A model of the kinetics of macrocyclic BPA carbonate formation

Cyclic oligocarbonates are synthesized by two-phase interfacial reactions of aryl bischloroformates in the presence of an amine phase transfer catalyst and an alkali: nClOCOArOCOCl + 4nNaOH → (OArOCO)_n + 2nNaCl + nNa₂CO₃ + 2nH₂O. The organocarbonate product may be a macrocyclic oligomer or a linear chain polymer. A qualitative mechanism for this behavior has been proposed by Brunelle, Boden, and co-workers. Four steps are identifiable: activation of the aryl bischloroformate by the amine catalyst, hydrolysis of a portion of this intermediate at the aqueous/organic phase interface, oligomerization between activated and hydrolyzed moieties also at the interface, and chain terminating carbamate formation that leads to polymer. An important modification is made within the framework of the Brunelle and Boden mechanism. While the intramolecular cyclization reaction is formally second-order overall, it behaves as a first-order process. The kinetic constants for both this pseudo-first-order cyclization step and the corresponding second-order linearization step are simply related. It is speculated that the above relationship can be generalized for a whole class of pseudo-first- and second-order rate constants for similar macrocyclic reactions.     

New synthesis of 2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides.

The 3'-iodonucleoside 4 and the 3'-O-methylsulfonylthymidine 9 have been synthesized by condensation of silylated uracils 2 with methyl 5-O-tert-butyldiphensilyl-2,3-dideoxy-3-iodo-D-threo-pentofuran oside (3) and methyl 5-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2-deoxy-3-methylsulfonyl-D-erythro- pentofuranoside (8), respectively. The nucleoside 4 and 9 produced the corresponding 2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides 5 in an elimination reaction on treatment with sodium methoxide. The compounds 5b showed no antiviral activity against HIV-1.     

Three-phase model of a chiral quark bag

A three-phase model of a hybrid chiral quark bag is proposed. In addition to the phases of asymptotically free current quarks and of totally colorless mesons, the model contains the intermediate phase of massive constituent quarks. A self-consistent solution with an account for the “Dirac sea” contribution is found in the (1+1)-dimensional case. The dependence of the bag parameters on the parameters of the theory is investigated analytically and numerically. Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Matematicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 117, No. 2, pp. 263–299, November, 1998.     

Charge screening in valence band of solids and in the Fermi sea. Origin of weak-boson masses

Summary An attempt is made to explain the masses of Z and W^± bosons by means of a screening mechanism analogous to charge screening in metals. It considers the effect of the electroweak force on the distribution of negativekinetic-energy neutrinos, which fills the whole universe (neutrino Fermi sea). The large weak-boson masses appear to be a direct consequence of the vanishing neutrino mass.     

Improved quantitation of 13-cis- and all-trans-acitretin in human plasma by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

A reliable analytical method has been developed for measurement of 13-cis- and all-trans-acitretin (Neotigason) in human plasma by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, with ultraviolet detection. Human plasma was obtained after centrifugation of whole blood samples and deproteinized by ethanolic denaturation. After liquid-liquid extraction with water-n-hexane, and aliquot ws chromatographed on a silica column using isocratic elution with n-hexane-methylsalicylate-acetic acid (200:18:0.6, v/v). The wavelength was set at 360 nm, and for plasma samples a limit of quantification of 3-4 ng/ml was obtained. All manipulations were carried out under dim light conditions to prevent photoisomerization.     

Velocity spectrum for non-Markovian Brownian motion in a periodic potential

Non-Markovian Brownian motion in a periodic potential is studied by means of an electronic analogue simulator. Velocity spectra, the Fourier transforms of velocity autocorrelation functions, are obtained for three types of random force, that is, a white noise, an Ornstein—Uhlenbeck process, and a quasimonochromatic noise. The analogue results are in good agreement both with theoretical ones calculated with the use of a matrix-continued-fraction method, and with the results of digital simulations. An unexpected extra peak in the velocity spectrum is observed for Ornstein-Uhlenbeck noise with large correlation time. The peak is attributed to a slow oscillatory motion of the Brownian particle as it moves back and forth over several lattice spaces. Its relationship to an approximate Langevin equation is discussed.     

Preservice Elementary Teachers' Use of Mathematics in a Project‐Based Science Approach

The use of a project‐based science (PBS) approach to teaching encourages students to integrate mathematics and science in meaningful ways as they create projects. As a beginning study of how students use mathematics in such an approach, an analysis of 23 projects developed by preservice elementary teachers enrolled in an elementary science course was conducted. Findings showed that students made a number of different types of mathematical errors and underutilized data representation and summary forms. Implications included the importance of developing methods for supporting the use of mathematical tools in utilizing a project‐based approach and considering ways that such tools mediate scientific thinking.     

Connection machine simulation of ultrasonic wave propagation in materials III: The three-dimensional case

A formalism for the simulation by parallel processing of the propagation of ultrasonic pulses of arbitrary shape (i.e. not restricted to continuous waves) in complex media is presented. Recursive relationships yielding the time evolution of the displacement field are derived for both homogeneous and heterogeneous materials. In the latter case, formulas for cross-points at the intersection of up to eight different materials are obtained. A few examples of numerical results obtained with the proposed method are shown to demonstrate its applicability and efficiency. The problem of visualization of the results is also briefly discussed.     

Structure of the crystal solvate of the dipyridinium salt of 2,2′-bis[1,3-bis(dicyanomethylene)indane] with acetonitrile

L. Ya. Karpov Physical Chemical Research Institute. Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 141–144, May–June, 1991.