Two-photon absorption cross section determination for fluorene derivatives: analysis of the methodology and elucidation of the origin of the absorption processes

A comprehensive analysis of the well-known open aperture Z-scan method, using a modified equation for the change in transmittance, is presented and accounts for discrepancies in two-photon absorption (2PA) cross sections between picosecond and femtosecond excitation. This new approach takes into account excited-state absorption and stimulated emission of the molecules studied. The two-photon absorption cross-section spectra of a series of six fluorene-based derivatives, determined using picosecond pulses, over a broad spectral range (500-900 nm), and this approach using a modified fitting procedure in the open aperture Z-scan is reported. We demonstrate that the fluorene derivatives exhibit two-photon absorption cross-section values between 700 and 5000 GM, when excited into the two-photon allowed electronic state. Excitation anisotropy spectra, measured to investigate the nature of the observed linear and nonlinear absorption bands, are presented and provide insight into the 2PA process.     

Relative stereochemistry of a diterpene from Salvia cinnabarina

The relative stereochemistry of 3,4-secoisopimara-4(18),7,15-triene-3-oic acid, a diterpenoid with antispasmodic, hypotensive and antibacterial activities isolated from Salvia cinnabarina, was determined by an X-ray diffraction analysis of a single crystal of a suitable crystalline derivative.     

The experimental localization of Aubry-Mather sets using regularization techniques inspired by viscosity theory

We provide a new method for the localization of Aubry-Mather sets in quasi-integrable two-dimensional twist maps. Inspired by viscosity theories, we introduce regularization techniques based on the new concept of "relative viscosity and friction," which allows one to obtain regularized parametrizations of invariant sets with irrational rotation number. Such regularized parametrizations allow one to compute a curve in the phase-space that passes near the Aubry-Mather set, and an invariant measure whose density allows one to locate the gaps on the curve. We show applications to the "golden" cantorus of the standard map as well as to a more general case.     

Germanium,carbon‐germanium,and silicon‐germanium triangulenes

A series of germanium‐containing triangular molecules have been studied by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The triangulene topology of the compounds provides for their high‐spin ground states and strong sign alternation of spin density and atomic charge distributions. High values of the exchange coupling constants witness ferromagnetic ordering of electronic structures of all studied triangulenes. The compounds bearing more electronegative atoms in a‐positions of the triangular networks possess higher aromatic character and stronger ferromagnetic ordering. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Dual Biosensing Device for the Speciation of Arsenic

Acetylcholinesterase (ACh) and acid phosphatase (AcP) have been simultaneously cross‐linked onto an array of SPCEs, which was set up by a Ag/AgCl reference electrode, a carbon counter electrode and two carbon working electrodes. The detection of As(III) and As(V) is based on their enzymatic inhibitory effect. Different immobilization conditions, substrates, supporting electrolytes and chronoamperometric experimental conditions have been studied for the sensitive and selective detection of both species of arsenic in complex matrices, such as tap water and wine, at once.     

Enzymatic Chemoselective Aldehyde–Ketone Cross‐Couplings through the Polarity Reversal of Methylacetoin

The thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) dependent enzyme acetoin:dichlorophenolindophenol oxidoreductase (Ao:DCPIP OR) from Bacillus licheniformis was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme shared close similarities with the acetylacetoin synthase (AAS) partially purified from Bacillus licheniformis suggesting that they could be the same enzyme. The product scope of the recombinant Ao:DCPIP OR was expanded to chiral tertiary α‐hydroxy ketones through the rare aldehyde–ketone cross‐carboligation reaction. Unprecedented is the use of methylacetoin as the acetyl anion donor in combination with a range of strongly to weakly activated ketones. In some cases, Ao:DCPIP OR produced the desired tertiary alcohols with stereochemistry opposite to that obtained with other ThDP‐dependent enzymes. The combination of methylacetoin as acyl anion synthon and novel ThDP‐dependent enzymes considerably expands the available range of C? C bond formations in asymmetric synthesis.