The onset of coulomb explosions in polyatomic molecules

With the development of high intensity femtosecond lasers, the ionisation and dissociation dynamics of molecules has become an area of considerable interest. Using the technique of femtosecond laser mass spectrometry (FLMS), the molecules carbon disulphide, pyrimidine, toluene, cyclohexanone and benzaldehyde are studied with pulse widths of 50 fs in the near infrared (IR) wavelength region (790 nm). Results are presented and contrasted for laser beam intensities around 10(15) and 10(16) W cm(-2). For the lower intensities, the mass spectra yield dominant singly charged parent ions. Additionally, the appearance of doubly charged parent ions is evident for carbon disulphide, toluene and benzaldehyde with envelopes of doubly charged satellite species existing in these local regions. Carbon disulphide also reveals a small triply charged component. Such atomic-like features are thought to be a strong fingerprint of FLMS at these intensities. However, upon increasing the laser intensity to approximately 10(16) W cm(-2), parent ion dominance decreases and the appearance of multiply charged atomic species occurs, particularly carbon. This phenomenon has been attributed to Coulomb explosions in which the fast absorption of many photons may produce transient highly ionised parent species which can subsequently blow apart. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Uniform molecular analysis using femtosecond laser mass spectrometry

The potential of femtosecond laser time-of-flight mass spectrometry (FLMS) for uniform quantitative analysis of molecules has been investigated. Various samples of molecular gases and vapours have been studied, using ultra-fast ( approximately 50 fs) laser pulses with very high intensity (up to 1.6 x 10(16) Wcm(-2)) for non-resonant multiphoton ionisation/tunnel ionisation. Some of these molecules have high ionisation potentials, requiring up to ten photons for non-resonant ionisation. The relative sensitivity factors (RSF) have been determined as a function of the laser intensity and it has been demonstrated that for molecules with very different masses and ionisation potentials, uniform ionisation has been achieved at the highest laser intensities. Quantitative laser mass spectrometry of molecules is therefore a distinct possibility. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the impact of model selection on predictor identification and parameter inference

We assessed the ability of several penalized regression methods for linear and logistic models to identify outcome-associated predictors and the impact of predictor selection on parameter inference for practical sample sizes. We studied effect estimates obtained directly from penalized methods (Algorithm 1), or by refitting selected predictors with standard regression (Algorithm 2). For linear models, penalized linear regression, elastic net, smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD), least angle regression and LASSO had a low false negative (FN) predictor selection rates but false positive (FP) rates above 20 % for all sample and effect sizes. Partial least squares regression had few FPs but many FNs. Only relaxo had low FP and FN rates. For logistic models, LASSO and penalized logistic regression had many FPs and few FNs for all sample and effect sizes. SCAD and adaptive logistic regression had low or moderate FP rates but many FNs. 95 % confidence interval coverage of predictors with null effects was approximately 100 % for Algorithm 1 for all methods, and 95 % for Algorithm 2 for large sample and effect sizes. Coverage was low only for penalized partial least squares (linear regression). For outcome-associated predictors, coverage was close to 95 % for Algorithm 2 for large sample and effect sizes for all methods except penalized partial least squares and penalized logistic regression. Coverage was sub-nominal for Algorithm 1. In conclusion, many methods performed comparably, and while Algorithm 2 is preferred to Algorithm 1 for estimation, it yields valid inference only for large effect and sample sizes.     

Synthesis of new proton‐ionizable crown ether compounds containing substituted lh‐pyridin‐4‐one subcyclic units

Five novel pyridono‐18‐crown‐6 ( 10‐14 ) and two new benzyloxy‐substituted pyridino‐18‐crown‐6 ( 15 and 16 ) ligands have been prepared. By the catalytic hydrogenative removal of the benzyl group from the benzyloxy moiety at position 4 of the pyridine ring of 15 and 16 , pyridono‐18‐crown‐6 ethers 5 and 12 were obtained. These ligands were transformed to their 3,5‐dibromo ( 10 and 13 ) and 3,5‐dinitro derivatives ( 11 and 14 ) by treatment with bromine in methylene chloride and nitric acid in acetic anhydride, respectively. The latter proton‐ionizable crown ethers have pK_avalues of about 7.5 for 10 and 13 and 4.5 for 11 and 14 . Thus, they are good candidates for complexation and proton‐coupled transport of selected cations.     

Synthesis and Complexation Properties of Pyrimidine-Derived Crown Ether Ligands

Five new proton-ionizable macrocyclic ligands containing a pyrimidone-subcyclic unit, 6–10 , were prepared from the previously prepared pyrimidinocrown ethers 1–5 (see Figure 1 and Scheme 1). One of the new proton-ionizable crown ethers is chiral. The proton-ionizable pyrimidonocrown ethers were prepared in high yields by treating the appropriate methoxy-substituted pyrimidinocrown with 5 M sodium hydroxide in a 50% alcohol-water mixture. Complexation properties of four of the pyrimidine-derived macrocycles were studied by various nmr techniques. Pyrimidono-18-crown-6 (9) forms a strong complex with benzylammonium perchlorate and also forms a complex with benzylamine. (S, S)-Dimethyl-substituted pyrimidino- and pyrimidono-18-crown-6 ligands 4 and 9 form stronger complexes with the (R)-form of α-(1-naphthyl)ethylammonium perchlorate than with the (S)-form. (S, S)-Dimethyl-substituted pyrimidono-18-crown-6 ( 9 ) also forms a stronger complex with (R)-α-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine than with the (S)-form. The crystal structure for compound 7 is reported.