurethane elastomers: Composition–property relationship

Novel all-aliphatic polycarbonate-based polyurethane (PC-PU) elastomers, as well as PC-PU nanocomposites filled with organic-modified clays were synthesized, characterized and studied. It was found that they have very attractive mechanical properties (e.g., elongation at break between 600% and 800%). The prepared PC-PUs possess a distinctly segmented structure, which is the key prerequisite for their behavior as strong physical rubbery networks. All synthesized materials melt at elevated temperatures (between 110 and 200 °C) and hence can be processed like normal thermoplastics. The dispersion of the clay nanofiller was achieved by its one day swelling in the alcohol and a brief successive stirring. This procedure is very successful and leads to a partial exfoliation of the clay (documented by X-ray diffraction and TEM). The best nanocomposites with very good tensile properties, particularly with significantly increased moduli were obtained using the bentonite nanofiller. The study shows that the nanofiller interacts strongly with the hard domains and influences their melting temperature (DMTA and DSC), but it does not affect the glass transition temperature of soft domains. While Cloisite 15A was found to interact preferentially with the hard domains, the organic modified bentonite shows a strong interaction with both soft and hard segments, behaving as a blending agent. Hard domains in neat matrices, formed by hydrogen bonding of hard segments, were practically invisible by X-ray or TEM, but were successfully detected by AFM. Besides excellent mechanical properties, the prepared elastomers and their nanocomposites showed an interesting phase behavior (which was studied by combining DMTA and modulated DSC).     

Calculation of the Gibbs derivatives on finite Abelian groups through the decision diagrams

Paper considers the calculation of the values of Gibbs derivatives on finite Abelian groups. The calculation procedure is based upon the decision diagram representation of functions defined on finite Abelian groups. Approach permits processing of large functions.     

Liquid chromatographic retention of homologous alkanes in the two states of C18-bonded reversed phase silicas

Summary LiChrosorb Si100 densely grafted with octadecylmonofunctional reagents and the similar commerical LiChrosorb RP 18 have been studied in RP-HPLC, with water-methanol mobile phases at different temperatures. They exhibit a phase transition revealing two different states of bonded film as we have previously shown on densely grafted C18 or C22 macroporous silicas.The measurement of the capacity factors of the alkane homologous series indicated a discontinuity in the plot (logK, N) at a critical number whose value is dependent on temperature. Two different forms of these curves can be observed above and below the transition, revealing the influence of bonded film state on the retention mechanism.     

Etudes des sélénophènes mono et bisubstitués par Résonance Magnétique de 1H et de 13C

Proton and carbon magnetic resonance spectra of mono-and disubstituted selenophenes are investigated. The proton chemical shifts are discussed in terms of magnetic anisotropy and electric field effects of the substituents, with a view to studying the conformational equilibrium of the carbonyl group. π Electronic charges, computed by the PPP method, are correlated with the proton and carbon chemical shifts. The coupling constants between ¹³C and ¹H (1, 2 or 3 bonds) and ¹³C? ⁷⁷Se are shown to be good structural parameters and a set of substituent additivity constants is calculated.     

Spectrum of lattice gauge theories with fermions from a 1/d expansion at strong coupling

We study the strong coupling limit of U(N) or SU(N) gauge theories with fermions on a lattice. The integration over the gauge and fermion degrees of freedom is performed by analytic methods, leading to a partition function in terms of localized meson and baryon fields. A method for deriving a systematic expansion in the inverse of the space-time dimension of the corresponding Green functions is developed. It is applied to the study of spontaneous breakdown of chiral symmetry, which occurs for any U(N) or SU(N) theory with fermions in the fundamental representation. Meson and baryon spectra are then computed, and found to be in close agreement with those obtained by numerical methods at finite coupling. The pion decay constant is estimated.